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For the legacy 2014 rules, Way of Mercy is the strongest all-around pick in this editorial ranking—but it is not a universally best subclass. The order below weighs combat usefulness, flexibility, and how reliably a subclass contributes across a typical campaign from levels 3–15. It is a reasoned recommendation, not an official tier list or a verified head-to-head test. Because the 2024 rules present a different Monk and a shorter subclass list, their four options are covered separately rather than mixed into the ten-option ranking.
Which Monk subclasses are included?
This ranking covers the ten traditions associated with the legacy 2014 Monk: Astral Self, Ascendant Dragon, Drunken Master, Four Elements, Kensei, Long Death, Mercy, Open Hand, Shadow, and Sun Soul. The list is a secondary-reference cross-check; consult the relevant rulebooks for character creation details.
The 2024 Monk presentation instead lists four subclass choices: Warrior of Mercy, Warrior of Shadow, Warrior of the Elements, and Warrior of the Open Hand. These are revised versions of familiar concepts, not four additional entries that can be fairly inserted into the 2014 ranking. D&D Beyond’s current Monk rules describe Focus Points returning after a Short or Long Rest, unlike assumptions that may apply to a legacy-class build. See the current Monk rules for the rules you are using.
The 2014 Monk subclasses, ranked
The rankings are editorial judgments based on the available feature summaries and broad role descriptions, not a complete mathematical comparison of every subclass feature. A character’s party, campaign, level, and preferred playstyle can change which option feels best.
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#1 Best Overall
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Way of Mercy
Signature: A flexible healing-and-harm identity. Best for: Players who want a Monk that can contribute support as well as offense. Trade-off: Its appeal depends on whether you value that additional role and can make room for its options within the Monk’s action economy and resources. Choose it if: You want a practical, adaptable character rather than a subclass focused on one narrow combat trick.
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Way of the Open Hand
Signature: Control effects added to Flurry of Blows. Best for: A straightforward close-quarters Monk who can disrupt enemies while attacking. Trade-off: Its defining approach is most relevant when you can get into melee and use Flurry. Choose it if: You want your core Monk routine to do more than deal damage.
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Way of the Shadow
Signature: Stealth-support spells and a strong connection to sneaking. Best for: Campaigns with infiltration, scouting, or other situations where stealth has meaningful payoff. Trade-off: A stealth-centered toolkit can matter less in campaigns that resolve most challenges through open combat. Choose it if: You want to play a covert operator and your group regularly has opportunities to use that skill set.
Rank #2
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Way of the Kensei
Signature: Weapon techniques. Best for: Players who want weapon use to be central to their Monk’s style. Trade-off: Its appeal is tied to that weapon-focused identity, so it is a weaker thematic match if you want an unarmed specialist. Choose it if: You have a clear weapon concept and want subclass features that support it.
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Way of the Long Death
Signature: Temporary hit points when you defeat enemies. Best for: A defensive, relentless character in encounters where the Monk can reliably finish foes. Trade-off: A feature triggered by defeating enemies depends on encounter pacing and who lands the final blow. Choose it if: You want a durable-feeling Monk and your campaign often features sustained fights with multiple opponents.
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Way of the Drunken Master
Signature: Added mobility after using Flurry of Blows. Best for: Players who want to strike and reposition rather than stay in one place. Trade-off: Its signature movement is linked to using Flurry, so it competes for the same class resources and is less valuable when that feature is not being used. Choose it if: Movement and a fluid combat rhythm matter more to you than a focused weapon or elemental theme.
Rank #3
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Way of the Astral Self
Signature: An astral-themed approach to the Monk. Best for: Players drawn to its distinctive supernatural identity. Trade-off: The available comparison evidence does not establish a complete feature-by-feature power case against the other traditions, so this placement is less certain. Choose it if: The concept is the reason you want to play a Monk; do not treat this rank as proof that it is mechanically inferior.
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Way of the Ascendant Dragon
Signature: A dragon-themed Monk identity. Best for: Players who want their subclass to reinforce a draconic character concept. Trade-off: The available comparison evidence does not provide a complete mechanical evaluation against the other traditions, making its exact place in the order uncertain. Choose it if: The dragon theme fits your character and campaign better than a higher-ranked option’s role.
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Way of the Sun Soul
Signature: Ranged radiant attacks. Best for: A Monk who wants a way to contribute at range with a radiant flavor. Trade-off: Its main draw is a specific ranged-combat identity; the evidence available for this ranking does not establish that it outperforms other options in a full range of encounters. Choose it if: Ranged radiant attacks are central to the character you want to play.
Rank #4
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Way of the Four Elements
Signature: An elemental-themed offensive approach. Best for: Players whose priority is elemental flavor. Trade-off: A broad theme alone does not establish how its features compare in practice, and the available evidence does not support a comprehensive mechanical rating. Choose it if: Elemental abilities are more important to your character concept than maximizing a general-purpose role.
Choose by the role you want to play
A rank is a starting point, not a substitute for matching the subclass to your campaign. D&D Beyond groups several legacy traditions by broad role—an editorial taxonomy, not a power ranking:
- Offense: Four Elements, Kensei, Open Hand, and Sun Soul.
- Defense: Drunken Master and Long Death.
- Support: Shadow.
That grouping does not classify Astral Self, Mercy, or Ascendant Dragon in the cited passage. For an actual character choice, consider what your campaign asks you to do: fight at range, protect yourself, support allies, use weapons, sneak past enemies, or control a melee encounter. Subclass features also share the Monk’s action economy and resource limits, so a powerful-sounding option is not automatically free to use alongside every class feature.
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What changes if you are playing the 2024 Monk?
Use the 2024 list if your table is using the revised class rules: Warrior of Mercy, Warrior of Shadow, Warrior of the Elements, and Warrior of the Open Hand. D&D Beyond’s overview says Mercy changed comparatively little, Shadow’s options were revised—including removing Pass without Trace and Silence from the described spell choices—and a persistent invisibility feature appears at level 17. It describes Elements as emphasizing reach and elemental damage, while Open Hand retains much of its familiar approach with some feature changes. These are summaries, not substitutes for the current rule text.
For rules and character-building decisions, refer to the D&D Beyond comparison of the 2024 and 2014 Monk and the current Monk rules. The ranking above does not establish how every legacy subclass performs when paired with the revised class.
How to use this ranking
If you want a quick recommendation under the 2014 rules, start with Mercy for flexibility or Open Hand for a direct melee-control style. Pick Shadow when stealth is a real part of your campaign, Kensei for a weapon-centered concept, and Long Death or Drunken Master when their defensive or mobile playstyles fit your encounters. If a lower-ranked subclass best expresses your character, that is a sound reason to choose it: this order is an editorial comparison, not an objective measure of what every table will enjoy or need.
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