Baldur's Gate 3 best Monk build

Looking for the best Baldur's Gate 3 Monk build? Inspired by Shaolin monks and other spiritual warriors from real-world cultures, the Baldur's Gate 3 Monk class takes the study of martial arts to the next level. Monks leverage a unique gameplay mechanic called ki, which refers to energy that flows through all beings. Monks can use this energy to exceed the body‘s physical capabilities, augmenting their attacks with truly devastating prowess.

If you want to master the Monk class in Baldur's Gate 3, there are a few things you'll need to keep in mind to maximise the potential of your ki-infused strikes. Here's what to know about the best race, subclass, and background for your Monk character, plus a few extra ideas for the best possible build.

Note: Looking for lots more builds to choose from? Check out our dedicated list of the best builds in Baldur's Gate 3 for each class!

Baldur's Gate 3 best Monk build

Monks are melee characters who begin their journey with Flurry of Blows, which allows them to make two extra melee attacks as a bonus action. The class also benefits from Unarmoured Defence, which, in the Monk's case, adds your Wisdom Modifier to your armour class when not wearing armour.

Generally, the Monk's actions are similar to spell effects but leverage ki points instead of spell slots. You'll begin the game with two ki points and gain one on each subsequent level increase. A Short Rest will refresh these ki points, which you can then spend as "charges" for specific attacks.

Aside from their combat skills, Monks gain several class features based on bodily health and maintaining a zen-like mindstate. For example, Stillness of Mind, a class feature you'll gain at Level 7, automatically removes the Charmed or Frightened conditions. At Level 10, you'll gain Purity of Body, which makes you completely immune to poison or disease.

Monk weapon, armour, and class proficiencies:

• Monk weapon proficiencies: Simple weapons, shortswords
• Monk armour proficiencies: None
• Monk skill proficiencies (choice of two): Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Religion
• Monk saving throws: Strength, Dexterity

Monk subclass options

At Level 1, Monks can choose from the following subclasses:

• Way of the Open Hand: Focus on unarmed combat, using your hands to channel ki to both heal allies and inflict damage on enemies.
• Way of the Shadow: A darker twist on the Monk class, this approach highlights a shinobi-esque tradition of stealth and subterfuge.
• Way of the Four Elements: Call on the power of wind, fire, earth, and water so you can bend elements to your will.

Best Monk race, background, and Skills

Your race, background, and skills can greatly enhance and strengthen your Monk character. Here are our best picks for a Monk build that emphasises the stealthier martial arts assassin route - though your preferences may vary based on your team composition or play style.

The best Monk race is Wood Elf.

Elves have Darkvision and can see in the dark and dim settings. They also gain Elven Weapon Training for added weapon proficiency with longswords, shortswords, longbows, and shortbows. Fey Ancestry grants advantage on saving throws against being Charmed, and magic can't put Elves to sleep. The race also grants proficiency in Perception. All of these are great buffs for a well-rounded Monk.

More specifically, the Wood Elf subrace gets Fleet of Foot, which offers an increased movement speed of 10.5m (relative to 9m of most other races) and also gains a Proficiency bonus to Stealth checks - perfect for a silent but deadly ki-wielder.

The best Monk background is Charlatan.

To supplement our build, we're going with the Charlatan background, which grants Deception and Sleight of Hand proficiency bonuses. Deception is the skill to use when you need to hide the truth, while Sleight of Hand grants checks on acts of manual trickery, such as lockpicking and pickpocketing.

The best Monk skill proficiencies are Acrobatics and Athletics.

Acrobatics improves attempts to stay on your feet in tricky situations such as standing on ice or traversing narrow beams that require keen balance. Athletics improves Shove, resistance to Shove, and Jump.

Best Monk subclass

The best Monk subclass is Way of the Shadow. This subclass emphasises your Stealth capabilities and becomes extraordinarily powerful at Level 6 when you gain Shadow Step. Shadow Step allows Monks to use a bonus action to teleport up to 18m and also grants advantage on your next melee attack for some sneaky, stealthy kills.

Best Monk feats

Monk can choose feats at Levels 4, 8, and 12. The best Monk feats are:

• Level 4: Lucky
• Level 8: Mobile
• Level 12: Sentinel

Lucky is a solid first feat that grants three Luck points per Long Rest that give you advantage on a saving throw, ability check, or attack roll as a reaction. Mobile is also a great choice for the Monk, because it increases movement speed and prevents opportunity attacks when you move after making a melee attack. Finally, Sentinel allows you to use a reaction to attack an enemy in melee range whenever they attack an ally. These opportunity attacks also prevent the creature from moving for the rest of its turn.

That's everything you need to know for the best Monk build in Baldur's Gate 3. If these ninja-like moves aren't quite your preference, you can always check out our guide on how to respec your character and choose another class from our best Baldur's Gate 3 builds list. You may also want to read our guide to multiclassing, or, if you're just into Baldur's Gate for the make-out scenes, check out our guide on romancing in Baldur's Gate 3.

Disclosure: Former RPS deputy editor Adam Smith (RPS in peace) now works at Larian and is the lead writer for Baldur's Gate 3. Former contributor Emily Gera also works on it.