D&D 5E Magic Items for a Monk Character?

[Jack Hooligan]

One of the players in my group is switching over to a Monk, but the adventure (LMoP) I'm running doesn't seem to offer a lot of treasure for that class. What sort of magic items work for this class that won't negate their abilities? Are Gauntlets considered armor? I mean, they need to stay unarmored for their class abilities, so do Bracers work? Belts? Boots and cloaks seem fine I think. Any good suggestions?

 

[MarkB]

Monks are an unusually self-sufficient class in terms of gear - they can function quite happily with essentially no equipment at all, let alone magical gear.

Anything that boosts the character's Wisdom or Dexterity score is good. As most of them are melee oriented, items that provide improved mobility options, especially flight, to engage otherwise inaccessible foes will be particularly welcomed.

 

[delphonso]

I tend to give monk players items to help with HP - as they're a front-liner with 1d8. (A couple casts of False Life equivalent is really nice, for example).

LMoP has a ring of protection, I believe - +1 to AC and all saves. Ensure the monk gets it as it's just about the only thing they can use.

 

[Leatherhead]

I recommend a few of these magic Tattoos from UA:

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[aco175]

Are there any throwing monk weapons that you can have magically return?

Amulet of Wound Closure doubles the HP from hit dice.

Even Slippers of Spider Climbing would be cool, both in combat and outside.

 

[Blue]

Most other classes can get +1-3 weapons, spell attacks, or to save DCs. I think one of the adventures had a bad-guy-themed +1 unarmed attack weapon, but is there any general equivalent that will add to hit/damage of their unarmed attacks? Especially with weapons there are ones that add in lots of special effects as well.

(No, I don't think that's all - or even primarily - there are to monks. It's just a gap that I felt when I was making a high level monk for a one shot and wondering if I missed something.)

 

[Weiley31]

I always felt like that if a Monk just relied upon their fists instead of Monk Weapons, you an always have it where they can equip "Gauntlets" or Mystic Tattoos or whatever that could to add +1/+2/+3 Enhancements to their Fists/Martial Arts Die. So say you reach a point where your Martial Arts Die has reached 1D10, you could find a pair of Mystic Gauntlets that would make your fists 1D10+1/+2/+3. Such Gauntlets would not be easy to find. I mean yeah, Monk Weapons make it kinda moot, but if your big on having your Kung-Fu game strong RP wise, there ya go.

 

[psychophipps]

I would say that Bracers of Defence would be fine for a Monk "magic armor" equivalent.

 

[delphonso]

Brass Knuckles. +1 to attack and damage for unarmed strikes.

Be careful with equipment for monks. In their class features they get just about everything that thematically works for them (slowfall, movement, etc.) It's easy to give them an item which is actually a later class feature.

 

[Guest 6801328]

First, don't both with weapons.

Second, avoid anything with a "+" in the description.

Rings and Cloaks tend to be good. My two favorite for a Monk would be Ring of Free Action and Cloak of Displacement.

However, also ask: do you want to make the monk even better at the things he/she is already good at, or make them good at new things?