Monk Class Details
Her fists a blur as they deflect an incoming hail of arrows, a half-elf springs over a barricade and throws herself into the massed ranks of hobgoblins on the other side. She whirls among them, knocking their blows aside and sending them reeling, until at last she stands alone.
Taking a deep breath, a human covered in tattoos settles into a battle stance. As the first charging orcs reach him, he exhales and a blast of fire roars from his mouth, engulfing his foes.
Moving with the silence of the night, a black-clad halfling steps into a shadow beneath an arch and emerges from another inky shadow on a balcony a stone’s throw away. She slides her blade free of its cloth-wrapped scabbard and peers through the open window at the tyrant prince, so vulnerable in the grip of sleep.
Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does.
The Magic of Ki
Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of the magic that suffuses the multiverse—specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create magical effects and exceed their bodies’ physical capabilities, and some of their special attacks can hinder the flow of ki in their opponents. Using this energy, monks channel uncanny speed and strength into their unarmed strikes. As they gain experience, their martial training and their mastery of ki gives them more power over their bodies and the bodies of their foes.
Training and Asceticism
Small walled cloisters dot the landscapes of the worlds of D&D, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The monks who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed for their families.
Some monks live entirely apart from the surrounding population, secluded from anything that might impede their spiritual progress. Others are sworn to isolation, emerging only to serve as spies or assassins at the command of their leader, a noble patron, or some other mortal or divine power.
The majority of monks don’t shun their neighbors, making frequent visits to nearby towns or villages and exchanging their service for food and other goods. As versatile warriors, monks often end up protecting their neighbors from monsters or tyrants.
For a monk, becoming an adventurer means leaving a structured, communal lifestyle to become a wanderer. This can be a harsh transition, and monks don’t undertake it lightly. Those who leave their cloisters take their work seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering their treasure.
Creating a Monk
As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on the monastery’s threshold? Did your parents promise you to the monastery in gratitude for a service performed by the monks? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the monastic life for yourself?
Consider why you left. Did the head of your monastery choose you for a particularly important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home?
As a result of the structured life of a monastic community and the discipline required to harness ki, monks are almost always lawful in alignment.
QUICK BUILD
You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the hermit background.
The Monk Table
Level |
Proficiency |
Martial |
Ki |
Unarmored |
Features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st |
+2 |
1d4 |
— |
— |
|
2nd |
+2 |
1d4 |
2 |
+10 ft. |
|
3rd |
+2 |
1d4 |
3 |
+10 ft. |
|
4th |
+2 |
1d4 |
4 |
+10 ft. |
|
5th |
+3 |
1d6 |
5 |
+10 ft. |
|
6th |
+3 |
1d6 |
6 |
+15 ft. |
|
7th |
+3 |
1d6 |
7 |
+15 ft. |
|
8th |
+3 |
1d6 |
8 |
+15 ft. |
|
9th |
+4 |
1d6 |
9 |
+15 ft. |
|
10th |
+4 |
1d6 |
10 |
+20 ft. |
|
11th |
+4 |
1d8 |
11 |
+20 ft. |
|
12th |
+4 |
1d8 |
12 |
+20 ft. |
|
13th |
+5 |
1d8 |
13 |
+20 ft. |
|
14th |
+5 |
1d8 |
14 |
+25 ft. |
|
15th |
+5 |
1d8 |
15 |
+25 ft. |
|
16th |
+5 |
1d8 |
16 |
+25 ft. |
|
17th |
+6 |
1d10 |
17 |
+25 ft. |
|
18th |
+6 |
1d10 |
18 |
+30 ft. |
|
19th |
+6 |
1d10 |
19 |
+30 ft. |
|
20th |
+6 |
1d10 |
20 |
+30 ft. |
Class Features
As a monk, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack
- 10 darts
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield:
- You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
- You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
- When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn.
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in the Weapons section.
Ki
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Flurry of Blows
Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Patient Defense
You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Step of the Wind
You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Monastic Tradition
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition: the Way of the Open Hand, detailed at the end of the class description or one from another source. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Deflect Missiles
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Slow Fall
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stunning Strike
Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent’s body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Unarmored Movement
At 6th level, your Unarmored Speed speed bonus increases to 15 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.
Unarmored Movement Improvement
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during your move.
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.
Unarmored Movement
At 10th level, your Unarmored Speed speed bonus increases to 20 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.
Unarmored Movement
At 14th level, your Unarmored Speed speed bonus increases to 25 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
Timeless Body
At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can’t be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
Empty Body
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.
Additionally, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can’t take any other creatures with you.
Unarmored Movement
At 18th level, your Unarmored Speed speed bonus increases to 30 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield.
Perfect Self
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points.
Monastic Traditions
Three traditions of monastic pursuit are common in the monasteries scattered across the multiverse. Most monasteries practice one tradition exclusively, but a few honor the three traditions and instruct each monk according to his or her aptitude and interest. All three traditions rely on the same basic techniques, diverging as the student grows more adept. Thus, a monk need choose a tradition only upon reaching 3rd level.
Way of the Open Hand
Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm.
Open Hand Technique
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:
- It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
- It can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.
Wholeness of Body
At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.
Tranquility
Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
Way of the Cobalt Soul
This is Partnered Content
This content is available in your campaign with your DM’s permission but isn’t published by Wizards of the Coast. To use this content, enable Critical Role in the character builder.
Driven by the pursuit of knowledge and its scholars’ worship of the Knowing Mentor, the Library of the Cobalt Soul is one of the best-respected and most heavily guarded repositories of tomes, history, and information in all Exandria. People from all lands come to the library to seek knowledge, and those particularly dedicated to the virtues of truth often pledge their minds and bodies to the Cobalt Soul’s cause. To become a member of the Cobalt Soul is to give oneself over to a quest dedicated to unveiling life’s mysteries, bringing light to the secrets of concealed evil, and guarding the most powerful and dangerous of truths from those whose unwholesome thirst for knowledge might bring death and suffering to others.
The monks of the Cobalt Soul are the embodiment of the maxim: “Know your enemy.” Through tireless research, they steel themselves against the unrelenting tides of evil. Through rigorous training, they learn to break through their foes’ mental and physical defenses. Then, once the fight is done, they record their findings for future generations of monks to study.
Extract Aspects
Starting at 3rd level, you can strike pressure points to intuit crucial information about a foe. When you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can analyze it. Whenever an analyzed creature misses you with an attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against that creature if it’s within your reach. This benefit lasts until you finish a short or long rest.
Additionally, when you analyze a creature, you learn all of its damage vulnerabilities, damage resistances, damage immunities, and condition immunities.
Extort Truth
Starting at 6th level, you can precisely strike a hidden cluster of nerves on a creature, temporarily preventing it from masking its true thoughts and intent. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to force it to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is unable to speak a deliberate lie, and all Charisma checks directed at the creature are made with advantage for up to 10 minutes. You know if it succeeded or failed on its saving throw.
An affected creature is aware of the effect and can thus avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive in its answers as long as the effect lasts.
If you wish to impose this effect on a creature without injuring it, you can attack the creature to simply touch it, dealing no damage on a hit.
Mystical Erudition
Also by 6th level, you have extensively studied the history and lore within the archives of the Cobalt Soul. You learn one language of your choice, and you gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, or Religion. If you already have proficiency in one of the listed skills, you can instead choose to double your proficiency bonus for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.
You gain an additional language and an additional skill proficiency from the above list (or you can double the bonus of an existing proficiency from the list) at 11th and 17th level.
Mind of Mercury
Starting at 11th level, you’ve honed your awareness and reflexes through mental aptitude and pattern recognition. Once per turn, if you’ve already taken your reaction, you may spend 1 ki point to take an additional reaction. You can use only one reaction per triggering effect.
Mystical Erudition (Additional)
You gain an additional language and an additional skill proficiency from the above list (or you can double the bonus of an existing proficiency from the list) at 11th level.
Debilitating Barrage
Upon reaching 17th level, you’ve gained the knowledge to manipulate a creature’s ki to undermine their fortitude. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to cause the creature to gain vulnerability to one damage type of your choice for 1 minute, or until the end of a turn in which it has taken damage of that type.
If a creature has resistance to the damage type you choose, this resistance is suppressed for 1 minute, rather than gaining vulnerability. A creature that is immune to the damage type you choose is unaffected. A creature who is affected by this feature cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.
Mystical Erudition (Additional)
You gain an additional language and an additional skill proficiency from the above list (or you can double the bonus of an existing proficiency from the list) at 17th level.
Getting a new feature at every level is exclusive to Monk and Rogue, but literally every class in the game gets something new at each level up; if not a new feature than an improvement to an existing feature and/or access to new spells that were unavailable at the previous level. It's not special to Monks.
Funnily enough, almost every class in the game gets something new at each level up that is at least half-decent, and Monk is one of the exceptions.
Level 1 monk: holds of 2 zombies at once with full health, his fists, and a club
Level 1 barbarian: almost dies fighting a wight when equipped with a maul and actual armour
Totally fair!
Just to add to the discussion, chapter nine of the PHB actually addresses this. "With a penalty, it is possible to deal 0 damage, but never negative damage." So no, your punches can't cause healing, no matter how wimpy your fists are.
If I read it correctly, this doesn't work without DM acceptance, as you need to use your action to apply the damage/etc. The rules also say, that you can only have one creature under the effect of QP. However, it doesn't say, that you can or cannot have that single creature be under the effect multiple times at the same time. So this would require the DM to accept it (haven't checked sage advice on that, though) - which I would not allow. So I guess it's a DM-dependent build.
it shocks me that the monk gets something new every time they level up and that's not counting the sub-class
Ok, I think I expressed myself wrong or we got started with the wrong foot.
I wasn't trying to sound aggressive or to harass the OP. Thing is, I've read many, MANY, threads or comments about an "ultimate" or "Most OP" builds for monk characters, and most of the times, they kinda get on my nerves because they get too many basic RAW mixed up or too different from the common use, so they rely too much on the DM's leniency (which is to say, as a player they are unilaterally deciding what the rules say) .
It's one thing for a build to already have equipment in mind (OP doesn't have this problem, so it's fine). But coming to an agreement for different rules aplication is going to be a burden mostly for the DM, because if it works for a player, it works for everyone on the table as well. Now, you explained their logic for the healing part (I didn't thank you for that, thanks), but that's already pushing their version of RAI for a mechanic which was not included in the DM negotiation (which only required unrestricted Ability Score allocation), so I guess OP is assuming that they are following RAW when they talk about healing. That's why I wrote my comment for the healing part on the paragraph that started with me questioning whether or not actually read the class. Just like you, I would never agree to that. (I would suspect that a DM that allows that is fairly new or is planning on having a Shadow have a friendly talk with the 1 STR character...). Now this should show up at Session 0, but that's the reason I questioned the OP because it seemed to be just a natural result of having 1 STR and 20 DEX, with no explanation in-between.
Now, I assumed (wrongly) that you agreed with OP's damage calculation because you went on to explain how using the 1+DEX is better than a flat damage die after telling that we must assume it is not an error from DnD Beyond until that is ascertained (sure, coding errors are going to happen when the source itself has faulty wording). I've been applying what seems to be the most common assertion of damage rolls, which include the damage die and its corresponding ability modifier (if anything Baldur's Gate 3 also applies this calculation), if it seems incorrect to you, that's fine. Like you said, none of us have any say on official issues.
...I never said how many DMs would allow it. Quite frankly, I myself wouldn't precisely because I know that's not how healing works. If you read and understood my comment, I merely explained where they got it from since you clearly said you didn't get where it came from. I never said I agreed with it. This assumptive position of yours seems quite common, which no doubt explains why you have such a hard time comperhending written language - you don't actually go by what is literally stated, you make up assumptions then add them to what is stated.
...As you continue show here. I explicitly stated that it seemed wrong - and for exactly the reasons you listed, I just didn't bother listing why because it seemed rather obvious why, and from your own comment I presumed you understood why as well. So no, I didn't "get it wrong". I simply said that the sheet rolls it this way, and, considering that unlike us, DND Beyond has direct connection with the company, until it's fixed or someone gets a ruling statement from someone on the staff, we have to assume it is correct as-is. The reason for that? Because while yes, sheet errors are a thing, so are errors in how they word shit in the PHB, and there are FAR more of those than sheet errors at this point in time thanks to the magic of digital updates and 5e being the Fifth Edition of their platform, whereas the site is frankly, the First Edition of theirs.
D&D has a rather unfortunate history of shitty wording for their thoughts, which is where are the arguments about RAW vs RAI stem from in the first place. So, whose word is a person supposed to take? An official source, or a rando on the internet, when we know what the rules say vs what they intend the rules to actually mean is often ****ed? The correct answer would be, not you, the rando on the internet. Similarly, not me either, as I am also just some rando on the internet.
Now, as a DM I am allowed to do whatever the hell I want in a game, so I do as you described. But we're not talking about what DMs choose to do, we're talking about what officially is supposed to be done. And neither you nor I have any say on official issues. Once again, you do not go by what is actually written, and instead you insert your own assumptive nonsense into things. A simple, basic english comprehension of what I wrote? Would tell you that you didn't need to explain "how it works" to me, because I'd already acknowledged that it seemed incorrect. You ignore that, because that doesn't let you feel superior.
Once again, you fail to comprehend what is actually stated, and instead end up with more assumptive nonsense to create your strawman. See, I didn't end up with a 1+Dex calculation. I said that is how they came up with it. I then proceeded to explain their logic, not mine. This should be obvious from the context of the reply! And I did that because you, quite literally, asked.
You didn't say, "I get why you think this, but this is why you are wrong," which is what you should have said if you actually understood their logic and just disagreed with it. You literally said you didn't know where they got their numbers. I never said they were correct in their logic, I merely said that using their logic, they would be correct that the flat damage was better than the rolled damage. But you clearly lack the basic understanding that, just because a person can understand and explain a thing, doesn't mean they believe it themselves.
New point: This entire situation just goes to show that, in fact, yes, you are supposed to rely on your DM for a build. You have no choice but to do so, because you have no idea how your DM will choose to interpret the words written in the rulebook until you speak to them about it. So, it doesn't matter if you're doing homebrew or not, you still end up relying on them, one way or another. This is why Session 0 is important, and why any part of your build that might have confusion or interpretation required, you as the player should always confirm with your DM on how it will work. Because if you presume they hold the same understanding you do, you'll find they don't at some point or other.
Honestly, the real issue here was someone was enthusiastically just sharing a build idea they had, and rather than merely correcting them, you felt the need to shit on them for no reason, so I decided to show you how it felt. In so doing, I caused you to try to defend yourself, except you only made it worse with your clear lack of comprehension of the written word. In short?
Thanks for proving all of my points, lose the hubris and be nicer to other people.
That's not how healing in D&D works. If that were the case, then every character would dump STR to have a source of negative damage and then use it with unarmed strikes for healing. I won't speak for other DMs, but I think the ones that would allow this are very few.
What the OP mentioned was correct in that the PHB sets the normal damage (notice how it doesn't say "damage roll", just "damage") of unarmed strikes to 1+STR, what they (and you) got wrong is the damage roll for monks: applying the first bullet of the Martial Arts feature (not the MA die) allows the monk to change the damage to 1+DEX, then applying the second bullet, that 1 becomes the Martial Arts die 1d4 (which changes later to 1d6, 1d8 and 1d10). This is similar to how versatile weapons allows a bigger damage die when equipped two-handed, instead of the original damage. And yes, your ability modifier (DEX or STR) is added to the damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons, just like you add it to the damage rolls for any weapon (just to mention, a weapon only lists its damage die, it doesn't inherently add the modifier, that is added because of the combat rules). To simplify: the damage roll for unarmed strikes and monk weapons for a level 1 monk using both bullets of the Martial Arts feature is: 1d4 + DEX.
I don't think I need to say this, but the DnD Beyond character sheet (or the app) is not an accurate representation of the actual game mechanics, so bugs and errors are bound to be found. For example: an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer should be able to swap their Psionic Spells (their expanded spell list) on each level up, however the app doesn't allow this, even though the subclass description explicitly allows this; another example is Shadow Monks being able to take the Eldritch Adept feat even though they don't meet the prerrequisite of having the Spellcasting feature or the Pact Magic feature.
Oh I did read it, several times in fact, I've played monk, and I'm currently DMing for a monk player. Heck, I could even quote all monk subclasses' features from Open Hand to Ascendant Dragon. If I had only taken a quick glance at the class (and the combat rules as well), then I would have arrived that 1+Dex calculation both you and OP ended up with.
Pretty sure the healing comes from the "damage" of 1+ the negative modifier you would have for the 1 Str score. So they're mathematically correct, though not all DMs will allow you to do "negative damage" as healing.
As for why 1+Dex instead of using the Martial Arts? Martial Arts doesn't say you get 1d4+dex, it says you get 1d4 instead of rolling the normal damage die. Now some people will say that replaces the die but not the modifier, but... that apparently isn't how it's meant to work since the character sheet here does not add the dex mod to a martial arts rolled die. It only rolls the die flat. Now that could certainly be an error, but until that is ascertained, we must assume it is not.
So yeah, 1+Dex is better than martial arts die, at least until the die increases as the Monk levels go up. Hell, even after you get the biggest Martial Arts die, 1d10, a flat 1+dex can be better since you have a 20 Dex score meaning you do a guaranteed 6 damage, vs rolling a d10 without the dex mod which only has a 30% chance of being higher than the guarantee, a 10% chance at being equal, and a 50% chance at being lower than the guaranteed damage.
In short... did you read the monk class? Doesn't seem like it. Seems like you took a quick glance, got arrogant and didn't bother actually looking into anything the person actually said.
Maybe learn some humility and lose the hubris.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/monk#WayoftheFourElements - it's right here...
What happened to the way of the four elements subclass?
(interrogation scene)
Fighter: You'd better talk, now!
Goblin: *stabs themself*
Monk: n o . *flurry of fists them to life*
Goblin: :(
One build that would be fun thematically, include some utility, and function in combat reasonably well would be Way of the Open Hand (WOH) 14 / College of Creation (CoC) Bard 6.
If you're playing to/starting at a high level, then it doesn't matter which class you start as, because Monk 14 gets proficiency in all saves and you gain one skill if you multiclass as Bard so you'll have the same number of skills either way. If not, I'd probably start as Monk for Strength save proficiency, because Charisma saves are less frequent in the early going (although there are some really nasty 'save or suck' Cha save spells in the late game).
Whatever route you take, you'll want to get five monk levels in a row to get extra attack in as short a number of levels as possible. Usually, you'd also want to go for Monk 6 too to make your unarmed strikes magical, but if you've got access to magical damage types from your Bard levels then this is less pressing.
The reason I'm saying CoC6 is that you unlock Font of Inspiration at level 5 which makes Bards feel far more useful (especially considering how useful CoC3 Mote of Inspiration is), you can create any Monk Weapon you like (and many other things) out of thin air, and the combination of: i) The third WOH Flurry of Blows (FoB) option + ii) Monk Unarmoured Movement + iii) CoC6 Dancing Item Irresistible Dance allows you to deal a bunch of damage and move out of range of melee and medium range (30-60 foot) retaliation.
In terms of race, this is a time to consider Standard Human + Point Buy: Str 8+1, Dex 15+1, Con 11+1, Int 9+1, Wis 13+1, Cha 15+1
You need to use the extra durability of WOH to get away with this Con score and the movement to avoid taking too many hits in the first place.
Any ideas for a Bard-Monk multiclass? The art of Ki seems to be more about knowing the self, and touching the minds and souls of others. Seems like a good paring with Music Magic to me, but I am having a hard time creating a good leveling map and choosing archetypes for both.
ummm no
genius
no a$$s being kicked by monks
ever
yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111111111111111111111111111111111111
you want to be elsa from frozen
yeah