MONK BASICS

i did a lot of research on mnk before i used one so im going to relate what i know to starting off a mnk.
first off: USE H2H weapons they are the only weapons that the martial arts job trait has an effect on plus the skill cap is maxed for a mnk.

H2H Weapon skills:
Combo 10 Three-hit attack. Damage varies with TP.
Shoulder Tackle 40 Stuns enemy. Chance of stun varies with TP.
One Inch Punch 75 Ignores enemy's defense. Amount ignored varies with TP.
Backhand Blow 100 Chance of critical varies with TP.
Raging Fists 125 Five-hit attack. Damage varies with TP.
Spinning Attack 150 Area of Effect attack. Range of attack varies with TP.
Howling Fist 200 Damage varies with TP.
Dragon Kick 225 Damage varies with TP.
Asuran Fists 250 Eight-hit attack. Accuracy varies with TP.
Final Heaven Caestus, Spharai Only Additional effect: temporarily enhances Subtle Blow effect.

MNK Job Abilities:
01 Hundred Fists
05 Boost
15 Dodge
25 Focus
35 Chakra
41 Chi Blast
45 Counterstance
75 (Merit) Mantra
75 (Merit) Formless Strikes

MNK Job Traits:
01 Martial Arts
05 Subtle Blow
10 Counter
15 Max HP Boost
16 Martial Arts II
25 Subtle Blow II
31 Martial Arts III
35 Max HP Boost II
45 Subtle Blow III
46 Martial Arts IV
51 Kick Attacks
55 Max HP Boost III
61 Martial Arts V
65 Subtle Blow IV
70 Max HP Boost IV
71 Kick Attacks II
75 Martial Arts VI
75 (Merit) Invigorate
75 (Merit) Penance

Here is a rundown of the race advantages to monk.

Hume
As a Hume Monk, you can deal a nice, long stream of damage without pulling extravagant amounts of hate towards yourself. If you do, you have high enough HP, vitality, and agility to keep yourself alive. Average accuracy levels means more damage as well as more frequent Counters. Average mind means you can have a high level of Chi Blast damage as well. Like for all jobs, Hume does great in all aspects.

Elvaan
An Elvaan’s stats are basically made for Monk in almost every way. Of the four main stats a Monk needs (strength, dexterity, vitality, and mind), Elvaan excel in three of them. Playing as an Elvaan Monk, you’ll enjoy high damage per hit, highly damaging Chi Blast, high defense, high HP regenerated through Chakra, and a very high level of HP. Your biggest downside to Elvaan Monk is losing out on dexterity and agility, meaning low evasion and accuracy, and a low Counter activation rate. That and of course you’ll be wearing Republic Subligar from 25 until 75, and Elvaan don’t look very appealing in Subligar haha.

Tarutaru
Tarutaru Monks enjoy a healthy balance of damage over time and high-damage weapon skills, as well as superb defense through Counters, Guards, and evasion. As a Tarutaru Monk, you won’t have to worry as much about taking hate when you don’t want to. You can safely build up TP with your high accuracy, and then unleash a higher-damaging weapon skill to either open or close a very powerful skillchain. Though your Chakra and Chi Blast will suffer, Taru Monks do great on the battlefield.

Mithra
Looking good on the battlefield, Mithra Monks are a lot like Tarutaru, who build up TP easily and then unleash a fury of Raging Fists. Mithra have amazing dexterity, and decent strength and mind. Like Humes, they have fairly balanced stats in the long run. There is a lot of attack gear in the game to make-up for their detriment in strength, as well as mind, and even vitality. Race-specific equipment is also good for boosting low stats.

Galka
A Galka Monk has the absolute highest HP in the entire game. Though it’s not a significant stat for Monk, it’s amazing watching just how much they have. Galka also enjoy a very high vitality to not only protect that HP, but to also help bring it back with Chakra. Galka Monks have high strength, very high vitality, and average mnd/dex (equal to Hume mnd/dex). In the long run, they too have amazing stats like Elvaan. They also look darn cool on the battlefield with arms bigger than most characters in general.

(you can tell i play a Galkan mnk lol)

Now a bit of tactics.

EAT YOUR MEATS always stay on meat because you wont need the intellect that you lose from it and strength is a monks friend. Also, the job ability boost is useful but only when used in the correct circumstances. DO NOT use boost during battle only for a weapon skill or JA because using boost resets your delay counter causing you to SLOW your attacks. So use boost before you use your TP WS and before you get into combat. Boost has been known to make chi blast do MASSIVE amounts of damage.
In the higher levels remember that your job is DD. You may be able to tank until 30 if your sub is WAR but dont even try it beyond that. If you ARE stuck tanking just make the best use you can out of chakra and hope you have a good healer because monks are MP sponges with their massive HP and low defense.

That is all i have time to type out on my work break lol if you have anything that i should add let me know ill add sub job info later