monk build

[eeper14]

i was wondering if anyone could give me a link to or give me a monk build.
im looking for a monk that has decent dps but is not necessatily a tank but has good survivability.
i was thinking maybe wf but i guess its not necessary.
i dont have 32 point builds or alot of tomes like any.
i do have drow though.

[Mobeius]

Do a search on this forum for monk builds or build advice and there are tons available.

Pure monks are in of itself survivable, and if you dont try to over power your stats you can do well DPS and survive, the biggest attributes are going to Wisdom and Dex followed by Strength then Con, Int is debatable since skills do come in handy but that depends who you talk to, since no tomes or 32 point builds, make charisma your dump stat for sure, Humans, Halflings and WF are probably the best race choices, but any race can really do well as monk but those three have the most synergy for monk. I myself am partial to Humans for a miriad of reasons.

[Feynt]

I never really got the point of warforged as a monk. The immunities are nice, but you can wear equipment to make yourself immune, and monk gains those immunities anyways as you level (except water breathing, but how often do you swim?). Instead you lose 2 stat points in character creation. If you take anything but composite plating (the default body type) you also lose your centered status, so it's cutting out that bonus too for the race. All in all, a bad choice I feel.

Halfling though I can see doing well, humans as well, and dwarves I think would fit well too with the Earth element stances which rely on Con (which you can certainly get high).

[Mobeius]

I am no WF expert by any means, but I believe they get things like die hard, less useful at higher levels i admit, but still nice none the less. Also, I am not sure what it entails, but they have some sort of negative energy protection I think. Not sure though. I know they are good for fighting Suul and Arty something about not getting curse. Maybe they are not affected by hold person etc... I do know some of the most durable monks I have seen have been WF.

I am half tempted to try and roll one up and play him on dead times and see how they can be as monks. Humans and Monks are what I like the most even though I have 15+ in multiple classes and Races. So I like to learn things and test things and see how they work. Im testing a Pally Monk build right now... still working on my main monk and improving his gear to the best stuff.

[Feynt]

Well that is true, warforged are immune to paralysis effects including Hold Person, and Sleep as well. It's rather impossible to get those immunities with other races or classes (sleep is there for elf and drow, but I'm not sure they offer anything useful to monks). I don't think they're immune to negative energy effects though. I guess the +2 AC and light fortification are nice bonuses though, as halflings are only +1 AC and they're popular too.

[Mobeius]

I think i has to do with spells like harm, cause serious, etc... maybe those spells only do half as much damage? I havent seen any cause serious disrepair spells? However they have a healing penalty from normal healing spells those spells opposite stands to reason do less as well?

[Feynt]

Well it's hard to argue that logic, but I'd need a cleric on Khyber to test with. However Inflict Wounds and Harm are part of Necromancy, while Cure Wounds and Heal are part of Conjuration (which is kind of BS if you ask me, you aren't conjuring new flesh, you're repairing existing flesh. >P ). Thematically they're opposed to each other, but I don't recall if Necromancy opposes Conjuration in the schools listing. There's no listing in the Compendium saying they're resistant to negative energy however, just positive energy healing spells.

[Paneth]

Well that is true, warforged are immune to paralysis effects including Hold Person, and Sleep as well. It's rather impossible to get those immunities with other races or classes (sleep is there for elf and drow, but I'm not sure they offer anything useful to monks). I don't think they're immune to negative energy effects though. I guess the +2 AC and light fortification are nice bonuses though, as halflings are only +1 AC and they're popular too.

If i recall, the only negitive energy immunes they get is to level draining (if i read my WF right), however the reason i wouldent use a WF as a monk is simple, no robes thus cant wear any of the robes that deal damage when they get hit. They do get that odd chest item though that 'adds' effects to them, but Im not sure its worth it really to use a WF as a monk unless you like watching an oversized golem flipping around. The starting wis of like 6 was more than enough for me to go 'ewww..'

Human or halfling is a nice choice, but Elf or Drow can work too, not sure on dwarf as its not a race i really like much.

[Letrii]

If i recall, the only negitive energy immunes they get is to level draining (if i read my WF right), however the reason i wouldent use a WF as a monk is simple, no robes thus cant wear any of the robes that deal damage when they get hit. They do get that odd chest item though that 'adds' effects to them, but Im not sure its worth it really to use a WF as a monk unless you like watching an oversized golem flipping around. The starting wis of like 6 was more than enough for me to go 'ewww..'

Human or halfling is a nice choice, but Elf or Drow can work too, not sure on dwarf as its not a race i really like much.

You can get docents that do the exact same as any armor in game.

[Cedwin]

A WF Monk is good if you want to build an intimidation monk.

Warforged Brute Fighting IV
Available to level 14 Warforged
Activate this ability to cause your melee attacks to generate 25% more hate, making enemies more likely to attack you.

They are immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion.

They have an inherent 25% immunity to critical hits and sneak attacks.

They get Warforged Tactics, which increased the DC of combat feats. (not sure if this works on stunning fist and quivering palm)

They get WF Power Attack which stacks with normal power attack.

They get DR #/adamantine as an enhancement.

Warforged plating counts as light armor and grants a +2 armor bonus, but also provides a 5% arcane spell failure chance. (I thought that this would make it uncentered, but apparently it's a granted feat on the WF Monk prebuilt paths)

[Xeriphim]

If you have access to 32 builds , then Warforge monks are not gimped like people have posted . Yes there ugly as heck to look at . They have short commings as people have mentioned .I got bored and rolled up a warforged monk for giggles , used some extra +2 tomes unbound that I had kicking around .

The results , I have found to be ammusing .With the right docents and equipment you can just roll through stuff at a fast pace. With a spell resist ( 15) docent , at level 7 the warforged just mows through casters like nobodies buisness. Ac is only 2 whooping points lower then a fleshie monk would have at same level . Yet with power attack twf and the wf pa enhancements I have little troubles wiping out mobs quickly . In alot of quests I have found the warforge to be easy mode no challenge content .

In undead quests etc , It's really nice laughing at mobs that try to energy drain you all day long an watch it do nothing to you . while your busy mashing them to pieces . the few quests that require long swims no troubles as you don't have to stop an item swap for a UA item . your long list of immunities saves you item slots to use for other stuff giving you options that as a fleshie you don't have near the flexabilty .

the down sides is yes you do take at the beginging a 50% penalty to incoming healing spells by devine magic . And YES this applies to your healing moves from light path . But that isn't a build killer either . with healers friend enhancements and improved recovery enhancements you can have respectable healing applied and not have to cry and whine that you need a pocket sorc with repair spells to be heal bot for you .

Warforged monks are definitly and advanced build that do require alot of tweaking and certainly item twinking helps . I wouldn't recomend warforged for a new player and certainly one who doesn't have 32 build access. Nor would I recomend drow . If your only able to build monks with 28 points then go with humans , halflings or maybe dwarfs . Elf / drow con penalties at best will leave you with a 12 con . An for a monk 12 con is not the way to go at all ....

[Aerendil]

Human or halfling is a nice choice, but Elf or Drow can work too, not sure on dwarf as its not a race i really like much.

I'm a big fan of either Human or Halfling for TWF builds, or WF for THF builds.
Haven't played with the Elves or Dwarf much as a Monk, but I'd happily build an Elf Monk with longswords if/when they implement the weapon ki feat.

[teaiwen]

i have a lvl 8 monk with a 10 con and its not hard for me, just grab a improbed false life item and pop there u go 20 extra hp and with the toughness feat and enhancments u got more life then u need to worry about, and espeacially at lvl 7 when u get wholeness of body u can heal ur self tada! insta kick anything

[Xeriphim]

A 10 con is going to be hard pressed to survive much past level 12 . Once you start into places like giant hold , and definatly the vale an orchid . etc ... the mobs there will slap you silly , while having a good laugh at you in the process .

Not saying it's impossible but your in an uphill battle and one that you will still come up short . Your going to want to shoot for at least having 400+ hit points . On a 10 con that isn't happening . It's reality , with less then 400 hit points your going to be a squishable monk . Alot of end game mobs laugh at fortification , your saves will be high except your fort save will still suffer . Casters will be more likely to use finger an disintigrate , destruction etc type spells on you an kill you out right . You can have a high ac sure , but when that caster standing back and out of melee range casts finger on you an you don't make the save your dead ... what's that high ac doing for you now ? .

the first 10 levels you can get away with a low con . but once you hit places like mentioned above your going to regret it and won't be happy . Not trying to flame just going with what I've seen with low con characters in general and especially with low con monks it just doesn't work .