Halfling Warrior of Shadow Monk Build Guide
Slip through the shadows and size-difference barriers alike as a Halfling Warrior of Shadow, the ultimate elusive, stealthy striker.
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Why Warrior of Shadow?
Combining the Halfling's natural evasiveness with the Warrior of Shadow's dark magic turns you into a slippery, high-mobility striker. As a Monk, your main job is to slip into combat, deliver rapid strikes, and escape unharmed. The Halfling's Halfling Nimbleness trait is a game-changer here, allowing you to run right through the spaces of larger enemies to reach vulnerable targets in the backline.
Once you reach level 3 and unlock Shadow Arts, you can create zones of magical darkness and silence to control the battlefield. Your Naturally Stealthy trait allows you to slip out of sight easily, using your taller party members as cover. Best of all, if a crucial stealth roll or attack roll goes wrong, your Luck trait lets you reroll devastating natural 1s, keeping your sneaky strikes incredibly consistent. It is a perfect blend of small-stature sneakiness and martial arts mastery.
Warrior of Shadow Features
Shadow Arts
Level 3When you finish a Short or Long Rest, you can pick one leveled spell from the Wizard spell list that has a casting time of an action and is of a rank you can cast (see the Monk Spellcasting table for the ranks of spells you can cast). You can cast this spell without expending Focus Points. You can cast this spell in this way until you finish a Short or Long Rest, at which point you choose a different spell. When you cast this spell, you can use Wisdom as your spellcasting ability instead of Intelligence. You can spend 1 Focus Point when you cast a spell in this way to increase the spell's rank by one rank (if the spell scales).
Shadow Step
Level 6When you take the Hide action in dim light or darkness, you can use a Bonus Action to take the Dash action as well. When you move at least 30 feet in one turn while in dim light or darkness, you gain the benefits of the Hide action for that turn.
Improved Shadow Step
Level 11You can move through nonmagical dim light and darkness without provoking opportunity attacks. When you end your turn in dim light or darkness, you can use a Bonus Action and spend 1 Focus Point to become Invisible until the start of your next turn.
Cloak of Shadows
Level 17When you are in dim light or darkness, you can use an action and spend 2 Focus Points to become Invisible. You remain Invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or until you are in bright light.
Recommended Ability Scores
Halfling Traits That Benefit Warrior of Shadow Monk
Brave
Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.
Halfling Nimbleness
Moving through larger creatures' spaces gives the Monk exceptional battlefield mobility.
Naturally Stealthy
Natural stealth abilities enhance the Monk's ability to operate unseen.
Luck
Extra saving throw advantages protect against debilitating spells and effects.
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 Shadow grants Shadow Arts 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
- ♦ Small size limits heavy weapon usage
- ♦ No Darkvision — may need light sources in dungeons
Pro Tips
Use Halfling Nimbleness to run through a giant foe's space, then activate Shadow Step at Level 6 to teleport right behind their allies.
Combine your Naturally Stealthy trait with Shadow Arts darkness to vanish from sight, even when there is no physical cover nearby.
When using Cloak of Shadows at higher levels, utilize your small size to squeeze into tiny, unexpected hiding spots while completely invisible.
Target enemy spellcasters by casting Silence via Shadow Arts, then use your high Dexterity to grapple them inside the quiet zone.
Other Monk Subclasses for Halfling
Other Races for Warrior of Shadow Monk
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Warrior of Shadow a good subclass for Halfling Monk?
What makes Warrior of Shadow different from other Monk subclasses?
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