Windwalker Monk DPS Spec, Builds, and Talents — The War Within (11.0.5)

Note that these builds are generic recommendations for various content. For more specific recommendations for the Raid and Mythic+, check out the dedicated pages below.

2.

Best Talents for Windwalker Monk

Single-Target Talents AoE/Mythic+/Delve Talents Talents Explained

3.

Best Single-Target Talents for Windwalker Monk

This build is optimal for pure single-target situations.

Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the best build directly into your game!

3.

Best AoE/Delve Talents for Windwalker Monk

This is our recommended build for AoE scenarios. This works well for AoE Fights in Raids, as well as most Mythic+.

Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the best build directly into your game!

3.

Best Delves Talents for Windwalker Monk

This is our recommended build for Delves scenarios. The focus is on AOE damage since that is the most likely type of damage in Delves.

Be sure to make use of the 'Copy Export String' button to import the best build directly into your game!

3.

Talent Explanations for Windwalker Monks

Note that we do not explain EVERY Talent in the tree on this page. We only explain Talents that are part of our optimal builds for single-target and AoE. For full details and explanations of every Talent, please visit our Spells page via the button below.

Windwalker Monk The War Within Spell Glossary

3.1.

Monk Class Talents

3.1.1.

Row 1

Soothing Mist	A low mana cost, low healing-per-tick channeled spell that allows two of our spells to be instantly cast on your target for focused, direct healing.
Paralysis	Learned by default when you choose this specialization. This ability incapacitates your current target for a minute. Medium range on an infrequent cooldown.
Rising Sun Kick	Learned by default when you choose this specialization. A heavy-hitting melee-range ability. Has a short cooldown.

3.1.2.

Row 2

Elusive Mists	Give yourself and your Soothing Mist target a small amount of damage reduction, so long as you're channeling the spell.
Tiger's Lust	Removes all root and snares currently on the target, and also give them an increase to movement speed for a short time.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Crashing Momentum	Snare targets you Roll through for a short time.
Disable	Reduce your target's movement speed. If you hit affected targets with a damaging ability, the duration is refreshed.
Fast Feet	Increase the damage of Rising Sun Kick and Spinning Crane Kick.

3.1.3.

Row 3

Grace of the Crane	Increase the healing you receive from all sources.
Bounding Agility	Roll travels further.
Calming Presence	Reduce the damage you receive from all sources.
Wind's Reach	Modifies your decision in the Crashing Momentum / Disable choice node. Disable has a longer range, while Crashing Momentum has an increased duration and stronger effect.
Detox	Detox now removes all Poison- and Disease-classed effects.

3.1.4.

Row 4

Vivacious Vivification	Every 10 seconds, your next Vivify can be cast instantly, and also heals its primary target for more. This timer is independent of when the buff is consumed, meaning it will overwrite itself continually if not consumed.
Jade Walk	Your movement speed out of combat is increased.
Pressure Points	Paralysis now removes all Enrage-classed effects from your target.
Spear Hand Strike	Stop the targeted enemy's spellcasting, if they're casting a spell. If successful, this ability also prevents the targeted enemy from casting another spell from the same school of magic for a short time. On a short cooldown.
Ancient Arts	Reduces the cooldowns of Paralysis and Leg Sweep.

3.1.5.

Row 5

Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Chi Wave	Casting Rising Sun Kick or Vivify also releases a bolt that will bounce between enemies and allies, dealing a small amount of damage or healing, respectively. This ability has a short recharge before the triggering spells send another bouncing bolt.
Chi Burst	Fire a projectile in front of you, damaging enemies and healing allies in its path. Has an infrequent cooldown.
Transcendence	Talenting into this ability also grants you Transcendence: Transfer. These abilities allow you to place a spirit that you can swap places with, infrequently.
Energy Transfer	When you successfully interrupt an enemy with Spear Hand Strike, you also reduce the cooldown of Roll and Paralysis.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Celerity	Reduces the cooldown of Roll, and give it another maximum charge.
Chi Torpedo	Modifies Roll into another spell that travels further and grants a stacking movement speed increase for a short time. Roll-modifying abilities modify this as well.

3.1.6.

Row 6

Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Quick Footed	Snare effects on you have their duration reduced.
Hasty Provocation	The target you use Provoke on will have their movement speed increased for a short duration.
Ferocity of Xuen	Increase the damage you deal.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Ring of Peace	Places a ring on the ground that knocks all enemies out of it, while also preventing them from entering it while it persists.
Song of Chi-Ji	A cloud of mists travels forward from you, disorienting any enemy it comes into contact with for a short while.
Spirit's Essence	When you cast Transcendence: Transfer, the enemies that were around you at the time are snared for a short duration.
Tiger Tail Sweep	The range of Leg Sweep is increased.
Improved Touch of Death	Targets no longer need to be under your maximum health threshold in order to use Touch of Death on them, but the damage it does is reduced.

3.1.7.

Row 7

Vigorous Expulsion	Increases the healing and critical strike chance of Expel Harm.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Yu'lon's Grace	Gain a stacking magic-only absorb shield every few seconds while in combat. Its strength is based on your maximum health.
Diffuse Magic	Reduces all Magic-classed damage on yourself while this is active. This also tries to dispel all Magic-classed debuffs on you and place them on the source.
Peace and Prosperity	Modifies your decision in the Ring of Peace / Song of Chi-Ji choice node. Ring of Peace has its cooldown reduced, while Song of Chi-Ji has a faster cast time.
Fortifying Brew	While active, reduce the damage you take from all sources while also increasing your maximum health.
Dance of the Wind	Your chance to dodge is increased by a flat amount, and increases every few seconds until you successfully dodge an ability.

3.1.8.

Row 8

Save Them All	When you heal an ally at low health, you can a short buff that increases all healing you do while it's active.
Swift Art	Roll removes a snare every so often.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Strength of Spirit	The healing of Expel Harm is increased, based on your missing health. The lower your health, the greater this multiplier is.
Profound Rebuttal	When Expel Harm critically strikes, its healing is increased further.
Summon White Tiger Statue	Places a statue on your character that deals damage in an AOE pulse.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Ironshell Brew	The maximum health and damage reduction of Fortifying Brew are increased.
Expeditious Fortification	The cooldown of Fortifying Brew is reduced.
Celestial Determination	While our chosen celestial is active, we cannot be made slower than a set threshold.

3.1.9.

Row 9

Chi Proficiency	Increase the damage of Magic-classed abilities and increases the healing we do.
Healing Winds	Transcendence: Transfer heals you when you use it.
Windwalking	Yourself and allies around you have increased movement speed.
Bounce Back	Whenever you suffer a large hit, any further damage is reduced for a few seconds.
Martial Instincts	Your Physical damage is increased, and you take less damage from area-of-effect damage.

3.1.10.

Row 10

Lighter Than Air	Roll now lets you dash forward a short distance when you try to double jump. As a tradeoff, the cooldown of Roll is increased.
Flow of Chi	Depending on your health, this talent has different effects: At 90% health or above: Increased movement speed. Between 90% and 35% health: Reduced incoming damage. Below 35% health: Increased healing received.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Transcendence: Linked Spirits	Transcendence is now only able to be cast on an ally, but using Transcendence: Transfer will teleport you to that ally's location, rather than a static spirit.
Escape from Reality	After using Transcendence: Transfer, you can use it again for a short duration.
Fatal Touch	Touch of Death has a reduced cooldown, and also grants you a damage-done increase when you use it.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Rushing Reflexes	If your Roll ends within a short distance of an enemy, you will charge the remaining distance.
Clash	You and the targeted enemy charge each other, rooting all enemies surrounding the area of impact.

3.2.

Windwalker Spec Talents

3.2.1.

Row 1

Fists of Fury

Deals damage to current target and other targets in front of you.

3.2.2.

Row 2

Momentum Boost	Increases damage of Fists of Fury and increases auto attack speed after Fists of Fury completes its channel.
Combat Wisdom	Replaces Expel Harm and makes it a passive. You will now reset to 2 Chi when outside of combat rather than 0.
Acclamation	Rising Sun Kick debuffs the target that increases the damage you do to it.

3.2.3.

Row 3

Touch of the Tiger	Increases the damage of Tiger Palm.
Hardened Soles	Increases the damage of Blackout Kick.
Ascension	Increases maximum Chi to 6 and increases energy regen.
Ferociousness	Increases chance to Critical Strike.

3.2.4.

Row 4

Crane Vortex	Increases the damage of Spinning Crane Kick.
Teachings of the Monastery	Gives Blackout Kick a chance to reset Fists of Fury and Tiger Palm allows Blackout Kick to hit more times.
Glory of the Dawn	Gives Rising Sun Kick a chance to deal extra damage and refund 1 Chi.

3.2.5.

Row 5

Jade Ignition	Fists of Fury stacks up charges that are exploded by Spinning Crane Kick.
Courageous Impulse	Blackout Kick increases the damage of your next Blackout Kick.
Storm, Earth, and Fire	Splits into clones that zip around tagging targets and copying abilities.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Flurry of Xuen	Deals damage to targets in front of you.
Hit Combo	Stacking damage increase.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Brawler's Intensity	Reduces the cooldown of Rising Sun Kick and increases the damage of Blackout Kick.
Meridian Strikes	Increases the damage and reduces the cooldown of Touch of Death.

3.2.6.

Row 6

Dance of Chi-Ji	Proc chance to make Spinning Crane Kick free and deal additional damage.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Drinking Horn Cover	Extends the duration of Storm, Earth, and Fire.
Spiritual Focus	Reduces the cooldown of Storm, Earth, and Fire.
Ordered Elements	Provides 2 Chi and resets the cooldown of Rising Sun Kick when you activate Storm, Earth, and Fire. Casting Rising Sun Kick during Storm, Earth, and Fire reduces the Chi cost of abilities by 1 for 7 seconds and Blackout Kick reduces abilities by an additional 1 second.
Strike of the Windlord	Deals damage and slows targets in a very very narrow cone in front of you.

3.2.7.

Row 7

Martial Mixture	Blackout Kick increases the damage of Tiger Palm, stacking up to the maximum.
Energy Burst	Blackout Kick generates 1 Chi
Shadowboxing Treads	Increases the damage of Blackout Kick and allows it to hit extra targets.
Invoke Xuen, the White Tiger	Summons a glowy kitty to fight with you for a bit.
Inner Peace	Increases your maximum energy and reduces the energy cost of Tiger Palm.
Rushing Jade Wind	Strike of the Windlord debuffs all targets hit with Mark of the Crane and summons a tornado that deals damage to targets around you.
Thunderfist	Strike of the Windlord grants increased auto attack damage for each target hit.

3.2.8.

Row 8

Sequenced Strikes	You gain Blackout Kick after consuming Dance of Chi-Ji.
Rising Star	Increases damage of Rising Sun Kick.
Invoker's Delight	Provides Haste after casting Invoke Xuen.
Dual Threat	Auto attacks increase damage you do for a small time.
Gale Force	Targets that are hit by Strike of the Windlord take increased damage.

3.2.9.

Row 9

Last Emperor's Capacitor	Provides a stacking buff that increases the damage and reduces the cost of Crackling Jade Lightning.
Whirling Dragon Punch	Spins up in the air and deals damage around you.
Xuen's Bond	Reduces the cooldown and increases the damage of Invoke Xuen.
Xuen's Battlegear	Rising Sun Kick crits reduce the cooldown of Fists of Fury. Casts of Fists of Fury increase the crit chance of Rising Sun Kick.
Transfer the Power	Stacking increase to damage dealt by Fists of Fury.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Jadefire Stomp	Stomps a line in front of you that deals damage to those hit.
Jadefire Fists	You automatically cast Jadefire Stomp after you finish channeling Fists of Fury.
Communion With Wind	Reduces CD and increases damage of Strike of the Windlord.

3.2.10.

Row 10

Power of the Thunder King	Crackling Jade Lightning hits up to 5 targets and channels all of its damage in half the time.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Revolving Whirl	Whirling Dragon Punch's CD is reduced and it gives you Dance of Chi-Ji after using it.
Knowledge of the Broken Temple	Whirling Dragon Punch gives 4 stacks of Teachings of the Monastery and increases the maximum stacks.
Memory of the Monastery	Increases the chance of getting Blackout Kick and gives a Haste buff after using Blackout Kick.
Fury of Xuen	Stacking buff that increases Haste and summons Invoke Xuen after using Fists of Fury.
Choice Node	You can pick one of the following talents:
Path of Jade	Increases damage of Jadefire Stomp based on targets hit.
Singularly Focused Jade	Jadefire Stomp hits only 1 target but deals a lot more damage.
Jadefire Harmony	Increases damage taken by targets hit by Jadefire Stomp.
Darting Hurricane	Reduces the global cooldown of Tiger Palm after using Strike of the Windlord, also has a chance to proc.

Mythic+ can require a mix of AoE and Single-Target talents, depending on affixes and other variables. You should check out our page below if you want advice specific to Mythic+.

Some talents will require you to play in a particular way to get the most out of them. You can find more information on how your rotation will look after selecting your talents on our rotation page below.

War Mode offers several benefits for you in the open world.

• PvP talents enabled in the outdoor world.
• At least 10% increase in World Quest rewards at maximum level.
• 10% more experience gained while leveling.
• Earn Conquest Points, which can reward gear every week.

With the benefits of enabling War Mode for leveling and PvE content, it is recommended to enable the feature to maximize your leveling and rewards at maximum level. However, you will make yourself available for open-world PvP, and the possibility of being "ganked" while leveling or doing World Quests exists.

In this section, we will rank the PvP talents best for leveling and doing solo / small group PvE content. Below is a ranking of all PvP Talents for Windwalker Monk

1. Wind Waker grants you and allies affected by Windwalking an effect that makes them immune to slow and snare effects once every 30 seconds.
2. Reverse Harm doubles the healing of Expel Harm and provides an extra Chi when used.
3. Disabling Reach increases the range of your Disable to 10 yards.
4. Alpha Tiger grants you 30% Haste upon attacking a new target with Tiger Palm. This can happen once every 30 seconds per target.
5. Grapple Weapon grants you an additional spell which prevents your target from using their weapons for 6 seconds.
6. Turbo Fists causes Fists of Fury to deal full damage to all targets hit and reduce their movement speed by 90%. It additionally grants you 100% Parry chance during the channel.
7. Ride the Wind causes Flying Serpent Kick to increase the movement speed of allies in its path by 30%. This applies to yourself. It also increases Flying Serpent Kick's cooldown by 10 seconds.
8. Pressure Points reduces the cooldown of Touch of Death by 60 seconds if you kill a player with it.
9. Tigereye Brew generates stacks of Tigereye Brew whenever you spend 3 Chi. Using these stacks makes your attacks bypass armor but deal slightly less damage for 2 seconds per stack.

Turbo Fists, Reverse Harm, and Alpha Tiger are the three talents that will benefit you the most when doing PvE content. They grant you sustainability, as well as survivability.