FFXIV Monk (MNK) Basics Guide & FAQ – Shadowbringers Updated!

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Motivated to be a Monk? Before you mull over the massive mixture of moves, learn the absolute basics of the MNK job! Basic information and FAQs in our Monk Basics Guide. Read on if you’re expecting to learn about unlocking MNK, Monk Job Identity, trait and skill list, crafters and gatherers related to MNK, and link to other important Monk info!

Monk is a Melee DPS job, and one of nine jobs that came out at release, 2.0 A Realm Reborn. MNKs came out with Dragoons are the other melee DPS at the time.

How to become a Monk? Unlocking MNK:

First and foremost you need to have a Level 30 Pugilist, and have completed the L30 PGL class quest, “Return of the Holyfist”. After doing this you can unlock the actual quest to become a Monk, “Brother from Another Mother” – the quest is issued by Gagaruna in the Pugilists guild at Ul’dah – Steps of Thal.

You also have to complete a Level 20 MSQ, “Sylph Management”, which realistically should be completed by the time you’re looking to unlock Monk. 

Note that, upon completing Brother from Another Mother you MUST EQUIP the “Soul of the Monk” to actually formally BECOME a MNK. Interestingly, in the old days, unlocking Monk required L15 Lancer – that’s no longer the case.

Rushing to or want to know how to unlock a certain class? Learn more:
FFXIV Job Unlock & Requirements Guide.

Monk Playstyle & MNK Job Identity

If you’ve asked yourself, “Why play, try, or choose Monk?” – here’s my attempt at selling you the MNK class.

Monk is our resident “combo class”. Super fast attacks, lots of tracking timers, loads of  positionals… they’re probably the most hectic melee DPS class.

Monks have a decent balance of Raid utility and personal DPS. Historically, they have been known to put up great DPS, but… Monks have the shortest GCD in the game thanks to their stacking Greased Lightning buff, and the heaviest positional requirements of any job. The combination of those two can sound interesting to some, but daunting to others.

Aesthetically and thematically, they’re the typical “lightning fast” fist fighter. While their OG artifact armor is a little meme-tier (it’s improved since!), one cannot argue how cool double fist weapons are, and just how “right” the class playstyle and expectations align.

What Crafters & Gatherers should Monk level?

While it’s common in MMORPG’s to think you want to craft your own gear as you level up your MNK… I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.

Leveling up your DoH and DoL jobs should be thought of as a different activity completely. To be honest, if you’re a newer player, simply ensure that you DO NOT OVERCAP Levequests (always have less than 100).

The only relation a combat job has to a crafter or gatherer class is “which classes do you need to repair your gear”? My advice, ultimately, is pretty much all or nothing – level up all DoH classes in tandem. As a separate project, level up all DoL classes in tandem (with the optional Fisher).

What’s the best race for Monk?

Racial stats are (was?) a thing. However, I highly recommend not caring about it. The difference in performance between the “best” and “worst” race for you is not even 0.1%.

My advice? Pick for aesthetics. Will you stay the same job forever? If you change mains, will you race change? Ultimately, the difference is so microscopic that I cannot in good faith tell you that racial stats are an integral part of your character.

I won’t even link the Racial Stats Guide, as I haven’t checked up on this in a while – and I don’t want to cement the idea that the “best race” really matters.

Related Monk Guides – Read More!

Here are a few useful links for you:

• General Leveling Guide for ALL combat classes / jobs
• Pugilist Basics Guide & FAQ
• Pugilist Leveling Guide
• Adding new links as we update them!

Upcoming Odds and Ends

Here’s a few things we’ll be adding on here in the near future:

• Adding a “links to further resources”, we’re doing a site restructure so once those links are set, they’ll go in here.
• Human-readable, newbie-friendly skill and trait list.
  > I used to have the in-game skill list here, but I found it useless as the in-game one is better… I’d rather have a new player friendly rundown.
• More descriptive job identity? Pics?
  > I dunno… pictures of the job gauges? A gif of some flashy skills?
• Feel free to suggest anything else via comment or socials!

Summary & Outro

Well that’s about it for a really, really basic guide that hopefully points some lost souls in the right direction, or answers some of your questions regarding Monk.

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