First Monk Build

[junior_w]

Hello DDO community, I recently bought the Monk class and I would like comments about the following build:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Neutral Dwarf Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 354
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 20
Reflex: 18
Will: 19

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             16                 23                   23
Dexterity            16                 18                   18
Constitution         16                 18                   20
Intelligence          8                 10                   10
Wisdom               14                 16                   18
Charisma              6                  6                    6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 4
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 4
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 4
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 4
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20
+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            Ending          
                 Base Skills        Base Skills       
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)        
Balance               7                 27            
Bluff                -2                 -2            
Concentration         7                 28            
Diplomacy            -2                 -2            
Disable Device       n/a                n/a           
Haggle               -2                 -2            
Heal                  2                  4            
Hide                  3                  4            
Intimidate           -2                 -2            
Jump                  5                 17            
Listen                2                  4            
Move Silently         3                  5            
Open Lock             n/a               n/a           
Perform              n/a               n/a            
Repair               -1                  0            
Search               -1                  0            
Spot                  2                  4            
Swim                  3                  6            
Tumble                5                 27            
Use Magic Device     n/a               n/a            

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack


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


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 5 (Monk)


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Diehard
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Improved Sunder


Level 7 (Monk)


Level 8 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR


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


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR


Level 17 (Monk)


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Monk)


Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution II
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
Enhancement: The Receptive Earth
Enhancement: Eagle Claw Attack
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Shintao Monk I
Enhancement: Shintao Monk II
Enhancement: Shintao Monk III
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Mountains
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Grandmaster of the Sun
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Master of the Sea
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration II
Enhancement: Improved Tumble I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II

Regarding the Skills points, I know concentration is important and it's maxed in the build, but in which others skills I shoud spend the remaining points ?

What about the Feats, are they correct ?

Thanks in advance.

[jeremyt]

pretty solid setup i would just tweak a few things:

I feel diehard is not as useful as luck of the heros (+1 to saves) to qualify for shintao. I was told recently cleave got an upgrade and could be a useful alternative as well. I have not tested cleave personally.

Secondly it looks like your going for void finisher, but you didnt take grandmaster of water. You need to either do it all the way or probably not at all IMO.

Thirdly: Its my preference to run with monkey path. Stacking elem resists and better reflex saves with a tiny little bonus of better haggle as well. If you can fit in grandmaster water probably means you should scale back the stances to grandmaster in 1 or 2 if you want to be able to swap between grandmaster stances (i usually end up gravitating towards earth and air, I did run fire almost exclusively when i did a heal amp human shintao though)

[junior_w]

pretty solid setup i would just tweak a few things:

I feel diehard is not as useful as luck of the heros (+1 to saves) to qualify for shintao. I was told recently cleave got an upgrade and could be a useful alternative as well. I have not tested cleave personally.

Secondly it looks like your going for void finisher, but you didnt take grandmaster of water. You need to either do it all the way or probably not at all IMO.

Thirdly: Its my preference to run with monkey path. Stacking elem resists and better reflex saves with a tiny little bonus of better haggle as well. If you can fit in grandmaster water probably means you should scale back the stances to grandmaster in 1 or 2 if you want to be able to swap between grandmaster stances (i usually end up gravitating towards earth and air, I did run fire almost exclusively when i did a heal amp human shintao though)

Thank you for the feedback Jeremyt.

Luck of Heroes really looks more useful than Diehard, I may change it. About Cleave I'm not sure how it's works with TWF, this is why I didn't choose it.

I didn't take Void IV and Grandmaster of the Oceans because I'm having difficult in fit the AP's, it's another thing I need to work.

I'll try to post an update with the changes soon.

[SickCat]

I'll add a couple things. I like the bonus tohit when flanking from the Hound line...it's very nice in epic content. Also, one of the great things about being a dwarf is the Dwarven Tactics line...it works with Stunning Fist. +3 to that ability is probably the only reason I'd personally go Dwarf over 1/2 orc, 1/2ling, or another race.

[junior_w]

I'll add a couple things. I like the bonus tohit when flanking from the Hound line...it's very nice in epic content. Also, one of the great things about being a dwarf is the Dwarven Tactics line...it works with Stunning Fist. +3 to that ability is probably the only reason I'd personally go Dwarf over 1/2 orc, 1/2ling, or another race.

I tried to squeeze the Dwarven Tatics in the updated build. Dropped some Toughness and Dwarven Constition enhancements to get Void IV.

Thank you for the reply.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.11.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Neutral Dwarf Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 324
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 19
Reflex: 18
Will: 16

                  Starting            Ending          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats         Base Stats         Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)          (Level 20)           (Level 20)
Strength             16                 23                   23
Dexterity            16                 18                   18
Constitution         16                 18                   19
Intelligence          8                 10                   10
Wisdom               14                 16                   18
Charisma              6                  6                    6

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 4
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 4
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 4
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 4
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20
+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            Ending          
                 Base Skills        Base Skills       
Skills           (Level 1)          (Level 20)        
Balance               7                 27            
Bluff                -2                 -2            
Concentration         7                 27            
Diplomacy            -2                 -2            
Disable Device       n/a                n/a           
Haggle               -2                 -2            
Heal                  2                  4            
Hide                  3                  4            
Intimidate           -2                 -2            
Jump                  5                 17            
Listen                2                  4            
Move Silently         3                  5            
Open Lock             n/a               n/a           
Perform              n/a               n/a            
Repair               -1                  0            
Search               -1                  0            
Spot                  2                  4            
Swim                  3                  6            
Tumble                5                 27            
Use Magic Device     n/a               n/a            

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack


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


Level 4 (Monk)


Level 5 (Monk)


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Improved Sunder


Level 7 (Monk)


Level 8 (Monk)


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


Level 10 (Monk)


Level 11 (Monk)


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


Level 13 (Monk)


Level 14 (Monk)


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


Level 16 (Monk)


Level 17 (Monk)


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Monk)


Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Dwarven Constitution I
Enhancement: Dwarven Tactics I
Enhancement: Dwarven Tactics II
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
Enhancement: Fists of Iron
Enhancement: The Receptive Earth
Enhancement: Eagle Claw Attack
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery III
Enhancement: Shintao Monk I
Enhancement: Shintao Monk II
Enhancement: Shintao Monk III
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Void Strike IV
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Mountains
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Master of the Sea
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Improved Jump I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II

[jeremyt]

id drop imp jump/conc for second tier of toughness. Also i heard monk capstone was getting a beef (+2 wis or something) but i cannot find any info on if that is the case. If its not live yet: monk serenity is wasted AP IMO

[SensaiRyu]

Good job squeezing in void IV.

I took resilience instead of diehard (had diehard and never used it). Resilience's +4 saves kicks me into the low-mid 30s. I don't use it much - used it during my first and second ToD when I didn't have boots to keep from being banished; that and an ioun stone for absorbing spells. Running elite traps with it is nice.

With the changes in eagle's claw (now adds the shatter bonus of an item to the DC) taking it is a good choice.

And ye, capstone now adds +2 wisdom. 'bout time we got something to make us stronger. Those FvS's keep stealing our glory.

From:
The Monk capstone has been updated:

* Monk Serenity
o Benefit: Your understanding of things has evolved to a level that defies description. You are a paragon of centeredness. You gain +2 Wisdom, +10 Concentration, and your passive ki generation when centered is increased by 1. (This stacks with the bonus from Greater and Ultimate Ocean Stance.)

[junior_w]

id drop imp jump/conc for second tier of toughness. Also i heard monk capstone was getting a beef (+2 wis or something) but i cannot find any info on if that is the case. If its not live yet: monk serenity is wasted AP IMO

At least in the character planner, I need to waste my AP's in useless enhancements to get the enhancements that I need.

The capstone changed in U12. They added +2WIS and +10 Concentration.