Monk

Class Features

As a monk, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

---

• Hit Dice: 1d10 per monk level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st

Proficiencies

---

• Armor: Light armor
• Weapons: simple weapons, shortswords, rapiers, improvised weapons
• Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
• Saving Throws: Dexerity, Wisdom
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Medicine, Insight, Perception, Religion, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• 10 Darts & (a) a shortsword (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack

Unarmored Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10+ your Dexterity modifer + your Wisdom modifier

Martial Arts

At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:

• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
• You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.

Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.

Ki

Ki

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.

You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.

Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Flurry of Blows

2nd level monk feature (revision)

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The number of unarmed strikes you can make with this feature increases to three at level 11, and 4 at level 20.

Patient Defense

2nd level monk feature (revision)

You can spend 1 ki point to take the dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. Alternatively, you may use your reaction to do so when a creature you can see targets you with an attack. This reaction imposes disadvantage on the triggering attack.

Step of the Wind

2nd level monk feature (revision)

You may spend one ki point on your turn so that your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks until the start of your next turn. During that time your jump distance is also tripled.

Unarmored Movement

2nd level monk feature (revision)

Starting at 2nd Level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield, and you may take the Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. The bonus to your movement increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.

At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

Dedicated Weapon

2nd level monk feature (optional)

Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.

The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:

• The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
• You must be proficient with it.
• It must lack the heavy and special properties.

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Deflect Missiles

Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.

Ki Fueled Attacks

3rd level monk feature (optional)

Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.

Slow Fall

4th level monk feature (revision)

Beginning at 4th level, while you are conscious you reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Stunning Strike

5th level monk feature (revision)

Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent’s body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target may not take reactions until the end of your next turn and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. A creature with legendary resistances may use their reactions as normal.

Ki-Empowered Strikes

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Evasion

At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Stillness of Mind

7th level monk feature (revision)

Beginning at 7th level, if you end your turn charmed or frightened, you may spend 1 ki point (no action required) to end that effect. In addition, as a bonus action on your turn, you can touch one creature and spend a ki point to end one effect on them that is causing them to be charmed or frightened.

Purity of Body

10th level monk feature (revision)

At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison, and you gain resistance to necrotic damage.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon

Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

Restore Balance

13th level monk feature (addition)

You have gained a deeper understanding of the ki that flows through all living things, and your touch can restore the balance of ki in others. Beginning at 13th level, you can cast the spell greater restoration without providing components. Once you make use of this feature, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest.

Diamond Soul

Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.

Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result

Ki Mastery

15th level monk feature (addition)

You have spent so many hours honing your manipulation of the ki within yourself that you may now extend the benefits it grants you to others. Beginning at 15th level, you gain the following benefits:

• Whenever you use your Step of the Wind feature, any ally within 5 feet of you when you do so does not provoke opportunity attacks when they leave an enemies reach until the start of your next turn.

• Whenever you use your Flurry of Blows feature, you may choose one ally within 30ft of you and give them advantage on their next attack roll.

• Whenever you use Patient Defense, hostile creatures have disadvantage on their attack rolls against any ally within 5ft of you until the start of your next turn.

Timeless Body

At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.

Empty Body

18th level monk feature (revision)

Beginning at 18th level, you can use your bonus action and spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.

Additionally, you can spend 6 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can’t take any other creatures with you.

Nirvana

This feature replaces the 20th level monk feature Perfect Self

You have achieved a level of enlightenment and physical prowess few mortals ever attain. Beginning at 20th level, you gain the following benefits:

• Increase your Dexterity and Wisdom scores by +4. Your maximum for these scores is now 24.

• When you roll initiative and have less than half your ki points , you gain a number of ki points so that your total number of ki equals half your monk level.

Monastic Traditions

Three traditions of monastic pursuit are common in the monasteries scattered across the multiverse. Most monasteries practice one tradition exclusively, but a few honor the three traditions and instruct each monk according to his or her aptitude and interest. All three traditions rely on the same basic techniques, diverging as the student grows more adept. Thus, a monk need choose a tradition only upon reaching 3rd level.

Way of the Open Hand

Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm.

Open Hand Technique

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:

• It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
• It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
• It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Wholeness of Body

6th level Way of the Open Hand Monk Feature (revision)

At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As a bonus action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Preternatural Counter

(This feature replaces the 11th level Way of the Open Hand feature tranquility)

Whenever a creature misses you with an attack, you may use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature. If you have already used your reaction this turn, you may spend a ki point to use this feature. You may only spend ki points in this way against the same target once per round.

Quivering Palm

At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.

You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.

Way of Shadow

Monks of the Way of Shadow follow a tradition that values stealth and subterfuge. These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins. Sometimes the members of a ninja monastery are family members, forming a clan sworn to secrecy about their arts and missions. Other monasteries are more like thieves' guilds, hiring out their services to nobles, rich merchants, or anyone else who can pay their fees. Regardless of their methods, the heads of these monasteries expect the unquestioning obedience of their students.

Shadow Arts

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, or silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't already know it.

Furthermore, you gain darkvision out to a range of 120ft and you can spend 1 ki point on your turn (no action required) to see through magical darkness for 1 minute.**

Shadow Step

6th level Way of Shadow Monk Feature (revision)

At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then gain advantage on your next attack roll. You may also make one unarmed strike as part of this bonus action

Cloak of Shadows

By 11th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.

Opportunist

17th level Way of Shadow Monk Feature (revision)

At 17th level, you can exploit a creature's momentary distraction when it is hit by an attack. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack made by a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature. For the cost of 1 ki point, you may use your flurry of blows on the creature. If you have already used your reaction this round, you may spend 2 ki points to make use of this feature and may only do so in this way once per round .

Way of the Four Elements

The following is a complete revision of the Way of Four Elements Monk Subclass as presented in the Player's Handbook on page 80.

You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to harness the elements around you to bolster your abilities even further. When you focus your ki, you can align yourself with the forces of creation and bend the four elements to your will, using them as an extension of your body. Many who follow this tradition only master 1 or 2 of the known 4 elements, but all who walk this path strive for complete elemental mastery.

Many monks of this tradition tattoo their bodies with representations of their ki powers, commonly imagined as coiling dragons, but also as phoenixes, fish, plants, mountains, and cresting waves.

Command Elements

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn to harness the elements and bend them to your will in small ways. You learn the shape water, mold earth, gust, and produce flame cantrips. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Wisdom. By spending a ki point on your turn, you can cast any of these spells as a bonus action.

Elemental Forms

Beginning at third level, you may choose one elemental form: Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. Using a bonus action on your turn, you may spend 2 ki points to harness the elements around you and take on aspects of the element you have chosen. You can maintain a form for one minute or until you are incapacitated. You can shift to a different elemental form you know as a bonus action on your turn. Shifting between forms does not cost you any additional ki.

Each of the elemental forms improve as you gain levels in this class, and you learn an additional form at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. As you gain levels, you gain any additional features of the elemental forms you already know, and when you learn a new form, you gain all of the features from that form as long as you meet the level requirements.

Some of these forms grant you the ability to cast spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules unless specified otherwise, but you don't need to provide material components for it.

If any feature or spell outlined below requires a saving throw, the DC is equal to your Ki Save DC.

Air

Those who follow the form of air are warriors who rely on their swiftness and elusive nature to win the day. They can command fists of air to strike at their foes from a distance, move across the battlefield unharmed, and some can even harness the wind itself, using it to their advantage in combat.

Beginning at 3rd level

• While in this form, when you use your Flurry of Blows your reach for your strikes increases to 30ft. Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from Flurry of Blows, you can choose to push that creature up to 10ft away from you.

• While in this form, opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage

Beginning at 6th level

• While in this form, when you take the Dash action on your turn, you gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your current turn. If you are still flying when your turn ends, you fall to the ground.

Beginning at 11th level

• While in this form, you gain resistance to thunder and lightning damage

• While in this form you may spend 3 ki points to cast lightning bolt. For you, the lightning bolt need not be in a straight line. If it is storming out, creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw against this spell.

Beginning at 17th level

• While you are in this form, you have a fly speed equal to your walking speed and spells and other magical effects cannot reduce your speed nor cause you to be Paralyzed or Restrained.

• When you cast lightning bolt in this form, it is cast as a 5th level spell.

Earth

Those who follow the Earth's path pull their strength from deep within, and use earth to strike down foes and lend protection to themselves and others. Warriors who follow the path of earth rely on their strength and their unyielding nature to bring their enemies low.

Beginning at 3rd level

• While in this form, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from Flurry of Blows, they must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be restrained until the start of your next turn. The creature may use it's action on it's turn to attempt a Strength check against your Ki save DC to escape.

• While in this form, you gain a +2 bonus to your armor class.

Beginning at 6th level

• While in this form you gain burrow speed equal to half your walking speed and can burrow through loose dirt & unworked stone. You leave a tunnel big enough to fit a creature of your size in your wake.

Beginning at 11th level

• While in this form, you have resistance to acid damage

• While in this form, you can spend 3 ki points to cast erupting earth. For you, the area of effect can be whatever orientation you choose so long as the total area does not exceed a 20ft cube. If you are underground, creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw against this spell.

Beginning at 17th level

• While in this form you gain resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and cannot be moved against your will as long as you are conscious and on solid ground.

• When you cast erupting earth in this form, it is cast as a 5th level spell

Fire

Those who walk the path of flames know that fire can be wielded for destruction or used to cleanse the world of its evils. These warriors rely on their swiftness, their strength, and an iron will to see through what needs be done.

Beginning at 3rd level

• While in this form, when you use your Flurry of Blows your reach increases to 10ft. In addition, while this form is active, once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from your Flurry of Blows you can choose to set the target on fire. The target takes fire damage at the start of each of its turns equal to a roll of your martial arts die. A creature can use its action to douse the flames, and the flames are also extinguished if the target is submerged in water or similar liquid.

Beginning at 6th level

• While in this form, if you move 20 ft or more before making a weapon attack, you gain advantage on the attack roll. If the attack is successful, the target creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Ki Save DC or be knocked prone.

Beginning at 11th level

• While in this form, you gain resistance to cold and fire damage.

• While in this form, you may spend 3 ki points to cast fireball. If you are in an environment of extreme heat (such as the desert or near lava), creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw against this spell.

Beginning at 17th level

• While in this form you are immune to fire damage, and any creature that hits you with a melee attack takes fire damage equal to half your monk level.

• When you cast fireball in this form, it is cast as a 5th level spell.

Water

Warriors who can harness the element of water know of both its destructive and it's healing power. Water can be used to mend, and to soothe; but a tidal wave destorys all before it. Monks who walk this path must master that dichotomy, and know when to be the soothing brooke, and when to be the tidal wave.

Beginning at 3rd level

• While in this form, when you use your Flurry of Blows your reach for your strikes increases to 30ft. Once per turn when you hit a creature with an attack from your Flurry of Blows, you can choose to pull that creature up to 30ft toward you.

• While in this form, you ignore difficult terrain and you gain advantage on ability checks to escape being grappled.

Beginning at 6th level

• You gain a permanent swim speed equal to your walking speed and can breathe both air and water.

• As a bonus action, you may spend a number of ki points up to half your monk level, rounded down, and select a creature within 30ft of you. You may then roll a number of your martial arts die equal to the number of ki points spent and restore hitpoints to the chosen creature equal to the number rolled + half your monk level.

Beginning at 11th level

• While in this form, you gain resistance to acid and cold damage

• You can spend 3 ki points to cast the tidal wave spell. For you, the area of effect need not be in a straight line. If you are standing in a body of water, creatures have disadvantage on their saving throw against this spell.

Beginning at 17th level

• While in this form you are constantly under the effects of the freedom of movement spell. Furthermore, as long as you are conscious, you and any ally within 30ft of you regain hitpoints equal to half your monk level at the start of your turn.