Goliath Warrior of the Elements Monk Build Guide
Channel the raw fury of primordial storms as a Goliath Warrior of the Elements, fusing giant-born resilience with explosive, elemental martial arts.
Free — no signup needed for the free tier.
Why Warrior of the Elements?
Combining the physical dominance of the Goliath with the mystical, element-bending style of this Monk subclass creates a unique "Blaster" character. While Monks are usually fragile skirmishers, your Goliath's Giant Ancestry (especially options like Stone's Endurance to shrug off damage) provides the durability you need to stay in the thick of the fight. With a starting Dexterity of 15 and Wisdom of 14, you'll dodge attacks easily while setting up your elemental strikes.
At level 3, you unlock Elemental Attunement, allowing you to reach enemies from 10 feet away with elemental whips of fire, cold, or lightning. Later, your Large Form species trait lets you grow to Large size. When you combine this increased size with the area-of-effect damage from Elemental Burst at level 6, you become a massive, battlefield-controlling storm. You aren't just punching targets; you are reshaping the battlefield with every strike.
Warrior of the Elements Features
Elemental Attunement
Level 3When you finish a Short or Long Rest, you gain a benefit based on an element you choose. Until your next rest, you have Resistance against a damage type associated with that element: Air (Lightning), Earth (Acid), Fire (Fire), Water (Cold). In addition, when you start a turn in that element's associated terrain, you gain a temporary hit point if you don't already have one.
Manipulate Elements
Level 3You can use an action and spend 1 Focus Point to cause nonmagical flames, nonmagical fog, nonmagical mist, or nonmagical wind to move in a 30-foot Emanation from you in a direction you choose. You can't use this ability to harm creatures. You can create effects such as snuffing out a torch, fogging up an area, or pushing a small loose object. Alternatively, you can spend 2 Focus Points and take an action to cast Meld into Stone, Water Breathing, or Wind Walk as if you had cast it using a 5th-rank spell slot.
Elemental Burst
Level 6When you finish a Short or Long Rest, you gain a benefit based on an element you choose. Until your next rest, you gain a +2 bonus to one of the following options of your choice: AC, damage rolls, or saving throws.
Stride of the Elements
Level 11When you take a Short or Long Rest, you can gain a benefit based on an element you choose. Until your next rest, you gain a Climbing or Swimming speed equal to your Speed. You can also stand on nonmagical difficult terrain created by the chosen element (such as nonmagical rain, snow, or sand) without spending extra movement.
Elemental Epitome
Level 17When you finish a Short or Long Rest, you gain a benefit based on an element you choose. Until your next rest, you have Advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects. In addition, when you land a hit on a creature using an Unarmed Strike or weapon attack, that creature takes extra damage of the element's type (the damage type is listed in the Elemental Attunement feature). The extra damage equals one roll of your Martial Arts die.
Recommended Ability Scores
Goliath Traits That Benefit Warrior of the Elements Monk
Giant Ancestry
Giant Ancestry grants a supernatural ability that enhances the Monk's combat or utility.
Powerful Build
Enhanced size and carrying capacity complement the Monk's physical combat style.
Large Form
Enhanced size and carrying capacity complement the Monk's physical combat style.
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 Elements grants Elemental Attunement at level 3
- ♦ Good armor class and initiative
- ♦ Flexible build with room for customization
Weaknesses
- ♦ Low Charisma limits social interactions
- ♦ Limited ranged and magical options without multiclassing
- ♦ No Darkvision — may need light sources in dungeons
Pro Tips
Use Elemental Attunement's 10-foot reach to strike enemies while staying just out of their melee range, avoiding counterattacks.
Activate your Large Form before using Elemental Burst to control a massive portion of the battlefield and trap enemies near you.
Choose the Frost option for your Giant Ancestry to slow enemies, making it impossible for them to escape your elemental reach.
Leverage your 15 Dexterity for high Initiative, allowing you to position yourself perfectly for an early-round area attack.
Other Monk Subclasses for Goliath
Other Races for Warrior of the Elements Monk
Frequently Asked Questions
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