Light Monk Build

[Tsani]

My first go at a Light monk build, looking for feedback/ideas

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a a
Level 20 Lawful Good Half-Elf Female
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 346
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 16
Reflex: 19
Will: 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             12                    12
Dexterity            16                    22
Constitution         15                    17
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               16                    25
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 20
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    31
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         6                    43
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device       n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                  3                     7
Hide                  3                     6
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  4                    14
Listen                3                     7
Move Silently         3                     6
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                    -1
Search               -1                    -1
Spot                  3                     7
Swim                  1                    10
Tumble                4                     7
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a


Enhancement: Elven Dexterity II
Enhancement: Half-Elf Rogue Dexterity I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom III

Enhancement: Improved Balance II
Enhancement: Improved Concentration III
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II

Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise IV
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II

Enhancement: Shintao Monk III
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Monk Serenity



Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Half-Elf Dilettante) Half-Elf Dilettante: Rogue
Feat: (Selected) Luck of Heroes
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting

Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Weapon Finesse

Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Fist

Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS

Level 5 (Monk)

Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Toughness

Level 7 (Monk)

Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX

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

Level 10 (Monk)

Level 11 (Monk)

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

Level 13 (Monk)

Level 14 (Monk)

Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS

Level 17 (Monk)

Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness

Level 19 (Monk)

Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: WIS

Any feedback or comments if I'm headed in the right direction would be appreciated. Looking for solo'ability mainly and dps as a secondary constraint.

edit: cleaned up enhancements

[sebastianosmith]

Hum....

Going Dex/Wis - I assume it is going to be a stunner with Rogue dilly for SA. I'd raise the Hide, Move Silent, Spot and Listen - they keep you informed, quiet and hence, alive. Lower the Swim and Balance as you'll find an underwater action item before you drown and 31 balance is overkill. Might want to reconsider the GTWF as you're not going to have that much punching power despite hitting more often. Go for Sap instead. Drop the +2 Wis Tome in favor of a +1. Having 25 Wis is like having 24 and +6 items are as available as +5's - same for Con. Also, eat the tomes earlier - like at level 7 if from DDO Store and level 10-12 if AH acquisitions.

Overall, this is a better Dark Monk which stuns, hides, CCs, SAs, ToDs and avoids getting hit. You can use heal pots or raise UMD to 10 for wand healing and be fairly self-sufficient. Searching will still be a problem but a DSD clicky will suffice. And get some good wraps to make up for the Str-based DPS loss. Expensive but worth it.

Soloing (over normal difficulty) requires going slow and using every advantage. Enemies that can't see you, can't hear you, can't move and can't hit you will not kill you. Be sneaky.

[SetofBs]

Dropping GTWF because he doesn't hit hard? That's a new one. I don't see the logic.

[dr_cheeseball]

my 2cp.
Drop a point from your starting con, raise str to 14. Since you are eating a +2 dex tome, don't put a stat raise into dex, instead put it into wis, as you seem to be going for a high SF dc. You will still qualify for ultimate wind stance, and it will even out your wis.
Personally I'd put all lvl ups into str, and grab adaptability str, to even str out and trade out weapon finese for PA.

[sebastianosmith]

Dropping GTWF because he doesn't hit hard? That's a new one. I don't see the logic.

The OP mentioned that DPS was secondary to the design concerns. The first priority was proficient soloing. Given the 12 Str, the difference GTWF would make is significant but not really necessary. The character would be better served by eliminating attacks before they occur. Sap is basically a no save stun if it lands. It is a single hit animation. If the ki is available, there could be two SFs and a Sap every 15 seconds. Stunned critters don't hit back and take 50% more damage. Having a 20% better chance to hit them is irrelevant.

I agree with dr_cheeseball in that a Str raise to 14 in addition to adding all level ups to Wis makes more sense for a stunning monk, either light or dark.

I still contend that the character would have greater solo survivability on the dark path. Light monks make for wonderful party support and even backup healers given the right gear. Most of their abilities really are there to support a party and they are quite good at it. Running solo better suits the dark side. I run both a light and dark and I can tell you that I'd really rather solo with the dark. He's not that different stat-wise from the light but being able to disappear in front of a mob and pick them off one at a time without even being noticed makes life so much easier.

[Carpone]

Ki generation and Stunning Fist requires you to actually hit a target. You're going to have severe to-hit problems with a 22 STR, or 25 DEX if you go the finesse route. Dropping GTWF for any monk will adversely affect your ki generation to do all those cool light monk things.

[sebastianosmith]

Dropping GTWF for any monk will adversely affect your ki generation to do all those cool light monk things.

An extra 1 in 5 chance on off-hand only makes that much of a difference? I don't think so. Utilizing any sun stance, a dex monk is perfectly capable of generating enough ki to throw SF whenever off timer. Even wind stance of Adept or above will do it given the sheer number of chances to hit. Ki generation will not be a problem. Getting hit will be the problem. The character profile, as given, would be more efficient and self-sufficient as a dark monk. That's all I'm trying to get across.