Ability points
The Monk class requires attention in four ability stats at all times:
Strength (STR) determines how often you hit (if you do not use the Weapon Finesse feat in fighting unarmed) as well as how hard your damage will be against a foe. Don’t neglect your STR or you’ll fight like a thousand moths against rock. Monks gain full STR damage on offhand unarmed attacks versus weapons, making this stat all the more important in unarmed fighting. Simply speaking, the more STR, the more overall damage per hit.
But don't think that using Weapon Finesse can save you for adding points to STR. STR still determines bonus damage even with Weapon Finesse trained. Therefore, if fighting unarmed, it's better to avoid Weapon Finesse unless you have a very good reason.
STR is important for all Monks, but most important for any Monk that wields with conventional ki weapons rather than unarmed. Henshin Mystics, Kensei fighter builds and Shintao should pay close attention here.
Ninja Spies using shortswords, kamas and shuriken should have at least 12 STR but add more points to DEX for their special DEX to-damage bonuses. Remember that sometimes you'll need to fight unarmed, and too low STR could lead to becoming uncentered if carrying too much in your inventory and/or when fighting mages that use Ray of Enfeeblement or similar STR sapping spells.
If you're trying out the Zen Archer and Zen Bowmaster, which use some of the Ninja Spy tree, you save a few action points by using the first two core enhancements for gaining DEX-to-Damage to your bows, avoiding the need for points in the Elf tree's Aerenal Grace.
Early in your training, losing STR from spell attacks such as Ray of Enfeeblement is the most likely reason you'll become uncentered, becoming unable to use Monk abilities or attack properly--big, big trouble.
All Monks should carry Lesser Restoration potions in an emergency. Later, Light Monks can activate Difficulty at the Beginning as a curative part of their Healing Ki finisher if they have selected it, provided they have sufficient ki and are not too enfeebled that they become uncentered and lose the power to activate that ability.
Dark Monks will need to keep a restoration option (potions, a party member or a clicky) handy throughout much of their lives.
Dexterity (DEX) determines (1) your bonuses to your Armor Class (AC) (2) your Reflex saves, and (3) qualifies you for the Two-Weapon Fighting feats, Dodge and other talents.
If you take the Weapon Finesse feat, Dexterity determines your attack roll instead of the STR modifier, but STR still determines how hard you hit. Changes to the game make Weapon Finesse far less desirable unless you have a very specific goal in mind. A Monk needs STR for damage, with one exception.
If you choose the training of the Ninja Spy, you'll use your DEX to determine your attack roll and to-hit and damage bonuses from any centered weapons you wield, except handwraps and quarterstaves, as part of its first two core abilities.
A Monk is all about balance when it comes to damage and to-hit. Keep both Strength and Dexterity somewhat equal as you begin. Around level 6 or so, to concentrate on one over the other for damage or defense as determined by your enhancements.
A Ninja Spy can favor DEX for both attack and to-hit after training their first core abilities. A Shintao Monk and Henshin Mystic should look to STR for damage but ensure enough DEX for AC, reflex and qualifying for weapon-wielding feats (Two Weapon/Two Handed Fighting).
Constitution (CON) is very important as it defines your hit points (HP). Monks get fewer HP than other melee classes, making it important to consider the Toughness feat if possible as often as you can to get the Monk’s HP to at least 350 or more by level 16, and at 400 or more by level 20. You cannot withstand attacks from the most dangerous bosses for long with anything less (Evasion and miss-chance effects notwithstanding). Start this stat with at least 14 points except for Zen bowfighters, who can manage with 12. While Shintao Monks need the most HP, Henshin Mystics have lower defenses, so more HP is critical to compensate.
Wisdom (WIS) is the mystical stat for Monks. It defines additional AC bonuses. The WIS modifier determines the difficulty rolls of many of the Monk’s special attacks against enemies, defines how well you self-heal, and defines how much ki you can store in your stable pool. The hallmark attack of an unarmed Monk, Stunning Fist, needs a high Wisdom score to ensure that it remains effective against almost any enemy.
In the case of the Zen Archer, your WIS defines your attack bonus, rather than DEX, once the Zen Archery feat is trained. A high WIS also increases the likelihood of more arrows shot per attack using Ten Thousand Stars.
As you reach and pass Level 20, you'll find that a high Wisdom score is what matters most in many builds.WIS defines so many special abilities of the Monk that transcend adventure difficulty levels or foes, enabling you to defeat many foes with the simplest attacks, right into Epic adventures.
NEVER add any points into Intelligence (INT) except in two circumstances: Training in the feat Combat Expertise (INT 13), or for a few more skill points per level.
Using INT, otherwise, threatens your Monk's offensive/defensive abilities since these points aren't going into STR, DEX, CON or WIS. Taking Combat Expertise gives a 10% total AC bonus but also qualifies you for Whirlwind Attack, a 360-degree cleave feat.
The Harper Agent tree, introduced in Update 23, is a meta-enhancement tree that be used by any other class in addition to other enhancement trees available to their race or class.
One set of Harper enhancements allow the use of INT for to-hit and damage. While these enhancements are excellent for classes that benefit from INT (Wizards and Rogues), they aren't recommended for Monks. INT may alter your damage and to-hit rolls with these enhancements, but your Reflex save is still determined by DEX unless you train the Insightful Reflexes feat, an expensive proposition. You'll lose your AC bonuses from higher DEX as well.
Training anything in Harper Agent is risky for all classes as you'll have fewer Action Points to devote to your class and racial trees.
Aside from more skill points per level, don't raise INT higher than 13 on typical Monks, and this only to qualify for the Combat Expertise feat.
There is one Monk that leverages Harper Agent enhancements without disadvantage: The Zen Archer.
Charisma (CHA) isn’t required by Monks at all with changes introduced in Update 33.
Two abilities, Shining Star and Kukan-Do, used to require CHA for their DC (difficulty class, the number required for an effect to beat an enemy's attempt to resist it). Both now use WIS for their saves. Kukan-Do also benefits from stunning bonuses.
Kukan-Do is a remote stunning attack for Shintao Monks, which won’t be available to you until you reach Level 12 and spent 30 Action Points in the Shintao Monk class tree.
Shining Star is a finishing move granted to a level 20 Monk. It's ability emulates Otto's Resistible Dance on a single target and lasts for one minute.
Notes from the Old Master:Students and the Use Magic Device Skill
While this old master will not question your personal tastes, this old master will question your judgment.
The Monk uses ki, which can do much of what wands and scrolls can do, yet can be replenished far easier. For a Monk to gain a benefit from UMD, you will certainly sacrifice points in several needed secondary skills, such as Hide, Move Silently, Balance, Jump, and Tumble.
Worse, to utilize your UMD, you must remove your handwraps or weapons. You become vulnerable, your odds of success with a low UMD are slim, and you will likely manifest as a soulstone in short time.
For those of you who have Half-Elven heritage: Yes, you could use your Dilettante abilities to give you limited inherent use of wands or scrolls. I just wouldn't place my trust in them while knee-deep in orc blood--and your own.
Consider Teacher Syncletica's words: Utilize your innate Monk abilities.
Some of you know of Bards, Rogues or Favored Souls. After watching these people, you might think that the Use Magic Device (UMD) skill as a Monk would be...acceptable.