A class with a subclass is so strong in Baldur’s Gate 3 that you want nothing else – because it is more powerful than all the others.
The choice of the right class in Baldur’s Gate 3 is actually not that important for a successful playthrough. Because every class has advantages and disadvantages, and with pretty much any combination, you can successfully master the great RPG. But there is one class that is so efficient that many players never return once they have tasted it.
We are talking about the Monk with the “Way of the Open Hand” subclass.
What is being said about it? In the Reddit post by Toogeloo, the player shares his experiences with the “Open Hand” Monk. After trying it out, other classes just feel weak. He is so enthusiastic that he even retrains his companions and makes them Monks.
I am currently trying to play with Shadowheart as a Shadow Monk and Gale as an Elemental Monk in a new playthrough, after I completed my first Honor run with an “Open Hand” Monk Karlach. Even when I play them both as Tavern Brawlers, the “Open Hand” variant just feels so much better. These flurry attacks that knock enemies down, the ability to gain a bonus action (while simultaneously generating Ki), and the extra damage from the manifestations make it feel like the other subclasses just can’t keep up.
This is apparently not just a lone opinion, as the post has garnered over 1,800 upvotes within a few hours. The “Open Hand” Monk is highly regarded by many.
What makes the Monk so strong? Although Monks usually totally forgo armor and are therefore theoretically very vulnerable to enemy attacks, several Monks working together can ensure that enemies almost never get a turn.
For Monks with the “Open Hand” subclass have many abilities to make multiple attacks per turn and can even enhance their attacks, allowing them to knock down or stun enemies – which keeps even some bosses in a “stunlock”. Even supposedly intimidating bosses like Raphael can then be defeated within a few rounds and virtually without resistance.
Later in the game, these Monks can make 4-5 unarmed attacks per round. While unarmed attacks usually do not deal much damage, this can be combined with passive effects like “Manifestation of the Body,” causing every attack to deal an additional 1d4 (+Wisdom modifier) damage.
In the endgame, the “Helldusk Gloves” add another 1d6 necrotic damage to each attack.
When combined with feats like “Tavern Brawler,” where each unarmed attack also receives double the Strength modifier, you can reach absurd amounts of damage that no enemy in the game can withstand for long. Especially not when multiple Monks are involved.
In the end, you get a Monk who can output triple-digit damage numbers in a single turn and, in the case of critical hits, can dispatch even large enemies like Raphael in no time.
This is how the community discusses it: Basically, there is no two opinions about the “Open Hand” Monk. It is popular – and pretty strong. This is generally acknowledged by everyone.
- “Open-Hand Monk with Tavern Brawler and unarmed attacks is definitely completely OP. I played this in my last playthrough. I could literally run across the whole map and made 4-5 attacks per round. Health was not an issue because I buffed my Monk before the fight to make her stronger. No armor, just cloth.” – Remarkable-Ask-3868
- “Open-Hand Monk is so strong, it makes nearly all other classes look weak. During an Honor Mode run, I literally swapped out a character for Halsin just before the end of Act 2. I retrained Halsin as an Open-Hand Monk with Tavern Brawler without armor or equipment, and he basically soloed Ketheric and Myrkul. The damage, the hit chance, the double attack as a bonus action with knockdown. What can keep up with that?” – CadmeusCain
- “Yeah, it’s broken and OP with Tavern Brawler. No one will say otherwise. Of course, the other subclasses then don’t feel that good.” – Ixnch50
Have you also completed a playthrough with such a Monk or even a whole group of them? What were your experiences? Or are you currently trying out another class combination? If you need ideas, we have presented some great options here.
