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The Monk class has always captured players’ imaginations with its blend of martial prowess and mystical abilities. Yet, for all its appeal, the 2014 version of the class often left serious players feeling like the character lagged behind others – whether it was falling behind in skill growth or resource availability. 

The 2024 Player’s Handbook has brought the Monk class one of its most substantial overhauls of any class – emerging as a more versatile and powerful character option that stays true to its core fantasy elements (while addressing some long-standing concerns.)

From enhanced combat capabilities to improved resource management, the 2024 DnD Monk brings some impressive changes that will excite veteran players and newcomers alike. Let’s jump in and take a look at some of the biggest changes you can expect.

Ready to try out the new 2024 Monk yourself? DnD 2024 has come to Roll20 with a new and improved character sheet and builder that handles all the new updates automatically – create a free account today!

2014 vs 2024 Monk - At a Glance

Feature	2014 Version	2024 Version
Resource System	Ki Points	Focus Points with Uncanny Metabolism (regain all points once per long rest when rolling initiative)
Martial Arts Die	Starts at d4, scales to d10	Starts at d6, scales to d12
Monk Weapons	Shortswords and simple melee weapons without two-handed/heavy property	All Simple Melee weapons plus Martial Melee weapons with Light property
Patient Defense	Spend 1 ki point to Dodge as bonus action	Free Disengage as bonus action; spend 1 Focus Point to both Disengage and Dodge
Step of the Wind	Spend 1 ki point to Dash or Disengage as bonus action	Free Dash as bonus action; spend 1 Focus Point to Dash, Disengage, and double jump distance
Deflect Attacks	Deflect Missiles only (ranged attacks)	Works on both melee and ranged attacks; later upgrades to all damage types
Stunning Strike	Can be used multiple times per turn; stunning only	Once per turn; on failed save: stunned; on successful save: half speed and next attack has advantage
Subclasses	"Ways" (Way of the Open Hand, etc.)	"Warriors" (Warrior of the Open Hand, etc.) with significantly updated abilities
High-Level Features	Perfect Self at 20th: regain 4 ki points if you have none when rolling initiative	Perfect Focus at 15th plus Body and Mind at 20th (+4 to both DEX and WIS)
New Features	N/A	Self-Restoration, Heightened Focus, Superior Defense, Empowered Strike (force damage)

Core Mechanical Changes: New Resources, Better Results

The 2024 revision brings some substantial improvements to the Monk’s core mechanics – starting with a simple but meaningful name change: Ki Points are now called Focus Points.

While this might seem cosmetic, it reflects a broader refinement of the class’s resource management system. The new Uncanny Metabolism feature at 2nd level showcases this new upgrade – allowing Monks to regain all of their Focus Points once per long rest when rolling initiative, along with bonus healing based on their level and Martial Arts die.

Martial Arts Die Upgrades

Speaking of Martial Arts die, the 2024 Monk starts strong and ends stronger. The Martial Arts die now starts at d6 (rather than 2014’s d4) at 1st level and scales all the way up to d12 at 17th level.

Weapon Damage Improvements

The class also receives expanded weapon damage – with all Simple Melle weapons now qualifying as Monk weapons, as well as any Martial Melee weapons with the Light property. 

The expanded selection means you now have more diverse fighting styles while maintaining the class’s identity. Plus, Monks now use their Dexterity instead of Strength for grappling and shoving attempts – so they’re much more effective at battlefield control.

Enhanced Mobility and Defense: More Options, Less Cost

These overall Defensive improvements have been implemented to address one of the classic Monk’s biggest weaknesses: their tendency to be surprisingly fragile despite their mystical training. Now, Monks can reliably avoid danger, resist damage, and shrug off those debilitating conditions – finally embodying the true power of unity between mind and body. 

The classic Patient Defense and Step of the Wind abilities have been dramatically reworked to provide better baseline capabilities while maintaining their enhanced options. 

Monks can also now Disengage in the same bonus action, and can Dash as a bonus action without spending resources (or expend a Focus Point to combine Dash and Disengage while doubling their jump distance.)

The Deflect Missles feature has evolved into the more versatile Deflect Attacks, now capable of reducing damage from both ranged and melee attacks tha tdeal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. 

At higher levels (13th), the ability expands through Deflect Energy – allowing Monks to reduce damage from any damage type. When successfully reducing damage to zero, Monks can spend a Focus Point to redirect the attack’s force back at their attackers – giving you a brand new layer of defensive counterplay.

Defense continues to improve at higher levels with the new Superior Defense feature at 18th level – which grants resistance to all damage types except force for one minute by spending 3 Focus Points.

Combat Improvements: Refined Strikes, Better Impact

Stunning Strike

The 2024 Monk brings significant changes to its offensive capabilities, with Stunning Strike receiving one of the most noteworthy revisions. 

While the ability can now only be used once per turn, it's become more reliable by always providing some benefit. Even when targets succeed on their saving throw, their speed is halved until the start of your next turn, and the next attack against them has advantage. This change transforms Stunning Strike from an all-or-nothing ability into a consistently useful tactical tool.

Flurry of Blows

Flurry of Blows has also seen improvements through the new Heightened Focus feature at 10th level. When spending a Focus Point on Flurry of Blows at this level, Monks now make three unarmed strikes instead of two, significantly increasing their damage potential.

Empowered Strike

The new Empowered Strike feature lets Monks choose to deal force damage instead of bludgeoning damage with their unarmed strikes, helping them overcome common damage resistances. This change is particularly significant because force damage is rarely resisted, allowing Monks to maintain consistent damage output against a wider variety of enemies.

Subclass Overhaul

The 2024 Player's Handbook introduces a significant change in how Monk subclasses are presented, renaming them from "Ways" to "Warriors." This isn't just a cosmetic change - it represents a philosophical shift in how these subclasses are designed and balanced. The core rulebook features four subclasses, each receiving substantial updates:

Warrior of Mercy (formerly Way of Mercy)

While this relatively recent subclass remains largely unchanged from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything version, it has been refined to better integrate with the new Focus Point system. The Flurry of Healing and Harm feature now scales with your Wisdom modifier, allowing for more consistent use of its healing abilities.

Warrior of the Elements (formerly Way of Four Elements)

The Warrior of the Elements has been completely redesigned – doing away with the spell-point mechanics and replacing it with a more dynamic system that lets Monks channel elemental power to increase their reach, change damage types, and create powerful area effects.

Warrior of Shadow

The shadow monk receives new tools for manipulating darkness, with improved Shadow Step capabilities at 11th level that allow them to ignore lighting requirements by spending a Focus Point. The new 17th-level Cloak of Shadows feature grants them superior invisibility and partial incorporeality, making them even more effective at stealth and mobility.

Warrior of the Open Hand

The classic Open Hand technique has been refined rather than completely rebuilt – maintaining its core identity while receiving quality-of-life improvements. These include Wholeness of Body becoming a bonus action and a new Fleet Step feature that provides additional mobility options. While Quivering Palm no longer instantly drops creatures to 0 HP, it still deals substantial force damage that can turn the tide of battle.

DnD 2024 Brings A More Complete Warrior

The 2024 version of the Monk represents a significant evolution of the class, addressing many of the frustrations players experienced with the 2014 version while maintaining its core identity.

With free Dash and Disengage options, improved damage die progression, and more impactful subclasses, the new Monk feels like a more complete package.

Ready to Try the New Monk? Start your journey with the 2024 Monk on Roll20 today! 

Our character builder automatically incorporates all these new features, handling the mechanics so you can focus on the action. Create your character, join a game, and experience firsthand how these improvements make the Monk more engaging than ever.

Create your free account today and discover why there's never been a better time to play a Monk in D&D!