Baldur s Gate 3: Best Monk Class Build

Here's a list of all the Boots that you can find in Baldur's Gate 3. Click on the Item in the table below to learn more about each individual item. Each post shows a tooltip with more information, such as where to get it and other helpful information.

Here's a list of all the Rings that you can find in Baldur's Gate 3. Click on the Item in the table below to learn more about each individual item. Each post shows a tooltip with more information, such as where to get it and other helpful information.

Here's a list of all the Enchantment Spells in Baldur's Gate 3. Click on the Spell in the table below to learn more about each individual item. Each post shows a tooltip with more information including Spell properties and other helpful information.
Curse a creature so it takes additional damage whenever you attack it and to inflict Disadvantage on Ability Checks with an Ability of your choosing. If the target dies before the spell ends, you can use a bonus action to hex a new creature.

Cause a metal weapon or armour to glow red-hot and force the creature touching it to let go or receive Disadvantage on Attack Rolls and Ability Checks. If the creature is only wearing metal armour, it always rcccivcs Disadvantage. If the creature is still touching the metal, you can use a bonus action on subsequent turns to deal another 2d8 Fire damage and force the creature to let go or receive Disadvantage.

Searing Smite: Your weapon flares with white-hot intensity. It deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage and marks the target with Searing Smite. A target with Searing Smite takes 1d6 Fire damage everyt turn, until it succeeds on a Constitution saving throw.

Call down a silvery beam of pale light that deals 2d10 Radiant damage to any creatures that enters it or starts its turn in the light. You can use an action to move the beam 18m. On a successful save, targets still take half damage.

Summon a flaming sphere that deals 2d6 Fire damage to nearby enemies and objects. It also sheds bright light in a 6m radius, and dim light for an additional 6m. On a successful save, enemy creatures still take half damage.

Generate a painfully intense ringing noise that deals 3d8 Thunder damage to all nearby creatures and objects. Affected creatures made of inorganic material such as stone have disadvantage on their saving throws. On a successful save, creatures still take half damage.

Magically Charm a humanoid to gain Advantage on Ability Checks in dialogue and prevent it from attacking. Enemies have Advantage on Saving Throws against being Charmed. When the spell ends, the target might accuse you of Charming them.

In earlier levels, Shadow Monks can cast the Minor Illusion cantrip as well as Shadow Arts, special versions of Pass Without Trace, Darkness, Darkvision, Silence, and Hide as bonus actions. Later on, the Way of Shadow Monk can become invisible at will – and strike from the shadows in a very literal sense.

There are a total of three BG3 Ways (subclasses) Monk players can try out, each of which focuses on different aspects of the class, and offers a selection of unique skills, proficiencies, and other features. As you level up in one of these BG3 Monk subclasses, you will gain more abilities that are unique to your subclass choice.

The max level in Baldur's Gate 3 is Level 12, and most of the time, each level you gain will grant something new for your Monk build. In character creation you gain the basics for the Monk class, then steadily gain Feat Choices, new spells and abilities, subclass features, and increase your Proficiency Bonus.

Flood a creature‘s mind with an illusion of the last thing that attacked it. Each turn, it takes 1d6 Psychic damage. Each time it takes damage from another source, the damage type of Phantasmal Force changes to that damage type.

Though there aren't a lot of choices to make as a Monk, BG3 still provides the Way of Shadow subclass with plenty of new abilities and skills – they are just granted automatically for Larian Studios Updates being a Way of Shadow Monk, rather than offered as a choice like some other classes.

Summon a flaming sphere that deals 2d6 Fire damage to nearby enemies and objects. It also sheds bright light in a 6m radius, and dim light for an additional 6m. On a successful save, enemy creatures still take half damage.

Touch a creature to grant it protection against poisonious influences. You neutralise all poisons affecting it, grant it Advantage on Saving Throws against being Poisoned, and grant it Resistance to Poison damage.

Updated April 6, 2025 by Erik Petrovich : Patch 8 for Baldur's Gate 3 is right around the corner, and though lots of the new subclasses seem like a lot of fun to play, the base game still offers some very powerful options for the best Monk build in BG3. The Way of Shadow Monk is still the best Monk build in BG3 – but that could change with the release of Patch 8. Until then, stick with this Way of Shadow Monk guide to learn the best Monk build tips, what makes the Way of Shadow such a powerful subclass for the Monk, and other information that will help you min-max your Monk character. This Monk build guide has been updated to add in-game flavor descriptions of the class and subclass, as well as a new small section with the best consumables for the Monk, including both potions and elixirs, in the Equipment section.