Rahl's Disciple (Big F'n Stick variant)

[krisz93]

I've always had interest in quarterstaves, but i do not like relying heavily on sneak attacks.
This version replaces SA with brute force and terrible crits using Rahl's Might.

Earth III Stance grants +1 to crit multiplier, raising it to a stabile x4.
You can boost it further by spamming Fists of Iron for x5 attacks, then finishing it off with The Trembling Earth (combo finisher) for an x6 critical multiplier.

Being a two handed weapon, the bonus from Power Attack and Kensei are doubled, then multiplied by 4/5/6 for outstanding results.
Splashed in Paladin for Divine Grace and occasional Smites.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.9.1
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Level 20 Lawful Good Half-Orc Male
(6 Fighter \ 2 Paladin \ 12 Monk) 
Hit Points: 372
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 17\17\22\27\27
Fortitude: 21
Reflex: 11
Will: 11

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             20                    30
Dexterity             8                    10
Constitution         16                    19
Intelligence          6                     8
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma              8                    10

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

Level 1 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting


Level 2 (Paladin)


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist


Level 5 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave


Level 7 (Monk)


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting


Level 10 (Monk)


Level 11 (Monk)


Level 12 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 13 (Monk)


Level 14 (Monk)


Level 15 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Handed Fighting
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 16 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Great Cleave


Level 17 (Fighter)


Level 18 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Weapon Specialization: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 19 (Fighter)


Level 20 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: CON
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Quick Draw
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost II
Enhancement: Kensei Quarterstaff Mastery I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy II
Enhancement: Fighter Kensei I
Enhancement: Orcish Extra Action Boost I
Enhancement: Orcish Extra Action Boost II
Enhancement: Orcish Extra Action Boost III
Enhancement: Orcish Fury I
Enhancement: Orcish Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Orcish Melee Damage II
Enhancement: Orcish Power Attack I
Enhancement: Orcish Power Attack II
Enhancement: Orcish Power Attack III
Enhancement: Orcish Strength I
Enhancement: Orcish Strength II
Enhancement: Orcish Great Weapon Aptitude I
Enhancement: Orcish Great Weapon Aptitude II
Enhancement: Orcish Great Weapon Aptitude III
Enhancement: Fists of Iron
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Shintao Monk I
Enhancement: Shintao Monk II
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I
Enhancement: Fighter Strength II
Enhancement: Fighter Toughness I

Damage Breakdown
This is the damage I'd expect on critical hits under these conditions:
- 46 Strength
- The Claw set
- Shintao Monk set
- Bard song


A. Using Earth finisher in combination with Smite Evil
[ 5.5(1d10 base) +5(Enhancement) +27(STR mod) +16(Power Attack) +2(Weapon Spec.) +2(Kensai) +4(Racial) +4(Claw) +2(Shintao) +9(Inspire Courage) +10(Seeker) +13(Smite) +1(Prayer) ] * 6= ~603 weapon damage + 24.5(7d6 Alignment) + Glancing blow


B. Using Fists of Iron with Smite Tainted
[ 5.5(1d10 base) +5(Enhancement) +27(STR mod) +16(Power Attack) +2(Weapon Spec.) +2(Kensai) +4(Racial) +4(Claw) +2(Shintao) +9(Inspire Courage) +10(Seeker) +43(Smite) +1(Prayer) ] * 5= ~657 weapon damage + 21(6d6 Alignment) + Glancing blow

Pretty good for a staff :P

[voodoogroves]

Consider fighter 8 instead ... ;-)

[krisz93]

Explain

[voodoogroves]

Unless you're really investing in CHA, Divine Grace isn't going to buy you a ton. Paladin Smite is now sloooooow too.

Fighter 8 is an extra feat and allows you to take the tier3 boosts ... Haste Boost 3, Trip 3, Stunning Blow 3, Toughness 3.

What is Shintao 2 really buying you? When I looked at this, I didn't see a ton of value for a WIS-dumped build because the Shintao abilities are going to be WIS based.




I've been looking at something like this too. Originally, I considered Dark. Clearly some benefit ... but Light, I think, can also bring a lot. What's tough though is having CC feats and options, multi-attack options (cleave/great) and at least two different attack chains you'd like to work in for the finishing moves. Smites, I think, complicate it more - both Paladin and Shintao.


So, I'd consider dropping Paladin and Shintao ... stay light if you want - that works fine for FoL - or go dark ... and use the Earth strikes as your bread and butter.

[voodoogroves]

PS: Where in Hungary? We've got some friends in the Keszthely area from college.

[maddmatt70]

Very interesting build concept. I am not a fan of the 8 non monk levels you chose because the dps and utility added with 6 fighter 2 pally levels is fairly neglible. As a paladin player I do not think it is worth using smites and the like until level 10 paladin because prior to that the dps does not make up for the activiation time. I do not play a shintao monk so do not know how the monk smites work in conjunction with paladin level or the like, but do think it would be cool if pally and shintao monk levels stacked for smiting.

My proposal would be to make a 12 monk 6 paladin 2 fighter. What this give you is alot of utility at the expense of only a little dps vs. your current build. The 12 monk 6 paladin 2 fighter could be a defender of syberis (for hate generation) or hunter of dead (for healing amp). My prefence would be for hunter of dead because you can use divine righteousness for hate. You maximize the healing amp enhancemtns that you can get through 12 monk and 6 paladin. I would recommend you consider human or helf for the healing amp they provide, but of course that means less dps then a half-orc for thf melee. You then attempt to get at least a 250+ healing amp with gear like epic claw gloves, epic gem of facets, epic bracer of jtzik, 10 healing amp and 20 healing amp dt armor etc. The end result of this is you will be able to tank elite Horoth w/sulu as a healing amp main tank with little resources used by the healers and you will be able to solo content easily and can self heal with 90+ cure serious wounds pots.

My other proposal would be to add rogue levels for dps which you state you do not want.

Just an observation but is rahls might really better then an ls2 q-staff. Just make one of those and roll.

This is not what I would consider a high dps build so you might as well accenuate the build's utility and soloing capabilities.

[AtomicMew]

8 Fighter gets you haste boost III and an extra feat. You should already have decent saves, so it's worth considering.

While big crits with Rahl's would be fun, I have a feeling greensteel would still be better; the jump from x2 crits to x3 makes a bigger difference than going from x3 to x4.

Also, acrobat II will get you better dps than 12 monk, even factoring out sneaks completely. That's why every stick build will want to do at least 13 levels in rogue.

[Snormal]

How do you use finisher in combo with smite evil?

[voodoogroves]

How do you use finisher in combo with smite evil?

That's kinda my concern.

Earth-chain

Element-light/dark chain

Smites

Cleaves/Greats

Trips

Stuns


That's a lot to cycle and keep track. If you want to amp the crit multiplier, you're pretty much concentrating on those strikes. I think I could work in another set or two but that seems to be a ton to cycle in ... very finger-active.

[Jaid314]

so wait... you have a build with crazy, vicious, brutal, nasty crits... and you chose the monk path that *can't* guarantee critical hits when desired?

clearly, you've gone mad with power...