So you think you're ready, Grasshopper?  The nice thing about a Monk is that he can hit anything.  The sad thing about a monk is that he can usually be hit BY anything.  The Resistance to Magic is very handy because of an unfixed bug in the game.  Most ill effects (paralyzation, poison, diseases, etc.) are checked against Magic Resistance first, giving the Monk a better than average chance of avoiding such nastiness.  Add the Resistance to Shock and the Monk has a reasonable chance of not being killed by the first Wraith or Vampire that he comes across.  The Monk starts with enhanced AGI and SPD, but lacks the better staying power of higher Health Points.  Pump END up to 70 as quickly as possible and then pump up STR so that you're doing more damage with each hit.

I find that the Monk makes a nice template and, with a few mods, is a very enjoyable class to play. Be prepared to soak up some damage, though.