Monk

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**Primary Ability:** Dexterity and Wisdom

Monks use rigorous combat training and mental discipline to align themselves with the multiverse and tap into internal reservoirs of power. Different Monks conceptualize this power in various ways: as breath, energy, life force, essence, or self, for example. Whether channeled as a striking display of martial prowess or as a subtler focus of defense and speed, this power infuses all that a Monk does.

Monks harness and focus their internal power to create extraordinary, even supernatural, effects. They channel uncanny speed and strength into their attacks, with or without the use of weapons. In their hands and guided by their power, even the most basic weapons can become sophisticated implements of combat mastery. And their mightiest attacks can stun their opponents.

Many Monks find that a structured life of ascetic withdrawal from the mundane world helps them cultivate the physical and mental discipline they need to harness their power. Other Monks believe that immersing themselves in the vibrant confusion of life helps to fuel their determination and discipline.

Monks generally view their adventures as personal tests of their physical and mental development. They are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering treasure; they strive to hone themselves into living weapons.

### CREATING A MONK

To create a Monk, consult the following lists, which provide Hit Points, proficiencies, and armor training. If you’re making a 1st-level character, also consult the “Starting Equipment” section, and if you’re using the multiclassing rules, see the “Multiclassing and the Monk” sidebar.

Then look at the Monk table to see the class features you get at each level in this class. The descriptions of those features appear in the “Monk Class Features” section.

#### HIT POINTS

* **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Monk level
* **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + your Constitution modifier
* **Hit Points per Level after 1st:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier

#### PROFICIENCIES

* **Saving Throws:** Strength, Dexterity
* **Skills (Choose 2):** Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Stealth
* **Weapons:** Simple Weapons
* **Tools:** Choose one type of Artisan’s Tool or Musical Instrument

#### STARTING EQUIPMENT

As a 1st-level character, you start with the following equipment, or you can forgo it and spend 65 GP on equipment of your choice.

* Artisan’s Tools
* Dagger (x5)
* Explorer's Pack
* Musical Instrument
* Spear
* 9 GP

### MULTICLASSING AND THE MONK

If your group uses the multiclassing rules in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose Monk as one of your classes.

* **Ability Score Minimum.** As a multiclass character, you must have a score of at least 13 in the Monk’s primary abilities, Dexterity and Wisdom, to take a level in this class or to take a level in another class if you are already a Monk.

### MONK CLASS FEATURES

As a Monk, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified levels in this class. These features are listed on the Monk table.

#### 1ST LEVEL: MARTIAL ARTS

Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use your Unarmed Strike and Monk Weapons, which are the following:

* Simple Melee Weapons
* Martial Weapons that have the Light 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:

* **Bonus Unarmed Strike.** You can make one Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action.
* **Dexterous Attacks.** You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your Unarmed Strikes and Monk Weapons. In addition, when you choose the Grapple or Shove option, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of Strength to determine the saving throw DC.
* **Martial Arts Die.** You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike or Monk Weapons. This die changes as you gain Monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.

#### 1ST LEVEL: UNARMORED DEFENSE

While you aren’t wearing any armor or wielding a Shield, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers.

#### 2ND LEVEL: MONK’S DISCIPLINE

Your self-discipline and martial training allow you to harness a well of extraordinary energy within yourself. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of Discipline Points. Your Monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Discipline Points column of the Monk table. You can spend these points to fuel certain Monk features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind, each of which is detailed below. When you spend a Discipline Point, it is unavailable until you finish a Short Rest or Long Rest, at the end of which you regain all your expended points. Some features that use Discipline Points require your target to make a saving throw. The saving throw DC equals 8 plus your Proficiency Bonus plus your Wisdom modifier.

* **Flurry of Blows.** You can spend 1 Discipline Point to make two Unarmed Strikes as a Bonus Action.
* **Patient Defense.** You can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to take both the Disengage and the Dodge actions as a Bonus Action.
* **Step of the Wind.** You can take the Dash action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to take both the Disengage and Dash actions as a Bonus Action, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

#### 2ND LEVEL: UNARMORED MOVEMENT

Your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a Shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain Monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.

#### 2ND LEVEL: UNCANNY METABOLISM

When you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended Discipline Points. When you do so, roll your Martial Arts die, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Monk level plus the number rolled. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest

#### 3RD LEVEL: DEFLECT ATTACKS

You can use your Reaction to deflect melee and ranged attacks against you that deal Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. When you do so, the total damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 plus your Dexterity modifier plus your Monk level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to redirect some of the attack’s force. If you do so, choose a creature within 5 feet of you if the attack was a melee attack or 60 feet of yourself that isn’t behind Total Cover if the attack was a ranged attack. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. The damage is the same type dealt by the attack.

#### 3RD LEVEL: MONK SUBCLASS

You gain a Monk subclass of your choice:

* Warrior of Mercy
* Warrior of Shadow
* Warrior of the Elements
* Warrior of the Hand
* Warrior of the Astral Self (Non-Playtest)
* Warrior of the Drunken Master (Non-Playtest)
* Warrior of Kensai (Non-Playtest)
* Warrior of Sun Soul (Non-Playtest)

Subclasses are detailed after this class’s description (for this playtest, use Way of Mercy from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything for Warrior of Mercy). A subclass is a specialization that grants you special abilities at certain Monk levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Monk level and lower. ***There are non-playtest subclasses that can be used, please check with your DM before using one.***

#### 4TH LEVEL: ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

#### 4TH LEVEL: SLOW FALL

You can use your Reaction when you fall to reduce any damage you take from the fall by an amount equal to five times your Monk level.

#### 5TH LEVEL: EXTRA ATTACK

You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

#### 5TH LEVEL: STUNNING STRIKE

Once per turn when you hit a creature with a Monk Weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target has the Stunned condition until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the target takes Force damage equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die plus your Wisdom modifier.

#### 6TH LEVEL: EMPOWERED STRIKES

Whenever you deal damage with your Unarmed Strike, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type.

#### 6TH LEVEL: SUBCLASS FEATURE

You gain a feature from your Monk subclass.

#### 7TH LEVEL: EVASION

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. You don’t benefit from this feature if you have the Incapacitated condition.

#### 7TH LEVEL: HEIGHTENED METABOLISM

If you spend at least 1 minute resting, you can give yourself all the benefits of a Short Rest. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

#### 8TH LEVEL: ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

#### 9TH LEVEL: ACROBATIC MOVEMENT

While you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a Shield, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the movement.

#### 10TH LEVEL: HEIGHTENED DISCIPLINE

Your training has pushed your body and mind to new levels. Your Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind gain the following benefits:

* **Flurry of Blows.** You can spend 1 Discipline Point to use Flurry of Blows and make three Unarmed Strikes with it instead of two.
* **Patient Defense.** When you spend a Discipline Point to use Patient Defense, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
* **Step of the Wind.** When you spend a Discipline Point to use Step of the Wind, you can choose a willing creature within 5 feet of you that is Large or smaller. You move the creature with you until the end of your turn. The creature’s movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.

#### 10TH LEVEL: SELF-RESTORATION

Through sheer force of will, you can use a Bonus Action to remove one of the following conditions from yourself: Charmed, Frightened, or Poisoned. In addition, forgoing food and drink doesn’t give you levels of Exhaustion.

#### 11TH LEVEL: SUBCLASS FEATURE

You gain a feature from your Monk subclass.

#### 12TH LEVEL: ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

#### 13TH LEVEL: DEFLECT ENERGY

You can now use your Deflect Attacks feature against attacks that deal any damage type, not just Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.

#### 14TH LEVEL: DISCIPLINED SURVIVOR

Your physical and mental discipline grant you proficiency in all saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to reroll it and take the second result.

#### 15TH LEVEL: PERFECT DISCIPLINE

When you roll Initiative and have 3 Discipline Points or fewer, you regain expended Discipline Points until you have 4.

#### 16TH LEVEL: ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

#### 17TH LEVEL: SUBCLASS FEATURE

You gain a feature from your Monk subclass.

#### 18TH LEVEL: SUPERIOR DEFENSE

At the start of your turn, you can spend 3 Discipline Points to perfectly bolster yourself against harm for 1 minute or until you have the Incapacitated condition. During that time, you have resistance to all damage except Force damage.

#### 19TH LEVEL: ABILITY SCORE IMPROVEMENT

You gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat of your choice for which you qualify.

#### 20TH LEVEL: BODY AND MIND

You have honed your body and mind to new heights. Your Dexterity and Wisdom scores increase by 4. Your maximum for those scores is now 26.