Goliath Warrior of the Open Hand Monk Build Guide

Combining the physical might of a Goliath with the precise control of the Open Hand Monk creates an unstoppable, giant-blooded martial artist.

3/10 Synergy Striker Role Hard Difficulty

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Why Warrior of the Open Hand?

The Goliath Warrior of the Open Hand is a fantastic "Striker"—a role focused on darting into combat, delivering fast, high-damage attacks, and slipping away. While Monks are traditionally agile and fragile, your Goliath heritage adds a layer of mountain-born toughness. Utilizing your Giant Ancestry trait to shrug off incoming damage allows you to stay in the fray much longer than a typical Monk.

At level 3, you unlock Open Hand Technique, which enhances your Flurry of Blows. When you strike enemies, you can knock them prone, push them backward, or deny them their reactions. When combined with your Large Form trait later in your career, you can grow in size, allowing you to physically dominate the battlefield and push foes around with ease.

This build thrives on your high Dexterity (DEX) for rapid strikes and Wisdom (WIS) to make your control features harder for enemies to resist. By blending giant strength with martial arts mastery, you become a highly resilient controller of the frontlines.

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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Goliath Traits That Benefit Warrior of the Open Hand 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 Open Hand grants Open Hand Technique 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 Open Hand Technique to knock an enemy prone, granting your melee allies advantage on their attacks.

Activate Large Form to increase your physical presence and control a wider area of the battlefield.

Combine your Giant Ancestry damage reduction with Wholeness of Body to survive intense, prolonged frontline skirmishes.

Strip an enemy's reactions using your Flurry of Blows, allowing you to retreat safely without provoking opportunity attacks.

Other Monk Subclasses for Goliath

Goliath Warrior of Mercy Monk Support Goliath Warrior of Shadow Monk Striker Goliath 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 Goliath Monk?

Yes! The Goliath's natural durability perfectly offsets the Monk's typical fragility. While the Monk uses Open Hand Technique to control the battlefield by knocking foes prone or pushing them back, Goliath traits like Giant Ancestry keep you standing when enemies strike back. It is a highly synergistic build that blends mobility, control, and surprising toughness.

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

The Warrior of the Open Hand specializes in pure, unarmed martial arts and physical battlefield control. Unlike other subclasses that add magic or weapon mastery, this style focuses on manipulating enemies physically. Using Open Hand Technique, you can push enemies into hazards, while Wholeness of Body lets you self-heal in an emergency.

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