The Way of the Ninja

[SolarDawning]

With the exciting advent of Ninja Spy 1, revealed today by Eladrin, as well as the tasty info that Ninja Spy will have two tiers released in Update 5, I've been unable to help myself.

Time to make a character build!

My dark path monk, Elysidia, has always been destined for the Way of the Ninja, and will be reincarnating anew to turn into this build.

Race:Halfling
Levels: Monk 12, Ranger 6, Rogue 2

Reasoning for Levels:
Monk 12 allows for tier 3 Wind stance and Earth Strike, as well as Abundant Step and the as of yet unreleased Ninja Spy II. It's just the best break point for this build.
Ranger 6: Tempest 1, of course, as well as two Favored Enemies and Ram's Might.
Rogue 2: Skills, haste boost, and more sneak attack.

Goals of the Build: Extremely fast attack speed, high DPS via sneak attack and monk strikes against raid bosses and other enemies, survivability through solid HP, improved evasion, high saving throws, self heals and fast movement speed, sufficient trap skills, and UMD.

Simply put- this is a DPS similar to the Exploiter build, except remaining centered and fighting with greensteel shortswords due to the Ninja Spy path. This build fights in Wind Stance 3, attacks with Earth Strike 3, Wind Strike 3, and has sneak attack from halfling racial enhancements, Tharne's Goggles, Ninja Spy enhancements, Rogue class, and Rogue enhancement.

Base Primary Statistics: 36 point buy
(Add tomes as per availability.)
Strength: 14 (Level bonus points will all go here.)
Dexterity: 16 (Will not be raised further except by racial enhancements, ranger enhancements (if desired), or tomes. A tome will provide the required dexterity for GTWF.
Constitution: 16
Intelligence: 14
Wisdom: 14
Charisma: 8

I'm not going to list final stats. You can just look at what gear, tomes, and buffs you can see your character having, and plug them in yourself.

I'm going to do something that I'll take a lot of flak for, and take the Dragonmarks of Healing on this build. Why? Because I like them. Feel free to take more combat-effective feats instead.

Level progression and Feats:
Level 1 (Rogue) Least Dragonmark of Healing
Level 2 (Monk) Monk Bonus - Dodge (Required for both Ninja Spy and Tempest)
Level 3 (Ranger) (Free feat: Bow Strength) Mobility (Required for Tempest)
Level 4 (Ranger) (Free feat: TWF, Rapid Shot)
Level 5 (Ranger) (Free Feat: Diehard)
Level 6 (Ranger) Spring Attack (Required for Tempest)
Level 7 (Ranger)
Level 8 (Ranger) (Free Feats: Improved TWF, Manyshot)
Level 9 (Monk) (Monk Bonus - Toughness), Lesser Dragonmark of Healing
Level 10 (Monk) (Path of Darkness)
Level 11 (Monk)
Level 12 (Monk) Greater Dragonmark of Healing
Level 13 (Monk) (Monk Bonus- Power Attack)
Level 14 (Monk)
Level 15 (Monk) Greater Two-Weapon Fighting
Level 16 (Monk)
Level 17 (Monk)
Level 18 (Monk) (Feat depends on play style- Improved Crit if you like Lit II greensteels)
Level 19 (Monk)
Level 20 (Rogue)

As you can see, we have all the feats needed to cover the basics- Power Attack, Toughness, the TWF line, as well as all the prerequisite feats for our two prestige lines.

I won't go into detail on skills or enhancements, you guys can figure skill and enhancement point allocation however you like to suit your playstyle.

Anyways, that's the basic build!

[Geonis]

You'd still do better damage with handwraps.....

[SolarDawning]

You'd still do better damage with handwraps.....

Why, exactly?
Shortswords will have a 17-20 critical range, as well as the freedom to put exceptional strength and con on ToD rings.
With the fast attack speed from tempest 1, Wind Stance 3, and an outside bonus such as Madstone Rage (that's 10% competence, 7.5% insight, 20% enhancement), and then rogue haste boost added into the mix, this build will do much more damage with Min II greensteels than with handwraps, which would not receive the tempest bonus.

[Geonis]

Because, you start at double base damage with 2d6 fists, then you add in faster attack rate with unarmed (approx 4-5% if I remember right), then you add in 500 points every 15 secs....

Edit- All the attack speed boosts (other than Tempest) apply to unarmed the same as dual short swords, and unarmed has a faster base attack speed, so the attack speed is real close at best, and I would be willing to bet, still favors unarmed.

Also, 1 more Str bonus is not going to outdamage Shocking Burst/Holy Burst.

To put it in simplest terms, you are dual wielding kamas with a slightly better crit range...... how many do you still see wielding kamas over unarmed?

[SolarDawning]

Because, you start at double base damage with 2d6 fists, then you add in faster attack rate with unarmed (approx 4-5% if I remember right), then you add in 500 points every 15 secs....

Ah crud, you just made a good point. I forgot that ToD's been changed to not work with weapons, after it was hitting twice when released on Lammania. >.<

But, FYI, 2d6 on a 19-20 (with improved crit) is much worse than a Min II shortsword, which has base 1d8, crit on 17-20 (comes with keen, so no need to waste a feat), not to mention the extra 1d4 bleed, metalline, and tailor-made handy abilities of your choice. (Myself, I like Holy, Acid Burst, and Good Blast).

[grodon9999]

Funny - i thought of a very similar build while on the bowl before . . .

[Geonis]

Ah crud, you just made a good point. I forgot that ToD's been changed to not work with weapons, after it was hitting twice when released on Lammania. >.<

But, FYI, 2d6 on a 19-20 (with improved crit) is much worse than a Min II shortsword, which has base 1d8, crit on 17-20 (comes with keen, so no need to waste a feat), not to mention the extra 1d4 bleed, metalline, and tailor-made handy abilities of your choice. (Myself, I like Holy, Acid Burst, and Good Blast).

But we have to be fair here....

Your Min2 ss, vs good HWs and ToD rings...

Metalline of PG and 2 rings (shock burst and good burst) should roughly equal out with you Min2 (not running numbers here).

[Riggs]

Like Geonis said about base damage...and if you went 18/2 rogue would then get greater stance, and 2d8 base damage anyway (2d10 if tr), plus bursting rings, plus tier 4 ki strikes.

A ninja spy build should probably be some combo of 12 monk, 8 rogue, or 6/14 or something similar probably. Too bad you couldnt fit crippling strike and touch of death all together.

*edit, I guess you could go 9/11 and give up improved evasion?

[Greydeath]

Monk 12, Ranger 6, Rogue 2

Monk13 > Rog2

(Myself, I like Holy, Acid Burst, and Good Blast).

... good luck with that

[ConnorMacLoad]

Rogue 2: more sneak attack.

I may have missed this somewhere, but has it been confirmed that the 1d6 from monk 6 will stack with the 1d6 from rogue1?

[SolarDawning]

I may have missed this somewhere, but has it been confirmed that the 1d6 from monk 6 will stack with the 1d6 from rogue1?

Eladrin has, in the puzzle thread. Just use the dev tracker.

[Emizand]

With the exciting advent of Ninja Spy 1, revealed today by Eladrin,

Where?

[SolarDawning]

Search the forums!

[Arkat]

Where?

Use the Dev Tracker in the top left portion of the page.

[Aganthor]

Simply put- this is a DPS similar to the Exploiter build, except remaining centered and fighting with greensteel shortswords due to the Ninja Spy path.

To my knowledge, you can't be centered while wielding non-monk weapons! And shortswords aren't monk weapons...

[Arkat]

To my knowledge, you can't be centered while wielding non-monk weapons! And shortswords aren't monk weapons...

You don't know about Eladrin's posting of Ninja Spy I do you? Use Dev Tracker and try to keep up.

[Aganthor]

You don't know about Eladrin's posting of Ninja Spy I do you? Use Dev Tracker and try to keep up.

I will go to sleep tonight feeling more intelligent

Here is the link -> Ninja Spy

[geoffhanna]

What about a Drow Monk/Favored Soul to add the Vulkoor ss enhancements along with the ninja? You'd get self healing too plus fighter BAB.

[Kriogen]

What about a Drow Monk/Favored Soul to add the Vulkoor ss enhancements along with the ninja? You'd get self healing too plus fighter BAB.

You need to be Monk 6 min to take Ninja PrE.
You need to be FvS 8 min to take Divine Power to have full BAB. FvS is 3/4 BAB class.

And Divine Power gets you full BAB anyway.

[drsmooth]

What about a Drow Monk/Favored Soul to add the Vulkoor ss enhancements along with the ninja? You'd get self healing too plus fighter BAB.

I was thinking Drow 13/6/1 FvS/Mnk/Rog-you could even possibly fit in the future Scorpion Wraith Pre with Ninja Spy.