Monk Class in Oblivion Remastered offers a new and exciting gameplay experience, founded on hand-to-hand combat, stealth, and mobility. Unlike most of the other classic warrior classes, the Monk focuses on agility and unarmed mastery — a fighting system lost in Skyrim. This makes the Monk an exciting and retro play option for players seeking a more unconventional version of combat in Tamriel.
This in-depth tutorial covers how to get the best out of the default Monk class, and how to create a custom “Claw Dancer”-type build putting additional weight on unarmed fighting, martial ability, and spellcasting synergy.
Understanding the Default Monk Class
The default Monk class is of the Stealth specialization with Agility and Willpower as preferred attributes. Its main skills are:
- Acrobatics
- Alteration
- Athletics
- Hand-to-Hand
- Marksman
- Security
- Sneak
This combination allows Monks to overwhelm with sneaking, start initial attacks with bows, then transition to close range combat with fists. High Acrobatics boosts agility, reduces damage taken from falls, and allows dodging when blocking — a valuable bonus for unarmored fighters.
Besides this, skills like Security and Sneak finish their functionality, making them a good set of infiltrators. Alteration provides magical defense like Shield, elemental resistances, and utility magic like Water Breathing and Open Lock. A decent alteration skill level allows Monks to negate damage as well as heavy armor classes and remain light and nimble.
Best Races for a Monk Character
Choosing the right race is important for unlocking the potential of the Monk, especially when using unarmed combat. Certain races are well suited because of their attribute points and how they support Monk skills.
Khajiit – The Agile Brawler
Khajiit are most suitable for players who want to specialize in Hand-to-Hand and movement. Khajiit have a +10 bonus to Hand-to-Hand and Acrobatics, with minor boosts in Light Armor, Security, and Sneak — all of which are helpful to the Monk class. The Anequina Origin offers a much-appreciated Strength bonus (starting at 40), improving unarmed damage.
Their low initial Willpower and Endurance must be spent early on for better health and Magicka restoration. With some investment early on, Khajiit become deadly martial artists.
Orc – The Heavy-Hitting Monk
Although not typically stereotyped as stealthy, Orcs are inherently adept at unarmed combat because of their extreme Strength (45), Willpower, and Endurance. If they choose the Stronghold Origin, Orcs enjoy evenly balanced sturdiness and durability.
Orcs have a +5 Hand-to-Hand bonus but no inherent bonuses for stealth skills. Their 25% Magic Resistance is very useful for survivability, making them an excellent pick for a brute brawling Monk build that sacrifices a bit of finesse for brute strength.
Argonian – The Balanced Survivor
Argonians offer one of the more well-rounded options as a Monk. With the Thornmarsh Origin, they incur no penalties on critical Monk-specific stats. Their passive poison resistance and high disease resistance improve their survivability even further, especially in sneak-based combat.
Argonians do not hit as hard to start with as Khajiit or Orcs, but they possess great stamina, high mobility, and it is easier to avoid debuffs on them — all ideal for a independent Monk.
Selecting the Optimal Birthsign
Your birthsign can also serve to enhance your racial selection and playstyle. This is how to best match your character’s inherent talents to their celestial blessing:
- Khajiit: Choose The Lady for balanced low starting Willpower and Endurance with both defense and Magicka regen increased.
- Orc: Choose The Thief to increase Agility, Speed, and Luck for better stealth and combat accuracy.
- Argonian: Choose The Warrior for increased Strength and Endurance, or The Lord for improved armor rating and magic resist.
Playing as a Monk
Stealth is where Combat as a Monk starts. Begin open combat by shooting enemies with an arrow from cover, and then transition to Hand-to-Hand combat when they come near. Employ Alteration spells to boost your resistance or provide environmental advantages such as walking on water or breathing underwater.
At higher skill levels, your unarmed attacks disarm, stagger, or even paralyze enemies — allowing you to have mastery over combat with martial elegance rather than mere brute strength.
Creating the Best Custom Monk – The “Claw Dancer” Build
For enhanced immersion into the fantasy of martial arts, attempt a custom Monk class based on the Khajiit’s legendary Claw Dances. This build combines Hand-to-Hand combat with strong support and attack magic.
Specialization and Attributes
- Specialization: Magic
- Preferred Traits: Strength and Willpower
Main Skills
- Hand-to-Hand
- Destruction
- Alteration
- Restoration
- Acrobatics
- Athletics
- Sneak
This build permits you to combine physical and magical damage. Destroy enemies using Destruction spells for burst damage or against resistance enemies. Restoration gives you healing and buffing your stats in the middle of combat, and Alteration is your magical protection.
Security is not covered by this build but will be experienced naturally, and Alteration’s Open spells make up well for it.
Stat Progression
Level Strength and Willpower first to 100 for maximum damage output and fatigue recovery. Next, level up Agility (to dodge and stun resistance), Intelligence (to Magicka), and then Speed last to maintain maneuverability in combat.
