I have just finished with my current Pc which I have used for years, a Paladin. He was one of my first characters and so I've had very little gaing experiance with non-paladin characters.
Anyway, after writing out a ton of information for my DM campaign I decided to get working on this new PC.
To star off I wanted to play somthing different with personality like a paladin, not a JOAT character. I came to the conclusion of either a Monk, Druid, Sorcerer or Wizard.
Then after reading each sectiion carefully I very muched liked the Monks High level capabilities but felt he could be found lacking at earlier levels - where I would be spending much of my time with him. The sorceror seemed a good choice as it was not as restricted by books as he wizard is and still maintains some fighting strengh.
After looking though the monstermanual for an interesting race - to no avail - I settled on being either human or elf.
Then I thought about multiclassing, becoming a Monk/Sorcerer
I though they went quite well together as niether wear armour and both um... well I was wondering what your thoughts were on the matter, I'm open to ideas
Also, several prestige classes exist to boost up the combo.
I'd say go for it.
First round: Take cover. Cast blur (self).
Second round: Cast enlarge person (self).
Third round: Grapple.
Fourth round: Laugh at rogues who try to take advantage of your flat-footedness but can't do anything because of blur. Crush life out of opponent. Repeat.
Get a monk's belt as soon as possible to make up a bit for dipping into sorcerer.
Have fun!
Even thouhg I have been playing fo r a long time I've pretty much only experianced play as a Paladin, though I did this very well and I found it fun I have a few concerns, your reasurances will help greatly in me choosing my class/es.
+ Paladins had a 1d10 HD, monks have 1d8 and Sorceres 1d4, wont this extremely stunt my combat capabilities
+ I keep being told Wizards are better - opinions
+ Are monks really a match for other characters in melee situations
+ I have no experiance of multiclassing, I am a total noob, what are the benifits/disadvantages
New points-
Even thouhg I have been playing fo r a long time I've pretty much only experianced play as a Paladin, though I did this very well and I found it fun I have a few concerns, your reasurances will help greatly in me choosing my class/es.
+ Paladins had a 1d10 HD, monks have 1d8 and Sorceres 1d4, wont this extremely stunt my combat capabilities
Yes and no. If you can grapple well (especially enlarged), you can normally tie up an enemy in paperwork and reduce any potential damage they might do to you or others. If you can use spells like glitterdust (to blind your opponents), bear's endurance (to boost your hit points), or stoneskin (to give yourself DR), you can counter your lack of hit points fairly well. You'll always have low hit points compared to mainline fighters, so pick your tactics well if you're always in the frontlines.
+ I keep being told Wizards are better - opinions
They are generally considered to be more powerful and more forgiving in terms of spell selection, since sorcerer's can be hindered later on in their career by bad spell choices at low levels. Frankly though, I've never met a DM in my life who wouldn't let a sorcerer repick their spells if it is their first go at the class.
+ Are monks really a match for other characters in melee situations
Not really. They are a support class. Don't let this dissuade you from trying something new though.
+ I have no experiance of multiclassing, I am a total noob, what are the benifits/disadvantages
You won't be a "full caster," meaning at higher levels you won't be as potent as a single-classed wizard. But this isn't what you're really going for anyway. What you want to do is use your arcane spells to buff yourself or control the battlefield through spells like grease, glitterdust, etc. If you go with human as a race, you won't have any multiclass penalties.
New points-
Even thouhg I have been playing fo r a long time I've pretty much only experianced play as a Paladin, though I did this very well and I found it fun I have a few concerns, your reasurances will help greatly in me choosing my class/es.
+ Paladins had a 1d10 HD, monks have 1d8 and Sorceres 1d4, wont this extremely stunt my combat capabilities
+ I keep being told Wizards are better - opinions
+ Are monks really a match for other characters in melee situations
+ I have no experiance of multiclassing, I am a total noob, what are the benifits/disadvantages
Well, if you think you can stand on the front line and give/take a beating like a Paladin can, you will feel stunted in your combat skills. But really, it's a matter of perspective. You will have less hit points, AC, and BAB than a Paladin, but you will make up for it in combat skills, mobility, versatility, and speed.
There are several reasons for the "Wizard > Sorcerer" camp, but it really boils down to your taste. Book or no book? More spontaneity or more spells?
In a straight fist fight (well, surely they'll bring a sword), a Monk may not be the quick and easy winner in a melee situation. It's more about using your strengths (mobility and speed) to cover your weaknesses (relatively low HP and AC).
As for multiclassing benefits, I feel the easy way to weigh the options is simply to look at them from a distance. For example, let's say you're level four:
* Monk 1/Sorcerer 3 has a BAB of +1, an exceptional Will save, second level spells, flurry of blows, and a free feat.
* Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 has a BAB of +2, solid saves, first level spells, flurry of blows, evasion, two monk feats, evasion, and a decent pile of skills
* Monk 3/Sorcerer 1 is essentially Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 with better melee power and very, very few spells.
Like before, it boils down to what flavor you wish to achieve, but IMO, Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 has the best benefits.
Um, don't have complete arcane, have all the core books, exhalted deeds, vile darkness, defenders of the faith, MM2 & arms and equipment.
I don't think you'll find any worthwhile prestige classes (or for that matter, much of anything for this character) in Exalted Deeds, vile Darkness, DotF, or the MM2. There's a handful of items in the A&E Guide that I, personally, believe are either useless or broken, but you may get some good use out of them.
In the event that you don't have access to (As the CharOp forum would say) "good Gish PrCs", your best bet for straight melee and spellcasting power is probably the prestige class Eldritch Knight. 10 level class, full BAB, almost full spellcasting, one fighter feat. Doesn't boost any of your Monk skills, though.
Since your DM seems lenient, is he letting you freely multiclass between Monk and Wizard?
- though am sad at loss of spells
(I would have said Monk/Bad but for the lawfull non-lawfull clash)New points-
Even thouhg I have been playing fo r a long time I've pretty much only experianced play as a Paladin, though I did this very well and I found it fun I have a few concerns, your reasurances will help greatly in me choosing my class/es.
+ Paladins had a 1d10 HD, monks have 1d8 and Sorceres 1d4, wont this extremely stunt my combat capabilities
+ I keep being told Wizards are better - opinions
+ Are monks really a match for other characters in melee situations
+ I have no experiance of multiclassing, I am a total noob, what are the benifits/disadvantages
If you get one of the Undead templates, they turn all current and future hit die into 1d12, and it ain't that difficult to find an Undead template that allows you to be Good-aligned.
* Monk 1/Sorcerer 3 has a BAB of +1, an exceptional Will save, second level spells, flurry of blows, and a free feat.
* Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 has a BAB of +2, solid saves, first level spells, flurry of blows, evasion, two monk feats, evasion, and a decent pile of skills
* Monk 3/Sorcerer 1 is essentially Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 with better melee power and very, very few spells.
Like before, it boils down to what flavor you wish to achieve, but IMO, Monk 2/Sorcerer 2 has the best benefits.
3rd level sorcerers only have first level spells. You have to go to level 4 as a sor to get 2nd level spells...Monk1/wzd3 does have 2nd level spells, however.
I'm currently playing a Monk/wzd/Enlightened fist. If your DM will allow you to do this with the Carmendine Monk feat from Forgotten Realms it will help out a lot. It allows you to apply intelligence to Monk AC and stunning fist DC's rather than wisdom.
I would say wizards are slightly more powerful than sorcerers because of the greater versatility in spell selection and also the fact that they get higher level spells 1 level soon than sorcerers do.
Oh, yes...and evasion alone has saved my character's butt over 8 times so far.
I would also consider the Battle Sorcerer variant from Unearthed Arcana - it's a tougher build for a self-buffing fighter, which the optimizers will tell you is the best way to treat your character. Pick your spells carefully, though, as you get less of them.
You do not need a feat to have your wisdom apply to your spellcasting. At early levels, you have your animal companion to hide behind, help you flanking or serve as mount. As early as second level, you can use Flurry of Blow with Shillelagh, dealing two attacks at 2d6+1 each rounds.
And at later rounds, you can use Wands of Bull’s Strength to buff yourself or Cure Wounds to heal yourself.
Or a Monk 1/Druid X.
Shapeshift into a bear or tiger, use Improved Grab with Improved Grapple...
Other than that, don't take more than a single level of monk. I'd focus everything else on the caster.
Although, if you're looking for a way to boost your armor class, you can get a +1 Twilight Mithril shirt for +5 AC and 0% arcane spell failure. It does cost just over 5,000 gp, but it's a pretty solid boost to your AC. You can also get a mithril buckler for a little over 1,000 gp. It will save you multiclassing.
For low levels, I suggest rushing strategic enemies (casters, archers) and using special attacks to be useful. These don't depend on your damage and you can flurry them.
Although, if you're looking for a way to boost your armor class, you can get a +1 Twilight Mithril shirt for +5 AC and 0% arcane spell failure. It does cost just over 5,000 gp, but it's a pretty solid boost to your AC. You can also get a mithril buckler for a little over 1,000 gp. It will save you multiclassing.
That'd be fine for a war/wzd, but a monk/wzd loses his ac bonus when wearing armor...so not good.
Personally, I think you'd be foolish to not take the 2nd level of monk and get evasion. This WILL save your life...as long as you go mostly caster afterward you should be fine.
The problem with Enlightened Fist, is you do lose some caster levels if you stay straight Enf. What I'm planning on with my character is going up to level 5 in Enf, then going Abjurant Champion the rest of the way.