Monk

Monk
Chen Stormstout, a Pandaren Monk
Favored by	Blood elf  Dwarf  Draenei  Forsaken  Gnome  Human  Night elf  Orc  Pandaren  Tauren  Troll
Role(s)	Tank, Healer, Melee DPS
Specializations	Brewmaster, Mistweaver, Windwalker
Resource(s)	Energy or Mana, Chi
Primary attribute	Agility or Intellect
Weapon proficiency	Fist weapon, Staff, One-handed Sword, Mace, Axe and Polearm
Armor proficiency	Cloth, Leather
Skill(s)	Has various stances that gives bonuses (e.g. [Stance of the Fierce Tiger]), summmons statues (e.g. [Summon Jade Serpent Statue]), [Breath of Fire], [Spinning Crane Kick], [Healing Sphere]

Classes
Starting a	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Tactics	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Class races	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Quests	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Abilities	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Trainers	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Armor sets	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior
Useful macros	Death Knight	Druid	Hunter	Mage	Monk	Paladin	Priest	Rogue	Shaman	Warlock	Warrior

The Monk is a hybrid class, introduced in the Mists of Pandaria expansion. 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, while Mistweavers use mana instead. All monks also use chi as a unique secondary resource, and an appropriate stance - [Stance of the Sturdy Ox], [Stance of the Wise Serpent] or [Stance of the Fierce Tiger] - to augment their abilities in their chosen role. Monks are available to every race except goblins and worgen.

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.

Races

Main article: Monk races

A pandaren monk in training

The monk class can be played by all races except goblins and worgen:

Race		Strength	Agility	Stamina	Intellect	Spirit	Armor	Health
	Draenei	22	18	21	22	22
	Dwarf	23	17	24	21	19
	Gnome	16	23	21	25	20
	Human	21	21	21	22	20
	Night elf	17	25	21	22	20
/	Pandaren	21	19	22	21	22	37	123
	Blood elf	18	23	21	25	18
	Undead	20	19	21	20	25
	Orc	24	18	22	19	22
	Tauren	26	17	22	18	22
	Troll	22	23	21	18	21

Racial abilities

Below is a brief exploration of some of the racial traits most relevant to monks. For a full list, see Racial trait.

•  Blood elves — Have the racial ability [Arcane Torrent]. It provides a 2-second AoE silence effect as well as restoring 1 Chi.
•  Draenei — [Heroic Presence] improves hit by 1% (~340 rating at level 90) for the Monk. Their [Gift of the Naaru] ability also grants them a heal over time.
•  Dwarves — [Stoneform] Can be useful for tanking, as well as dispelling harmful debuffs in PvP. [Mace Specialization] improves their expertise with one handed maces.
•  Gnomes — [Expansive Mind] increases a healing Monk's mana capacity. [Shortblade Specialization] improves a Monk's expertise with one handed swords. [Escape Artist] is useful, especially in PvP.
•  Humans — [Every Man for Himself] frees the Monk from CC effects, which is useful in PvP and in some PvE situations. [Sword Specialization] and [Mace Specialization] improve their expertise with one handed swords and maces, respectively. [The Human Spirit] can help a Mistweaver Monk's mana regeneration.
•  Night elves — [Shadowmeld] Provides the Monk with an aggro-dump. Also allows the Monk to enter a stealth state (which breaks on movement); [Quickness] can improve a tanking Monk's avoidance.
•  Orcs — [Blood Fury] acts as an extra trinket (boosting your attack power). Monks use both Axes and Fist Weapons, making [Axe Specialization] useful (Increases Expertise).
•  Trolls — [Berserking] acts as an extra trinket (boosting your attack speed). [Beast Slaying] provides increased damage against Beasts.
•  Tauren — [War Stomp] causes a short area-of-effect stun around the Monk, useful for rough spots, as well as [Endurance] which can increase a Monk's health by a small amount.
•  Undead — [Will of the Forsaken] frees the Monk from Charm, Fear and Sleep effects, which helps in certain situations in PvE and PvP. [Touch of the Grave] improves DPS as well as survivability.
•  Pandaren — [Epicurean] doubles benefits from food buffs, giving you twice the benefit when Well Fed. [Quaking Palm] is a very Monk-feeling ability, and can be useful for short crowd control.

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.

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 can heal their allies through dealing damage to their enemies, with a number of special attacks enhancing the monk's healing. Mistweaver monks gain mana as a secondary resource, in place of energy.

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.

Abilities

Main article: Monk abilities

Please add any available information to this section.

Examples

• [Blackout Kick]
• [Flying Serpent Kick]
• [Jab] - Generates Chi, which is used for other abilities.
• [Roll]
• [Spinning Crane Kick]
• [Summon Jade Serpent Statue]
• [Tiger Palm]

Gear

Armor

Monks can use cloth and leather initially.

Weapons

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

RPG

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft RPG and 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.

RPG notes

Monks initially were 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.

Videos

WoW Mists of Pandaria - Trailer Gamescom 2012 HD

External links

World of Warcraft Community Site Monk forums (US)

World of Warcraft Europe Monk forums (EU)

Icy Veins Brewmaster, Mistweaver, and Windwalker Monk Raiding Guides (Mists of Pandaria)