This guide will display my take on character optimization and hopefully provides tools and ideas regarding monk optimization for CO community. As a firm believer of "practical optimization", I'll strive for elegance, clear rulings and practicality as well as making the most of the class that is monk. This guide is not meant to be the end of all unarmed combat (since there are other ways to do it besides monk), nor this is a monk dipping guide.
You may want to check out the original monk minmax creation guide by mean_liar.
Thanks to Dictum Mortuum and his many works for idea how to make good looking handbook.
First let's take a look at monk's class features so we can start to think how take advantage of them.
d8 HD
Medium BAB
All good saves
4 skill points/level from good list
- Flurry of blows: Up to two extra attacks at variable penalty to attack, depending on level. Yeah, it's good.
- Unarmed damage: Base damage isn't very impressive but with little work monk's can do good damage.
- Wisdom and class bonus to AC: Nice to have since you can't wear armor.
- Speed bonus: After actions, mobility is the next most important factor in combat.
- Bonus feats: Always good, I'll talk about the specifics later.
- Evasion & Improved Evasion: You know they are good.
- Slow fall: Meh, ring of feather fall is better than 20th level version of this ability
- Still Mind: Nothing to get excited about.
- Ki Strike (magic/lawful/adamantine): Magic is almost useless because your unarmed strike still isn't an actual magic weapon, which is very relevant when you're facing incorporeal enemies, for example. Lawful is randomly usefull. Adamantine is actually good because constructs aren't rare at all, too bad you don't get it before level 16.
- Purity of Body: Not very useful since it doesn't take care of diseases like mummy rot, which actually may come to pass during campaign.
- Wholeness of body: Yawn.
- Diamond body: Immunity to all poisons is very handy.
- Abundant Step: Good for all the reasons dimension door is.
- Diamond Soul: SR is nice. It is important to remember that while your SR is up friendly spellcasters won't be able to cast beneficial spells on you without caster level check. So you need to act accordinly or invest feat in reactive resistance.
- Quivering palm: Might kill a bad fort save critter once in a while.
- Timeless body: Gives free mental stats if you are starting a very high level game.
- Tongue of sun & moon: Permanent tongues is useful.
- Empty body: Almost an at will get-out-of-tight-spot ability, very good.
- Perfect self: Not so hot.
Alternative class features:
Monk's have quite a few variant class features avaible to them and some of them are actually notable.
- Holy strike (CC): This one is a no brainer. Unarmed strike and monk weapons are considered good aligned and deal extra 1d6 damage against evil creatures. Lose ki strike [magic].
- Dark moon disciple substitution levels (CoV web): These are all good and flavorfull. Shadow blend is ridiculously good.
- Halfling monk substitution levels (RotW): These are good enough to make halfling monk viable option.
- Decisive strike (PHB2): Lose flurry, get single full-round action attack that deals double damage. Affects AoOs. Good for AoO builds, crap otherwise.
- Prayerful meditation (CC): Bonus to saves versus pretty much everyone. Definitely better than still mind.
- Kalashtar monk substitution levels (RoE): 2nd level is good for psionic monk.
- Wall walker (DS): Anything is better than slow fall
Here's a complete list of monk alternative features by Dead_Weasel (edits and corrections by me):
Show
Aquatic monk (SW): Walk across water at slow fall speed. Lose slow fall.
Broken one substitution levels (CoV):
Add heal and survival to skill list.
3rd level: Get lay on hands. Lose still mind.
6th level: Get tenacious tracker. Lose bonus feat.
7th level: Get locate creature. Lose wholeness of body.
Dark moon disciple substitution levels (CoV, web):
Levels have d6 HD.
3rd level: Get darkvision 60ft. Lose still mind.
7th level: Shadow blend: Gain total concealment in less than full daylight. Lose wholeness of body.
12th level: Walk the shadows: Gain ability to dimension door from shadow to shadow. Lose abundant step.
Decisive strike (PHB2): Gain decisive strike, a full-round action attack that deals double damage and affects AoOs you make before the start of your next turn. Lose flurry of blows.
Draconic fist (DM): Your attacks deal bonus energy damage, usable number of times equal to class level per day. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
Durable (UA): Gain damage reduction as barbarian. Lose speed enhancement bonus and bonus to AC (but not wisdom to AC).
Halfling Monk Substitution Levels (RotW):
Levels have d6 HD.
1st level: Get skirmish ability that goes up to 2d6 dmg/+2 AC. Lose flurry of blows.
2nd level: Weapon finesse instead of normal bonus feat.
7th level: Size matters not: Get +4 bonus to grapple (only if you already have improved grapple) and stunning fist DCs against creatures that are two or more size categories larger. Lose wholeness of body.
Hin disciple substitution levels (CoV, web):
Levels have d6 HD, halfling only.
1st level: Choose stunning fist or underfoot combat as bonus feat.
2nd level: Choose combat reflexes or improved trip as bonus feat.
6th level: Blur of motion: Gain ability to attack a large or larger foe while using total defense. Requires 5 ranks of tumble. Lose bonus feat.
9th level: The harder they fall: Nearby allies can attack a foe you trip if you are occupying its square. Lose improved evasion (and the ability to gain it from other sources).
Holy strike (CC): When hitting an evil creature, your unarmed strike is considered good aligned and does extra 1d6 damage. Evil monks can reverse this, applying it to good creatures instead. Lose ki strike [magic].
Kalashtar monk (RoE):
Add autohypnosis and knowledge [psionics] to skill list.
1st level: Psychic insight: Can spend power points to improve grapple and stunning fist attacks. Lose flurry of blows.
2nd level: Can select psionic feat as bonus feat instead of normal monk bonus feat.
7th level: Wholeness of body: Can spend power points to augment wholeness of body healing.
Phoenix disciple substitution levels (CoV):
Must be lawful good.
1st level: Purifying flame: Add 1d6 fire damage to unarmed attack 1/day per monk level. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
3rd level: Gain fire resistance 5. Lose still mind.
12th level: Gain ability to use fire stride. Lose abundant step.
Planar monk (PlH):
Add knowledge [planes] to skill list.
5th level: Resistant body: Gain energy resistance. Lose purity of body.
13th level: Axiomatic soul: Gain spell resistance (class level +15) against chaotic outsiders. Lose diamond soul.
16th level: Get ki strike [cold iron]. Lose ki strike [adamantine].
Prayerful meditation (CC): Gain bonus on saves vs spells and effects of chaotic creatures and of creatures who's moral alignment is opposite to your own. Lose still mind.
Skarn monk substitution levels (MoI):
Add intimidate to skill list.
1st level: Spine strike: Use arm spines instead of normal unarmed attacks. Lose normal unarmed strike feature.
5th level: Defensive insight: Gain +1 insight bonus to AC for each point of essentia invested. Gain one point of essentia. Lose normal class bonus to AC.
10th level: Gain ability to shape a single soulmeld and chakra bind [arms]. Lose ki strike [lawful].
Soulwarp strike(CM): Make living creature nauseated (sickened if it makes the save) for one round, usable number of times per day equal to class level. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
Spell reflection (CM): Gain ability to reflect missed spells targeted at you. Lose evasion.
Standing jump (DS): Reduce fast movement ability to improve jumping ability.
Wall walker (DS): Gain the ability to run up and down walls. Lose slow fall.
Variant fighting styles (UA): Exchange the normal monk bonus feats for select styles of learning.
Aquatic monk (SW): Walk across water at slow fall speed. Lose slow fall.
Broken one substitution levels (CoV):
Add heal and survival to skill list.
3rd level: Get lay on hands. Lose still mind.
6th level: Get tenacious tracker. Lose bonus feat.
7th level: Get locate creature. Lose wholeness of body.
Dark moon disciple substitution levels (CoV, web):
Levels have d6 HD.
3rd level: Get darkvision 60ft. Lose still mind.
7th level: Shadow blend: Gain total concealment in less than full daylight. Lose wholeness of body.
12th level: Walk the shadows: Gain ability to dimension door from shadow to shadow. Lose abundant step.
Decisive strike (PHB2): Gain decisive strike, a full-round action attack that deals double damage and affects AoOs you make before the start of your next turn. Lose flurry of blows.
Draconic fist (DM): Your attacks deal bonus energy damage, usable number of times equal to class level per day. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
Durable (UA): Gain damage reduction as barbarian. Lose speed enhancement bonus and bonus to AC (but not wisdom to AC).
Halfling Monk Substitution Levels (RotW):
Levels have d6 HD.
1st level: Get skirmish ability that goes up to 2d6 dmg/+2 AC. Lose flurry of blows.
2nd level: Weapon finesse instead of normal bonus feat.
7th level: Size matters not: Get +4 bonus to grapple (only if you already have improved grapple) and stunning fist DCs against creatures that are two or more size categories larger. Lose wholeness of body.
Hin disciple substitution levels (CoV, web):
Levels have d6 HD, halfling only.
1st level: Choose stunning fist or underfoot combat as bonus feat.
2nd level: Choose combat reflexes or improved trip as bonus feat.
6th level: Blur of motion: Gain ability to attack a large or larger foe while using total defense. Requires 5 ranks of tumble. Lose bonus feat.
9th level: The harder they fall: Nearby allies can attack a foe you trip if you are occupying its square. Lose improved evasion (and the ability to gain it from other sources).
Holy strike (CC): When hitting an evil creature, your unarmed strike is considered good aligned and does extra 1d6 damage. Evil monks can reverse this, applying it to good creatures instead. Lose ki strike [magic].
Kalashtar monk (RoE):
Add autohypnosis and knowledge [psionics] to skill list.
1st level: Psychic insight: Can spend power points to improve grapple and stunning fist attacks. Lose flurry of blows.
2nd level: Can select psionic feat as bonus feat instead of normal monk bonus feat.
7th level: Wholeness of body: Can spend power points to augment wholeness of body healing.
Phoenix disciple substitution levels (CoV):
Must be lawful good.
1st level: Purifying flame: Add 1d6 fire damage to unarmed attack 1/day per monk level. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
3rd level: Gain fire resistance 5. Lose still mind.
12th level: Gain ability to use fire stride. Lose abundant step.
Planar monk (PlH):
Add knowledge [planes] to skill list.
5th level: Resistant body: Gain energy resistance. Lose purity of body.
13th level: Axiomatic soul: Gain spell resistance (class level +15) against chaotic outsiders. Lose diamond soul.
16th level: Get ki strike [cold iron]. Lose ki strike [adamantine].
Prayerful meditation (CC): Gain bonus on saves vs spells and effects of chaotic creatures and of creatures who's moral alignment is opposite to your own. Lose still mind.
Skarn monk substitution levels (MoI):
Add intimidate to skill list.
1st level: Spine strike: Use arm spines instead of normal unarmed attacks. Lose normal unarmed strike feature.
5th level: Defensive insight: Gain +1 insight bonus to AC for each point of essentia invested. Gain one point of essentia. Lose normal class bonus to AC.
10th level: Gain ability to shape a single soulmeld and chakra bind [arms]. Lose ki strike [lawful].
Soulwarp strike(CM): Make living creature nauseated (sickened if it makes the save) for one round, usable number of times per day equal to class level. Lose 1st level bonus feat.
Spell reflection (CM): Gain ability to reflect missed spells targeted at you. Lose evasion.
Standing jump (DS): Reduce fast movement ability to improve jumping ability.
Wall walker (DS): Gain the ability to run up and down walls. Lose slow fall.
Variant fighting styles (UA): Exchange the normal monk bonus feats for select styles of learning.
Unarmed strike and how to improve it is the first question every aspiring monk needs to address. The two things you want to do here is to increase your attack bonus and base damage.
Besides having a high ability score, the best ways to increase your attack bonus are spells (GMW!) and some choice piece of equipment. Feats like weapon focus are not worth the cost without an access to weapon mastery.
Unarmed damage can be improved by increasing your effective monk level or size. Whatever your build might be, always make sure to have lvl 20 unarmed base damage because it is fairly easy to get. The best ways of increasing effective level are monk's belt (item, DMG, +5 lvls) and superior unarmed strike (feat, ToB, +4 lvls). Should you take both of these you have nine levels, which is plenty, to play with classes/prcs that don't advance monk abilities.
Now that our base damage is 2d10 we can start to apply size increases and the massive damage bonuses that come with them. After effective lvl 20 monk damage progresses as follows (assuming medium character):
As you can see, being effectively large increases your average damage by 63%, make it huge for 145%! Effective huge size is the baseline of optimized monks for it's very easy to achieve. Just for kicks compare 6d8 (27 average) to greatsword 2d6 (7 average), that difference calls for some serious power attacking. Here are the tools for monk damage extraordinaire:
- Improved natural attack (feat): Every single monk has this, period.
- Potion or use activated item of enlarge person (item): Fill your handy haversack with these.
- Expansion (power): Two size increases for the price of one. Psionic monk's #1 power.
- Initiate of draconic mysteries (prc, Drac): Gives increases at levels 4 and 8.
- Righteous might (spell): Makes your divine monk large among other great benefits.
- Earth hammer (spell, RoS): Increases weapon's effective size by one category, short duration.
- Battlefist (item, ECS): For the grey fox builds out there.
- Greater mighty wallop (spell, RotD): Have the party wizard cast this on you and proceed to enjoy that colossal+ unarmed damage (you have INA, don't you). Effect lasts for hours. This spell is bordering broken and should be only used in the most hardcore games.
Stunning fist is one the monk's 1st level feat choices along with improved grapple but in reality you should always take SF because it's good and your next chance to take it doesn't come before level 12, on the other hand, improved grapple can be taken any time. The fortitude save DC against stunning is 10 + ½ character level + wis modifier and in order to make this work I recommend taking feat ability focus [stunning fist] and buying ki straps (MIC). These two combined increase the DC by four, which is a very significant boost.
Complete warrior and some later books have provided feats to augment SF and I want discuss two of them here, you can read my judgment on the others in the feats section. First is pain touch (CW), which nauseates everyone who fails the fort save against stunning attack for the round after the stun condition ends. This practically doubles the time you and your party can take free shots at the disabled enemy. I highly recommend this feat, it's almost mandatory. The other notable feat is pharaoh's fist (SS), which allows your SF to affect all creatures adjacent to the primary target. Nice crowd control option for a monk. It's bit unclear to me if these two feats can be combined for seriously awesome total effect, clarification would be appreciated.
NOTE: One often forgotten thing about stunned condition is stunned creatures drop everything they are holding. This is worth remembering when you want to disarm someone or are being outgrappled.
Tripping is something monks can be pretty good at. They can get improved trip as a bonus feat at 6th level and should always take it instead of improved disarm. Besides the feat, having a good strength score and being as large size as possible are keys to successful trip attempt. Fortunately we have these things covered since they are already required for being good at unarmed combat. Whenever you manage to trip someone use stunning fist with the follow through attack in order to make sure the enemy stays prone for the duration of your next turn. This way you maximize your attack bonus and can easily flurry bash him to death. Sometimes you will fail your trip attempt and will get tripped instead, for those times skill trick "back on your feet" is golden.
Disarming in traditional sense is not for monks even if they can take improved disarm as a bonus feat at level 6. Disarming is an opposed attack roll, which you will most likely lose because of your medium BAB and the fact you're unarmed (-4 penalty) plus the enemy is very likely wielding weapon two-handed (+4 bonus). It's glaringly obvious the odds are heavily stacked against monk. This is not say monk can't disarm someone, they just use disarm++ that is stunning fist.
Grappling is another viable option for monk. Improved grapple is available as bonus feat at first level but don't take it. Instead use the regular first level feat slot for improved grapple. Normal monks are decent grapplers but should consider grapple tactics only when they have clear advantage. For example, target is of smaller size or target is a spell caster. Psionic monks, however, make excellent grapplers and should always include this tactic in their repertoire. Powers like expansion and crushing grip give you bear hug from which there's no escape. When you have the enemy nicely staying still commence the beating with unarmed strikes or drag him around for AoOs from other party members, this is amusing tactic I saw in recent thread and monks excel at it due to high speed.
Pounce is one the most sought after ablities among melee classes and monk is no exception. The ability to execute flurry of blows after charge is just good, especially when it also mitigates hitting difficulties. Add in skill trick "twisted charge" for extra maneuverability. Here's how to get this great ability:
- Lion totem barbarian (variant class feature, CC): The easiest way for permanent pounce. Requires rp management because monks are incompatible with barbarians by default.
- Psionic lion's charge (power): All psionic monks must have this.
- Pouncing charge (maneuver, ToB): Fairly easily obtainable but isn't avaible all the time.
- Telflammar shadowlord (prc, UE): Shadow pouncing is a sub-category of pouncing that involves full attack after teleporting. I'll try to provide a build for build section for more details.
- Catfolk pounce (feat, RotW): For catfolk monks this is really easy way to get pounce. Getting multiple uses of this feat per encounter is hard because the target has to be flat-footed.
If you do get pounce somehow, it's time look at feats battle jump (UE) and leap of the heavens (PHB2). Battle jump let's you execute a charge action, that deals 2x damage by the way, if you can drop on the enemy from at least 5ft above. Leap of the heavens allows standing jumps without penalty. The plan is to jump into air, 10ft and 15ft required for medium and large creatures respectively, and then drop on the enemy executing charge with pounce. Battle jump also allows trip and grapple attempts with a nice bonus to the check.10ft high jump is DC 40 and 15ft high jump is DC 60, luckily monks are very good at jumping 23 [ranks] + 24 [speed] +10 [item] + 2 [synergy] + 7 [strength] = 66. This is kind of weird strategy but very powerful. Even if you don't go the battle jump route pounce is good, very good.
Spring attack, about this one I have mixed feelings. The feat itself is good but it's requirements put serious strain on your total feats (monks are feat hungry) and to make things worse dodge & mobility themselves are worthless pile of crap. It is possible to get the whole chain through cobra strike variant (UA) but then getting improved trip is almost impossible and even stunning fist has to wait until level 12. In short, if you want have to versatility in combat before late game, don't take spring attack. If you do take spring attack chain, being a halfling is highly recommended because of the substitution levels available to them (skirmish ahoy!) and follow up with feats like elusive target and bounding assault for maximum effect.
Vow of poverty is fairly popular in monk builds. This feat from Book of Exalted Deeds seems extremely powerful at first viewing and lures many monks who are unaware of its limitations to their doom. Vop provides a bunch of bonuses (AC, stats, resistances, saves, etc..) in exchance for all of character's wealth, both current and future. Vop, however, doesn't give any ability to fly, which is a HUGE disadvantage in higher level play. Monk capable of spell casting, such as sacred fist, can overcome the flight issue easily but even they can't help the fact that in high levels (15+) normal characters are so rich they can buy everything vop offers in items and more. Thus, the vop character will experience an inflation.
Vop isn't all bad, though. At low- to mid-level play, when characters are relatively poor, vow of poverty offers solid bonuses that combine well with monk's class features. This may even cause some players to view your vop powered monk overpowered.
Recap:
- Levels 1-10: At these levels vop is a strong option.
- Levels 10-15: Non-vop characters start to catch up fast. Vop isn't particularly strong or weak.
- Levels 15-20: Non-vop characters' items will overpower the benefits of vop.
Examples of vow of poverty monk can be found in builds section.
The monk’s class skills are balance (dex), climb (str), concentration (con), craft (int), diplomacy (cha), escape artist (dex), hide (dex), jump (str), knowledge [arcana] (int), knowledge [religion] (int), listen (wis), move silently (dex), perform (cha), profession (wis), sense motive (wis), spot (wis), swim (str), and tumble (dex).
Always keep listen/spot maxed! They are by far the most used skills and monk's senses are second only to druid. High tumble has plenty of use, most notably it keeps you safe from AoOs. Hide/move silently are obviously good places to put ranks in if you want to be stealthy. I'd also put five ranks in balance and climb each. Jump sees plenty of use and some ranks here wouldn't hurt either, the more, the merrier because monks have potential for mega jumps.
Complete scoundrel introduced skill tricks, a few of which are useful for monk.
- Clarity of vision: Allows you to see invisible enemies for one round.
- Back on your feet: In case you get knocked prone this is a lot easier way to get up fast than the DC 35 tumble check.
- Extreme leap: Speed boost for one round.
- Twisted charge: Make one direction change during charge.
Feats
Take care when selecting your feats as they make huge difference in monk's performance. Plan ahead, preferably all the way through. I won't list the "ascetic x" line of monk multiclassing feats since they are all about adding a bit of monk to other classes and not the other way around.
Core
- Blind-fight: This feat is not bad by any means. There's usually just feats that are more important.
- Combat Expertise: If you want improved trip and didn't choose it as a bonus feat, you have to take this. Too bad expertise isn't very good for monks and it increases MAD (int 13 required)
- Improved disarm: You will suck and die...alone if you take this.
- Improved trip: Strong combat option in D&D 3.5 and monks are good at this. What's not to like?
- Combat reflexes: Available as a bonus feat at second level. Take this if you're planning a AoO build, otherwise skip it.
- Dodge: Urgh.
- Mobility: Argh.
- Spring attack: Good feat but is expensive to get.
- Improved critical: With base threat range of 20/x2? Yeah, right.
- Improved initiative: Same as blind-fight
- Deflect arrows: Alternative to combat reflexes as a second level bonus feat. Gets bonus points for being very monk like.
- Improved grapple: Very good feat for any monk with good strength score. Just don't take this at the expense of stunning fist.
- Snatch arrows: Perhaps you can collect the arrows and bolts and sell them for extra cash?
- Stunning fist: Your single most important feat. Take this at level one.
- Power attack: Perhaps the best feat in the whole game but not for monks as they don't have high enough attack bonus to take full advantage of it. Will be occasionally useful versus low AC mooks and is required for some other feats.
- Cleave: Had monk more feats to spare this would be worthy pick.
- Great cleave: This sucks.
- Improved bull rush: This isn't hopeless. Required for shock trooper.
- Improved overrun: Have ever used overrun action? That's what I thought too.
- Improved sunder: I suppose you could destroy loot with adamantine fists.
- TWF-tree: Remember what I said about monk's attack bonus.
- Weapon finesse: With shadow blade this let's you dump str. Remember, by taking this feat you are also dumping your ability to trip and grapple.
- Weapon focus: This alone isn't enough.
- Expanded knowledge: Can be useful for psionic monk.
- Ghost attack: Roll twice for miss chance against incorporeal enemies, if at least one roll indicates a hit your unarmed strike is treated as ghost touch weapon for that attack. You must be psionically focused to use this feat.
- Psionic fist: Meh
- Greater psionic fist: Meh^2
- Unavoidable strike: Effect isn't horrible but the cost in other feats and skill points is way too much.
- Speed of thought: Move even faster.
- Up the walls: For extra style points at the table.
- Ability focus: Nice boost for stunning fist DC
- Improved natural attack: Grade A stuff
Completes
- Death blow (CV): Coup de grace as standard action. Not very good but combine this with freezing the lifeblood for very Mortal Kombat'esque character.
- Deft opportunist (CV): Excellent with AoOs.
- Leap attack (CV): Charging builds should always have this one.
- Quick reconnoiter (CV): With high spot/listen this feat is neat.
- Axiomatic strike (CW): Your next attack is axiomatic, burns stun attempt.
- Clever wrestling (CW): Bonus for escaping grapple against bigger opponents.
- Close-quarter fighting (CW): An old stand by anti-grapple tactic. Requires combat reflexes to be truly useful.
- Defensive throw (CW): Make an AoO trip attempt against foe that misses attack against you.
- Earth's embrace (CW): Deal 1d12 damage/round against pinned enemy, sucktacular.
- Extra stunning (CW): 3 extra stunning fist/day.
- Fists of iron (CW): Your next attack deals extra 1d6 damage, burns stun attempt.
- Flying kick (CW): Unarmed attacks deal extra 1d12 damage on charge. Nice with pounce.
- Freezing the lifeblood (CW): You can attempt to paralyze humanoid target instead of stunning. Not very good due to high BAB requirement, target has to be humanoid and the attack deals no damage.
- Improved toughness (CW): HPs good.
- Karmic strike (CW): Robilar's gambit is way better.
- Pain touch (CW): Practically doubles the effectiveness of stunning fist. Outstanding feat.
- Rapid stunning (CW): Can use SF one extra time/round.
- Roundabout kick (CW): Critical hits and unarmed combat don't mix.
- Weakening touch (CW): Take pain touch instead.
- Elusive target (CW): Provides very good life saving options.
- Shock trooper (CW): If you have power attack, you should also have this one.
- Sun school (CW): Useful monk themed tactical feat.
- Law devotion (CC): Gives insane attack or defense bonus for one minute/day.
- Travel devotion (CC): Allows move + full attack for one minute/day.
PHB2 & ToB
- Acrobatic strike: You want to full attack not to make single attacks.
- Bounding assault: If you have spring attack, might want to take this one too for the extra attack.
- Rapid blitz: Can't have this before epic levels.
- Brutal strike: DC is never going to be even close to good.
- Combat acrobat: DC 15 balance check to ignore four squares of difficult terrain or DC 20 balance check to avoid falling prone, sign me in! An excellent feat.
- Cometary collision: Ready action to charge into charger. Some pouncing build may find this useful.
- Fiery fist: Burn stunning fist attempt to get 1d6 extra damage until end of turn. Can be taken as a monk bonus feat at second level. Cool flavor.
- Fiery ki defense: Burn stunning fist attempt to get very minor fire shield for one round. Can be taken as a monk bonus feat at sixth level.
- Ki blast: Burn two stunning fist attempts to shoot ball of force. Not very damaging but is ranged touch attack and gives monks something to do against incorporeal creatures. Can be taken as a monk bonus feat at sixth level. Very flavorful.
- Leap of the heavens: Negates the penalty for standing jumps. Very good for battle jumpers, useless for anyone else.
- Robilar's gambit: AoO builds should take this.
- Versatile unarmed strike: Cool but useless because DR keyed to bludgeoning/piercing/slashing is so rare.
- Vexing flanker: If the party has a flank happy character, such as rogue, this is a decent way of getting extra attack bonus.
- Water splitting stone: Helps with DRs you can't penetrate.
- Combat focus: Required for the other combat form feats. Gives bonus to will save. At least three combat form feats are required to make their effects useful.
- Combat stability: Massive bonuses against trip, grapple, bull rush etc...
- Combat defense: Dodge sucks so bad it can't be redeemed.
- Combat vigor: Fast healing 4, nice.
- Combat awareness: Knowing adjacent creatures hp and 5ft blindsight aren't very good.
- Combat strike: End combat focus mode, gain bonus to hit/damage until end of turn.
- Martial stance: Good for almost any character.
- Martial study: As above.
- Shadow blade: Weapon finesse's partner in crime. Get dexterity modifier into weapon damage with shadow hand weapons.
- Snap kick: Make an extra unarmed attack, all attacks at -2 penalty. Works even on standard action.
- Superior unarmed strike: Separate unarmed damage progression or +4 effective monk levels.
Random books
- Reactive resistance (DotU): Lower your SR as a immediate action. For pure monk this is great feat to have.
- Pharaoh's fist (SS): Area effect stunning fist is nice.
- Rattlesnake strike (SS): Expend stunning fist attempt to deliver poisonous strike [1d3 con/1d3 con]. The poison has same DC formula as stunning fist.
- Intuitive strike (BoED): Wis modifier to attack instead of str, way better than weapon finesse. This is an exalted feat, which may cause complications during gameplay.
- Vow of poverty (BoED): Value ranges from strong to suck, see previous post for more info. Exalted feat.
- Battle jump (UE): See the pounce section for more details.
- Flensing strike (ECS): This feat is way cool. As a full-round action make a special attack with kama. If the target fails its fortitude save, it takes -4 penalty to attacks, saves and checks for one minute. 2nd level bonus feat option for evil monks.
- Monastic training (ECS): Allows multiclassing with one class without losing the ability to progress as a monk. Required for tashalatora.
- Tashalatora (SoS): Stacks one psionic class with monk levels for unarmed damage, flurry of blows and AC bonus. Awesome.
- Broken one's sacrifice (CoV): Suffer an attack that was meant for an adjacent ally. Any defenses you might normally have against this attack are inoperative, become fatigued for your trouble. This feat is so bad I can't even find the words to describe how bad it is. Even dodge is better.
- Carmendine monk (CoV): Use int modifier instead of wis for AC, stunning fist and quivering palm DCs. In addition you can study your thesis for minor bonuses. Excellent choice for skillful monk.
- Silver fang (CoV): Unarmed strike counts as silver weapon.
- Sun soul monk (CoV): Pick undead turning strike, fascinating strike or unarmed strike counts as silver weapon and deals one point of extra cold damage.
- Earth sense (RoS): Gives 20ft tremorsense. Required for earth fist.
- Earth fist (RoS): While touching ground, unarmed strike counts as cold iron weapon. Dwarf, gnome, goliath only.
- Catfolk pounce (RotW): You get pounce against flat-footed enemies. Catfolk only.
- Jotunbrud (RoF): Gain powerful build feature as human. Useful for grapples and tripping.
Atavist (RoE)
Enlightened fist (CA)
Disciple of the eye (RotD)
Disciple of the word (ToM)
Dragon descentant (DM)
Drunken master (CW)
Fist of the forest (CC)
Fist of zuoken (XPH)
Initiate of draconic mysteries (Drac)
Kensai (CW)
Monk of the long death (PGtF)
Sacred fist (CD)
Shadow sun ninja (ToB)
Shou disciple (UE)
Tattooed monk (CW)
Telflammar shadowlord (UE)
Warmind (XPH)
Zerth cenobite (CP)
JaronK
Enlightened fist + Wraithstrike = pwnage
Also even if you don't loose Wraithstrike, but fractional BaB it might not be so bad... ok, it still sux.
There should be a section on boosting the DCs of Stunning Fist, and some mention of the Deathblow feat (or whatever: coup-de-grace as a standard action).
Likewise, a section on grappling would be useful.
One thing that seems to be missing from similar handbooks is common buff spells. Monks need one in particular: Greater Mighty Wollop.
I look forward to this fleshing out!
In addition to the shadowpouncing Monk, checking out the Jaunter might be worthwhile in a build like that.
Edit: Initiate of Draconic Mysteries (sp?) is worth nothing too.
Likewise, a section on grappling would be useful.
Seconded.
A Monk makes an OK grappler. A Monk 1 or 2 / Psychic Warrior X with Tashalatora makes an excellent grappler. Even though this build is mostly PsyWar, Tashalatora turns the flavor into a Monk that manifests (IMO).
Utterance of the Setting Sun:
Lawful Good Human Monk 2/Swordsage 3/Shadow Sun Ninja 8/Disciple of the Word 7
Progression: Unarmed Swordsage 1/Monk 2/Unarmed Swordsage +2/Shadow Sun Ninja 2/Disciple of the Word 4/Sun +3/Word +2/Sun +1/Word +1/Sun +2
BAB: +14
Saves: Fort +15/Ref +17/Will +17
Feats:
Human - Dodge
1st - Shadow Blade
Swordsage 1 - Weapon Focus (Setting Sun)
Monk 1 - Stunning Fist, Imp. Unarmed Strike
Monk 2 - Combat Reflexes
3rd - Combat Expertise
6th - Mobility
9th - Spring Attack (Word Given Form - ToM 218)
12th - Sun School
15th - Adaptive Style
18th - Robilar's Gambit
Other Feats Wanted (grab them with Flaws if you can):
Elusive Target
Snap Kick
Without Monk's Belt:
Unarmed Damage as Monk 20 (2d10)
AC Bonus as Monk 17 (+3)
Flurry of Blows as Monk 17
Unarmored Speed Bonus as Monk 17 (+50')
Stunning Fist 17/day
Maneuvers (6 Ready):
1st - Burning Blade, Stone Bones, Mighty Throw, Counter Charge, Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap.
2nd - Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt
3rd - Feigned Opening
5th - Shadow Stride
7th - Hydra Slaying Strike
Stances:
1st - Island of Blades, Flame's Blessing
5th - Shifting Defense
Progression: Unarmed Swordsage 1/Monk 2/Unarmed Swordsage +2/Shadow Sun Ninja 2/Disciple of the Word 4/Sun +3/Word +2/Sun +1/Word +1/Sun +2
BAB: +14
Saves: Fort +15/Ref +17/Will +17
Feats:
Human - Dodge
1st - Shadow Blade
Swordsage 1 - Weapon Focus (Setting Sun)
Monk 1 - Stunning Fist, Imp. Unarmed Strike
Monk 2 - Combat Reflexes
3rd - Combat Expertise
6th - Mobility
9th - Spring Attack (Word Given Form - ToM 218)
12th - Sun School
15th - Adaptive Style
18th - Robilar's Gambit
Other Feats Wanted (grab them with Flaws if you can):
Elusive Target
Snap Kick
Without Monk's Belt:
Unarmed Damage as Monk 20 (2d10)
AC Bonus as Monk 17 (+3)
Flurry of Blows as Monk 17
Unarmored Speed Bonus as Monk 17 (+50')
Stunning Fist 17/day
Maneuvers (6 Ready):
1st - Burning Blade, Stone Bones, Mighty Throw, Counter Charge, Wolf Fang Strike, Sudden Leap.
2nd - Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt
3rd - Feigned Opening
5th - Shadow Stride
7th - Hydra Slaying Strike
Stances:
1st - Island of Blades, Flame's Blessing
5th - Shifting Defense
Pouncing Raging Monk of Doom
LN Human
Druidic Avenger 1 (1), Monk (Cobra Strike Variant) 7 (2-5, 11-13), Shou Disciple 5 (6-10), Shiba Protector 1 (14), Blade Dancer 6 (15-20)
optional feat progressions:
1 Two Weapon Fighting, Snow Tiger Berserker
2 Dodge, Imp Unarmed Strike
3 Mobility, Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike
6 Iron Will
7 Combat Expertise
9 Power Attack, Leap Attack
12 Spring Attack, Alertness
15 Neraph Charge or Battle Jump
17 Blindfight
18 Imp. Trip
abilities
1 Fast Movement +10', Rage 1/day, Druid Spells 1st lev, Wild Emp -4
2 Flurry
3 Evasion, Fast Movement +10'
4 Still Mind
5 Ki Strike (Magic), Slow Fall 20'
8 Martial Strike (Light)
10 Martial Strike (Any)
11 Purity of Body
12 Fast Move +10'
13 Wholeness of Body
14 No Thought
15 Acrobatics, Leap of the Clouds, Double base movement (+30', or a flat 60'x2=120')
16 Enchanted Blade I
18 Ride the Wind, fast movement (+10', or a flat 60'x2.33=140)
19 Acrobatics (+20), acrobatic attack
20 Enchanted Blade II
I'm assuming in this build that Monk / Prc's that progress together advance 100% with respect to unarmed and flurry progression on the Monk table (this is suggested it in UE p33). I'm also assuming that the flurry ability and greater flurry progress.
End result:
A monk that can charge up to double his move (either 90' or 120', depending on how you rule the bladedancer ability) and full flurry with any weapon, adding his Wis to attack and damage. If you can jump from 5' above (using tumble check of 50, this is doable if 2 objects are w/in 10' of each other, i.e. your target and the wall or an ally) you can double damage, and from 10' across, double power attack damage. Plus, a ton of crazy abilities, including lev 1 Druid spells, insane jump and tumble, and rage 1/day.
bab +16, unarmed strike bab +10, 12th level monk unarmed abilities... BUT since you can flurry w/ melee weapons, I think you can count your full BAB of +16, for 16/16/16/11/6/1 when using a weapon. Jump, tumble, and balance: 43, pre-ability adjustments (now your 5' step can be a 10' step, for free, and you don't provoke due to movement, move at full speed, move through enemies).
Please let me know if something here isn't kosher; I've been trying to get a charging monk build for a while that doesn't lose too much monk damage, and doesn't have to take a barbarian level that is useless later. I know Shiba Protector is cheesy, but here you lose 2 feats for the ability, so it's pretty balanced in this build, I think; regardless, it's easy to remove in favor of another level of blade dancer.
Druidic Avenger 1 (1), Monk (Cobra Strike Variant) 7 (2-5, 11-13), Shou Disciple 5 (6-10), Shiba Protector 1 (14), Blade Dancer 6 (15-20)
optional feat progressions:
1 Two Weapon Fighting, Snow Tiger Berserker
2 Dodge, Imp Unarmed Strike
3 Mobility, Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike
6 Iron Will
7 Combat Expertise
9 Power Attack, Leap Attack
12 Spring Attack, Alertness
15 Neraph Charge or Battle Jump
17 Blindfight
18 Imp. Trip
abilities
1 Fast Movement +10', Rage 1/day, Druid Spells 1st lev, Wild Emp -4
2 Flurry
3 Evasion, Fast Movement +10'
4 Still Mind
5 Ki Strike (Magic), Slow Fall 20'
8 Martial Strike (Light)
10 Martial Strike (Any)
11 Purity of Body
12 Fast Move +10'
13 Wholeness of Body
14 No Thought
15 Acrobatics, Leap of the Clouds, Double base movement (+30', or a flat 60'x2=120')
16 Enchanted Blade I
18 Ride the Wind, fast movement (+10', or a flat 60'x2.33=140)
19 Acrobatics (+20), acrobatic attack
20 Enchanted Blade II
I'm assuming in this build that Monk / Prc's that progress together advance 100% with respect to unarmed and flurry progression on the Monk table (this is suggested it in UE p33). I'm also assuming that the flurry ability and greater flurry progress.
End result:
A monk that can charge up to double his move (either 90' or 120', depending on how you rule the bladedancer ability) and full flurry with any weapon, adding his Wis to attack and damage. If you can jump from 5' above (using tumble check of 50, this is doable if 2 objects are w/in 10' of each other, i.e. your target and the wall or an ally) you can double damage, and from 10' across, double power attack damage. Plus, a ton of crazy abilities, including lev 1 Druid spells, insane jump and tumble, and rage 1/day.
bab +16, unarmed strike bab +10, 12th level monk unarmed abilities... BUT since you can flurry w/ melee weapons, I think you can count your full BAB of +16, for 16/16/16/11/6/1 when using a weapon. Jump, tumble, and balance: 43, pre-ability adjustments (now your 5' step can be a 10' step, for free, and you don't provoke due to movement, move at full speed, move through enemies).
Please let me know if something here isn't kosher; I've been trying to get a charging monk build for a while that doesn't lose too much monk damage, and doesn't have to take a barbarian level that is useless later. I know Shiba Protector is cheesy, but here you lose 2 feats for the ability, so it's pretty balanced in this build, I think; regardless, it's easy to remove in favor of another level of blade dancer.
Looks good just two things why is perfect self red, It didn't seem very good or bad to me (the free martial weap pro is nice if a bit late). Also Diamond Soul kinda sucks because most healing and buffs are affected by SR and it is a standard action to lower or activate. This can be quite a problem if your hurt or unbuffed and the have to waste a turn to turn off your SR. Besides that it looks pretty good.
Perfect self should be red because of the level you attain it it (i.e. lvl 20 monk). Straight monk is just bad. By the time you get to this feature, it wont be worth it because the opportunity cost is too high.
Diamond Soul is good due to the fact that it resists save-or-(lose,suck,die,barrel roll) spells. Sure, you can't heal until after a standard action, but healing should be done out of combat and as a monk, you should excel at not getting hit.
If the monk is psionic or a cleric, he doesn't even need the Open X Chakra feats, due to the Open X Chakra spells and powers.
changeling
monk 4/ paladin 4/ warshaper 2/ argent fist 10.
@Cyrocloud: Perfect self isn't bad but it's rather useless at those levels (that's why it is red). Every enemy either punches through DR/magic or ignores it entirely with some other kind of attack. Outsider status allows for some polymorph trickery but I don't advocate that particular line of spells.
SR has its drawbacks but I feel the protection it provides is worth the cost, therefore blue text. Your point about it is valid, though, I'll mention it in the text.
Warmind is an excellent prestige class for a psionic monk, but you'll either have to be a kalashtar or have the Education feat to get in in a timely manner.
And we need a ruling about whether a class that advances flurry would advance decisive strike.
We also need a ruling on whether you can use Decisive Strike as Flurry for requirements, like for Sun School (which would need some tweaking to work with it perfectly, anyway).
here is some stuff from a Psionic Perspective
Monks and Psionics:
Although there is a Natural affinity for each other.....the way they are combined can greatly effect the overall performance of the character. In general one starts with at least 1 level of Monk to start(many times more levels), and then adds Psionic Classes or PrCs to it. Which Classes or PrCs is very important. For the sake of discussion we will always assume 10 levels of Psionic classes(as many Psionic PrCs are that long and we can also compare them to 10 levels of Base Classes). Monks also have a tendency to MAD(Multiple Attribute Dependancy)..but for the most part are Wisdom Based,so....
Since Monk is Wisdom Based it is normal to look first at :NOTE assume main attribute = 16:
Wisdom Based Psionic Classes:
Psychic Warrior 10..................... 27 PP / 10 powers known (PW list) 4th lvl
Ardent 10................................. 88 PP / 11 powers Known/ 5 mantles (6th lvl with Practiced Manifester)
Divine Mind 10........................... 14 PP / 4 powers known...2 mantles 2nd lvl
Fist of Zuoken(Psionic Fist) 10...... 71 PP / 10 powers known (PW list) 5th lvl
Warmind 10 .............................. 70 PP / 6 powers known (PW list) 5th lvl
Zerth Cenobite 10 ..................... 27 PP / 5 powers known (PW List) 4th lvl
Intelligence Based Classes:
Psion 10 .................................. 88 PP / 21 Powers Known 5th lvl
Erudite 10 ................................ 88 PP / 6 unique(23 Powers Known) 5th lvl
Lurk 10 .................................... 27 PP / 10 powers known (Lurk List) 4th lvl
Charisma Based Classes:
Wilder 10 ................................. 88 PP / 6 powers Known 5th lvl
Prestige Classes that advance Previous Classes:
Cerebremancer
Elocator
Slayer
Thrallherd
Psychic Weapon Master
Cognition Thief
Constructor
Feats of Note:
feats from Core/XPH:
[indent]
IMPROVED NATURAL ATTACK [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Natural weapon, base attack bonus +4.
Benefit: Choose one of the creature’s natural attack forms. The damage for this natural weapon increases by one step, as if the creature’s size had increased by one category: 1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 6d6, 8d6, 12d6.
A weapon or attack that deals 1d10 points of damage increases as follows: 1d10, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 6d8, 8d8, 12d8.
Special: A creature can gain this feat multiple times. Each time it applies to a different natural attack.
[/indent]
Feats from Secrets of Sarlona:
[indent]
Ascetic Psion...............req:Narrow Mind....allows you to freely multiclass with Psion and Monk, also use Int to AC instead of Wis, and lets you re-Focus as a Standard action, as well as progresses unarmed Damage
Tashalatora..............req:Monastic Training(psionic class)(ECS)....progresses AC, Unarmed Damage, Flurry of Blows
[/indent]
feats from Champions of Valor:
[indent]
Carmondine Monk.........req:Int 13, member of special organization(which allows you to freely multiclass with Cleric and Monk)
gives: Int to AC and the DC for Stunning fist and Quivering Palm are based on Int instead of Wis, also +2 monk lvls for one of the following(each day you pick one):
[indent]1)Unarmed Damage
2)Speed
3)AC[/indent]
Silver Fang................Base fort save +4, member or ally of special organization
Natural Weapon or Unarmed Strike considered Silver vs DR
Sun Soul Monk............ Monk 6, member of special order
patron= Selune= +1 point cold damage with unarmed strike and considered Silver vs DR, also +3 monk lvl for Speed bonus
[/indent]
Feats from Tome of Battle
[indent]
Superior Unarmed Strike.........+5 monk lvls for Unarmed Damage
[/indent]
Feats from Eberron Campaign setting book:
[indent]
Double Steel Strike...Req: Exotic Weapon Prof(2 bladed Sword), Weapon Focus(2 Bladed Sword), Flurry
Allows you to treat 2 Bladed Sword as Special Monk Weapon and can Flurry with it
Whirling Steel Strike...Req: Martial Weapon Prof(Long Sword), Weapon Focus(Long Sword), Flurry
Allows you to treat Long Sword as Special Monk Weapon and can Flurry with it
Serpent Strike...Req: Simple Weapon Prof(Long Spear), Weapon Focus(Long Spear), Flurry
Allows you to treat Long Spear as Special Monk Weapon and can Flurry with it
Flensing Strike ....... Req: Exotic Weapon(Kama), Weapon Focus(Kama)
as a Full round action,..1 attack..if hits do normal damage and enemy must save(Fort DC 10+1/2 Character lvl+Wis mod(+2 if using Kama)) or -4 penalty to Attacks, Saves, Checks for 1 min
Powerful Charge ....... Medium or Larger, BAB+1
when charging....do extra damage....+1d8 Med,+2d6 Large, +3d6 Huge, +4d6 Gargantuan, +6d6 Colossal
Greater Powerful Charge ......Powerful Charge, BAB+4
considered +1 size larger
[/indent]
Feats from Dracominicon
[indent]Endure Blows ..... Req: Con 19, Dragon Type, Toughness
gives DR 2/- stacks with existing
Rapid Strike .......req: Dex 9, pair of Natural weapons, Type=Aberation,Dragon,Magical Beats,Plant,BAB+10
gain 1 extra attack with natural weapon @ -5
Imp Rapid Strike .......req: Dex 9, pair of Natural weapons, Type=Aberation,Dragon,Magical Beats,Plant,BAB+15,Rapidstrike
gain 1 extra attack with natural weapon @ -10
Sense Weakness ......req:Int 13, Combat Expertise, Weapon focus(type of weapon)
Ignore 5 points of DR or Hardness
[/indent]
Feats from Complete Warrior:
[indent]
Flying Kick ........ req: Str 13, Jump 4 ranks, Imp Unarmed Strike, Power Attack
+1d12 damage on charge(with unarmed strike)
Improved Toughness ...... req: +2 Base Fort save
+1 hp/ HD
Combat Brute(tactical feat)
Elusive Target(tactical feat)
Giant Bane(tactical feat)
Raptor School(tactical feat)
Shock Trooper(tactical feat)
Sun School(tactical feat) ....req: Flurry, BAB+4
1)Hit foe with first 2 unarmed attacks in Flurry..and move foe 5'(you can also move 5')
2)stun foe 2 rounds in row....they are Confused 1d4 rounds also
3)Make attack after instantaneous move(Dimension Door,Teleport,etc)[/indent]
Other feats:
[indent]
KNOCK-DOWN [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, Improved Trip, Str 15.
Benefit: Whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee, you make a trip attack as a free action against the same target.
HOLD THE LINE [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, base attack bonus +2.
Benefit: You may make an attack of opportunity against a charging opponent who enters an area you threaten. Your attack of opportunity happens immediately before the charge attack is resolved.
Normal: You only get an attack of opportunity against a character that exits a square you threaten.
FLEET OF FOOT [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Dex 15, Run.
Benefit: When running or charging, you can make a single direction change of 90 degrees or less. You can’t use this feat while wearing medium or heavy armor, or when carrying a medium or heavy load. If you are charging, you must move in a straight line for 10 feet after the turn to maintain the charge.
Normal: Without this feat, you can run or charge only in a straight line.[/indent]
Feats from Races of Stone:
[indent]Earth Sense .........req: Con 13,Wis 13
while you touch the ground....you can sense # creatures in 20' rad also touching ground
Earth Fist(racial) .......... Req: Dwarf, Gnome, Goliath, Earth sense, Imp Unarmed Strike
while you touch ground...Unarmed Strike = Cold Iron vs DR
Feats from Mini Handbook:
[indent]
Double Hit
Deft Opportunist
[/indent]
[/indent]
Build Combos:
Core+XPH:
Monk 11/ Warmind 9
[indent]
BAB +17
9th lvl Manifester
4th lvl powers(5 powers known)
58 Power points
benifits:
Greater Flurry...can be combined with 2 weapon fighting to get even more and with Sweeping strike, to further boost effectiveness[/indent]
Monk 11/ Psion 1/ Slayer 8
[indent]
BAB +16
8th lvl Manifester
4th lvl Powers(17 powers known)
58 Power points
benifits:
Greater Flurry
drawbacks:
requires more feats
[/indent]
Use SBLOCKS, man!
KNOCK-DOWN [GENERAL]
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +2, Improved Trip, Str 15.
Benefit: Whenever you deal 10 or more points of damage to your opponent in melee, you make a trip attack as a free action against the same target.
What book is this from?
Also, for anyone that cares, the expanded unarmed damage table looks a little something like this:
4d8>6d8>8d8>12d8>16d8>24d8>32d8>48d8>64d8>96d8>128d8>192d8>256d8>384d8>512d8
Also, you may want to at least mention the aligned attack and ghost attack feats for psionic monks. Feats that only have BAB prereqs and let you overcome alignment DR or give your attacks the ghost touch ability, respectively, are not terrible choices for a monk. Ghost Attack, in particular, doesn't even require psionic focus expenditure.
You may want to mention goliath as a viable race for grappler monk builds. Powerful build never hurts when grappling.
Also, you may want to at least mention the aligned attack and ghost attack feats for psionic monks. Feats that only have BAB prereqs and let you overcome alignment DR or give your attacks the ghost touch ability, respectively, are not terrible choices for a monk. Ghost Attack, in particular, doesn't even require psionic focus expenditure.
Along the same vein, Jotenbrud does the same thing for humans.
Also, still no mention of Leap Attack, which is invaluable for pouncing shocktrooper styled monks.
Catfolk is a viable monk race due to Catfolk Pounce, which is another method of gaining Pounce for unarmed strikes. The +4 Dex bonus also makes ToB enabled Monks slightly more powerful with the Shadowblade feat.
There should be a mention of drop points and the Ascetic chain of feats.
Overall, it seems to be shaping up nicely: nice formatting, pretty colors. Good jorb!
As far as I can see, there are a few ways to make it at least somewhat effective, relying on the Enlightened Fist class.
1) Shift the main att from Wis to Int via Carmendine Monk
-or-
1) Shift the main att from Wis to Cha via Ascetic Mage
Yeah, you lose BAB, but Arcane Strike boosts your power level nicely and makes up for it. If you go the Sorceror road and use RAW (unless errata states otherwise) you can stack Arcane Strike with Ascetic Mage's benefit spend 2 spell slots for +total spell levels to hit & ( + first sp lv in d4's & + second sp lv direct to damage).
As long as you can still make it to +11/+6/+1 you get 3 attacks + Flurry; add on Snap kick for one more.
Also, you can add "Mighty Wallop" to crank up the effective size level... Jeez, what a crap name for a spell, eh?
Add on VoP and any slots you'd normally spend on spells with expensive materials become downright nasty.
This would probably work best with an Illumian, such as Uurnaen, Vauluurr, or Vaulaesh.
After the obligatory monk & (wiz or sorceror) levels, there's always the few levels of Swordsage or Warblade to jump into the Jade Phoenix Mage or starting with a Raging Monk to work into Rage Mage, normally not so great but this makes it at least funny, if not effective; whichever you want but Abjurant Champion (possible because monks have Handaxe proficiency) I think to be the best of the options to crank up the BAB and Caster Level simultaneously.
I mean, that is about all I can think of... except, of course, for "Giant Size," a 7th Level Wu Jen Spell, which can boost your size up to Huge (15 CL) -> Gargantuan (17 CL) -> Colossal (19+ CL), not too bad with Practiced Spellcaster. (Also hilarious in a Spellsword's hands). This looks best with a build of Illumian Vauluurr - Wu Jen 3 / Monk 2 / Enlightened fist 10 Abjurant Champion 5 (rounding out CL @ 20 with Practiced Spellcaster). Throw on Imp. Natural Attack, Superior Unarmed Strike, a scroll of Mighty Wallop with a monks belt: and ditch two 8th level spells to crank up the d4's and you're looking at a 5-gallon bucket full of dice and a pallet full of pluses to hit and damage.
So, I lose a few points of BAB, and I all have to show for it is:
1) a +32 strength mod,
2) Arcane Strike,
3) a 30 ft natural reach for AoO goodness, (and Decisive Strike for double damage)
4) and Colossal++ Unarmed Damage
I'm sure I'm mucking up these calculations, but it should come out to something like
32d8 (Unarmed) + 8d6 (Vauluur) + 8d4 (Arcane Strike)
Hmm, are you counting Argent Fist as a monk PrC? If so, I've got a build to contribute.
As long as it's clearly a monk build and not unarmed paladin, go ahead. I'll add it to the builds section when I get there.
The question "Can decisive strike be progressed with prcs that progress flurry?" has been brought up. Unless some very convincing rules quotes are presented, my answer is no. The issue is pretty similar to the abjurant champion & mage armor thing but even errata didn't change it.
Ectoplasmic Fist (ECS 264) also gives an effective size increase for US damage for Kalashtar monks.
I'll check this out.
Just wanted to mention that I think you left out the variations and alternate class features from Unearthed Arcana (www.d20srd.org).
They are mentioned at the very bottom of the sblock. I'll add link to SRD, easy enough to check the details from there.
I must protest the labeling of Combat Defense as "bad". It lets you switch your Dodge-buddy, which, when paired with Elusive Target (a "good" feat), lets you employ Elusive Target's abilities multiple times in a round.
Elusive target is good but it isn't so good it justifies taking three more feats (always take at least three combat form feats or don't take them at all) to enhance its effects. On its own, combat defense is just a bad feat, period.
You may want to mention goliath as a viable race for grappler monk builds. Powerful build never hurts when grappling.
Also, you may want to at least mention the aligned attack and ghost attack feats for psionic monks. Feats that only have BAB prereqs and let you overcome alignment DR or give your attacks the ghost touch ability, respectively, are not terrible choices for a monk. Ghost Attack, in particular, doesn't even require psionic focus expenditure.
I think you're right, goliath deserves to be mentioned.
Aligned attack is bad because it comes with strings attached. First, it is very slow to use because you need to regain psionic focus over and over again, which eats precious actions during combat. Second, you practically need the feat psionic meditation too for the move action refocusing. Third, the only aligned damage reduction with real importance is DR/good and the holy strike variant class feature is superior way of getting good aligned attack.
Ghost attack isn't bad, I'll add it to the feats section.
Along the same vein, Jotenbrud does the same thing for humans.
Will be added.
Also, still no mention of Leap Attack, which is invaluable for pouncing shocktrooper styled monks.
I have plans of adding a section about charging, leap attack will be there along with the other usual suspects.
Catfolk is a viable monk race due to Catfolk Pounce, which is another method of gaining Pounce for unarmed strikes. The +4 Dex bonus also makes ToB enabled Monks slightly more powerful with the Shadowblade feat.
Good find.
There should be a mention of drop points
This is on my to do list.
Ascetic chain of feats
Every single one of these encourages only dipping into monk, something that is very low on priority from the viewpoint of this guide. When everything else is done, I may eventually add a section about dipping.
Overall, it seems to be shaping up nicely: nice formatting, pretty colors. Good jorb!
Thanks
Defends arcane monks valiantly.
If you could provide a detailed & well formatted example build and some discussion about tactics etc, I will happily discuss more about this topic.
For starters here are my main issues with arcane monks:
-Low attack bonus
-Dependency on questionable spells like, wraithstrike, greater mighty wallop, polymorph...
-Builds tend to be awful mess of random abilities that don't have good synergy with each other. This leads to inelegance, which is not good in my book.
-Swiftblade builds perform better
When taking Shou Disciple along with Monk, your first level of the PrC gives you a minimum of 6 effective Shou Disciple levels, but the unarmed damage progression only goes up to 2d6. How do you handle further progression from Monk levels?
Intuitive strike (BoED): Wis modifier to attack instead of str, way better than weapon finesse. This is an exalted feat, which may cause complications during gameplay.
Intuitive Strike is reprinted in Complete Adventurer as non-exalted feat.
Intuitive Strike is reprinted in Complete Adventurer as non-exalted feat.
You Sure? I'm not seeing it in the CAdv Table of Contents.
You Sure? I'm not seeing it in the CAdv Table of Contents.
You're right it's not in CAdv. I could've sworn I saw non-exalted version somewhere.
The Quiet Mind
Name: The Quiet Mind
Race: Kalashtar
Build: Monk 6/ Fist of Zuokon 10/ Warmind 4
Feats:
1. Improved Grapple , (Stunning Fist)
2. (Monastic Training: Fist of Zuokon)
3. Wild Talent
6. Superior Unarmed Strike, (Improved Trip)
9. Tashlatora
11. (Ghost Attack)
12. Improved Natural Attack: Unarmed Strike
15. Pain Touch
16. (Expanded Knowledge: Metamorphisis)
18. Snap Kick
Powers Known (By FoZ Lvl):
1. Expansion
2. Grip of Iron
3. Psionic Lion’s Charge
4. Strength of My Enemy
5. Dimension Slide
6. Vampire Blade
7. Freedom of Movement, Psionic
8. Tail of the Dragon (SoS)
9. Energy Adaptation
10. free , Metamorphisis
Warmind Powers (By Warmind Lvl):
1. Bite of the Wolf
2. Force Screen
4. Hustle
Items:
1 Ectoplasmic Shard (ECS)
Multiple Power Link Shards (MoE)
Name: The Quiet Mind
Race: Kalashtar
Build: Monk 6/ Fist of Zuokon 10/ Warmind 4
Feats:
1. Improved Grapple , (Stunning Fist)
2. (Monastic Training: Fist of Zuokon)
3. Wild Talent
6. Superior Unarmed Strike, (Improved Trip)
9. Tashlatora
11. (Ghost Attack)
12. Improved Natural Attack: Unarmed Strike
15. Pain Touch
16. (Expanded Knowledge: Metamorphisis)
18. Snap Kick
Powers Known (By FoZ Lvl):
1. Expansion
2. Grip of Iron
3. Psionic Lion’s Charge
4. Strength of My Enemy
5. Dimension Slide
6. Vampire Blade
7. Freedom of Movement, Psionic
8. Tail of the Dragon (SoS)
9. Energy Adaptation
10. free , Metamorphisis
Warmind Powers (By Warmind Lvl):
1. Bite of the Wolf
2. Force Screen
4. Hustle
Items:
1 Ectoplasmic Shard (ECS)
Multiple Power Link Shards (MoE)
Its a Joke!
Binder 15 / Knight of the Sacred Seal (Chupoclops) 5
1 TWF, Power Attack
3 Improved Bull Rush
6 Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike)
9 Shocktrooper
12 Leap Attack
15 iTWF
18 gTWF
BAB +16, uses Ronove early on, adds Chupoclops later, Zagan after that, and Karsus at 20th. Unarmed Damage is equal to the Monk's, but you get Pounce, an Ethereal Jaunt ability, Improved Grapple, Constrict, and a slew of other abilities. Karsus is to be able to dispel anyone you are grappling from freedom of movement.
(ok, just posting this as a joke on the thread, really, but it could monk-it-up pretty well.)
1 TWF, Power Attack
3 Improved Bull Rush
6 Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike)
9 Shocktrooper
12 Leap Attack
15 iTWF
18 gTWF
BAB +16, uses Ronove early on, adds Chupoclops later, Zagan after that, and Karsus at 20th. Unarmed Damage is equal to the Monk's, but you get Pounce, an Ethereal Jaunt ability, Improved Grapple, Constrict, and a slew of other abilities. Karsus is to be able to dispel anyone you are grappling from freedom of movement.
(ok, just posting this as a joke on the thread, really, but it could monk-it-up pretty well.)
Vanilla + ToB monk
Wood Elf monk 20:
str 16 dex 17 con 12 int 10 wis 14 cha 8. All additions to dex.
Monk Bonus feats: Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip
Feats:
1 TWF
3 Weapon Finesse
6 Improved Natural Attack
9 Martial Study:Shadow Hand (Shadow Garrote)
12 Martial Stance:Shadow Hand (Dance of the Spider)
15 Shadow Blade
18 Snap Kick.
Eq:
Tome 153K, +6 dex and wis items(72k), amulet +5 (50k), ring +5 bracers +8
BAB 15, +31/+31/+31/+26/+21 up to +27/+27/+27/+27/+27/+22/+17.
Damage 4d8(avg 18 )+19 on hit. Per round output ~150->220.
AC 43=10+5wis+11dex+4monk+8bracers+5ring.
Wood Elf monk 20:
str 16 dex 17 con 12 int 10 wis 14 cha 8. All additions to dex.
Monk Bonus feats: Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip
Feats:
1 TWF
3 Weapon Finesse
6 Improved Natural Attack
9 Martial Study:Shadow Hand (Shadow Garrote)
12 Martial Stance:Shadow Hand (Dance of the Spider)
15 Shadow Blade
18 Snap Kick.
Eq:
Tome 153K, +6 dex and wis items(72k), amulet +5 (50k), ring +5 bracers +8
BAB 15, +31/+31/+31/+26/+21 up to +27/+27/+27/+27/+27/+22/+17.
Damage 4d8(avg 18 )+19 on hit. Per round output ~150->220.
AC 43=10+5wis+11dex+4monk+8bracers+5ring.
Intuitive Strike is reprinted in Complete Adventurer as non-exalted feat.
Hey, this may be nice for my Superman build!
*edit*
Not finding it... page?
Monk 16/ Crusader 4
Gives BAB +16... thus extra itterative attacks... and Lots of Manuvers with Initiator lvl of 12th(6th lvl Manuvers max)
:D
A Monk2/Swordsage/Shadow Sun Ninja could be nasty, or even a plain monk/Shadow Sun Ninja. Delivering 5-11 negative levels per round is very much ow. I'd like a CON heavy build there, though.
I prefer Warblade or Swordsage meself. Better synergy.
A Monk2/Swordsage/Shadow Sun Ninja could be nasty, or even a plain monk/Shadow Sun Ninja. Delivering 5-11 negative levels per round is very much ow. I'd like a CON heavy build there, though.
true... i also prefer Warblade.... Swordsage is nice... but you need to get BAB +16 somehow
Human
Monk 12/ Swordsage 4/ Warblade 4 ... also Kicks Butt...use Shadow Hand and Diamond Mind
:D
true... i also prefer Warblade.... Swordsage is nice... but you need to get BAB +16 somehow
You expect to hit something with an attack that has -15 to hit?
You expect to hit something with an attack that has -15 to hit?
Think of it as another chance to roll a 20 ;). Or if you've got a huge attack bonus, it may have a decent chance of hitting anyways.
You expect to hit something with an attack that has -15 to hit?
as AlienFromBeyond said... but also consider this.... @20th lvl: BAB= +16
so a full attack with Greater Flurry with Haste using say Annis Hag form(from Skin of Proteus)(25 Str wearing +6 Belt of Str) is this(which can easily boosted Higher.... but is ready for EPIC play):
+16 BAB
+10 Str
+1 Haste
...........
+27 attack
Full Attack: +27/+27/+27/+27/+22/+17/+12
add average d20 roll= +10 = +37/+37/+37/+37/+32/+27/+22
TARRASQUE only has AC 35
Balor also AC 35
Very Old Red Dragon(CR 21) has AC 36
you could put a beating on them
:D
then you could get:
Pouncing Charge with leap attack and shock trooper with +42/+42/+42/+42/+37/+32/+27 Touch Attacks
:D
very true... imagine if your local Party member Incantatrix was to Persist Wraithstrike and Greater Magic Weapon on your hands
then you could get:
Pouncing Charge with leap attack and shock trooper with +42/+42/+42/+42/+37/+32/+27 Touch Attacks
:D
How does one Persist Wraithstrike on a party member? I'm sure there's a method, I just am not aware.
With a bunch of enlarging effects going, that could be pretty sick damage, too.
In general, I don't find Shocktrooper to be all that necessary when Wraithstrike is added in. One can just Power/Leap Attack for full at that point, and have a very good chance of never missing.
:D
Incantatrix has a Class ability(3rd lvl) that allows then to apply a metamagic Effect to an existing spell effect(they must make a Spellcraft check)
:D
Oh, I know, but how do you get it on a party member?
:D
RAW, the monk does not have simple weapons proficency, thus they are not proficent with unarmed strikes. I know this is not a Rule as Intended, but by RAW should i take Simple Weapon Proficency(unarmed strike) in order to skip the -4 to hit penalty for using a weapon I'm not proficent with, or is there a faq/errata that addressed this problem that i have not seen?(I've just looked through the ufficial FAQ and the 3.5 phb errata, but they are silent on this.)
RAW, the monk does not have simple weapons proficency, thus they are not proficent with unarmed strikes. I know this is not a Rule as Intended, but by RAW should i take Simple Weapon Proficency(unarmed strike) in order to skip the -4 to hit penalty for using a weapon I'm not proficent with, or is there a faq/errata that addressed this problem that i have not seen?(I've just looked through the ufficial FAQ and the 3.5 phb errata, but they are silent on this.)
actually to answer this... look at the Class Feature of the Monk Class ... notice:
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.
Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Monk. The unarmed damage on Table: The Monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large Monk Unarmed Damage.
:D
IMPROVED UNARMED STRIKE [GENERAL]
You are skilled at fighting while unarmed.
Benefit: You are considered to be armed even when unarmed —
that is, you do not provoke attacks or opportunity from armed
opponents when you attack them while unarmed. However, you
still get an attack of opportunity against any opponent who makes
an unarmed attack on you.
In addition, your unarmed strikes can deal lethal or nonlethal
damage, at your option.
Normal: Without this feat, you are considered unarmed when
attacking with an unarmed strike, and you can deal only nonlethal
damage with such an attack.
Special: A monk automatically gains Improved Unarmed Strike
as a bonus feat at 1st level. She need not select it.
A fighter may select Improved Unarmed Strike as one of his
fighter bonus feats (see page 38)
Yes, and the feat does not say anywhere that it gives you the proficency^_^ you don't provoke AOO, you can deal lethal damage, but you do not gain the proficency with unarmed strikes^_^
This was my conudrum.
Yes, and the feat does not say anywhere that it gives you the proficency^_^ you don't provoke AOO, you can deal lethal damage, but you do not gain the proficency with unarmed strikes^_^
This was my conudrum.
That's the most ridiculous argument I've ever seen in this boards. And I've seen stupid arguments...
It has been ruled that a monk's unarmed strikes qualify as natural weapons: for instance, they can take Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike). IIRC, creatures are considered automatically proficient with all natural attacks.
Where is this ruling...I am going to bring the argument to my DM and I need the information that says that I can choose that feat for the monk because he is not a monster.
Where is this ruling...I am going to bring the argument to my DM and I need the information that says that I can choose that feat for the monk because he is not a monster.
look in the PHB ... under Monk...
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.
Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Monk. The unarmed damage on Table: The Monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large Monk Unarmed Damage.
also look here:Official D&D Game Rule FAQ
Can a monk take Improved Natural Attack (Monster Manual, page 304) to improve his unarmed strike?
Yes. As stated on page 41 of the Player’s Handbook, a monk’s unarmed strike “is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either” which includes feats such as Improved Natural Attack. Barring multiclassing, the earliest a monk could take this feat would be at 6th level (due to the base attack bonus prerequisite), at which point her unarmed strike damage would
improve from 1d8 to 2d6 (which represents an average increase of +2.5 points of damage). The same monk at 20th level would deal 4d8 points of damage with her unarmed strike.
:D
Feats:
lvl1: Sacred vow, stunning fist (b)
lvl2: deflect arrows(b)
lvl3: vow of poverty
lvl5: superior unarmed strike (dm allowed to be a figher feat, can be arranged)
lvl6: ascetic psion (warmind)
lvl9: Improved natural attack
lvl12: snap kick
lvl15: flying kick
lvl17: improved trip
lvl18: Improved critical (fist)
Lvl20: ability focus (stunning fist)
BAB 17
get expansion and psionic lion's charge
That's the most ridiculous argument I've ever seen in this boards. And I've seen stupid arguments...
Yes, I know. It was thrown against me, and i wanted some solid rules to refute it^_^
The feat Ordered Chaos (FC1, requires base Will save +4) would allow a Monk to theoretically qualify for any PRCs that specifically required a chaotic alignment. COuld open up a few unusual PRC options
Anyone have any good ideas or builds for a VoP, psionic monk? Or links to one?
I'd say it wouldn't be hard to do one, although I haven't given it much thought. However, the ability to buff yourself and use utility powers makes psionic monks much more suited for VoP than normal ones . Heck, with Tashalatora - the feat from that Eberron book - it's hard not to make a good psionic monk.
If you want to keep it simple, monk 2/PW 18 (ideally a mantled PW or with a soulbound weapon - see the expanded psionic classes web article) or Ardent 18 with Tashalatora should work perfectly; I'd prefer the former for the feats, but the latter may win in terms of pure power. Also monk/psionic fist combos with elocator, slayer or sanctified mind improving the PF progression can work as well (the latter are mostly valuable if you don't have access to Tashalatora, however). Monk 6/PF4/Warmind 10 with Tashalatora on the warmind can also work fine. Monk/psion (with kung-fu genius or carmendine monk) builds can also work if you want to emphasize your manifesting; I'd suggest you use an egoist for the extra buff power.
Have you considered writing a section for Incarnum Monks? Especially VoPped Monks really want Incarnum (or some form of Magic, or very high Initiator Level) to get flight, but normals can get lots of mileage out of all the offensive-enhancing Soulmelds. And it only costs you feats to strive for the abilities; you don't need to invest levels if you're happy with a low essentia-version of whatever you're after.
You must be talking about Landshark boots here. Well, it indeed rocks.
Why do you consider Earth's Embrace to be so bad? Seems like a good way to deal out a ton of damage against a pinned opponent.
You said it, pinned opponent. That means you iirc need to win 2 grapple checks, and he can escape either through quite a few means - including just dim-dooring away or escape artist check.
Reverse Hand is a handy Karmic Strike-addition though, giving you an extra AoO each time you're hit, Mind over Hand makes for a few easy hits per day (always good) and Dragon's Tail Slap actually increases your size by one so it works with other size-increasing stuff. The 'Monk of the Enabled Hand per day'-limitation is annoying as it's a 5-class prestige and thus you're maxed out at 6 uses per day, but Reverse Hand alone would be worth a couple of levels.
Too bad it doesn't give any Trip- or Grapple-boosts; I've always found those to be the prime abilities a Monk SHOULD be good at.
As for grappling or tripping, I tend to consider those the province of full-BABers like Shou disciple, Pious Templar, or Warmind - who also have extra feats or powers to help them get an extra edge... hey, speaking of full BAB, has anyone used Singh Rager for a monks yet? Apart from benefiting from good charisma for the Ki Shout/GKS part, it can be quite handy. Pounce + rage is never bad :D
1) Do I need Monastic Training to get Tashalatora if I have Ascetic Psion? That just seems redundant. Ascetic Psion doesn't seem worth it for this build on top of Monastic Training.
2) What type of bonus is the Monk's "AC Bonus" special ability? An unnamed bonus? An "AC" bonus? Or "armor" bonus? It doesn't seem like it is the last, which means powers like Inertial Armor should stack with it, correct?
3) With the AC Bonus ability, do negative modifiers on Wisdom apply, or are they simply ignored?
2) If a type isn't defined, it's untyped. That is the case here.
3) Technically you could make a case for them applying, but really, the ability is called 'bonus' and basically all other bonuses say that negative bonuses don't apply (since y'know, the wording is 'bonus'). So technically, RAW, negative Wis modifier would apply to AC, but rationally not.
Skarn monks get a substitution level at 10, which gives them 1 soul meld and the ability to bind to the arms chakra. Pick the totemist soul meld sphinx claws and bind it to your arms chakra. Bingo...you have pounce without any annoying "was a barbarian, now a monk" role playing. Also good if your DM hates psionics though in that case he might hate incarnum too.
Incarnum has more in common with the love child of a Warblade and an Artificer than with anything from the XPH/CPsi.
Also, Incarnum Monk tricks? Skarn Monk 2/Totemist 8/Spinemeld Warrior 10
BaB +18/+13/+8/+3
Feats: Relevant ones with anything but Stunning Fist (trust me, we are going for something here). Improved Multiattack is obviously the winner. Also, SuS.
So with your Spines, you have the full TWFing tree for a total of 7 attacks.
You can use your legs for Unarmed Strikes, which nets the Monk's Flurry for an extra 2.
Then Girallon Arms for another 4. Add in Sphinx Claws for the Pounce ability.
Then do the math for you attacks. Max Essentia in the Spines and in your Girallon Arms.
Who need the Substitution Levels? Though Fighter 2 can squeeze in an extra point of BaB and even net two bonus feats you may want over the Monk ones. And Heavy Armor.
Incarnum has more in common with the love child of a Warblade and an Artificer than with anything from the XPH/CPsi.
Also, Incarnum Monk tricks? Skarn Monk 2/Totemist 8/Spinemeld Warrior 10
BaB +18/+13/+8/+3
Feats: Relevant ones with anything but Stunning Fist (trust me, we are going for something here). Improved Multiattack is obviously the winner. Also, SuS.
So with your Spines, you have the full TWFing tree for a total of 7 attacks.
You can use your legs for Unarmed Strikes, which nets the Monk's Flurry for an extra 2.
Then Girallon Arms for another 4. Add in Sphinx Claws for the Pounce ability.
Then do the math for you attacks. Max Essentia in the Spines and in your Girallon Arms.
Who need the Substitution Levels? Though Fighter 2 can squeeze in an extra point of BaB and even net two bonus feats you may want over the Monk ones. And Heavy Armor.
Oh yeah I just meant a DM who bans psionics may very well ban any alternate magic/power system.
I was going to suggest monk 11/ spine meld warrior 9 for 12 attacks during a flurry of blows pounce but I think you have me beat. :D
Oh yeah I just meant a DM who bans psionics may very well ban any alternate magic/power system.
I was going to suggest monk 11/ spine meld warrior 9 for 12 attacks during a flurry of blows pounce but I think you have me beat. :D
My friend is building the Swordsage/Fighter/Totemist version as a backup character for his Glaivelock.
I honestly say that I am scared of this character's potential.
Show
Beguiler: Actually a race from the Forgotten Realms - Shining South supplement, this offers a RIDICULOUS TON of awesome abilities, including +6 Dex, +2 Int, small size, a climb speed, a +8 to Hide (on top of the +4 size bonus!), two claws/bite/rake/tail attack, true seeing AT WILL, darkvision, and lowlight vision. They also look like Pikachu.
Air Goblin: From Unearthed Arcana, these guys are goblins the way they should have been. Aside from a few air-related traits, the big deal is a +4 Dex instead of +2. The rest is sort of standard goblin.
Jermlaine: MMII, I think (or III?). These guys are TINY fey with +6 Wis and +6 Dex. The downside is that you're tiny (finessable reach weapons like Spiked Chains or the Rope Dart from Dragon Mag are a must for melee), ugly as sin, and STOOPID (-4 Int, I think).
Venerable Dragonwrought Kobold: These guys kick butt, as everyone knows, with a +3 to mental stats, +2 Dex, and only minor penalties. If you're using the improved web-version of the kobold, they only get better (I especially like the size and claws bits of the upgrade, which you can find here).
All three options I just listed are - guess what? - LA +0 races. Shazam.
Hengoyaki -badger (OA) (burrow speed 10 ft in animal form and possibly hybrid form)
Unbodied (XPH) (incorporeal subtype)
(Asherati) (Sand) (Burrow speed in sand, ash, and other loose soils)
Beguiler: Actually a race from the Forgotten Realms - Shining South supplement, this offers a RIDICULOUS TON of awesome abilities, including +6 Dex, +2 Int, small size, a climb speed, a +8 to Hide (on top of the +4 size bonus!), two claws/bite/rake/tail attack, true seeing AT WILL, darkvision, and lowlight vision. They also look like Pikachu.
Air Goblin: From Unearthed Arcana, these guys are goblins the way they should have been. Aside from a few air-related traits, the big deal is a +4 Dex instead of +2. The rest is sort of standard goblin.
Jermlaine: MMII, I think (or III?). These guys are TINY fey with +6 Wis and +6 Dex. The downside is that you're tiny (finessable reach weapons like Spiked Chains or the Rope Dart from Dragon Mag are a must for melee), ugly as sin, and STOOPID (-4 Int, I think).
Venerable Dragonwrought Kobold: These guys kick butt, as everyone knows, with a +3 to mental stats, +2 Dex, and only minor penalties. If you're using the improved web-version of the kobold, they only get better (I especially like the size and claws bits of the upgrade, which you can find here).
All three options I just listed are - guess what? - LA +0 races. Shazam.
Hengoyaki -badger (OA) (burrow speed 10 ft in animal form and possibly hybrid form)
Unbodied (XPH) (incorporeal subtype)
(Asherati) (Sand) (Burrow speed in sand, ash, and other loose soils)
stuff
Beguilers have cohort LA, not normal LA. They're not playable as a PC. Also, I don't see the point in adding a race that needs to use a spiked chain or some such to a monk handbook. And I don't see the point in an Unbodied monk at all, incorporeality isn't helpful to a melee character, plus the LA is a big problem.
As to your "if I get hit I hit them" section, they're all already in the guide except for double hit. Furthermore, out of the other feats you listed, the only one I see as any good is the extra reach. Minor natural attacks and some natural armor just aren't good enough to be worth a feat.
Surreal's list of stuff has more than enough on increasing monk damage.
As for the rest, it doesn't really belong in the guide to monks, it's all general goodness.
Beguilers have cohort LA, not normal LA. They're not playable as a PC.
What is a cohort LA and where did you find this tidbit of information so I can update my records.
Build 1: Argent Fist Build
I love the Argent Fist prc - I'm not sure if you want to put this build in your handbook though.
Paladin 4/Monk 2/Argent Fist 10/Warshaper 3/Swordsage 1
Feats:
1) Knight Training (required)
3) Serenity (Dragon 306)
4 monk) Improved Unarmed Strike
4 monk) Stunning Fist
5 monk) Combat Reflexes
6) Improved Natural Attack
9) Superior Unarmed Strike
12) Intuitive Attack
15) Martial Study - Crusader's Strike
18) Martial Stance - Thicket of Blades
The goal of this build was two-fold: Make monk go from MAD to SAD, and get a lot of defensive options in place.
The build is definitely SAD: Wisdom is applied to divine grace, lay on hands, smite evil, turn undead, extra AC, will save, and your attack. CON is also important still. If you decide to do power attacking instead of martial study/thicket of blades, or instead of stunning fist/combat reflexes (via sub features), then strength becomes very important. Defensively you get to wear fullplate and get the monk's AC bonuses.
Warshaper provides some offensive options, as does swordsage and the argent fist's class features. Think of it as a monk tank. ^^
--------------
This second build was more for fun. The goal was to become a forever young, forever immortal creature. It turns out this can only really be done through monk.
Human
Vigilant Monk 5 (with the 5th level planar monk substitution)/Tattooed Monk 5 (Crane Tattoo, Ocean Tattoo, and whatever Tattoo, maybe Phoenix?)/Cloud Anchorite 10.
Feats are mostly free, I chose:
1) Endurance
1 human) Mountaineer
1 monk) Improved Grapple
1 monk) Improved Unarmed Strike
3) Intuitive Strike
6) Improved Natural Attack
9) Two-Weapon Fighting
12) Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
13 Cloud anchorite) Cold Endurance
15) Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
17 cloud anchorite) Improved Cold Endurance
18) Versatile Unarmed Strike or Stunning Fist
Beyond the first level feats (which are pre-reqs) everything else is free, so you can make whatever kind of monk character you want. For example, you could easily work towards optimizing stunning fist ... or whatever!
This character is fairly weak offensively, but was optimized more towards defense + RP value. He has Evasion, Improved Uncanny Dodge, the full monk unarmed damage progression, +50' speed, +50' climb, +4 to AC, and wis to AC.
He never ages starting at level 10, and becomes immortal at level 20. He is immune to nonmagical diseases and poisons, and never needs to eat, sleep, or drink. Sort of the stereotypical martial arts master on the mountaintop kinda guy. You could easily do VoP with him - it fits the theme pretty well.
What is a cohort LA and where did you find this tidbit of information so I can update my records.
Cohort LA is the LA a creature would have if used as a cohort. You get cohorts from the Leadership feat. And it says it right in the stat block. "LA: 0 (cohort)"
Skarn Monk 11/spinemeld warrior 9
Str: 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Wis 16, Int 8, Cha 8
Important Feats: shape soul melds: enigma crown, sphinx claws. Open least chakras: crown and hands, improved natural attack
ACF: Holy Ki Strike, Skarn racial substitution levels (pick mauling gauntlets at 10th level)
Bind the Enigma Helm to the Crown Chakra to make all your melee attacks have the force descriptor (and thus overcome DR and act as if ghost touch weapons). Bind the Sphinx Claws to the Hands Chakra for Pounce. Mauling Gauntlets bound to the arms chakra make your spines keen and lawful and give you a nice bonus to strength checks like trip.
Here is a build using incarnum:
Skarn Monk 11/spinemeld warrior 9
Str: 18, Dex 12, Con 14, Wis 16, Int 8, Cha 8
Important Feats: shape soul melds: enigma crown, sphinx claws. Open least chakras: crown and hands, improved natural attack
ACF: Holy Ki Strike, Skarn racial substitution levels (pick mauling gauntlets at 10th level)
Bind the Enigma Helm to the Crown Chakra to make all your melee attacks have the force descriptor (and thus overcome DR and act as if ghost touch weapons). Bind the Sphinx Claws to the Hands Chakra for Pounce. Mauling Gauntlets bound to the arms chakra make your spines keen and lawful and give you a nice bonus to strength checks like trip.
Improving upon this:
Monk 2/Barbarian 2 (Lion-Totem)/Ranger 2/Spinemeld Warrior 7/War Mind 8
Feats:
1st: Educated
Flaw: Hidden Talent (or just Wild Talent)
Flaw: Any
Monk 1: Stunning Fist
Monk 2: Combat Reflexes
3rd: Sapphire Fist (for the Essentia)
6th: Any
Ranger: TWFing
Sometime during War Mind: Tashalatora.
Idea: Flurry of Blows+Pounce+Psychic Warrior Powers+Soulmelds=Dead enemy.
A FoZ/warmind is not a bad combo at all imo, providing you with a PrC that has the warmind prerequisite Knowledge Psi as a class skill and gives you a few more low-level powers that complement the warmind's limited repertoire. On the other hand, an elocator or slayer allows you to get the two PrCs' impressive abilities while continuing an ok power progression - faster than PW levels would give you, at least at first.
Also, on the monk/barb/ranger/spinemeld warrior, I don't have MoI right now, but weren't spinemelds supposed to be lawful?
Anyone have a Monk/FoZ build?
Check out Jaerom's awesome Zuoken.
Pounce is one the most sought after ablities among melee classes and monk is no exception. The ability to execute flurry of blows after charge is just good, especially when it also mitigates hitting difficulties. Add in skill trick "twisted charge" for extra maneuverability. Here's how to get this great ability:
Lion totem barbarian (variant class feature, CC): The easiest way for permanent pounce. Requires rp management because monks are incompatible with barbarians by default.
Psionic lion's charge (power): All psionic monks must have this.
Pouncing charge (maneuver, ToB): Fairly easily obtainable but isn't avaible all the time.
Telflammar shadowlord (prc, UE): Shadow pouncing is a sub-category of pouncing that involves full attack after teleporting. I'll try to provide a build for build section for more details.
Catfolk pounce (feat, RotW): For catfolk monks this is really easy way to get pounce. Getting multiple uses of this feat per encounter is hard because the target has to be flat-footed.
another source is the feats from Magic of Incarnum. Take the feat 'shape soulmeld' to get 'sphinx claws' and then the feat 'open chakra' to bind it to your arm-chakra. You'll be able to pounce at will. These feats are open to any character with at least CON 13
Combine this with 'Law Devotion from CC and you'll be able to 1)charge, 2)pounce and 3)walk away in one round. It really saves a lot of HP's
you lose flurry for "flailing strike" which follows the same hit progression but gives a RANDOM number of additional attacks starting at 1d4-1, ending at 1d6.
It looks like this ability uses the the highest attack bonus for all the attacks though, unlike the flurry
lose purity of body, wholeness of body, diamond body, abundant step, tongue of sun and moon, perfect self
gain some stuff with charging, blur like ability, anarchic self, freedom of thought
Also consider this build,
Warblade1/monk4/Druken master1/bloodstormblade4
yeah its only lvl 10, but basically you can now full attack by throw chairs(or any object that would need 2 hands to throw) and PA as a two handed weapon while using your unarmed strike dmg.
What is the current status of Ordered Chaos feat concerning alignment shenanigans?
Ordered Chaos only works for magic items and the Abyssal Herator feat Primordal Scion. Nothing else.
Key feats: able learner (to max out UMD and perform), devoted performer, initatie of milil, ascetic knight
Smiting as a 20th level paladin, bardic music abilities as a 18th level bard, unarmed strike damage as a 19th level monk
You could take the overwhelming attack monk variant from UA/SRD for the power attack and improved bullrush feats, setting you up for divine might and shock trooper.
HARSSAF (MM3 p82) some of the abilities are:
STR +4
DEX +6
CON +6
CHA +2
+3 natural armor
damage reduction 5/bludgeoning
6d6 Racial HD with 9(2+int) skill points
attack bonus +6, saves +2,+5,+5
Alertness and Lightning reflexes as bonus feats
3 feats because of LA
Flaming aura (Su): Like Fiery Ki Defense but at will free action!!!!!
Sand Pulse(su): 1/day 3d6 30feet aoe may blind as well
Sand Form(su): you become a pile of moble sand at will
Spell Resistance 17 + class lvl wow thats better than the monks one
blindsense 30ft, immune to blindness and fire
fast healing 3
Vulnerability to cold (the only bad thing)
Favored Class: Monk
LA+4
bard1/paladin17/monk2
Key feats: able learner (to max out UMD and perform), devoted performer, initatie of milil, ascetic knight
Smiting as a 20th level paladin, bardic music abilities as a 18th level bard, unarmed strike damage as a 19th level monk
You could take the overwhelming attack monk variant from UA/SRD for the power attack and improved bullrush feats, setting you up for divine might and shock trooper.
The devoted performer lets you combine paladin + bard, same goes with initiate of milil.
ascetic knight do the same for monk + paladin.
But you need a third feat to get monk + bard otherwise, wonky things will happen.
But you need a third feat to get monk + bard otherwise, wonky things will happen.
Not really, the build only loses 1 monk level for unarmed damage and 2 bard levels for bardic music.
I suppose you could try to work in the ascetic mage feat if you wanted to take 4 bard levels or so.
=/
As it is, I'm planning taking Monk to sixth level, then PrC into Shintao. Once I finish that, I'm not sure what I plan to do. Maybe some more levels in monk- until I get Diamond Soul, then multiclass into something else. I'm still not sure which books the GM has access to, and the only books I have access to I don't actually own (borrowing from a friend who lets me peruse their pages, :p) so I'll need to see what my options are.
Fortunately, I'm only at level 1, and I did get some pretty good rolls during Character Creation. Hoping to pick up Intuitive Strike when I hit level 2- though that'll take a bit of convincing the GM and being exceptionally good IC. So eh.
1. How does the monks unarmed damage progression combine with e.g. claws?
2. Someone said you could combine flurry of blows and two-weapon fighting, is that true?
3. How is flurry of blows connected to BAB?
Three questions here:
1. How does the monks unarmed damage progression combine with e.g. claws?
It doesn't. At all. A lenient DM might allow you to do slashing damage, if you have claws, I guess...
2. Someone said you could combine flurry of blows and two-weapon fighting, is that true?
Yup.
3. How is flurry of blows connected to BAB?
Directly from the SRD:
- she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round.
- When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears.
- A monk must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.
Monk also has a different ability called "Greater Flurry".
Greater Flurry
When a monk reaches 11th level, <...> she gets a second extra attack at her full base attack bonus.
I doubt not that many classes actually net this, as most just progress flurry...
For an example, a Shadow Sun Ninja misses out on Flurry of Blows.
An unarmed Swordsage doesn't get any flurries, either. Superior Unarmed Strike doesn't do anything, nor does Monk's Belt. Tattooed Monk doesn't progress this. Etc.
Actually, let me count the ways:
Classes which DO NOT progress Flurry of Blows:
Tattoed Monk
Sacred Fist
Fist of Zuoken
Enlightened Fist...
Dragon Descendant
Fist of the Forest
Drunken Master
Shadow Sun Ninja
Kensai
Initiate of Draconic Mysteries
Zerth Cenobyte
Classes which DO progress Flurry of Blows:
Uncanny Trickster
Monk
Disciple of the Eye (for flurry only, technically..)
Disciple of the Word (does not gain flurry, but progresses)
BAB functions normally.
Hey, has Monk 11/Suel Arcanamach 4/Swiftblade 5 been suggested? A bit expensive (dodge, mobility, combat casting, iron will), but is practically constantly hasted with 50% concealment and 20% targeted spell miss chance.
Oh, and 4th level Suloise casting.
*edit*
Wait, trouble. Need MWP x4. Need to be an Elf, then.
Hmm. Monk 11 /Swordsage 1/Suel Arcanamach 2/Jade Phoenix Mage 6...
That being said, a Variant Dread Commando would already net 50% concealment, but no spellcasting, though.
add average d20 roll= +10 = +37/+37/+37/+37/+32/+27/+22
TARRASQUE only has AC 35
Balor also AC 35
Very Old Red Dragon(CR 21) has AC 36
you could put a beating on them
:D
Reply to OldPost, but... your example three attacks do NUTHIN! :D
... although you'll likely get one hit there, as you need 13 on the first and 18 on the second. The last one only hits on a 20. One point less of BAB changes nothing, IMO.
monk alternate features:
feign death:
Kinda self explanatory. Replaces evasion
invisible fist:
invisibility for a round every three rounds. Absolute gold
In the elder evils, between two feats, monks can deal 2 vile damage with every unarmed strike as well. Thought I'd just mention them.
Swordsage1/Monk4/Swordsage3/Fighter4/Shou Disciple3/Master of the Nine5
Feats in order (including feats from classes):
Dodge, Stunning blow, Weapon Finesse, Combat Reflexes, Adaptive Style, Superior Unarmed Strike, Improved Natural Attack, Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialisation, Weapon Mastery, Improved Initiative, Blind Fight, Snap Kick
Sources:
Players Handbook, Players Handbook 2, Tome of Battle, Monster Manual, Unapproachable East
Notes:
*This build uses the swordsage unarmed variant.
*This build keeps all base classes within 1 level of each (for the most part), thus there is no xp penalty.
*Ends with BaB 16, Initiator level 14 and a very powerful set of normal attacks.
*It allows people to effectively dump strength and focus on wisdom and dexterity, which in my experience is very popular.
I take Monk 4 is for Ki Strike prereq. on some class?
That 4th level grants you BaB, saves and continued progression in everything. Ki Stike is also cool, but not at all the reason.
The Shou Disciple is special in that it grants full BaB and monk progression. That by itself is key. In addition it grants bonus feats, which this build sorely needs (I barely managed to put in everything essential).
Without Shou Disciple, this build doesn't work, since you would not reach the same unarmed damage and have BaB 16 at the same time
Race: Elf (sun or moon, depending on your taste)
Levels in order: Monk1/Conjurer5/Eldritch knight3/Abjurant Champion5/Eldritch Knight6
Feats in order: Otherworldly, Improved Grapple, Carmendine Monk, Weapon Finesse, Spontaneous Divination, 5 feats left to play with and tune this in whatever direction.
Notes:
*BaB 16, CL 18
*As far as I can see, this should be perfectly valid, and this character will be an AC monster from the depth of the deepest places.
*biggest problem is probably that he will be rather weak (as weak as a near full caster can be...) until he gets weapon finesse.
*For all its worth, take Immediate Magic for complete win.
As you said, Shou is basically for:
- Unarmed progression AND
- Two bonus feats.
At three levels, that's hard to match. Lessee...
...
Well, Ascetic Rogue feat, + feat Rogue... but it's behind 1 BAB and 1 feat. :/
Psywar gets the feats, but again loses BAB and fist power. Still, it might be a decent alternative otherwise.
A cleric with right domains might snatch the feats, but for some reason there isn't an Ascetic Cleric feat or somesuch around :/
Ugh. I must agree here, it seems.
Use a Martial Reach Weapon
Use a Trip Weapon with Reach... get multiple Trip attacks as Melee Touch Attacks and they cant Trip back... and you didnt spend a 2 feats(Combat Expertise, Imp Trip)
Use Disarm Weapon with Reach
Use Magical Weapon Enhancements that you dont have on your hands
:D
:D
Reply to OldPost, but... your example three attacks do NUTHIN! :D
... although you'll likely get one hit there, as you need 13 on the first and 18 on the second. The last one only hits on a 20. One point less of BAB changes nothing, IMO.
if the character is using Touch Attacks(Tripping, Grapple, etc...) they are all effective... a character might even have a Single Touch attack... thus could use the first attacks as Normal... and the Last Attack as a Touch Attack(exa: Unavoidable Strike)
against the example creatures .... they do give the OPPORTUNITY to Hit(however slight).... but more than that... they give a Lot More in EPIC play
also having an extra itterative attack also helps fighting Multiple opponents
:D
... Okay, you got a point there.
(there's also the tidbit that BAB is designed to scale so's you can use it for Power Attack, so if you don't you sometimes got a bit of extra.)
and yet, it's at most, two hits at -15 to hit. Let's agree to disagree on that.
*edit* Although, your examples weren't really close to max at all. I counted some items and got +32 to hit easily, so with a bit of BAB optimization that's +33, for an almost pure monk. A Gish Monk could probably go to something high enough to make the last attacks sort of relevant. So dunno... doesn't really matter except for epic play.
they were also something that i could get the Numbers on quickly from the SRD
:D
Any opinions on the Shintao Monk in Oriental Adventures?
it is awesome... mainly for the Bonus Feats that it gives ... i dont have OA anymore so i can only remember that about it ... but i do remember i used it a lot
:D
Though, I wish I could do the pounce thing somehow. Flying Kick+Pounce+Flurry of blows is amazing.
I was thinking of doing one of these AoO builds. Along with some grappling. The Earth's Embrace feat in OA is... far more desireable than the CW one. Automatic critical damage can be fun. I was going to make him a Disarmer, but after reading this thread... It just wouldn't be a good idea. My DM is taking off the Code of Conduct thing, so it should be a fairly more fun class really. That and he is saying its just going to progress flurry of blows.
Though, I wish I could do the pounce thing somehow. Flying Kick+Pounce+Flurry of blows is amazing.
Four levels of Singh Rager, also from Oriental Adventures, gives Pounce + Rage. Or dip into Psiwarrior and take Psionic Lion's Charge.
Four levels of Singh Rager, also from Oriental Adventures, gives Pounce + Rage. Or dip into Psiwarrior and take Psionic Lion's Charge.
Singh Rager is FAR FAR FAR better than a Dip into PW..... it is Full BAB, Good Fort and Will saves, d12 HD, great class features(Fury, Ki Shout multiple times per day, Pounce,etc...) all for free without spending any PP... or needing any PP
:D
Singh Rager is FAR FAR FAR better than a Dip into PW..... it is Full BAB, Good Fort and Will saves, d12 HD, great class features(Fury, Ki Shout multiple times per day, Pounce,etc...) all for free without spending any PP... or needing any PP
:D
It gives you a bit of MAD, though, since you need Cha 13 to enter it, IIRC. I have played a couple of Monk/Shou Disciple/Singh Ragers and enjoyed it alot, though.
Does a monk with a monk’s belt and the Superior Unarmed
Strike feat benefit from both, or does just the highest benefit
apply?
In this case, the better benefit will prevail. These effects
technically do not have a bonus, so they would not use the
stacking rules. One effect will end up overshadowing the other.
These effects don't stack so if you want lvl 20 fists you gotta go through feats/MC that allow monk unarmed dmg progression.
It gives you a bit of MAD, though, since you need Cha 13 to enter it, IIRC. I have played a couple of Monk/Shou Disciple/Singh Ragers and enjoyed it alot, though.
I like that idea.
Was going to shoot for 11 levels of monk, at the least. And of course at least 4 levels of singh rager. Shou Disciple is great and all.. But the Shintao monk would make a bit more sense in this case. Either way. My flurry of blows/pounce/flying kick thing will be nasty.
Well. 12 levels of monk, with 4 levels shou disciple, and the rest in Shintao monk would give me a base attack bonus of 16/11/6/1. Which would make my flurry of blows really nice. I like this idea.
Wouldn't he be able to strike 5 times at a -4 penalty (at first level)
Ok i hope i don't get bashed for this but. What are your toughts on the monk's alternate class feature from Exemplars of Evil to become invisible (not as the spell) for an entyre round every three rounds by sacrificing evasion. IDK it just seems ment to work with rogue. Anyway i just wanted some insight as i like it a lot.
I personally love it because if I first play a monk he tend to be the guy who wants invisibility
Also, it is a great change if you also multiclass with rogue, and thus gain evasion twice.
From a pure optimization point of view, and in a high-level build its a bad trade, because getting invisibility at high levels is a lot easier than getting evasion (and evasion is a dead solid ability).
Ring of Evasion: This ring continually grants the wearer the ability to avoid damage as if she had evasion. Whenever she makes a Reflex saving throw to determine whether she takes half damage, a successful save results in no damage.
Moderate transmutation; CL 7th; Forge Ring, jump; Price 25,000 gp.
Ring of Invisibility: By activating this simple silver ring, the wearer can benefit from invisibility, as the spell.
Faint illusion; CL 3rd; Forge Ring, invisibility; Price 20,000 gp.
an interesting side Note: Invisibility from ring requires you to use a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and duration of Invisibility = 3 Minutes(30 rounds) because CL = 3
:D
an interesting side Note: Invisibility from ring requires you to use a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and duration of Invisibility = 3 Minutes(30 rounds) because CL = 3
:D
Yea, the main point of the invisibility is the immediate action-activation. Its not as great as abrupt jaunt, but its pretty nice.
Yea, the main point of the invisibility is the immediate action-activation. Its not as great as abrupt jaunt, but its pretty nice.
true... thats why its better to be a Pixie... and have constant Greater Invisibility :P
;)
true... thats why its better to be a Pixie... and have constant Greater Invisibility :P
;)
You and your pixies...
Law Devotion looked like an interesting option to boost AC or attack bonus.
I don't see a lot of stuff here for Sacred Fists. Any suggestions on feats/builds that might suit one? Of course, the easy answer is 'persistent divine metamagic', but some might find that a tad cheesy.
Law Devotion looked like an interesting option to boost AC or attack bonus.
I belive people generally find them super-weak. I haven't checked, but I think it would be better going with a modified gish:
Monk2/Conjurer5/Eldritch Knight2/Abjurant Champion5/Eldritch Knight6 (or something similar)
If you take superion unarmed strike, improved natural attack and carmendine monk you pretty well on your way to awesome, with monk flavour.
EDIT: Ops, for some reason I thought you were talking about the arcane one. My bad.
I just dislike setting specific stuff.
It's not really specific. There's no order, deity or something it's tied with. Ok, the title suggests it has come Shou (which are something like the Asian immigrants in "mainland" FR), but that's no more necessary than your TKD trainer being Korean.
Seems Fair to me.
I dont know If anyone has seen this Feat but in Shining South there is a Feat called Lion Tribe Warrior that lets Monk Pounce all day long, only restriction is you have to be Human and From Shar.
Seems Fair to me.
Wow! I have never even heard of that feat, and its sweet! That feat can be useful in so many builds, by removing the need of any pesky barbarian.
Thanks for finding it!
Also, it allowed pounce with a single light weapon, but I'd say monks have no problem there ;)
Lion Tribe Warrior[Regional](Shining South)Reqs: Region: Human (the Shaar),Clan: Lion Tribe (see Human Tribes of the Shaar, page 164 Shining South).
Benefit: You may make a full attack with a single light weapon as part of a charge action. If you have light weapons in both hands, you can instead strike with each weapon once, using the normal rules for fighting with two weapons.
Normal: Characters without this feat can make only one attack as part of a charge action.
:D
How do you deal with the fact that knowledge (psionics) is cross class for monks? Warmind requires 8 ranks in it so it shouldn't be available till monk level 13.
What do you think about this other build?
Monk 6 - Fist of Zuoken (Psionic Fist) 4 - Warmind 10
You take psionic fist to take the necessary prerequisites for warmind and also happen to increase your monk abilities and access the psychic warrior power list a bit earlier.
Hi carnivore, I read your guide to psionic monks, especially where you advise a monk 11 - warmind 9 build for a SRD only character.
How do you deal with the fact that knowledge (psionics) is cross class for monks? Warmind requires 8 ranks in it so it shouldn't be available till monk level 13.
What do you think about this other build?
Monk 6 - Fist of Zuoken (Psionic Fist) 4 - Warmind 10
You take psionic fist to take the necessary prerequisites for warmind and also happen to increase your monk abilities and access the psychic warrior power list a bit earlier.
havent forgotten .... will answer later gotta go right now
:D
I have a MC monk / moon-warded ranger from Dragon 340. At second level I want to pick up Armor of the Senses - Add your Wisdom modifier to your AC. This bonus applies to your Touch AC and you keep this bonus even if you are Flat-Footed. The bonus is lost when you are Immobilized, Helpless, wearing Medium (or heavier) armor, or when carrying a Medium (or heavier) load. I give up the combat style for that level.
DM says I cannot combine the AC bonuses. So is there anything out there I can get by giving up the monk's AC bonus?
Or better yet, anybody got a ruling on adding the two? I know about the ninja / monk not being able to add together, but this seems like a different kind of ability. It just uses the same stat to add to AC.
thanks
Yup, they should clearly stack.
Show
Changeling. Monk 3/Crusader 1/Fighter 1/dragon descendent 10/warshaper 4/Crusader 1
BA 15
Saves 17/7/14
Stats Str 15 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 8 Wis 13 Cha 12
Feats/abilities:
1: Draconic Heritage, Stunning fist, Decisive Strike
2: Combat reflexes
3: Mage Slayer
5 Power attack
6: Close-Quarters Fighting (DM Dependent I’ve played with DM’s who won’t use the grappling rules and ones who will change the monsters feats to improved grapple just because)
9: Improved Natural attack
12: Snap kick
15: Deft oppurtonist
18: Stand Still
Without monks belt or any feat or ability modifications
Unarmed damage 2d6
Speed +40
Decisive strike as 3rd level monk
AC bonus +2
Stunning Fist 7/day
With monks belt, Improved natural attack, and 1 warshaper size increase
Unarmed damage = 4d8 (did I do that right)
Dragon descendent gives
better Rolibars gambit +5 to ac
+5 to saves and dr 10/cold iron
And some stuff
Warshaper gives, reach, size increase for fist, fast healing, higher stats, immunities
Changeling. Monk 3/Crusader 1/Fighter 1/dragon descendent 10/warshaper 4/Crusader 1
BA 15
Saves 17/7/14
Stats Str 15 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 8 Wis 13 Cha 12
Feats/abilities:
1: Draconic Heritage, Stunning fist, Decisive Strike
2: Combat reflexes
3: Mage Slayer
5 Power attack
6: Close-Quarters Fighting (DM Dependent I’ve played with DM’s who won’t use the grappling rules and ones who will change the monsters feats to improved grapple just because)
9: Improved Natural attack
12: Snap kick
15: Deft oppurtonist
18: Stand Still
Without monks belt or any feat or ability modifications
Unarmed damage 2d6
Speed +40
Decisive strike as 3rd level monk
AC bonus +2
Stunning Fist 7/day
With monks belt, Improved natural attack, and 1 warshaper size increase
Unarmed damage = 4d8 (did I do that right)
Dragon descendent gives
better Rolibars gambit +5 to ac
+5 to saves and dr 10/cold iron
And some stuff
Warshaper gives, reach, size increase for fist, fast healing, higher stats, immunities
Please keep your posts polite, respectful, and on-topic, and refrain from making personal attacks.
SAD monk
Water Orc
Base stats>>racial standard array
Strength 14>>18
Dexterity 13>>13
Constitution 12 >> 14
Intelligence 15>>13
Wisdom 8>>6
Charisma 10>>8
Fighter2/18 passive way monk DR variant
Feats
Level 1 dodge (F) Power attack
Level 2 combat reflexes
Level 3 Combat expertise, karmic strike, decisive strike
Level 4 improved trip, magical deflection
Level 6 Improved feint, knock down
Level 9 Improved sunder
Level 12 Shock trooper
Level 15 Deft oppurtunist
Level 18 Robilars Gambit>>retrain Karmic strike to expert tactician,
Base stats>>racial standard array
Strength 14>>18
Dexterity 13>>13
Constitution 12 >> 14
Intelligence 15>>13
Wisdom 8>>6
Charisma 10>>8
Fighter2/18 passive way monk DR variant
Feats
Level 1 dodge (F) Power attack
Level 2 combat reflexes
Level 3 Combat expertise, karmic strike, decisive strike
Level 4 improved trip, magical deflection
Level 6 Improved feint, knock down
Level 9 Improved sunder
Level 12 Shock trooper
Level 15 Deft oppurtunist
Level 18 Robilars Gambit>>retrain Karmic strike to expert tactician,
So what does it do?
It sets up counter attack exchanges between itself and another creature using decisive strike to get double damage. Its saves should be pretty decent due to being a monk, and it should have an AC of 21, 17 after karmic strike, at level 3 before it buys magic armor and shields and other items. It will try to trip with knock down, it has a high strength and +4 from passive way so it should be pretty decent at it. Deft oppurtunist will off set its low BAB, as will its focus on one strong attack.
+1 again against one opponent.
I beleive your AC is +8 from full plate, +1 from monk, +1 from dex.
+1 again against one opponent.
Err, +8 from F.Plate, +2 from large shield, +1 from dex, and +1 against one opponent. No monk bonus to AC, I traded that out for DR, also I'm in full plate and using a large shield.
The incarnum substitution level, I believe, supplies a bonus that will work in armor.
Err, +8 from F.Plate, +2 from large shield, +1 from dex, and +1 against one opponent. No monk bonus to AC, I traded that out for DR, also I'm in full plate and using a large shield.
These are the kinds of things you may want to elaborate on when explaining your build.
I'm pretty sure you can't get any of the alternate monk abilities while in full plate.
They don't say anything about armor, so I am assuming that they do infact work in armor.
They don't say anything about armor, so I am assuming that they do infact work in armor.
They don't say anything about armor, so I am assuming that they do infact work in armor.
I don't know about anyone else, but every DM I know would be grabbing their phb and smacking the player upside the head for saying this.
I would say that, if the class feature that the alternate is replacing requires you not to wear armor then the alternate class feature can't be used.
I'll go book diving to see if I can find a ruling on this....
-ktkenshinx-
Monk abilities lost in armor (don't have my book with me atm)- Flurry of Blows, AC Bonus, Speed Bonus. Of these, the build relies on alternate features for AC and Flurry of Blows. The Flurry of Blows seems especialy key, since the alternate feature would be double damage.
Barbarians replace Fast Movement with most of their alternate class features: Improved Grab, Pounce, UA bonus feats, etc. Are you implying that the Barbarian would lose these feats and abilities if wearing armor that was too heavy, even though not a single one of the alternate class feature entries explicitly say so at any time?
Decisive Strike makes no mention of armor limitations. This ability can be used in armor.
That is your interpretation of the rules.
No, that is how the rules are written. Notice the Barbarian ACF in the PHB2, Berserker's Rage. It inherits a number of the restrictions of the normal Rage ability (spell casting, inability to use concentration-like skills, etc). It has EXPLICITLY inherited these restrictions from the original ability that it replaced. This sets a precedent and leads us to wonder why one ability explicitly mentions restrictions that carry over, and why another ability does not. The only answer that is evident based off of facts, not opinion, is that Decisive Strike did not inherit Flurry restrictions, and thus is operable in armor. Is this a Wizards oversight? Maybe. Is a lot of stuff that goes down on the CO boards representative of Wizards oversight? Definitely.
-ktkenshinx-
And thus another is added to the ignore list.
I am sorry that you have interpreted my posts as belligerent. I am merely attempting to have an educated and informed argument about an ability, not initiate a fight. I would be happy to discuss the alternate interpretation of the rule on the rule's terms alone, and have no desire to engage in any animosity.
If you have seen my posts as personal attacks, then I apologize, but I must uphold that these boards be kept free of the usual exchanges that plague the internet, and the mannerisms behind them.
-ktkenshinx-
And thus another is added to the ignore list.
Constructive and mature.
... but what fun would that have been?
And thus another is added to the ignore list.
WTF? You ignore everyone who disagrees with you? Your ignore list must be huge. :P
If you are a warforged monk/kensai with Sizing on your natural attacks, and transform (and roll out) into a Huge warforged, do you have a nonproficiency penalty to attacks with your body?
With VoP you get bonus exalted feats.
Touch of Golden Ice makes it so that any time your fist comes in contact with an evil creature (the majority of what players would be fighting) they get hit by golden ice. Low DC, yes, but it's 1d6 DEX damage, and they're going to roll a 1 sooner or later with flurry of blows. Also, since it's then a feat like stunning fist, would you be able to boost its DC like you did stunning fist with that feat from the monster manual? (the name escapes me at the moment)
Sorry for taking your time if I'm wrong.
One of the problems with the Exalted feats is that they require CHA 15 for some reason... good luck getting that on a monk...
Where does it say that? I never read it when going through the book.
You could check this out if you want another guide (not this)
My first question, after a lengthy and unfulfilling registration process:
Can you think of any way to get armor or shield properties on a monk without actually
wearing either?
I know some effects can be duplicated by spells and such, but is there anything general
that would allow any and all effects (not necessarily at the same time) to be added?
One thing I've been looking at is using artificer infusions (like Armor Enhancement, ECS p. 109)
on a warforged monk. Of course I don't actually want to play a warforged so I need some way
to use the skin of the protean (XPH p. 176) to allow me to change into a warforged temporarily.
Any other clever ideas?
second
Armor: Bracers of Armor (a obvious choice)
or
crafted Item of constant effect "(Greater) Mage Armor"
and Item of constand effect "Shield"
both together give you +10 to AC (6 Armor (GMA) and 4 Shield) and putting both on the same item will cost you 36k GP (Constant GMA 30k, constant Shield 4k*1.5 b/c secondary effect on the same item)
i.e 'Awaken The Slumbering Hurt' Encounter Standard Action then below that says Monk Unarmed Strike: +6 vs. Fortitude 2d8+4 damage.
So does the Improved Monk Unarmed strike Feat apply to this as well (and any other encounter/at will) or is it just for Basic Melee Attack only?
'Dragons Tail, At Will Standard Action, Monk unarmed strike: +6 vs. fortitude, 1d6+4 damage.......
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
So I am new to monk, I am currently lv4 Thri-Kreen Monk. I had a question about 'Improved Monk Unarmed Strike': says "Damage die of your unarmed strike improves to 1D10". So what I am wondering is; a lot of my attacks, Encounter, At Will, etc. say Monk Unarmed strike on them.
i.e 'Awaken The Slumbering Hurt' Encounter Standard Action then below that says Monk Unarmed Strike: +6 vs. Fortitude 2d8+4 damage.
So does the Improved Monk Unarmed strike Feat apply to this as well (and any other encounter/at will) or is it just for Basic Melee Attack only?
'Dragons Tail, At Will Standard Action, Monk unarmed strike: +6 vs. fortitude, 1d6+4 damage.......
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Before anyone points out that this is the wrong forum for this, note that he's already found that.
(assumes the ritual is available and some gangster fronts the gold for it)
I never understand why everyone always misses my favourite of all the monk prestige classes, The "initiate of shattered steel". From the Mercenaries AEG rulebook page 208. ...
You answered your own question. It's not in a rulebook that most of us would consider "official" because if you want to start taking homebrew stuff, which includes 3rd-party material, then you have a wealth of additional options.
I have a question about Monks...
A monks unarmed damage goes up as they level up and also gain differant attributes as well...
My question is does the "Hardness" lvl of a monks unarmed strike go up as they lvl? I thought there was a chart out there somewhere but i cannot find it.
I know that at lvl 16 a monks unarmed strike is equivilent to andaminite, what is it equivilent to at lower lvls?
A buddy of mine came up with this, but i thought i would ask everyone here their thoughts...
4th level: Counts as a magic weapon (+1 for purpose of damage reduction)
8th level : +2 magic weapon
10th level: Counts as a lawful enchanted weapon
12th level: +3 magic weapon
16th level: +4 magic weapon, adamantine weapon (ignore any hardness!)
20th level: +5 magic weapon
Equivalent material (I made this up. Couldn't find anything anywhere)
1st - 3rd: Wood
4th - 7th: Bronze/Iron
8th - 11th: Steel
12th - 15th: Mithril
16th + : Adamantite
DarthBlack wrote:
Hi, i would like to ask about monks and duelist. Is it posible to use duelists special qualities with piercing type of dmg of spiked gauntled and also use monks unarmed dmg?
Thanks
Qvickly wrote: