Monk skills

This page lists all Monk skills. Follow the links to the individual skill pages for full discussion of every skill, including first hand reports and screenshots.

Useful skill links:

Skills - General skill design and mechanics.
- Skill runes - The huge skill customization and improvement system.
Monk - a melee-oriented class of great dexterity and skill.
- Spirit - The Monk's energy resource.
- Monk skills - A list of all the Monk's active skills.
  - Spirit generators - Skills that generate the Monk's resource, and used to be called "combos".
  - Mantras - Skills that provide buffs to party members and/or debuffs to enemies.
- Monk passives - A list of all the Monk's passive skills.
Monk skill archive - Monk skills removed or modified during development.
Monk traits - Passive skills in Diablo III were called traits for a while before reverting back.

[edit] Active Skills

Click to the individual skill pages for more details about these skills including numbers, screenshots, skill rune information, blue quotes, and much more.

[edit] Primary

Name	Level	Description

Fists of Thunder
(database)
Primary

1

Generate: 6 Spirit per attack

Unleash a series of extremely fast punches that deal 110% weapon damage as Lightning. Every third hit deals damage to all enemies in front of you and knocks them back a short distance. Generates Spirit faster than other Spirit-generating skills due to the high attack speed.

Deadly Reach
(database)
Primary

3

Generate: 6 Spirit per attack

Project lines of pure force over a short distance for 110% weapon damage. Every third hit extends 25 yards.

Crippling Wave
(database)
Primary

11

Generate: 7 Spirit per attack

Unleash a series of large sweeping attacks that cause 110% weapon damage to all enemies in front of you. Every third hit damages all enemies around you and dazes them, slowing their movement speed by 30% and attack speed by 20% for 3 seconds.

Way of the Hundred Fists
(database)
Primary

15

Generate: 8 Spirit per attack

Unleash a rapid series of punches that strikes enemies for 140% weapon damage.

[edit] Secondary

Name	Level	Description

Lashing Tail Kick
(database)
Secondary

2

Cost: 30 Spirit

Unleash a deadly roundhouse kick that knocks enemies back and deals 235% weapon damage.

Tempest Rush
(database)
Secondary

5

Cost: 15 Spirit plus an additional 10 Spirit while channeling

Charge directly through your enemies, knocking them back and hobbling them, slowing their movement by 60% for 2 seconds. Also deals 85% weapon damage while running.

Wave of Light
(database)
Secondary

12

Cost: 75 Spirit

Focuses a wave of light that crushes enemies for 390% weapon damage as Holy, followed by an additional 45% weapon damage as Holy to all enemies in a line.

[edit] Defensive

Name	Level	Description

Blinding Flash
(database)
Defensive

4

Cost: 10 Spirit

Cooldown: 15 seconds

Create a flash of light that blinds all enemies within 20 yards for 3 seconds. Elite enemies recover faster, but suffer a 30% chance to miss with attacks.

Breath of Heaven
(database)
Defensive

8

Cost: 25 Spirit

Cooldown: 15 seconds

A blast of divine energy heals you and all allies within 12 yards for 6201.94 - 7442 Life.

Serenity
(database)
Defensive

16

Cost: 10 Spirit

Cooldown: 20 seconds

You are enveloped in a protective shield that absorbs all incoming damage for 3 seconds and grants immunity to all control impairing effects.

Inner Sanctuary
(database)
Defensive

22

Cost: 30 Spirit

Cooldown: 20 seconds

Create a runic circle of protection on the ground for 5 seconds that cannot be passed by enemies.

[edit] Techniques

Name	Level	Description

Dashing Strike
(database)
Techniques

9

Cost: 25 Spirit

Quickly dash at the targeted enemy or location, striking for 160% weapon damage and rooting the target for 1 second.

Exploding Palm
(database)
Techniques

13

Cost: 40 Spirit

Cause a target to Bleed for 745% weapon damage as Physical over 9 seconds. If the target dies while bleeding, it explodes and deals 30% of the target's maximum Life as Physical damage to all nearby enemies.

Sweeping Wind
(database)
Techniques

21

Cost: 75 Spirit

Surround yourself in a vortex that continuously deals 15% weapon damage to all enemies within 10 yards. The vortex lasts 6 seconds and is refreshed each time you strike an enemy with a melee attack. Landing a Critical Hit has a chance to increase the vortex effect up to 2 times for a total of 45% weapon damage to nearby enemies.

[edit] Focus

Name	Level	Description

Cyclone Strike
(database)
Focus

14

Cost: 50 Spirit

Pull all enemies within 24 yards towards you, followed by a furious blast of energy that deals 100% weapon damage as Holy.

Seven-Sided Strike
(database)
Focus

17

Cost: 50 Spirit

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Dash rapidly between nearby enemies, dealing 1777% weapon damage over 7 hits.

Mystic Ally
(database)
Focus

22

Cost: 25 Spirit

Summon a mystic ally to fight alongside you until it is destroyed. The ally deals 40% of your weapon damage as Physical per swing.

[edit] Mantras

Name	Level	Description

Mantra of Evasion
(database)
Mantra
Mantras

19

Cost: 50 Spirit

Recite a Mantra that grants you and your allies within 40 yards a 15% chance to dodge attacks for 3 minutes.

For 3 seconds after activation, a second effect grants an additional 15% chance to dodge attacks.

This is a Mantra. You can only have one Mantra active at a time.

Mantra of Retribution
(database)
Mantra
Mantras

21

Cost: 50 Spirit

Recite a Mantra that causes you and your allies within 40 yards to reflect melee damage back at enemies, dealing Holy damage equal to 40% of the damage sustained. The effect lasts for 3 minutes.

For 3 seconds after activation, the effect on you increases to 80% of the damage sustained.

This is a Mantra. You can only have one Mantra active at a time.

Mantra of Healing
(database)
Mantra
Mantras

26

Cost: 50 Spirit

Recite a Mantra that causes you and your allies within 40 yards to gain increased Life regeneration by 310 Life per second. The Mantra lasts 3 minutes.

For 3 seconds after activation Mantra of Healing shrouds you and your allies with a mystical shield that absorbs up to 930 damage.

This is a Mantra. You can only have one Mantra active at a time.

Mantra of Conviction
(database)
Mantra
Mantras

30

Cost: 50 Spirit

Recite a Mantra that causes all enemies within 20 yards of you to take 12% additional damage. The Mantra lasts 3 minutes.

For 3 seconds after activation, the effect is increased to 24% additional damage.

This is a Mantra. You can only have one Mantra active at a time.

[edit] Passive Skills

Passive skills do not need activating. The player can choose up to three Passives and they each become available at different characters levels which is indicated in the 'level' column.

Name	Level	Description

Fleet Footed
(database)
Passive

10

Increases movement speed by 10%.

This skill is affected by your characters: Skill Level (set to 1 for example above)

Resolve
(database)
Passive

10

Damage you deal reduces enemy damage by 20% for 2.5 seconds.

Exalted Soul
(database)
Passive

13

Increases maximum Spirit by 100 and increases Spirit Regeneration by 1 per second.

Spirit fuels your defensive and offensive abilities.

This skill is affected by your characters: Skill Level (set to 1 for example above)

Transcendence
(database)
Passive

16

Every point of Spirit spent heals you for 62.0 Life.

Chant of Resonance
(database)
Passive

20

Duration of all Mantras increased by 7 minutes. While one of your Mantras is active you gain 2 Spirit every second.

Seize the Initiative
(database)
Passive

20

Your Armor is increased by 50% of your Dexterity.

The Guardian's Path
(database)
Passive

24

While dual-wielding, you gain a 15% chance to dodge incoming attacks. While using a two-handed weapon, all Spirit generation is increased by 35%.

Sixth Sense
(database)
Passive

27

Your dodge chance is increased by an amount equal to 30% of your Critical Hit Chance.

Pacifism
(database)
Passive

30

While you are under a Stun, Fear, Immobilize or Charm effect, all damage taken is reduced by 75%.

Beacon of Ytar
(database)
Passive

35

Reduces all cooldowns by 20%.

Guiding Light
(database)
Passive

40

Whenever you use a direct heal skill on another player you and the other player deal 16% more damage for 15 seconds.

This skill is affected by your characters: Skill Level (set to 1 for example above)

One With Everything
(database)
Passive

45

Your resistance to all elements is equal to your highest elemental resistance.

Combination Strike
(database)
Passive

50

Each different Spirit Generator ability you use increases your damage by 8% for 3 seconds.

Near Death Experience
(database)
Passive

58

When receiving fatal damage, you are instead restored to 35% of maximum Life and 35% Spirit.

This effect cannot occur more than once every 60 seconds.

[edit] Skill Distribution

A player-made chart showing when the Monk gains access to skills, passives, and rune effects.

Monk skill progression. Stats as of May 5, 2012.

[edit] Development

[edit] Removed Skills

The following skills were removed or renamed prior to the July 2011 Press Event:

Hands of Lightning - Renamed to Fists of Thunder.
Long Reach
Circle of Wrath
Holy Aura
Dominate Aura
Retribution Aura
Resist Aura

Changed/Removed during the beta test period:

Beacon of Ytar - Replaced with Combination Strike.

Impenetrable Defense, Radiant Visage, and Force Without Thought were removed from the Monk's skill listing between Blizzcon 2009 and Blizzcon 2010.

See the Monk skill archive for a full listing of skill changes over time.

[edit] Monk Builds

[edit] Inferno Act 1 Monk Solo Build

[edit] Inferno Act 2 Monk Tank Build

[edit] References

Full Monk Skill Tree Stats and Discussion
Monk gameplay report
BlizzCon 2010 Monk Hands-on report
Zediono's translation of JudgeHype's pre-beta report -- IncGamers 1st Aug 2011
HardRock's Monk Passive Skills -- IncGamers 6th Sep 2011
Monk builds with video guides and gameplay footage

Fan-made Classes			Fan-made Skills [e]
• Alchemist • Arcane Warrior • Artisan • Aurian Mage • Bard • Channeller • Dragon Warrior	• Flagellant • Giant (U) • Hollow Man • Nomad • Onaga Manji • Phase Knight	• Ranger • Slayer (U) • Techpriest (U) • Telepath • Untainted (U) • Zealot	Dragon Warrior Skills • Bow and Throwing Skill Tree • Dragon Disciplines Skill Tree • Martial Arts Skill Tree	Untainted Skills • Divine Skill Tree • Void Skill Tree • Wrath Skill Tree	Aurian Mage Skill • Holy Power Skill Tree • Shadow Spells Skill Tree • Nature Forces Skill Tree
(U) = Unfinished

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Monk skills

From Diablo Wiki

Contents

[edit] Active Skills

[edit] Primary

[edit] Secondary

[edit] Defensive

[edit] Techniques

[edit] Focus

[edit] Mantras

[edit] Passive Skills

[edit] Skill Distribution

[edit] Development

[edit] Removed Skills

[edit] Monk Builds

[edit] Inferno Act 1 Monk Solo Build

[edit] Inferno Act 2 Monk Tank Build

[edit] References