Post/Author/DateTime	Post
SmiloDan 01-08-04, 09:44 AM	The party is an elf ranger 4 (2 weapon build and a Wolf), a kender bard 3 or 4 (feats to enhance bardic music), NPC cleric 3 (self-buffer melee), and me. I'm considering a monk because I've never played one and they seem like a lot of fun. Both the bard and ranger have CC thief skills (locks and traps and stuff). Is monk OK? Or would you recommend another class? I'm considering the Dragon Disciple route.
Inkubus 01-08-04, 09:55 AM	I'd say your party really needs a wizard or sorcerer. And you haven't got a rogue either, so maybe a rogue wizard/ Arcane Trickster? But hey, play whatever you like. As long as it's fun... Cheers, Inkubus
Lord Arkhaven 01-08-04, 10:15 AM	Monk to Dragon Disciple could be alright. It would give your party a bit more fighting and a tad more arcane magic. A fighting cleric would also be good. You can never have too many clerics and most parties don't have enough.
SmiloDan 01-08-04, 10:31 AM	Yeah, I've played fighting clerics before, and they're really fun and useful, but I want to try something new. The main party is splitting because of work schedules, and I'm available both nights, so I can now play 2 characters. My other character is an elf druid archer 4. So if I play another divine spell caster that fights, I'll get confused about who's who! Hahaha! If I go the monk-dragon disciple route, I'll need a level or 2 of sorcerer anyways. I'm leaning towards monk/sorcerer/dragon disciple as of now. Maybe a poor one, with the Vow of Poverty feat.
Scandal 01-08-04, 12:43 PM	Since you need a Rogue and an Arcane caster you should look at the Arcane Trickster, tough to play in the beginning but they are awsome later on. you get rogue abilities, arcane casting, and with UMD you can carry wands with healing ;-) Anywho I may be biased as the Arcane Trickster is kinda my favorite combo at the moment.. -Scan
SmiloDan 01-08-04, 12:57 PM	It's kind of a low XP, slow advancing campaign, and an Arcane Trickster needs you to be at least 8th level. I'm thinking of getting the bard to consider it...
Snow Savant 01-08-04, 02:25 PM	In a weird way, your party-mates are well-balanced without you. A TWF Ranger, Buff Cleric, & Song-based Bard can accomplish a lot, yet is not oversaturated in any specific role. This is good, because it allows you flexibility to be what you want to be without excess redundancy (assuming you don't take the Ranger, Cleric, or Bard class). Monk actually sounds great! Your TWF Ranger and Buff Cleric sound somewhat like combatants who do best in non-mobile tank fighting. Bard sings, shoots arrows, & casts. So you have *no* mobility combatants in your group. The kind of guy who charges full-bore ahead to take out the opponent's spellcaster in the back ranks. That should be your role. Since nobody has real stellar HD / HP's in your party, you want to stay strong in that area, in case a damage sink is needed. Your multi-classing may want to be in classes/PrC's that have d10 HD and +1BAB/Level. 2 levels of Fighter seem strong, for the feats and the padded HP's. Finally, here are the weak points of your party just from an observation standpoint: 1. Traps = You got no Rogue levels in the group. 2. Arcane Firepower = No Mage. Not critical - Bard & Cleric may be sufficient. 3. Big Bruiser / Robust Tank = Perhaps your Cleric can do this. Or you with the right multi-classing. XO, Snow :)
SmiloDan 01-08-04, 03:53 PM	Yeah, I'm currently considering playing a human monk 4/sorcerer 1/ dragon disciple X. I'm gonna take some hits on my BAB, but I'll eventually get +8 Str, +4 Natural Armor, breath weapon, and wings! And I'm thinking of taking the Vow of Poverty feat at 1st level, which REALLY helps with feats and stuff. I have to read up on it next time I see my DM.
Snow Savant 01-08-04, 04:01 PM	Not sure what level you are starting at, SmiloDan. But if you are starting at: Monk4 / Sorc1 / DD1 ....you're gonna get your ass handed to you. A BAB +3 at 6th level with no defining role or specialty, poor HD, no decent back-row missile capability, and a front-lining emphasis = death at any moment. I understand your goals and objectives, but that prefix is going to be a long and worrisome wait until DD levels start to really give you some of the good stuff. Just some worrisome observations here ... XO, Snow :)
SmiloDan 01-08-04, 04:49 PM	I'm starting at level 3. I'm thinking Human Monk 3. I want to be a mobile, diplomatic, scout-type. One of the reasons I want to be a monk is the skill set. Climb, Jump, Tumble, Diplomacy, Knowledge arcana and religion, Listen and Spot and Sense Motive.
helicopter 01-08-04, 05:25 PM	how about monk4 / hexblade 4 / draong disciple 10 ?? you get a better bab, more hp and bonus spells for yer hexblad spells you chose.
SmiloDan 01-09-04, 08:29 AM	That's an idea, but I was looking forward to playing a Lawful Goody Two Shoes. I can do Lawful Neutral, I guess. Could I still benefit from the Vow of Poverty feat if I'm non-Good?
Belldandy 01-26-04, 01:02 PM	Meep meep. Technically yes, no one can detect or disarm magical traps! Monks. They Fun. Rogues. They fun and sometimes useful Lawful good? And you wanna MISS OUT paladin???? Go for it. A LG Paladin Monk Rogue! (Or just a monk rogue) If you use the dodgy rules in teh FRCS you can multiclass the lot or some of it Imagine: Paladin 4 (with a wisdom of 12 at least, so you can get Bless weapon, then add ioen stones!) Monk 6 (Not sure why it just fits in with numbers, think stunning fists combined with:) Rogue 10 (Sneak attacks!!! and for a special ability) But just a monk rogue, 3,3 with a ki spiked chain Let me hit you once. You fail your save from my stunning fist, (through the chain) Then let me flurry sneak attack you as you stand there! Bwahahahahahaha Rogue monks can be much fun! (Think of the skilss and sneak attack with the randomness of monks and their stunning fists!) And spiked chains are silly weapons. If you're going to be a monk, why not!? (And 2 levels of paladin for divine grace! Or as I say 4, to make your weapon blessed a few times a day ignoreing all DR from bad guys and crit-ing lots!) You end up with a trapfinding, sneaky expert, who's protected by gods, and is a savage little chain fighter.
SmiloDan 01-26-04, 01:18 PM	Our party has actually swollen! The NPC cleric died last night, but we have: elf ranger wolf elf barbarian elf wizard halfling rogue kender bard (going dragon disciple...the horror) human fighter (going cleric/paladin/hospitaler) human monk Potions of Resurrection and a Wand of CLW in the party, so a cleric isn't DESPERATELY needed. But would still be nice.
Belldandy 01-28-04, 02:42 PM	Big druid of bearness! A cleric looks headed with the hospitilar! Be a monk-rogue! You know you wanna. And kick a halfling for me! (well it's fun) As for all those poncy elves? tsk tsk whats is the world coming to?
SmiloDan 01-29-04, 09:24 AM	I play an elf druid archer in the "other half" of the campaign. Because of work schedules in real life, we had to split the party in half. The above is the Sunday game. The Thursday game has: Human Fighter 4 Human Rogue 2/Fighter 2 Elf Druid 4 Wardog NPC Human Evoker Wizard 3? And we're looking for more players on Thursday, so if you live in Buffalo... ;)