Description: Monks are versatile warriors skilled at fighting without weapons or armor. Good-aligned monks serve as protectors of the people, while evil monks make ideal spies and assassins. Though they don't cast spells, monks channel a subtle energy, called ki. This energy allows them to perform amazing feats, such as healing themselves, catching arrows in flight, and dodging blows with lightning speed. Their mundane and ki-based abilities grow with experience, granting them more power over themselves and their environment. Monks suffer unique penalties to their abilities if they wear armor, as doing so violates their rigid oaths. Monks wearing armor lose their wisdom and level based armor class bonuses, their movement speed, and their additional unarmed attacks per round.
Alignment restrictions: any lawful
Hit die: d8
Proficiencies: armor (robes), weapons (monk)
Skill points: 4 + int modifier ( (4 + int modifier) * 4 at 1st level)
Skills: concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, persuade, tumble
Unavailable feats:
brew potion, craft wand, curse song, divine might, divine shield, extra music, extra turning, lingering song, quicken spell, scribe scroll, spell focus, weapon specialization
These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of monk.
Primary saving throw(s): fortitude, reflex, will
Base attack bonus: +3/4 levels
Specialty weapon: The monk retains his unarmed attack bonus when fighting with a kama.
Level progression
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | Unarmed AB | Flurry of blows AB | Unarmed damage | AC bonus | Speed bonus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | Large/medium | Small | |||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +2 | cleave, monk AC bonus, stunning fist,evasion, flurry of blows, improved unarmed strike |
4-8 | +0 | -2/-2 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | - | |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | deflect arrows | 8-16 | +1 | -1/-1 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | - | |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | monk speed, still mind | 12-24 | +2 | +0/+0 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | +10% | |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | 16-32 | +3 | +1/+1 | 1d8 | 1d6 | - | +10% | ||
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | purity of body | 20-40 | +3 | +1/+1 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +10% | |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | knockdown, improved knockdown | 24-48 | +4/+1 | +2/-1/+2 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +20% | |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | wholeness of body | 28-56 | +5/+2 | +3/+0/+3 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +20% | |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +6 | 32-64 | +6/+3 | +4/+1/+4 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +1 | +20% | ||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +6 | improved evasion | 36-72 | +6/+3 | +4/+1/+4 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +1 | +30% | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +7 | +7 | ki strike +1 | 40-80 | +7/+4/+1 | +5/+2/-1/+5 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +2 | +30% | |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +7 | +7 | diamond body | 44-88 | +8/+5/+2 | +6/+3/+0/+6 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +2 | +30% | |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +8 | diamond soul | 48-96 | +9/+6/+3 | +7/+4/+1/+7 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | |
| 13th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +8 | ki strike +2 | 52-104 | +9/+6/+3 | +7/+4/+1/+7 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | |
| 14th | +10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +9 | 56-112 | +10/+7/+4/+1 | +8/+5/+2/-1/+8 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | ||
| 15th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +9 | +9 | quivering palm | 60-120 | +11/+8/+5/+2 | +9/+6/+3/+0/+9 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +3 | +50% | |
| 16th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +10 | ki strike +3 | 64-128 | +12/+9/+6/+3 | +10/+7/+4/+1/+10 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +50% | |
| 17th | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +10 | 68-136 | +12/+9/+6/+3 | +10/+7/+4/+1/+10 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +50% | ||
| 18th | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +11 | empty body | 72-144 | +13/+10/+7/+4/+1 | +11/+8/+5/+2/-1/+11 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +60% | |
| 19th | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +11 | 76-152 | +14/+11/+8/+5/+2 | +12/+9/+6/+3/+0/+12 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +60% | ||
| 20th | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +12 | perfect self | 80-160 | +15/+12/+9/+6/+3 | +13/+10/+7/+4/+1/+13 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +4 | +60% | |
- A monk's unarmed base attack bonus (UBAB) is still affected by multiclassing. Characters may gain additional attacks by taking a higher BAB progression class (e.g. fighter levels), or reduced attacks from taking a lower BAB progression class (e.g. wizard levels).
- A monk's UBAB, armor class bonuses (from wisdom and every 5 levels), and speed are all negated when the monk wears armor other than clothing or uses a shield.
Epic monk
An epic monk's speed, power, grace, and force of will are unmatched by mortal beings. His powers continue to multiply as he steps away from the mortal shell and accepts an inner tranquility that lesser characters cannot even dream of.
Hit die: d8
Skill points: 4 + int modifier
Bonus feats: the epic monk gains a bonus feat every five levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 25, 30, 35, and 40.
Special: every 3 levels, the monk's movement speed will increase by an additional 10%.
Special AC bonus: every 5 levels from 20, the monk's AC will increase by an additional + 1.
Epic monk bonus feats: armor skin, blinding speed, epic damage reduction, epic energy resistance, epic toughness, improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist, self concealment
Epic monk level progression
| Lvl | Feats | HP range | AC bonus | Speed bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | 84-168 | +4 | +70% | |
| 22nd | 88-176 | +4 | +70% | |
| 23rd | 92-184 | +4 | +70% | |
| 24th | 96-192 | +4 | +80% | |
| 25th | bonus feat | 100-200 | +5 | +80% |
| 26th | 104-208 | +5 | +80% | |
| 27th | 108-216 | +5 | +90% | |
| 28th | 112-224 | +5 | +90% | |
| 29th | 116-232 | +5 | +90% | |
| 30th | bonus feat | 120-240 | +6 | +100% |
| 31st | 124-248 | +6 | +100% | |
| 32nd | 128-256 | +6 | +100% | |
| 33rd | 132-264 | +6 | +110% | |
| 34th | 136-272 | +6 | +110% | |
| 35th | bonus feat | 140-280 | +7 | +110% |
| 36th | 144-288 | +7 | +120% | |
| 37th | 148-296 | +7 | +120% | |
| 38th | 152-304 | +7 | +120% | |
| 39th | 156-312 | +7 | +130% | |
| 40th | bonus feat | 160-320 | +8 | +130% |
Prestige class tips
- Shadowdancer is a good choice for a stealthy monk.
- Pious monks may want to consider the champion of Torm.
- Red dragon disciple provides useful ability score boosts. In addition, the base class (sorcerer or bard) used to qualify for this prestige class opens the use of arcane scrolls. There are some additional benefits to the bard class (e.g. bard song and UMD), but combining bard with monk requires an alignment change.
- Ranger is a useful class when going for 10 attacks per round as it receives full BAB. It also provides the two-weapon feats for free.
- Weapon master at post-epic levels will add significant damage due to an increased critical range while using kamas.
Notes
- At level 20, monks receive glowing eyes. The color of the glow depends on the character's alignment: good glows blue, evil glows red, and neutral glows purple. This occurs because in PnP 20th-level monks become outsiders; however, in NWN, their race does not change.
- Only multiclass monks with at least 4 pre-epic levels in a class with maximum BAB can max out the number of attacks per round. To do this, a multiclass monk will need two-weapon fighting, improved two-weapon fighting, haste, flurry of blows, wield a kama in each hand, and be level 20. This will give 10 attacks per round, the most anyone can achieve:
- 16 BAB at level 20 gives 4 main hand attacks per round (at least 4 levels of a full BAB progression class are required before level 20).
- Monk's unarmed attack bonus with lower requirement for extra attacks adds 2 main hand attacks per round.
- An off-hand kama adds 1 off-hand attack per round.
- Improved two-weapon fighting adds 1 off-hand attack per round.
- Flurry of blows adds 1 attack per round.
- Haste adds 1 attack per round.
- The cleric spell divine power raises the character's base attack bonus to that of a fighter of the same level, and grants extra attacks per round as appropriate. This would mean that a monk who had sufficient clerical levels to cast this spell and who was dual wielding kamas could also reach 10 attacks per round.
- While unarmed monks lack the two off-hand attacks of a dual-wielder, they can effectively reach 9 attacks per round by taking the circle kick feat. However, circle kick has some problems, as noted in its article.
- Due to the inclusion of AC-enhancing monk-only equipment (like robes of the shining hand and boots of the sun soul), the tumble AC bonus, and the monk AC bonuses, monks without armor have a much higher AC than others, putting them on par with warriors.
- Since NWN has various gloves with attack bonuses, monks can do their fist damage with the attack bonus of wielding a weapon. The only disadvantage they have from not using a weapon is the decrease in attacks per round (no two-weapon fighting).
- The attack bonus of the gloves also defines the enchantment level of the unarmed attack in terms of bypassing damage reduction. So, for example, while wearing +10 AB gloves, a monk's unarmed attack will ignore X/+10 damage reduction.
- Monks are designed primarily as anti-casters. They can dodge spells, resist spells, and kill people who have low fortitude saves with one hit. They move quickly, reducing the distance between themselves and their target. Their stunning fist stops casters from being able to cast spells for three rounds. However, properly tweaked, kama or unarmed, straight melee monks are a fearsome adversary capable of toe-to-toe combat against most opponents.
- Monks who also have stealth can move much faster than rogues when in stealth mode. Elven monks, with their automatic active search checks, make for excellent forward scouts.
- There is a tendency among players to confuse "specialty weapon" with "equivalent to unarmed attacks". However, the only special treatment kamas receive is what is stated above: a monk retains his unarmed attack bonus when fighting with a kama. No other unarmed-only ability can be used while fighting with a kama. This includes stunning fist, quivering palm, and ki strike. (Note that the flurry of blows description specifically states that it applies to both unarmed attacks and kamas, so it is not "unarmed-only".)
- According to the character sheet a monk with improved two-weapon fighting gets the UBAB progression on the off-hand weapon, even if it is not a kama, so long as the weapon in the primary hand is a kama. Off-hand attacks never benefit from the monks unarmed attack progression, the type of off-hand weapon has no effect attack progression.
- A monk may activate flurry of blows as long as the primary hand is using a kama.
- Both dexterity- and wisdom-based monks have their advantages. Wisdom-based tends to work well for unarmed monks, as it increases the DC of attacks such as quivering palm and stunning fist, though they suffer from lower attack bonuses. The dexterity-based monk tends to work well with a kama as they do not use the wisdom-based special attacks. In combination with weapon finesse, it allows them to achieve very high attack bonuses. The down-side is the fact that straight class monks are not granted any uncanny dodge feats. This leaves them very vulnerable when caught flat-footed.
- It should be noted that the monk class starts out fairly weak, but quickly gains strength. A monk excels in an arena server, because by level forty he is amazingly difficult to destroy, and can attack ten times per round.