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Monk

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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 oath. A monk wearing armor loses their Wisdom and level based armor class bonuses, their movement speed, and their additional unarmed attacks per round.

There is no other class that is given quite as many strange and unique abilities as the Monk. To be able to use unarmed attacks that cause as much damage in combat as a trained fighter with a magic weapon is an astonishing feat and thus, the Monk is rare and special individual. The Monk's special abilities are mostly based on the prevention of damage; the best saving throws in the game, additional natural armor class through keen awareness of surroundings (Wis) and ever increasing layers of resistances to poisons, aging, mental attacks and so on. The Monk training is so particular and rigorous that, once you leave the class and multiclass to another class, you cannot ever take up the Monk's path again.

Making the Best Monk

A common decision when making a Monk is automatically choosing a high Str order to do more damage. While that is certainly a path you can consider, you must also remember that Monk's are the only character class that get an armor class bonus from their Wis. When you make your character you are limited in what sort of armor (if any) you will take. Heavy armor negates a great deal of the Monk's special abilities so he or she must rely on quickness and staying alert. It is a good idea to start with some sort of Wis bonus as this can make up for the lack of armor protection.

It is also a good idea if you choose a lower Str and higher Dex-type character to take the Weapon Finesse Feat with your Unarmed attacks to increase your 'to hit' bonus. This way you can suffer less penalties for using the Monk's lightning fast 'Flurry of Blows' class feat. This allows you to do an extra attack at the cost of –2 to all your attacks (including attacks of opportunity) that round.

The Monk also has the best saving throw bonuses in the game. This may make you the default thief if your party lacks a proper Rogue as you have the best chance of surviving traps.

• Alignment Restrictions: Any lawful
• Hit Die: d8
• Proficiencies: Proficient with club, dagger, handaxe, light crossbow, heavy crossbow, kama, quarterstaff, shuriken and sling
• Skill Points (x4 at 1st level): 4 + Int Modifier

Skills

The selection of skills for the Monks contains many of the physical skills that a Monk would normally encounter in his or her training in martial arts. The Monk relies on lighting fast reflexes rather than brute force and so stealth can be utilized to convey the Monk to an opponent and strike quickly to ensure a swift victory. A player considering what to take as a Monk should remain true to their character concept originally developed as one cannot be perfect in all things. Is the ability to Hide more important than the ability to Persuade? Will your character want to be educated on the Lore of magical items vs. being able to Parry attacks? It all depends on what sort of Monk you want to make.

• Concentration
• Diplomacy: Persuade
• Heal
• Hide
• Listen
• Lore*
• Move Silently
• Parry*

*Notes:

Lore can be considered a subset of the Dungeons & Dragons® Knowledge skill.

Parry is a Neverwinter Nights skill. It is not a part of the Dungeons & Dragons® game experience but is a necessary part of the Aurora Engine technology.

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