What Feats are Good for Monks 5e?

D&D feats. What are they? Who gets them? Can I buy some? In a nutshell, D&D feats are extra bonus features that every character gets as they rise through the levels. Feats give skills, advantages, flavor, and sometimes a cheeky ability score rise. They help flesh out your character and add to the game’s roleplay. And, of course, you get Monk feats in 5e.

The number of feats you get depends on which class you play. Fighters? Well, those lucky warriors get seven feats. Rogues get six, and all other classes get five. If you play a human variant, you get a bonus feat. So if you play a human variant fighter, you’ll get 8 feats. Feat-a-rama! You’ll be absolutely feat-iguied. Terrible pun? Yes. Funny. No.

In all seriousness, folks, feats are great and can take your Monk to the dizzy heights of D&D campaign success if you choose wisely. There are also racial features that work for specific races in the D&D world. You can check our guide on how to play a Monk in D&D.

We’re going to look at the good Monk feats 5e, ones that’ll make your Monk unique. Some select racial feats, and some of the worst Monk feats. Let’s kick off in no particular order.

How to Use This Guide

Everything feat in this guide has an emoji, ranking how useful it is for your Monk character.

✅ — A top feat that you should definitely pick playing a Monk.

🆗 — A solid feat that does its job well.

⚠️ — A feat that might be more flavor. Could work for a specific Monk build.

⛔ — Useless feat for your Monk.

These feat rankings are meant to help you create an optimized class build, but remember, D&D isn’t a game where you need to win to have fun. Weaker but flavorful feats also have their place and can make for fulfilling characters.

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Good Feats for Monks

🆗 Mobile

Mobile. Delivering Monk speed since D&D 3e. Monks are fast. Like seriously fast. And they get faster as they level. The mobile feat builds on that. It adds an extra 10 feet of movement, you can dash over difficult terrain, and you don’t provoke opportunity attacks, whether you hit the creature or not. 

The mobile feat bulks out their movement and attack capability, making them a perfect run, strike, run character. Not only run, but run far away from melee creatures or enemies. If you love playing a speedy melee Monk, then the mobile feat is worth your consideration.

✅ Alert

My Gloom Stalker Ranger had alert and boy, it was rare if he wasn’t first in initiative order. This enabled him to make up to four attacks with his heavy crossbow before the enemy knew what was going on. 

Alert adds +5 to initiative, you can’t be surprised if you’re conscious, and creatures don’t get advantage on attack rolls against you, even if you don’t see the enemy. The Monk, with a +5 to initiative, really helps them get in close first and stunning strike the crap out of said enemy. Or get the hell out of the way. Works with all Monk subclasses.

🆗 Tough

The Tough feat depends on your ability score rolls. When rolling up your Monk, you need to make sure Dexterity and Wisdom are priority stats. This means that other ability scores may fall behind, including Constitution. And as a mostly melee fighter, it’s important to have plenty of hp. If your constitution roll falls a little short when you’re rolling up your Monk, the tough feat is well worth it. 

With Tough, your hit points increase by an amount equal to twice your level. And whenever you gain a level, your maximum hit points get an additional 2 HP. This tanks out your Monk and makes you feel confident throwing them into melee combat.

🆗 Crusher

Monk crush! A complimentary feat for your Monk that adds flavor and practicality to your combat and encounters. Firstly, you get a lovely +1 to Constitution. Or Strength, if you think it would be an advantage for you. Strength skill checks, perhaps? Or if your Monk is Strength-based. 

Also, once per turn, on a successful attack, and if you do bludgeoning damage (which Monks do), you’re allowed to move, push, and pull your enemy 5 feet in any direction, which is great if you’re fighting on top of a cliff or tower. If you know what I mean.

Plus, if you land a bludgeoning damage critical hit on said creature, all attack rolls against that creature are made with advantage until your next turn. Crush bonus!

✅ Sentinel

Another fighty-type feat that expands on your Monk fighting techniques. It does three things that improve and flavor your melee combat. 

If you hit an enemy with an opportunity attack, the movement drops to 0. Evil bad guy, you’re not going anywhere. Even if the enemy you’re fighting uses disengage, it’s not going to work. You still get an opportunity attack. And lastly, when a creature attacks a target in melee that’s not you, and the target doesn’t have this feat, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against said creature.

The Sentinel feat is superb support if your Monk is up there at the front of combat with your fighter, barbarian, or other allies in your D&D party.

✅ Martial Adept

Expanding your melee tricks and ploys is the Martial Adept feat. This feat lets you gain two combat maneuvers from the list of the Fighter Battlemaster subclass. Honestly, I wish you could take this feat a few times because a lot of the maneuvers work really well with your Monk during combat. If a maneuver requires the target to make a saving throw, the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice). Dexterity, obviously. You gain one superiority dice (along with any other you may have), and a single d6 powers your maneuver. Once expended, you gain this superiority dice after a short or long rest.

There are a ton of maneuvers that work nicely with your Monk’s combat capabilities. Full list here.

Notable Maneuvers are:

• Ambush – If you make a Stealth check or initiative roll, you can use your superiority die to increase that roll.
• Disarming Attack – Punch an enemy and make it drop its weapon. On a successful hit, expend your superiority die and add it to the damage roll. The enemy must make a strength save. On a fail, they drop their weapon, which lands at their feet.
• Distracting Strike – ‘What’s that over there?’ When you make a successful attack on a creature, you can expend the superiority die and distract them. Add the roll to the damage roll, plus anyone who attacks the enemy before your next turn gets an advantage.
• Menacing Attack – Get your best scary Monk face on. When you make an attack on a creature, and it hits, you can spend your superiority die to attempt to frighten the target. Add the roll to your damage, plus the target must make a Wisdom save. On a fail, your ugly Monk looks or screaming cry frightens the creature until your next turn.
• Trip Attack – On a successful hit, guess what? Yeah, that’s right, you expend your superiority die to try and knock the enemy down. Add the roll to your damage, and an enemy larger or smaller must make a strength save. On a fail, it’s knocked prone, where you and your mates can knock the crap out of it.

Note: This is just a small selection of some of the maneuvers available. There may be others that fit better with your Monk character.

🆗 Observant

For those of you who love a more roleplay feat, then Observant is a great choice. Firstly, you can raise your Wisdom (Or Intelligence) by +1. Recommend Wisdom. If you can see a creature move its mouth while speaking a language you understand, then you automatically know what it’s saying. In a nutshell, you can lip-read. You get a hefty +5 to your passive Perception (Wisdom) and Investigation (Intelligence) scores. Great when you’re looking around the area for clues, traps, or secrets. 

⚠️ Sharpshooter

I’ve thrown this in because of the Dedicated Weapon Monk feature. At 2nd level, you can touch a weapon and use it as your Monk weapon. In other articles I’ve written on Monks, I’ve said that you should go for a longbow unless your Monk has a specific weapon besides their fists. Whether you split your time between ranged and melee or just occasionally offer ranged support, the sharpshooter feat is a must.

To up the ante with your longbow, consider taking Sharpshooter. You don’t get disadvantage on long-range attacks, plus you ignore half and three-quarter cover. And, you can take a -5 on your to hit, which gives a +10 damage.

⚠️Lucky

You seem to have moments of luck just in the nick of time. You get three 3 Luck points. When you roll an attack, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can roll another d20 and choose which roll you prefer.

Also, if a creature rolls an attack against you, you can spend a luck point and roll a d20, again choosing which roll you prefer. Hint: It’s the lowest one!

If the creature you’re interacting with has the Luck feat, the whole thing gets canceled out—bad luck.

Your Luck points are replenished after a long rest.

Unique Feats for Monks

These feats are a little leftfield, a little out there, and a little less obvious than the Mobile or Crusher feats, but still as relevant and fun.

🆗 Fey Touched

Being exposed to the magic of the Feywild has its benefits, you know. My Swashbuckler got stuck there for five years, and it changed him.

Firstly, the Fey Touched feat gives you a +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. Obviously, Wisdom for Monks. You gain the Misty Step spell, which is great for jumping in and out of ‘situations.’ Plus, you gain access to one other spell in the Divination or Enchantment.

There are plenty of choices here, and I’ve listed some of our favorites:

Divination Spells

• Detect Evil and Good – For 10 minutes, you can detect any aberration, celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead within 30 feet of you and know their location.
• Hunter’s Mark – Every Gloom Stalker Ranger uses this. I have used it many, many times with my Ranger Wolfgang (currently in a Waterdeep Watch prison). You mark an enemy and get an extra 1d6 damage to it on a successful hit and gain advantage on perception or survival (Wisdom) checks. It lasts an hour, so if you’re in combat with it, that extra 1d6 damage soon adds up. Plus, if your target’s HP drops to 0, you can move it to another creature and get all the advantages on the new target.
• Speak with Animals – For 10 minutes, you can converse with animals. Handy for finding information about nearby locations or monsters. So if your Monk wants to go a little Dr. Dolittle on the side, this spell is for you.

Enchantment Spells

• Bane – Up to three enemies you can see must make Charisma saving throws. On a fail, every time that creature makes an attack or saving throw, roll 1d4 and subtract that off their roll. Perfect for Monk combat situations to gain the upper hand.
• Charm Person – You can charm a humanoid. On a failed Wisdom save, you come across as a friendly acquaintance to the creature. A peaceful way to end combat.
• Tasha’s Hideous Laughter – Select a creature of your choice, and they must make a Wisdom save. On a fail, they collapse in a fit of uncontrollable laughter and fall prone. At the end of each of its turns, it can make another Wisdom save to get out of it.

There are a bunch of useful spells that add flavor to your Monk. We suggest you study each one and choose one that fits in with your Monk’s personality.

⚠️ Chef

Release your inner Chef Ramsey! As well as being the favorite of your party for your delicious wolf pudding and dragon pizza, the Chef feat is quite useful. Raise your Wisdom or Constitution score by +1 and gain proficiency in cook’s utensils. 

When you have a short rest and access to ingredients, utensils, and somewhere to cook (DM discretionary here), you can create a delightful meal for a number of creatures equal to 4 + your proficiency bonus. At the end of the short rest, any creature that eats the food and spends at least one hit dice gains an extra 1d8 of HP.

With an hour of work or after you finish a long rest, you get to cook a number of treats equal to your proficiency bonus. These special treats last 8 hours, and when consumed as a bonus action, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus. A quick heal fix when in combat.

⚠️ Telekinetic

Mind wars for Monks. Ok, so you gain a +1 for Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. You know which one. 

You gain the Mage Hand cantrip. Basically, you get a magic hand that you can control up to 30 feet. It can do a variety of tasks, such as open an unlocked door, pick something up, or manipulate an object. It can’t attack, activate magical items, or carry more than 10 lbs. Handy.

As a bonus action, your telekinetic powers allow you to shove a creature that you can see up to 30 feet. The target must make a Strength saving throw (DC 8 + your proficiency bonus + the score’s ability modifier increased by the telekinetic feat). If it fails, the creature can be moved 5ft away or toward you.

A bit of a unique flavor for Monks. Works well additionally with the Way of the Astral Self Monk monastic tradition.

Racial Feats for Monks

Some feats are race-specific. We’ve grabbed a couple that caught our eye.

✅ Squat Nimbleness

For Dwarves and smaller races, the Squat Nimbleness feat gives mobility to your Monk. It adds +1 to Strength or Dexterity, increases walking speed by 5ft, increases proficiency in Acrobatics or Athletics skills, and adds advantage on Athletics or Acrobatics checks when grappled. For those of you playing a dwarf or smaller, consider this feat to improve your Monk.

🆗 Elven Accuracy

One for Elves or Half-Elves. Increase your Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score by 1. Gives you plenty of ability score scope. You also gain the ability to reroll one attack roll die if you have advantage—and only if the attack is Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma-based.

Worst Feats for Monks

Feats to avoid. The ones that sound good for Monks but, in reality, don’t add any value or benefits.

⛔ Resilient

Add +1 to any ability score, and you gain proficiency in saving throws using the chosen ability. Sounds good, right? Well, actually, when you reach level 14, you get Diamond Soul. This ability allows you to get proficiency in all saving throws, making the Resilient feat completely redundant.

⛔ Linguist

Maybe you think your Monk should be able to speak more languages. The linguist feat allows you to increase your intelligence score by 1, learn three extra languages, and create written ciphers. Sounds good for the multi-linguist in you. However, when you reach Monk level 13, you gain the ability Tongue of the Sun and Moon, which allows you to touch someone and understand their language. Three languages? Pah, try thirty!

Also, don’t take any feats that improve armor. Why? Well, you don’t wear any.

Which Feat is the Best?

Well, that’s debatable. What you’ve got to decide is whether to choose feats that bolster your Monk and increase their combat abilities or choose ones that add flavor. Or both. Feats are a personal choice. Choose the ones that fit well with your Monk build and optimization. The ones you love that you’ll get the most out of. The ones that fill a gap in your Monk abilities or simply make your Monk more interesting. This guide is just a guide, and we hope you enjoyed it. If there is a feat, we haven’t mentioned that fits in with your Monk. Go for it! And let us know in the comments what you build!