Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build

This solo guide focuses on the key aspects of a Monk build in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3), intended to play solo without companions.

This build page has been updated for the patch 6 version of Baldur’s Gate 3.

Best Solo Monk Build Guide

Baldur’s Gate 3’s Monks are a versatile force. Unleash Flurry of Blows for a whirlwind of punches, or channel ki into potent spells. Master unarmed fist for damage or become a bulwark against foes with Evasion and Deflect Missiles. Whether you seek pure martial discipline or a balance of body and soul, the Monk’s path offers endless possibilities.

This is a solo build designed for high performance in combat especially if you wish to play on Honour Mode difficulty. This build will utilize multiclassing to gain the most power possible. The Monk is an incredibly strong class with high mobility, multiple actions, and non-reliant on weapons for damage. Historically, Monks have been labeled as bad in DND 5e. However, in Baldur’s Gate 3, they are one of the strongest solo classes due to raw damage and multiple attacks per turn. We will walk you through the entire process of creating a powerful solo Monk build in Baldur’s Gate 3!

Solo Monk Build Features

The following list presents all the essential solo Monk Build Mechanics and Features in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Primary Ability: Dexterity
• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
• Armour Proficiency: Light Armour
• Weapon Proficiency: Simple Weapons, Shortswords, Hand Crossbows, Longswords, Rapiers
• Subclass: Way of the Open Hand
• Ki: resource points to use special Monk attacks.
• Flurry of Blows: punch twice in quick succession.
• Unarmored Defense: While not wearing armour, you add your Wisdom Modifier to your Armour Class.
• Dexterous Attacks: Attacks with Monk Weapons and unarmed attacks scale with your Dexterity instead of your Strength if your Dexterity is higher.
• Rogue Thief Subclass: grants Bonus Action and resistance to falling damage.
• Advantage: gain an additional dice roll d20 if you strike while hidden.
• Sneak Attack: Deal additional damage while having an advantage.
• Action Surge: Immediately gain an extra action to use this turn.

How to Play the Monk Solo in Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 can be played solo by either opting to disregard companions or recruiting them and later dismissing them to your camp. Although playing a Monk build solo presents a challenging experience, it is possible to complete the entire game solo on Tactician or Honour Mode difficulty.

Below are some general tips on how to play the best Monk build in BG3 Solo:

• Loot Everything: You will need a lot of gold to buy consumables, potions, and ammunition so loot and sell constantly.
• Crafting: Elixirs and potions are vital, and you need to purchase materials when trading for crafting.
• Reach Level 5: Spend the early part of the game completing every quest to reach level 5 where your power dramatically increases.
• Sell Often: Your carrying capacity will be limited so sell often, and store excessive items in your traveler’s chest.
• Stealth: Start combat in stealth if possible to trigger the Surprise status effect.
• Consider Illithid Powers: While it can come with an altered appearance, the powers are powerful and can help you.
• Persuasion: Try to avoid combat through dialogue if possible.

In summary, solo can be a difficult and rewarding experience. Our opinion is, that early in the game it can be a struggle to survive. As you reach levels 5 and 9, you dramatically increase your power. Take your time during the transition period to find the best armor, items, gear, and consumables. Also, spend time selling, trading, stockpiling, and crafting items. We will explain more about these topics throughout this guide, Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build.

Character Creation

Race

Githyanki is the Best Race Choice for a Solo Monk Build because you gain Astral Knowledge, Enhanced Leap, Martial Prodigy, and Misty Step. This gives you access to movement spells and skills and also additional weapon and armor proficiencies. However, a secondary choice is the Wood Half-Elf because of their Fleet of Foot increasing base movement speed by 1.5 meters per turn. Wood Elves also receive Mask of the Wild granting proficiency in stealth.

Here is the best race choice for a solo Monk build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

1. Githyanki
2. Wood Half-Elf

Ability Score

The Best Ability Score for a solo Monk Build is 16 Dexterity, 15 Constitution, and 16 Wisdom.  Dexterity aids in our damage early, while Constitution will increase our health. We will select Tavern Brawler at level 4, and increase Constitution to 16 at that point. Most of our damage will come from max strength via Elixir Hill Giant Strength boosting your Strength to 21. That is why we don’t have any score in Strength. The downside of this setup is weak dialogue options with lower Charisma. However, when playing solo you need all the combat performance possible and this setup will do that.

Below is the best ability score for a solo Monk in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Strength – 8
• Dexterity – 16
• Constitution – 15
• Intelligence – 8
• Wisdom – 16
• Charisma – 10  

Make sure to check out our Permanent bonus guide on how you can boost your ability score through quests.

Strength Ability Score & Monk

Strength is also important due to the Tavern Brawler feat which we will select at level 4. However, we use the Elixir of Hill Giant Strength which increases our strength to 21 passively. This allows you to gain a higher ability score, without having to spend points on strength. Keep in mind, that you will need to constantly craft, buy, and consume Hill Giant (or Cloud Giant) strength elixirs which last until a long rest.

Consider the ability score loadout geared towards optimal damage on higher difficulty and we assume you will use Hill Giant elixirs on tough encounters.

Background & Skills

The best Background for a solo Monk is the Charlatan because it gives skill proficiency in Deception and Sleight of Hand. This will help when you are dependent on yourself for lockpicking and stealing. Backgrounds in Baldur’s Gate 3 are a way to represent your character’s backstory and give them some starting skills and abilities.

The best skills to select are Acrobatics and Stealth. This will help in mobility along with stealth which is important for solo play.

Best Solo Monk Build – Level Progression in Baldur’s Gate 3

Level 1

Follow our character creator to pick all correct background, race, skills, and ability scoring focusing on Dexterity, Wisdom, and Constitution. You won’t be able to select a subclass until level 3, so expect the Monk class to start slow. You want to wear clothing NOT armour due to the passive Unarmored Defense. The higher your Wisdom, the more AC you will have which can be added to via armour and accessories.

At Level 1, the Monk unlocks Flurry of Blows. This will be your primary damage source and can use it as a bonus action. Even right away, you can use an action for a weapon attack and Flurry of Blows for an additional attack even at level one. Additional passives granted at Level 1 as a Monk:

• Flurry of Blows: punch twice in quick succession.
• Ki: resource points to use special Monk attacks can be replenished on short rest.
• Unarmored Defense: While not wearing armour, you add your Wisdom Modifier to your Armour Class. This is why we want high Wisdom and only use clothing not armor unless it gives more Armour Class (AC).
• Dexterous Attacks: Attacks with Monk Weapons and unarmed attacks scale with your Dexterity instead of your Strength if your Dexterity is higher. This is the reason our primary offense stat is Dexterity, not Strength.
• Deft Strikes: Attacks with Monk Weapons and unarmed attacks deal 1~4 Bludgeoning damage unless their normal damage is higher.
• Unarmed Strike: After attacking with a Monk Weapon or while unarmed, you can make another unarmed attack as a bonus action.

This level unlocks the premise behind the build, unarmed attacks, use of clothing, and an emphasis on bonus actions. From level one, you can combine an action-based attack like an unarmed strike or weapon attack with Flurry of Blows. This will be the theme throughout the Monk build. Your Ki is a resource point system that will augment attacks later on like providing stuns or knockback, etc. The gameplay is very simple, attack with unarmed and bonus action for multiple attacks.

Solo Monk Gameplay & Priorities

During the early stages of BG3, look to just unarmed attacks for damage without the need to equip any weapons. Your main challenge will be mobility, though through leveling you will get increased mobility options. Additionally, your primary goal should be to equip the Haste Helm as soon as possible. Moreover, look to acquire the Elixir of Hill Giant Strength and Potion of Speed. Hill Giant will radically increase your damage with Tavern Brawler starting at level 4.

Your overall priority with the Solo Monk build is the following:

• Complete Prologue
• Recruit Companions
• Unlock Withers, respec companions to proper class/ability score
• Collect the Necromancy of Thay (important in Act 3)
• Reached Hollowed City/Druid Grove
• Sell, Stock up, complete quests
• Unlock summons, Scratch, Shovel
• Progress to level 5
• Reach Underdark and Grymforge
• Check all Permanent Bonuses in Act 1 and the best Gear
• Act 1 Checklist for step-by-step completion

Following these steps ensures a strong foundation for her especially if you plan on playing solo or Honour Mode difficulty.

Level 2

At Level 2, the Solo Monk Build unlocks a lot of class features and actions including an additional Ki point. Here’s what to expect as a Level 2 Monk:

• Unarmoured Movement: Your movement speed increases by 3m while you are not wearing armor or using a shield.
• Patient Defense: using a bonus action and a Ki Point, Attack Rolls against you have Disadvantage, and you have Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws.
• Step of the Wind: Dash (Action): using a bonus action and a Ki point, Double your movement speed. Jump no longer requires a bonus action.
• Step of the Wind: Disengage (Action): using a bonus action and a Ki point, Retreat to safety by Disengaging. Jump no longer requires a bonus action.

If we unpack these additional class features and actions, it gives us more incentive to use clothing not armor due to the movement speed increase. With Patient Defense, you can give a disadvantage. Patient Defense is important for a variety of cloth gear choices in Acts 1 through 3 so be aware when you see this at vendors or traders.

Gameplay at Level 2

You will also have much higher mobility with Step of the Wind Dash and Disengage. The Dash in particular is extremely useful because it can be used as a bonus action. The biggest issue you face early with the Monk build is mobility and entering combat with an action and a bonus action. Now with your Ki Points and bonus action, you can traverse huge distances and still use your action for an attack or something else.

Combat at this point remains the same, except throwing in a Patient Defensive when you need protection or a big hit against an enemy.

Level 3

At Level 3, we will select the Way of the Open Hand Monk subclass for this solo build. The Way of the Open Hand is by far the strongest subclass for the Monk. This will unlock the following:

• Open Hand Technique: manipulate Ki’s Energy to add additional effects to Flurry of Blows.
• Deflect Missiles: Use your reaction to reduce the damage from a ranged weapon attack.
• Enhance Leap (Githyanki Race): allows spellcasters to increase a creature’s Jumping distance.

What this does is essentially morph our Flurry of Blows into three different forms. Stagger, Push, and Topple. Push is useful to knock enemies off cliffs while topple is great to knock enemies prone essentially stunning them for a turn. The flurry of Blows skills cost a bonus action, rather than an action. this will give you more flexibility and control with your unarmed attacks.

At level 3, continue to try and find clothing to increase speed and stockpile Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. This will increase your damage by a lot and you will want to always consume one after a long rest. You can buy them from Aunti Ethel in Hollowed City, and try to have 4-5 ready when you turn level 5.

Level 4

At Level 4, you get to pick a Feat along with a Ki Point and Slow Fall. Slow Fall allows you to use a reaction to gain Resistance to Falling damage. Reactions do not consume your action or bonus and give you the freedom to jump from tall heights similar to the feather fall spell.

Tavern Brawler Feat selection allows you to make an unarmed attack, use an improvised weapon, or throw something, your Strength Modifier is added twice to the damage and Attack Rolls. Also, Tarvern Brawler lets you choose a +1 ability score in Strength or Constitution.  With our +1 selection, we will reach 16 Constitution giving us an even number and more health. This will help us do more damage with Strength. At this point, Elixirs of Hill Giant Strength becomes very important to add a ton of damage.

Hill Giant Strength

Now Strength becomes a very powerful ability score giving a 2x bonus to damage and attack rolls. You want to look for gear sets like Mighty Cloth or potions like Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. The benefit of Hill Giant’s strength is it lasts until a long rest and you can consume outside of combat. Therefore, look to consume this potion as a buff for hard fights after your long rest. This will radically increase your damage, and it only gets better next-level Extra Attack with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build.

In summary, this is why our ability score was so low for strength during character creation. Because this build will rely heavily on consuming Elixir of Hill Giant Strength for damage. You can either craft or buy from the store for cheap, so always look to stockpile them. Another benefit of the Monk is, you don’t need frequent long rest like spell casters. Thus, you can rely on Hill Giant for a very long time before resting and getting another elixir.

Level 5

As a Level 5 Monk, our power dramatically increases via a new class feature along with some extra utility.

• Extra Attack: can make an additional free attack after making an unarmed or weapon attack.
• Stunning Strike (Melee): use action to possibly stun the target.
• Stunning Strike (Unarmed): use action to possibly stun the target.
• Misty Step (Githyanki Race): teleport to an unoccupied space you can see once per long rest.

You can now use an action and a bonus action to stun a target. This gives the Monk tons of single-target crowd control, and if you miss attempt number one you can try again. You get two attacks with one action thanks to Extra Attack and can still use a bonus action for another attack. This opens up a lot of offensive possibilities. The easiest thing to do is target the hardest-hitting enemy and simply lock them down with constant stuns, knockback, and prone status effects.

Monk at Level 5

If you selected the Githyanki race, you unlock Misty Step once per long rest. This gives you a massive boost in mobility and the Misty Step spell consumes a bonus action. Some gear sets unlock Misty Step as well which we recommend because the weakest part of what limits the Monk’s damage is mobility and incoming crowd control.

At this level, you should be much more powerful especially if you are sticking to cloth and not armour. We suggest staying with the Monk for one more than before multiclassing to the Rogue Thief. The Monks in class power fades beyond level 6, so we will need to gain an additional bonus action via Rogue and Thief after level 6.

Level 6

At Level 6, expect even more to unlock for your class and subclass. Here’s the breakdown of the Monk at level 6 in Baldur’s Gate 3:

• Improved Unarmoured Movement: Your movement speed increases by 4.5m while you are not wearing armor or using a shield.
• Ki Empowered Strikes: Your unarmed attacks count as magical to overcome enemies’ Resistance and Immunity to non-magical damage.
• Manifestation of Body: Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 3-6 Necrotic damage.
• Manifestation of Mind: Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 3-6 Psychic damage.
• Manifestation of Soul: Your unarmed attacks deal an additional 3-6 Radiant damage.
• Wholeness of Body: Heals for 18 Regain half your Ki Points and have a bonus action for 3 turns.

Manifestations Explained

To summarize the additions, you get additional benefits from not using armor for movement speed purposes. You get a bit more damage on unarmed attacks with Manifestation of Body. This is a passive togglable feature that allows you to swap elements. This passive essentially adds free damage at no resource cost. Moreover, you can swap the type of damage when facing different opponents with weaknesses or resistances.

Wholeness of Body

The Wholeness of Body action gives you a bonus action for 3 turns. It does cost an action to use, but heals, gives Ki Points, and more offensive power for a few turns. You can “stack” this additional bonus action with the Rogue Thief bonus action via Fast Hands. This is one of the reasons we will Multiclass the Monk with the potential for 2 attacks with one action via Extra Attack and 3 attacks with bonus actions. Add on top of that elemental damage and Tavern Brawler, it’s a force to be reckoned with.

Level 7

At level 7, we suggest switching to the Rouge class. To do this, simply click the + sign with two access for multiclass. Select your class then a popup will appear on what you can select. The reason we want to use the Rouge is mainly for the Thief subclass and an additional feat with a four-level investment. Below is what you unlock at level 1:

• Skills: Stealth and Sleight of Hand.
• Sneak Attack (Ranged & Melee): Deal an additional to an enemy you have Advantage against. Attack/Save: Ranged Attack Recharge: Once per turn. In order to gain an Advantage, you need to be hiding or that enemy to be engaged with another in 1.5 meters.

Sneak Attack is a core class feature of Rouges in Baldur’s Gate 3 however, it doesn’t do much for this particular Monk build since it’s not focused on stealth. Essentially you can add damage when attacking from stealth or having Advantage on an enemy target. For this solo Monk build, simply make sure you have Sneak Attack “ask” checked which you can add damage and be aware of the Advantage component.

Level 8

The second level in Thief gives you three different Cunning Actions:

• Cunning Action Hide: Hide from enemies by succeeding Stealth checks. Stick to the dark and avoid enemy sightlines. Attacking or casting a spell will reveal your location.
• Cunning Action Dash: Cover more distance this turn: double your Movement Speed.
• Cunning Action Disengage: Retreat safely: moving won’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.

The benefit of Cunning Action is having Hide as a bonus action rather than an Action. This helps keep your action freed up and if you want to use hide more frequently.

Level 9

With three levels into Rogue, we unlock the Thief Subclass giving us Fast Hand an extra bonus action.  Now, each turn if you attack with your action, you should get two attacks, two bonus actions for four in total! The main way to increase your power beyond this point is through gear. Mainly gloves, and chest cloth pieces. Look for anything with “unarmed” these are designed for Monks in mind. Below we have two various gear charts on suggestions and where to get them.

Level 10

With one more level of investment into the Rogue, we gain a feat. The most useful for solo play is the Alert feat. You gain +5 to Initiative and can no longer be surprised. This feat helps protect against a skipped turn if we are ambushed and surprised. You could go with ability improvement, however, most of that is a waste with Hill Giant strength. Moreover, look to our Permanent bonuses and Mirror of the Loss guides where you can gain more ability scores through quests.

Level 11

Both the Monk and the Rogue won’t have much power to gain with two more levels. Therefore, we are going to choose two levels of the Fighter. This will result in our last level, 12, gaining Action Surge. This can combine with Potion of Speed giving 3 actions, and 3 bonus actions during combat. That will have you do a massive amount of damage per turn.

The first level for the Fighter doesn’t unlock anything useful and the weapon fighting styles don’t apply to the build.

Level 12

Congratulations on reaching the maximum level with the Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build! Our second level of investment unlocks Action Surge, which gives you another action once per combat and replenishes on short rest. You can use this early in the fights to kill bosses without any retaliation. Look before for recommended gear suggestions.

Best Gear for Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build

In Games like Baldur’s Gate 3, you’ll explore the world, loot chests and your enemies’ dead bodies, and complete quests and all those activities can reward you with useful items, potions, armour, weapons, scrolls, and much more. There are three Acts in BG3, and Best Baldur’s Gate 3 solo Monk Build Guide includes suggested sets and alternatives for Act 1 and Act 3.

Beginner: Starting the Game

Here’s the best beginner gear, items, and equipment for Solo Monk Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item	Effect
Head	Haste Helm	Increased Movement
Cape	–
Chest	Armour of Uninhibited Kushigo	Defense
Gloves	Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle	Fire Damage
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Mobility
Necklace	Amulet of Misty Step	Misty Step
Ring	Crusher’s Ring	Increased Movement
Ring	Sunwalker’s Gift	Darkvision
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Unarmed	–
Weapon 2 Ranged	Bow of Awareness	+1 Initiative Roll

Here is a list of the best Act 1 items for the Monk:

• Haste Helm: Chest in the Blighted Village X 32, Y 403 (Alternative Cap of Wrath).
• Armour of Uninhibited Kushigo: Find the Missing Boots quest reward from Sergeant Thrinn in Grymforge Act 1 (Alternative The Protecty Sparkswall, or Bloodguzzler Garb).
• Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle: Sold by Lady Esther at Rosymorn Monastery Trail (Alternatives The Sparkle Hands, or Bracers of Defence).
• Disintegrating Night Walkers: Dropped by True Soul Nere at the Grymforge (Alternatives Boots of Genial Striding, or Boots of Striding).
• Amulet of Misty Step: Chest behind the ogre Polma in the Defiled Temple within the Goblin Camp (Alternatives Moondrop Pendant, Amulet of Branding, or Amulet of Restoration).
• Crusher’s Ring: Can be looted or stolen from Crusher in the Goblin camp (Alternatives Ring of Flinging, or Fetish of Callarduran Smoothhands).
• Sunwalker’s Gift: Buy it from Blurg in Myconid Colony in the  Underdark (Alternatives Ring of Absolute Force, or The Sparkswall).
• Unarmed: Damage comes from gloves, not weapons.
• Bow of Awareness: Sold by Roah Moonglow in the Shattered Sanctum.

Advanced: Endgame

Here’s the best endgame Act 3 gear, items, and equipment for solo Monk Build in Baldur’s Gate 3:

Gear Slot	Best Gear Item	Effect
Head	Mask of Soul Perception	+2 Attack Roll
Cape	Fleshmelter Cloak	Acid Damage
Chest	Vest of Soul Rejuvenation	Unarmed Strike
Gloves	Gloves of Soul Catching	Unarmed Damage
Boots	Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo	Wisdom Modifier
Necklace	Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet	Stun on Crit
Ring	Killer’s Sweetheart	Auto Crit
Ring	Ring of Regeneration	Free Healing
Weapon 1 Main Hand	Unarmed	–
Weapon 2 Ranged	Darkfire Shortbow	Fire & Cold Resistance
Throwable	Nyrulna	Throwable Damage

Here is a list of the best Act 3 items for the Monk:

• Mask of Soul Perception:  The upstairs room at the Devil’s Fee, locked in a Gilded Chest in Act 3 (Alternatives Horns of the Berserker, or Helldusk Helmet).
• Fleshmelter Cloak: Found in the House of Healing Morgue (Alternatives Cloak of Protection).
• Vest of Soul Rejuvenation: Can be purchased from Sorcerous Sundries in Act 3  (Alternatives The Graceful Cloth, or The Mighty Cloth).
• Gloves of Soul Catching: Save Hope in the House of Hope (Alternatives Helldusk Gloves, Gauntlet of the Tyrant, or Seraphic Pugilist Gloves).
• Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo: Dropped by Prelate Lir’i’c in Astral Plane ending Act 2 (Alternatives Helldusk Boots, or Disintegration Night Walkers).
• Surgeon’s Subjugation Amulet: Looted from Malus Thorm at the House of Healing in Act 2 (Alternatives Amulet of Greater Health, or Sentient Amulet).
• Killer’s Sweetheart: Found inside the Gauntlet of Shar ( X: -833 Y: -729). (Alternative Shifting Corpus Ring).
• Ring Of Regeneration: Sold by Rolan at Sorcerous Sundries (Alternative Ring of Free Action).
• Darkfire Shortbow: Sold by Dammon in the Last Light Inn.
• Nyrulna: Stole from Akabi in Circus of the Last Days in Rivington Act 3.

Best Consumables, Potions, Elixir, and Items

Consumables are items that can be used once and then destroyed. They are typically used to restore health or other resources. Some common types of consumables include potions, scrolls, food, drinks, and arrows.

The following list represents the best individual use consumable items that will aid in our Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk Build:

• Elixir of Hill Giant Strength: Increases Strength ability score to 21 until Long Rest.
• Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength: Increases Strength ability score to 27 until Long Rest.
• Potion of Speed: Gain extra action, +2 AC, Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws, and double movement speed.
• Potion of Flying: Drink to gain a flying speed of 60ft for one hour.
• Elixir of Heroism: Gain 10 temp HP and become Blessed until a long rest.
• Elixir of Vigilance: Drink to gain a +5 bonus to Initiative and you can’t be Surprised.
• Elixir of Darkvision: (only non-Darkvision race): Drink to gain the ability to see in the dark up to 12m.

Build Summary – Best Baldur’s Gate 3 Solo Monk

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