Elf Warrior of the Open Hand Monk Build Guide

Blending Elven grace with martial mastery, this build combines high dexterity and Fey resilience to dominate the battlefield as a swift, striking Monk.

4/10 Synergy Striker Role Hard Difficulty

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Why Warrior of the Open Hand?

The Elf Warrior of the Open Hand is the ultimate martial artist, combining innate Elven grace with devastating hand-to-hand combat. As a Striker, your goal is to dart into the fray, disrupt the toughest enemies, and retreat before they can retaliate. Your Elven Fey Ancestry protects you from magic that would put you to sleep or charm you, keeping you mobile and active in every fight.

At level 3, you unlock the Open Hand Technique, which enhances your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use this feature, you can knock enemies prone, push them back, or prevent them from taking reactions. This synergy is perfect for an Elf, allowing you to use your high movement speed to dance around the battlefield while leaving your foes helpless and exposed to your allies' attacks.

As you grow in power, you gain incredible survivability. Whether you are scouting ahead in the dark using your Darkvision or recovering your health in the middle of a tough boss fight, this subclass ensures you are always a step ahead of your enemies.

Warrior of the Open Hand Features

Open Hand Technique

Level 3

You can manipulate your enemy's body using your Unarmed Strikes. Whenever you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike as part of the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 Focus Point to trigger one of the following effects on that creature: It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be Knocked Prone. It must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 5 feet away from you. It can't take Reactions until the end of the next turn.

Wholeness of Body

Level 6

As an action, you can spend Focus Points to restore hit points to yourself. The number of hit points you restore equals 4 × the number of Focus Points spent. You can't use this feature if you don't have Focus Points remaining.

Fleet Step

Level 11

When you use your action to Dash, you gain the following benefits until the end of the turn: Your Speed increases by 10 feet, difficult terrain costs no extra movement, and you have Advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Quivering Palm

Level 17

You gain the ability to set vibrations in a creature's body. When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can spend 3 Focus Points to set the vibrations in that creature. The vibrations last for a number of days equal to your Monk level. At any point during that duration, you can use an action to end the vibrations and require that creature to make a Constitution saving throw. If the creature fails the save, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage. If it succeeds, it takes half as much damage.

Recommended Ability Scores

Strength

12(+1)

Dexterity★

15(+2)

Constitution

13(+1)

Intelligence

10(+0)

Wisdom★

14(+2)

Charisma

8(-1)

HP (Lv1)

Initiative

Passive Per.

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Elf Traits That Benefit Warrior of the Open Hand Monk

Darkvision

Elf Darkvision helps Monks scout ahead and fight in darkness without needing a torch.

Fey Ancestry

Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.

Keen Senses

Free Perception proficiency is valuable for any Monk, especially in exploration.

Trance

Trance means shorter rests and the ability to keep watch more effectively.

Combat Effectiveness

Level	HP	Melee DPR	Ranged DPR
Level 5	33	7.8	7.8
Level 11	69	7.15	7.15
Level 17	105	7.15	7.15

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Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

♦ Warrior of the Open Hand grants Open Hand Technique at level 3
♦ Darkvision for dungeon exploration
♦ Good armor class and initiative

Weaknesses

♦ Low Charisma limits social interactions
♦ Limited ranged and magical options without multiclassing

Pro Tips

Use your Open Hand Technique to knock enemies prone, granting your melee allies automatic advantage on their attack rolls.

Combine Fey Ancestry with your high mobility to confidently rush enemy spellcasters and disrupt their concentration.

When your health runs low, step back and use Wholeness of Body to quickly regenerate hit points during tough encounters.

Use your Darkvision and Keen Senses to scout dark dungeon corridors ahead of your party and prevent surprise ambushes.

Other Monk Subclasses for Elf

Elf Warrior of Mercy Monk Support Elf Warrior of Shadow Monk Striker Elf Warrior of the Elements Monk Blaster

Other Races for Warrior of the Open Hand Monk

Aasimar Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 7/10 Dragonborn Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 7/10 Tiefling Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 6/10 Dwarf Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 5/10 Halfling Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 5/10 Orc Warrior of the Open Hand Monk 5/10

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Warrior of the Open Hand a good subclass for Elf Monk?

Yes, it is a fantastic choice. Elves naturally possess high Dexterity and Wisdom, which directly boost your armor class, initiative, and the DC for your saving throws. The Elf's Fey Ancestry prevents debilitating mind-control spells from shutting you down, ensuring you can always run in and use your Open Hand Technique to control the battlefield.

What makes Warrior of the Open Hand different from other Monk subclasses?

The Warrior of the Open Hand is the definitive "martial arts" Monk. While other subclasses use elemental magic or shadow teleportation, the Open Hand specializes in pure physical control—knocking enemies down, pushing them into hazards, healing themselves, and eventually defeating foes instantly with the legendary Quivering Palm.

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