How To Play a Way of Shadow Monk in Dungeons and Dragons 5e

TIME STAMPS

0:00 - Sponsor
0:44 - Intro
1:48 - Why Play A Way Of Shadow Monk
3:42 - Way Of Shadow Monk Features
5:29 - Races
8:14 - Ability Scores
9:52 - Feats
21:23 - Tactics
25:13 - Multiclassing

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[DungeonDudes]

Some have pointed out that Eldritch Adept requires the Spellcasting feature, and as such the Monk doesn't qualify for the feat. D&D Beyond does allow the Shadow Monk to select the feat in the character builder, and we personally would allow the Shadow Monk's Shadow Arts feature to qualify. For rules sticklers, an alternative solution which works for some purposes is to take the Fighting Initiate feat to get the Blind Fighting style. Otherwise, it requires taking a short dip into a spellcasting class - a single level of Cleric should do the trick.

[afasdfasafd]

I always felt that shadow monks where the caster killers, darkness doesn't allow casters to cast any spell that requires them to see a point or a target, silence eliminates any spell that requieres verbal components, they can teleport right into the backline where the caster are and stun them, instantly shutting down their concentration, they also have evasion and at higher levels proficiency in all saving throws.

[edvaldojunior]

I play a Lightfoot Halfling Shadow Monk and the hability to hide at the space of other creatures, using their own shadow to teleport to other areas is just freaking awesome

[GoodOldGamer]

I've always wanted to play a Shadow monk with magic initiate to get light to cast on rocks, to create more shadows to teleport to.

[iampaulconway]

as someone playing a Way off the Shadow monk/ Swashbuckler rogue multiclass I thank you for this vid in tandem with your swashbuckler one!

[xiahoupaul]

When you talked about races for the subclass, I am shocked you two did not mention Ghostwise Halfling. It fits so perfectly with their +2 DEX and +1 WIS, and they can speak telepathically to a person within 30 feet that share a same language. It's too fitting not to notice!

[meswain]

Good timing. My wildfire Druid died in my session a couple days ago, and my backup is a shadow monk. You convinced me to do my feats a little differently than I’d planned.

[ZDC]

This is good advice thanks. Im personally playing a Sea Elf Shadow Monk in a homebrew aquatic pirate game, and I've had a blast sneaking onto enemy ships with pass without trace, using silence to make it easy to ambush crew members or loot ships, being able to teleport around, and grabbing a Weapon of Blindsight and Sentinel so in a big fight I can just cast Darkness + Sentinel Opportunity to trap a boss unit with me in The Box and their rolling attacks with Disadvantage and I have Advantage.

[UninterestingPedant]

It’s certainly a niche racial choice, but an Aasimar Shadow Monk who strategically casts Light to create shadows to play with is a fun concept!

[lucasstrong]

My first ever character was a shadow monk, and I loved playing him. I pretty much never used any of his spellcasting abilities except a few minor illusions after many sessions (I was new to the game and didn't understand the spellcasting at all), but I loved using the teleport. I would play so different now, but I will always love that experience.

We started at level 10 because I was joining an existing group with some old school friends, and I decided I wanted the fasted character I could make. Right off the bat I chose Wood Elf, Mobile, and then put 2 points into Dex. The DM said I could get one magic item so I took Boots of Speed, and that was pretty much all I needed to have a great time. Even without using my spells, I loved moving crazy fast, teleporting, hacking things up with my sword, and never provoking an opportunity attack. I played more like a barbarian or fighter with my aggression and lack of magic use, I just wanted to attack, so at 12th level I took savage attacker, and it was great turning 1s into 7+. I multiclassed 2 levels into rogue to get bonus action dashing without spending Ki, and the campaign ended at level 17 so that's as far as I built him in terms of leveling. However we did use the potion miscibility table, so I ended up with a permanent Haste effect from potions of speed mixed with other things (which I did on purpose after my buddy showed me the table, and since my character had learned alchemist supply expertise from a magic book before the DM allowed me to pursue this research.)

[cuebanb]

Shadow Monk / warlock multi class here. Theme is a Mage bounty hunter with Devil Sight.
I use a 60ft rope which is wrapped around the monk. On each end of the rope is a small rock. Cast darkness on one of the rocks and you can just fling the rock using the rope from one group of enemies to another, or simply keep it on yourself.

During retreats, cast darkness on the rock and just let it trail behind you, as it's attached it'll move as you do, creating fantastic cover if traversing down corridors. Can do all sorts of tricks.

I love it :D

[everwind]

I would argue is that monks are specialized magic casters as the PHB states: " Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of the magic that suffuses the multiverse—specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create magical effects and exceed their bodies’ physical capabilities, and some of their special attacks can hinder the flow of ki in their opponents." They are just specialized casters! More akin to Sorcerers than Wizards. However you could make the argument they would not be spellcasters until at least level 2 when Ki opens up and they are definitely at level 3 as they can cast minor illusion (which is a spell). This would prevent the variant human from taking it at level 1 but should be able to take the Eldritch Adept at level 4. It is too bad for a monk to be half way decent they require a feat, and I still think they fall off a lot because they can't improve their class with magic items like other classes can. I think that would be a good VOD on good magic items for Monks and a discussion of how DIM and Darkness works.

[grahamsmith]

I played a shadow Monk up to L 11 and loved it. I think the highlight was sending the party visibly out the gate, then stealthing to the tavern where the baddies were, casting darkness, and setting it on fire, then stealthing out over the wall. Brilliant!!

[lynettemalice]

I’d be wary about Eldritch Adept for a single class Shadow Monk only because it specifically requires to have the Pact Magic or Spellcasting feature. Not just the ability to cast spells. It’s usually not an issue because of like… house rules, but it’s something to keep in mind if it comes up.

[ColinKillick]

I will say, Monk/Ranger really is an underrated multiclass, and Shadow Monk/Gloomstalker would seem to work especially well. One trick I've found that really makes it shine is the Stunning Strike/Ensnaring Strike 1-2 punch, where the stunned target auto-fails the strength save and then has to either lose *another* turn to break out of the vines or deal with being restrained

[saltypork]

Cast your Darnkess on a monk weapon with the thrown trait. Now you can use it to cover yourself, and to create darkness elsewhere for you to teleport into.

[jakeholmes]

Regarding Darkness. I’m playing a fathomless warlock at the moment with devils sight and the other great use for darkness I have found is ranged members of the party using it as cover. Moving out of the darkness firing off some arrows then ducking back in.

[luiefuentes]

Another race I find a tad bit underrated for monks is the hill dwarf (assuming using Tasha’s) as it effectively gives you a 17 16 16 stat spread without actually having a 16 in con and allows you to have a 10 in another stat if you wish, as well as giving you access to the versatile weapons without sacrificing Darkvision

[treevetales]

The party relied on your shadow monk in some of it's Ki moments. I see what you did there. 😉

[mikewatts]

I played a Wood Elf who started as a Rogue for a level then moved to Monk (shadow). Initially, he spent half his time as an adventurer and the other half as a spy for his people. Add in a Massive F-up and a descent into depression and darkness led him to Monk as a form of Penance. I loved the slow character growth from cold and angry to not as much as he advanced.
Rogue at first level gave me all the skills I wanted, with expertise in Stealth and Perception to tie in with the background and then Monk built on top of that.
Thanks for this great video.