Any Decent Elf or Drow Monk Build?

[Arisellon]

I'm looking for advice on monk builds, having never played one before. I have a set of +3 Metalline Handwraps of Pure Good (ML 14, RR Elf/Drow, UMD 24), and I was thinking of creating a toon around this item. However, from what I can gather, an elf or drow may not be the ideal race for a monk build due to starting stats. Is this true? Would it be possible to build a decent elf or drow monk (or another race with high enough UMD) to be able to maximize the use of these wraps? If so, what build or path would people recommend?

[unbongwah]

Standard advice is don't plan a build around particular items, unless we're talking endgame builds. Especially if we're talking race-restricted equipment, which can be used by any char with high enough UMD. That being said...

Biggest drawback to elf & drow monks, like always, is their CON penalty. And other than that +2 DEX, they don't really bring anything unique or helpful to the table: e.g., WF & dwarves have extra CON & Tactics enhs, halflings have extra sneak attack enhs, etc. But they are doable. Any of the standard monk builds out there can be modified for them. Just for fun I also came up with some Dragonmarked elf monk builds dubbed the Shadow Ninja.

[TeacherSyn]

I've been playing a Drow monk heavily lately.

There is one singular advantage to a drow monk: They are great anti-mage opponents from the start of the build because a drow's innate spell resists allow me to fend off common early magic attacks from enemies such as kobolds (such as magic missile and fire) that other low-level characters have to endure. You should see how often the blue swooshing aura appears around me, indicating that I had yet again beat out a mage's attack.

Since monks don't get their innate spell resists until about L16, this is a BIG advantage. And I wouldn't put too much into the loss of CON. That's why we have stances (and enhancements and feats--why aren't you using Toughness?). No other class in the game can augment their core stats on the fly without a buff or a potion as the monk. I tailor my needs to the circumstance. Red-named boss? Go into water stance (increases WIS and thus AC) and turn on Combat Expertise. Lots of little annoying kobolds? Air stance for speed and kick on Power Attack for many one-hit deaths.

REALLY big boss? Uh--let the fighter lead and start picking off the smaller targets around the fighter to save his HP and yours.

I am still trying to work out a decent key arrangement to activate finishing moves, however. The DDO monk is reminiscent of the Diablo 2 Assassin, but the implementation is way more complex and far more versatile. I don't know if a special mouse will be needed to macro the combos because a normal keyboard just doesn't work.

One thing never, ever to ignore on a monk: WIS is key to both AC and key saves. A lot of people mistakenly treat monks like fighters or rangers, putting too much emphasis to STR or DEX or even CON. Keep STR and DEX balanced (or, if using Weapon Finesse as I have recently done, throw points into DEX for both better attack and AC) and then more into WIS and CON, respectively. Monks are not heavy tanks, so that CON is a waste if attacks get through because your saves or AC are too low. No need to munchkin the drow's lesser CON...I make their special abilities work better as a monk than my human monk.

[voodoogroves]

You can make a DEX/WIS monk light or dark and it should do OK. The problem w/ Drow and Elves is the CON hit. A halfling also gets dex, loses 1 point of damage from STR being lower but adds in what ... 7 or something from guile plus additional to-hits when flanking, size bonus to hit and ac.


Drow ... add nothing. If you're working with 28 point builds though, might be worth it just for the basic boost.
Elves ... with dragonmarks, could add some survivability with innate displacement.

Both of those come with less HP.

[t0r012]

They are great anti-mage opponents from the start of the build because a drow's innate spell resists allow me to fend off common early magic attacks from enemies such as kobolds (such as magic missile and fire)

that is incorrect.

yes drow have natural spell resists but it will not save you from magic missiles or fireballs.
SR will only counteract non-damaging spells. It'll help you a bit against hold person and the like but not damage spells.

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as stated building a toon around a single piece of loot isn't the best idea.
Yet if you wanted to do so you can do a drow monk (I did before I got 32 point builds).

Just make yourself a dex/wis weapon finesse stunning build. and have fun. sure the con penalty hurts but the difference between a 12 and 14 con isn't all that big. 20 HP at end game less as you level. people build drow pally's all the time with 12 con ans as a monk you will get hit less and have improved evasion.

[Uska]

Dont have my exact build but I did a drow monk dex build with combat expertise and hit a decent ac before I tr'd her to human and then again to warforged was a lot of fun concentraed on dex and wis and went ac with stunning fist I went light for buffs and surviability but dark would work as well.