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Discover the best Monk subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 ranked from best to worst, including the upcoming Drunken Master subclass in Patch 8.
The Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a skilled and disciplined martial artist, who harnesses their body’s inner energy to perform incredible feats of physical prowess and spiritual enlightenment. Monks are known for their unarmed combat, swift movement, and unique mystical abilities. They use a combination of unarmed attacks, polearms, and spells in Baldur’s Gate 3. The Monk combat and gameplay focus on high movement speed, single target damage, and stuns. You greatly use your bonus actions and have multiple ways to deal with enemies. In this guide, we will be ranking all subclasses of Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3 from the best to worst, and tell you how the upcoming Drunken Master subclass will play out for the Monk class.
What are Monk subclasses in BG3? Explained
Monk currently has three subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3, Way of the Open Hand, Way of Shadow, and Way of the Four Elements. Each subclass grants access to new features during level progress, allowing players to experience a new playstyle with Monk and choose a certain playstyle for their build.
Here are all Monk subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3:
- Way of the Open Hand: Focuses on combat with bare hands. Unarmed but dangerous you control ki to heal or deal damage. Moreover, gain bonus action utility and manifestation for the most damage possible with Monk.
- Way of Shadow: Specialize in stealth and subterfuge often referred to as shadow dancers, great spies, and ninja characters. It has great mobility and stealth, though it lacks the power of Open Hand.
- Way of the Four Elements: This spellcasting subclass uses elements, and knows them as their own body. Overall weak spells but a hybrid spellcaster.
- Drunken Master: Drunken Master is another unique subclass for Monk in Patch 8 which seems to be focused on making your enemies drunk to deal high physical and psychic damage. Moreover, this subclass can recover Ki easily by consuming alcohol.
Monk Ki Points Resource Mechanic – Explained
Before we rank the subclasses and explain their roles and features, it is best that you learn about the Monk Ki Points resource and how it works. Ki points are a resource that monks use to power their special abilities. Monks can replenish their Ki Points via short rest. Ki points are a limited resource, so monks must use them wisely. These points are unlocked at level 1, and as you level, you earn more and more. They are core to the damage, crowd control, and overall gameplay for the Monk so make sure to short rest after every combat engagement.
Below, we have ranked the Monk Subclasses in Baldur’s Gate 3 from the best to worst order. Each corresponding section explains the role of the subclass and its progression.
1. Way of the Open Hand
The Best Subclass for the Monk is Way of the Open Hand, with additional uses for our bonus action, extra stuns, and crowd control. With this subclass and a martial melee focus, the Monk will be able to strike multiple times per turn and control enemies with Flurry of Blows. Moreover, Monk’s hands can sap Ki from enemies’ bodies allowing you to deal additional damage.
Way of the Open Hand Features
While leveling up, the following features are available for the Way of the Open Hand subclass.
- Flurry of Blows (Level 3): Land two unarmed strikes on a target in quick succession.
- Flurry of Blows: Topple – Use a bonus action and a Ki Point to punch two unarmed strikes on a target in quick succession to knock down the target (Prone).
- Flurry of Blows: Stagger – Use a bonus action and a Ki Point to punch two unarmed strikes on a target in quick succession to stagger the target.
- Flurry of Blows: Push – Use a bonus action and a Ki Point to punch two unarmed strikes on a target in quick succession to possibly push the target back up to 5m.
- Manifestation of Body (Level 6): Your hands sap the ki from your enemies’ bodies. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1d4 + Wisdom Modifier Necrotic damage.
- Manifestation of Mind (Level 6): Your hands sap the ki from your enemies’ bodies. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1d4 + Wisdom Modifier Psychic damage.
- Manifestation of Soul (Level 6): Your hands sap the ki from your enemies’ bodies. Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 1d4 + Wisdom Modifier Radiant damage.
- Wholeness of Body (Level 6): Regain half your Ki Points and enter a temporary state of Wholeness where you regain Ki Points and an extra Bonus action.
- Ki Resonation: Punch (Level 9): Use an Action/Bonus Action to hit a target with your bare fists, making the ki in its body Resonate with yours. After that, you can explode Ki with Ki Resonation: Blast.
- Ki Resonation: Blast (Level 9): Detonating the Ki of a target Resonating with you will hit any target within 5m. Moreover, any other target Resonating with you in that range will also detonate.
- Tranquility (Level 11): Gain Sanctuary with Long Rests as they surround you with an aura of peace.
2. Way of Shadow
The Way of the Shadow is a Monk subclass that keeps to the Monk’s premise with high mobility and multiple attacks but allows for extra spells and crowd control options. Moreover, you will also get extra stealth and invisibility options making it a great playstyle for the Monks.
The Way of Shadow Monk subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a stealthy and evasive subclass that focuses on using the shadows to its advantage. Way of Shadow monks are skilled in moving through the shadows undetected, and they can use their abilities to create darkness and silence, disorient their enemies, and strike from the shadows.
Way of Shadow Features
While levelling up, the following features and spells are available for the Way of Shadow subclass.
- Minor Illusion (Level 3): Create an illusion that compels nearby creatures to investigate.
- Shadow Arts: Hide (Level 3): Hide from enemies by succeeding Stealth checks. Stick to the dark and avoid enemy sightlines. Attacking or casting a spell will reveal your location.
- Shadow Arts: Pass Without Trace (Level 3): Call forth a veil of shadows and silence that gives you and all nearby companions a +10 bonus to Stealth Checks. Requires Concentration
- Shadow Arts: Darkness (Level 3): Create a dark shroud that heavily Obscures and Blinds creatures within. Creatures cannot make ranged attacks into or out of it. Requires Concentration
- Shadow Arts: Darkvision (Level 3): Grant a creature the ability to see in the dark out to a range of 12m.
- Shadow Arts: Silence (Level 3): Create a sound-proof sphere. All within are Silenced and Immune to Thunder damage. Requires Concentration
- Cloak of Shadows (Level 5): Wrap yourself in shadows to become Invisible if you are obscured
- Shadow Step (Level 6): Teleport from shadow to shadow. Afterwards, you have Advantage on your next melee Attack Roll.
- Shadow Strike (Level 11): Teleport to a foe from a hidden position, striking them with the creeping, psychic ferocity of the shadows themselves.
- Shadow Strike: Unarmed (Level 11): Teleport to a foe from a hidden position, striking them with the creeping psychic ferocity of the shadows themselves
3. Way of the Four Elements
The Way of the Four Elements Monk subclass in Baldur’s Gate 3 is a versatile class that allows you to harness the power of the elements. You can use your ki points to cast elemental spells, create elemental effects, and enhance your unarmed strikes. As you level up, you gain access to more powerful elemental disciplines. You also learn how to combine your elemental powers to create even more devastating effects.
While leveling up, the following features and spells will be available for the Way of the Four Elements subclass.
- Disciple of the Elements (Level 3) – Choose any three spells from eleven available spells.
- Harmony of Fire and Water (Level 3) – While not in combat, regain half your Ki Point (rounded down). Restores on Long Rest.
- Disciple of the Elements (Level 6) – Select one spell from three new spells.
- Improved Elemental Casting (Level 9) – Your affinity with elemental Ki deepens. Several of your offensive Four Elements features deal an additional dice of damage, your Clench of the North Wind can hold an additional creature, and your Embrace of the Inferno fires an extra ray.
- Disciple of the Elements (Level 9) – Select one spell from eight available spells.
- Disciple of the Elements (Level 11) – Select one spell from three new spells.
Patch 8 New Monk Subclass Drunken Master
Drunken Master is another unique subclass for Monk in Patch 8 which seems to be focused on making your enemies drunk to deal high physical and psychic damage. Moreover, this subclass can recover Ki easily by consuming alcohol.
NOTE: The Drunken Master subclass features are unknown at this point. The explanation below is a general playstyle and overview of a Drunken Master Monk.
Putting the brew in homebrew, as the Drunken Master, you have the ability to consume alcohol straight from your inventory, as well as drink from bottles you see around the Sword Coast, in order to recover Ki.
By sharing the bottle with your enemies using Intoxicating Strike, you’ll generate a buff towards your Armour Class and your Chance to hit Drunk targets. Drunk enemies are also susceptible to the Drunken Masters’ other abilities, like Sobering Realisation – which sobers up drunk targets, dealing physical and Psychic damage.
FAQs about Monk Subclasses in BG3
1. Question: How many Monk subclasses are there in BG3?
Answer: Currently, there are three subclasses available for Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3. It includes the Way of the Open Hand, Way of Shadow, and Way of the Four Elements. Moreover, a fourth subclass was announced for the Monk class called Drunken Master which will be available in Patch 8, coming out in early 2025.
2. Question: Which is the strongest Monk subclass in BG3?
Answer: Way of the Open Hand is the strongest Monk subclass for now in Baldur’s Gate 3. It focuses on combat with bare hands. Unarmed but dangerous you control ki to heal or deal damage. Moreover, gain bonus action utility and manifestation for the most damage possible with Monk
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