Monk is one of Mewgenics’ most combo-heavy classes. It can switch between ranged and melee stances, refresh basic attacks while changing stance, turn movement into free attacks, scale from repeated hits, or give up armor slots for crit, Speed, Dodge, and spell bonuses.
That makes Monk feel weaker than it really is if I only look at the damage printed on its basic attacks.
The class is built around how many meaningful actions one turn can contain.
Quick answer: Monk becomes dangerous when movement, stance switching, and basic attacks start feeding each other. Combo Pull and Combo Throw let the class switch stance while refreshing its basic action. Running Jab turns movement into another attack. Flow State becomes stronger every time Monk deals damage during the turn. The armorless passives create a separate route where empty equipment slots become combat stats instead of wasted space.
Monk at a Glance
| Monk Trait | Value |
|---|---|
| Role | Combo damage / stance switching / multi-hit / mobility |
| Stat bonuses | +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma |
| Stat penalties | -1 Strength, -1 Dexterity |
| Ranged basic attack | Lobbed Shot (Monk), 2 Physical Damage |
| Melee basic attack | Melee Attack (Monk), 3 Physical Damage |
| Class identity | Switch between ranged and melee stances and chain attacks |
| Best at | Extended turns, repeated hits, movement combos, armorless scaling |
| Main weakness | Low base attack numbers need an actual engine behind them |
| Unlock | Clear The Lab |
The unusual part is the stat spread.
Monk starts with more Intelligence and Charisma even though many of its most memorable tools involve punching, movement, and melee attacks. Its Strength and Dexterity both start slightly lower.
That is one reason passives such as Flow State matter so much: Monk can generate the physical stats it needs during the turn instead of relying entirely on the class’s starting modifiers.
How to Unlock Monk
Monk unlocks by clearing The Lab for the first time.
The Lab becomes available after Act 2. It introduces more complicated enemies than the earlier areas, including enemies that create additional units and scientists that can revive after going down.
Some bosses also punish bad positioning. The Spewer, for example, is much safer when the team does not line up directly with it.
For the actual class unlock, though, there is no separate side objective:
finish The Lab once and Monk becomes available.
Monk Has Two Basic Attacks
Monk has both a ranged and a melee basic attack.
Lobbed Shot
Lobbed Shot (Monk) deals 2 Physical Damage and can be lobbed over units and obstacles.
Its raw damage is low.
Its main value is that Monk can still contribute while starting at range, and several abilities can then pull Monk into melee stance or use the ranged stance as one half of a larger combo.
Melee Attack
Melee Attack (Monk) deals 3 Physical Damage to an adjacent unit.
Again, the number is not impressive by itself.
But Monk has several passives that specifically care about basic melee attacks, including:
- Tenderize;
- Turnabout;
- Running Jab;
- Unburdened Strikes setups;
- other on-hit effects.
The attack becomes much more important once it is happening two, three, or more times inside one turn.
Stance Switching Is the Real Core Mechanic
Monk’s ranged and melee attacks are not just two options on the same action bar.
Several Monk abilities actively switch stance and then refund the basic attack.
Combo Pull is a ranged attack that pulls the target toward Monk. When it hits, Monk switches into melee stance and refreshes the basic attack.
Combo Throw does the opposite. It is a melee attack with Knockback 3, then switches Monk into ranged stance and refreshes the basic attack.
That creates a natural sequence:
ranged attack → pull enemy closer → switch to melee → refreshed melee basic
or:
melee attack → knock enemy away → switch to ranged → refreshed ranged basic
This is where the class starts to feel completely different from Fighter.
Fighter generally wants one strong position and one strong hit.
Monk can deliberately move the enemy and itself between different attack states so the turn keeps going.
Combo Pull and Combo Throw
| Ability | Cost | Effect | What It Creates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combo Pull | 6 Mana | Ranged hit that pulls the target, switches to melee stance, refreshes basic attack | Range-to-melee chain |
| Combo Throw | 6 Mana | Melee hit with Knockback 3, switches to ranged stance, refreshes basic attack | Melee-to-range chain |
Both upgraded versions cost less mana.
These are not high-damage abilities.
Their purpose is action conversion.
A one-damage Combo Pull can still be excellent if it:
- puts the enemy next to Monk;
- changes stance;
- gives the basic attack back;
- sets up Tenderize, Flow State, or another basic-attack effect.
The ability is creating a sequence, not just dealing one point of damage.
Running Jab Makes Movement Part of the Combo
Running Jab automatically uses Monk’s basic attack when movement ends with an enemy in range.
The upgraded version also gives an additional movement action each turn.
This is one of the cleanest Monk passives because movement stops being downtime.
A normal cat might:
move → attack
Running Jab can create:
move → automatic attack → use actual basic action → move again
once the build gains enough mobility.
That also explains why mobility spells can be so valuable on Monk even when they do not deal much damage themselves.
The movement is potentially another attack trigger.
Fist of Fate Is a Movement Attack, Not Just a Teleport
Fist of Fate costs 5 mana.
Monk teleports next to a random enemy, switches into melee stance, and automatically attacks it.
The upgraded version can repeat the effect multiple times.
This spell fits Monk unusually well because it combines three things the class already wants:
movement + stance control + basic attack.
It also has an important interaction with movement-based effects. Running Jab can add even more value to movement sequences where Monk ends beside an enemy.
That is why Fist of Fate can produce far more damage than its description initially suggests when the rest of the build already rewards movement and basic attacks.
Flow State Rewards Damage Events, Not One Big Hit
Flow State gives Monk:
- +1 Strength;
- +2 Dexterity
each time Monk deals damage to another unit, lasting until the end of the turn.
The upgraded version changes that to:
- +2 Strength;
- +2 Dexterity;
- +2 Luck
per damage event.
This is where multi-hit Monk starts to scale very quickly.
The first hit makes the next hit stronger.
That hit adds more stats.
Another hit adds more again.
So a spell that attacks many times can be much more valuable than one large hit with the same total printed damage.
The important word here is each time.
Hundred Hand Slap Is Built for This
Hundred Hand Slap costs 15 mana and attacks ten times for 1 Physical Damage per hit, followed by Knockback 10.
The upgraded version gives each hit a chance to inflict Bruise and makes the final hit stronger.
On paper, 1×10 may not look exceptional for 15 mana.
With Flow State, the sequence becomes very different.
Each successful damage event can increase Monk’s stats before later hits occur.
It also gives ten separate opportunities for effects that care about hits, Bruise, or other attack triggers.
This is why Monk should not be evaluated by looking only at total printed spell damage.
The number of individual hits can matter more.
Tenderize Makes Repeated Melee Hits Better
Tenderize causes Monk’s basic melee attacks to inflict Bruise 1.
The upgraded version also adds a 15% Stun chance.
Bruise is especially relevant to a class that can attack repeatedly.
One melee hit applies Bruise.
The next hit benefits from the target already being softened.
Multi-hit abilities then get even more value from a target that has already accumulated Bruise.
This is a much better fit for Monk than a passive that only improves one isolated attack.
Turnabout Changes Enemy Facing
Turnabout makes Monk’s basic melee attacks:
- inflict Confusion 1;
- turn the target so it faces away from Monk.
The upgraded version also adds a 20% Stun chance.
Turning the target is not just flavor.
It can change how that enemy interacts with backstab mechanics and positional attacks from the rest of the party.
That gives Monk an interesting team role: a melee basic attack can simultaneously deal damage, disrupt the target, and create a better attack angle for another cat.
The value increases naturally when Monk is already getting several melee basics per turn.
Charge Fists Turns Basics Into Sparkle Generation
Charge Fists costs 3 mana.
Until the end of the turn, basic attacks emit +1 Sparkle.
The upgraded version also refreshes the basic attack immediately.
This is another ability that cares less about one attack being strong and more about how many basic attacks Monk can fit into the turn.
If Monk only attacks once, Charge Fists creates limited value.
If Combo Pull, Combo Throw, Running Jab, or another effect is refreshing or triggering more basics, every one of those attacks can benefit from the buff.
The spell becomes stronger as the action engine becomes stronger.
Monk’s Big One-Time Attacks
Monk also has several spectacular abilities that play very differently from its normal combo loop.
Kamehameha
Kamehameha costs 0 mana and deals 14 Magic Damage to a target within 5 tiles and line of sight.
It is normally castable once per battle.
If all armor slots are empty, it becomes once per turn.
The upgraded version increases the damage to 20 and removes the normal five-tile range limit as long as line of sight exists.
That one condition makes Kamehameha extremely important to armorless Monk.
Empty armor slots are not merely boosting stats.
They can fundamentally change how often a major spell is available.
One Punch
One Punch is a once-per-battle melee attack that instantly kills a normal target.
Against bosses, it deals 25 damage instead.
The cost is All Stats Down after use.
That means timing matters.
Using One Punch early can solve one dangerous enemy immediately, but Monk then has to continue the fight with the stat penalty.
Against a boss, it becomes a fixed burst tool rather than an instant kill.
Spirit Bomb
Charge Spirit Bomb begins charging the attack and gives allies access to Donate Energy until the bomb is thrown.
Once charged, Throw Spirit Bomb releases it as Explosion Magic Damage.
This is much less self-contained than One Punch.
One Punch is immediate.
Spirit Bomb asks the whole party to contribute before the payoff arrives.
That makes it better suited to a fight where there is enough time and safety to actually build the charge.
Armorless Monk Is a Real Build, Not a Gimmick
Monk has several passives that specifically reward empty armor slots.
The most important ones are:
| Passive | Empty-Slot Reward |
|---|---|
| Unburdened Strikes | +10% crit chance and +25% crit damage per empty armor slot |
| Unburdened Motion | +1 Speed and +10% Dodge per empty armor slot |
| Unburdened Thoughts | +1 INT and +1 CHA per empty armor slot |
| Kamehameha | Becomes once per turn when every armor slot is empty |
These do not simply compensate Monk for missing equipment.
They create an alternate equipment economy.
Another class normally sees an empty armor slot as lost value.
An armorless Monk can see it as:
crit + crit damage + Speed + Dodge + INT + CHA + spell cost reduction.
That makes “equip the first decent armor you find” a potentially bad decision.
Unburdened Strikes Is the Offensive Version
Unburdened Strikes gives +10% crit chance and +25% critical damage for each empty armor slot.
If every armor slot is empty, Monk also counterattacks when hit.
The upgraded version keeps the same per-slot crit bonuses and causes crits to inflict Bruise when fully armorless.
This passive is strongest when the build actually commits.
Leaving one slot empty provides some value.
Leaving every armor slot empty activates the extra effect and also lines up with other armorless Monk mechanics.
So there is a real threshold decision:
am I just accepting one empty slot, or am I building an armorless Monk?
Those are not the same thing.
Unburdened Motion Makes Empty Slots Mobility
Unburdened Motion gives +1 Speed and +10% Dodge Chance per empty armor slot.
With every armor slot empty, Monk gets an extra movement action.
The upgraded version raises the bonuses and also gives Flying when fully armorless.
That extra movement becomes particularly valuable with Running Jab.
Now the armorless choice is indirectly generating attacks:
empty slots → more movement → Running Jab triggers → more basic attacks.
This is a much stronger synergy than simply saying “Speed is good on Monk.”
Unburdened Thoughts Supports the Spell Side
Unburdened Thoughts gives +1 Intelligence and +1 Charisma per empty armor slot.
If all armor slots are empty, spells cost 1 less mana.
The upgraded version adds Kinetic Spikes per empty slot and gives +2 Magic Damage when fully armorless.
This is what lets armorless Monk support both sides of the class.
Unburdened Strikes pushes physical crits.
Unburdened Thoughts pushes spells.
A Monk using Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, or other magic tools can therefore benefit from the same empty-slot decision without needing to become a pure melee build.
Armorless Does Not Mean “Never Equip Anything”
The important question is what the armor is replacing.
A mediocre armor piece may cost more than it gives if equipping it removes:
- crit chance;
- crit damage;
- Speed;
- Dodge;
- Intelligence;
- Charisma;
- an extra movement;
- spell-cost reduction;
- Kamehameha’s once-per-turn condition.
A truly exceptional armor piece can still justify the trade.
The point is that Monk has a measurable cost for filling the slot.
That makes its equipment decisions different from almost every other class.
Running Jab + Flow State Is the Cleanest Monk Engine
These two passives explain the class extremely well.
Running Jab turns movement into automatic attacks.
Flow State turns each damage event into more Strength and Dexterity for the rest of the turn.
That means the sequence can look like:
move → free basic attack → gain Flow State stats → attack again → move → another free basic
Every successful part of the sequence improves the next one.
Add Combo Pull or Combo Throw and stance changes can refund even more basics.
Add Charge Fists and those basics start producing Sparkles.
Add Tenderize and melee hits start stacking Bruise.
This is where Monk stops looking weak.
Pummel Rewards Staying in the Same Turn
Pummel costs 5 mana and starts as a weak melee attack.
Each additional use during the same turn gains +3 damage.
The upgraded version gains +4 damage per use and costs less.
It also applies all status effects from Monk’s basic attack.
That makes Pummel another spell that wants an extended turn rather than a single isolated cast.
A Monk with extra turns, action refreshes, or enough mana can keep increasing the damage instead of resetting every round.
This fits naturally with the rest of the class:
Monk wants to keep the turn alive.
Monkey Style Is a Defensive Monk Route
Not every Monk needs to be a pure combo glass cannon.
Monkey Style gives a 15% chance to block damage and counterattack.
The upgraded version raises the chance to 33%.
The gameplay material points out that Luck can push this much higher, which makes it a real defensive direction rather than a novelty.
This also fits Monk’s attack-trigger identity: even defense can create more attacks.
It is particularly interesting when those counterattacks themselves carry Tenderize, Turnabout, or other basic-melee effects.
The Main Monk Builds
Monk’s routes overlap more naturally than Druid’s, because most of them still care about extending the turn.
Movement Combo Monk
The core is:
- Running Jab;
- Fist of Fate;
- Combo Pull;
- Combo Throw;
- cheap mobility.
The goal is to turn every reposition into another attack or another stance transition.
This is the version where movement is offensive tempo.
Multi-Hit Flow State Monk
The important pieces are:
- Flow State;
- Hundred Hand Slap;
- Pummel;
- other repeated-hit attacks.
Flow State rewards each damage event individually.
That means the build wants many hits early in the turn so later attacks benefit from the stats already generated.
Armorless Crit Monk
This route centers on:
- Unburdened Strikes;
- Unburdened Motion;
- Unburdened Thoughts;
- Kamehameha;
- empty armor slots.
The build gives up conventional equipment value for an entire package of crit, mobility, Dodge, stats, and spell benefits.
It works best when Monk commits rather than leaving one random slot empty by accident.
Bruise / Control Monk
Tenderize and Turnabout make repeated melee basics do more than damage.
Bruise improves follow-up pressure.
Confusion changes enemy behavior.
Turning targets around can create positional opportunities.
Stun chances on upgraded versions add another control layer.
This works naturally with Running Jab and stance-refresh effects because every extra basic attack is another chance to apply the control package.
Big-Move Monk
Kamehameha, One Punch, and Spirit Bomb belong to a very different rhythm.
These abilities are not about building ten tiny attacks.
They are about creating one huge moment.
One Punch removes a priority normal enemy immediately.
Kamehameha becomes much more repeatable in an armorless setup.
Spirit Bomb converts party support into one delayed explosion.
The rest of the Monk build should help create safe opportunities to use those tools rather than simply collecting them because the damage numbers look impressive.
Where Monk Builds Usually Fall Apart
| Problem | Why It Hurts Monk |
|---|---|
| Only looking at base basic-attack damage | The class is designed around refreshes, movement, and repeated triggers |
| Taking Flow State without multi-hit actions | The stat growth never has time to compound |
| Taking Running Jab with poor mobility | There are too few movement endings to trigger extra attacks |
| Equipping average armor on an Unburdened build | One mediocre item can remove several empty-slot bonuses |
| Using Combo Pull / Throw as damage spells | Their main value is stance change and basic-action refresh |
| Using One Punch too early | All Stats Down affects the rest of the battle |
| Charging Spirit Bomb in a fight that will end immediately | The setup takes longer than the payoff is worth |
| Ignoring melee-only passive wording | Tenderize and Turnabout do not automatically improve every Monk attack |
| Building only one giant hit around Flow State | Flow State rewards many damage events, not one opening nuke |
The common thread is that Monk needs sequence.
A collection of strong individual attacks is not automatically a strong Monk build.
A Strong Monk Turn Has a Shape
The best Monk turns usually have an opener, a scaling section, and a payoff.
For example:
move into range → Running Jab triggers → Flow State gains stats → Combo Throw refreshes the ranged basic → attack again → use mobility → another Running Jab → finish with a heavier spell
A different build may instead go:
Charge Fists → refreshed basic → Combo Pull → refreshed melee basic → Tenderize applies Bruise → Hundred Hand Slap into the softened target
That is the class’s real strength.
Not one ability.
Not one passive.
The ability to make one action create the conditions for the next action.
Is Monk Worth Using?
Monk has some of the weakest-looking basic attack numbers in the class roster, and that can give the wrong first impression.
The ranged basic starts at only 2 damage.
The melee basic starts at 3.
But those attacks are unusually easy to refresh, trigger automatically, modify, and combine with stance changes.
Running Jab turns movement into attacks.
Combo Pull and Combo Throw turn stance changes into refreshed basics.
Flow State turns early hits into stats for later hits.
Unburdened passives turn empty armor slots into an entire combat engine.
Hundred Hand Slap rewards multi-hit scaling, while Kamehameha, One Punch, and Spirit Bomb give the class very different finishing tools.
Monk is strongest when the turn stops looking like:
move once → attack once
and starts looking like a chain where every action creates another one.