Pure Rogue vs. Monk Splash with Rogue Past life

[karl_k0ch]

I've been playing around a bit with the DPS calc a bit and much to my surprise, on a Str-based halfling, we have that Handwraps + Sneak of Shadows deals better damage than Rapiers + SoS or Khopeshes. (With Quick Draw also on 0% fort foes, actually. Otherwise, they are reasonably close.)

This is due to the fact that Handwraps have a faster attack speed than TWF weapons, and benefit more from haste boosts, and they get the full Str-Bonus to Off-hand attacks which puts them into advantage for 100% fort mobs.

For a 19/1 TR'd build, which extra feats on top of 3*TWF, PA, Toughness, IC would you take? My intial impulse is to get the active past life feat and Quick Draw. For situations where you need to solo, you can still use Rad2 rapiers. When would you take the monk level? At 3 or so?

I am aware that the capstone is lost, but is it maybe actually worth the sacrifice? Does anyone have experiences with a 19/1 compared to pure?

[Dark-Star]

I did exactly what you are talking about.

TRed my pure dwarf rogue into a max strength (20 starting) half orc with one level of monk.

Extra feats are active past life and quick draw.

I took the monk level at 19 so that I had vorpal effect for my last two levels, but a friend I was leveling with took it early on, and frankly had more survivability (higher AC), where I got the advantage of using a Rad2 rapier between levels 12 and 19.

Still getting a feel for how it stacks up DPS wise in epics vs. my other melee builds, but so far it looks very powerful. Haste Boost IV + handwraps is crazy fast.

[karl_k0ch]

As you can see, Meinir is still pure and level 15. I'd need a Alignment Change and would have to drop Bluff or Diplo a bit. I'm still a bit hesitant, but I really like the bunch of Monk bonuses.

Oh, look what I found: http://my.ddo.com/character/orien/xkcd/ My guess is that the last 5 levels will be rogue as well.

[RS-Makk]

So are you using the handwraps for just trash or bosses with no DR, then boss beaters for the DR bosses? (and how do the rad2's fit in on this type of setup?)

[grodon9999]

So are you using the handwraps for just trash or bosses with no DR, then boss beaters for the DR bosses? (and how do the rad2's fit in on this type of setup?)

Nothing stopping you from going with Met Handwraps and Bursting ToD rings with Holy and shock, even Garbage rings can be useful for this.

Wins even over the capstone huh? Nice.

[Rydin_Dirtay]

Otherwise, they are reasonably close.

I have thought about 19/1, but I'm not sure I would want to invest in sufficient WIS (14 base) to make the Monk AC really hit off. Even with 34 points it's a stretch if you are a STR/CON-hound like I am.

[Dark-Star]

I dumped AC after about level 17 or so. Certainly at epic level content the way to go is max dps.

I use wraps for everything, including bosses. Start with metaline of improved destruction, then a better set of mets.

I still carry a radiance rapier paired with a +4 holy ss of GEOB, but they get very rare and situational use (see the other radiance thread for that discussion).

The new Bluff is great and maxed for me, most mobs are dead within four seconds.

[t0r012]

cheap easy silver wraps for DR breaking if you have even a junk ToD ring to throw holy on from catacombs. sure the prefix and suffix suck but till you pull devouts or find some metallines or hit the monk lottery and get some decent silver wraps from DA.

[karl_k0ch]

I know it's almost a necro, but I recently had an ingame conversation with a rogue/monk split. He said that the Assassinate ability cannot be used with Handwraps equipped.
This can be a serious downside, depending on how often you rely on that.