Monk

The Monk is the fourth Diablo III class to be revealed. It is of the Monks of Ivgorod.

Lore
File:EscudoMK.png|thumb|The monks' symbol Amongst Sanctuary's most deadly warriors, the monks of the Sahptev faith train their bodies and minds so that they may become the foremost holy warriors of the land of Ivgorod (Country)|Ivgorod. Within the cloisters of the Patriarchs, the Monks endure harsh trials both physical and spiritual, proving their devotion and attaining unmatched focus in battle.

Daily ritualistic cleansings help monks purify their spirits and overcome the corruption that gnaws at the hearts of all men. In the pursuit of martial perfection, they also hone their legendary balance and clarity, skills that allow them to master both unarmed combat and a diverse array of weapons.

After a lifetime of preparation, anointed monks are permitted to leave their monasteries' halls to serve the decrees of the Patriarchs. The emblem on their foreheads marks them as survivors, achievers, and pillars of their society.

Monks embody the will of Ivgorod’s one thousand and one gods in every step and every strike.

Capabilities
File:Monk.jpg|thumb|A monk Monks are sacred warriors who channel divine power through sheer force of will. Healing waves, mantras of protection and attacks empowered with holy might are all within their purview. Skilled monks deliver rapid-fire attacks unarmed or with a variety of well-balanced weapons. In combat, they emphasize high maneuverability over staying power, darting in and out of melees and avoiding protracted slugfests. Monks’ attacks are primarily melee-focused. They can eliminate single foes with extreme damage, or deliver short-range area-of-effect assaults with waves of elemental power that emanate from palm strikes or crescent kicks. To defeat the inhuman evils they pit themselves against, monks draw upon inner reserves of spirit, a resource that reflects their personal mastery and training.

Monks' martial forms commonly incorporate specialized weaponry. Even monks’ naked fists are vessels of destruction, but they can be augmented with fist weapons like the katar, Monks are also the only heroes trained to use daibo.

In the beginning, monks’ armor is plain, cobbled together to protect their organs without being too restrictive. As experienced monks gain access to better craftsmanship, money and equipment, the quality of armor available to them increases substantially, incorporating personal ornamentation and fine materials. Yet, even such fine armor pales in comparison to the life-saving garb of heroes, carefully chosen to enhance monks’ swift fighting styles and shield them from fire, claw, and sword.

In-game
File:Avatar.jpg|thumb|Male Monk avatar The Monk's "core fantasy" is to be fast and agile, standing in contrast to the heavier and Crusader classes. The class's skills incorporate fire and lightning, but at its core the Monk is focused on mobility.

In comparison to Diablo II, the Monk has similar gameplay elements to the Assassin and Paladin.

Skills
File:Monk-Spirit-Resource.gif|frame|All Monk skills are based on their Spirit reserve. The primary skills are unique in the sense that they each have three separate attacks that are triggered in, often increasingly powerful, stages. In this sense, monks create a third level strike that either does more damage, does damage in a wider area, or reaches out farther to more enemies. The monk resource system works somewhat like the Barbarian's Fury, except there is no degeneration. Some abilities generate Spirit, while others spend it for their effects.

The character's skills focus on Holy energy and ancestral knowledge, these two facts being evidenced by the color palette of the skills which combines white, silver, gold and blue and the runes which appear on the ground when the Monk uses certain skills. The runes also mark the area in which the skill take effect.

The monk's melee attacks are more potent when they’re used in careful succession; they generate additional spiritual energy, deal increased damage and produce unique effects that can enable a monk to defeat nearly any enemy.

Development
The class was announced at Blizzcon 2009 and was playable in the Diablo III demo at the event.

It was intended that the Monk be the fastest character class in Diablo III, but this did not become manifest once the game was released. Changes to the class's skills in Reaper of Souls are intended to rectify this.

Trivia
The Monk is another strongly South Asian and East Asian-oriented character class, although with Eastern European influence mixed heavily as well. Both the male and female versions of the Monk speak with a Russian accent.