Flurry of Blows 5e

Unleash your Monk fury with a flurry.

“Before I knew I was hit, I was hit again, and then again. An inhuman blur with surgical precision…”

What is Flurry of Blows in 5e?

The Player’s Handbook description for Flurry of Blows reads: “Immediately after you take the Attack Action on Your Turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two Unarmed strikes as a bonus Action.“

The idea of Flurry of Blows is that you get quick little strikes in after your opponent is stunned with a main attack. But the official description leaves a lot to interpretation.

So how do you use Flurry of Blows in 5e?

How does Flurry of Blows in 5e work?

Flurry of Blows works like this: 

1. Take the attack action.

• Decide you want to use Flurry of Blows as a bonus action, and spend a ki point.
• Roll to see if you hit for your main attack. If you hit, roll damage dice.
• Roll to see if you hit for one Unarmed Strike. If you hit, roll damage dice.
• Roll to see if you hit for the other Unarmed Strike. If you hit, roll damage dice.

Alternatively, you can also roll to see which attacks hit first, and then roll damage for each. Some like this better for narrative purposes, as it better conveys the feeling of a “flurry.”

Part of the confusion with Flurry of Blows is the Extra Attack feature that Monks get at level 5.

How does Monk Extra Attack work with Flurry of Blows?

In general, one attack consumes your main action. Starting at Level 5, Monks get the Extra Attack feature. This means they can attack twice with a main action, instead of just once. Extra Attack does not grant you two main actions. It grants you one main action involving two attacks. 

Similarly, Flurry of Blows lets you make two Unarmed Strikes as a bonus action. Flurry of Blows does not grant you two bonus actions. It grants you one bonus action involving two strikes.

This essentially gives Monks 4 attacks (as long as you have the ki points) after level 5. Two attacks under the main action, and two Unarmed Strikes under the bonus action with Flurry of Blows.

Monks are powerful in the early game for this reason!

Flurry of Blows 5e FAQ

How many times can you do Flurry of Blows?

You can do Flurry of Blows once per turn for 2 Unarmed Strikes. Per Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, at 17th level, a Way of the Drunken Master Monk gets “Intoxicated Frenzy” for an additional 3 Unarmed Strikes to their Flurry of Blows, as long as those strikes are used for different enemies.

Can you use Monk weapons for Flurry of Blows?

No, you can only use Unarmed Strikes for Flurry of Blows in 5e. Earlier editions of DnD have features like Monastic Weaponry that override Unarmed Strike, however.

Do you roll twice for Flurry of Blows?

Yes, you roll separately for each Unarmed Strike.

That’s it for this flurry. Why not master some other Fighting Styles and actions like Two-Weapon Fighting 5e, Uncanny Dodge 5e, and Shove Action 5e?