Monk NPCs and How to Use Them for EVERY Tier of Play
If this is your first time reading this series, we’re going through each of the official classes in D&D Fifth Edition and making NPC statblocks inspired by them. They are not intended to be carbon copies, but rather to simplify your NPCs while maintaining the same flavor and familiarity as a full character. I go into more detail about this philosophy in the first article of the series.
But simply, for each of the tiers of play we’ll make an NPC stat block based on the relevant class. These tiers are a loose way of comparing your NPC’s power level to that of your party. Of course this is far from perfect, but you’ll be able to give the general feel of whether an NPC is over, under, or near the power level of a comparable player character. For reference, those tiers of play are:
Local Heroes (Levels 1-4)
Heroes of the Realm (Levels 5-10)
Masters of the Realm (Level 11-16)
Masters of the World (Levels 17-20)
In addition to creating the statblocks, for each tier of play I will give a few examples of how that NPC can be used in your game. Hopefully that will help get some ideas churning! And of course, feel free to use and modify these suggestions as encounters or adventures for your own party.
With the table set, let’s move into our next round of NPCs: monks.
How to Use NPC Monks
Monks are one of the classes in D&D that are sometimes viewed as the odd one out. Generally speaking, there are three broad categories most classes fall into. There are the martials, who couple physical prowess with weapon proficiency for the vast majority of their class features. There are spellcasters, those who use their connection to the divine, the supernatural, or good old fashioned study to use magic. And there are those that combine the two, like paladins and rangers.
Monks are traditionally categorized as a martial class, but that’s mostly just because they don’t (all) cast spells. But all monks have a special feature called ki. Ki functions kind of like a sorcerer’s sorcery points, but instead of augmenting their spells, a monk (usually) uses their ki points to augment their physical attacks. Where it gets a bit murky is at high levels (where a monk can use 4 ki points to… turn invisible?) and in certain subclasses (where a monk can actually use ki to cast spells).
All this to say, I consider monks to be much closer to paladins than a true martial class like the fighter or the rogue. A monk is a proficient weapons user and melee combatant, but their ki features and abilities push them closer to the supernatural.
In game, monks are may be wise sages your players seek out for advice or guidance. They may be the keepers of knowledge, caretakers of the poor, or simply people seeking enlightenment and understanding. So for the suggested plot hooks, I will mostly focus on non-combat ways your party may interact with the monks in your setting. That said, I really enjoy the statblocks for these NPCs. A monk’s high movement speed, ability to disengage, dash, and dodge as a bonus action, and high saving throws make them a fun choice to build an encounter around. Just be sure to give them a non-monk buddy or two (maybe an allied cleric or fighter-bodyguard?) because, just like their player character counterparts, these NPCs excel at defense and imposing conditions upon their enemies at the cost of damage output.
Tier 1 Monks
Tier 1 monks are mostly likely to be encountered by player characters between levels 1 and 4, although they may be used as allies or henchpeople of more powerful beings at later levels. Tier 1 monks are typically low ranking members of their monastic order. They may be seeking enlightenment or be sent to investigate certain happenings by their order. These are the monks you are most likely to encounter out and about in the world, rather than in a mountaintop monastery.
Customizing an NPC. For most situations, the following statblocks will be more than sufficient. However, for important NPCs you may want to customize them a bit to make them stand out. Just remember that with each ability you add, you sacrifice some of the simplicity and approachability of the statblock. Some abilities may also significantly increase the Challenge Rating of the NPC, so keep that in mind if you add more combat-centric abilities. To customize a monk of this tier, you can do the following:
Add the 3rd level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game. While it is not necessary to assign an NPC monk to a specific Monastic Tradition, it can help you think of how different kinds of monks fit within your world. Monks with different goals and backgrounds will be found in different locations, have different motivations, and may perceive your party differently. Of course you can give them the specific abilities of that subclass (as detailed in the “Customizing an NPC” sections) but that is far from necessary. The way you describe the character, how they are found in your game, and the motivations they have will do far more to establish the tone than a class ability or two. With that in mind, here are some examples of how to use Tier 1 monks in your game:
A local tavern is in an uproar as two very intoxicated patrons are swinging wildly at each other with their fists. A perceptive onlooker may see one of the combatants swiftly and precisely swipe a letter from the pocket of the other patron before tucking it away in their own robes. No one else seems to have noticed the theft (Way of the Drunken Master).
A monk seeks to hire a group of mercenaries to escort them through a nearby mountain range and up to the summit of a notable volcano. There, the leaders of the monk’s order have said they will learn to harness the power of fire itself (Way of the Four Elements).
While passing the barracks, the party notices two warriors engaged in a sparring match. One is wearing heavy armor and wields a massive greatsword, while the other wears only robes and is wielding a slender rapier. As the heavily armored man brings his greatsword crashing down, the robed figure effortlessly slides forward, using her rapier to ever so slightly deflect the incoming blow, and then uses her bare hand to deliver two quick jabs to the throat (Way of the Kensei).
Tier 2 Monks
Tier 2 monks are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 5 to 10, although you can find use for them at all levels. Tier 2 monks are relatively important members of their order. A tier 2 monk may be tasked with unearthing hidden lore, recruiting new members, or following a vision quest they received in meditation.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a monk of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Add the 3rd level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 6th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
A small elven woman is sitting beneath a tree on a hilltop just outside of town. As she sits in meditation, you watch as two large, muscled, spectral arms emerge from her sides. These spectral arms place their hands on the ground and lift the monk into the air as she continues her meditation (Way of the Astral Self).
Traveling along a quiet road, the party hears a mighty roar from up ahead. If they investigate, they see a bald, robed man ducking and weaving out of the way as a massive troll attempts to claw and bite them. The monk retaliates with two quick punches. After the second strike lands, their fist begins to glow with a white-hot intensity. The monk spins around to the troll’s backside and a cone of flame bursts forth and engulfs the troll, causing it to howl in fury (Way of the Sun Soul).
Tier 3 Monks
Tier 3 monks are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 11 to 16, although you may insert them earlier as a potential patron or mentor figure. Tier 3 monks are leaders of their order. They may oversee things within the monastery in an administrative role, or they could be out in the world seeking some great truth the universe has yet to reveal to them.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a monk of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Add the 3rd level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 6th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 11th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
The party has been hired to investigate a series of missing person reports. After a few days of poking around, they hear a voice in a dark alley that demands they cease their investigation or suffer the consequences. No source of the voice can be found. (Way of Shadow).
The party’s search for some bit of lore or information has led them to the Silver Scale Monastery. The monks here are knowledgeable, but have a habit of hoarding information that they picked up from their patron. The party will have to prove their worthiness or make a suitable contribution of knowledge to gain what they seek (Way of the Ascendent Dragon).
Tier 4 Monks
Tier 4 monks are most likely to be encountered by PCs from levels 17 to 20, although you may use them earlier as a potential patron or mentor figure. A tier 4 monk is comparable in many respects to a level 20 adventurer, there may only be one or two such figures in your entire setting. These monks are the wise sages and enlightened figures in your setting. They may forgo the daily duties of leading a monastery in exchange for solitary meditation far away from any other beings.
Customizing an NPC. To customize a monk of this tier, you can do one or more of the following:
Add the 3rd level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 6th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 11th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Add the 17th level feature from the Monastic Tradition of your choosing.
Plot Hooks/Use in Your Game.
A party member has fallen in battle. There are legends told of a wise man who lives way up in the mountains who possesses a power over death. But they must arrive quickly and prepared to show their worthiness of such a gift. (Way of Mercy).
Before facing a great foe, the party seeks the counsel of an enlightened figure who understands how to turn an opponent's own body against them. Rumor has it she can cause a creature's death by merely touching them. However, she has since sworn off violence and the party will be hard pressed to gain her assistance (Way of the Open Hand).
As we near the end of this series on NPCs, what would you like to see stated up next? Let me know what statblocks you think are missing from Fifth Edition and they may appear in the next series!
Up next week: NPC artificers to stock your magic item shops and advance the scientific exploits of your game world.
