The 15 Best Monk Feats in D&D 5e [Ranked]

Monks are considered one of the most challenging classes, especially for players who haven’t experienced much D&D.

One problem Monks have with taking Feats is that they rely on having high Constitution, Dexterity, and Wisdom, making it challenging to choose which Feats are the best.

That means, when a Monk chooses a Feat or even two, they have to be certain that the Feat will provide more value than increasing their Ability Scores, and while that’s difficult, there are many Feats that fit that criteria.

Best Monk Feats in 5e

15. Inspiring Leader

Description

Spend 10 minutes inspiring your companions, choosing up to six friendly creatures (including yourself) within 30 feet of you who can hear, see, and understand you.

Each chosen creature gains temporary HP equal to your level + your Charisma modifier. A creature cannot gain the temporary HP from this feat again until it has finished a short or long rest.

Note: Your Charisma must be 13 or higher to obtain Inspiring Leader.

Explanation

If you want to increase your party’s durability, consider taking Inspiring Leader.

Monks don’t level Charisma, but Inspiring Leader makes a decent option on the off-chance you do, and you want durability buffs.

14. Mobile

Description

You are exceedingly agile and speedy, gaining benefits:

Speed increases by 10 feet.
Using the Dash action makes difficult terrain not cost you extra movement that turn.
Making a melee attack against a creature doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks from it for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.

Explanation

Mobile is a very good Feat by itself, and Monks can benefit quite a bit out of it.

The only problem with Mobile is that it basically gives you what the Monk already has.

13. Magic Initiate

Description

Choose a class: Wizard, Warlock, Sorcerer, Druid, Cleric, Bard. Learn any two Cantrips from the class you chose.

Also, choose a 1st-level spell from the class’s spell list. Using this feat allows you to cast the chosen spell at its lowest level. A long rest allows you to use the spell in this way again.

Spellcasting ability depends on the chosen class: Intelligence for Wizard, Wisdom for Cleric or Druid, and Charisma for Bard, Sorcerer, or Warlock.

Explanation

Monks need to be using the Attack action to get off as many Flurry of Blows as possible, but combining it with Hex can be quite useful.

Fey Touched is a lot like Magic Initiate, and if you feel like Magic Initiate is underwhelming, go for Fey Touched instead.

12. Fighting Initiate

Description

Your martial training helped you develop a particular fighting style. Therefore, you learn one Fighting Style you choose from the Fighter class. If you already have a style, you must choose a different one.

Reaching a level granting the Ability Score Improvement feature means you can replace the feat’s Fighting Style with a different one (from Fighter class) you don’t already have.

Note: You must have Proficiency with a martial weapon to gain Fighting Initiate.

Explanation

Not many styles can be used by the Monk, but one of the best would probably be Blind Fighting, so you can deal with invisible enemies.

While there are other options given Fighting Initiate, consider them carefully and whether or not increasing your Ability score might be a better choice instead.

11. Weapon Master

Description

Your extensive training with a variety of weapons grants you the following benefits:

Increase Strength or Dexterity by 1 (maximum of 20).
Gain proficiency with your choice of four weapons, each being either a simple or martial weapon.

Explanation

Combined with the Dedicated Weapon Class Feature, Weapon Master can make for a quite versatile Monk.

The Added Strength or Dexterity is also a big plus, as you desperately need your abilities increased.

10. Tough

Description

When you gain this feat, your HP maximum will increase by an amount equal to twice your level. Thereafter, whenever you gain a level, your HP maximum will increase by an additional 2 HP.

Explanation

Tough can work on a Monk in the later or early game, as they desperately need more HP.

Durable is the better option, but if you’re only looking for an HP increase, then Tough is a good option.

9. Defensive Duelist

Description

Wielding a finesse weapon you have Proficiency with and being hit with a melee attack by another creature means you may use your reaction and add your Proficiency bonus to your total AC for the attack, potentially having the attack miss you.

Note: Your Dexterity must be 13 or higher to gain Defensive Duelist.

Explanation

Defensive Duelist can work on a Dagger or Short Sword and helps with the Monk’s low AC.

The fact that it only works in melee doesn’t bother a Monk, as they’re mainly in melee anyway.

8. Durable

Description

You become resilient and hardy, gaining the following effects:

Your Constitution score will increase by 1 to a maximum of 20.
When rolling a Hit Die to regain HP, the minimum number of HP you can regain is equal to twice your Constitution modifier to a minimum of 2.

Explanation

Durable is a great option if you want to survive longer without exhausting your party’s healing resources.

The Constitution increase isn’t bad at all, considering that Monks already have lower Constitution.

7. Fey Touched

Description

Gain the following benefits:

Increase Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma by 1 (maximum of 20)
Learn Misty Step and one 1st-level spell you choose. The 1st-level spell must be Divination or Enchantment, and both spells can be used without expending a spell slot.

Casting a spell this way means you cannot cast it like this again until you’ve finished a long rest.

These spells can also be cast using spell slots of the appropriate level, and these spells use the spellcasting ability increased by the feat.

Explanation

Fey Touched gives you access to Misty Step and Hex, which can be good, but considering that you can only cast the spell once makes it a bit iffy.

However, the fact that you can get a Wisdom increase isn’t so bad, and the fact that you have the spells makes it better than not having them.

6. Observant

Description

You’re quick to notice details of your environment, gaining benefits:

Increase Intelligence, or Wisdom, by 1 (maximum of 20).
Seeing a creature’s mouth while it’s speaking a language you understand lets you interpret what it’s saying by looking at its lips.
Gain a +5 bonus to passive Wisdom (Perception) and passive Intelligence (Investigation).

Explanation

Observant increases your Wisdom and gives you a bonus to Passive Perception, which is massive.

The ability to read lips is also good, and since you’re already fast, you can always move with your Ranger or Rogue when scouting.

5. Sentinel

Description

Hitting a Creature using an opportunity attack forces their speed to become 0 for the rest of their turn, and creatures provoke your opportunity attacks even if they take their Disengage action.

Whenever a creature attacks a target other than you (and the target doesn’t already have this feat), you may use a reaction and proceed to perform a melee weapon attack against the creature that’s attacking.

Explanation

You’ll be in melee a lot, making you a frontline character.

If you can stop enemies from getting to your backline, you become much more useful.

Note: Shadow Monks can use Sentinel to kill enemies within their Silence.

4. Lucky

Description

Gain 3 luck points. When making an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you may spend one luck point to roll an additional d20.

You may choose to spend one luck point after rolling the die but before the outcome is determined. You then choose which d20 will be used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

You may also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you, rolling a d20 to choose whether the attack uses your roll or the attacker’s.

More than one creature spending a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll will cancel each other out, and no additional dice will be rolled.

Expended luck points are regained when you’ve finished a long rest.

Explanation

Lucky is one of those Feats that just works in any class, so if you want to take a Feat but are worried about whether it’s good or not, just take Lucky. There’s not much that can go wrong with choosing Lucky.

3. Gunner

Description

You have a keen eye and a quick hand with firearms, granting you benefits:

Increase Dexterity by 1 (maximum of 20).
Gain Proficiency with firearms.
Ignore your firearm’s loading property.
If you’re within 5 feet of a hostile creature, you don’t get disadvantage on ranged attacks.

Explanation

The Dedicated Weapons Class Feature lets you use a firearm. A Kensei can also make good use of a firearm combined with Gunner.

Remember, you can basically use your musket as a quarterstaff/spear because you aren’t disadvantaged from using a ranged weapon at close range anymore.

2. Crusher

Description

You’ve practiced the art of crushing those who stand in your way, granting you the following benefits:

Increase Strength or Constitution by 1 (maximum of 20).
Once every turn after hitting a creature with an attack dealing Bludgeoning damage, you may move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space (if the target is no more than one size larger than you).
Scoring a critical hit dealing Bludgeoning damage to a creature means attack rolls against that creature are then made with advantage until your next turn starts.

Explanation

Crusher allows you to easily before hit-and-run tactics, which are very effective on Monks because of their fast speed.

The Constitution or Strength cost also goes a long way to decrease the cost of Crusher.

1. Skill Expert

Description

You may increase one of your ability scores by 1, but only to a maximum of 20, and you’ll gain proficiency with one skill you choose.

Then, you may choose one skill you have proficiency with, gaining expertise with that skill and doubling any ability checks made with it.

The chosen skill must be one that isn’t currently benefiting from a feature (like Expertise), which can double your proficiency bonus.

Explanation

Being able to increase one ability by 1 decreases the cost of Skill Expert, and being able to get expertise with one skill can open some doors for the Monk.

You can also more effectively serve as your party’s scout because of the proficiency you get with one skill of your choice.

Final Thoughts

Monks are probably one of the most challenging classes for players to choose Feats, as they rely mainly on their Ability Scores.

In these circumstances, you can look at which Feat would benefit your role in the party, benefit your character, or is just objectively better than choosing Ability Scores.

I believe that if you know how to play a Monk or you want to have a Feat that increases your power more than Ability Scores might, then the Feats on this list will definitely help you.

You might also be interested in the following: