Monks 5e D&D Guide

While everyone knows monk, how many have actually played it? Many parties have a wizard or barbarian and many others even have a bard. 

Many people don’t have a Monk who punches enemies in the face. It is one of the most fun classes to play, and I believe it is one of my favorite classes. 

This Monks 5e Guide is to help you play 5th edition D&D as a Monk.

The Monk’s unarmed combat style is the coolest. You only use your fists most of the time. There are no magical spears or swords, and there are no large fireballs. 

Only you and your hands can defeat the world. I enjoy writing D&D articles as a dungeon master.

I enjoy telling stories and putting challenges in front of my players. They are not too difficult to make them mad. 

I have a lot of experience as a DM, so you can expect a wrench to be thrown into your story. I have a good idea of what works and what doesn’t, and how to tell your dungeon master what you should tell before you start an adventure.

The monk is a D&D class that most beginning dungeon masters don’t count on. 

However, the good news for DMs is that many players don’t know how to make a decent or good Monk in 5e D&D.

What is the best way to play as a Monk?

If I thought that playing as a Monk would be boring and dull, I wouldn’t recommend it. It is an amazing experience to play as a Monk. They can be quite underpowered but that is okay.

Contrary to what some players think, the Monk does not fight front-line like the barbarian. 

Monks will fill in the gaps when your party is becoming too powerful and help to turn the tide. Monks can be a good alternative to a rogue in your group.

They are able to stealthily infiltrate enemy camps and make stealthy use of them.

Be aware that the monk can have some weaknesses that could make your adventure difficult if you don’t have an experienced party. 

A class can be very valuable and sometimes even irreplaceable.

What are the strengths of a monk in DnD

They are not a Strength-based class but a DEX-based class. This skill is essential for your Monk to survive in tougher battles. It is also going to prove to be very useful. 

You will notice that your Monk can do some serious damage and can even use dangerous attacks if you have enough hit points. 

Another bonus is that the monk can also fill in for the rogue role when there are no rogues.

The Monk uses KI functions. These features make it really enjoyable to play as a Monk. If you know how to use your ace, the Monk’s ace will be a spectacular strike. 

If you didn’t know, the Monk is a martial arts class. You also get some additional damage from enemies by catching right and left hooks.

What should you be aware of while playing as a monk?

If you are planning to storm straight into enemies and unleash your inner Mike Tyson, then I have bad news. 

You’ll likely die quickly. The Monk is not a front-alone fighter. Their AC is not high enough and they don’t have sufficient hitpoints. 

They are close-combat fighters and are likely to be hit quite often. This makes it dangerous to run into enemy tanks.

They are not the only front-fighter in a party due to their low damage output. Every melee-based build will be stronger. Your party will be greatly enhanced by the presence of barbarians and paladins.

The Monk is going to turn off a lot of people, I’m sure. They can also catch projectiles being hurled at you and do excellent DEX saves. 

They will still need to engage in close combat to prove their usefulness. 

Some people have built Monks that can be used at long range. However, if you don’t want to deal with the headache, pick a ranger.

What are the best and worst races for monks?

The most dangerous races

• Half Orc– Although the Half-orc appears strong and will probably end in a fistfight, they make terrible Monks. They don’t have enough DEX to make them viable. They are best for STR builds.
• Tieflings– The Tieflings have everything you need in a Monk. They are terrible match-ups for Monks. Avoid this class as it can be disastrous for your Monk Build.
• Gnome– Gnomes can cast spells but they won’t throw any decent punches. The Rock Gnome is worse than the Forest Gnome. Do not pick any Gnome subraces.

The most beautiful races

• Halfling– I consider this to be the best race for a Monk. A halfling receives a tremendous DEX bonus. You can also become a Monk by using a decent class feature (Lucky). However, a good imagination is the best thing. It is incredible to have a halfling KO (a large demon with fists),
• Human– The all-rounder. You will be able to create a Monk if you use a Vanilla human. You can also increase your DEX, CON (and WIS), which makes the Variant extremely powerful. It’s great to be able to perform a feat right from the beginning. This one is a little stronger than the Halfling but it’s still funny so it’s close.
• Elf– This is the only Elf subrace that you should be considering. The Wood Elf. You can move quickly and have a high WIS score. The Mask of the wild makes them very adept at stealth. This one is for you if your looking for a Monk who can be a decent scout and is strong.

What are the Priorities of Monks’ Ability Scores?

• CH– If you’re going to play as a Monk you won’t need Charisma to do anything useful. It is possible to skip investing in it.
• IN– You can ignore intelligence completely, just like Charisma.
• ST– Strength is nearly useless if your goal is to be a Monk, despite what complete beginners believe. It can be used to push or grapple with enemies, which is acceptable in certain niches.
• CON– You’ll need to spend points on CON. While it’s not your primary focus, it is important to ensure you can survive the middle to end of the game. This is especially true if your party doesn’t have a damage sponge tank.
• WIS– The WIS gives you unarmed defense that will increase your AC and survival rates. WIS also has the important feature that some of your Ki abilities will depend on it.
• DEX– Your Monk’s DEX will determine whether it rises or falls. This is the most important skill a Monk can have. The DEX is the basis of everything you do. DEX is required for attacking, and DEX also affects your damage. DEX is required to protect your party against long-range attacks.

The Best Foods for Monks

Monks and feats don’t go well together. If you want to build a monk, I think it’s better to concentrate on your DEX in 5e and WIS there. 

Your ASI is critical, so don’t have any that you can burn. Pick one thing at most. If you choose one, here are the choices. The campaign will determine which one is best.

• Mageslayer– I wouldn’t recommend this feat unless your DM loves magic users. You will fight them throughout your adventure.
• Lucky– It’s a fantastic feat, regardless of your build. I prefer niche feats that can be used occasionally to turn the tide and are more useful than those that have little impact and only a few uses.
• Mobile– If you don’t know what your Dungeon Master will do, you should pick this feat. It’s the best. It saves your Ki so that you can use it in the most critical moments.
• Defensive Duelist– This is an excellent feat to have if you’re going to get a lot of hits during your campaign. If you’re going to fight at all, it is a little harder to hit.
• Although– This feat will help you to increase your CON so that you can survive in dangerous situations.

Most Frequently Asked Questions about Monks in 5e DnD

Why is DnD so terrible for monks?

This is because people don’t know how to build and play with Monks. 

People don’t realize that the monk, despite being a combat fist-fighter and support class, is actually a close combat fighter. 

A plan B is also important for low CON players. These two insights are crucial, as they can lead to costly errors by the mid-game.

Which monks are the most fun?

You can choose from many fun monk subclasses. They often have, at least according to lore, different motivations, training methods, and monk weapons.

These can also be used in unarmed strike techniques, making them dangerous foes.

I have a few monks who stand out to me for having a fun campaign.

*Kensei Monk These monks represent the best in training with weapons. They are so well-equipped that their weapon choice feels like an extension of their body. A Kensei weapon is available to Monks who follow the Kensei’s path. To become a Kensei weapon, you can choose from two weapons. You can choose one melee weapon or one raging weapon.

*Shadow Monk Another option is to follow in the footsteps of the Shadow. These monks place a lot of importance on stealth. Many players refer to them as ninja monks. There are many interesting abilities they can use. They can use the Shadow Arts, Shadow Step, and Cloak of Shadows, as well as Opportunist.

*Windwalker Monk These monks are followers of the Way of the Windwalker. I find this to be a great example of saving the best for the last. These are my favorite subclasses to choose for your monk. These subclasses are well-known for their unarmed strike, which can do a lot to NPCs and creators. Some of their features have the most unique names. You can’t help but love Monks with features like Fists of Fury and Stance of the Ferocious Tigre. You can feel the essence and joy of being a monk by playing as a WinkwalkerMonk.

Can you rage like a monk?

You can use the benefits of Rage if you play as a Barbarian Monk. This gives you damage resistance, additional weapon damage, and an advantage in strength checks.

It is worth the effort to be able to rage as a monk. STR is terrible for Monk builds and will cost you in mid-game. It is fun to imagine a monk running wild, destroying everything it comes across, but they aren’t viable.

Does a Monk need strength?

They don’t. It is totally useless to be a monk with strength. You can use the ability points to increase your Dexterity, Wisdom, and Constitution.

You will regret investing your points in strength later. This ability is what determines how much damage you do when fighting.

Final Words

A monk is a great class to play within any Dungeons and Dragons campaign. 

To ensure you don’t die in the middle of the game, you will need to have some DnD experience and knowledge. 

It’s not easy to find a monk who is relevant and can go to the frontlines while not being in mortal danger.

You might be unsure how to make a monk. They are one of the most difficult classes to master and powerful enough to continue being an asset to the party. 

My most important tip is to remember that you are a support class, not the main fighter. This is a key point to remember, and it will help you get along with your party members.