Monk/Wizard levels stack for Breath of Fire Dragon?

[voodoogroves]

So I've been messing w/ Monk/Wizard lately. One I had just for feats but I'm not using monk weapons and am never centered. I'm trying one using staffs and since it's centered, I'm monkeying w/ finishing moves.

Right now he's Monk 1 /Wizard 4. I'm doing this little solo zerg of WW and I've got about 30 kobolds following me. I've got the fire finisher primed, find a door, turn around and cut loose.

Now I am using a potency staff at this point. And I do have the wizzy fire/cold enhancements. Still, it's doing more damage than I expect. So I check my combat log and find ...

"You begin to cast Breath of the Fire Dragon at level 5"

Is this intentional, or a bug?

[GhoulsTouch]

If it isn't a bug and elemental enhancements affect monk attacks, you are going to see a new breed of monks out there I'd imagine.

Some prestige classes are listed, but if you take in consideration enhancements especially when you are multiclassing, you can come up with some custom builds specced for specialities that would go beyond what you would normally see.
Thing is they don't have names for these "Mutts", nor are they given any special perks like speed boosts.

I could say alot of prestige classes aren't that great. Some do have benefits. But really most of them lack what I want to see in my character. Do I want to waste AP on enhancements I would never take if I had the choice just for an effect that can be mimiced by a spell effect or whatever?

So I hope its not a bug, and I hope other cross classed enhancements have a greater impact on custom builds.

[voodoogroves]

Less about the elemental enhancements. I need to find a buddy to spend some lobster time with me seeing if/how those affect. More though ...

Level 1 monk
Level 4 wizard
Cast Breath of the Fire Dragon at level 5

i'm trying to time a screenshot, but the damage #s i'm seeing are in the 20s and 30s ... certainly not 1d4/monk class levels. If it were 5d4 + enhancements, I could rationalize the 27s and 30s I'm seeing on some (with a typical more in the teens).

And yes, if the enhancements do stack, this build got much more fun (at least while his 6 wisdom doesn't make the saves too crappy and as long as monsters don't all have evasion).

[Calebro]

Breath of the Fire Dragon (and Healing Ki) work off of character level.

Breath of the Fire Dragon
10 Ki. Prep: fire fire fire
A cone of fire does 1d6 damage per level. Reflex half.

This was later changed to 1d4 per 2 monk levels, but to be honest I haven't seen a change.
Thus, it is safe to assume that it is intended to work off of monk level rather than character level so if/when it actually does change don't be surprised.

My rogue1/monk2/wiz enjoys using it in that capacity as well.

[voodoogroves]

Ha.

Funny thing is I have a rog1/monk2/wiz11 right now that I don't use any of the monk moves on because I'm usually swinging non-monk weapons. Now though ...

I just saw a 36 from the breath. It can't be based just on monk level. I hope I timed the screenshot right to show it.

[GhoulsTouch]

Oops, went right over my head. I focused on you saying elemental enhancements...yadda yadda, that I didnt pay mind about "at 5th level"

[Calebro]

Ha.

Funny thing is I have a rog1/monk2/wiz11 right now that I don't use any of the monk moves on because I'm usually swinging non-monk weapons. Now though ...

I just saw a 36 from the breath. It can't be based just on monk level. I hope I timed the screenshot right to show it.

I keep a pair of wraps equipped at almost all times (as I'm in melee quite a bit with him) and have a potency/lore dagger combo that I swap to before casting *real* spells. Then I immediately swap back and start swinging again.
No kiting through FWs for this little dude. He stands in the middle of it kicking people in the shins.

[Taimasan]

With my red dragonscale robe I have seen Breath numbers in high 200s non crit.

[Kyrn]

I'm curious about another thing though. Because Fernian wraps, unlike inferno buffs, have a different and very specific text relating to how and what it buffs breath of fire and fire spells (50% insight bonus), I'm wondering if it stacks with inferno and/or potency.

[Calebro]

I'm curious about another thing though. Because Fernian wraps, unlike inferno buffs, have a different and very specific text relating to how and what it buffs breath of fire and fire spells (50% insight bonus), I'm wondering if it stacks with inferno and/or potency.

They absolutely should, yes. I can't test this personally because no matter how many times I run Threnal they won't drop for me.... but they should.
This only applies to Breath of the Fire Dragon finisher and 1st level spells (such as burning hands).

[JollySwagMan]

Yep, it's character level, and affected by the Fernian handwraps, Arcane enhancement line, Superior Inferno I potions (75%).

I'm tempted to say that it's affected by Maximise (unlike Healing Ki), but perhaps I just enjoy a high critical rate.

[Roziel_Longblade]

Yep, it's character level, and affected by the Fernian handwraps, Arcane enhancement line, Superior Inferno I potions (75%).

I'm tempted to say that it's affected by Maximise (unlike Healing Ki), but perhaps I just enjoy a high critical rate.

I have a build specifically built around the fire finisher: Pryokiller.

Breathe is not affected by:
- Maximize
- Empower.

Breathe is affected by:
- Wiz and Sorce Dam Enhancements
- Wiz and Sorce Crit Enhancements
- Inferno clickies and potions

About to start running Threnals to check on Fernian.

There is a lot that at end game is resistant or immune to fire so the build is still not as strong as a good melee. Despite that I am still expecting to get 200 -250 pre-crit damage (and 450 to 600 crit dam) before I am done.

[Roziel_Longblade]

Fernian do not stack with Inferno clickies. The funny thing is that crits seemed to be lower when using both hw and clicky (from 80-90 BFD crits at lvl 7, to 70 to 80 at lvl 8). Unless it got nerfed after my last post lol.

[voodoogroves]

I'm running a monk2/wiz rest built ... so that breath is handy when I'm swinging the kamas and generally trying to conserve SP. Sure, it doesn't work on everything, but it doesn't need to work on everything. The vorpals, disrupters, smiters, paralyzers, etc. were working fine before I discovered this worked on char level and not class level.

I'm having fun with it. Since I'm all fire/cold spec'd anyway (wall of fire, etc. etc. etc.) this is just gravy.