Monk skills

Old style Monk skill tree, circa Blizzcon 2009. Art by Muldric.

This page lists all Monk skills, as of Blizzcon 2010. Follow the links to the individual skill pages for full discussion of every skill, including first hand reports and screenshots.

Useful skill links:

• Skills - General skill design and mechanics.
  • Signature skills - Skills that define characters.
  • Monk Combo Skills - The class specialty; mix and match three hits in a row for big bonuses.
  • Monk Auras - Skills that provide buffs to party members and/or debuffs to enemies.
• Monk traits - Diablo III's version of Passive skills.
• Runestones - The way to massive skill customization/modification.
• Active skills - Skills where effects are activated by the player.
• Passive skills - Skills where effects are activated automatically, by the computer or by special events.
• Monk skill archive - Monk skills removed or modified during development.

Tier One Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 2. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Hands of Lightning

Hands of Lightning
One of two low-level combo skills available to the Monk, this punching attack lands three not-very quick hits, dealing increasing amounts of lightning damage with each attack.

• Combo skill: Generates 3 Spirit per hit.
• Description: Unleashes a series of increasingly powerful lightning infused punches that deal X% weapon damage as lightning damage, and has a higher chance than normal to interrupt enemy attacks.
  • Rank One: Unknown
  • Rank Two: Unknown
  • Rank Three: Unknown
  • Rank Four: Unknown
  • Rank Five: Deals 300% weapon damage as lightning damage. Higher than normal chance to interrupt enemy attacks.

This skill was preset to the 5th rank in the Blizzcon 2010 demo, so the bonuses from ranks 1-4 are unknown.

Hands of Lightning sequence.

Lashing Tail Kick

Lashing Tail Kick
Spirit Skill
A roundhouse kick that knocks back enemies.

• Description: The Monk unleashes a deadly roundhouse kick, causing knockback and dealing X-X physical damage.
  • Rank One: 25 Spirit, Deals 10-20 Physical damage.

Long Reach

Long Reach
Combo Skill

• Description: The Monk projects lines of pure force that allow him to hit several enemies a short distance away. Deals X% of weapon damage.

Tier Two Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 3. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Circle of Wrath

Circle of Wrath
Spirit Skill
A nova-like blast of energy deals huge damage and heals the Monk as well. Testing with this one at Blizzcon 2010 found it hugely-overpowered at low levels, even without runestones yet activated for the Monk.

• Description: Creates a blast of holy energy that heals the Monk and nearby allies for X-X health and damages enemies for X-X holy damage.
  • Rank One: Costs 25 Spirit, Heals the Monk and his allies for 18-38 health. Deals 10-20 holy damage.
  • Rank Two: Costs 25 Spirit, Heals the Monk and his allies for 38-68 health. Deals 15-30 holy damage.
  • Rank Three: Costs 25 Spirit, Heals the Monk and his allies for 58-98 health. Deals 20-40 holy damage.

Lethal Decoy

Lethal Decoy
Spirit Skill

• Description: The Monk creates an illusion of himself composed of pure holy energy. This illusion attracts enemies to it, and then it explodes dealing X-X holy damage.
  • Rank One: Costs 40 Spirit, Explodes for 10-20 holy damage

Serenity

Serenity
Spirit Skill

• Description: The Monk creates a shield that protects him from all incoming damage. Lasts X seconds.

Tier Three Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 6. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Blinding Flash

Blinding Flash
Spirit Skill

• Description: Creates a flash of light that blinds all nearby enemies. Blinded enemies will not attack unless they are attacked first. Lasts for X-X seconds. Blinded enemies have a X% reduced chance to hit.
  • Rank One: Blinds enemies for 3-4 seconds, 20% reduced chance to hit.
  • Rank Two: Blinds enemies for 3-5 seconds, 25% reduced chance to hit.

Crippling Wave

Crippling Wave
A debuff combo, this one slows enemies, while dealing fairly minor damage. Best mixed in for the first or second hit with another more impactful combo.

• Description: A series of large sweeping attacks that debilitate enemies and cause X% weapon damage.
  • First Hit: Enemies are dazed, reducing movement speed by X% for X seconds.
  • Second and Third Hit: Refreshes the duration of the daze effect.

Holy Aura

Holy Aura
Spirit Skill
This healing aura regenerates hit points for the Monk and his nearby party members.

• Description: Bestows the Monk and nearby allies with a holy aura that increases health regeneration by X health per second.
  • When activated, temporarily boosts health regeneration to X health per second for X seconds.

Tier Four Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 10. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Dashing Strike

Dashing Strike
Combo Skill
A fast moving, charge-like attack, more useful for the movement than the damage dealt.

• Description: The Monk dashes quickly at the targeted enemy or location, dealing X% weapon damage plus X-X physical damage.

Dominate Aura

Dominate Aura
A damage-boosting aura. Spirit Skill.

• Description: Creates an aura that causes all nearby enemies to take X% additional damage.

Way of the Hundred Fists

Way of the Hundred Fists
Combo Skill
One of the most popular combo skills, this attack lands a crushing series of body shots on the enemy. It was shown in modified form in the Monk cinematic; used to pulverize the ribs of a Morlu Caster.

• Description: A series of punches strike enemies in front of the Monk that cause X% weapon damage.

Tier Five Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 14. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Exploding Palm

Exploding Palm
Combo Skill
This skill became an instant legend when the Monk debuted at Blizzcon 2009. It's a combo skill that deals two light damage hits, before the third booby traps the target with a beating heart visible above their head. If a monster dies with the heart still there, they explode in a supernova of blood, dealing substantial AoE damage to all nearby enemies.

• Description: A series of lethal strikes target enemy nerve clusters that sets up a deadly chain reaction within the target. Deals X% weapon damage.
  • Third Hit: Target bleeds for X physical damage over X seconds. If the target dies it explodes dealing X-X% of maximum health in physical damage to all enemies nearby.

Inner Sanctuary

Inner Sanctuary
Spirit Skill
A defensive skill that creates a small protected circle around the Monk into which no monster can enter. Spells and ranged attacks will still strike the Monk though.

• Description: Creates a protected region on the ground for X seconds that cannot be passed through.

Tier Six Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 20. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven
Spirit Skill
A curing, cleansing spell that removes debuffs from the Monk and his party.

• Description: The Monk banishes any harmful effects from himself and his allies, including stun, slowing, and effects that reduce defensive or offensive abilities.

Retribution Aura

Retribution Aura
Spirit Skill
An aura that reflects damage back at the monsters.

• Description: Creates an aura that reflects damage back at enemies, dealing holy damage equal to X% of the damage inflicted. When activated, this ability will damage all nearby enemies for X-X holy damage over X seconds.

Sweeping Wind

Sweeping Wind
Combo skill

• Description: The Monk sweeps his weapon in a circle, forming a barrier of force that deals X% weapon damage to every enemy hit. Can hit enemies multiple times.

Tier Seven Skills

All abilities in this tier are unlocked at Clvl 26. Click to the individual skill pages for more details and screenshots of these skills.

Resist Aura

Resist Aura
Spirit Skill

• Description: The Monk creates an aura that protects him and his allies, increasing all resistances by X points. For the first X seconds after this aura is activated, all resistances are increased by an additional X points.

Seven Sided Strike

Seven Sided Strike
Spirit Skill
A very powerful attack, when used in Blizzcon 2009 this skill allowed the Monk to teleport to an enemy, to strike it or other nearby enemies five times, and all without ever being hit in return. It was expected to be nerfed, and has not been seen in action since.

• Description: Unleashes a fury of attacks striking nearby enemies X times for X% weapon damage for each hit.

Wave of Light

Wave of Light
Spirit Skill

• Description: The Monk summons a rolling wave of holy fire that scorches everything in its path, dealing X holy damage.

Removed Skills

Impenetrable Defense, Radiant Visage, and Force Without Thought were removed from the Monk's skill listing between Blizzcon 2009 and Blizzcon 2010.

• See the Monk skill archive for a full listing of skill changes over time.

References

• Full Monk Skill Tree Stats and Discussion
• Monk gameplay report
• BlizzCon 2010 Monk Hands-on report