Tanking ninja bot

[SeriesNine]

I am fairly new to DDO and new to monks as well.
I am playing a WF monk with some RL friends whose characters are A) fleshies B) squishy
Having the most AC and the most HP I have become not unlike the "tank".

Based on what I have read here I am using Light Path (and saving the Dark side for a future incarnation).

Any advice on being the frontline as a monk?

-Yoroshiku!

EDIT: Including current character

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.34
DDO Character Planner Home Page

SeriesNine 
Level 3 Lawful Neutral Warforged Male
(3 Monk) 
Hit Points: 53
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 2\2
Fortitude: 6
Reflex: 6
Will: 4

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 3)
Strength             13                    13
Dexterity            16                    16
Constitution         15                    16
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               12                    13
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 3)
Balance               5                     6
Concentration         6                     9
Heal                  1                     1
Hide                  3                     3
Intimidate            0                     1
Jump                  1                     2
Listen                1                     1
Move Silently         3                     3
Spot                  3                     4
Swim                  1                     1
Tumble                7                     8

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Warforged Brute Fighting I


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I

[LAWPRE]

what are your current plans for the toon?

We need at least what you are hoping to achieve. If it is pure tanking (as opposed to some DPS), that will affect the answers that you receive. Are you planning on grouping more or soloing more? This is a survivalibility versus utility issue and the plans are different for each.

[SeriesNine]

I have been enjoying the ninja tank bot while grouping with friends.
I am interested in taking him further as a tank playing with a regular group of friends.

The forums here are mostly about how to be a DPS monk, so I am first concerned about how well a monk might be able to tank beyond level 5.

I am taking intimidate as a cross class skill to give me a taunt.
I am want to capitalize on the WF damage reduction and aggro generation techniques combined with the mountain stance as the cornerstone of my tanking. Monkey style will complement the DR by reducing energy damage.

A solid AC + solid monk saves + 100% fortification + solid DR sounds good on paper.

Here is my draft for the full build:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.34
DDO Character Planner Home Page

SeriesNine 
Level 20 Lawful Neutral Warforged Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 302
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 16
Reflex: 17
Will: 14

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             13                    13
Dexterity            16                    21
Constitution         15                    19
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               12                    14
Charisma              6                     6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               5                    24
Bluff                -2                    -2
Concentration         6                    37
Diplomacy            -2                    -2
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                     2
Heal                  1                     2
Hide                  3                     5
Intimidate            0                     9
Jump                  1                     6
Listen                1                     2
Move Silently         3                     5
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     0
Spot                  3                    21
Swim                  1                     1
Tumble                7                    10
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction I
Enhancement: Warforged Healer's Friend I


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Warforged Brute Fighting I


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack I
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics I


Level 5 (Monk)
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey II
Enhancement: Monk Concentration I


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Damage Reduction
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist
Enhancement: Fists of Iron
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Warforged Brute Fighting II


Level 7 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction II


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Warforged Tactics II


Level 10 (Monk)
Enhancement: Warforged Brute Fighting III
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack II


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey III


Level 12 (Monk)
Ability Raise: CON
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Master of Thunder


Level 13 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Stone


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Warforged Brute Fighting IV


Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey IV


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX


Level 17 (Monk)
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction III


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms


Level 19 (Monk)
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Mountains


Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking I
Enhancement: Warforged Power Attack III

[LAWPRE]

Get rid of the odd stats. They do not give you any advantage. Take a point of Con and put it into Str.

Fists of Iron has gotten mixede reaction and I have not found it to be useful. You may want to take the toughness feats and concentrate on the Remove Curse, etc. enhancements from the Path of Light line.

In terms of gear, you need stuff that adds to your Dex or Wis as those do more for your AC.

Still, everything else looks fine to me.

[Bacab]

STR is entirely too low...is this a joke? Do you plan on playing patty cake with monsters as a form of Crowd Control?

As you get going later in the game you will realize DPS is the best form of damage mitigation. Also just so you know..."Tank" builds are the most gear intensive builds out there. Should definitely not be your first toon. Just have fun with you rMNK and focus on being a DD. Though, I am not sure what to tell you. You have a melee job with a 13 base STR. I can promise you (if you keep playing) that you will see your folly and eventually re-roll this character.

DDO is a very fun game, but you have appeared to have found the forums. Use them to your advantage and read/learn what works and what doesnt work.

[SeriesNine]

Get rid of the odd stats. They do not give you any advantage. Take a point of Con and put it into Str.
Fists of Iron has gotten mixede reaction and I have not found it to be useful. You may want to take the toughness feats and concentrate on the Remove Curse, etc. enhancements from the Path of Light line.
In terms of gear, you need stuff that adds to your Dex or Wis as those do more for your AC.
Still, everything else looks fine to me.

Thanks for the input.
The odd str and con was actually an issue stemming from the chargen tool. I had 14 str and 18 con at lvl 20, but it would not let me add Grandmaster of Mountains unless I exceeded 18 con. But the point still stands that odd stats are not beneficial unless paired with an odd bonus from items.

Fists of Iron seems like a cut and dry bonus on paper. 1 AP for for 10-20% damage output.
I have seen it mentioned elsewhere as useless on the forums, but without any details.
Are there that many monsters with fortification? Does it exclude burst damage?

STR is entirely too low...is this a joke? Do you plan on playing patty cake with monsters as a form of Crowd Control?
As you get going later in the game you will realize DPS is the best form of damage mitigation. Also just so you know..."Tank" builds are the most gear intensive builds out there. Should definitely not be your first toon. Just have fun with you rMNK and focus on being a DD. Though, I am not sure what to tell you. You have a melee job with a 13 base STR. I can promise you (if you keep playing) that you will see your folly and eventually re-roll this character.
DDO is a very fun game, but you have appeared to have found the forums. Use them to your advantage and read/learn what works and what doesnt work.

Unfortunately for a MAD class such as the monk, attempting to build a character on 28 points is difficult without some issues. When I have a TR 34 monk I will be more sensitive to this.
However, I don't expect that a 28 pt monk will hold up to endgame content very well even if I was playing as a DD, so I have no illusions in that regard.
Thanks for the heads up.

[LAWPRE]

I used void strike and many of the other strikes UNTIL I got FoL. The dps on void was nothing compared to FoL. The same is true with Fists of Iron. The Ki cost versus other strikes just does not compute for many people. Still, this does not mean that it won't work for you.

Also, you may want to go to the DDO Store and but 32 point build as opposed to get with favor or TR. Although, depending upon how quickly you can get a toon to 20, none of this becomes a problem.

[SeriesNine]

I used void strike and many of the other strikes UNTIL I got FoL. The dps on void was nothing compared to FoL. The same is true with Fists of Iron. The Ki cost versus other strikes just does not compute for many people. Still, this does not mean that it won't work for you.

Also, you may want to go to the DDO Store and but 32 point build as opposed to get with favor or TR. Although, depending upon how quickly you can get a toon to 20, none of this becomes a problem.

I now realize what you mean about fists of iron.
I had thought it was an ability that increased the critical multiplier of monk fist attacks.
It is instead a lackluster strike.

I already spent money on the monk and warforged where I said I wasn't going to pay (yet), so I am going to hold off on that. It is easy to spend money in this game...

I am looking at dropping the con boost and then fists of iron,
any recommendations for the 3 points?

Are there any ki generating items aside from Oremi's necklace?

Is stunning fist worth the feat and enhancements to buff it for tanking or is it primarily dps?
I want it to lock down tough mobs, but does it work on red's?

[victorey84]

Thanks for the input.
The odd str and con was actually an issue stemming from the chargen tool. I had 14 str and 18 con at lvl 20, but it would not let me add Grandmaster of Mountains unless I exceeded 18 con. But the point still stands that odd stats are not beneficial unless paired with an odd bonus from items.

The character planner shows stats with enhancements like the WF constitution I, however only base stat+level up points+tome counts for stances. That's why it looked like you needed 19 con to unlock it, where it was only 18 as far as the requirement is concerned.

[TPICKRELL]

Are there any ki generating items aside from Oremi's necklace?

Is stunning fist worth the feat and enhancements to buff it for tanking or is it primarily dps?
I want it to lock down tough mobs, but does it work on red's?

It works on many but not all red's. But you need a solid DC. I use it a lot with Flaming/Shocking Burst of Weighted 5%'s. Very effecitve in the Vale, still effective in Reavers.

[SeriesNine]

The character planner shows stats with enhancements like the WF constitution I, however only base stat+level up points+tome counts for stances. That's why it looked like you needed 19 con to unlock it, where it was only 18 as far as the requirement is concerned.

I had suspicions that this was the case, but it is good to know that this is the case.
This is one more important detail to the game that is integral but never stated explicitly,
much like the hidden TWF bonus to monk unarmed attacks.
Any other hidden gems?

It works on many but not all red's. But you need a solid DC. I use it a lot with Flaming/Shocking Burst of Weighted 5%'s. Very effecitve in the Vale, still effective in Reavers.

When you mention "solid DC", what number range are we looking at?
~20DC @ lvl 10?
~40DC @ lvl 20?

Thanks again for the input.

[LAWPRE]

I would look at the Remove curse, Remove Disease, etc that are part of the Light path. As a WF, you do not need most of these but some can be quite useful.

I do not know of any other low level ki gear. Still, since you are planning on getting hit, switch over to mountain stance, you get Ki every time you are hit. After building up ki, switch to Air (for more AC and lightning dps) or Water (for strike DC and cold dps) and flail away.Then, FoL to heal and light, light, light for more healing. Also, make sure that you find meditate and hotkey or toolbar it. When you see a big fight coming, back up and meditate.

[TPICKRELL]

When you mention "solid DC", what number range are we looking at?
~20DC @ lvl 10?
~40DC @ lvl 20?
.

I'm working from memory, but I think those are in line. I didn't use stun a lot until GiantHold kind of level and I think I was in the high 20s at that point. Giants tend to stun nicely, ogres are tougher.

Again from memory, I think my DC at level 20 is in the 38-40 range now depending on stance and equipment, and it works pretty well. Vale Rares stun regularly with that sort of DC. Higher would be better, but my monk is my first serious toon and it is Drow (should have gone 28 pt halfling, but didn't know about the forums then). Giants in Aussi Valley and Prey on the hunter stun regularly with that level of DC.