To create a Monk, consult the following lists, which provide your Primary Ability, Hit Points, and proficiencies. If you’re making a level 1 character, also consult the “Starting Equipment” section, and if you’re using the multiclassing rules, see “Multiclassing and the Monk” above.

Then look at the Monk table to see the class features you get at each level in this class. The descriptions of those features appear in the “Monk Class Features” section. 

Primary Ability

Your primary abilities are Dexterity and Wisdom. When you choose this class at 1st level, you can either increase your Dexterity or Wisdom by 2.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons that have the Light property
Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
• (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
• 10 darts, one artisan's tools of your choice, one musical instrument

Alternatively, you can forgo this starting equipment and spend 65 GP on equipment of your choice

Monk Class Features

As a Monk, you gain the following class features when you reach the specified levels in this class. These features are listed on the Monk table.

Level 1: Martial Arts

Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use your Unarmed Strike and Monk Weapons, which are Simple Melee Weapons and Martial Weapons with the Light property.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only Monk Weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a Shield:

• Bonus Unarmed Strike. You can make one Unarmed Strike as a Bonus Action.

• Dexterous Attacks. You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your Unarmed Strikes and Monk Weapons. In addition, when you choose the Grapple or Shove option, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of Strength to determine the saving throw DC. 
  

• Martial Arts Die. You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage of your Unarmed Strike or Monk Weapons. This die changes as you gain Monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
  

Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.

Level 1: Unarmored Defense

While you aren’t wearing any armor or wielding a Shield, your base Armor Class equals 10 plus your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers.

Level 2: Monk's Discipline

Your self-discipline and martial training allow you to harness a well of extraordinary energy within yourself. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of Discipline Points. Your Monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Discipline Points column of the Monk table.

You can spend these points to fuel certain Monk features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind, each of which is detailed below.

When you spend a Discipline Point, it is unavailable until you finish a Short Rest or Long Rest, at the end of which you regain all your expended points.

Some features that use Discipline Points require your target to make a saving throw. The saving throw DC equals 8 plus your Proficiency Bonus plus your Wisdom modifier.

• Flurry of Blows. You can spend 1 Discipline Point to make two Unarmed Strikes as a Bonus Action.

• Patient Defense. You can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to take both the Disengage and the Dodge actions as a Bonus Action.

• Step of the Wind. You can take the Dash action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to take both the Disengage and Dash actions as a Bonus Action, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

Level 2: Uncanny Metabolism

When you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended Discipline Points. When you do so, roll your Martial Arts die, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Monk level plus the number rolled.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest. 

Level 2: Unarmored Movement

Your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a Shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain Monk levels, as shown on the Monk table.

Level 3: Deflect Attacks

You can use your Reaction to deflect melee and ranged attacks against you that deal Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. When you do so, the total damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 plus your Dexterity modifier plus your Monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 Discipline Point to redirect some of the attack’s force. If you do so, choose a creature within 5 feet of you if the attack was a melee attack or 60 feet of yourself that isn’t behind Total Cover if the attack was a ranged attack. That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. The damage is the same type dealt by the attack.

Level 3: Monk Subclass

You gain a Monk subclass of your choice, choosing from the Monk Subclasses table below.

A subclass is a specialization that grants you special abilities at certain Monk levels. For the rest of your career, you gain each of your subclass’s features that are of your Monk level and lower.