13/7 Rogue Monk assistance needed

[TheBlueFox]

So I want to make a 13/7 Rogue Qstaff wielding monk-type thing with Acrobat 2 and wind stance.

I was wondering if you guys could help me with some issues Im fumbling over due to lack of knowledge on my part.

Qstaffs are 2 HANDED fighting as opposed to 2 weapon, so does that mean my rogue should invest in strength? Q staffs are still finessable and AC is going to come from Dexterity, and Monk Rogues are able to get a decent amount of AC I hear and damage STILL comes greatly in the form of backstab, so should I still focus mostly in Dexterity?

I plan on going wind stance, thats easy to see, but how much wisdom should I invest in. I dont think Ill be using any of the finishing combos, so perhaps dark side is out...or perhaps not. Will the Dark Special 500 damage punch be worth it?

Concentration, To raise it or not to raise it? I think Ill take my 7th monk level LATE so I can pump this if so

Hide and Move silently will take a smidge of a hit, since I wont have all the rogue levels to max EVERYTHING but I was thinking of maxing

Open Lock, Disable, UMD, Tumble, Balance, Spot, Search and trying my best on Diplomacy, Hide, Move silently

Stats and Race?
Str 12-14?
Dex 14-16?
Con 14, wind stance needs a bit extra Con
Int 12-14?
Wis 10-12?
Cha 8?

Human for an extra feat sounds nice, they're pretty balanced too.
Half-orc intrigues me but I've never made one before.
Drow perhaps? they do offer some nice Stat bonuses

[wiglin]

First it would be worth it to at least skim through this thread.
http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=158960

A couple of quick points.

*Staffs as a whole are not finessible. Only two named staffs are finessible.
*Pump up your strength, it will add to your atk and dmg. (level ups and enhancements if human, h-elve, or h-orc.
*Use enhancements for Dex (class based and racial based if halfling)
*Pure rogue acrobats will do the most dps. +7d6 sneak damage over a splash.
*I prefer 6 monk over 7 monk. Wholeness of Body is pretty weaksauce, and it allows you to take 1 fighter or 1 ranger for some other benefits.

My preferred version of the build is here. It includes the level progression.
http://forums.ddo.com/showpost.php?p...postcount=1829

Really though if you want to play an acrobat invest some time into reading the first thread I linked. It will answer all of your questions.

[TheBlueFox]

This is exactly what I was looking for. thank you

[Luckness]

Dexterity is important to an acrobat, not so much because of finesse-able quarterstaves, but because of this part of the prestige enhancement: "You add your dexterity bonus to damage when sneak attacking with a quarterstaff." So, if a target is receiving sneak attacks, you're getting your attack mod and your damage mod from STR but you'll also get damage based on DEX. Strength is still better (at least 1.5x better - because of how STR contributes to two-handed damage - but much more so than that, since it's damage against all targets and determines your attack bonus). Maximize your strength first but spend 6 stat points on dex (14 or 16 base, depending on race) as the other post suggests also.

[Rusty_Can]

Will the Dark Special 500 damage punch be worth it?

As for Touch of Death enhancement:
- it requires 9 monk levels and you are planning to take only 7;
- it works only with unarmed combat and you are planning to use sticks;
- it benefits from TWF feats;
- it allows a Fort save (DC is 10 + monk levels + WIS modifier), thus you would mainly see 250 damage and not 500;

However, Ninja Spy I PrE (requires Dodge) would provide you 1d6 sneak-attack damage (it stacks with your rogue sneak-attack damage) and Shadow Fade, which is a very nice defensive tool: it lasts 1 minute and provides 25% incorporeality miss chance, which stacks with concealment, cannot be dispelled and it's not affected by True Seeing (i.e. works with red and purple named bosses.

[CanuckWisdom]

Maybe someone will tell you otherwise, especially when it comes to epics (as I have no experience there), but there is no need to max Open Lock. I know its tempting to because you look at it like a core rogue skill, but its really not necessary to max.

I have a rogue assassin, and a paladin with rogue splash. Ive been maxing my rogue's open lock and almost regret it. My paladin has 2 skill points invested in open lock, and at lvl 20 can open almost every lock I encounter. Not every one, and not always on the first try, but for not really trying, she does a **** good job. Her modifier with 2 invested, is something like... 2 + I think 6 from dex, +5 from thieves tools, + 15 from an item and then the 1d20 roll, for a potential of 29-49 I think it is, with 2 points invested...

I suspect if you get open lock to 10-15 you can be quite comfortable and throw some points elsewhere. Like I said though, if anyone feels differently pls challenge me on that.


Im gonna pick up monk for another reason soon, but Ive been thinking I would like to do a build like this too!

[Luckness]

CanuckWisdom, you are correct. The only reasons to max Open Lock would be extra skill points available, "future proofing" your build against new content, or getting some very obscure high DC lock (I think there is one...).