Sun Soul Monk Build Guide – Solar Powered – 2024 Update

For all D&D guides on Nat1gaming, they only use the main sourcebooks (2024 Player’s Handbook, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) as well as Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos (mostly for Silvery Barbs) as those tend to be the most commonly used books at tables. Always be sure that if you’re following a guide that you’re adhering to your tables rules about what sourcebooks you are allowed to follow. Furthermore, be sure that you’re using the most current edition of the rules, especially as some 2024 Player’s Handbook rules are updates on Tasha’s or Xanathar’s rulings.

Any spell, class, feature, or other game item that is linkable on this website is covered by the 5th edition Open Games License and will be in the Player’s Handbook, but not everything in the Player’s Handbook will be linked to. All other materials that aren’t linked to are from other sourcebooks or aren’t allowed to be linked to per the 5th Edition Open Games License, so please refer to the appropriate sourcebooks for that information.

For the purposes of this guide, it will be assumed that you would not be multiclassing. While multiclassing can be excellent for many of these, this is for those who want to play the build all the way through in the same class. Guides that use multiclassing will be separate from these.

There’s two reasons you want to play Sun Soul Monk. Either you want a serious challenge in how terrible of a subclass you can play or you and your DM have made house rules to make this class at all reasonable. If you use my recommendations or similar ones, Sun Soul would be an interesting subclass to play, but if you play it as is, this will be a pretty tough pill to swallow.

Radiant Sun Bolt (Level 3) – D Tier – If taken as RAW (which this rating will do), this is a pretty abysmal ability that’s just a ranged unarmed strike. Even if you homebrew it that it matches up with your martial arts die, that’s only for anything using the Attack action specifically, not a replacement for unarmed strikes. Not completely useless of course as Monks don’t have the best ranged options, but this is rough.

Searing Arc Strike (Level 6) – D Tier – The ki to damage ratio here is just not good. Though, because it’s a spell, this isn’t terrible, but it’s close to it.

Searing Sunburst (Level 11) – D- Tier – This is just embarrassing. The damage here is abysmal, but again, no ability that does anything deserves an F tier rating.

Sun Shield (Level 17) – D- Tier – No comment. This ability is abysmal for a capstone, I can’t even understand why they made it this way. Again, not completely useless

Not seeing the exact build you want in this guide? Check out this guide instead!

Species: Goliath (Hill Giant)

Attributes:

Class: Monk

Class Features: Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts

Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics and Insight

Background: Criminal

Starting Equipment: Spear, 5 Daggers, Artisan’s Tools, Explorer’s Pack, and 11 gp + 50 gp from background

Species: Goliath

A great species for martial characters and you have the excellent benefit from Hill Giant ancestry to knock someone down so you can grapple them afterwards to keep them down.

Attributes

A great stat distribution for any Monk as you need high Dexterity for good damage and AC, high Constitution to stay alive, and a decent Wisdom score as Monks care about that.

Proficiencies: Acrobatics and Insight

This is going to be the standard proficiencies for Monks, especially if you’re taking the Criminal background.

Background: Criminal

The best background for Monks as it gives you good stat distributions, the best feat for Monks in Alert, and solid skill proficiencies with Sleight of Hand and Stealth.

Starting Equipment – Spear, 5 Daggers, Artisan’s Tools, Explorer’s Pack, and 11 gp + 50 gp from background

Standard starting equipment for a Monk, not that you get much to begin with.

Class – Monk

For Monk you get two abilities to work with immediately – Unarmored Defense and Martial Arts.

Unarmored Defense is simple, if you’re not wearing armor your AC is 10 + DEX + WIS which will give you a reasonable AC to work with, but not as high as a martial character would probably like.

Martial Arts is the classic feature of Monks that are really multiple abilities in one. First, you get to use Dexterity instead of Strength for unarmed attacks. Second, your unarmed strikes or monk weapon get to deal an inherent d6 of damage that will scale up as you gain levels. Finally, you can use your bonus action to make an unarmed strike. Overall an excellent feature that lets Monks deal solid damage.

Level 2

Class Features: Monk’s Focus, Unarmored Movement, Uncanny Metabolism

Level 2 for Monk brings not one, not two, but three new features!

Monk’s Focus is yet another standout ability of the monk which is extremely similar to the fifth edition, Ki, but with a few updated features. First off you get Flurry of Blows which means you can make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action if you spend a Focus point. Second, you get Patient Defense which lets you Dodge as a bonus action, but if you spend a Focus point, you can Dodge and Disengage as the same bonus action. Finally, you get Step of the Wind which means you can Dash as a bonus action, or if you spend a focus point, Dash and Disengage as the same bonus action. Overall, these abilities are very good, and although they are somewhat limited by your Focus points, they are pretty powerful.

Your next ability is Unarmored Movement which gives you an additional 10 feet of movement speed if you aren’t wearing armor or a shield. Definitely a great ability to help you weave in and out of combat.

Finally, you get Uncanny Metabolism which, once a day, lets you refresh your Focus points and gain some health when you enter a combat. This is a very strong ability and much needed for Monks to not feel like they are useless after the first fight or two.

Level 3

Class: Sun Soul

Class Features: Radiant Sun Bolt, Deflect Attacks

Level 3 brings your subclass, Sun Soul, with a new subclass feature as well as a new Monk feature.

You get a new form of attack with Radiant Sun Bolt which is just a ranged, radiant punch to an enemies face. While it says that the damage is a d4, the intent was it to match your Martial Arts die, so you should discuss with your DM to ensure that the damage progression is correct. That said, this ranged punch option is alright, but you can even “flurry” it by spending a focus point if you feel so inclined. This isn’t a terrible feature, but it’s hard to say how often you’ll need to attack from a distance.

Your classic Monk feature, Deflect Attacks, is much more exciting by comparison. You can trade your reaction to reduce the damage dealt to you by an attack by 1d10 + DEX + your Monk level which will be really high impact in the earlier levels. Then if you reduce this damage to 0, you can spend a Focus point to redirect the attack which is both a great and super thematic ability. Definitely one of the Monks better features as well as a really good use of your reaction.

Level 4

Feat: Grappler (DEX)

Class Features: Slow Fall

Level 4 brings your first feat, and for every Monk, you have to pick up Grappler. Grappler simply does too much for Monks as you can combine a grapple attempt and an unarmed strike, you have an easier time hitting your grappled target, and you get no movement penalties with grappling makes this an incredible feat. Whether you’re particularly interested in grappling or not, it’s simply too good now to not utilize.

Monk also gets a class feature this level with Slow Fall. As the name implies, this ability helps you slow your fall if you have something nearby you can brace against. Realistically this isn’t the best ability, but it is a cool ability and can prevent tragedy in the lower levels.

Level 5

Class Features: Extra Attack, Stunning Strike

Easily the most exciting feature for martial characters, level 5 brings your Extra Attack! Being able to get another full attack in is always welcome, even if it feels like Monk has plenty of attacks to go around.

Second, you gain access to the redesigned Stunning Strike! This iteration of Stunning Strike only gives you one attempt per turn to stun them until the beginning of your next turn, but now even if they pass their save, they lose a bunch of speed and your next attack is at advantage! This is still quite a strong ability and getting value out of it no matter what is really nice.

Level 6

Class Features: Searing Arc Strike, Empowered Strikes, Martial Arts Die to 1d8, +15 feet Unarmored Movement

Level 6 brings your next subclass ability and your next base class ability!

Searing Arc Strike lets you cast a bonus action Burning Hands after you attack, which for a level 6 ability, is honestly pretty bad. If you have a bunch of goons lined up, maybe you can get some value out of it, but don’t expect to most of the time.

Empowered Strikes is a simple ability to let you ignore all damage resistances with your unarmed strikes which is definitely nice!

Level 7

Class Features: Evasion

A classic and great ability, if you have a DEX saving throw and you pass it from an effect where you’d normally take half-damage, you take no damage, and if you fail, you take only half damage instead of full! This is a great ability you’re going to get a lot of mileage out of it.

Level 8

Feat: Dexterity to 20

Class Features: None

While you would love to take a feat at this point, maxing out your Dexterity is just too good to not do at this point. Max attack, damage, and AC is hard to ignore.

Level 9

Class Features: Unarmored Movement Improvement

Now you can pretend you’re in the Matrix by running up walls and running across water on your turn. This is excellent for travel, less needed for combat, super cool regardless.

Level 10

Class Features: Heightened Focus, Self Restoration, +20 feet Unarmored Movement

You get one and a half abilities with level 10, Heightened Focus and Self Restoration.

Heightened Focus is the half ability as it’s not an ability itself, but upgrades to your base Focus abilities. First, your Flurry of Blows now go up to 3 unarmed attacks which is awesome, your Patient Defense gives you temporary health to help you stay alive even better, and Step of the Wind lets you bring an ally along with you. All great upgrades and very welcome.

Your second ability is Self Restoration which is similar to the old Timeless Body ability from 5e, but also lets you end charmed, frightened, and the poisoned condition on yourself which makes failing those saving throws way less crippling.

Level 11

Class Features: Searing Sunburst, Martial Arts Die to 1d10

You get your penultimate subclass ability – Searing Sunburst.

Searing Sunburst, like Searing Arc Strike, is a huge disappointment. The damage you deal, for this level of ability, is absolutely horrendous. As this was initially a Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide subclass, it had to be absolute dog water and abilities like this really over deliver on that promise.

Level 12

Feat: Inspiring Leader (WIS)

Class Features: None

This was a tough call between increasing Wisdom or increasing Constitution, but Inspiring Leader just wins out by a bit. This feat is just so good as you’re not only giving yourself more health to work with (which increasing Constitution was going to do for you anyway) on top of giving your allies more health as well! That said, if you already have an ally with Inspiring Leader, then you can opt for a different WIS feat like Fey-Touched.

Level 13

Class Features: Deflect Energy

You get an upgrade to Deflect Attacks at this level with Deflect Energy. While this only really works against elemental damage that makes an attack roll, just having more options to deflect is good, even if you’re pretty limited by how often you can use this specific part of Deflect Attacks.

Level 14

Class Features: Disciplined Survivor, +25 feet Unarmored Movement

This is a renaming of the 5e Diamond Soul feature, but it does the same thing. Having proficiency in all saving throws is already excellent, but spending a Focus point to have a reroll on a saving throw is extremely strong. The only shame about this ability is that it doesn’t come earlier as it’s easily one of the strongest Monk features.

Level 15

Class Features: Perfect Focus

Yet another ability to help sustain the Monk’s marginally limited Focus pool by always having 4 Focus points when you roll initiative rather than dealing with 0-3. While 4 is not even one third of your total pool, 4 focus points is a surprising amount for a single combat and will likely be just the right amount for your average encounter.

Level 16

Feat: Constitution to 18

Class Features: None

You could opt for increasing Wisdom instead at this point for higher AC and better Stunning Strikes, I think the slightly more health from more Constitution is a little more worthwhile at this point.

Level 17

Class Features: Sun Shield, Martial Arts Die to 1d12

Level 17 brings your subclass capstone ability – Sun Shield. Like your other abilities, this one has to be devastatingly disappointing. Your capstone ability and your reaction to deal 8 damage. Just why?

Level 18

Class Features: Superior Defense, +30 feet Unarmored Movement

Superior Defense is pretty good for your ability to survive a combat as getting resistance to nearly every damage type is obviously good, especially for a class who has the lowest health and AC out of the martial characters.

Level 19

Epic Boon: Epic Boon of Combat Prowess (DEX)

Level 19 always means one thing – getting your Epic Boon!

For martial characters, you’re going to be hard pressed to not take Epic Boon of Combat Prowess. Functionally getting another attack per turn is very much worth the Epic Boon slot, even if it’s just for an additional unarmed strike, especially when that unarmed strike can mean a grapple attempt or knocking the enemy prone with your Hill Giant lineage ability.

Level 20

Class Feature: Body and Mind

Level 20 brings your capstone ability – Body and Mind. No frills, just +4 to DEX and WIS. Awesome.

So the obvious issue with Sun Soul, in general, is how utterly terrible functionally all the abilities are, especially when it comes to damage.

Radiant Sun Bolt, while not great, is a marginally acceptable ability that doesn’t have to be implicitly changed, just homebrewed for the damage to match the Martial Arts die as intended.

The problems, however, remain with the rest of the abilities.

Searing Arc Strike simply being a Burning Hands is quite bad, so I’d recommend a change to make this reasonable. My first thought is to change the spell choice to Scorching Ray with DEX being your spellcasting modifier instead. You can keep the extra Focus point per upcast, but only equal to half of your Monk level is probably a reasonable choice that does get a little funky in really high levels (as you can only upcast to level 9 of course). Realistically, this ability may be a bit too strong, so to tamp it down, you could keep the ability as is but change the initial focus cost for the Burning Hands to 1 point rather than 2. A minor change, but you do get more mileage out of it then. To that end, I think one of the biggest homebrewing mistakes is to take a class that is horrendous and way overtune it instead like some act of defiant revenge, so this will take some playtesting to find the right balance.

Searing Sunburst, similarly, is somehow even worse than Searing Arc Strike. At a minimum, the damage from this orb should probably be at least 6d6 to get closer to Fireball, which although is not the most damage for level 11, it’s easy to get more damage with a little more Focus and, obviously, martial characters should not have similarly AOE damage capabilities with casters themselves.

Finally, you have Sun Shield which is somehow the worst ability of all. This ability does next to nothing and you really need it to do literally anything at all. Since we’re already in the vein of utilizing fire spells as abilities (Scorching Ray then Fireball), I really like reflavoring Conjure Minor Elementals as your capstone ability in some capacity. I would probably have it just be base Conjure Minor Elementals as a bonus action activation for 4 or so ki points. With Flurry of Blows, this would be a really strong ability, but may feel a bit underwhelming for level 17. You may want an additional ability to trade your reaction to give disadvantage to an attacking creature, something akin to the Light Cleric’s Warding Flare. This would help beef up the ability a bit so you don’t lose too much from the bonus action activation.

If you go through these changes, I feel this would be a pretty cool Monk subclass that can attack from a really different angle compared to every other Monk subclass. I will admit that I have not personally played with these changes, so you may have to fine tune them, but I think this is at least a very reasonable launch point.