Getting Started
Welcome to the Monk guide! This resource is designed to assist you in mastering the Monk job in Final Fantasy XIV, providing core strategies, essential tips, and a detailed breakdown of your rotation.
Note: This guide isn't focused on advanced dungeons, trials, or raids; those will be left to their own specific guides. Instead, this guide introduces some foundational strategies for your job in FFXIV.
The goal is to help you grasp the mindset behind your job and to offer some useful approaches as you level.
Video Resources
These video resources from experienced players and content creators will provide additional perspectives on the Monk playstyle.
Gear Recommendations
Keeping your equipment up-to-date is crucial. Insufficient gear can hinder your damage output/healing/survivability. Aim to have gear that matches your current level or is only slightly lower.
While progressing through the Main Scenario Quest (MSQ), you will frequently acquire gear upgrades and coffers to keep your setup competitive.
For leveling outside the MSQ, gear can be obtained through vendors (using Gil), the Market Board, or by trading Tomestones and Poetics earned through roulettes and other activities.
Gear Recommendations by Key Levels:
Level 50: Augmented Ironworks Gear (IL 130) – Obtain from Auriana in Mor Dhona or Rowena's Representatives in the main cities.
Level 60: Augmented Shire Gear (IL 270) – Available from Hismena in Idyllshire.
Level 70: Augmented Scaevan Gear (IL 400) – Obtainable from Enna in Rhalgr's Reach.
Level 80: Augmented Cryptlurker Gear (IL 530) – Purchase from Aymark in Eulmore.
Level 90: Augmented Credendum Gear (IL 660) – Obtainable from Cihanti in Radz-at-Han.
Level 100: Neo Kingdom Gear (IL 700) – Available from Zircon in Solution Nine.
Leveling Tips
This sections is for helping you understand how to level an alt job. If you are still doing MSQ this section can also help you catch up another job todo the MSQ with.
Before getting started it is good to make sure you have EXP buffs on. Some come from gear while others come from food or FC or being Rested.
Gear That Increases EXP Gain:
| Gear Name | EXP Buff | Obtained From |
| Moogle Cap | 20% level 10 and below | Pre Ordering ARR |
| Helm of Light | 20% level 10 and below | ARR Collectors Edition |
| Friendship Circlet | 20% level 25 and below | Recruit a Friend Campaign |
| Brand-New Ring | 30% level 30 and below | Hall of Noivce |
| Ala Mhigan Earring | 30% level 50 and below | Pre Ordering Stormblood |
| Aetheryte Earring | 30% level 70 and below | Pre Ordering Shadowbringer |
| Menphina Earring | 30% level 80 and below | Pre Ordering Endwalker |
| Azeyma Earring | 30% level 90 and below | Pre Ordering Dawntrail |
Other EXP Buffs
Food
Make sure to always have a Food buff up whiel leveling. Food Buff gives 3% increase to EXP and is very easy to obtain. I recommend buying Boiled Eggs from a merchant to use for the EXP Since they are cheap.
FC Buff
If you are not a trial player, you have the option to join or create and FC (Free Company). Free Companies are FFXIV's version of Guilds. An FC has the ability to have different Active buffs. Having Either Heat of Battle II or Heat of Battle III active will increase your EXP gained by 10% or 15%
Rested EXP
Make sure you are taking breaks! By taking breaks from the game and logging out in a safe zone with an Aetheryte or Inn you will get Rested EXP. You can store up to one and half levels worth of Rested EXP and you increase your EXP gained by 50% for all monster kills.
How to Level
If you job starts at level 1 the best way to level up is to do Fates and your Hunt Log.
Once you reach level 15 you can start doing dungeons! Running the highest level dungeon available to you is the fastest way to level up.
Dungeons List
| Duty | Level Range | Unlocked Via |
|---|---|---|
| A Realm Reborn | ||
| Sastasha | 15-18 | It's Probably Pirates |
| The Tam-Tara Deepcroft | 16-19 | Fire in the Gloom |
| Copperbell Mines | 17-20 | Into a Copper Hell |
| Halatali | 20-23 | Hallo Halatali |
| The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak | 24-27 | Into the Beast's Maw |
| Haukke Manor | 28-31 | Skeletons in Her Closet |
| Brayflox's Longstop | 32-34 | The Things We Do for Cheese |
| The Sunken Temple of Qarn | 35-37 | Braving New Depths |
| Cutter's Cry | 38-40 | Dishonor Before Death |
| The Stone Vigil | 41-43 | In Pursuit of the Past |
| Dzemael Darkhold | 44-46 | Fort of Fear |
| The Aurum Vale | 47-49 | Going for Gold |
| Heavensward | ||
| The Dusk Vigil | 51-52 | For All the Nights to Come |
| Sohm Al | 53-54 | Mourn in Passing |
| The Aery | 55-56 | Into the Aery |
| The Vault | 57-58 | A Knight's Calling |
| The Great Gubal Library | 59 | Forbidden Knowledge |
| Stormblood | ||
| The Sirensong Sea | 61-62 | Not without Incident |
| Shisui of the Violet Tides | 63-64 | The Palace of Lost Souls |
| Bardam's Mettle | 65-66 | In the Footsteps of Bardam the Brave |
| Doma Castle | 67-68 | The Die Is Cast |
| Castrum Abania | 69 | The Price of Freedom |
| Shadowbringers | ||
| Holminster Switch | 71-72 | The Lightwardens |
| Dohn Mheg | 73-74 | The Key to the Castle |
| The Qitana Ravel | 75-76 | The Burden of Knowledge |
| Malikah's Well | 77-78 | A Fresh Start |
| Mt. Gulg | 79 | Extinguishing the Last Light |
| Endwalker | ||
| The Tower of Zot | 81-82 | In the Dark of the Tower |
| The Tower of Babil | 83-84 | Gateway of the Gods |
| Vanaspati | 85-86 | Skies Aflame |
| Ktisis Hyperboreia | 87-88 | Caging the Messenger |
| The Aitiascope | 89 | Her Children, One and All |
| Dawntrail | ||
| Ihuykatumu | 91-92 | For All Turali |
| Worqor Zormor | 93-94 | The High Luminary |
| The Skydeep Cenote | 95-96 | Road to the Golden City |
| Vanguard | 97-98 | All Aboard |
| Origenics | 99 | The Resilient Son |
Duty Roulette
Everyday you can do your Duty Roulettes for a large chunk of EXP.
| Roulette | Min. Level Req. |
| High Level Dungeons | 50 |
| Leveling | 15 |
| Trials | 50 |
| Main Scenario | 50 |
| Normal Raids | 60 |
| Alliance Raids | 50 |
| Frontline | 30 |
Wondrous Tails
The Wondrous Tails are one of if not the best weekly EXP you can get. No matter what level you are you will always get half of a level upon turning in the book.
Speak with the NPC Khloe Aliapoh in Idyllshire (X:5.7, Y:6.1) to receive a book
Once you have your book make sure to complete 9 of the task and then turn the book back end at the end of the week or when you get your job to half a level before levelcap to min max your EXP gain!
General Tips for Monk
Master Your Positioning: Many of Monk's abilities have positional bonuses. To maximize your damage, always aim to hit the rear or flank of your enemies when using these skills.
Keep Up Your Buffs: Always keep Twin Snakes 
active to maintain your damage buff. This is a key part of the Monk rotation, and forgetting to refresh it will drastically reduce your effectiveness.
Utilize Chakra Efficiently: Use The Forbidden Chakra 
as soon as you reach five stacks of Chakra. Overcapping on Chakra (gaining additional Chakra while already at 5 stacks) is a waste of potential damage.
Cooldown Management: Align Riddle of Fire 
with Brotherhood 
to maximize burst damage during windows where both are active. Weaving Perfect Balance 
and Masterful Blitz 
into these cooldowns is essential for high damage output.
Mitigation: Don't forget that Monk has a few defensive tools, such as Riddle of Earth 
, to mitigate incoming damage and help the team survive tough encounters.
Rotation Overview
Monk's rotation revolves around maintaining buffs, managing your Chakra system, and effectively using your abilities based on the encounter. Below are simplified rotations for both single-target and multi-target scenarios as you level up.
Base GCD Weaponskill Rotation
Monk's core rotation is built on a three-step combo, alternating between two sets of weaponskills based on positional bonuses:
Start with Dragon Kick
(or Leaping Opo 
), then alternate with Twin Snakes (or Rising Raptor 
), and use Demolish 
to finish the combo.Refresh Twin Snakes
every 15 seconds to keep the damage buff active.Use Demolish
whenever the DoT is about to expire.
Buffing Actions
Perfect Balance:
Use after an Opo-Opo form GCD to maximize your combo potential.Riddle of Fire:
Time this cooldown with Brotherhood and Perfect Balance to deliver powerful bursts.Riddle of Wind:
Use this strictly on cooldown, aligning it where possible with Riddle of Fire .
Chakra System
At level 74, Deep Meditation II gives a 100% chance to generate Chakra on a critical hit. This means you want to use The Forbidden Chakra
or Enlightenment 
whenever you have 5 Chakra stacks.Avoid overcapping on Chakra to prevent wasting potential damage output.
Multi-Target Rotation
For four or more targets, switch to AoE skills like Shadow of the Destroyer
, Four-point Fury 
, and Rockbreaker 
.
Multi-Target Perfect Balance Usage
In multi-target situations, generate Elixir Burst
and Tornado Kick 
by using three Shadow of the Destroyer actions within Perfect Balance .Use Rising Phoenix
whenever possible to deal massive AoE damage.