Monks are one of Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition's more unique classes. Unlike most martial characters, they don't wear armor and often forgo weaponry. Nor do they use traditional spellcasting or Pact Magic like other supernaturally themed classes. Monks rely on magical martial arts and their own unique Ki resource.
It can be challenging to reward monks in D&D. Weapons, armor, or magical staves make up a large proportion of D&D 5e's magic items. More esoteric Wondrous Items are less useful in combat. However, D&D 5e does not struggle for variety with its magical loot. It contains plenty of choices well-suited for monks.
Updated November 14th by Isaac Williams: Monks' reliance on unarmored and unarmed combat gives them fewer obvious magic items than many other classes. Nonetheless, plenty of options synergize perfectly with their features. This list has been updated to fit CBR's current style guidelines and to explain the best monk magic items in D&D 5e even more.
18 A Ring Of Evasion Synergizes To Completely Negate Damage
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 191
D&D 5e monks have good Dexterity saving throws, but that isn't always enough to save them. If enough spells or traps target the monk, they will eventually fail a saving throw and take damage. The Ring of Evasion D&D 5e magic item can protect monks when they roll poorly. A D&D monk can use their reaction with a Ring of Evasion to automatically pass a Dexterity throw they fail.
The Ring of Evasion's ability is valuable for most characters. However, a monk gets even more use out of it due to their Evasion ability which prevents any damage on a successful Dexterity saving throw. Although the Ring of Evasion is a synergistic and effective monk magic item in D&D 5e, its somewhat redundant nature prevents it from being higher on this list.
17 A Necklace Of Fireballs Fills In A Combat Gap
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 182
Monks are some of D&D 5e's best skirmishers and can more than hold their own in a straight fight. However, they suffer when dealing with hordes of enemies. Their rapid attacks are unlikely to down foes in a single hit, leaving them struggling to damage many in one turn. The Necklace of Fireballs D&D magic item gives a hard-hitting area-of-effect attack to any character.
Any character can detach a bead from the Necklace of Fireballs to cast the Fireball spell, even if they're not a spellcaster. A monk's Evasion even lets them target areas near themselves with one of D&D 5e's best damage spells. Nonetheless, monks are typically better served to target individual enemies rather than battling hordes, making the Necklace of Fireballs more of a fallback magic item for monks in D&D 5e.
16 A Ring Of Free Action Suits A Mobile Character
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 191
Speed is a core strength of D&D monks. They get more frequent speed increases than any other class — up to double their movement. This is key in enabling their hit-and-run playstyle. However, this can be denied. Some battlefields have difficult terrain that slows a monk. Some enemies can inflict the Paralyzed or Restrained conditions.
The Ring of Free Action allows its wearer to ignore difficult terrain. It also makes them immune to magic that reduces speed, paralyzes, or restrains them. A Ring of Free Action is one of the best monk magic items in D&D 5e for keeping them mobile and fast on the battlefield, helping them harness their greatest strengths in almost any encounter.
15 A Dispelling Stone Aids In Hunting Mages
Very Rare, Explorer's Guide to Wildemount pg. 266
Monks are some of the best D&D martial characters for combating spellcasters. Their high mobility lets them corner enemy spellcasters with ease. In addition, they can force multiple Concentration checks with their many attacks. They can even stun spellcasters to stop them from casting spells. However, they lack access to Dispel Magic or similar spells if an enemy manages to use something dangerous.
A Dispelling Stone is a valuable magic item for a D&D monk hunting spellcasters. A monk can dispel any spell effect of fifth-level or lower within 30 feet by throwing it. Aimed well, it can remove all the buffs or debuffs from several targets. Alternatively, it can rid the battlefield of dangerous effects like Hunger of Hadar and make things safer for the whole party.
14 A Cloak Of Displacement Shores Up Defensive Weaknesses
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 158
Unarmored Defense is a powerful class feature. The higher a monk's Dexterity and Wisdom scores, the higher their Armor Class. However, this takes time. A monk can eventually be better protected than most fighters or Paladins. However, it takes many levels to get a truly impressive Armor Class.
A Cloak of Displacement D&D magic item is an invaluable addition to a monk's arsenal regardless of Armor Class. It imposes disadvantage on attack rolls against the wearer. This keeps characters safe early on and grows better as a monk's Armor Class increases. A Cloak of Displacement is a monk magic item in D&D 5e that can make them almost impossible to hit.
13 Boots Of Speed Reward Fast Characters
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 155
Monks are D&D 5e's fastest class on their base features alone. They're also designed for a hit-and-run, skirmishing fighting style. The Boots of Speed improve both aspects. Boots of Speed double a monk's movement for up to ten minutes per day. In addition, they give disadvantage on Opportunity Attacks against the monk.
The Boots of Speed give the monk unparalleled mobility. A D&D 5e monk wearing them can cross most of the battlefield in a single turn. In addition, they let the monk escape enemies with ease. Their flexibility is a significant boon, but the relatively small size of most D&D 5e battlefields limits their evergreen value and position on this list.
12 An Amulet Of Health Eases A Monk's Ability Score Requirements
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 150
The Amulet of Health has the simple effect of raising a D&D character's Constitution score to 19. This is less than the cap from Ability Score Improvements. However, it's also a much smaller investment. Many monks struggle to raise their Constitution score, as they have to raise both Dexterity and Wisdom to be effective.
Coupled with their d8 Hit Die, this can leave monks fragile for frontline fighters. An Amulet of Health magic item can fix a D&D 5e monk's problems almost immediately. Two or three more hit points per level are invaluable. This can put them on par with more durable classes like fighters or paladins without taking away from their other ability scores.
11 A Weapon Of Warning Prevents Surprise
Uncommon, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 213
Perception is an invaluable skill for any D&D character. It has uses in exploring, dungeoneering, combat, and more. Perception can spy the most hidden secrets in a dungeon or alert the party to threats. A Weapon of Warning can make a D&D 5e monk even more accomplished at the latter.
A Weapon of Warning serves two purposes as a D&D 5e monk magic item It's a valuable weapon in its own right for monks who don't use only their fists. It also ensures that the monk and their companions can't be surprised. A Weapon of Warning is straightforward but has a potent ability. It can take the form of several common monk weapons, such as a quarterstaff, dagger, or short sword.
10 Bracers Of Defense Suit An Unarmored Warrior
Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 156
A monk doesn't quite fit the traditional role of a tank in a D&D party. However, they can develop a surprisingly high Armor Class throughout their career. Any player looking to increase their AC even higher should invest in Bracers of Defense. While the wearer has no armor or shield, they gain a +2 bonus to AC.
Bracers of Defense are a handy item for many classes. However, D&D monks cannot wear armor without losing most of their abilities. On top of that, high Armor Class helps with their relative frailty. The Bracers of Defense are one of D&D 5e's best magic items for monks trying to avoid damage. However, their AC bonus can fall off against higher-level foes, whereas higher-ranked items remain useful throughout.
9 An Eldritch Claw Tattoo Transforms Unarmed Combat
Uncommon, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything pg. 126
D&D monks are not inherently ranged combatants. They start with a handful of darts, and some subclasses impart ranged attacks. However, most monks prefer closing to melee range combat. An Eldritch Claw can be a fallback for a melee rogue who finds themselves in a ranged fight.
The Eldritch Claw Tattoo makes unarmed strikes magical for overcoming resistances, provides a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls for unarmed strikes, and can increase the range of unarmed strikes to 15ft for one minute. Even a little extra range for a monk's unarmed strikes is a significant blessing for such a melee-oriented class.
8 A Ring Of Shooting Stars Provides Combat Flexibility
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 192
A Ring of Shooting Stars D&D 5e magic item provides a unique long-ranged option for monks who want it. Its most basic ability is casting Faerie Fire, a powerful spell that can buff allies in combat. It also gives a pair of ranged attacks. Either of these expands a melee-focused monk's toolkit significantly.
One option launches balls of lightning that electrocute creatures within five feet of them for decent damage. Aside from that, the ring can conjure strong projectiles that hit 15-foot areas. However, its attunement cost can be high, particularly when competing against other monk magic items in D&D 5e. As a result, it's only a middling option on a list of the very best.
7 A Blood Fury Tattoo Makes For More Vicious Attacks
Legendary, Tasha's Cauldron Of Everything pg. 122
The Blood Fury Tattoo solves two of the D&D 5e monk's biggest weaknesses as a class. In later levels, monks' damage can begin falling off compared to other classes. Furthermore, they're also more fragile than many classes. Most D&D 5e monk subclasses have little ability to heal themselves.
The Blood Fury Tattoo can help with both. A character can expend one of its ten charges to deal an extra 4d6 damage when they hit, which also restores their hit points. A monk can sustain themselves for much longer with the Blood Fury Tattoo. It also lets them counter-attack enemies as a reaction, which gives them more opportunities to inflict damage and use Stunning Strike.
6 A Staff Of Striking Makes Weapons Worthwhile
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 203
Many of the magic staves in D&D are designed for spellcasters. However, a Staff of Striking is best used as a magic quarterstaff. It gives a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with it. In addition, the staff has ten charges, which can be spent to deal extra force damage with each strike.
Many D&D monks prefer unarmed strikes. However, some like to wield a weapon in combat. The Staff of Striking provides a significant combat boost to any monk wielding it. It doesn't improve their Unarmed Strikes or Flurry of Blows, but it makes both the attacks in a monk's action much more vicious.
5 The Tome Of Understanding Raises Most Of A Monk's Abilities
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 209
Monks rely very heavily on two stats: Dexterity and Wisdom. It can be a challenge in D&D 5e to keep two ability scores raised to a high level. Ability Score Improvements usually happen once every four levels, and a monk can spend most of the game struggling to keep their Dexterity and Wisdom high enough. The Tome of Understanding can ease some of the burden.
If a monk spends 48 hours reading the Tome of Understanding in six days, their Wisdom increases by two. Furthermore, they can increase their Wisdom to a maximum of 22. This makes their Ki abilities stronger, improves skills like Insight and Perception, and increases their Armor Class. As a result, it's one of the best magic items for D&D 5e monks to make their best abilities even better.
4 The Manual Of Quickness Of Action Makes The Monk A Physical Powerhouse
Very Rare, Dungeon Master's Guide pg. 181
The Manual of Quickness of Action is another D&D 5e magic item for increasing stats. If a monk devotes 48 hours to reading it over six days, they get a significant bonus to their Dexterity. That's not all, however. With this book, a D&D 5e monk can increase their Dexterity to a maximum of 22 rather than 20.
This has many valuable effects. It can keep a monk's attacking ability score up to par while the monk focuses on other ability scores. Later in the game, it can let a monk break the game's normal limits with their Dexterity. A Manual of Quickness of Action's direct combat bonuses as a D&D 5e magic item make it one of the very best options on this list.
3 Ruin's Wake Earns Its High Status
Artifact, Explorer's Guide to Wildemount pg. 277
Monks appreciate high-level D&D magic weapons almost as much as every martial class. Ruin's Wake is an artifact weapon that can be a monk weapon due to being a spear. Its most straightforward property is that, at its highest level, it's a +3 weapon that deals 2d8 additional damage. That's a significant boon to a D&D monk's accuracy and lethality.
Ruin's Wake also provides one use per day of an array of features. None of these outmatch other weapons in their own right but instead provide immense versatility. A D&D 5e monk can use Ruin's Wake to heal, attack in an area-of-effect, attack with their reaction, and buff allies in a wide area. Its damage alone makes it a direct upgrade over many other D&D 5e monk magic items on this list, with the other abilities thoroughly earning its high place.
2 Belt Of Storm Giant's Strength Supplants A Monk's Main Combat Stat
Legendary, Player's Handbook pg. 155
Monks rarely use Strength in D&D 5e. They get many benefits from Dexterity, including bonuses to their accuracy and damage. However, the Belt of Storm Giant's Strength can bolster a monk's Strength stat far beyond their Dexterity can ever go. It increases it to 29, almost to a godly level.
A Belt of Storm Giant's Strength gives a +9 Strength bonus to every melee attack's accuracy and damage. This comes with no other investment. The Belt of Storm Giant's Strength is one of the best magic items for a monk in D&D 5e because it lets them invest their Ability Score Improvements into Wisdom or other ability scores for Armor Class, skills, Ki abilities, and more.
1 A Dragonhide Belt Empowers Every Ki Ability
Rarity Varies, Fizban's Treasury Of Dragons pg. 23
Beyond their damage, most of a D&D monk's devastating abilities require a saving throw. Most Ki abilities that afflict enemies let them attempt to resist or avoid the effects. Unlike spellcasters, monks can't devote all of their Ability Score Increases to keeping their saving throw DC high. A monk has to increase their Dexterity as well as their Wisdom.
The Dragonhide Belt smooths over this problem. It improves a monk's Ki saving throw DC. The increase scales with rarity, giving +3 at Very Rare levels. This makes Stunning Strikes, Water Whips, and many other abilities much more likely to land. Its Ki point regeneration cements it as one of a D&D 5e monk's best magic items and earns it the highest spot on this list.