Way of Four Elements Monk Build - Baldur's Gate 3 (BG3)

Way of Four Elements Monk Build

The subclass offers interesting options, by unlocking special actions, equivalent to spells. Sadly, they do not hold up to a pure, optimized caster. Another point is that you will not be as effective as Open Hand Monk Build. So why would you go this road?

This is a perfect embodiment of a Monk that can control various elements. A perfect reference to a popular animation series. You will have to make some sacrifices - more short rests, as you will go through Ki Points very fast to sustain these elements.

I also recommend multiclassing into Thief for more attacks per turn. However, this will sacrifice a total number of Ki Points. Some items and skills that monk has will alleviate this.

Build variations

The only variation that you can do in my opinion is going pure Monk for 12 levels. The good thing is that it increases your total amount of Ki, but that's it. The level 11 subclass features for 4 elements are disappointing. You get Fireball, but this is so late in the game, that it does not compare to what casters can do.

You would also lose bonus action, making you lose in terms of damage to Open Hand Monk Build by a huge margin.

The only other alternative would be going for 4 Rogue and 8 Monk. This provides one more Feat but lowers your total amount of Ki, which is already strained. I do not think this one Feat would be a game-changer especially when all the main aspects of the build are covered.

Strength vs. Dexterity

There is also the question of the main ability points. There is an extremely useful feat - Tavern Brawler, and it works with strength. The caveat is that no matter what Monk needs Wisdom and Dexterity. So third ability will thin out the build effectiveness.

There is a solution - Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. It is available early in Act 1 and can be stockpiled for the rest of the game. With it, you will have, high, Strength - to use Tavern Brawler, Dexterity - initiative and Armour Class, Wisdom - Armour Class, and bonus elemental damage.

Here is a guide on how to farm Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. After you reach Act 3, in a similar manner you can get an upgraded version - Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength for a boost to 27 Strength.

Leveling Overview

Here is a table to get a short and concise table with all the main picks during your leveling progression. For more detailed reasoning, I go further in the article. Also, do not forget to check the recommended gear as it is crucial.

The Way of the Four Elements Monk Overview

Level	Class	Selection
1	Monk	STR - 8, DEX - 17, CON - 15, INT - 8, WIS - 16, CHA - 8
		Skills: Acrobatics, Insight
2	Monk	-
3	Monk	Subclass: Way of the Four Elements
		Disciple of the Elements: Fangs of the Fire Snake, Fist of Unbroken Air, Water Whip
4	Monk	Feat: Ability Improvement +2 DEX or  Tavern Brawler​ +1 CON
5	Monk	-
6	Rogue	Skills: Sleight of Hand, Perception, Acrobatics
7	Rogue	-
8	Rogue	Subclass: Thief
9	Monk	Disciple of the Elements: Clench of the North Wind
10	Monk	-
11	Monk	Feat: Ability Improvement +2 DEX or +2 WIS
12	Monk	Disciple of the Elements: Gong of the Summit

Starting the Game

This section covers the creation screen and what would go into the best Races, Abilities, and Skills for Way of the Four Elements Monk. Some of these choices are impactful as you cannot respec them.

Races

Picking a race provides various benefits - abilities, dialogue options, looks, etc. Also, keep in mind whether your picked race has Shield proficiency as this can improve survivability or give benefits for offensive.

Race	Features	Description
Githyanki	Martial Prodigy​	Very versatile race, that unlocks some good actions for combat and exploration.
Wood Elf	Elven Weapon Training​ Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry​ Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	A very popular race choice. The subrace is perfect for increased movement speed.
Wood Half-Elf	Civil Militia Darkvision​ Fey Ancestry Fleet of Foot - your movement speed is increased by 1.5m.	One of the more popular options, Wood Subrace gets bonuses to bonus mobility, you will not need that as much later in the game.
Half-Orc	Darkvision​ Relentless Endurance​ Savage Attacks​	Great race as a frontliner when you are often in melee combat. Moreover, the bonus critical rolls provide a bit of bonus damage.

Class

The build is going into one class - Fighter. They give all weapon and armor proficiencies, making them extremely versatile front liners - two-handed weapons, swords, scimitars, dual-wielding, etc.

Overview
Monk
Features
Flurry of Blows	Very powerful attack, allowing you to do two hits with bonus action and Ki points.
Ki	A unique resource for Monk actions.
Unarmoured Defence​	Allows getting armor class from Wisdom modifier.
Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks​	Similar to how finesse weapons work, Monk attacks scale based on high ability between Strength and Dexterity.
Martial Arts: Deft Strikes​	Set the base attack of unarmed attacks to 1d4, later this becomes 1d6 and 1d8.
Martial Arts: Bonus Unarmed Strike​	Gives an option to attack with your fists using bonus action.

Background

Backgrounds are mostly for role-playing and you can pick whatever you prefer. If you want to optimize, then it would be good to pick backgrounds that are based on your ability points of Wisdom and Dexterity.

Moreover, due to high Dexterity, it is also a good choice to pick Sleight of Hand-related options. These will allow you to become the main lockpicker, pickpocketer, or trap disarmer.

Abilities

Now let's take a look at the abilities of the Berserker Tavern Brawler build. Correct allocation will allow us to maximize the early gameplay and get good modifier bonuses.

Ability	Value	Description
Strength	8	I recommend leaving it this low or 10. The main reason is that either you will go with Tavern Brawler​ and use Elixir of Hill Giant Strength to set it to 21 or rely on Dexterity for damage. Either way, there is no point in increasing strength to more than 10.
Dexterity	17 (15+2)	This plays a few roles. First, it improves Armor Class. Second, it improves initiative allowing to go earlier during the Turn. Last, if it's higher than your strength damage, and attack rolls, will get a bonus from Dexterity. If you will not use Auntie Ethel's Hair, I recommend setting it to 16 and using that point either on Charisma or Strength.
Constitution	15	Important for HP and survivability. If you will not get Tavern Brawler, set this to 14.
Intelligence	8	Not important ability for the build
Wisdom	16 (15+1)	Crucial ability for the 4 Elements Monk. It improved armor class for more survivability. Moreover, it will decide Spell Save DC for your subclass actions, like knockbacks, and elemental effects.
Charisma	8	This build should not rely much on this ability.

Skills and Expertise

Overall, the skills should be impacted by your roleplaying and background decisions. However, you would still want those that will give you the best benefits. My recommendations are to pick those at which you have a high ability modifier and these are Dexterity-related.

• Acrobatics
• Sleight of Hand
• Stealth

For Wisdom related:

• Animal Handling
• Insight
• Medicine
• Perception
• Survival

Leveling Progression

Here is the detailed progression for the The Way of Four Elements Monk build to get you started. You can use it as a guideline because early games can be daunting and overwhelming. Later on, once you get the feel for the class you can start picking your options

Level 2

Reaching the first level-up already brings some good actions to improve tactical options

Feature	Description
Unarmoured Movement​	Makes it easier to reach and move between enemies.

That is not all, by using Ki points you can get an improved version of some base actions:

Action	Description
Patient Defence	Not something that I would use, as the bonus action has better uses.
Step of the Wind: Dash	Can be used to reach longer distances or jump on enemies on higher grounds.
Step of the Wind: Disengage	A better option of Disengage by using Ki Point and a bonus action.

Optional - Elixir of Hill Giant Strength

Well, there is a trick early in Act 1, after you reach the first settlement - Druid's Grove. There you can stock up on some really powerful potions for Acts 1, and 2 - Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.

What do they do? They increase the Strength to 21 until a Long rest. More or less this negates any need to have strength investment if you plan to use them till the late game. This is somewhat gimmicky, however, if you are interested here is a guide on how to farm Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.

You can reach 22-24 based on in-game decisions, items, and picking feats. However, in Act 3 there will be an upgraded version - Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength, that will set it to 27. This is the highest possible strength value.

As the Four Elements monk, I would recommend picking this elixir, as you have no downsides to using it. The ability allocation already covers the option if you would like to try it.

Level 3

As a Monk at level 3, you can choose the subclass. It impacts how you play the build and what combat options there are.

Overview
Way of the Four Elements
Features
Harmony of Fire and Water	Allows restoring Ki points. Very useful as you will use it up very fast.

Disciple of the Elements

This choice is an equivalent of caster spells. The main differences are that they use Ki Points instead of spell slots, and do not scale. Later, these will be upgraded marginally from the subclass feature.

The main spell the build needs is Fangs of the Fire Snake. It should be used as your base attack with unarmed. This way you deal an additional 1d10 fire and buff your next attacks for 1d4 fire damage.

Spells	Description
Fangs of the Fire Snake	The main attack that you will use to inflict additional damage. It also works with Extra Attack.

There are two more spells that you can pick, however, they are situational. The big drawback is that they cost whole action point, which means that you lose two normal attacks. For this reason, only use them if you see that they result in 80% success chance. Pick two of these:

Spells	Description
Fist of Four Thunders	Targets Constitution ability. Perfect for pushing targets off the ledges.
Fist of Unbroken Air	Has good damage rolls and targets enemy Strength ability. Pushes targets, and can instantly kill them if they fall off the ledge.
Water Whip	Can pull the enemy to you or make it Prone. Targets Dexterity Saving Throw.

Another aspect is that these are Actions and not spells, so many bonuses from items will not apply to them.

Level 4

Level 4 brings the first feat, it will be a huge improvement.

Feat

Feat	Description
Tavern Brawler​	A very powerful feat, that is mandatory if you are using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. It will both increase your attack and hit chance. Add the +1 to the Constitution. If going for Dexterity, skip this.
Ability Improvement	Another option is to take +2 Dexterity, to increase Armour Class, Initiative, and damage. Pick this if not using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength.

Level 5

This is a huge milestone for the build as it will become even more powerful.

Feature	Description
Extra Attack​	This allows attacking two times instead of one. This will improve your damage. However, keep in mind that using most of the 4 Elements Monk spells will only attack once. The special one is Fangs of the Fire Snake - it works with Extra Attack.

Monk class also gains special action giving a little bit of crowd control capabilities.

Actions	Description
Stunning Strike (Melee)	This can be activated when using melee weapons. Makes the enemy skip the turn
Stunning Strike (Unarmed)	Can be activated when using Unarmed attacks. Makes the enemy skip the turn.

Level 6 - Rogue Lv 1

Here you can do two options:

1. Multiclass into Rogue and get additional Bonus Action with Thief at level 8.
2. Level up to 8, and then respec for Monk 5, Rogue 3. This gives more Ki points for two levels, before respeccing.

For the guide's simplicity, I will go with Rogue from this level.

Overview
Rogue
Features
Sneak Attack (Melee)	Exploit a foe's distraction to deal an additional 1d6 damage. Damage increases by 1d6 for every uneven Rogue Level gained.
Sneak Attack (Ranged)	Exploit a foe's distraction to deal an additional 1d6 damage. Damage increases by 1d6 for every uneven Rogue Level gained.

Skills

Picking the Rogue class allows one to select additional skills. My recommendation would be Sleight of Hand. With it, you can unlock most of the chests in the game. Here are my suggested options:

• Sleight of Hand
• Acrobatics
• Insight
• Perception
• Survival

Level 7 - Rogue Lv 2

This level gives some options for bonus action. However, there is nothing important.

Action	Description
Cunning Action: Hide	Hide from enemies by succeeding Stealth checks. Stick to the dark and avoid enemy sightlines. Attacking or casting a spell will reveal your location. Probably the most important. Now you can start sneaking using Bonus action and then use Sneak Attack at the same turn
Cunning Action: Dash	Cover more distance this turn: double your movement speed.
Cunning Action: Disengage	Retreat safely: moving won't provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Level 8 - Rogue Lv 3

This level unlocks a rogue subclass that will greatly improve what 4 Elements Monk can do.

Subclass

Overview
Thief
Features
Fast Hands​	Allows another bonus action, in Monk's case this will be Flurry of Blows, for more damage per turn.
Second-Story Work: Falling​	Reduces fall damage.

Overall, this will greatly improve your damage output on the first turn.

Level 9 - Monk Lv 6

The 6th level unlocks a few more spells to select. One of them can be very effective.

Disciple of the Elements

Choose one spell for this selection

Spells

Description

Clench of the North Wind

I think this is the best selection for now. Although the action is very powerful, it has a 3 Ki Point cost and requires a high Spell Save DC. For this Hat of Uninhibited Kushigo is a good choice. I only recommend using this spell if it has at least 80% success chance. Otherwise, leave this for casters in the party. As of Patch 5, the action is bugged and does not work with Improved Elemental Casting.

Level 10 - Monk Lv 7

The level unlocks a few class features

Feature	Description
Evasion​	Gives a huge survivability boost against spells.
Stillness of Mind​	Allows for avoiding Charmed and Frightened conditions, making many combat encounters easier.

Replace Spell

In case any of the spells do not fit your requirements, feel free to try other ones.

Level 11 - Monk Lv 8

A second feat can be chosen for the build, to further optimize the Way of the Four Elements Monk build.

Feat

Feat	Description
Ability Improvement	I recommend +2 Dexterity if this is your main ability for damage. However, if using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength, you could take +2 Wisdom as it will also boost damage from Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo.

Level 12 - Monk Lv 9

The last level gives some bonuses to the Four Elements Monk's actions. Otherwise, there is nothing special, besides additional Ki Point.

Feature	Description
Advanced Unarmoured Movement​	Can freely walk through difficult terrain, making it easier to reach foes. Perfect for situations where there is Ice, Grease, or other effects on the ground.
Improved Elemental Casting​	A slight improvement to the Four Elements Monk spells. The only noteworthy is the second target on Clench of the North Wind. Otherwise, play as you played before.

Disciple of the Elements

As the Monk build already has all that it needs, by this time, feel free to pick up anything you would like to try out.

Potions, Elixirs and Consumables

Let's take a look at what consumables we can use to further empower the build.

Potions

These are general consumables, and most of them are activated for a few turns. Potions are separate from Elixirs and can be active together.

Consumable	Description
Potion of Speed	In case you or your other casters have a Concentration spell slot taken and cannot cast Haste, use this potion. It acts similarly, but the effect is just for 3 turns.
Potion of Invisibility	Can be used to get a perfect position before the encounter starts.

Elixirs

Unfortunately, only one Elixir can be active at a time. However, the good thing is that they last until a long rest, making them very useful and economical.

Be sure to activate them before combat as otherwise, you will need to use Bonus Action.

Consumable	Description
Elixir of Bloodlust	As you will be able to easily kill at least the weakest foe, this ensures additional attacks per turn. I would go with this option once you have 22 base strength, otherwise look at the options below.
Elixir of Vigilance	For some encounters, you will want to go first. This elixir will ensure that it overcomes even surprise mechanics.
Elixir of Hill Giant Strength	Sets strength value to 21 until the Long Rest. With this option, you can easily gimp on strength in the early game. You can put those points in Dexterity or Strength. Here is a farming guide for Elixir of Hill Giant Strength
Elixir of Cloud Giant Strength	An upgraded version that is available mostly in Act 3 via crafting or purchasing. Sets Strength to 27, the highest value possible. if using this one, you could set the strength to 8 via respec.

Illithid Powers

This is a special mechanic in Baldur's Gate 3, that allows you to consume tadpoles and unlock special Illithid Powers. These range from somewhat useful, to extremely deadly. I would like to leave a few recommendations:

Base Illithid Powers

Order	Illithid Power	Description
1	Favourable Beginnings	Very useful power to take as it does not have any costs, and provides only benefits on the first hits.
2	Luck of the Far Realms	Guarantees a critical hit, a very powerful action to have.
3	Concentrated Blast	Taking only for progression, to unlock the next power.
4	Cull the Weak	Passive feature that does not cost anything and automatically deals bonus psychic damage around the target, once it is close to death.
5	Shield of Thralls	Taking for progression, to unlock the next power, but it also provides a good bonus as temporary health.

Elite Illithid Powers

These become unlocked later in the game as you progress. They are extremely powerful additions to the build.

Order	Illithid Power	Description
1	Freecast	Removes any cost of Ki from using Monk actions.

Equipment Recommendations

Now I would like to go through some gear recommendations to maximize the Four Elements Monk Build. Items are especially important as they take the build to the next level thanks to their unique effects.

Act 1

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One - Handed)	Corellon's Grace	A good staff, that can be used by Monk for additional unarmed damage. You will still have to attack with the weapon for the main hand and use bonus actions to attack with fists. I only recommend using this until you get the first gloves with bonus damage, like Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle or Tavern Brawler​ feat.
Ranged	Bow of Awareness	Gives bonus initiative, allowing one to go earlier in combat
	Titanstring Bow	If you are using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength this is the best bow in terms of damage. However, this is a contender for a dedicated archer and requires Longbow proficiency. You can get it as an elf.
	Hunting Shortbow	Excellent bow against monstrosities. There are plenty of them in Act 1.
Head	Haste Helm	Provides increased speed at the start of the combat.
Cloak	The Deathstalker Mantle	The only option in Act 1 that is okay, is by providing once-per-turn invisibility. Only available to Dark Urge origin.
Armor	The Graceful Cloth	Gives +2 Dexterity making it a very good choice for the end of Act 1 and the start of Act 2.
	Armour of Uninhibited Kushigo	Somewhat relatable first unarmed build armor. It is nothing special as I do not think you will utilize the effect.
Gloves	Gloves of Cinder and Sizzle	It gives fire damage, increasing the variety of damage types that you do.
	The Sparkle Hands	Amazing gloves that after the first hit will give Lightning Charges. These then provide bonus 1 damage lightning and can stack up with more Lightning Charges.
Boots	Disintegrating Night Walkers	Avoids slipping on various terrains and most importantly unlocks Misty Step each short rest. These boots can last till Act 3, as walking on icy surfaces can be deadly for melee build. The item removes this problem.
	Boots of Genial Striding	Allows the Monk to walk freely on difficult terrain.
Amulet	Sentient Amulet	Great amulet that will be useful for most of the game. With its actions, it is the perfect choice for Monk.
Rings	Crusher's Ring	Improves movement speed, making it easier to reach your next target.
	Ring of Protection	Gives defensive bonuses to Armour Class and Saving Throws.

Act 2 - mid-game

Act 2 changes the landscape and there will be a lot of dark areas. Moreover, it will provide some amazing items for you to find, that will improve the build damage.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One-handed)	-	Not using any weapons
Ranged	Titanstring Bow	The is still useful due to its bonus damage from strength if using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. Requires Longbow proficiency.
	Bow of the Banshee	With Slashing Flourish, you can apply frighten to two enemies at the same time
Head	Hat of Uninhibited Kushigo	Very relevant helmet for the Way of the Four Elements Monk. You can use your fist attacks with bonus action to power up Spell Save DC. Then your spells will have a better success.
Cloak	Cloak of Protection	Improves survivability and Saving Throw success.
	The Deathstalker Mantle	If you have this, it is still a solid choice.
Armor	Yuan-ti Scale Mail	If you can wear medium armor, this is an amazing choice even if you lose the benefits of Unarmoured Defence.
	The Graceful Cloth	Still a solid option throughout Act 2 due to bonus Dexterity.
Gloves	Flawed Helldusk Gloves	Deals bonus necrotic damage with unarmed attacks and can apply bleeding. The best thing for Act 2.
Boots	Evasive Shoes	Bonus armor class for higher survivability.
	Disintegrating Night Walkers	The boots are still a good option in Act 2.
Amulet	Sentient Amulet	The amulet is great as it allows to restoration of Ki Points, which can now be easily used up using multiple hits.
	Surgeon's Subjugation Amulet	Can be an effective amulet against humanoid enemies, and fully paralyze them.
	Amulet of the Harpers	Allows casting Shield spell, can be a lifesaver if attacked heavily for one turn.
Rings	Risky Ring (BiS)	Provides an Advantage on attack rolls. This is a mandatory ring as it will both guarantee more hits and a higher chance of critical hits.
	Callous Glow Ring (BiS)	The ring effect can be activated easily by having someone cast Light on the monk.
	Shadow-Cloaked Ring	An offensive ring that gives bonus damage against obscured enemies.
	Ring of Protection	Bonus armour class is a good bonus, and the ring still takes place.

Act 3 - Final Build setup

This is the last act of the game, where you will get access to the most powerful items. To get them as early as possible you will need some planning, but overall, it should not be a problem.

Here there are a lot of options for glove slots. Each element has its pairs. However, there will be only one most powerful legendary gloves close to the end.

Slot	Item	Description
Melee (One - Handed)	-	Not using any weapons
Ranged	The Dead Shot (BiS)	Increases critical range, and is perfect for improving damage. However, this requires Longbow proficiency, which is only obtained by Elves.
	Hellrider Longbow	Gives a big boost to the initiative, guaranteeing that you can go first. However, you will need to get Longbow proficiency from race.
	Bow of Awareness	Bow from Act 1, is useful for a bonus to initiative.
Head	Horns of the Berserker	Overall, the best headwear for Monk. However, you will lose the bonus Spell Save DC from Hat of Uninhibited Kushigo.
	Hood of the Weave	Mentioning this option in case you would like to try it for increased Spell Save DC. However, it would be better utilized by a caster in the group.
	Scabby Pugilist Circlet	Early Act 3 helmet, that improves damage when surrounded. Can be a replacement for Hat of Uninhibited Kushigo if you are not utilizing any of the spells.
Cloak	Cloak of Displacement (BiS)	Improves the chances of attacks missing the wearer until getting hit for that turn.
Armor	Vest of Soul Rejuvenation (BiS)	The best option for Four Elements Monk with unarmored clothing. Another aspect is that it provides additional reaction options when enemies miss you. To top all of this it gives +2 Armour Class.
	Garb of The Land and Sky	Best for additional armour class, other effects will require you to use bonus action, so it's best to activate them before combat.
Gloves	Gloves of Soul Catching (BiS)	The best gloves for the Monk build. Provides 1d10 force damage boost.
	Gauntlets of Frost Giant Strength	The only option for gauntlets is if you do not plan on using Elixir of Hill Giant Strength. However, without it, you lose other glove options with cool damage effects.
	Servitor of the Black Hand Gloves	Each of these gloves provides a different element damage bonus and various spells. Choose the element that you deal the least damage with, this way you increase the variety of damage. You want to be able to deal damage to enemies that will be resistant to Blunt attacks.
	Seraphic Pugilist Gloves
	Snow-Dusted Monastery Gloves
	Thunderpalm Strikers
Boots	Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo	The best boots hands down for Monk build. Be sure to have at least 16 Wisdom, to best utilize these.
Amulet	Sentient Amulet (BiS)	The upgraded version of the amulet is a perfect choice for Monk.
	Amulet of Greater Health	It makes any Constitution ability investment redundant as it maximizes it to 23 points. Gives a huge survivability boost. However, I would only use this, if your Monk has problems with survivability.
	Khalid's Gift	The amulet gives +1 to Wisdom. However, to take full effect you will need to respec, to have Wisdom at either 19 or 17, to get that +1 proficiency bonus.
	Magic Amulet	Gives an Advantage on attack. I would use this only if you do not have Risky Ring. Otherwise, this does not provide much use, besides Saving Throw Advantage.
Rings	Shadow-Cloaked Ring (BiS)	A perfect ring for bonus damage. It requires the enemy to be obscured, so check the stealth icon, whether the sun is half-empty or full-empty.
	Callous Glow Ring (BiS)	The ring effect can be activated easily by having someone cast Light on the monk.
	Killer's Sweetheart	The amulet can give a huge boost to damage. However, I would be cautious using it. It would be best served to something like a Paladin, that can deal bigger burst damage.
	Ring of Protection	Bonus armor class is a good bonus, and the ring still takes place.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading the Way of the Four Elements Monk build for Baldur's Gate 3. I hope you enjoyed reading the build. This should cover everything that you need to become the ultimate Avatar of elements.

Cheers!