A Versatile Monk? [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Versatile Monk? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GooseOfMercy
12-04-03, 11:34 PM First off, I'd like to say that this is my first post from being gone since...well about a year now. I used to be Dakuma The Strange or something like that. Great to see tons of people on these boards still hanging around. Have been checking lots of posts and reading a lot and can tell that most things haven't changed. Just new Exalated stuff is a little fuzzy to me.

So my friend started a new D&D campaign replaces the White-Wolf game we had running. I could not attend to play the first
quest but get to make a lvl 1 char to start with the lvl2s. (This is 3.5 btw and I don't have the book b/c I refuse to buy it with the $30 I don't have) (OA and splatbooks ok to use)

Well heres my idea and semi-build:

Rolls are 16,16,14,13,11 and he told us we get a free 18 =P

Basically my idea is to make a versatile monk. Somebody who can do something completly different like say be just doing normal attacks flurrying then change to defensive then trip then grapple then disarm then stun etc. etc. (speaking of which what are opinions on disarm?)

As I know this will take a lot of feats so I am thinking of a couple Shintao lvls and definitely human.
Here are some of the feats I might like: Improved Initiative, Freezing the LifeBlood, Dodge, Defensinve Throw, Improved Grapple, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Defflect Arrows, Combat Reflexes, Falling Star Strike, Fists of Iron, Expertise, Earths Embrace, Pain Touch
On Improved Grapple which one is it the 3.5 Player Handbook one or the OA one? Unless I missread it and they are the same...

I probably forgot something in there.

Here is my only real build:
STR 16
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 18 (add +1s at lvl 4 multiples)
CHA 11
Monk1: Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes
Monk2: Improved Grapple
Monk3: Expert Tactican
Monk6: Falling Star Strike (Leaning towards Improved Trip but Improved Disarm might be ok)
Monk9: Freezing The Lifeblood
Monk12: Fists Of Iron (Med of War Mastery, DM lets me get Weapon Focus Unarmed Go DM! =P)
Monk 15: Pain Touch
Monk 18: Unbalancing Strike

And on Falling Star, Freezing, Pain Touch, and Unbalance, the max times per day is 9/day and 1/rnd or was so made so people didn't spam attack them?

Great to be back and hope you guys still have that magic left in you. :D

~SK~
mean_liar
12-05-03, 04:43 PM :thumbsdow
sereg
12-05-03, 05:22 PM I have no idea what you just said.

I do know theres a HUGE monk faq, I believe even on the first page.

Do some searches. Tons of monk stuff.
Dendofuman
12-05-03, 05:33 PM Don't you want to have your stunning attacks? I don't know too much about monks, but I think that they don't automatically get their stunning attacks anymore; you have to take it as one of your bonus feats at first level.
jack haas
12-05-03, 06:10 PM if it is 3.5, a monk has to choose either stunning fist or improved grapple as his bonus feat at 1st level. i'm not sure how you have selected improved grapple as your mnk2 feat however i do not have oriental adventures so just give me a smack if i'm talking out my arse :D iirc, pain touch and freezing the lifeblood both have stunning attack as a pre-req
GooseOfMercy
12-05-03, 08:17 PM Ahh man shut down...

Well I do not have the 3.5 PHB... So I'm really just going from memory. And mean_liar please do not do that give some explanation like others did that is a waste of a post.

I am just going to take myself elsewhere for help, thank you to those who helped.
Sisyfos
12-05-03, 08:28 PM There is a link to mean_liar's monk build faq in my signature. You will most likely find a lot of good information from that.

Considering your Wisdom you would most likely benefit a lot from the stunning strike. Perhaps you should reconsider taking it.

Disarm is not good when you are doing it unarmed. Your lights are treated as light weapons and that almost quarantees that you will fail your attempts.
Balthanon
12-05-03, 08:57 PM Originally posted by GooseOfMercy
Ahh man shut down...

Well I do not have the 3.5 PHB... So I'm really just going from memory. And mean_liar please do not do that give some explanation like others did that is a waste of a post.

I am just going to take myself elsewhere for help, thank you to those who helped.

You can download the 3.5 System Resource Document for free. That has pretty much everything you should need to start off with a new character. If you look around, there are some better formatted versions available in various places on the web or you can just go with the original files (http://www.wizards.com/D20/article.asp?x=srd35).
GooseOfMercy
12-05-03, 09:56 PM @Sisyfos I have read over and over the FAQ and have done searches, for some reason I can not do specific searches on this forum and have to sift through loads of threads =/ Also thank you for disarm thing forgot weapon size mattered.

@Balthanon Danka. Really needed this, was looking on their site for this under search and couldn't seem to find it.

I'll take a second swing at this.

I decided to keep with straight monk20. Also more of a tactiful monk then my grappler but no Death Blow allowed.

Monk1 [Improved Unarmed Strike]
Monk1 {Stunning Fist}
Monk1 Unbalancing Strike
Monk1 Improved Initiative
Monk2 Combat Reflexes
Monk3 Expert Tactican
Monk6 {Improved Trip}
Monk6 Falling Star Strike
Monk9 Freezing The Life Blood
Monk12 Fists of Iron (Mastery of War)
Monk15 Pain Touch
Monk18 -

My other options are replacing Falling Star Strike for Dodge. Freezing The Life Blood for Defensive Throw. Fists of Iron for Karmic Strike or one of the hybrid-stuns or Improved Critical. Pain Touch could be Karmic Strike, Improved Crit or Hybrid-Stun too.

I think this would be a pretty cool Monk.

This build...
<cut>
Monk6: Dodge
Monk9: Defensive Throw
Monk12: Improved Crit
Monk15: Pain Touch

Although mechanicaly weaker could be better in a certain campaign. I think I will just keep my feats open to see how the campaign is (it is homebrew, no hobbits). I think the feats1-3+Improved Trip will set up great possibilites for almost any line of feats.

Thanks for the help guys. Hopefully you can work with this better.

<edit> Forgot to add Blind Fight feat...could replace some feat and be extremely useful (once again depends on campaign
balefire42
12-06-03, 02:12 AM remember, you can take ability focus: stunning fist from the monster feats section in the monster manual (its in the monster feats section of the srd) to get +2 to your stunning fist dc.
GooseOfMercy
12-06-03, 02:23 AM Thanks Balefire, keep that in mind if I find myself using it a lot or it failing a lot.

Forgot to mention stats are:
STR 16
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 13
WIS 18
CHA 11

Have a question Improved Natural Attack makes 2d10 go to..? 4d8?

Thanks
MoogleEmpMog
12-06-03, 02:45 AM The 5-level Shou Disciple PrC (from FR: Unapproachable East) nets you two extra bonus feats, 1/1 BAB, almost all the Monk goodies, and the ability to flurry with any melee weapon for still more versatility. You'll take a hit to your Will saves to nab it and need to have the Dodge feat and Weapon Focus (Unarmed), but it might be worth your while if you can.

A good way to handle this would be to add on Shou Disciple after Monk 12 (when your DM lets you get WF (Unarmed) with Meditation of War). You'll push yourself up to a +16 BAB before Epic, too.:)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GooseOfMercy 12-04-03, 11:34 PM	First off, I'd like to say that this is my first post from being gone since...well about a year now. I used to be Dakuma The Strange or something like that. Great to see tons of people on these boards still hanging around. Have been checking lots of posts and reading a lot and can tell that most things haven't changed. Just new Exalated stuff is a little fuzzy to me. So my friend started a new D&D campaign replaces the White-Wolf game we had running. I could not attend to play the first quest but get to make a lvl 1 char to start with the lvl2s. (This is 3.5 btw and I don't have the book b/c I refuse to buy it with the $30 I don't have) (OA and splatbooks ok to use) Well heres my idea and semi-build: Rolls are 16,16,14,13,11 and he told us we get a free 18 =P Basically my idea is to make a versatile monk. Somebody who can do something completly different like say be just doing normal attacks flurrying then change to defensive then trip then grapple then disarm then stun etc. etc. (speaking of which what are opinions on disarm?) As I know this will take a lot of feats so I am thinking of a couple Shintao lvls and definitely human. Here are some of the feats I might like: Improved Initiative, Freezing the LifeBlood, Dodge, Defensinve Throw, Improved Grapple, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Defflect Arrows, Combat Reflexes, Falling Star Strike, Fists of Iron, Expertise, Earths Embrace, Pain Touch On Improved Grapple which one is it the 3.5 Player Handbook one or the OA one? Unless I missread it and they are the same... I probably forgot something in there. Here is my only real build: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 18 (add +1s at lvl 4 multiples) CHA 11 Monk1: Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes Monk2: Improved Grapple Monk3: Expert Tactican Monk6: Falling Star Strike (Leaning towards Improved Trip but Improved Disarm might be ok) Monk9: Freezing The Lifeblood Monk12: Fists Of Iron (Med of War Mastery, DM lets me get Weapon Focus Unarmed Go DM! =P) Monk 15: Pain Touch Monk 18: Unbalancing Strike And on Falling Star, Freezing, Pain Touch, and Unbalance, the max times per day is 9/day and 1/rnd or was so made so people didn't spam attack them? Great to be back and hope you guys still have that magic left in you. :D ~SK~
mean_liar 12-05-03, 04:43 PM	:thumbsdow
sereg 12-05-03, 05:22 PM	I have no idea what you just said. I do know theres a HUGE monk faq, I believe even on the first page. Do some searches. Tons of monk stuff.
Dendofuman 12-05-03, 05:33 PM	Don't you want to have your stunning attacks? I don't know too much about monks, but I think that they don't automatically get their stunning attacks anymore; you have to take it as one of your bonus feats at first level.
jack haas 12-05-03, 06:10 PM	if it is 3.5, a monk has to choose either stunning fist or improved grapple as his bonus feat at 1st level. i'm not sure how you have selected improved grapple as your mnk2 feat however i do not have oriental adventures so just give me a smack if i'm talking out my arse :D iirc, pain touch and freezing the lifeblood both have stunning attack as a pre-req
GooseOfMercy 12-05-03, 08:17 PM	Ahh man shut down... Well I do not have the 3.5 PHB... So I'm really just going from memory. And mean_liar please do not do that give some explanation like others did that is a waste of a post. I am just going to take myself elsewhere for help, thank you to those who helped.
Sisyfos 12-05-03, 08:28 PM	There is a link to mean_liar's monk build faq in my signature. You will most likely find a lot of good information from that. Considering your Wisdom you would most likely benefit a lot from the stunning strike. Perhaps you should reconsider taking it. Disarm is not good when you are doing it unarmed. Your lights are treated as light weapons and that almost quarantees that you will fail your attempts.
Balthanon 12-05-03, 08:57 PM	Originally posted by GooseOfMercy Ahh man shut down... Well I do not have the 3.5 PHB... So I'm really just going from memory. And mean_liar please do not do that give some explanation like others did that is a waste of a post. I am just going to take myself elsewhere for help, thank you to those who helped. You can download the 3.5 System Resource Document for free. That has pretty much everything you should need to start off with a new character. If you look around, there are some better formatted versions available in various places on the web or you can just go with the original files (http://www.wizards.com/D20/article.asp?x=srd35).
GooseOfMercy 12-05-03, 09:56 PM	@Sisyfos I have read over and over the FAQ and have done searches, for some reason I can not do specific searches on this forum and have to sift through loads of threads =/ Also thank you for disarm thing forgot weapon size mattered. @Balthanon Danka. Really needed this, was looking on their site for this under search and couldn't seem to find it. I'll take a second swing at this. I decided to keep with straight monk20. Also more of a tactiful monk then my grappler but no Death Blow allowed. Monk1 [Improved Unarmed Strike] Monk1 {Stunning Fist} Monk1 Unbalancing Strike Monk1 Improved Initiative Monk2 Combat Reflexes Monk3 Expert Tactican Monk6 {Improved Trip} Monk6 Falling Star Strike Monk9 Freezing The Life Blood Monk12 Fists of Iron (Mastery of War) Monk15 Pain Touch Monk18 - My other options are replacing Falling Star Strike for Dodge. Freezing The Life Blood for Defensive Throw. Fists of Iron for Karmic Strike or one of the hybrid-stuns or Improved Critical. Pain Touch could be Karmic Strike, Improved Crit or Hybrid-Stun too. I think this would be a pretty cool Monk. This build... <cut> Monk6: Dodge Monk9: Defensive Throw Monk12: Improved Crit Monk15: Pain Touch Although mechanicaly weaker could be better in a certain campaign. I think I will just keep my feats open to see how the campaign is (it is homebrew, no hobbits). I think the feats1-3+Improved Trip will set up great possibilites for almost any line of feats. Thanks for the help guys. Hopefully you can work with this better. <edit> Forgot to add Blind Fight feat...could replace some feat and be extremely useful (once again depends on campaign
balefire42 12-06-03, 02:12 AM	remember, you can take ability focus: stunning fist from the monster feats section in the monster manual (its in the monster feats section of the srd) to get +2 to your stunning fist dc.
GooseOfMercy 12-06-03, 02:23 AM	Thanks Balefire, keep that in mind if I find myself using it a lot or it failing a lot. Forgot to mention stats are: STR 16 DEX 16 CON 14 INT 13 WIS 18 CHA 11 Have a question Improved Natural Attack makes 2d10 go to..? 4d8? Thanks
MoogleEmpMog 12-06-03, 02:45 AM	The 5-level Shou Disciple PrC (from FR: Unapproachable East) nets you two extra bonus feats, 1/1 BAB, almost all the Monk goodies, and the ability to flurry with any melee weapon for still more versatility. You'll take a hit to your Will saves to nab it and need to have the Dodge feat and Weapon Focus (Unarmed), but it might be worth your while if you can. A good way to handle this would be to add on Shou Disciple after Monk 12 (when your DM lets you get WF (Unarmed) with Meditation of War). You'll push yourself up to a +16 BAB before Epic, too.:)