Discipline and Skill Focus: Concentration

[DoyleL]

I see a lot of builds where people take Discipline or SF: Concentration, but the feat descriptions say "grants a +X bonus on Concentration checks."

So my question is: does this increase your Concentration in a way that effects your resting Ki, or is this just a bonus to check rolls?

[rimble]

I see a lot of builds where people take Discipline or SF: Concentration

Really?!

I guess to be somewhat useful, I have a...I think, 59 Concentration...3 more would be unnoticeable...maybe MAYBE it could serve you briefly at lower levels...but even then, I don't see it...

23 Ranks
15 Item
10 Serenity (Monk Capstone)
5 Constitution
6 GS Hit Point Item

[QuantumFX]

Yes, these feats give a bonus to concentration. However, there are much better ways to spend your feats.

[DoyleL]

Ok, thanks for the info.

And I understand there are better uses of feats. Just wondering because I'm at level 8 and feeling a little Ki-starved, even in Fire Stance (only 21 Con right now). I'm thinking of going back and re-doing enhancements to switch from Monkey to Tortoise and maybe take the Con enhancements earlier (this is my first time building a monk so I'm still learning...)

[RhapsodieInBlue]

In what situation are you feeling ki starved? A full group?

When you get a pair of paralyzers and go into the desert or gianthold to waste some time with slayers you will have more ki than you can handle.

However, in a full group on trash I find it hard to amass much more than a couple finishers worth due to all the PKs, Fingers, Destructions, Banishments, etc.

When you get a red named though you should have enough ki flowing in for sure to maintain FoL as well as using a rotation of elemental attacks that works on the target.

*edit*

Also, the enhancement and insight bonus to attack speed from wind stance, i feel, gives more ki than fire stance does. When coupled with Two weapon fighting and improved two weapon fighting (youll take it at 9 assuming you have the 15 dex i hope) adept wind stance (level 8 enhancement, 14 dex required) you'll have more attacks than anyone else in the same amount of time at that level.

[Uska]

it increases your base KI but are a waste you KI will be high enough without using either.

[Arvess]

discipline and skill focus increase resting ki scores. Combat casting does not. If one does take skill focus, it should be swapped out around level 6 or so

[winsom]

having one of those feats at low level is a good boost to your maintainable KI between battles.

Once you get an item of +5 Concentration, or better, you should be able to respec the feat to something else, like Toughness. I recommend the "Necklace of Contemplation" for low-mid level and the "Belt of Thoughtful Rememberance" for higher level.