) just to make things a little easier. I've come up with a build, but I'm a little unsettled by it, so I was hoping I could get a little push in the right direction.Campaign stuff:
Low Wealth/Low Magic
Level 8
28 point buy
Core/Completes/ToB/DM approval
No Variant classes and only two core classes before prestiging
Character:
Wood Elf Monk 2 Swordsage 3 Shadow Sun Ninja 3
Strength 22 (+6) [+2 item]
Dexterity 14 (+2)
Constitution 12 (+1)
Intelligence 8 (-1)
Wisdom 14 (+2)
Charisma 8 (-1)
Feats: Com Ref, IUS, Stun Fist, Shadow Blade, Imp Nat Attack, Adaptive Style
Maneuvers: Burning Blade,Stone Bones,Wolf Fang Strike,Sudden Leap,Sapphire Nightmare Blade,Counter Charge,Child of Shadows (Stance), Cloak of Deception,Step of the Wind(Stance),Emerald Razor,Strength Draining Strike
Unarmed Damage: 2d6 + 8 [Strength+Dex while in SH stance]
TotSS: 2d6 +2[wisdom]
The goal here was to maximize unarmed damage to give him high output while also focusing a bit on becoming a thrower (this build is somewhat based off of the "Enlightened Prodigal" build). I had my reservations in making him dumb as a rock (going human would help alleviate that though even though I would miss out on the dex and strength bonuses), and even going so strength-based to begin with.
My second inclination was to simply make him dex-based, but that would require another feat. In that vein, I thought of going human in order to be able to take Shadow Blade and Adaptive Style early, but that doesn't help me net Improved Natural Attack and Superior Unarmed Strike by level 8 (getting both seems impossible with the restrictions of the campaign)
Any help would be appreciated..
make sure you can make fractional BAB
Monk5/Clr1/SF2
level 2 spells and lvl 7 monk dmg, ac, movement
but forget the throwing part haha!!
if you want more optimized go for monk1/clr5/sf2
lvl 4 spells
get a monks belt and you are good!
but i am pretty much sure that some other folks from here can optimize better then this!
Here: 'The Shadowsun Stormguard Healbot' by JanusJones http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-973527
What you do is something like Rogue1/Monk 6/Shadow Sun Ninja 1 (for this level 8 campaign), and take the feat "Aesthetic Rogue", even better if you have the Martial Monk Variant and can use your level 1, 2, and 6 Monk feats in order to get the maneuver requirements for SSN.
Then, with SSN's Touch of the Shadow Sun, You deal damage equal to + wisdom modifier, which in this case would be 1d8 (2d8 if you have MM and can take Imp Nat Attack at 6), BUT, because your levels of Rogue stack with your monk levels, you also have the option to sneak attack as a level 7 rogue. With the proper maneuvers (like Cloak of Deception) you could do negative energy damage equal to + + <4d6 sneak attack>, and then, when it came time to heal someone, deal positive energy damage to them equal to the above amount, and then have them treated as 'flat footed' for your attack and you could heal them for the above damage plus your 4d6 sneak attack for them being treated as flat footed, for a total of +wis+8d6 damage healed,if I'm doing this correctly, and if you have an undead cohort or party member (or heck, just take Tomb Tainted Soul) you can get a boosted sort of party healing.
Of course, you take some hits as far as usability even if this is a valid combo, but I thought it was a valid thought experiment.
"Aesthetic Rogue"
I can see it now, a Rogue that gains a bonus when he roleplays his love for the soft sensual feel of a coin-purse he's pilfering, the way his hand curves to slip the bonds and the oh-so-purely divine grace of gravity bringing its load into his awaiting palm.
ASCETIC STALKER
I never thought of adding precision-damage to 'Touch of the Shadow Sun'. That's innovative. I'm not sure sneak-attack damage would be considered negative energy and positive energy for the purposes of dealing negative energy-type damage and healing (by dealing) positive energy damage.
Fit in Crusader 1 before Martial Study, then take Martial Study (Cloak of Deception) to permanently be able to perform the Cloak of Deception maneuver (Swift action, lasts one turn, Greater Invisibility).
+WIS race Swordsage 2/Crusader 1/(Martial) Monk 2/Fighter (Sneak attack variant; Thug) 2/SSN 1/Moon-warded Ranger 2/etc. with Darkstalker, Martial Study (Cloak of Deception). Maybe grab the Ghost Hand spell.
Have you ever heard of Death by Awesome (kill someone via too much positive energy; overbuff)?
What you do is something like Rogue1/Monk 6/Shadow Sun Ninja 1 (for this level 8 campaign), and take the feat "Aesthetic Rogue", even better if you have the Martial Monk Variant and can use your level 1, 2, and 6 Monk feats in order to get the maneuver requirements for SSN.
Then, with SSN's Touch of the Shadow Sun, You deal damage equal to + wisdom modifier, which in this case would be 1d8 (2d8 if you have MM and can take Imp Nat Attack at 6), BUT, because your levels of Rogue stack with your monk levels, you also have the option to sneak attack as a level 7 rogue. With the proper maneuvers (like Cloak of Deception) you could do negative energy damage equal to + + <3d6 sneak attack>, and then, when it came time to heal someone, deal positive energy damage to them equal to the above amount, and then have them treated as 'flat footed' for your attack and you could heal them for the above damage plus your 3d6 sneak attack for them being treated as flat footed, for a total of +wis+6d6 damage healed,if I'm doing this correctly, and if you have an undead cohort or party member (or heck, just take Tomb Tainted Soul) you can get a boosted sort of party healing.
Of course, you take some hits as far as usability even if this is a valid combo, but I thought it was a valid thought experiment.
Low Wealth/Low Magic
May be Vow of Poverty (BoED, p. 48) + Superior Unarmed Strike (ToB, p.33) - same that in Low Wealth/Low Magic World
Human Monk 3/Swordsage 2/Shadow Sun Ninja 1/Fist of the Forest 3
The party recently hit level 9, so that's where the extra level comes in. Taking SUS and Imp Nat Attack at 6 and 9 gets me a total unarmed damage (without the Unarmed Swordsage Variant) of 3d8 by level 9, which, without a Monk's belt is as good as I'll get (the DM is reluctant with magic items). I think this is about as good for my purposes as I'll get, and I'll use the rest of the levels to get in to Shou Disciple for as far out as the game goes, mainly for the full BAB it offers and the options for Flurry (assuming the DM allows SD). I would have liked to have a level of SD earlier, but with wanting to have the SSN's healing early on and the awesomeness of FotF, I'm somewhat restricted.
And thanks for the heads up Cyper, I've only heard Death by Awesome mentioned by name, but it does sound like an interesting way to kill someond. :D