Monk

Monk
Available to	All playable races (except Dracthyr)
Specializations	Brewmaster (tank) Mistweaver (healer) Windwalker (melee DPS)
Resource(s)	Energy or Mana, Chi
Primary attribute	Agility or Intellect
Weapon skills	Fist Weapons, Staves, One-handed Swords, Maces, Axes and Polearms
Armor type	Leather; can also equip Cloth.
Signature abilities	[Roll] [Spinning Crane Kick] [Stagger] [Storm, Earth, and Fire]

“Why do we fight? To protect home and family... To preserve balance and bring harmony. For my kind, the true question is: What is worth fighting for?”

— Chen Stormstout

The monk is a hybrid class, introduced with the Mists of Pandaria expansion. Monks are known for their skill in hand to hand fighting, relying on their fists and feet as much as their weapons. Monks can also specialize in calling upon the restorative power of the mists to heal allies.

Monks are able to perform each of the three group roles via different specializations: Brewmaster monks tank, Mistweaver monks heal, and Windwalker monks deal damage using melee abilities. Energy is the primary resource of Brewmaster and Windwalker monks (who also use Chi as a secondary resource), while Mistweavers use mana instead. Monks are available to every race except Dracthyr.

Whatever their combat role, monks rely mainly on their hands and feet to do the talking, and on a strong connection with their inner chi to power their abilities. Abilities such as [Expel Harm] and [Chi Wave] heal their allies while at the same time damaging their enemies.

Class overview

When the pandaren were subjugated by the mogu centuries ago, it was the monks that brought hope to a seemingly dim future. Restricted from using weapons by their slave masters, these pandaren instead focused on harnessing their chi and learning weaponless combat. When the opportunity for revolution struck, they were well-trained to throw off the yoke of oppression.

Masters of bare-handed combat, monks never rely solely on the need to have a weapon in their hands to defend against their enemies. Although most widely known to the outside world for their fearsome jabs and flying kicks, they refuse to limit themselves to a single method of combat. Many monks prefer instead to “soak it up” and seem to revel in the intoxicating effect of absorbing blow after blow while their companions press the attack. Other monks specialize in calling upon the restorative power of the mists to balance the good and bad energy within people, returning them to good health and fortune.

Monks bring a unique martial arts style to any fight, and harness an exotic form of magical energy that’s unfamiliar to those who practice other arcane arts. They seek spiritual balance in life and in combat, and as dangerous as Monks can be on the battlefield, they’re rarely looking to pick a fight without just cause. They view the world through a different lens, finding power through serenity and inner peace—then expressing it through artful combat techniques and powers that mend life. Perhaps most surprisingly, Monks are also adept at producing powerful brews they consume to aid them in battle.

Creation screen description

Monks are known for their skill in hand to hand fighting, relying on their fists and feet as much as their weapons. Monks can also specialize in calling upon the restorative power of the mists to heal allies.

Background

Chen Stormstout and another pandaren monk in a duel in the Valley of the Four Winds.

“But the question still remains... why do we fight? I trust you have learned: to fight out of fear or anger is to fight a war that never ends. Face your fears. Calm your hatreds. Find peace within yourself, so that you may share it with the world around you. These are the greatest treasures in life. Surely they... are worth fighting for.”

— Emperor Shaohao, Last Emperor of Pandaria's final words

Nearly 12,000 years ago, long before the War of the Ancients, the continent now known as Pandaria was ruled by a monstrous race of warlords known as the mogu. Their reign was incredibly harsh and brutal. Mogu taskmasters forbade their slaves to carry weapons. During these dark times, many pandaren tried to lift the spirits of their beleaguered brothers and sisters. They were the storytellers, the brewmasters, and the healers who helped knit their oppressed society together in the midst of darkness.

As the mogu empire began to fray, the pandaren saw an opportunity for a revolution. Because they had no weapons, they trained common people to fight with their unarmed fists and feet. They mastered the use of positive energy - or 'chi' - to empower themselves. These unarmed resistance fighters would become the first monks.

Despite both using the Spirit of Life, monks are differentiated from shamans in their inability to ask the elements for help.

Notable

See also: List of monks

Name	Role(s)	Status	Location
Kang, the Fist of First Dawn	The first monk and leader of the pandaren revolution	Deceased	Unknown
Chen Stormstout	Legendary brewmaster	Alive	Various
Taran Zhu	Lord of the Shado-pan	Alive	Various
Aysa Cloudsinger	Leader of the Tushui	Alive	Various
Ji Firepaw	Leader of the Huojin	Alive	Various
Master Bruised Paw	The Hidden Master	Alive	Paoquan Hollow, Valley of the Four Winds
Mojo Stormstout	Strategy guide author	Alive	Ammen Vale, Azuremyst Isle
Brother Korloff	Monk trainer of the Scarlet Crusade	Killable	Chapel Gardens, Scarlet Monastery
Eramas Brightblaze	Acolyte of Priestess Delrissa	Killable	Observation Grounds, Magisters' Terrace

Organizations

Name	Leader
Order of the Broken Temple	The Grand Master
Crane Wing order	Chi-Ji
Niuzao Sentinels	Sentinel Commander Qipan
Shado-Pan	Taran Zhu
Order of the Cloud Serpent	Elder Anli

Races

Main article: Monk races

A pandaren monk in training.

The monk class can be played by all races except dracthyr:

			Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intellect	Spirit	Armor	Health
Alliance	Draenei		22	18	21	22	22	N/A
	Dwarf		23	17	24	21	19	N/A
	Gnome		16	23	21	25	20	N/A
	Human		21	21	21	22	20	N/A
	Night elf		17	25	21	22	20	N/A
	Void elf		N/A
	Dark Iron		N/A
	Kul Tiran		N/A
	Mechagnome		N/A
	Worgen		N/A
	Lightforged draenei		N/A
Neutral	Pandaren		21	19	22	21	22	37	123
Horde	Blood elf		18	23	21	25	18	N/A
	Orc		24	18	22	19	22	N/A
	Tauren		26	17	22	18	22	N/A
	Troll		22	23	21	18	21	N/A
	Undead		20	19	21	20	25	N/A
	Nightborne		N/A
	Highmountain		N/A
	Mag'har		N/A
	Zandalari		N/A
	Vulpera		N/A
	Goblin		N/A

Specializations

For a full list of specialization abilities, see Monk abilities

Brewmaster

A sturdy brawler who uses liquid fortification and unpredictable movement to avoid damage and protect allies.

Brewmasters are capable tanks who use a combination of ancient martial arts techniques and drunken taunts to draw the attacks of their enemies and soak up damage. Brewmasters absorb and stagger damage, while provoking their enemies with traditional brewing-based attacks.

The brewmaster is a quirky character, though dangerous when underestimated. Brewmasters may seem to struggle with balance as they chug their concoctions in the middle of a fight, but this unpredictable behavior is far from foolhardiness. Most opponents barely have time to process the erratic nature of the brewmaster’s fighting tactics before they find themselves laid low—possibly the result of a keg smash to the head. When an opponent actually manages to land an attack, it’s often unclear how much the brewmaster feels it . . . if at all.

Mistweaver

A healer who mixes traditional herbal medicine with Pandaren martial arts.

Mistweavers are healers with a sideline in damage dealing. As well as a range of traditional healing techniques, Mistweavers may also use melee range attacks to increase the effect of their healing spells, through combinations such as [Rising Sun Kick] and [Rising Mist], resulting in unique gameplay. Mistweaver monks gain mana as a primary resource, in place of energy.

Mistweavers are unique among those who heal. The energies they channel are mysterious, oftentimes misunderstood by commoners—who rarely travel beyond the borders of their homelands—as some form of folk medicine. But those who weave the mists wield the power of life’s essence, using a mixture of preventative and restorative spells to mend their allies’ wounds. The inner tranquility that guides mistweavers allows them to sustain their healing for long periods of time, and gives them the strength to care for multiple injured allies.

Windwalker

A martial artist without peer who pummels foes with hands and fists.

Windwalkers are damage dealers, focusing on dealing melee damage through a range of martial arts abilities. With their lightning kicks and furious fists, Windwalkers can pummel nearby foes, but also have some ranged attacks and can use their legendary abilities to move swiftly across the battlefield. In addition to Energy, Windwalker Monks use Chi as a secondary resource.

Among monks, none have mastered the martial arts as the windwalkers have, and few across Azeroth can fight with their grace. Windwalkers possess unparalleled physical finesse, and are capable of overwhelming their enemies with a dizzying flurry of punches and kicks. Their skill comes primarily from a lifetime of intense training and discipline, but the power they exhibit is shrouded in more mysticism than meets the untrained eye. The combination of their peak physical conditioning, state of inner calm, and leveraging of mystical chi makes windwalker monks a true force to be reckoned with.

Hero talent trees

Main article: Monk abilities#Hero talents

Conduit of the Celestials

(Mistweaver/Windwalker)
Conduits of the Celestials devote themselves to the teachings of the August Celestials to embody their wisdom and harness their strength. Master Conduits may briefly channel the power of all Celestials at once.

Master of Harmony

(Brewmaster/Mistweaver)
Masters of Harmony chase physical perfection and the refinement of the body into pure strength, allowing them to tap into the flow of chi and natural cycles of power.

Shado-Pan

(Brewmaster/Windwalker)
Shado-Pan learn from their forebears and stand proud against their foes to defend friends and family. They bid their time to charge power before unleashing a flurry of blows to overwhelm opponents.

Abilities

Main article: Monk abilities

Please add any available information to this section.

Brewmaster and Windwalker abilities are influenced by real life martial arts style, such as a form of Wushu, commonly known as Drunken Boxing, which inspired some of the Brewmaster's animations. Other Brewmaster abilities such as [Keg Smash] and [Ironskin Brew] further this fantasy (even though Wushu does not involve actual drinking). Mistweavers typically focus on maintaining the balance of life energy around them, calling upon the mists to heal their allies and disorient their foes. In addition to these fantasies, each specialization revolves around an August Celestial; Brewmasters revere Niuzao, Windwalkers fight with the fury of Xuen, and Mistweavers call upon the aid of Yu'lon and Chi-Ji.

Examples

• [Blackout Kick]
• [Flying Serpent Kick]
• [Roll]
• [Spinning Crane Kick]
• [Tiger Palm]
• [Vivify]

Gear

Main article: Monk sets

Monks can wear cloth and leather armor.

Monks mainly focus on fist weapons and staves, but can also use one-handed swords, one-handed maces, one-handed axes, and polearms.

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Monks are culturally considered ascetic and studious. When Malygos is in humanoid form, he takes the shape of a studious monk or similar individual. Pandaren are formidable monks, following their philosophies to the letter and perfecting their martial arts as they see fit. Runemasters are said to be monk-like as well.

Monks were initially a denied class in the original Warcraft RPG sourcebook, at the time believed not to be relevant to the Warcraft world. However, monks were later incorporated through the runemaster, and references to monks appear throughout various points in RPG lore as well as in World of Warcraft. However (at the time), no specific monk class was ever created in the RPG, and no specific lore was ever given.

Trivia

• Prior to the addition of playable monks in Mists of Pandaria, several monk NPCs and mobs with martial arts-themed abilities appeared in World of Warcraft, albeit with different gear and specific moves than the player class. Examples include Lefty (gnome), Eramas Brightblaze (blood elf), Condemned Monks (humans), Scarlet Monks (humans), Crimson/Risen Monks (humans/undead), Auchenai Monks (draenei), and Argent Monks (humans). More generally, mobs like Defias Knuckledusters, Burning Blade Bruisers, Shattered Hand Brawlers, and Geness Half-Souls are pugilists who fight bare-handed but are clearly not meant to be monks.
• Monk animations are heavily influenced by real-world martial arts styles, including a form of Wushu commonly known as Drunken Boxing, which was used in the development of the Brewmaster.
• Monks were the first (and so far only) class to be added to the game that is not a hero class.
• Because monks started at level 1 even when Mists of Pandaria was first released, they previously unlocked a daily quest in the Peak of Serenity starting at level 20 that gave them an hour long buff that increased experience gains by 50%. After the release of Shadowlands and the level cap lowering to 60, this buff now only gives bonus rested experience.
• In the Hearthstone expansion Kobolds & Catacombs there is a Kobold Monk minion.
• Monks did not have a unique class crest until patch 7.0.3, two expansions after the class's introduction. Until then, it used the pandaren crest.
• The monk class was designed by Chris Kaleiki. Chris Kowalski worked on the class's sound design, including spells like [Soothing Mist] and [Uplift].
• Early in its development (including when it was announced at BlizzCon 2011), the class had no auto attack.
• The description of the Conduit of the Celestials hero talent tree was changed slightly during the development of The War Within. When first announced, it read: Conduits of the Celestials have devoted themselves to the teachings of the four August Celestials so wholeheartedly that they can channel their power outwardly and call upon their assistance regularly in combat. They can become pure conduits of the August Celestial’s power during brief moments, preventing some other actions but empowering them heavily.

Gallery

• 

  Chen Stormstout
• 

  A pandaren monk riding Ban-lu, Grandmaster's Companion.
• 

  A pandaren monk wielding Fu Zan, the Wanderer's Companion
• 

  An orc monk artwork by John Polidora.
• 

  A kobold monk in Hearthstone.

Patch changes

• Patch 10.2.0 (2023-11-07): Mistweaver Starter Build has been updated.
  
• Patch 10.0.7 (2023-03-21): Lightforged Draenei, Worgen, and Goblin races have learned how to harness their Chi and can now become Monks.
  
• Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Removed Chi as secondary resource from Brewmaster and Mistweaver specializations. Stances have also been removed and folded into passive increases to Monk characters.
  
• Patch 5.0.4 (2012-08-28): Added.
  

External links

World of Warcraft Official Game Guide - Monk

World of Warcraft Community Site Official Monk Forums (US)

World of Warcraft Europe Official Monk Forums (EU)