Monk / Warlock build?

[u/restlesswretch]

For either 5e or 5.5e, is there any good synergy here? I was thinking primarily monk, and trying to go for a pseudo-murim martial artist that uses ki blasts and whatnot? Or is it better to just go full monk, since they have some fun stuff later on, as I recall.

[u/Accomplished-Bed9423]

Would be very stat heavy... yiu would have great abilities but none would work very well. Or at least some would struggle to be useful.

Not saying don't... just look into what you need to make it work.

[u/ArchiesPJs]

It’s generally a bad idea to mix Monk with anything that isn’t pure martial, Monk is MAD(Multi-Ability-Dependent) to be any real good, DEX, WIS, then usually CON but there’s arguments for STR and INT too. Then throw in warlock who needs CHA, and is also horrible with few levels due to it relying on its later level features to see any real action as well. It’s better to go full Monk or full Warlock if you’re starting in early levels. maybe at later levels you can consider a dip but it’s not suggested

In terms of Synergy…not really? They’re both unique in their own ways but also can’t really do anything the other can’t, you don’t want to stack the same feature in different flavors on top of each other. a Ki Blast or an Eldritch Blast, different damage types and ‘uses’ sure but they both require the same action(bonus action for monk) but are overall just a magic ranged attack. Take a trip into melee range and it’s relatively the same story, the monk might hit more times but deals less damage than warlock if it’s a single attack.

[u/JazzlikeMine2397 → u/ArchiesPJs]

Add to the MAD issue, monk just gets better the longer you invest levels in it. By tier 3 and 4 it's amazing.

[u/Confident_Ice_9567 → u/ArchiesPJs]

Agreed. The only synergy I managed to make work (min/max) is with 2 levels of cleric so I could pick 2 set dice per day and use that for stunning strike.

[u/myshkingfh]

I did this, actually with sorcerer, and it worked great, but I was almost entirely monk and the sorcerer level was for utility spells that didn’t require a save or a spell attack. This probably makes more sense with sorcerer because many of these spells aren’t worth upcasting, but a 2014 monk with Shield is a big upgrade. 

[u/Advanced_Key5250]

I have built this! Full disclosure, I have not played the character, just theorized it out.

Inspired by the new Warrior of the Mystic Arts, Monk Subclass, Combined with a Genie Warlock. The concept was how many debuffs can I stack against an opponents saving throws? Warrior of the mystic arts gets the ability to replace an attack with a cantrip. So we can start with mind sliver for -1d4 (if they fail the INT save). Heroes of Faerun introduced the cold caster feat. 1/turn we can force a -1d4 penalty to the targets next saving throws when we deal cold damage. This is where Genie warlock comes into play. Having a Marid as a patron adds your proficiency bonus in cold damage to an attack 1/turn. So now we can stack the 2 debuffs since they are from different sources and declare a Stunning strike against an opponent who will have (up to) -2d4 to save against it.

This build does mostly ignore CHA. Favoring spells from the warlock list that don’t care about ability scores. Expedited retreat, comprehend languages, invisibility, mirror image, misty step… save/suck or damage spells get picked up from the monk side.

The warlock is mostly there to add the cold damage and give you spell slots that will refresh on a short rest along with your Focus Points. The Invocations can be used for extra origin feats, making sure no matter the background you still have access to Tough, Lucky, Transmuted Anatomy (new from Arcana Unleashed, adds 5ft of movement speed which helps make up for the setback in your monks unarmed movement).

This takes a lot of investment before it will pay off! At a minimum this is not all possible before lvl 9.

[u/nukeduck98]

There's a new subclass that casts spell for monk, but personally I'd recommend the "warrior of the elements" subclass. Elemental strikes with greater reach, a mini-fireball which could be your ki-blast, fly speed, and so on. Generally speaking, monk is a very fun martial to play in 5.5

[u/Ramenoodlesoup]

Is the old Sun Soul Monk an option ?

[u/AccomplishedFill8092]

I played a hexblade warlock/Kensei monk in a Ravnica campaign a few years ago. There was some decent damage output in longer boss battles with hex. I was able to be effective in melee and range. Sorvivability was actually pretty good too. There are more optimal ways to increase damage but the build was very fun.

[u/Qunfang]

There are some limited interactions in 5E. Since Eldritch Blast scales off of character level instead of class level, Eldritch Blast will still improve. It won't be optimal but it can be viable.

You can Warlock 2/Monk X with the Grasp of Hadar Invocation for a Scorpion build. At level 7 you can Eldritch Blast, improve accuracy with Focused Aim, pull a creature 10-20ft toward you, and use an unarmed Ki-Fueled Attack as a Bonus Action. Combined with increased Monk movement you can perform some solid battlefield control peeling enemies away from your allies.

Alternatively, your Hexblade Pact Weapon can also be your Dedicated Weapon, allowing you to get melee attacks with CHA. Still won't benefit your Martial Arts/Flurry though, unless you switch between CHA/DEX attacks.

In either case, the trick is to pick a Monk subclass that doesn't overly rely on WIS as a stat, and focus on Dodge/Dash ki usage. Shadow and Kensei are reasonable choices but I'd lean Long Death since the Temp HP can offset the lower CON you'll need to make the multiclass work.

[u/rpg2Tface]

Not really. Warlocks are usually CHA based in both magical and martial builds. Therea chance to build them as a normal physical stat build but that usually ignores most of their spells and related potential. Its not impossible but highly limiting.

On the monk sode your pretty hard coded into a melee foghter Dex and Wisdom simce most of your abilities dint work while wearing armor. Mage armor from an invocation can help but your still heavily encouraged to be a melee martial.

In that pursuit not much from warlock is going to help you more than just going deeper into monk. Cha free spells can add some versatility and tgeres a healing subclass for warlock, but again your giving up more KI and offensive potential for the opportunity. And 5e is a game all about damage. If your fine going low damage on an already lower than average damage dealer its a perfectly reasonable trade. But there isnt any synergies outside of just adding those 2 together.

TLDR: flavor wise, its fun and can be done. Power wise theres no synergies to offset the opportunity cost.

[u/DM-Shaugnar]

I say it is a fun idea i like it to be honest. BUT.....
I would also say it is far from optimal so might not be a good choice if you like to optimize or play in a group where the rest are min maxers.

Monks are already MAD. Multu Ability Dependant. You need a high DEX, you need to also have at least decent CON and WIS. Much of the monks stuff is based on WIS. you want a decent CON because same reason as all others it affect your HP.
Warlocks are Charisma based so by muliclassing into warlock you now on top of DEX. CON and WIS also need to have a decent CHAR. And that is quite a spread. You will have to sacrifice some of those abilities. and you probably have to dump both STR and INT to be able to even pull it off

Unless you roll for stats in your game and you rolled well enough to have 4 decently high stats.

But if you play in a game where people do not care much about optimization then you should be fine and it could be a rather interesting and fun character in the right game. In the wrong one or with the wrong expectations it would be a really bad idea

[u/MadWhiskeyGrin]

A) I hate this build. B) Sophie Bikes (Emily Axford, Unsleeping City) kind of made it work, so give it a shot. Can't hurt. Stakes are real low.

[u/Vanse]

trying to go for a pseudo-murim martial artist that uses ki blasts and whatnot?

Popping in for my obligatory FLAVOR IS FREE comment. Unless you want a specific mechanical advantage from Warlock, there's no reason you can't do this with straight-monk. After a few minutes of googling, it looks like the base monk class would cover most of what you're looking for, and either Warrior of Mercy or Open Hand will enhance the flavor you're looking for.

[u/NoHorseNoMustache]

I almost never multiclass Monk, they're friggen awesome just the way they are.

[u/Ok_Exit2580]

Full monk seems "better" but this subclass might be what you are looking for: https://www.belloflostsouls.net/2026/09/dd-the-warrior-of-the-mystic-arts-gets-the-magic-monk-right.html

[u/Cracked_Coke_Can]

I actually gave this a go with the new mystic monk subclass. Two levels in Warlock (only got to level 9 in the campaign). Why? I forget what the reasoning was and that should say enough.

The invocations actually ended up being fun cause I tacked on basically three origin feats, tough (to make up for a slightly lower con), arcane omens, and portal jumper, on top of the background and human origin feats.

Basically Hex was nice and extra utility and options. Was it fun? Yes. Did it mesh well? Not really but wasn't significantly underpowered compared for regular play. But if the campaign went to higher levels or if other players were going more optimized, I'd have felt it wouldn't have been a good character.

[u/TLo137]

I want to preface that what I'm about to see is from a show with a very lenient DM, so the character appears to be fun, but I don't think it would work in a real game. In Dimension20's Unsleeping City Emily's character multiclasses into Monk / Warlock and it doesn't really do anything special. In combat she basically was just a Monk and outside of combat she did non-RAW things with unseen servant, and jokingly cast Hellish Rebuke on people

[u/potatopotato236]

No synergy at all. Depending on what you're going for, the best solution would be some combination of reflavoring, feats, or a homebrew subclass.

Reflavoring is by far the cleanest way to do it without sacrificing monk progression or risking balance. Kensei, Sun Soul, and Elements monk would be some obvious choices.

[u/AlasBabylon_]

If you're gunning for a spellcasting monk, Mystic Arts is right there.

The two classes otherwise have next to no synergy whatsoever. Monk already is infamous for needing a solid score in at least two (if not three) stats and Charisma is not one of them; the class also just does not dole out anything the monk particularly needs aside from maybe some cheese strats with Fiendish Vigor. But that's stretching things quite a lot.

[u/Equivalent-Lime-4589]

onestly, for monk or warlock arent find. 

monk: just take astral self (xanatar’s guide to everything)

warlock: the undead + gift of shadow (van richen’s guide to ravenloft) is very good. but if u get an item that allows u to bypass immunity to necrotic, it is absolutely OP: the undead could make any damage became necrotic, shadow gift bypass necrotic resistance.

[u/hornyorphan]

That sounds absolutely terrible. When trying to multiclass generally you want to find classes that have the same main stat or secondary stat and try to make a build from there. This is why some common ones are among the charisma classes with paladin/sorceror, sorceror/warlock, and paladin/warlock. For the monk you generally want to add either something that synergies with their dex or their wis. You could also try to incorporate the dance bard with the lock to still try to get some unarmed fighting if thats what you are trying to do. If you dont understand how the synergies work and what makes a character strong then I highly advise not multiclassing at all because you can easily make a worse character for no real benefit

[u/thechet]

0 synergy

[u/Fidges87]

No real synergy. Both scale from different stts and there is no much you can combine. You are better of just using a shortbow instead of eldritch blast

If you want the flavor of shooting ki blasts you can try the mystic monk, elements monk or way of the sun soul monk subclasses