Monk Monks were spiritual ascetics and practitioners of a mystical energy known as " ki " , the magical essence which flows through all living things . Monks utilized this energy to augment their own physical abilities , granting them extraordinary speed and strength . Monks could also use their own ki to alter the energy flow in other living creatures , for both defensive and offensive purposes . Monks ' ability to manipulate ki was often ( but not always ) mediated by their own psionic ability . Sabuti Shanardanda was a notable monk from Amn during the Era of Upheaval . Danica Maupoissant was another notable monk studying at Spirit Soaring ( Edificant Library ) . Grandmaster Kane was an incredibly powerful monk of the order of Ilmater , one of the companions of Gareth Dragonsbane who assisted him in defeating the evil witchking Zhengyi . Culture . Monastic traditions appear to have originally arisen in Amn and Calimshan simultaneously , though traditions from Kara - Tur and other material planes immigrated to Faerûn and may have originated earlier . Most monastic orders were devoted to the worship and internalization of the ideals of a god , though others were not and it was not required for a monk to manipulate ki , since a monk ’ s power most often came from within , rather than from divine sources . The gods most commonly worshiped by monks tended to be champions of virtue like Bahamut , deities of battle such as Tempus , or those who required of their followers a disciplined lifestyle . Monks of Ilmater , Shar , and Yondalla ( among the few halfling monks ) were also common and members of the Shining Hand were devoted to Azuth . Monks usually lived in monasteries , which could be found throughout all of Toril , though most commonly in Amn , Calimshan , Damara , Kara - Tur , the Lake of Steam , or Silverymoon , as well as Mulhorand . In Shou Lung the Iron Hand , Five Stars , Northern Fist , and Southern Star schools were among the most highly reputed , with branches in Shou communities throughout Faerûn . In Faerûn proper the Order of the Dark Moon and the Disciples of Saint Sollars the Twice - Martyred , devoted to Shar and Ilmater respectively , were generally well - respected . Some monasteries were located in reclusive mountains ; others operated in city slums . Monasteries that were located within or near towns or villages were generally on good terms with their neighbors , providing various services in exchange for food or other resources . Wherever they were based , monks rigorously trained their bodies and minds towards perfection , enabling them to defend themselves with their bare hands or a few select weapons . Due to the discipline imposed by this training , monks were almost always of a lawful temperament . However , monasteries - and the monks that resided within - varied between good and evil . Good monasteries were servants of the people , protecting them from bandits and other threats . Evil monasteries , on the other hand , were often tyrannical bastions , ruling the surrounding lands through fear or serving despots as spies and assassins . Most monks adhered to neither extreme , however . Most monks came to their individual monastery at an early age , either as orphans or as members of starving families . As a result of their young induction , relatively few monks felt any close connection to their previous families or friends , and instead looked to their fellow monks as their family . Other monks came from a different background , most often within cities where masters of an order set up schools to teach the fighting style and traditions of his or her order to prospective students . Most monks were human s or half - humans such as half - elves or half - orc s . Elves also make capable monks due to their natural agility and perceptiveness . However , dwarves , in spite of their hierarchical and orderly culture , found the concept of the monk distasteful or bizarre and as a result few chose such a path . Likewise gnomish and halfling monks , with the exception of stronghearts , were not particularly common . And among the more savage humanoids such as orc s or goblinoid s monks were an utterly alien tradition . Monks who chose to become adventurer s did so for a number of various reasons . Some monks left out of a desire to test their own capabilities , perhaps as a means to spiritual development . Others were forced from their monastery for violating some rule of their order . A few were sent into the world with a particular purpose by their superiors , Whatever the reason , the transition from the communal life of the monastery to one of solitary traveling was rarely easy on monks . Abilities . Monks ability to manipulate ki gave them a wide variety of special abilities , as did some monks ' skill with psionics or divine magic . Among the most basic capabilities granted by monks ' control of their own ki was an enhanced awareness of their own surroundings , improving their ability to sense and avoid attacks . This ability was impeded however , by the use of armor , which is why most monks eschewed it . In addition to forgoing armor , most monks often used only their bare hands for weapons , delivering powerful blows that were enhanced through a monk ' s use of ki . In addition to unarmed strikes , monks were also trained in the use of all simple weapon s ( such as nunchaku or kama s ) as well as shortsword s . When fighting unarmed or using weapons such as these , monks attacked with greater agility and power than other combatants who used similar techniques . Some monks could also enhance these attacks with implement s such as magic weapon s or ki focus es . As monks grew more experienced , they gained additional abilities . Experienced monks could use their ki to increase their speed while running unarmored or to deflect missile attacks . With further training they could decrease the affect of gravity on their bodies as they fell , attack more quickly , deal a paralyzing blow to enemies , overcome a creature ' s resistance or immunity to nonmagical injuries , or calm their minds in the heat of battle . Assuming their training continued unimpeded , monks eventually became as capable in any mental , spiritual , or physical defense as humanly possible and became able to replenish their use of ki at an incredible speed . in addition to combat abilities , monks gained a number of other benefits from mastering their ki . Experienced monks could , for example , render themselves immune to disease or poison or use their ability to interact with the ki of other living creatures to understand any spoken language ( or make themselves similarly understood ) . With further training , monks could learn to halt the aging process and to sustain themselves on the energy of ki , without need for food or water . The most experienced monks could even make themselves invisible or replicate the effects of the " astral projection " by using their ki to render themselves in insubstantial . Monastic traditions . Though all monks shared a great deal with one another , many focused on a number of specific , exclusive techniques that distinguished different monasteries from one another . Some of the most frequently practiced traditions are listed below . Centered Breath tradition . Frequently found in remote rural areas , monasteries that taught the Centered Breath tradition placed an emphasis upon mental perfection and acuity , calmly anticipating enemy actions and countering them with psionic energy . Centered Breath monks were soft - spoken ascetics , who preferred solitary study to combat training , honing their psionic abilities through discipline and quiet contemplation . Some Centered Breath monasteries even swore themselves to a vow of silence , allowing members to speak only for one hour a day . Through such dedicated study Centered Breath monks acquired a number of unique abilities . Among the most basic of these was the " centered flurry of blows " discipline , which involved hitting an opponent rapidly in order to shift them a short distance . Additionally , Centered Breath monks - who were often less physically powerful than other monks - could use their considerable mental powers to regulate their own body , increasing their fortitude . Stone Fist tradition . While some monks emphasized the importance of mind over body , adherents of the Stone Fist tradition believed that true spiritual perfection began with the mastery of the body . Training themselves to supernatural levels of agility and strength , Stone First monks were master athletes , who often offered their services as laborers or artisans to local communities when they weren ' t training . Stone Fist monasteries where therefore more likely to be found in towns or villages than the remote wilderness , though exceptions did exist for those monasteries whose members sought to test themselves physically against climatic extremes , such as a desolate tundra or an active volcano . The harsh training of the Stone Fist tradition made its adherents both more agile and more powerful than other monks . Moving swiftly across the battlefield , Stone Fist monks favored such disciplines as the " stone fist flurry of blows " technique , which landed a series of quick and devastating blows on enemies . Stone Fist monks ' physical mastery also gave them a degree of resistance to efforts to sap their will , making up for their shortcomings in mental training . Way of the Four Elements . Among the most deliberately magical of the monastic traditions , the Way of the Four Elements taught monks to use their ki to manipulate the four fundamental building blocks of matter in the multiverse : air , earth , fire , and water . Four Elements monks could bend these elements to their will , manipulating them as though they were a part of their own body . Many of them celebrated their mastery of the elemental forces by embellishing their bodies with representative tattoos , such as dragon s , fish , phoenix es , or mountains . Whereas other monks focused on the mastery of specific martial arts techniques , Four Elements monks instead used their ki to master spells which utilized one or more of the four elements . Many monks chose to specialize in one element but others were multifaceted , using two , three , or all four elements together to create a diverse array of effects . Elemental spells mastered by monks of the Four Elements were often given different names than those used by more typical spellcasters . " Cone of cold " for example became " breath of winter " , while " fireball " became " flames of the phoenix " . In addition to replicating the effects of spells , monks of the Four Elements also practiced a number of unique abilities , such as the " elemental attunement " technique , which allowed them to cause or create minor elemental effects . Way of the Open Hand . Masters of the martial arts , monks of the Open Hand were the ultimate practitioners of unarmed combat . Monks belonging to the Way of the Open Hand could use ki to hinder opponents , heal their own bodies , or protect themselves from enemy attacks . In addition to unarmed combat , monks of the Open Hand were also skilled in the use of monk weapons like kamas or stave s . The most basic technique available to monks of the Open Hand was the so - called " open - hand technique , " a variation of " flurry of blows " which allowed a monk to knock an enemy down or force them back a distance of about 15 feet . More experienced Open Hand monks could use their ki to replicate the effects of the " sanctuary " spell , granting them magical protection from enemy attacks . Among the most advanced abilities known to practitioners of the Open Hand was the " quivering palm " technique , which allowed a monk to strike an enemy and send miniature vibrations coursing through the target for a period of up to two or more tendays or until the monk chose to end them . If the monk ended these vibrations by choice they could do so harmlessly or as a lethal attack which only the most lucky or durable could survive . Way of Shadow . Also known as ninja s and shadowdancer s , monks who practiced the Way of Shadow were masters of stealth and trickery . Unlike most monks , Shadow monks were often part of a clan , rather than a traditional monastery , sharing techniques that were passed down from one family generation to the next . Others were more akin to thieves ' guilds . Both variations often used their skills to earn a living as spies or hired killers and practitioners of the Shadow Way were expected to obey their superiors with unquestioning obedience . To help them in their subterfuge , monks of Shadow could use their control of ki to replicate the effects of several spells such as " darkness " or " silence " as well as cantrips such as " minor illusion " . More experienced Shadow monks were also capable of a limited form of teleportation , darting from one shadow to another across moderate distances . A more advanced technique allowed Shadow monks to blend into such shadows , becoming invisible so long as they remained within the dark and refrained from interacting with other creatures or objects .