# The Path of Inner Strength: Monk Class Now Available

> The Monk is a premium melee class in Lourdin RPG that fights with ki. Ki equals your level (minimum 2) and refills after each win. Unarmed strikes roll a Martial Arts die that grows from 1d6 to 2d8. Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense and Step of the Wind cost 1 ki from level 2, and Stunning Strike arrives at level 5.

- Canonical URL: https://lourdinrpg.com/blog/monk-class-now-available
- Published: 2026-01-31
- Updated: 2026-10-14 (Updated October 2026 for the current Monk: new Martial Arts dice, Step of the Wind as a dash, Wisdom-based Stunning Strike, Extra Attack, Swift Step and the new turn order.)
- Author: Old Man Lourdin (Lourdin RPG)
- Type: News
- Tags: Classes, Monk, Premium, Combat

The Monk is Lourdin RPG's unarmed martial artist: a fast, Dexterity-driven premium class that spends ki on extra strikes, a sudden burst of defense, a dash and a stun. It arrived in January 2026 and has changed a good deal since, so this post walks through the Monk as it plays today: how the Martial Arts die grows, how ki works, what every ability does, and how to build and play a Monk well.

## What is the Monk in Lourdin RPG?

Monks fight with fists, feet and staves, and they trade heavy armor for speed and discipline. They hit often, move far, and carry a small pool of ki that turns an ordinary turn into a flurry, a wall of defense or a stunned enemy.

| Trait | The Monk at a glance |
|---|---|
| Role | Fast melee striker |
| Main stats | Dexterity (attack, damage, AC, initiative), then Wisdom (AC and Stunning Strike) |
| Movement | 7 hexes per turn, tied for the fastest in the game |
| Hit points | 10 at level 1, then 6 per level, plus your Constitution modifier (at least 1) every level |
| Armor | Unarmored Defense; Monk gear is light and Monks cannot use shields |
| Starting gear | Novice's Staff (1d6, +1 Dexterity, two-handed) and the five-piece Initiate's set, whose Gi gives 1 AC and +1 Dexterity |
| Unlock | Premium |

**Unarmored Defense** sets your AC to at least 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier + 1 for every 4 levels. It is a floor, not a trap: if a piece of chest armor would give you more, the game uses the better number. When you create a Monk, the class adds +1 to both Dexterity and Wisdom.

## How much damage do Monk martial arts deal?

Every Monk unarmed strike rolls the Martial Arts die, which grows with your level. Every other class punches for 1d4. Our table runs deliberately above the tabletop Monk's, because a Monk lands many small blows and those dice are most of its damage.

| Monk level | Martial Arts die | Average roll |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 1d6 | 3.5 |
| 5-10 | 1d8 | 4.5 |
| 11-16 | 2d6 | 7 |
| 17-20 | 2d8 | 9 |

Add your Dexterity modifier to every hit. A level 10 Monk with a +3 Dexterity modifier averages 1d8 + 3 = 7.5 damage per unarmed strike, before gear and buffs.

Two details are worth knowing:

- **Class strikes always use the die.** Flurry of Blows and Stunning Strike roll the Martial Arts die no matter what you hold.
- **Your Attack action uses your main hand.** With a staff equipped, your basic attack rolls the staff's dice; with an empty hand, it rolls the Martial Arts die. Some Monk staves out-roll the die for a while, such as the Flowing Water Staff (2d6, from level 5), so compare the two when you find new gear.

From level 5, **Extra Attack** lets your Attack action swing twice.

## How does ki work for the Monk?

Your ki pool equals your Monk level, with a minimum of 2, so a level 1 Monk has 2 ki and a level 20 Monk has 20. In single player your ki refills after every battle you win, and every multiplayer battle starts you at full.

| Ability | Ki cost | Unlocks at | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flurry of Blows | 1 | Level 2 | Bonus action, after the Attack action |
| Patient Defense | 1 | Level 2 | Bonus action |
| Step of the Wind | 1 | Level 2 | Bonus action before your action |
| Swift Step | 2 | Level 4 | Bonus action before your action; uses your move; 3-turn cooldown |
| Stunning Strike | 1, only on a hit | Level 5 | Your action |
| Extra Attack | 0 | Level 5 | Part of your Attack action |

You get one bonus action per turn, so the bonus-action abilities compete with each other. Picking the right one each turn is most of the Monk's craft.

## What can a Monk do with ki?

### Flurry of Blows

A bonus action for 1 ki, from level 2. Once you have taken the Attack action this turn, with your basic attack or Stunning Strike, Flurry adds two quick unarmed strikes, each rolling the Martial Arts die. It needs an enemy within melee reach, and it stops early if the target drops.

### Patient Defense

A bonus action for 1 ki, from level 2. You gain +4 AC until the start of your next turn, which is exactly when the enemies take their swings at you.

### Step of the Wind

A bonus action for 1 ki, from level 2. Step of the Wind is a dash: it adds 7 hexes of movement this turn. Use it before you move, to reach an enemy that would otherwise be out of range. Your move has to come before your action: once you have taken your action, the turn holds no more movement.

### Swift Step

A bonus action for 2 ki, from level 4, with a 3-turn cooldown. Swift Step jumps you to another zone on the side of the battlefield you are standing on. It counts as your move for the turn, so pick a landing spot that already puts an enemy in reach.

### Stunning Strike

From level 5, and it uses your action. You make an unarmed strike. If it hits and the target survives, you spend 1 ki and the target makes a Constitution save against 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. On a failure it is stunned and loses its next turn. A miss, or a blow that drops the target outright, costs no ki. Stunning Strike counts as your Attack action, so you can follow it with Flurry of Blows in the same turn.

### Extra Attack

Extra Attack costs no ki. From level 5, your Attack action swings twice, so even a turn without ki spending gets two attacks.

## How should you build a Monk?

**Dexterity first, Wisdom second, Constitution third.** Dexterity drives your attack rolls, damage, AC and initiative. Wisdom adds to your AC through Unarmored Defense and sets your Stunning Strike save DC. Constitution adds hit points every level.

- **Rolling stats.** Each stat is rolled with 4d6, dropping the lowest die, in a fixed order (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma). You cannot move rolls between stats, but you get 10 rolls in all (your first roll plus 9 rerolls), so reroll until Dexterity and Wisdom look good.
- **Leveling up.** You earn a stat point at levels 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20, plus bonus points at levels 5 (+2), 10 (+3), 15 (+4) and 20 (+5). The game also raises your Dexterity by 1 at levels 3, 9 and 15, and your Wisdom by 1 at levels 6, 12 and 18.
- **Gear.** Monks have no armor-weight limit, but all 18 pieces of Monk armor are light, and Monks cannot use shields. Watch for gear with Dexterity or Wisdom bonuses.

## How do you play a Monk well?

- **Against a boss,** Stunning Strike can take away its next turn. A miss costs nothing but your action, so it is worth trying more than once.
- **Against a group,** follow your attack with Flurry of Blows to finish a wounded enemy before it acts again.
- **When something big is hitting you,** Patient Defense's +4 AC lasts through the enemy turns.
- **When your target is far away,** use Step of the Wind before you move. Swift Step also works, but it replaces your move, so only use it when it lands you next to an enemy.
- **Budget your ki.** At low levels you have 2 to 4 ki for a whole fight. Spend it where it decides the battle, and let your plain attacks carry the rest.

The [Lourdin RPG combat guide](https://lourdinrpg.com/guide/combat) explains how zones, reach and movement work, which matters a great deal for a class that moves as far as the Monk.

## How do you unlock the Monk?

The Monk is one of three premium classes, alongside the Barbarian and the Pirate. Creating one needs an active Premium subscription, and during the Alpha, testers get Premium free. Premium also raises your character slots from 5 to 15; the [Premium page](https://lourdinrpg.com/premium) lists everything it includes.

Monks have their own adventures, too: The Foothills Path for levels 4 to 8, and the Premium capstone The Iron Abbot's Ascension for levels 12 to 18. To see where the Monk fits in the roster, [compare all 10 classes](https://lourdinrpg.com/classes).

## What changed since the Monk launched?

The Monk has been reworked since this post first went up in January 2026. If you read the original, here is what is different:

- **Bigger Martial Arts dice at high levels:** 2d6 at levels 11-16 and 2d8 at 17-20, where the original table had 1d10 and 2d6.
- **Step of the Wind is a dash** that adds movement. It no longer gives AC.
- **Stunning Strike** uses Wisdom for its save DC, not Dexterity, and only spends ki when the blow lands.
- **New features:** Extra Attack at level 5 and Swift Step at level 4.
- **Tougher Monks:** 10 hit points at level 1 and 6 per level after that, up from 8 and 5 (the original post's "8 per level" was really the level 1 number).
- **Ki abilities start at level 2.**
- **A new turn order (October 2026):** your action no longer ends your turn. Move, Step of the Wind and Swift Step come before your action, and Flurry of Blows follows the Attack action.
- **Monk gear and two Monk adventures** have arrived.
- **Premium roster and slots:** the premium classes are the Monk, Barbarian and Pirate (the Paladin and Bard are free), and Premium gives 15 character slots, not 10.
- **Still on the wish list:** Diamond Soul, Empty Body, Perfect Self and Monk subclasses are not in the game yet.

We would love to hear how your Monk plays. Use the feedback button in the game and tell us whether the ki system feels balanced and the abilities feel worth their cost.

Walk the path, mind your ki, and may your fists land true.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How does ki work for the Monk in Lourdin RPG?

A Monk has ki points equal to their level, with a minimum of 2. Ki refills after every win in single player and at the start of every multiplayer battle. Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense and Step of the Wind each cost 1 ki and unlock at level 2. Stunning Strike also costs 1 ki, but only when the blow hits. Swift Step costs 2.

### What is the Monk's Martial Arts damage in Lourdin RPG?

Monk unarmed strikes roll a Martial Arts die that grows with level: 1d6 at levels 1-4, 1d8 at 5-10, 2d6 at 11-16 and 2d8 at 17-20, plus your Dexterity modifier. Every other class punches for 1d4. Flurry of Blows and Stunning Strike always use this die, and so does your Attack action when your hand is empty.

### Is the Monk a premium class in Lourdin RPG?

Yes. The Monk is one of three premium classes, with the Barbarian and the Pirate, so creating one needs an active Premium subscription. During the Alpha, testers get Premium free. See [what Premium includes](https://lourdinrpg.com/premium).

### How does Stunning Strike work in Lourdin RPG?

Stunning Strike unlocks at level 5 and uses your action. You make an unarmed strike; if it hits and the target survives, you spend 1 ki and the target makes a Constitution save against 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. On a failure it is stunned and loses its next turn. A miss costs no ki. It counts as your Attack action, so Flurry of Blows can follow it.

### What armor can a Monk wear in Lourdin RPG?

A Monk has no armor-weight limit, but every piece of Monk gear is light, and Monks cannot use shields. Unarmored Defense gives you an AC of at least 10 + your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers + 1 for every 4 levels, so armor only helps when it beats that.