Feats

(Revised for Update 33.)

Throughout this guide I’ll note key feats that Monks should consider as they level. Many of these will be different from what may be taken by Fighters for a simple reason: Monks get many feats, but many of these are granted automatically. In short, Monks get far fewer optional feats than Fighters.

Further, handwraps work differently in terms of damage. They come with unique effects that offset what fighters are limited in utilizing from a typical single weapon. Monks can continually stack elemental strikes and other ki-powered damage atop handwraps in addition to natural damage reductions and the effects of the handwraps themselves.

Update 19 and Monk Stances

Update 19 made a radically substantial change to all Monks. Before, Monks received the starting (Disciple) Monk stances as feats, and used Action Points to choose and update through other Monk stances as enhancements.

No longer. In Update 19, every Monk elemental stance is automatically granted to you as feats over time.

You begin with the elemental stances at level 1, named "The Way of..." for Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. At level 8, you receive the Adept stances. At level 12, the Master stances. By level 18, you receive the Grandmaster stances.

In some ways, this might seem a bit overpowering. For others, it's a boon since you can devote your Action Points to more abilities in the enhancement class trees.

While all Monk elemental stance training is given as you level, it's now possible for a character trained in only 1 Monk level to add later forms as optional feats.

You'll receive more detail on how this change affects how you play, as well as some minute changes in each stance, in each of the level-based sections (The Way, Adept, Master and Grandmaster).

Optional Feats

I’ll just note the key families of Monk fighting feats and touch on their significance to Monks and note why other common Fighter feats aren’t taken.

• Cleave and Great Cleave: Recommended. If you can squeeze this in once you get Paralyzing handwraps or weaponry, you have an interesting crowd control ability with one attack. Power Attack required for Cleave; Cleave itself is needed for Great Cleave.
• Dodge: Recommended. A Monk’s true armor includes their ability to evade damage. Update 14 (“Menace of the Underdark”) revised Dodge as a percentage. The higher the number, the better chance you may escape a hit. Dodge bonuses come from other revised feats such as Mobility, Spring Attack and Whirlwind Attack. Some class trees might increase the Dodge cap beyond the standard 25%.
• Diehard: Optional. A new Human enhancement, "Don't Count Me Out," performs a stronger effect than this feat.
• Combat Expertise: Optional. You get 10% additional total AC but trade off some of your attack bonus. To get this, you need to add 13 to INT, an otherwise useless stat for Monks. This is a general stance, so you can't have this feat active with similar ones, such as Power Attack. Only pursue this feat if you're really crazy for more AC, or trying for the Whirlwind Attack feat (which is awesome when unarmed, and handy for quarterstaff wielders). Tanking Monks should consider this feat: it stacks with Ultimate Mountain Stance's AC bonus for a 30% total AC bonus. Required for Improved Trip. Required prerequisite feat for the Legendary Dreadnought ability, Improved Combat Expertise (+20 PRR).
• Improved Critical: Highly Recommended. Expands your handwraps or weapon's critical range. Good for all Monk Stances, but Mountain Stance's critical multiplier means more damage potential within that wider critical range for any centered weapon. Characters that use bows or thrown weapons should choose the Ranged or Thrown Weapons variety. You may choose any number of these feats but only once per weapon damage type.
• Improved Sunder: Optional. Handwraps and melee weapons are available with Destruction and Improved Destruction, which do a similar thing without using a feat. Many Monks appreciate this feat as it continually reduces Fortitude saves from an enemy and can greatly add in landing Stunning Fist attacks. Sunder DCs now also add into Quivering Palm (an assassinate-like one-hit-kill move attained at Level 15.) If you can afford the feat, take it to help land stuns or trips. This feat works for melee attacks only.
• Improved Trip: Optional. Useful against a single enemy, especially ones that resist other methods to stop or slow, such as Constructs, Undead or Elementals. As long as it has legs and doesn't float, you might be able to trip it. An enemy will stop down longer, up to 10 seconds, and can't perform any actions. You'll need Combat Expertise to qualify--which itself requires INT 13. Beefed-up Henshin Mystics with great STR for staff fighting might consider this one over the slower Stunning Blow as a stopping option.
• Mobility: Optional. If you have the feat slots, Mobility adds a Dodge bonus that stacks with other Dodge percentages. It's also a prerequisite for Spring Attack and, later, Whirlwind Attack.
• Power Attack: Recommended. The added damage can be helpful in higher levels. Using PA may not be as helpful when you are starting out, having a lower Base Attack Bonus than other melees. Power Attack is a prerequisite for Cleave, so even if you don't activate this feat, the access to Cleave is worth taking Power Attack.
• Precision: Optional. This adds +5 to your attack rolls and reduces enemy fortification by 25%. Update 14 changed this so the feat no longer halves the damage from your attack.
• Ranged Feats: These include Point Blank Shot, Quick Draw, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run, and Precise Shot. For Monks that use a bow or a thrown weapon, you should train these feats appropriate for your build, rather than any of the melee-based Single, Two-Weapon or Two-Handed Fighting feats. The Zen Archer and Shiradi Shuricannon chapters will talk more of these choices.
• Spring Attack: Optional. You don't suffer attack penalties if you move about a lot, and also adds additional Dodge percent changes. Prerequisite for Whirlwind Attack.
• Stunning Blow: Optional for armed Monks. The Monk feat Stunning Fist does the same thing while fighting unarmed, is based on your WIS ability (which should be higher if you want to take advantage of Monk abilities overall), has a faster cooldown and is more reliable than this feat for most Monks (who aren't specced with immense STR). Mystics should apply more STR and take any ability that raises their tactical DCs to help this feat. Improved Trip may give a better result.
• Stunning Fist: Highly recommended for all unarmed Monks. A high WIS score ensures that unarmed Monks will stun anything they want every 6 seconds, allowing for quick and deadly takedowns, even in Epic quests. Rapid, consistent stunning is a keystone ability of many unarmed Monks. Handwraps and other gear often are found with the Stunning or Combat Prowess property that magnifies the DC for this feat to great effect.
• Single Weapon Fighting: Optional. A high-DPS option for melee weapon-wielding Ninja Spies (but NOT unarmed fighting, thrown weapons, or two-handed weapons such as quarterstaves). SWF delivers Combat Bonus Melee Power boosts for more damage while also greatly increasing melee attack speed. SWF speed stacks with Enhancement bonuses such as Speed gear or items with Melee Alacrity. SWF is mutually exclusive to Two-Weapon Fighting and Two-Handed Fighting feats; only one feat style can be chosen.
• Two-Handed Fighting: Recommended for Henshin Mystics using a quarterstaff, and special Kensei builds. This feat increases the chances of glancing blows, an ability seen to quarterstaves for additional damage by effectively adding in an additional attack. While fighting primarily unarmed is up to 12% faster compared to any other weapon (including ki weaponry) staff-wielders can take advantage of feats like this and abilities that can match or even exceed unarmed combat speed and damage. Kensei flavors may find this feat alluring. Most unarmed Monks should take Two-Weapon Fighting, which works with unarmed attacks. Do not select this feat for unarmed fighting--use Two-Weapon Fighting.
• Two-Weapon Fighting: Recommended for unarmed fighting and dual-wielding fighters. Unarmed Monks should take at least Improved TWF; Greater TWF is best as it means you have incredible off-hand damage, effectively striking two enemies at once. Don't take this if you plan to use quarterstaves; use Two-Handed Fighting. Choosing this feat series also locks out the use of Single Weapon Fighting feats.