Ultimate Unarmed Build 12Kensai/8 Monk

[countesscrow]

Hey guys,

After running builds more then I have been playing the last few days I finally settled on a totally awesome unarmed build. 12 Fighter/8 Monk.

With double monk reincarnate. My starting dps @ level 4 is 1d10. After 4 you take 6 levels of Kensai Fighter. Final build is base 2d6 +9 feat and enhancements +8 power attack PER fist mininum. Also because of Kensai Enhancements theres plus 4 to Crit damage and +8 to confirm those crits.

If my figures are right at level 20 I will hit for around 120 pts on a crit per hit. Coupled with +5% Handwraps is awesome.

Should be able to keep my Strength at about 32 base, 2 rage, 2 madstone, and 8 more for Kensai Powr Surge. So Self Buffed Str of 44.

Please leave feedback

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Level 20 Lawful Good Warforged Male
(12 Fighter \ 8 Monk) 
Hit Points: 398
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 18\18\23\28\28
Fortitude: 19
Reflex: 14
Will: 13

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(36 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             16                 23                   26
Dexterity            16                 18                   18
Constitution         16                 18                   20
Intelligence         12                 14                   14
Wisdom               12                 14                   16
Charisma              6                  8                    8

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
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills        Base Skills        Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)          (Level 20)
Balance               7                 31                   31
Bluff                -2                 -1                    1
Concentration         7                 28                   33
Diplomacy            -2                 -1                    1
Disable Device        n/a               n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                 -1                    1
Heal                  1                  3                    3
Hide                  3                  4                    4
Intimidate           -2                 -1                    1
Jump                  7                 25                   25
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                  2                    2
Search                1                  2                    2
Spot                  1                  3                    3
Swim                  7                 18                   18
Tumble                7                 15                   15
Use Magic Device     n/a               n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Swim (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Monk
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Composite Plating
Feat: (Automatic) Disciple of Breezes
Feat: (Automatic) Disciple of Candles
Feat: (Automatic) Disciple of Pebbles
Feat: (Automatic) Disciple of Puddles
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Kama
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Shuriken
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves
Feat: (Automatic) Flurry of Blows
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Light Fortification
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Handaxe
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Club
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Dagger
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Heavy Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Light Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Quarterstaff
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) Unarmed Strike
Feat: (Automatic) Warforged Resistances
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion
Feat: (Automatic) Meditation
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Past Life: Disciple of the Fist
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
Feat: (Automatic) Fast Movement
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves: Path of Harmonious Balance (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves: Path of Inevitable Dominion (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Still Mind
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Automatic) Ki Strike: Magic
Feat: (Automatic) Slow Fall


Level 5 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons
Feat: (Automatic) Heavy Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Medium Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Shield Proficiency (General)
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Tower Shield Proficiency
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend II


Level 6 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Attack
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I


Level 7 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Swim (+1)
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction II


Level 8 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II


Level 9 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness II


Level 10 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Kensei Unarmed Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I


Level 11 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II


Level 12 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction
Feat: (Automatic) AC Bonus
Feat: (Automatic) Ki Strike: Damage
Feat: (Automatic) Purity of Body
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II


Level 13 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Fighter Unarmed Specialization I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness III


Level 14 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II


Level 15 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack III


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Strength III


Level 17 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Automatic) Wholeness of Body
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II


Level 18 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction


Level 19 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+0.5)
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction III


Level 20 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Tumble (+0.5)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Greater Weapon Specialization: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Kensei Unarmed Mastery II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei II
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey II
Enhancement: Monk Concentration I

[OldAquarian]

Hey guys,

After running builds more then I have been playing the last few days I finally settled on a totally awesome unarmed build. 12 Fighter/8 Monk.

You should read this "12 Fighter/7 Rogue/1 Monk" unarmed dps thread - chock full of DPS and Math
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=243485

[countesscrow]

You should read this "12 Fighter/7 Rogue/1 Monk" unarmed dps thread - chock full of DPS and Math
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=243485

This build is ok. However you loose to much of your starting dps because of the 1 level of monk and 1d6 monk unarmed attack.

P.S. I reincarnated into my above posted build 3 days ago. So far it awesome!


Chaotics

[Muldamai]

I am playing around with something along similar lines, but doing ranger/monk, and going 11/9 for improved evasion. Not going to post up anything, as you can get the gist of the similarities and the differences, but it seems to work and be fun also.

Cheers!

Muld

[kanbeki]

as much as I'd like to like these type of builds...tier 2 stances? ick you're only gaining 6 damage over pure build that is NOT using tier4 strikes, 2 damage below one that does(earth 2 vs earth4). You're gaining a lot of to hit, crit confirm and some ki generation and haste boost. You've invested quite a bit in improved dr to get it to a pure monk like level.

The only real question I have is why not just make a pure monk? are you simply doing this for the past life?

[Arkat]

Interesting but I hate relying on 1 minute clickie-type buffs (power surge).

I'll look it over some more though.

[sigtrent]

The only real question I have is why not just make a pure monk? are you simply doing this for the past life?

Thre are a few reasons...
1. The kensi and fighter bonus damage makes up for the loss of dice damage and is more consistent.
2. They get lots more combat feats to play with
3. They get a better critical profile
4. They get 30% speed boosts which a monk can't match.
5. More hit points
6. Use of a much wider range of weapons if you want to use them.

What you loose out on are more powerful finishing moves.

[kanbeki]

Thre are a few reasons...
1. The kensi and fighter bonus damage makes up for the loss of dice damage and is more consistent.
2. They get lots more combat feats to play with
3. They get a better critical profile
4. They get 30% speed boosts which a monk can't match.
5. More hit points
6. Use of a much wider range of weapons if you want to use them.

What you loose out on are more powerful finishing moves.

I wasn't aware that kensei 2 provided any bonus to critical multi or range, completely stripped my 32pt monk is around 440 hp. Losing shining star would be the last straw for me personally :P

[Eurytos]

Thre are a few reasons...
1. The kensi and fighter bonus damage makes up for the loss of dice damage and is more consistent.
2. They get lots more combat feats to play with
3. They get a better critical profile
4. They get 30% speed boosts which a monk can't match.
5. More hit points
6. Use of a much wider range of weapons if you want to use them.

What you loose out on are more powerful finishing moves.

1. But not the Ki Strikes
2. The extra feats end up being the fighter kensai prereqs that make up for dice damage
3. Not at all. Bonus crit damage sure, but covered by Earth Strike 3/4.
4. Agreed
5. Hitpoints on a monk aren't far behind, my halfling monk with only a T2 shroud item has 493 stripped hp in wind stance. Earth stance and double madstoned over 700hp.
6. If you waste feats on them, and they won't be any good if your kensai weapon is unarmed


Pure monk, on the other hand, gains versatility. Untyped 500 damage to things that cannot be crit as well as reducing fortification to enable crits. Crowd control, DR, speed (an often ignored DPS increase, get to the fight faster = dps,) elemental debuffs (wizking firewalls, bosses, etc.


In the calculations I've done, the Dominator does the most damage (compared to pure monk and 12ftr/8monk) under perfect situations (sneak attack, 0% fort, no attacks lost from boosts, etc) before stuns. Once stunned, monk and 12ftr/8monk far surpass the Dominator's lack of ki strikes. On anything like elementals, constructs and undead, the pure monk is way better.

[Eurytos]

With double monk reincarnate. My starting dps @ level 4 is 2d6. After 4 you take 6 levels of Kensai Fighter. Final build is base 2d8 +9 feat and enhancements +8 power attack PER fist mininum.

You can only take the monk past life feat once. You will be at 1d10 at level 4. 2d6 at level 8 monk.

If my figures are right at level 20 I will hit for around 130 pts on a crit per hit. Coupled with +5% Handwraps is awesome.

I haven't read through your build, but I can tell you my halfling monk hits nearly that hard. Pure monk will have higher level ki strikes to put them at equal DPS before Touch of Death (500/15sec) comes into the picture. Maybe with Shintao PrE this build can be closer to a pure dark monk without any PrE, but not without that.

You won't be able to use the light path buffs anyway, at least not with madstone on.

It's a fine build and the DPS will be decent... It's just up to the player whether or not you think it's worth being "just as good" as a good dark/str monk without the monk's toys.

[countesscrow]

You can only take the monk past life feat once. You will be at 1d10 at level 4. 2d6 at level 8 monk.



I haven't read through your build, but I can tell you my halfling monk hits nearly that hard. Pure monk will have higher level ki strikes to put them at equal DPS before Touch of Death (500/15sec) comes into the picture. Maybe with Shintao PrE this build can be closer to a pure dark monk without any PrE, but not without that.

You won't be able to use the light path buffs anyway, at least not with madstone on.

It's a fine build and the DPS will be decent... It's just up to the player whether or not you think it's worth being "just as good" as a good dark/str monk without the monk's toys.

First time to 20 I was a drow elf monk, second time to 20 I was a halfling monk.

At 20 with 5% handwraps and reincarnated once my normal hit was around 30 pts of damage. Crits would get as high as 80 pts.

Mininum hit per fist with power attack was 12 pts. Maximum with power attack was 36.

With Kensai build. Mininum hit will be 34. Maximum will be with 2d6 around 48.

Now add the plus 4 to crit damage, "using bloodstone of course" and the plus 8 to confirm those crits. This gives you crits around 120. AND because of the plus 8 to confirm crits you get a lot more of them.

I LOVE my pure monk. Only reason I started playing around with this cross was because monks just dont do enough damage when you compare them to other class's.

What I think I have created here is a dps monk.

[thenalim]

Hmm this sounds like it could suit my monks next life as i plan on going with the abbot cloak for sneak attack bonus and I use bloodstone(instead of tharnes +dusk).

[maddmatt70]

You can only take the monk past life feat once. You will be at 1d10 at level 4. 2d6 at level 8 monk.

The more past lifes a character has the better a fighter build like this becomes. For instance if this character had the past life fighter, paladin, rogue and monk - it would all start adding up.

You run with Kaligula all the time as do and that character/build has merit.

[garkzz]

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=228369

Try this variant of 12/8.

[Eurytos]

The more past lifes a character has the better a fighter build like this becomes. For instance if this character had the past life fighter, paladin, rogue and monk - it would all start adding up.

You run with Kaligula all the time as do and that character/build has merit.

I know that dude, I'm just saying his handwrap damage will only go up 1 die step once from the monk past life Feat (the one you have to take, not the given one.) A fighter like this will do 5-6 more damage per hit, at least 5% slower (if wind stance and not boosted,) and with their best ki strike at +8 damage, where monk gets +16/+12/2d20 elements, Touch of Death, etc. Overall damage balances out, monks have the versatility.


Extra (automatic) past life feats like that benefit any character, not just this one

[Eladiun]

Dark Blue on Black really....who is reading that.

[Eurytos]

Dark Blue on Black really....who is reading that.

Exactly why I haven't even looked into the build in detail yet.

[sigtrent]

In the calculations I've done, the Dominator does the most damage (compared to pure monk and 12ftr/8monk) under perfect situations (sneak attack, 0% fort, no attacks lost from boosts, etc) before stuns. Once stunned, monk and 12ftr/8monk far surpass the Dominator's lack of ki strikes. On anything like elementals, constructs and undead, the pure monk is way better.

No argument with all that, its just some folks don't understand how you can make a non pure monk and do any kind of DPS unarmed. Didn't make much sense to me when I saw it done the first time. But you dig in there and it starts to come together. I was just listing what some of the advantages were for the hybrid thing, clearly pure monk has its own set of advantages too.

I think the ki attacks are really the monks edge. The advance stances themselves are kind of minor bumps compared to the base stances, and the base damage is about equivalent to the fixed bonuses from fighter or paladin. My splash monk is a one trick pony for ki strikes.

They all have their advantages.

[Vorn]

Maybe one of these days we'll see the whirling steel strike feat (from an Eberron source book no less) added to make these kensai/monk builds even more interesting.

[wolfy42]

Heck there are a ton of ways to play a non-pure monk and do high unarmed DPS.

Toss in 6 ranger levels for Ram's might (+3 dmg per hit) and ITWF naturally along with 2 favored enemies (+5 damage each) and the ability to get tempest if you want (stacks with wind stance).

That still leaves 14 levels that can be split between monk and one other class.

Monk 2/Ranger 6/Fighter 12 for instance gives you Tier 1 wind stance, all the above ranger bonuses and Kensie II.

With ranger levels you get the ranger sprint boost as well, although you do lose your monk speed boosts.

Anyway there are tons of builds that make good use out of unarmed attacks (in my opinion at least). The advantage of no TWF penalty + full strength bonus to both hands is pretty nice, even without a high base unarmed damage bonus.