# Monk

> From the Curse of Strahd game wiki (it covers the whole game, spoilers included): https://curseofstrahd.app/wiki/characters/classes/monk.html. Unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy, not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast.

*A martial artist who turns inner focus into rapid strikes, swift movement and uncanny defenses, fighting without armor.*

- **Hit die:** d8
- **Primary ability:** DEX, WIS
- **Saving throws:** STR, DEX
- **Skills:** choose 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, Stealth
- **Weapons:** simple, martial light

## Features by level

- **1: Martial Arts.** Unarmed or with Monk weapons: use Dexterity, roll the Martial Arts die (d6) for damage, and make an Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action.
- **1: Unarmored Defense.** Without armor or a Shield, AC = 10 + Dexterity + Wisdom modifiers.
- **2: Monk's Focus.** Focus Points (2, all back on a Short Rest) fuel Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense and Step of the Wind.
- **2: Flurry of Blows.** Spend 1 Focus Point: make two Unarmed Strikes as a Bonus Action.
- **2: Patient Defense.** Bonus Action: Disengage, or spend 1 Focus Point to Disengage and Dodge.
- **2: Step of the Wind.** Bonus Action: Dash, or spend 1 Focus Point to Disengage and Dash with doubled jumps.
- **2: Unarmored Movement.** +10 feet of Speed while you wear no armor and no Shield (more at levels 6, 10, 14 and 18).
- **2: Uncanny Metabolism.** Once per Long Rest, when you roll Initiative, regain all Focus Points and heal a Martial Arts die + Monk level.
- **3: Deflect Attacks.** Reaction: cut an attack's damage by 1d10 + Dex + Monk level; spend Focus to throw it back if it drops to 0.
- **3: Monk Subclass.** Choose a Monk subclass.
- **4: Ability Score Improvement.** Gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat you qualify for.
- **4: Slow Fall.** Reaction when you fall: reduce the falling damage by five times your Monk level.
- **5: Extra Attack.** Attack twice when you take the Attack action.
- **5: Stunning Strike.** Once per turn after hitting with a Monk weapon or Unarmed Strike, spend 1 Focus: Constitution save or Stunned until your next turn.
- **6: Empowered Strikes.** Your Unarmed Strikes can deal Force damage instead of Bludgeoning.
- **6: Subclass Feature.** Gain a feature from your Monk subclass.
- **7: Evasion.** Dexterity saves for half damage: none on a success, half on a failure.
- **8: Ability Score Improvement.** Gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat you qualify for.
- **9: Acrobatic Movement.** Without armor or a Shield, move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn.
- **10: Heightened Focus.** Flurry of Blows makes three strikes, and Patient Defense and Step of the Wind gain extra benefits.
- **10: Self-Restoration.** End Charmed, Frightened or Poisoned on yourself at the end of each turn; going without food and water doesn't exhaust you.
- **11: Subclass Feature.** Gain a feature from your Monk subclass.
- **12: Ability Score Improvement.** Gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat you qualify for.
- **13: Deflect Energy.** Deflect Attacks works against attacks of any damage type.
- **14: Disciplined Survivor.** Proficiency in every saving throw; spend 1 Focus Point to reroll a failed save.
- **15: Perfect Focus.** When you roll Initiative with 3 or fewer Focus Points and don't use Uncanny Metabolism, regain up to 4.
- **16: Ability Score Improvement.** Gain the Ability Score Improvement feat or another feat you qualify for.
- **17: Subclass Feature.** Gain a feature from your Monk subclass.
- **18: Superior Defense.** Spend 3 Focus Points: Resistance to every damage type except Force for 1 minute.
- **19: Epic Boon.** Gain an Epic Boon feat or another feat you qualify for.
- **20: Body and Mind.** Dexterity and Wisdom increase by 4, to a maximum of 25.

## Subclasses (from level 3)

### Warrior of Mercy
*A masked healer and executioner whose touch can mend wounds or inflict them.*

- **3: Hand of Harm.** Once per turn when an Unarmed Strike hits, spend 1 Focus to add a Martial Arts die + Wisdom Necrotic damage.
- **3: Hand of Healing.** Magic action, 1 Focus: a creature you touch regains a Martial Arts die + Wisdom Hit Points; it can replace a Flurry of Blows strike.
- **3: Implements of Mercy.** Proficiency in Insight and Medicine and with the Herbalism Kit.
- **6: Physician's Touch.** Hand of Harm can also poison; Hand of Healing can also end Blinded, Deafened, Paralyzed, Poisoned or Stunned.
- **11: Flurry of Healing and Harm.** Replace each Flurry of Blows strike with Hand of Healing for free; add Hand of Harm to Flurry hits without Focus, Wisdom-modifier times per Long Rest.
- **17: Hand of Ultimate Mercy.** Once per Long Rest, spend 5 Focus Points to return a creature that died within the past 24 hours to life.

### Warrior of Shadow
*A monk who wields darkness, steps from shadow to shadow and strikes unseen.*

- **3: Shadow Arts.** Spend 1 Focus to cast Darkness (and see through it); gain Darkvision 60 feet; know Minor Illusion.
- **6: Shadow Step.** Bonus Action: teleport up to 60 feet from Dim Light or Darkness to another such space, with Advantage on your next melee attack this turn.
- **11: Improved Shadow Step.** Shadow Step can start and end anywhere for 1 Focus Point, and you can make an Unarmed Strike right after.
- **17: Cloak of Shadows.** Magic action, 3 Focus: for 1 minute be Invisible in Dim Light or Darkness, pass through creatures, and use Flurry of Blows for free.

### Warrior of the Elements
*A monk who bends the elements: strikes that reach farther and burn, freeze or shock, and bursts of raw elemental force.*

- **3: Elemental Attunement.** Spend 1 Focus for 10 minutes of elemental strikes: +10 feet of reach, Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning or Thunder damage, and a push or pull.
- **3: Manipulate Elements.** You know the Elementalism cantrip, with Wisdom as your spellcasting ability.
- **6: Elemental Burst.** Magic action, 2 Focus: a 20-foot sphere within 120 feet deals three Martial Arts dice of an element (Dex save halves).
- **11: Stride of the Elements.** While Elemental Attunement is active you have a Fly Speed and a Swim Speed equal to your Speed.
- **17: Elemental Epitome.** While attuned: Resistance to a chosen element, Step of the Wind damages creatures you pass, and your strikes deal extra elemental damage.

### Warrior of the Mystic Arts
*A monk who combines martial training with Sorcerer spells.*

- **3: Spellcasting.** Wisdom-based Sorcerer spellcasting with an Arcane Focus. Start with two cantrips and three prepared level 1 spells; learn a third cantrip at Monk level 10. Spell slots and prepared spells follow the third-caster table. Replace one cantrip and one prepared spell on gaining a Monk level.
- **6: Mystic Fighting Style.** Replace one Unarmed Strike in your Attack action with a Sorcerer cantrip that takes an action.
- **6: Mystic Focus.** Spend a slot without an action to recover Focus Points equal to its level. After a Short Rest or Uncanny Metabolism, spend Focus Points to recover one slot: level 1 costs 2 (Monk 6+), level 2 costs 3 (Monk 7+), level 3 costs 5 (Monk 13+), level 4 costs 6 (Monk 19+).
- **11: Focused Strike.** A Stunning Strike target has Disadvantage on saves against your spells until your next turn starts, regardless of its Stunning Strike save result.
- **17: Improved Mystic Fighting Style.** Replace two Flurry of Blows strikes with one level 1 or 2 Sorcerer spell that normally takes an action, casting within the same Bonus Action.

### Warrior of the Open Hand
*The master of unarmed combat whose Flurry of Blows knocks foes down, drives them back or leaves them unable to react.*

- **3: Open Hand Technique.** Each Flurry of Blows hit can Addle (no Reactions), Push (Str save or 15 feet) or Topple (Dex save or Prone).
- **6: Wholeness of Body.** Bonus Action: regain a Martial Arts die + Wisdom Hit Points; Wisdom-modifier uses per Long Rest.
- **11: Fleet Step.** After any Bonus Action other than Step of the Wind, you can use Step of the Wind right away.
- **17: Quivering Palm.** Spend 4 Focus Points to set lethal vibrations in a creature you hit; trigger them later for 10d12 Force damage (Con save halves).