Dwarven monk - first attempt

[Gnorbert]

So, going to make a monk and this is my first crack at it.

Enhancements are a bit of a grey area as there's a lot to choose from. Wisdom enhancements would be played with depending on gear to keep the number even. GM air stance and master fire stance... adept in earth and water.

He'll use handwraps, kamas for vorpaling if I can get my hands on some. Switch sometimes to Qstaff for flavor and fun... and depending on getting devout handwraps or not I may have better luck with Qstaff DR bypassers.

Last feat was just a bit of a conundrum... figure SF:UMD was as good as anything until someone shows e something I really need.

Would love advice on it.


Level 20 Lawful Good Dwarf Male
(20 Monk)
Hit Points: 317

Str: 16 + lvl ups
Dex: 16 (+1 tome before ITWF, +2 tome before level 18)
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 14
Cha: 6

Skills
Balance maxed
Concentration maxed
Jump about 12 ranks
Spot about 11 ranks
Use Magic Device maxed (11 ranks)


feats:
Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting

Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack

Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Philosophy - Path of Harmonious Balance
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow

Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Lightning Reflexes
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons

Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting

Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons

Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Skill Focus: Use Magic Device

Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II
Enhancement: Dwarven Giant Dodger I
Enhancement: Dwarven Tactics III
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortiose III
Enhancement: Fists of Iron
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Fists of Light
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Racial Toughness IV
Enhancement: Monk Concentration I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II

[lyeman]

1. Is this a TR? If not, then you have to drop some build points.

2. I would drop lightning reflexes, weapon focus, and skill focus and take the THF line, instead; the first 2 don't really help you with anything, and your UMD will still be very low.

3. I would swap stunning fist for stunning blow.

[t0r012]

I wouldn't drop stunning fist, but I would debate weapon focus for stunning blow. and I'd hold on power attack till a bit later.
I have always picked it up early myself but I don't start using it till a bit later. So take something like stunning blow or fist earlier.

and yeah you are heavy on points, you can go 16/16/12/16 which would be my recommendation.
with the dwarf con enhancements to bump you. so you would still need to grab a tome to hit earth 2.

[Hydro]

16 Str
16 Dex
16 Con
8 Int
14 Wisdom
6 Cha

Stunning blow is trash for monks it really is more super high STR classes (Barbarian, Fighter)..

You want to be able to get an 18 Dex and 18 Con so you can get tier three wind and earth stance. You can pick up a couple of levels of Dwarven Tactics to help your DC on Stunning Fist. Honestly though starting with a 16 Wisdom seems to be such a waste, that +1 DC, +1 AC, +1 Will save, is not going to matter at all on elite or epic.

I do not consider myself a Monk expert but I am working on my first one right now and this is the build I came up with for myself. He is WF because of immunities and WF Power Attack but you should be able to get some ideas from this build.


Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.14
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Level 20 Lawful Good Warforged Male
(20 Monk)
Hit Points: 391
Spell Points: 0
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 17
Reflex: 16
Will: 15

Starting Ending Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20) (Level 20)
Strength 16 23 23
Dexterity 16 18 18
Constitution 16 18 20
Intelligence 8 10 10
Wisdom 12 14 16
Charisma 6 6 6

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7

Starting Ending Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20) (Level 20)
Balance 7 27 27
Bluff -2 -2 -2
Concentration 7 28 41
Diplomacy -2 -2 -2
Disable Device n/a n/a n/a
Haggle -2 -2 -2
Heal 1 3 3
Hide 3 4 4
Intimidate -2 -2 -2
Jump 3 23 23
Listen 1 3 3
Move Silently 3 4 4
Open Lock n/a n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a n/a
Repair -1 0 0
Search -1 0 0
Spot 1 3 3
Swim 3 6 6
Tumble 7 23 23
Use Magic Device n/a n/a n/a

Notable Equipment
Helm: Wise Bandanna of
Ring: Dextrous Ring of
Necklace: Health Necklace of
Trinket: Kardin’s Eye
Cloak: Charismatic Cloak of
Belt: Ogre Power Belt of Greater False Life

Level 1 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Path) Philosophy - Path of Harmonious Balance


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 5 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 6 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Fist
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 7 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 9 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


Level 10 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 11 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 12 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 13 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 14 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 15 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 17 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)


Level 18 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)


Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortiose I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortiose II
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortiose III
Enhancement: Fists of Iron
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Fists of Light
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Disciple of Breezes
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Disciple of Pebbles
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Mountains
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Disciple of Candles
Enhancement: Disciple of Puddles
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend II
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack III
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics I
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics II

[Gnorbert]

Yeah, that was a modified wisdom with the two enhancements that crept in there... it was supposed to be 14 starting.

I'll have to play around with what you say.. I like the idea of having both TWF and THF lines... hadn't considered that.

I'd heard good things about stunning blow on a strength based dwarven monk with weighted handwraps and tactics enhancements... did I hear wrong?

[lyeman]

I'd heard good things about stunning blow on a strength based dwarven monk with weighted handwraps and tactics enhancements... did I hear wrong?

Yes; the weighted on handwraps doesn't add to the DC; you can get weighted on a staff, however, that will add to stunning blow, and since your STR will be higher than your WIS, the DC will be higher for blow than for fist, also much earlier; fist bonus is monk level/2, but you can get +10 from weighted as early as level 10.

Really, I've quit worrying about it so much; by end game, everything you would really like to stun is going to have so high a fort save that it probably doesn't matter, anyway, but it's still going to be nice for the odd caster to keep them from frying you :)

[Gnorbert]

Interesting... well I think that solidifies the idea of getting both THF and TWF chains along with Stunning blow and staying strength based. I think I'll just really enjoy the play and switching between fist/kamas and the staff.

Thanks for the help.