Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 hogarth Oct 15, 2008 16:06:51	I'm playtesting a monk in a play-by-post game (since I've never played one before), and I'm wondering where to take him. Currently he's a monk 1/sorcerer 1 (well, actually a monk 0/sorcerer 0 using the DMG 3.0 apprentice multiclass rules, but he's close to level 2) and I had originally intended on taking mostly monk levels. However, every time I look at the monk class I notice that they get hardly anything of value after level 12. The sources I have available are the Pathfinder Beta rules (you can see the Alpha rules here; the Beta isn't hugely different), the Psionics SRD, and the Eberron Campaign Setting book. There's also a house rule that ever class gets at least 4 skill points per level. Here's the two builds I've thought about so far (up to level 9): Half-Elf Monk 8/Sorcerer 1 Feats: Stealthy [campaign bonus] Skill Focus (Perception) [racial] Combat Reflexes [monk 1] Eschew Materials [sorcerer bonus] Heroic Spirit [1st] Weapon Focus (unarmed) [3rd] Stunning Fist [monk 2] Dazzling Display [5th] Improved Trip [monk 6] Improved Unarmed Attack [7th] Action Surge [9th] OR... Half-Elf Monk 4/Sorcerer 1/Dragon Disciple 4 Stealthy [campaign bonus] Skill Focus (Perception) [racial] Combat Reflexes [monk 1] Eschew Materials [sorcerer bonus] Heroic Spirit [1st] Reckless Offense [3rd] Improved Grapple [monk 2] Action Surge [5th] Multiattack [7th] Improved Natural Attack (unarmed) [9th] The "Pathfinder" bits of this character: His sorcerer bloodline gives him a pair of claws that do 1d6 damage (better than a flurry of unarmed strikes for the first few levels). "Dazzling Display" is a feat that allows you to Intimidate multiple opponents as a full round action. In Pathfinder, demoralizing someone with Intimidate can last for multiple rounds if your check is high enough. Grappling is hard to do and it sucks. Tripping is harder to do, and Improved Trip sucks (no free attack on a trip). Monks get "ki points" that give them a bonus when they spend one (extra move, an extra attack, bonus to Jump checks, etc.). You can get an Amulet of Mighty Fists enchanted with weapon enhancements (like Holy, Wounding, etc.) Cross-class skills cost the same as class skills That's about all of the information that I can think of at the moment. I'm looking for a guy who fighrs unarmed (and with natural weapons, maybe) and can actually hit most of the time!
#2 hogarth Oct 17, 2008 6:15:50	No suggestions? It's nice to know I made the perfect character, I guess.
#3 tshern Oct 17, 2008 6:47:55	It might be the Pathfinder part that is driving everyone off. At least I know nothing of it.
#4 hogarth Oct 17, 2008 6:50:28	It might be the Pathfinder part that is driving everyone off. At least I know nothing of it. Well, it's basically the same as 3.5. The only real difference right now is that the character has a pair of claws that do 1d6 damage.
#5 tshern Oct 17, 2008 6:53:57	Is there a specific reason you want to be a half-elf? From the two options you presented, I'd take the second one. It might be able to deal decent amounts of damage. Alternatively, if you just want the claw damage, consider Psychic Warrior. Claws of the Beast are pretty awesome.
#6 hogarth Oct 17, 2008 7:21:38	Is there a specific reason you want to be a half-elf? From the two options you presented, I'd take the second one. It might be able to deal decent amounts of damage. Pathfinder half-elves are slightly better than the non-Pathfinder version (they get a bonus Skill Focus and an elf's secret door radar sense); I figured that low-light vision, a net +5 bonus on Spot/Listen/Search (combined into one skill in Pathfinder), secret door radar sense, and +2 on save vs. enchantment was roughly equal to the human's free bonus feat and skill point, although YMMV. Alternatively, if you just want the claw damage, consider Psychic Warrior. Claws of the Beast are pretty awesome. I thought about taking Psychic Warrior or maybe War Mind, but in that case taking more than a couple of monk levels would be sort of pointless. Ideally, I'm hoping that there's a good build that synergizes well with 11+ levels of monk. Note that monks can multiclass freely in Pathfinder, so that's not a problem.
#7 tshern Oct 17, 2008 7:23:09	Well, you could use Monk as a lead in to Warmind, right?
#8 hogarth Oct 17, 2008 7:46:40	Well, you could use Monk as a lead in to Warmind, right? Yes, but unless I took a class that has K: Psionics as a class skill, I wouldn't be able to qualify for it for quite a while and it'd cost a feat (Hidden Talent, e.g.). And if I did take a class that has K: Psionics as a class skill (psion, psywar, soulknife) I'd lose yet another point of BAB; my BAB is already poor enough as a monk 1/sorcerer 1. But I'm still considering it.
#9 tshern Oct 17, 2008 7:56:38	Good point there...
#10 hogarth Oct 17, 2008 8:18:35	Now that I think about it, Dragon Disciple has K: Psionics as a class skill so I could get some ranks that way. But taking Dragon Disciple + War Mind levels will be hard to reconcile with my ideal goal of taking at least 11 levels in monk.
#11 hogarth Oct 29, 2008 8:56:19	By the way, the Pathfinder version of Dragon Disciple has been revealed now: it now gives 7/10 spellcasting advancement instead of 7 bonus spells (and some other stuff as well, like bonus feats)! So I'm definitely going to go with Monk 11/Sorcerer 1/Dragon Disciple 7 (although I've convinced my DM to reflavour it as Abyssal Disciple). Here are links to the Pathfinder sorcerer, monk, and dragon disciple classes: http://alpha3.wikidot.com/sorcerer http://alpha3.wikidot.com/monk http://alpha3.wikidot.com/dragon-disciple