Best race for monk with Tasha’s flexible ability scores allowed?

[Spacehamster]

Thinking Mtn dwarf(18 DEX/WIS at 4), half elf(17/16/16 at start and skills) or half orc(better crits, can cheat death) or maybe bugbear(mostly for shadow monk enabling teleport surprise damage from bugbear racial), any other good races I’m missing?

[Jakinbandw]

Thinking Mtn dwarf(18 DEX/WIS at 4), half elf(17/16/16 at start and skills) or half orc(better crits, can cheat death) or maybe bugbear(mostly for shadow monk enabling teleport surprise damage from bugbear racial), any other good races I’m missing?

Half elf for the +1,+1,+2 to attributes.

[RogueJK]

Half elf for the +1,+1,+2 to attributes.

Yep. Lets you start 16 DEX/16 CON/16 WIS or 17 DEX/14 CON/16 WIS, without having to dump every one of your other stats. Plus you also have your choice of 2x extra skill proficiencies (basic HE), a Wizard utility cantrip (High HE), +5' movement speed (Wood HE), or an additional Darkness casting per day for your Shadow Monk (Drow HE).

And you now have access to Elven Accuracy for Triple Advantage on your DEX-based attack rolls (or WIS-based on an Astral Self Monk).


Either of the flying races is also a good choice, since they're limited to no more than Light Armor, but Monks don't need any armor. Aarakocra gets you an early bump to your unarmed strike damage dice and a situationally useful WIS-based spell, whereas Fairy gets you a little more WIS-based spellcasting including Enlarge that gets you a nice +1d4 damage to your multiple attacks.


Variant Human or Custom Lineage are also still quite good for a Monk. There are some potent feats that Monks can benefit from at Level 1, including stuff like Mobile or Fey Touched (Bless or Hex).

[nickl_2000]

Aarakocra and Fairy for flight is pretty amazing on a Monk.

Lizardfolk gives you piercing as an unarmed strike by default.

Satyr is awesome for speed and you can leap like crazy with their ability and Step of the Wind and makes a monk an even better mage hunter.

Grung can make for a whole lot of fun poisoning.

[elyktsorb]

including Enlarge that gets you a nice +1d4 damage to your multiple attacks.


Worth noting that Enlarge/Reduce doesn't increase the damage of your unarmed strikes, only your weapon attacks will get the additional 1d4. So no bonus to Flurry of Blows.

Though, conversely the Reduce portion won't reduce your Unarmed Strikes damage by 1d4 either.

[solidork]

Goblin, Orc and Harengon give you some mobility that doesn't eat up your Ki points early on. I've always wanted to play a Centaur monk at 9th level so I can gallop up cliff faces.

There are a lot of options that are good enough now.

[Keravath]

Tabaxi can be fun with their double move feature, natural weapons and climb speed.

Pure stat wise, the mountain dwarf with two 17's at character creation hits 18/18 at level 4. However, it starts off slower and the rest of the racial abilities aren't that synergistic with a monk.

The most synergistic option is likely the bugbear.

Long-limbed - you can make your attacks from 10' which will often allow you to move away without op attacks.
Sneaky - stealth skill and ability to move into small spaces without squeezing - frees up a skill choice since a monk will usually take stealth anyway
Surprise Attack - "If you hit a creature with an attack roll, the creature takes an extra 2d6 damage if it hasn't taken a turn yet in the current combat." - this doesn't need surprise - you just need to beat the opponents initiative. Monk also has up to 4 attacks in the first round at level 5 with flurry of blows - that is a possible +8d6 damage in the first round.

So all round, I'd likely pick a bugbear to try out :)

[PhantomSoul]

Worth noting that Enlarge/Reduce doesn't increase the damage of your unarmed strikes, only your weapon attacks will get the additional 1d4. So no bonus to Flurry of Blows.

Clarification (the statement was true but the phrasing made me need to check, since it would have a different conclusion!): It doesn't apply to "weapon attacks", but rather specifically says "while these weapons are enlarged, the target's attacks with them deal 1d4 extra damage." So it's even more specific than weapon attacks [which would allow unarmed attacks] or attacks with a weapon, in a sense! (But that last one doesn't matter if the DM will agree to enlarge a weapon you pick up after being affected by the still-active spell.)

[x3n0n]

Clarification (the statement was true but the phrasing made me need to check, since it would have a different conclusion!): It doesn't apply to "weapon attacks", but rather specifically says "while these weapons are enlarged, the target's attacks with them deal 1d4 extra damage." So it's even more specific than weapon attacks [which would allow unarmed attacks] or attacks with a weapon, in a sense! (But that last one doesn't matter if the DM will agree to enlarge a weapon you pick up after being affected by the still-active spell.)

Thanks for clarifying. Net:

Fairy (the context for the spell's availability) will benefit on any weapons that it is holding, which will be relevant for the Attack action and/or Ki-Fueled Attack.
It looks like racial natural weapons that can be used for unarmed strikes should benefit by RAW (which Fairy doesn't have, but if a Lizardfolk or the like gets enlarged in this way...)

[Spacehamster]

Tabaxi can be fun with their double move feature, natural weapons and climb speed.

Pure stat wise, the mountain dwarf with two 17's at character creation hits 18/18 at level 4. However, it starts off slower and the rest of the racial abilities aren't that synergistic with a monk.

The most synergistic option is likely the bugbear.

Long-limbed - you can make your attacks from 10' which will often allow you to move away without op attacks.
Sneaky - stealth skill and ability to move into small spaces without squeezing - frees up a skill choice since a monk will usually take stealth anyway
Surprise Attack - "If you hit a creature with an attack roll, the creature takes an extra 2d6 damage if it hasn't taken a turn yet in the current combat." - this doesn't need surprise - you just need to beat the opponents initiative. Monk also has up to 4 attacks in the first round at level 5 with flurry of blows - that is a possible +8d6 damage in the first round.

So all round, I'd likely pick a bugbear to try out :)

Can trade weapon and armor prof’s for tools I Think with Tasha tho so can get some Nice tools for your monk with the dorf. :) missed that you dont need Surprise for the extra damage on bugbear tho, thats yuge!

[Polyphemus]

Aarakocra and Fairy for flight is pretty amazing on a Monk.

[...]

Grung can make for a whole lot of fun poisoning.

I'd also recommend Owlin, if your DM'd allow it, since they also get flight speed equal to their walking speed and get absurdly long-range darkvision and free stealth proficiency, if you wanna go a ninja-esque route.

Though I had a buddy who had pretty fun time as a Grung Way of Mercy Monk. I can't recall if he got around the tactile poison with a thick glove when healing his friends or if they Just Had To Deal With It for maximum hilarity. Either way a race that has "if my skin touches you you get poisoned" as a trait becoming a bare-knuckled combatant is a good time, I hear.

[strangebloke]

basically

half-elf as was outlined above. Just loads of basic utility and access to EA which is one of the best damage-boosting monk feats. Having so many stats really eases your MADness as well, its pretty easy to start with 17,16,14 as well as decent other stats
Mountain dwarf is the raw power option. Martial weapon proficiency is a free +1 damage at every level you're going to play at, and you can start with two 17s and thus get 18 AC at level 4.
Githzerai opens really strong options when combined with a multiclass level. Shield is a good spell.
Goliath just adds massive HP on a class that really needs it.
Bugbear lets you deal more damage. Combos really well with a gloomstalker dip

[Naanomi]

Winged Tiefling?

[strangebloke]

Winged Tiefling?

not a bad answer, though I feel a lot of people just ban this outright.

[Polyphemus]

not a bad answer, though I feel a lot of people just ban this outright.
Honestly with how often the SCAG seems to fly under the radar these days when it comes to things that aren't Arcana Cleric (and occasionally Crown Paladin), it might be "banned at this table" as often as it's simply "forgotten entirely." :P

[Sorinth]

The new dragonborn are all good choices, as are Aasimar (Skip the Fallen/Necrotic Shroud choice). The +1AC of Warforged/Simic Hybrid can be interesting for certain types of builds.

One that I would like to try is the UA Plasmoid since you can make a monk where the no equipment restriction of Amorphous irrelevant. My idea was to refluff Astral Self's spectral stuff to be part of the amorphous body, ie the spectral arms would be pseudopods that can attack.

[Keravath]

basically

half-elf as was outlined above. Just loads of basic utility and access to EA which is one of the best damage-boosting monk feats. Having so many stats really eases your MADness as well, its pretty easy to start with 17,16,14 as well as decent other stats
Mountain dwarf is the raw power option. Martial weapon proficiency is a free +1 damage at every level you're going to play at, and you can start with two 17s and thus get 18 AC at level 4.
Githzerai opens really strong options when combined with a multiclass level. Shield is a good spell.
Goliath just adds massive HP on a class that really needs it.
Bugbear lets you deal more damage. Combos really well with a gloomstalker dip


Just a couple of comments/questions

1) I haven't found many situations where elven accuracy would be useful on a monk. They don't have a reliable way to get advantage. In both watching monks and playing them they rarely have advantage (unless in combination with another party member). Without advantage, EA does nothing. The only easy option might be shoving a creature prone. It uses an attack, requires an athletics check that monks aren't usually good at; or playing an open hand monk and using flurry of blows to try to knock a target prone where they get a dex save. The flurry of blows method isn't that useful since it comes immediately after your attack action.

2) Goliath is pretty cool since it can reduce damage by d12+con, proficiency times/day. For a typical monk with 14 con this would amount to 8.5 x 3 at level 5 = 25.5 damage prevented which is pretty decent though it is probably only worth using on the bigger hits.

[sithlordnergal]

My favorite options would be:

Lizardfolk: Nets you a 1d6 Unarmed Strike that deals Slashing damage, thanks to the changes in MMoM, it also grants you a Bonus Action attack that gives you Temp HP equal to your Proficiency Bonus, a Swim Speed, two skill proficiencies, and you can hold your breath for 15 minutes. Best of all, the only difference between the MMoM Lizardfolk and old Lizardfolk is that their Bite did piercing, and Hungry Jaws gave them HP based on their Con Score.

Tabaxi: Claws for 1d6 Slashing Unarmed Strike right off the bat, you have Feline Agility, that lets you double your movement speed for free every other round, and two skill proficiencies. Sadly they lost their Climb speed...but you're a monk, you don't need a climb speed.

Fairy: You get Fairy Magic, which is pretty handy and works well if you end up going Monk/Cleric, and a Fly speed equal to your movement speed. Usually Fairies have to worry about armor, but since you're a Monk you won't have to care about that.

Bugbear: This one is, admittedly, a bit of a meme. But it can let you punch guys from a distance. You want to go Astral Self, and get the Lunging Attack Battlemaster Maneuver. Lunging Attack can be used on melee weapon attacks, and Unarmed Strikes are considered melee weapon attacks. Mix Long-Limbed, Arms of the Astral Self, and Lunging Attack to punch people 15 feet away.

[x3n0n]

1) I haven't found many situations where elven accuracy would be useful on a monk. They don't have a reliable way to get advantage. In both watching monks and playing them they rarely have advantage (unless in combination with another party member). Without advantage, EA does nothing. The only easy option might be shoving a creature prone. It uses an attack, requires an athletics check that monks aren't usually good at; or playing an open hand monk and using flurry of blows to try to knock a target prone where they get a dex save. The flurry of blows method isn't that useful since it comes immediately after your attack action.

I hear this a lot. I assume these are tables that dislike Stunning Strike?

Re: prone, this is potentially a lot better with Mercy's Physician's Touch (they get disadvantage on the contest) and/or Arms of the Astral Self and/or Skill Expert.

For example, round 1, land a Hand of Harm. Round 2, shove vs poisoned disadvantage, then attack (or maybe even grapple). If you've got a melee partner, they can even do the Athletics contests.

[Psyren]

Tortle is interesting for a SAD build as you can use their racial AC bonus in place of the monk one at low levels, plus their unarmed strike gets a bump at low levels too. You also get a free proficiency. I could see them being a great choice for a monk that wants to focus on Dex or Wis exclusively.

[LudicSavant]

Thinking Mtn dwarf(18 DEX/WIS at 4), half elf(17/16/16 at start and skills) or half orc(better crits, can cheat death) or maybe bugbear(mostly for shadow monk enabling teleport surprise damage from bugbear racial), any other good races I’m missing?

Note that the new Bugbear does not require surprise. It just needs to win initiative. Then it gets +2d6 damage per attack.

New MPMM Bugbear is one of the best Monk races currently, really allowing them to explosively capitalize on the fact that they get a high number of accurate attacks early. Monks are also well suited to take advantage of their squeezing, reach, etc.

New Goliath is sufficient to make Monks pretty durable even early game (seriously, it's about +19 effective hp at level one and scales well from there), and unlike the other big durability boosting races it has no bonus action competition and stacks with temp HP.

Tabaxi makes you incredibly mobile, and doesn't impinge on your action economy to do it.

New Shadar-Kai is good despite the bonus action competition -- a damage-resisting teleport on the new elf chassis (complete with buffed trance) is just that good.

Shifter provides even more (potential) effective HP than Goliath and can be pre-buffed on a stealthy & observant Monk. Beasthide is *especially* durable on a Monk. Swiftstride can help kite, Wildhunt can help with Wis checks and synergize with vision blocking and the like. Longtooth is the only one to be avoided.

VHuman, Variant Half-Elf and Mountain Dwarf remain good.

[Spacehamster]

Note that the new Bugbear does not require surprise. It just needs to win initiative. Then it gets +2d6 damage per attack.

New MPMM Bugbear is one of the best Monk races currently, really allowing them to explosively capitalize on the fact that they get a high number of accurate attacks early. Monks are also well suited to take advantage of their squeezing, reach, etc.

New Goliath is sufficient to make Monks pretty durable even early game (seriously, it's about +19 effective hp at level one and scales well from there), and unlike the other big durability boosting races it has no bonus action competition and stacks with temp HP.

Tabaxi makes you incredibly mobile, and doesn't impinge on your action economy to do it.

New Shadar-Kai is good despite the bonus action competition -- a damage-resisting teleport on the new elf chassis (complete with buffed trance) is just that good.

Shifter provides even more (potential) effective HP than Goliath and can be pre-buffed on a stealthy & observant Monk. Beasthide is *especially* durable on a Monk. Swiftstride can help kite, Wildhunt can help with Wis checks and synergize with vision blocking and the like. Longtooth is the only one to be avoided.

VHuman, Variant Half-Elf and Mountain Dwarf remain good.

Does it not say that the bugbear 2d6 extra damage is once per combat so would only apply to your first attack when you get it off, not all your attacks?

[LudicSavant]

Does it not say that the bugbear 2d6 extra damage is once per combat so would only apply to your first attack when you get it off, not all your attacks?

No, it does not say that. You're thinking of the old, weak Volo's Bugbear which only boosted one attack, and only if it got surprise.

New MPMM Bugbear gets +2d6 damage on all of its attacks when it wins initiative. No surprise necessary, and more attacks = more damage.

[Spacehamster]

No, it does not say that. You're thinking of the old, underpowered Volo's Bugbear.

New MPMM Bugbear gets +2d6 damage on all of its attacks when it wins initiative.

New bugbear? From some new book/source?

[LudicSavant]

New bugbear? From some new book/source?

Yes. It's in MPMM.

Here's a guide. (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?642901-Mini-Guide-to-Mordenkainen-s-Monsters-of-the-Multiverse-PC-Races!)

[Spacehamster]

It says the source in the quote.

Ah always miss when ppl use the short terms for books, monster multiverse guide right?

[Dante]

New bugbear? From some new book/source?

Yes, the book is Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse (https://www.amazon.com/Mordenkainen-Presents-Monsters-Multiverse-Dungeons/dp/0786967870) and it's essentially a bunch of cleaned-up UA racial options (gem dragon-people, rabbit-people) and revised Volo's/Theros/etc. races, plus a retread of Volo's/Mordenkainen's Tomb of Foes monsters.

[Spacehamster]

Yes, the book is Mordenkainen's Monsters of the Multiverse (https://www.amazon.com/Mordenkainen-Presents-Monsters-Multiverse-Dungeons/dp/0786967870) and it's essentially a bunch of cleaned-up UA racial options (gem dragon-people, rabbit-people) and revised Volo's/Theros/etc. races, plus a retread of Volo's/Mordenkainen's Tomb of Foes monsters.

Hmm wonder if you need the book on fantasy grounds to get the updated versions or if having Volos guide is enough for both options. :)

[Dante]

Hmm wonder if you need the book on fantasy grounds to get the updated versions or if having Volos guide is enough for both options. :)

I dunno, but based on the quality of the retreads (especially the monsters) I'd be equally interested in whether it's possible to opt out of the updates.

[Sorinth]

Just a couple of comments/questions

1) I haven't found many situations where elven accuracy would be useful on a monk. They don't have a reliable way to get advantage. In both watching monks and playing them they rarely have advantage (unless in combination with another party member). Without advantage, EA does nothing. The only easy option might be shoving a creature prone. It uses an attack, requires an athletics check that monks aren't usually good at; or playing an open hand monk and using flurry of blows to try to knock a target prone where they get a dex save. The flurry of blows method isn't that useful since it comes immediately after your attack action.

2) Goliath is pretty cool since it can reduce damage by d12+con, proficiency times/day. For a typical monk with 14 con this would amount to 8.5 x 3 at level 5 = 25.5 damage prevented which is pretty decent though it is probably only worth using on the bigger hits.

Astral Self is good at grapple/prone and also has a stronger then normal SS DC so has lots of ways to get advantage.
Flanking rules and the monks mobility mean easy ways of getting advanatge
Shadow Monk taking the Blind-Fighting feat/fighter dip

[Nod_Hero]

Note that the new Bugbear does not require surprise. It just needs to win initiative. Then it gets +2d6 damage per attack.

New MPMM Bugbear is one of the best Monk races currently, really allowing them to explosively capitalize on the fact that they get a high number of accurate attacks early. Monks are also well suited to take advantage of their squeezing, reach, etc.

MPMM Bugbear is really good monk material.


New Shadar-Kai is good despite the bonus action competition -- a damage-resisting teleport on the new elf chassis (complete with buffed trance) is just that good.

Not to mention that the new buffed Trance can get you longsword/battleaxe/warhammer proficiency to use the Tasha's "Dedicated Weapon" feature for some level 2 and up 1d8/1d10 damage goodness.

Warhammer & Unarmed Strikes + Crusher Feat looks pretty good to me!

[strangebloke]

Just a couple of comments/questions

1) I haven't found many situations where elven accuracy would be useful on a monk. They don't have a reliable way to get advantage. In both watching monks and playing them they rarely have advantage (unless in combination with another party member). Without advantage, EA does nothing. The only easy option might be shoving a creature prone. It uses an attack, requires an athletics check that monks aren't usually good at; or playing an open hand monk and using flurry of blows to try to knock a target prone where they get a dex save. The flurry of blows method isn't that useful since it comes immediately after your attack action.

2) Goliath is pretty cool since it can reduce damage by d12+con, proficiency times/day. For a typical monk with 14 con this would amount to 8.5 x 3 at level 5 = 25.5 damage prevented which is pretty decent though it is probably only worth using on the bigger hits.

1) Every monk has stunning strike, astral self can shove with wis, open hand shoves without an athletics check. Shadow monk can use the darkness / blindfighting combo... and yeah you have party members. Get the wizard the cast web and you're golden.

2) Yes, its very very good, and pretty resoundingly silences anyway who thinks that a d8 hit die means you're 'fragile.'

[x3n0n]

Tabaxi: [...] Sadly they lost their Climb speed...[...]

Just a nit: they didn't lose the climb speed; it moved out of the claws clause [har har] and got even better. New "Speed" feature: "Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed."

So you've got a real climb speed that scales with your (Monk-buffed) movement speed from 1st level and doesn't end with your turn (unlike Unarmed Movement Improvement at Monk 9).

[sithlordnergal]

Just a nit: they didn't lose the climb speed; it moved out of the claws clause [har har] and got even better. New "Speed" feature: "Your walking speed is 30 feet, and you have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed."

So you've got a real climb speed that scales with your (Monk-buffed) movement speed from 1st level and doesn't end with your turn (unlike Unarmed Movement Improvement at Monk 9).

OHh, I missed that when looking over their claws!! I stand corrected!!