Post/Author/DateTime	Post
David 12-16-06, 12:11 PM	I don't know how to explain this, but I have this image of a Monk in my head but I don't know quite where to start with this one, so I'm gonna need your help on this one. So what I've got is a Dwarf. This Dwarf was rejected by his clan at birth because of some random birthdefect, like a tattoo/birthmark or having 1 blue and 1 brown iris (The Dwarves of his clan think he's evil or that he will bring forth some kind of Ragnarok). In their mercy they grant a stranger (A monk, duh!) custody over this Dwarf. After some 40 years of training the monk dies and the Dwarf roams the lands on his own, eventually joining a party. The Dwarf doesn't have a Dwarven name. He should at least be denied some of his racial bonuses for not growing up in a clan (Maybe he could get something in return). Now all you guys need to know is that he's very spiritual/enlightend (think Silver Surfer), and that he's eventually gonna train a cohort. I can't really find a good prestige class to aim for though, so if you've got any advice for me, it's mor than welcome.
High Octane 12-16-06, 01:31 PM	Monk is fine without any prestige classes.
Wizardmon 12-16-06, 09:22 PM	Monks own on their own. With crazy unarmed damage, flury of blows, and all this other stuff, being a monk means you own in one on one fair fight (Just hope the thing you fight cant eat you XD) Anyway, There are only a few prestige classes that i would even consider taking as a monk, because monks are just that cool. Dwarven Drunken Fighters (Complete Warrior?) in my mind are too funny and i think would rock. They progress like a monk in terms of non-combat related class features, and get extra damage with improvised weapons when drunk. Tattoo Monks (Complete Warrior) are cool because they can chose which abilitys to get from magical tattoos, while progressing kinda like a monk. You mentioned tattoos earler, i think you might that idea. Something crazy you might try if you want to turn this guy evil. Get 2 weapon fighting (so that you have 2 crazy damage monk-fists) improve it if you can, and then become an assassin. If you turn invisible, make a full round surprise attack, you can deal sneak attack damage AND crazy monk damage WITH EACH FIST! (I dreamed the idea up the other day in class and you are welcome to use it)
Milotus 12-16-06, 10:44 PM	If he is lawful good monk, take exalted path. Vow of poverty, that feat is your best friend. I builded this kind of monk, and I have to say that, it is one of my best characters ever. Although it is very difficult to play.
David 12-17-06, 05:06 AM	Just to push you in the right direction: I was thinking more of a Ghostwalker (Sword and fist). I know it isn't the best prestige class, but I like the idea of an intimidating/respected monk.
Thubby 12-17-06, 12:17 PM	for you, id say tatood monk (i think its comp warrior) some neat abilities, keeps almost all the monk stuff, and it plays to the "marked" theme drunken fist (same book), dwarves like to drink, you are a monk, do the math
David 12-17-06, 01:21 PM	Tattooed monk might be interesting, but I just don't know if he's gonna go that far. Just because he was born with some mystic mark doesn't mean he's willing to recieve more. I don't like him as a drunk. He's seeking enlightment, not the next tavern. Vow of poverty is one of the best ideas yet. It fits perfectly with the theme.
DrMorganes 12-17-06, 01:30 PM	If this dwarf were raised completely outside of dwarven society, I'd pull the following racial traits: Stonecunning: Raised outside of dwarven culture, he's no more aware of stone and earth than your average elf. Weapon Familiarity: Apart from the martial upbringing of young dwarves, he lacks the cultural familiarity with dwarven racial weapons. As a monk, he'd still have to burn a feat to use 'em so this is more fluff than crunch unless you look to multiclass into fighter for some reason... +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against orcs and goblinoids. He has no special training in combat tactics vs these enemies. +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Various other resources attribute this bonus to combat training as well. No racial combat training means no racial AC bonus vs these creatures. +2 racial bonus on Appraise checks that are related to stone or metal items. See Stonecunning, above. +2 racial bonus on Craft checks that are related to stone or metal. See Stonecunning, above. I like to encourage creative character concepts. I'd work with you to come up with some other traits to compensate for those lost, likely based somehow on the race or culture where your character was raised.
albinomonkeyking 12-17-06, 01:46 PM	oriental adventures (3.0! Oh noes!) has some monk classes which may intrigue you. I think some of them are spiritual. Also, as was said, Book of Exalted Deeds if you want spirituality. If the DM allows VoP (the fool!) then you are pretty much set. VoP is the best for monks, I would know, there is one in my game. I think there are unarmed classes in BoED like Fist of Raziel, also, if I remember correctly some are really good. Also, if you want him to be spiritual and a monk you could say the monk taught him but he could have always trained a little bit differently. This is where Complete Adventurers Ascetic feats come in. Ascetic knight sounds like it would be right up your alley. It is a combination of paladin and monk, which means you could be monk/paladin/whichever prestige class you get, which should let you continue in monk. So taking it wouldn't be detrimental to your concept. Anyway, good luck!
The_Shaman 12-17-06, 03:38 PM	Hmm, let's see. Try to get something that boosts your combat progressions, and perhaps allows for a few fighter levels. A monk has great base damage, only with a low BAB and it's no fun when you miss on 6 attacks in a round (say with TWF). By the way, a Drunken Master need not be a drunkard. You're emulating the movements of one, but need not be one yourself. Some ideas would be: - Shou disciple: High BAB, bonus feat, can flurry with more weapons, and has a separate - and effective - monk unarmed progression if you want to have few monk levels (it stacks with monk levels or gives its own damage, whichever's better). Basically a martial artist without the supernatural, if the setting isn't as magical as most or you just want to focus on that. Found in Unapproachable East. - Sacred fist (requires cleric or other divinist multiclass) - goes with the whole enlightenment thing (so do the monk PrCs in OA, by the way, under the Dragon 318 OA update - the only one present so far - they improve the standard monk features + flurry of blows) - found in Complete Divine. - Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries: ok, this will be a bit of a "huh?" However, it is an unorthodox mystical monk class, and if you tie it with the mark your character gets it might be a great plot device. Edit: if you go BoED, the initiate of Pistis Sophia is an option.
unusualsuspect 12-17-06, 03:53 PM	You might consider a few level dip in Stone Warden. I don't see why the flavor couldn't be tweaked a bit to make it a sort of "dwarf traveler raised in the wilderness" instead of "dwarf wilderness scout". It can be flavorful, and it CERTAINLY can be very useful (Con modifier instead of Dexterity means you can drop Dex from needed stats, which is less mad, which is good).
David 12-18-06, 04:10 AM	Apparently I should have started wit: I'm a bit of a n00b. Now I have even more research to do... Anyway, I was thinking since he is a Dwarf, he might get a Dwarven prestige class even though he wasn't raised in a clan. Maybe we could work on a modified prestige class, like fist of Moradin?
Fireclave 12-18-06, 05:02 AM	If you want to go the spiritual/enlightened route without needing to do a lot of research, I suggest the psionic fist. It's not the most uber prestige class, but it does give you up to 5th level psychic warrior powers, 2 bonus feats, stacks with your monk levels for determining unarmed damage, AC, and speed, and best of all, can be found in the SRD. If you need some flashy powers, you could take expanded knowledge and grab a power or two off the psion list. Enlightened Fist from the Complete Divine might also fit what you are trying to do. It's basically a monk/cleric class. Then again, the monk class is already spiritual and enlightend by itself, and if you are still pretty new to D&D, you might want to hold off on using prestige classes until you're more familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of class. But, hey, it's your character. You have a great idea, so I say run with it as far as you can :)
David 12-18-06, 01:45 PM	I think I'm gonna hold on to the monk class. Anyway, I had a little question: On page 40 of the PHB it says that the monks wisdom powers her offensive and defensive powers. I know that he can add his wisdom bonus to his AC, but I couldn't find anything about adding using his wisdom in any way to improve his attack. What's up with that?
Thubby 12-18-06, 02:29 PM	I think I'm gonna hold on to the monk class. Anyway, I had a little question: On page 40 of the PHB it says that the monks wisdom powers her offensive and defensive powers. I know that he can add his wisdom bonus to his AC, but I couldn't find anything about adding using his wisdom in any way to improve his attack. What's up with that? stunning fist, quivering palm. offense. their are also alot of monkish feats/prcs that are helped by wis.
Volafor 12-19-06, 07:24 PM	The Oriental Handbook (3.0, but could be adapted easily to 3.5 if desired), has a number of very good monk prestige classes. Have you considered Henshin Mystic? Henshin Mystics get some abilities that would make a good match for a dwarven character (Happo Zanshin, for one, if that's spelled correctly). Also, it would make a good roleplaying match for the kind of character you've described, because the Henshin Mystic wanders the world, seeking enlightenment. It would be easy for this character to be in the same neighborhood as the party, and seeking enlightenment would provide him with a reason to join a group, as well, since some enlightenment about mortal life and its place in the cosmos must necessarily come from mortals.
LoRental 12-19-06, 11:35 PM	David, I would suggest going into The Quinessential Monk handbook and check out the Sylvan Monk prestege class. I play a monk in our campaign myself and have been thinking in that direction. There are others which you may find more suitable also. Good luck with yours.
KurenaiYami 12-20-06, 02:30 AM	Monk is fine without any prestige classes. Second. The path of the monk is the pursuit of enlightenment. Staying on this path will get you what you want.
The_Third_Karsus 12-20-06, 10:58 PM	If you are looking for some prestige classes for monks I suggest you check out Oriental Adventures. I happen to love the samurai and other classes in this book. Also have you thought of maybe doing something on the line of psion with a monk? I have always thought they went together for some reason. Power of mind and body. It's crazy! :)
philnicau 12-20-06, 11:46 PM	I don't know how to explain this, but I have this image of a Monk in my head but I don't know quite where to start with this one, so I'm gonna need your help on this one. So what I've got is a Dwarf. This Dwarf was rejected by his clan at birth because of some random birthdefect, like a tattoo/birthmark or having 1 blue and 1 brown iris (The Dwarves of his clan think he's evil or that he will bring forth some kind of Ragnarok). In their mercy they grant a stranger (A monk, duh!) custody over this Dwarf. After some 40 years of training the monk dies and the Dwarf roams the lands on his own, eventually joining a party. The Dwarf doesn't have a Dwarven name. He should at least be denied some of his racial bonuses for not growing up in a clan (Maybe he could get something in return). Now all you guys need to know is that he's very spiritual/enlightend (think Silver Surfer), and that he's eventually gonna train a cohort. I can't really find a good prestige class to aim for though, so if you've got any advice for me, it's mor than welcome. He was sent to (abandoned at) a Dwarven Monastery who see the Monastic path in Metalurgical terms, When ore is smelted the impurities are burnt away leaving behind the pure metal, they see themselves the same, by practicing there disciplines they are burning away their bodies impurities and becoming closer to perfection.
Ryusage 12-21-06, 10:48 AM	Your best bet? It depends on whether or not ur DM is has experience using the tatooed monk prestige class (complete warrior). You get all the bonuses from Tatoos (SR, DR, healing) and it says "monk abilities" as a first-level special. All u have to do is tell him it means u get all the benefits of a monk, when in reality all u get is unarmed damage, AC bonus, and a couple other things. Problem solved!
KurenaiYami 12-21-06, 11:33 AM	Your best bet? It depends on whether or not ur DM is has experience using the tatooed monk prestige class (complete warrior). You get all the bonuses from Tatoos (SR, DR, healing) and it says "monk abilities" as a first-level special. All u have to do is tell him it means u get all the benefits of a monk, when in reality all u get is unarmed damage, AC bonus, and a couple other things. Problem solved! Lying to your DM...so simple, why didn't I think of it!
konrad_the_tall 12-21-06, 11:35 AM	Be a drow. drow are cool.