Returning player seeking some help

[P1rat3cat]

Hi everyone.

As the title states i just returned to DDO, but there are so many changes that i'm a bit overwhelmed.

I was planing to remake my halfling DEX based wind stance Dark monk. For what i have been reading, ninja spies now have some enhancements favoring DEX and the use of Short swords, there is a new tree favoring staves and all the enhancements were revamped. There is a lot of talk about being self sufficient and multiclassing. Im a bit lost....

This is the attempt i have just done as a STR WIS based pure dark monk. I don't want to multiclass. I will play with a hireling and mostly solo for now. I want to be able to level from 0 to 20 or close without being afraid of soloing any content from normal to elite quests like i did in the past with my monk.

Can i have some insight about any problems with he build or change in the kind of build i should do, specially on the enhancements?




Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 04.19.03
DDO Character Planner Home Page (http://www.rjcyberware.com/DDO)

Pirata
Level 20 Lawful Good Half-Orc Male
(20 Monk)
Hit Points: 260
Spell Points: 0
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 18
Reflex: 16
Will: 24

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 20)
Strength 16 20
Dexterity 16 18
Constitution 14 16
Intelligence 6 6
Wisdom 16 28
Charisma 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 Wisdom used at level 7

Starting Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 20)
Balance 7 29
Bluff -2 -2
Concentration 2 9
Diplomacy -2 -2
Disable Device n/a n/a
Haggle -2 2
Heal 3 9
Hide 3 4
Intimidate -2 -2
Jump 7 30
Listen 3 9
Move Silently 3 4
Open Lock n/a n/a
Perform n/a n/a
Repair -2 -2
Search -2 -2
Spellcraft -2 -2
Spot 3 9
Swim 3 5
Tumble n/a n/a
Use Magic Device n/a n/a

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


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)


Level 5 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)


Level 6 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Sunder
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Mobility


Level 7 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)


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


Level 18 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack


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


Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Mighty Sundering (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Mighty Sundering (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Mighty Sundering (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Improved Power Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Improved Power Attack (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Improved Power Attack (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Riddle of Fire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Mystic Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Mystic Training (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Mystic Training (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Way of the Clever Monkey (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Contemplation (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Contemplation (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Contemplation (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Embrace the Void (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Embrace the Void (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Embrace the Void (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Ninja Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Ninja Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Shadow Veil (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Wave of Despair (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Sneak Attack Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Acrobatic (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Acrobatic (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Poisoned Soul (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Subtlety (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Subtlety (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Subtlety (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Sneak Attack Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Sneak Attack Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Ninja Spy (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Bastion of Purity (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Protection from Tainted Creatures (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Hand (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Deft Strikes (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Iron Skin (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Conditioning (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Conditioning (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Conditioning (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Shintao (Mnk) - Wisdom (Rank 1)

[TeacherSyn]

Welcome back!

Some thoughts:

Ninja Spies gain Dexterity to Damage when using shortswords or any other weapon that gives piercing or slashing damage. While unarmed is preferred for most cases since Stunning Fist is a common feat that requires unarmed work, ninjas also gain Ninja Poison, a nasty damage-over-time poison that will harm many tougher enemies that aren't poison immune, including some orange and red-named enemies. The poison is injected only using the Poisoned Darts ability or when using weapons that qualify.

That said, you should look more to adding a bit more to DEX than STR. Not a lot, just enough to help reflexes and when weapons are needed.

DDO also greatly updated the stealth AI to make it possible to jump and tumble. It doesn't look like you've put any points into Hide and Move Silently--an easy way to solo by being able to pick your targets rather than they seeing you and and ganging up. Ninjas gain so many ways to fight fast, but you have to play the role out a bit to make soloing less resource-intensive.

Being a Half-Orc suggests you're going for being a power-hitter, and that's fine. However, Update 19 changed where healing amplification is available. If you're not a Shintao, a Human and/or Half-Elf, you get none as a Monk. That means you may find yourself having to kill far faster than mobs try to kill you, and guzzle lots and lots of potions. You might have other racial options I don't know about, but healing will be a big problem. I like Half-Elves and their Cleric dilettante; healing, buffing and protections are made very easy for a Dark Monk.

A lot of people min-max and multiclass. That's OK, too, but not necessary to make a powerful and single-class Monk. I'm not the best person to ask on that, and yeah, it can get very confusing so I avoid it and use everything in the Monk abilities to maximize any build. The enhancements make that easier since you can add some Shintao abilities to a Ninja, or Henshin, or other trees, all without multiclassing.

Shintao is now a favored tanking stance using Mountain Stance. Wind gives you DEX, speed and doublestrike at the expense of CON. Don't get too wrapped up in damage if you don't watch your defenses. Ocean Stance might give you that balance with better saves and more WIS for better stuns and other tactics. Ninja Spies can use any stance (and you get all Grandmaster stances with the new system). Experiment and see what works. Looks like you figured out much of the diversity already. I'd just mind that CON, too--it looks low for your race and goal. For a power-hitter, you've added much of the better things for better DCs.

[P1rat3cat]

Thank you very much for your insight. I will think about it and maybe change the build to light monk instead to get a bit more survivability.