Unlock the secrets of martial mastery in Baldur’s Gate 3 with our comprehensive Monk guide. Whether you choose the stealthy Way of Shadow, the powerful Way of the Open Hand, or the elemental finesse of the Way of the Four Elements, this guide will equip you with essential strategies, ability scores, and build tips to dominate your foes. Discover how to harness your Ki for devastating attacks, evade danger with unmatched agility, and become a formidable force on the battlefield. Prepare to unleash your inner warrior and redefine what it means to be a Monk in this epic RPG adventure!
Best origin for a Monk
The best origin for a Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3 is crucial for maximizing effectiveness in combat and role-playing opportunities. The Wood Elf and Githyanki races are highly recommended due to their inherent bonuses to Dexterity and mobility, which are essential for a Monk’s agile playstyle. Additionally, selecting the Urchin background can provide valuable Dexterity-based skills that complement the Monk’s abilities. Prioritizing abilities such as Dexterity and Wisdom during character creation will enhance both attack power and defense, while also unlocking unique class features like Flurry of Blows and Unarmored Defense, allowing Monks to excel in unarmed combat and agility-based maneuvers throughout their journey in the game.
When choosing origins for the Monk in BG3, make sure to choose proficiencies in skills appropriate for this class, namely those based on Wisdom and Dexterity. The best origins for the Monk class are:
- Acolyte possessing proficiency in religion and intuition.
- Folk Hero whose specialization is animal care and survival.
- Urchin possessing sleight of hand and perception.
Best race for a Monk
For players looking to maximize their Monk’s potential in Baldur’s Gate 3, the best race choices are Wood Elf and Githyanki. Wood Elves benefit from a natural Dexterity bonus, enhancing their agility and attack capabilities, while also gaining increased movement speed, which is crucial for Monks who rely on mobility in combat. Githyanki, on the other hand, provide a unique blend of Dexterity and Intelligence bonuses, making them versatile for various builds. Both races complement the Monk’s focus on Dexterity and Wisdom, allowing for effective unarmed combat and spellcasting abilities, particularly when choosing the Way of the Four Elements subclass. Ultimately, selecting either of these races will enhance your Monk’s effectiveness in both melee and magical engagements throughout your adventure.
In BG3, you will find several races with a Dexterity bonus like:
- Wood Elf with bonus 2 Dexterity and 1 Wisdom.
- Halfling with bonus 2 Dexterity and 1 to Charisma or Constitution, depending on the subrace.
- Human who has 1 to all abilities.
Ability points
In Baldur’s Gate 3, ability points play a crucial role in defining a Monk’s effectiveness in combat and overall gameplay. When creating a Monk, players should prioritize allocating points to Dexterity and Wisdom, as these abilities enhance both attack rolls and Armor Class (AC) when unarmored. A recommended distribution includes 12 Strength, 17 Dexterity, 14 Constitution, 8 Intelligence, 14 Wisdom, and 10 Charisma. This setup not only maximizes the Monk’s martial arts capabilities but also ensures survivability through higher hit points and better defensive stats. As players level up, they can further refine their abilities through feats and subclass features, allowing for a versatile playstyle that adapts to various combat situations.
- The most crucial ability of this class isDexterity. An agile Monk has a higher chance of inflicting damage and avoiding being hit by the enemy.
- You need to put more points Wisdom to cast spells and read the intentions of encountered creatures. Wisdom is also useful in medicine, perception, and dealing with animals.
- The Monk’s Strength and Constitution should not be less than 11. A high level of Strength will be useful for defensive throws. Constitution modifier is added to the armor class when the character is not wearing armor.
Best spells and class actions for a Monk
Monks in Baldur’s Gate 3 excel in melee combat, utilizing a unique combination of Ki Points and class features to enhance their effectiveness in battle. Key abilities include Flurry of Blows, which allows for multiple attacks in a single turn, and Stunning Strike, enabling the Monk to incapacitate foes temporarily. The choice of subclass significantly influences gameplay; for example, the Way of the Open Hand focuses on unarmed combat and crowd control, while the Way of Shadow emphasizes stealth and tactical movement. Additionally, Monks can benefit from spells available through the Way of the Four Elements, further diversifying their combat options. Prioritizing Dexterity and Wisdom in ability scores enhances both attack rolls and defensive capabilities, making Monks formidable opponents on the battlefield.
- Step of the Wind is a class action that you can use both in combat and during exploration. Double your jump range.
- Flurry of Blows is a Monk’s bonus action during which you attack twice with bare hands.
- Patient Defense is a bonus action thanks to which you can dodge during your turn.
Best Monk subclass
Choosing the best Monk subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 largely depends on your preferred playstyle and the role you want to fulfill in your party. The Way of the Four Elements allows for a versatile approach, combining melee combat with elemental spells, making it suitable for players who enjoy a mix of physical and magical abilities. Alternatively, the Way of Shadow excels in stealth and mobility, perfect for those who want to play a more tactical role, utilizing darkness and deception to outmaneuver foes. Lastly, the Way of the Open Hand focuses on unarmed combat and offers enhanced bonus actions, making it ideal for players who prioritize high damage output and aggressive tactics. Each subclass provides unique strengths that can significantly impact gameplay, so consider your team’s needs and your combat strategy when making a choice.
Monk inBG3 can have 1 of 3 subclasses below:
- Way of the Four Elements – Monk uses Ki points to cast spells or invoke elemental effects. You can deal up to 3 unarmed attacks and can create a water whip that either pulls a creature to you or knocks it down.
- Way of the Long Death – provides temporary hit points after defeating enemies and can terrify nearby opponents. This Monk can spend their Ki points and cheat death or transfer necrotic damage through touch.
- Way of the Shadow – This Monk subclass focuses on stealth and deception. It grants spells that conceal the caster and teleport him between shadows. They can cast invisibility on themselves and use the opponent’s distraction to perform additional attacks.
Best combat style for Monk
The best combat style for Monks in Baldur’s Gate 3 largely depends on the chosen subclass, but a highly effective approach is to focus on the Way of the Four Elements. This subclass allows Monks to blend melee attacks with elemental spells, enhancing their versatility in combat. By prioritizing Dexterity and Wisdom, players can maximize their unarmed strikes while benefiting from increased Armor Class through Unarmored Defense. Key abilities like Flurry of Blows enable Monks to unleash multiple attacks in a single turn, making them formidable in both single-target and area-of-effect scenarios. Additionally, utilizing Ki Points strategically can amplify damage output and provide defensive options, such as Deflect Missiles, making Monks agile and lethal combatants on the battlefield.
Monks have proficiency in using a shortsword and any other simple weapon. They will perform perfectly without wearing armor.
Best Monk build
The Best Monk build in Baldur’s Gate 3 centers around maximizing the Monk’s unique abilities and playstyle, particularly through the Way of the Four Elements subclass. This build emphasizes high Dexterity and Wisdom, allowing for agile combat and effective spellcasting. Key features include the ability to perform multiple attacks in a single turn using Flurry of Blows, while also harnessing elemental spells to enhance melee damage. Players should focus on skills that boost mobility and survivability, such as Unarmored Defense, which adds the Wisdom modifier to Armor Class. By strategically allocating ability points and selecting the right spells, players can create a versatile Monk capable of dominating both single-target and area-of-effect encounters in the game.
- Race: Wood Elf
- Subclass: Way of the Four Elements
- Origin: Acolyte
- Abilities: Dexterity and Wisdom 16, Strength and Constitution 11/12, Charisma and Intelligence around 8
- Weapon: Shortsword of First Blood
- Armor: None
What are the key differences between the Way of the Open Hand and Way of the Shadow subclasses
The Way of the Open Hand and Way of Shadow subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 offer distinct playstyles for Monks, each emphasizing different combat techniques and strategic approaches.
Key Differences
Way of the Open Hand
- Combat Focus: This subclass excels in unarmed combat, utilizing a combination of powerful strikes and crowd control abilities. Monks of this path can manipulate their Flurry of Blows to push or knock enemies prone, enhancing their control over the battlefield.
- Ki Utilization: The Way of the Open Hand allows for efficient use of Ki points to perform additional attacks and special maneuvers, making them formidable in direct confrontations.
- Mobility and Damage: This subclass emphasizes high mobility and damage output without the need for weapons, relying on Dexterity for attack rolls and damage. Their unarmed strikes scale with Dexterity, allowing for significant damage potential.
Way of Shadow
- Stealth and Subterfuge: In contrast, the Way of Shadow is designed for stealthy gameplay, akin to a rogue or ninja. This subclass grants abilities that enhance stealth checks and allow for sneaky maneuvers, such as hiding as a bonus action and creating areas of darkness2.
- Shadow Arts: Monks in this subclass gain access to unique abilities like teleportation between shadows and creating illusions or zones of silence, enabling them to control encounters through deception and tactical repositioning.
- Combat Style: While they can still engage in melee combat, their strengths lie in ambushing enemies and using stealth to gain advantageous positions rather than relying solely on brute force2.
In summary, the Way of the Open Hand is geared towards direct combat and crowd control, while the Way of Shadow focuses on stealth, deception, and tactical maneuvers. Players can choose based on whether they prefer a straightforward martial approach or a more cunning, stealth-based strategy.
Which subclass is better for a stealthy playstyle
For a stealthy playstyle in Baldur’s Gate 3, the Way of Shadow subclass is the superior choice. This subclass is specifically designed for stealth and subterfuge, allowing Monks to excel in sneaky maneuvers and ambush tactics.
Advantages of Way of Shadow
- Stealth Mechanics: The Way of Shadow provides abilities that enhance stealth, such as the ability to become invisible and teleport behind enemies, making it easier to initiate combat without being detected.
- Shadow Arts: This subclass grants access to unique abilities like Pass Without Trace, which gives a significant bonus to Stealth checks, and Darkness, which can obscure vision and create tactical advantages in combat.
- High Damage Potential: The combination of stealth and high mobility allows for powerful sneak attacks, enabling Monks to deal substantial damage before enemies can react.
In contrast, the Way of the Open Hand focuses more on direct combat and crowd control rather than stealth. While it has its strengths in melee engagements, it lacks the specialized tools for stealthy gameplay that the Way of Shadow offers.
Overall, if you aim to play a Monk with a focus on stealth and tactical positioning, the Way of Shadow is clearly the better option.
