Monk
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 oaths. Monks wearing armor lose their wisdom and level based armor class bonuses, their movement speed, and their additional unarmed attacks per round.
Monks who travel the planes do so for a variety of reasons, ranging from seeking to restore an ancient artifact to their temple to a much more general quest for enlightenment. The magnificent diversity of the planes lead many monks to adventure, and few return to quiet monastic study without having spent at least some time exploring. Living out a classic paradox, most find both more and less than they anticipate.
- The following Monk multiclass combinations are prohibited on SPL: Monk + Druid/Cleric/Psion/Shifter/Duelist/Frenzied/Warlock. See our Rules.
Hit Die: d8
Proficiencies: Armor (Robes), Weapons (Monk)
Skill Points: 4 + INT
Class Skills: Concentration, Craft (all), Decipher Script, Discipline, Escape Artist, Forgery, Knowledge (Arcana, Engineering, Geography, Planes, Psionic, Religion), Heal, Hide, Listen, Lore, Move Silently, Parry, Perform, Persuade, Profession (all), Sense Motive, Tumble
Specialty weapon: The monk retains his unarmed base attack bonus when fighting with kamas, quarterstaves, shuriken, and katanas. Kamas are also permitted when using Flurry of Blows. (These are the only two instances in which kamas receive special treatment in the hands of monks, though.)
Aligntment: Any non-chaotic
Level progression
| Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | Unarmed AB | Flurry of blows AB | Unarmed damage | AC bonus | Speed bonus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort | Ref | Will | Large/medium | Small | |||||||||
| 1st | +0 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Cleave, Stunning fist, Flurry of Blows, Improved Unarmed Strike | 4-8 | +0 | -2/-2 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | - | |
| 2nd | +1 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Weapon Finesse, Deflect Arrows, Evasion | 8-16 | +1 | -1/-1 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | - | |
| 3rd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Monk Speed, Still Mind, Monk AC Bonus (Dodge) | 12-24 | +2 | +0/+0 | 1d6 | 1d4 | - | +10% | |
| 4th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Knockdown, Improved Knockdown | 16-32 | +3 | +1/+1 | 1d8 | 1d6 | - | +10% | |
| 5th | +3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Purity of Body | 20-40 | +3 | +1/+1 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +10% | |
| 6th | +4 | +5 | +5 | +5 | Wholeness of Body | 24-48 | +4/+1 | +2/-1/+2 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +20% | |
| 7th | +5 | +5 | +5 | +5 | 28-56 | +5/+2 | +3/+0/+3 | 1d8 | 1d6 | +1 | +20% | ||
| 8th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +6 | 32-64 | +6/+3 | +4/+1/+4 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +1 | +20% | ||
| 9th | +6/+1 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Improved Evasion | 36-72 | +6/+3 | +4/+1/+4 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +1 | +30% | |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +7 | +7 | +7 | Ki Strike +1 | 40-80 | +7/+4/+1 | +5/+2/-1/+5 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +2 | +30% | |
| 11th | +8/+3 | +7 | +7 | +7 | Diamond Body | 44-88 | +8/+5/+2 | +6/+3/+0/+6 | 1d10 | 1d8 | +2 | +30% | |
| 12th | +9/+4 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Diamond Soul | 48-96 | +9/+6/+3 | +7/+4/+1/+7 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | |
| 13th | +10/+5 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Ki Strike +2 | 52-104 | +10/+7/+4/+1 | +8/+5/+2/-1/+8 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | |
| 14th | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +9 | +9 | 56-112 | +11/+8/+5/+2 | +9/+6/+3/0/+9 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +2 | +40% | ||
| 15th | +12/+7/+2 | +9 | +9 | +9 | Quivering Palm | 60-120 | +12/+9/+6/+3 | +10/+7/+4/+1/+10 | 1d12 | 1d10 | +3 | +50% | |
| 16th | +13/+8/+3 | +10 | +10 | +10 | Ki Strike +3 | 64-128 | +13/+10/+7/+4/+1 | +11/+8/+5/+2/-1/+11 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +50% | |
| 17th | +14/+9/+4 | +10 | +10 | +10 | 68-136 | +14/+11/+8/+5/+2 | +12/+9/+6/+3/0/+12 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +50% | ||
| 18th | +15/+10/+5 | +11 | +11 | +11 | Empty Body | 72-144 | +15/+12/+9/+6/+3 | +13/+10/+7/+4/+1/+13 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +60% | |
| 19th | +16/+11/+6 | +11 | +11 | +11 | 76-152 | +16/+13/+10/+7/+4/+1 | +14/+11/+8/+5/+2/-1/+14 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +3 | +60% | ||
| 20th | +17/+12/+7 | +12 | +12 | +12 | Perfect Self | 80-160 | +17/+14/+11/+8/+5/+2 | +15/+12/+9/+6/+3/0/+15 | 1d20 | 2d6 | +4 | +60% | |
- A monk's unarmed base attack bonus (UBAB) is still affected by multiclassing. Characters may gain additional attacks by taking a higher BAB progression class, or reduced attacks from taking a lower BAB progression class.
- A monk's UBAB, AC Bonus, and speed are all negated when the monk wears armor other than clothing or uses a shield.
Changes to Monk AC
Monk AC from wisdom is now dodge AC. That maximum combined amount of dodge AC a character can have from all sources is 20. The "AC Bonus" monks gain based on levels is not affected by this cap.
Monk Shields and Armor
Monks have been modified to maintain the wisdom to AC bonus while wearing non-tower shields in the off-hand, and wearing armor with base AC no greater than 4. However, this bonus will only function while the monk is wielding a single light flail, handaxe, or club in the main hand; or a two-handed heavy flail. Wearing shields or armor will negate the "AC Bonus" monks gain based on their levels.
Empty Body
This ability applies 50% concealment and +2 dodge AC. A monk receives two uses per day that each last 1 turn per monk level. This ability is undispellable.
Wholeness of Body
This ability now has unlimited uses with a 5 minute cooldown. It heals for the monk level multiplied by the wis modifier, with the minimum heal being twice your monk level.
Epic monk
An epic monk's speed, power, grace, and force of will are unmatched by mortal beings. His powers continue to multiply as he steps away from the mortal shell and accepts an inner tranquility that lesser characters cannot even dream of.
Hit die: d8
Skill points: 4 + int modifier
Bonus feats: the epic monk gains a bonus feat every five levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 25, 30, 35, and 40.
Special: every 3 levels, the monk's movement speed will increase by an additional 10%.
Special AC bonus: every 5 levels from 20, the monk's AC will increase by an additional + 1.
Epic monk bonus feats: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Epic Damage https://nwn.fandom.com/wiki/Epic_energy_resistance Epic Energy https://nwn.fandom.com/wiki/Epic_toughness Epic Toughness, Improved Ki Strike 4, Improved Ki Strike 5, Improved Spell Resistance, Improved Stunning Fist, Self Concealment
Epic monk level progression
| Lvl | Feats | HP range | AC bonus | Speed bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st | 84-168 | +4 | +70% | |
| 22nd | 88-176 | +4 | +70% | |
| 23rd | 92-184 | +4 | +70% | |
| 24th | 96-192 | +4 | +80% | |
| 25th | bonus feat | 100-200 | +5 | +80% |
| 26th | 104-208 | +5 | +80% | |
| 27th | 108-216 | +5 | +90% | |
| 28th | 112-224 | +5 | +90% | |
| 29th | 116-232 | +5 | +90% | |
| 30th | bonus feat | 120-240 | +6 | +100% |
| 31st | 124-248 | +6 | +100% | |
| 32nd | 128-256 | +6 | +100% | |
| 33rd | 132-264 | +6 | +110% | |
| 34th | 136-272 | +6 | +110% | |
| 35th | bonus feat | 140-280 | +7 | +110% |
| 36th | 144-288 | +7 | +120% | |
| 37th | 148-296 | +7 | +120% | |
| 38th | 152-304 | +7 | +120% | |
| 39th | 156-312 | +7 | +130% | |
| 40th | bonus feat | 160-320 | +8 | +130% |
Notes
- At level 20, monks receive glowing eyes. The color of the glow depends on the character's alignment: good glows blue, evil glows red, and neutral glows purple. This occurs because in pencil-and-paper, 20th-level monks become outsiders; however, in NWN, their race does not change.
- There is a tendency among players to confuse "specialty weapon" with "equivalent to unarmed attacks". However, the only special treatment kamas receive is what is stated above: a monk retains his unarmed attack bonus when fighting with a kama. No other unarmed-only ability can be used while fighting with a kama. This includes stunning fist, quivering palm, and ki strike. (Note that the flurry of blows description specifically states that it applies to both unarmed attacks and kamas, so it is not "unarmed-only".)