How I run Monks in Fantasy Settings, or "I punch the Dragon in the Face!"

Why wouldn't you want this guy in your game?
Fei Long of Street Fighter

Ah, the overpowered, out of genre, anachronistic monk. I have no idea how 5th edition (or even 4th edition, for that matter), has treated you, but I assume you are still punching dragons in the face. Monks certainly did in 3rd Ed.

Monks for me present an interesting challenge. They are, for one, a bit "out-of-place" if I am playing in a setting with a strictly European idea of fantasy, so including monks requires me to include either Oriental analogs of some kind in my worlds, or else some rationale for one of my existing cultures to develop the art of fighting with one's body alone. That later requirement suits me better than the former.

Its also a challenge to make sense of their power, especially against certain monsters. In this article, I'll be talking about not only how monks are a challenge to wedge into a D&D game, but even more importantly, some ideas on how to challenge the Monks themselves, especially with respect to their powers.