Awesome Monk [Archive] - Wizards Community

Awesome Monk [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Dragonprime
11-28-06, 10:30 PM A friend of mine said he found a way of making a monk amazingly powerful. Since I'm too lazy to check if this works I want anyone reading this to figure it out. If it works then that means my monk will killing enemies with no problem:dancin:

Instructions

If you follow this formula, your monk will be able charge from 320 feet away, and deliver a flying kick which will do 2d12 + 40 points of damage and leave the target stunned for one round, and nauseated and unable to move for the next. I’m assuming your monk is 15th level. It’s not impossible to make this work at lower levels, you probably just won’t have the same range or damage. It’ll still be impressive though.

Spells needed:
Cast Divine Wisdom, empowered, at the beginning of the day. This will give 6 points of Wisdom. DW is from Relics and Rituals; the spell is not necessary, but very useful, since WIS adds to both stun DC and the monk's AC.

Essential items:
Potions of True Strike
Monk's Belt (for Haste)
Sandals of the Tiger (from S&F) with layered Boots of Striding and Springing. (This second power will cost you double because it is added to a slotted item (see the DMG), but since the power costs all of 1000 gp for a mage to create, you'll end up striding for 2000 gp. The best deal in the game). Ki Straps (from Sword and Fist)

Feats required:
Pain Touch
Power Attack

This is how it all breaks down:

Round 1: The monk hastes himself (monk's belt)
Round1 partial: The monk drinks a potion of true strike.

Round 2: The monk launches a 320 foot flying kick. Her base move is 80; the striding makes it 160. Doubled (for a charge), this is 320.
The flying kick (based on the Sandals) does double damage, so 1d12 + 10-15 (power attack) + 5 (strength bonus) * 2 = 2d12 + 40.

But the real fun is in the stun. Save DC is 10 + half monk's level (7 or 8) + wisdom bonus (5 at least, see Divine Wisdom), + 5 (Ki straps). Our monk, who started with an 18 wisdom (raised to 24 by the DW), delivers a stun with a DC of 10 + 8 + 7 (wis) + 5 = 30.

When they're stunned, they're out of combat for 2 rounds, because of the pain touch feat. What's great about this tactic is that you can basically do it once every round, since your save DC is 30 for the stuns. The extra damage and distance for the charge is neat, but what really hurts is having a monk keep half of the opposition stunned / nauseated during a fight.

Also note that anyone who fails that 30 DC save is vulnerable to sneak attack damage from rogues. Have your rogue delay until just after the monk goes for maximum Destroying the DM’s Campaign Effect.
------------------------------------------------------------

So yeah try to confirm this for me
Comus
11-28-06, 10:44 PM Eh. I'm not that impressed.

See, what you need is Barbarian/Frenzied Berzerker with Power Attack, Leap Attack, and Shock Trooper. (Or, at least, I think that's it.) That'll put the hurt on folk. Add in some Bear Warrior if you can get your paws on Gloves of Man.

Of course, it's still not a full caster. Full casters are the win at anything past level 10.
a_psh
11-28-06, 10:47 PM 3.0 boots of striding and springing are b0rk3d. The 3.5 version of the item adds only +10 movement speed rather than doubling it. And they cost 5,500 gp.

3.5 haste adds a maximum of +30 ft. to your movement.

Empower only affects "variable, numeric effects": "Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables."

Haste no longer adds partial actions. It will require a round to drink the potion and true strike only lasts one round, so you spend your entire first turn just drinking the potion and only fly into battle on the second.

How about in 3.0?

Well, in 3.0, haste is stupidly broken. If I make a 15th-level wizard, boost his Int to 24 to match your monk, and I throw up haste and immediately start casting my high-level spells, which have a save DC of 28 (10 +7 stats +7 spell level +4 3.0-style Greater Spell Focus), by the time your monk impacts in round two of battle, I've already forced as many as THREE saves out of the enemy. And I can target the save of my choice, so I could even throw a fourth- or fifth- level spell and get good results by going for someone's weak save. And I can do this in an area. And a lot of my sixth- and seventh- level spells can insta-kill.
KurenaiYami
11-28-06, 11:05 PM *Snip*

Monk's Belt (for Haste)

*Snip*

Round 1: The monk hastes himself (monk's belt)

*Scratches head*:thinks:

*Looks through Dungeon Master's Guide at Monk's Belt.*:whatsthis

But...the Monk's Belt doesn't let you cast haste...
Bob_The_Wizard
11-28-06, 11:11 PM Excuse me, but doesn't this thread belong in the CharOp boards?
Grand Theft Otto
11-29-06, 12:39 PM I was pretty sure potions cant be self-only spells (hence why there arent potions of shield listed in the dmg).

Mixing in items from a 3.0 splatbook and a 3rd party book (relics and rituals) doesnt particularly impress me either. Monk's are still an exp leech.
Sulaco
11-29-06, 01:19 PM My response: big deal. Sure you can waste a lot of money and effort to be a one-trick pony, but the trick isn't that impressive or particulalry effective. You run up and hit a 15th level barbarian for 2d12+40 damage he'll take the hit, laugh, and then pound 19 kinds of s*** out of you. All you'll really do is to hand-deliver lots of nifty custom gear to him to sell in the next town for beer and wench money.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Dragonprime 11-28-06, 10:30 PM	A friend of mine said he found a way of making a monk amazingly powerful. Since I'm too lazy to check if this works I want anyone reading this to figure it out. If it works then that means my monk will killing enemies with no problem:dancin: Instructions If you follow this formula, your monk will be able charge from 320 feet away, and deliver a flying kick which will do 2d12 + 40 points of damage and leave the target stunned for one round, and nauseated and unable to move for the next. I’m assuming your monk is 15th level. It’s not impossible to make this work at lower levels, you probably just won’t have the same range or damage. It’ll still be impressive though. Spells needed: Cast Divine Wisdom, empowered, at the beginning of the day. This will give 6 points of Wisdom. DW is from Relics and Rituals; the spell is not necessary, but very useful, since WIS adds to both stun DC and the monk's AC. Essential items: Potions of True Strike Monk's Belt (for Haste) Sandals of the Tiger (from S&F) with layered Boots of Striding and Springing. (This second power will cost you double because it is added to a slotted item (see the DMG), but since the power costs all of 1000 gp for a mage to create, you'll end up striding for 2000 gp. The best deal in the game). Ki Straps (from Sword and Fist) Feats required: Pain Touch Power Attack This is how it all breaks down: Round 1: The monk hastes himself (monk's belt) Round1 partial: The monk drinks a potion of true strike. Round 2: The monk launches a 320 foot flying kick. Her base move is 80; the striding makes it 160. Doubled (for a charge), this is 320. The flying kick (based on the Sandals) does double damage, so 1d12 + 10-15 (power attack) + 5 (strength bonus) * 2 = 2d12 + 40. But the real fun is in the stun. Save DC is 10 + half monk's level (7 or 8) + wisdom bonus (5 at least, see Divine Wisdom), + 5 (Ki straps). Our monk, who started with an 18 wisdom (raised to 24 by the DW), delivers a stun with a DC of 10 + 8 + 7 (wis) + 5 = 30. When they're stunned, they're out of combat for 2 rounds, because of the pain touch feat. What's great about this tactic is that you can basically do it once every round, since your save DC is 30 for the stuns. The extra damage and distance for the charge is neat, but what really hurts is having a monk keep half of the opposition stunned / nauseated during a fight. Also note that anyone who fails that 30 DC save is vulnerable to sneak attack damage from rogues. Have your rogue delay until just after the monk goes for maximum Destroying the DM’s Campaign Effect. ------------------------------------------------------------ So yeah try to confirm this for me
Comus 11-28-06, 10:44 PM	Eh. I'm not that impressed. See, what you need is Barbarian/Frenzied Berzerker with Power Attack, Leap Attack, and Shock Trooper. (Or, at least, I think that's it.) That'll put the hurt on folk. Add in some Bear Warrior if you can get your paws on Gloves of Man. Of course, it's still not a full caster. Full casters are the win at anything past level 10.
a_psh 11-28-06, 10:47 PM	3.0 boots of striding and springing are b0rk3d. The 3.5 version of the item adds only +10 movement speed rather than doubling it. And they cost 5,500 gp. 3.5 haste adds a maximum of +30 ft. to your movement. Empower only affects "variable, numeric effects": "Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables." Haste no longer adds partial actions. It will require a round to drink the potion and true strike only lasts one round, so you spend your entire first turn just drinking the potion and only fly into battle on the second. How about in 3.0? Well, in 3.0, haste is stupidly broken. If I make a 15th-level wizard, boost his Int to 24 to match your monk, and I throw up haste and immediately start casting my high-level spells, which have a save DC of 28 (10 +7 stats +7 spell level +4 3.0-style Greater Spell Focus), by the time your monk impacts in round two of battle, I've already forced as many as THREE saves out of the enemy. And I can target the save of my choice, so I could even throw a fourth- or fifth- level spell and get good results by going for someone's weak save. And I can do this in an area. And a lot of my sixth- and seventh- level spells can insta-kill.
KurenaiYami 11-28-06, 11:05 PM	Snip Monk's Belt (for Haste) Snip Round 1: The monk hastes himself (monk's belt) Scratches head:thinks: Looks through Dungeon Master's Guide at Monk's Belt.:whatsthis But...the Monk's Belt doesn't let you cast haste...
Bob_The_Wizard 11-28-06, 11:11 PM	Excuse me, but doesn't this thread belong in the CharOp boards?
Grand Theft Otto 11-29-06, 12:39 PM	I was pretty sure potions cant be self-only spells (hence why there arent potions of shield listed in the dmg). Mixing in items from a 3.0 splatbook and a 3rd party book (relics and rituals) doesnt particularly impress me either. Monk's are still an exp leech.
Sulaco 11-29-06, 01:19 PM	My response: big deal. Sure you can waste a lot of money and effort to be a one-trick pony, but the trick isn't that impressive or particulalry effective. You run up and hit a 15th level barbarian for 2d12+40 damage he'll take the hit, laugh, and then pound 19 kinds of s*** out of you. All you'll really do is to hand-deliver lots of nifty custom gear to him to sell in the next town for beer and wench money.