[SixOfSpades]

Without mods, Monks use the exact same HLA pool as Fighters and Barbarians. If you have Oversight installed, though, Kish made a lot of changes to the Monk's HLA pool, making tem less like standard Warriors and more like Balthazar. Some people hold that these changes make the Monk overpowered, or at least capable of things that the enemies in the game are not scripted to be able to handle (like Dimension Door).

Power-wise, Monks in ToB are about as powerful as a Warrior with good stats and good equipment. But when you realize that you could just as easily be a Warrior with GREAT stats and GREAT equipment.....not to mention that Warriors are much more versatile. All Monks are the same: Tell me what major quest you've completed and I'll be able to tell you what level you are, what your stats are, and what you're wearing. The Shapeshifter shares this lack of variety, which is why I've never played either one.