Highlights
- Baldur's Gate 3 offers extensive customization and role-playing options, with the ability to combine different classes for near-endless gameplay possibilities.
- The Monk class in Baldur's Gate 3, particularly the Way of the Open Hand subclass, has impressive damage potential and powerful bonus actions that make it a deadly choice.
- Combining the Monk class with the Thief subclass of the Rogue class can create a devastating build in Baldur's Gate 3, with the ability to repeat powerful multi-attacking abilities and utilize bonus actions effectively.
One of the biggest CRPGs in recent years, Baldur’s Gate 3 has proven to be a triumphant success for developer Larian Studios. Allowing the player to customize their role extensively in adherence to the core ethos of the genre, Baldur’s Gate 3 has brought a level of role-playing to video games that is typically only found in tabletop experiences. The diverse variety available among the game’s 12 classes has led to the creation of many builds, but combining different classes together has led to near-endless results. There is some incredibly powerful potential behind sticking to one class for the entire game but experienced CRPG players will find it tough to admit that is better than the advantages of multiclassing.
With a level of freedom and versatility unseen in most RPGs, builds like the Sorcerer/Warlock and even Wizard/Fighter in BG3 can prove to be some of the most dominant options around. These more obvious configurations have clear appeal in their synergy, but one of the more underrated classes, the Monk, can exploit its greatest strengths in an unparalleled fashion when combined with the Rogue.
Baldur's Gate 3’s Monk Makes the Most of Bonus Actions
The Monk class can be controversial due to its seemingly bland nature in having a very simple approach to battle. The Way of the Shadow and Four Elements subclasses both have merit for stealth and mixed casting respectively, but BG3's Way of the Open Hand subclass has damage potential like never before. Flurry of Blows is a multi-hitting attack available to all Monks, but the Open Hand grants various status-inflicting variations of the move capable of staggering, toppling, or pushing enemies. Manifestation of Mind, Body, and Soul further adds one of three different damage types to unarmed strikes, topping off the simple but deadly effectiveness of even a basic Monk.
Deadly attacks are not unique to any class in BG3, but the ability of Monks to inflict them with simple bonus actions is what makes them special. Patient Defence and Step of the Wind further allow Monks to resist incoming attacks or move freely throughout the battlefield, all without expending a precious normal action. With the Tavern Brawler feat single-handedly making a Strength-based Monk the most viable option as well, Baldur’s Gate 3 gives the class the extra flair it has needed for years, and further crossing over into the Rogue class can create a build fit for the endgame.
How Baldur's Gate 3's Thief Subclass Breaks Monk Builds
Rogues already share similarities to Monks through the Cunning Actions that allow them similar movement at the cost of bonus actions, but one subclass takes it further. At level 3 Rogues can choose the Thief subclass and gain Fast Hands, a feature that permanently gives the player an entire second bonus action. On a Monk that is able to deliver a Manifestation-enhanced multi-attacking Flurry of Blows, an extra bonus action allows this to be repeated within the same turn. With the insane damage and movement potential of a Monk/Rogue build in BG3, the only thing limiting factor becomes Ki Points.
Multiclassing ultimately requires missing out on some levels of one of the chosen classes, but picking two mostly front-loaded classes like Monk and Rogue allows for the best of both worlds. Somewhat lacking in high-level features, a Monk/Rogue at level 9 could even further pick up dips into Fighter or even Druid for Action Surge or Symbiotic Entity respectively. Whether players choose the features provided by sticking to two classes or going beyond, bringing the Monk and Rogue's focus on bonus actions together creates one of the most devastating builds BG3 has to offer.
Baldur's Gate 3 is out now for PC, Mac, and PS5 with an Xbox Series X/S version in development.
