D&D: 5 Reasons The Flash Is A Monk (& 5 Classes That Fit Better) - CBR - Comic Book Resources

While the superheroes of the Marvel and DC franchises do not always fit perfectly into one Dungeons and Dragons class, some heroes seem to find a few in which they would work. They often lean toward one class, but that is not the only way one might build them in a D&D game.

For The Flash, there might not seem like an obvious class to put him in. His power is running incredibly fast, so fast that he has even bent time and space on occasion. One of the fastest D&D classes, known for its rapid hits and great movement, is the monk, which might be one of the most accurate classes to put The Flash in.

10 Monk: He Is The Fastest Around

The Flash is known for his super speed that can reach such acceleration that he can pass through walls, change the past, and traverse the world in seconds. While that might at first seem like something untranslatable to D&D, there is one class that outpaces all other classes in terms of speed, and though it might not be the speed that The Flash is known for, it feels like super speed in-game.

That class is the monk, which can use "step of the wind" to dodge attacks, deflect missiles, and even become impervious to non-force damage for a time at higher levels (mimic The Flash's ability to pass through objects). Plus, there are other items in-game that can make the monk's speed seem more Flash-like.

9 Cleric: He Heals Quickly

The Flash Wally West Luthor Brain Switch

While Flash might not be healing any other characters in-game, he can heal himself in a way that almost seems divine or magical using accelerated healing. One thing he can do in the middle of a fight is absorb damage (speed force absorption), which is a very cleric-like move.

He can also use electro-blasts (which feel a lot like spells such as guiding bolt), cast light from his form (not unlike the typical light spell), and enhance his abilities by tapping into his enhanced senses and mental processing attributes.

8 Monk: He Fights Without A Weapon

Just like the D&D monk, Flash fights without weaponry. The monk is known for its unarmed attacks that come along with the "flurry of blows" option that players can use in exchange for Ki points. While D&D monks are known to use staves or other weapons on occasion, nothing beats their fists, and it is their primary mode of fighting.

Furthermore, there are plenty of usable skills based on redirecting other attacks that are both technically unarmed and available to both Flash and the monk class.

7 Wizard: He Can Manipulate Time, Space, And Speed

Though it has already been noted that Flash can mess with time on some level (depending on which speedster is currently being assessed), there is not a lot in the monk class to address this. The power to manipulate time or even just gaze back in time are both high-level skills that feel more like magic than science.

The wizard is one of the few classes that can tap into this, and subclasses such as divination wizards or chronurgy wizards, can either look back in time/to the future or manipulate time themselves. No other class can mess with time as well as the wizard, so it could help explain arcs like Flashpoint.

6 Monk: He Has To Be Dexterous To Maneuver That Fast

A monk has to put a lot of their energy and ability score allotments into dexterity, as a lot of the monk's skills and favored moves rely on a high dexterity modifier to play in a way that is fun and makes sense. However, the same can be said for Flash, who maneuvers at such a speed that he must be perfectly dexterous.

Even just to compete with the other speedsters of the DC universe, Flash must be at the top of his game. Fans of the grimdark and mature television show The Boys have seen what happens when a speedster is not at the top of his game in terms of agility, awareness, and dexterity.

5 Rogue: No One Could Hear Him Coming

the flash runs in justice league unlimited

Flash is so fast that people likely would not even be able to perceive him audibly or visually (not even on camera in most canons). Combine that with the ability to pass through walls without even needing to pick a lock, and fans have the greatest rogue in existence.

Like the Flash, rogues can maneuver out of the way of attacks with relative ease simply by taking the "uncanny dodge" reaction. Furthermore, rogues are almost always dexterity-based characters since stealth and sleight of hand demand a high modifier.

4 Monk: They Can Hit Many Times In A Turn

Along with "step of the wind," "flurry of blows" is one of the most iconic and important abilities afforded to the monk class, especially as the monk gets these abilities at a relatively low level. "Flurry of blows" allows a character to make extra unarmed strikes after taking an attack option.

This is exactly how Flash might fight in reality, as he mostly has fists and redirection at his disposal when it comes to actual combat (he has energy blasts, but that is not as readily available as punches and deflection).

3 Fighter: He Can Take Extra Attacks With His Speed

Two of the most notable features of the D&D fighter class are its ability to take an extra attack (which they can do whenever they use an attack action on their turn) and the option to spend an action surge to get a second go at their action portion of their turn.

In-game, this is chalked up to being able to fight with speed, agility, and great skill. However, to build a Flash-like character in D&D it would be unthinkable to not find a way to give him extra attack options, seeing as he can move so quickly.

2 Monk: The Sun Soul Can Explain The Energy Blasts

While neither D&D fans nor DC fans typically think of the monk as being a class that can call upon radiant energy to attack their enemies the way that Flash can on some occasions, it is a feature of the "sun soul" subclass of monks. This class can mimic Flash's electro-blasts but with a more radiant edge than an electrifying one.

A simple reflavoring of the class could account for this discrepancy, but it is not a huge one to begin with. The only issue is that the "sun soul" subclass is not particularly favored and is seen as underpowered by some game players.

1 Bard: He Has Unparalleled Charisma And Charm

screenshot of justice league pilot episode secret origins

While Flash does not play an instrument (at least not to the degree of making it his entire fighting style), he does have a way with words. This is particularly characteristic of the bard class, especially subclasses that focus on speech, such as the "college of eloquence."

One of Flash's many powers is that of the ability to break the 4th wall, something that seems like a textbook bard move in D&D. On top of that, the bard's magic can explain a lot of Flash's other abilities, and other subclasses such as the "college of swords" allow for extra attacks like some of the other classes that feel fitting for Flash.

NEXT: D&D - 10 Best 5e Feats For Fighters, Ranked

Eren Yaeger (left); Sasuke Uchiha in Boruto (right)

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Brooke Thomas (275 Articles Published)

Brooke Thomas lives and writes out of Houston, TX. She has an MA in English Literature and works as an Anime List Writer for CBR.com. When she is not watching anime, drawing her own comics, and writing, you can find her playing catch with her dog and rock climbing.