Dungeons And Dragons 5e: How To Pick Your Class
7. Monk
Masters of the martial arts, the monk turns their body into a living weapon. My least favorite class when I’m preparing to DM a session, monks can ruin your plans in an instant.
A monk channels their power through ki, a force that lets them use a host of martial talents, from deflecting and even catching arrows, to making additional unarmed strikes on top of traditional attacks, to the infamous Stunning Strike - a blow that can render an opponent unable to defend themselves and has turned a terrifying boss battle into an absolute massacre of the big bad all with a single unlucky dice roll.
Monks gradually get to stop caring about things like aging, poison, and fall damage, while their Monastic Orders can range from an Avatar-esque brawler using the Way of the Elements, to a stealthy murder machine using the Shadow disciplines. For a new player who wants to eschew traditional swords and shields in order to get up close and personal, bow down to the Monk.