Advice in a monk build.

[Airgeadlam]

Greetings.

Currently I'm thinking on create my first monk. Checked many builds so far, but most of them are for 34pts builds focusing on end-level raid gear, and that will be great if I ever TR to a monk, after crafting all the items needed, but what I really need now is advice on how to build a balanced monk: reasonable DPS, good AC, useful in party and not ****** while soloing. Maybe I'm asking too much and need to focus in just one or two things, don't know.

As basic info: I can create 32 point builds, have access to all races and already have some (i think) useful gear for low and mid-low levels (Jidz-Tet'ka bracers, some chrono items, handwraps from delera... and such) and a few +1 tomes to start (I think str, con, dex and wis at least).

I'll appreciate any hints you could give me.

Thanks in advance.

[TeacherSyn]

Greetings.

Currently I'm thinking on create my first monk. Checked many builds so far, but most of them are for 34pts builds focusing on end-level raid gear, and that will be great if I ever TR to a monk, after crafting all the items needed, but what I really need now is advice on how to build a balanced monk: reasonable DPS, good AC, useful in party and not ****** while soloing. Maybe I'm asking too much and need to focus in just one or two things, don't know.

As basic info: I can create 32 point builds, have access to all races and already have some (i think) useful gear for low and mid-low levels (Jidz-Tet'ka bracers, some chrono items, handwraps from delera... and such) and a few +1 tomes to start (I think str, con, dex and wis at least).

I'll appreciate any hints you could give me.

Thanks in advance.

Hi.

Starting as a human gives you an extra feat and no disadvantages. Halflings are equally popular with their racial benefits.

Light monks (Path of Harmonious Balance) have Cleric-like skills and can buff parties (from healing, blurring, lesser restorations, curse and blindness removal and raising dead), ensuring a party is stronger in destroying mobs. Dark monks specialize in debuffing and cursing enemies, which is also a party helping in taking down mobs fast.

Light monks are generally more soloable than dark monks, who can't heal themselves during combat using their ki as light monks can. Dark monks make a bit more damage than a light monk, but the difference is a small one if you take the powerful Touch of Death strike out of the equation.

For any monk, I recommend a 32 point if you have access. STR, DEX and CON should be set to equal values. WIS is often underestimated in importance, so do add remaining points to it. From here, it's a matter on using STR for more powerful damage, or using DEX for more AC and greater accuracy of hits per round. Don't neglect STR or WIS in any build if you want better damage or improved effectiveness on Monk abilities such as saves and Stunning Fist.

Two Weapon Fighting feats make a monk very impressive in off-hand hits and DPS in Improved and Greater levels; eventually you're hitting two enemies at once. A lot.

You seem to be on the right path with gear. Have a fall back for enemies in low levels who have tougher damage reduction until you can bypass their DR. Get the Pillar of Light or similar Quarterstaff or Kamas of Pure Good.

Shintao Monk PrE has it great with Update 8. By level 18 their unarmed attacks become a living metalline weapon and they get attacks that put beholders and undead in their place. Dark monks are a little lacking in love at the moment with only 2 Ninja Spy PrEs but it is still a very potent option, as you get shortswords as ki weapons. Combine a good set of Metalline of Pure Good swords or ones from elsewhere (Attack on Stormreach crafting!) with Greater TWF and Wind Stance and you are a living Julianne fry-maker.

Healing amplification is important, as is watching AC and HP, where monks are lacking. Use Toughness and Racial Toughness to get to at least 350 HP to survive longer in high level.

Using the monk means a lot of button mashing with the finishing moves that make or break a monk. See DDO Wiki for details. A keypad or macro maker is strongly recommended if you're not into remembering a lot of key combos. Good hunting--monks are awesome fighters that are mystically beautiful to play.

[Kinerd]

On a Dwarf:

16
16
16
8
14
6

Get +stunning wraps, use Stunning Fist. Your party will love you. I like getting Stunning Blow too, ymmv on that. Dwarven Tactics enhancements work on Fist if you want a little more oomph.

I recommend light side as well, especially if soloing is a concern. If you do go dark side, please don't use or invest in shortswords for raw DPS.

Your AC will be okay for awhile without hardly trying. Eventually you'll have to labor over it if you want to keep it up to snuff, but that's just like everyone else.

You will be able to get a +2 tome for Dex by the time you want to get Storm Stance IV. Level-ups in Strength, profit.

[Kinerd]

Oh and one more thing - you are going to have way more strikes and finishers than you will be able to use. This is okay, you only want to use a relatively small selection of them anyway to maximize your offensive output. I find it pays to have a main attack hotbar for each type of target (stunnable, undead, construct, boss, etc.).

[AtomicMew]

Oh and one more thing - you are going to have way more strikes and finishers than you will be able to use. This is okay, you only want to use a relatively small selection of them anyway to maximize your offensive output. I find it pays to have a main attack hotbar for each type of target (stunnable, undead, construct, boss, etc.).

Learn to love the finisher button.

5 strike, stunning fist, ToD, finisher button. Easily fits on just one bar.

[charmor]

I'm also starting a Warforged Monk (lvl 5 now) and I'm going the light shintao way. I'm increasing Dex to eventually reach max wind stance (have Weapon Finesse already). I'll play solo all the time, so my goal is basically acquiring very high AC, as well as very high attack bonus to offset Power Attack and also the warforged power attack enhancements.

After playing a little bit with ki and finishers, I decided to spend my ki basically on Fire>Light>Fire, to keep Walk of the Sun most fo the time, and also Stunning Fist when I have enough ki. After lvl 6 I'll also get more ki abilities against tainted creatures, so I believe I'll have more than enough abilitites to spend my ki.

My questions are:
- Should I really keep this Fire/Light/Stunning combinatios to spend my ki?
- What about Void Strike, worth getting it?
- I'll eventually get for free higher levels of Storm Strike. Should I really use it instead of Fire/Light?

Thanks.

[Impatiens]

Hi.
Light monks are generally more soloable than dark monks, who can't heal themselves during combat using their ki as light monks can. Dark monks make a bit more damage than a light monk, but the difference is a small one if you take the powerful Touch of Death strike out of the equation.

The question is why would you take Touch of Death out of the equation? Yes, now that it is negative energy there are a few types of mobs it is not useful against (like undead) but for the most part it is going to hit things and hit them hard. There is no reason to take it out of the equation when deciding which path to take.

I would also recommend considering half elf for a race if you have access to them. The Rogue Dilettante will give on average more Sneak Attack than halflings get with their guile line and the Cleric Dilettante is incredibly useful for soloing, especially if you go dark path and don't have access to any in combat healing. Choosing which of the two to take is the only hard part.

Shintao is really nice for having basically metalline fists once you take Shintao III. However, don't discount Ninja Spy. Ninja Spy I invis and 25% incorporeal is quite amazing. Yes, as a dark path ninja spy you will need to find some metalline wraps to bypass some DRs, which is a pain but in the end not that big of a deal. I honestly wouldn't recommend going for short swords with Ninja Spy as a pure monk, even though you can, because you can't use stunning fist, touch of death, or quivering palm with anything other than wraps.

[Kinerd]

Walk of the Sun only increases your to-hit (saves, and skills), it doesn't offer any damage bonus. You shouldn't need the to-hit bonus, so the time spent activating it is going to hurt your DPS. Stunning Fist is almost certainly a better ki investment for you.

Void Strike is a good line of enhancements. Whether it will be worth it to you compared to whatever you would get instead is impossible for anyone else to answer. The stat requirements for Void IV are very strict, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with them first before deciding.