First time Dark Monk build

[Nolegjohnson]

This is my first build ever. Very new to the game and wanted some feed back. I'm very open to suggestions and would like to get a much damage out of this build as I can without changing race.
Edit: Forgot to add that I would like to see some if not all raid/end game content.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Wiggles Vonwiggleham
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 304
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    22
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom               14                    20
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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    27
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         6                    37
Diplomacy            -1                     0
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -1                     2
Heal                  2                     5
Hide                  3                     4
Intimidate           -1                     0
Jump                  2                    13
Listen                2                     5
Move Silently         3                     4
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                  6                    28
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                4                     5
Use Magic Device      1                    11.5

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


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


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness


Level 4 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey I
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


Level 5 (Monk)


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Sunder
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Static Charge
Enhancement: Way of the Clever Monkey II
Enhancement: Porous Soul
Enhancement: Adept of Wind


Level 7 (Monk)
Enhancement: All-Consuming Flame
Enhancement: Void Strike II


Level 8 (Monk)


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Touch of Death
Enhancement: Winter's Touch


Level 10 (Monk)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II


Level 13 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Thunder


Level 14 (Monk)


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


Level 16 (Monk)
Enhancement: Eagle Claw Attack
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Adept of Rain


Level 17 (Monk)


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires


Level 19 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Master of the Sea


Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Void Strike IV

Thanks in advance.

[edgarallanpoe]

I don't see the Ninja Spy enhancements in the build. If you are going the Dark Path, the Ninja Spy Pre is an amazing set of enhancements. You should be able to fit that in with Void IV.

[Adrian99]

As above poster noted, if you're going Dark Path, you want the Ninja Spy PRE. That means taking the Dodge feat instead of Cleave (which is a pre-requisite for Light Path's Shintao PRE).

[Nolegjohnson]

Alright I'll play with the build further and repost it. Feed back is once again greatly welcome.

Edit: Here's the updated build .
Edit 2: Switched to 32 Point build.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

First Monk 
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 314
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 18

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    22
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom               16                    22
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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    31
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         6                    39
Diplomacy            -1                     0
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -1                     0
Heal                  3                     6
Hide                  3                     8
Intimidate           -1                     0
Jump                  2                    20
Listen                3                     6
Move Silently         3                     8
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                  7                    29
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                4                     7
Use Magic Device      1                    11.5

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Improved Jump I
Enhancement: Improved Tumble I


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


Level 4 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Static Charge


Level 5 (Monk)
Enhancement: Porous Soul
Enhancement: Improved Jump II
Enhancement: Improved Tumble II


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Adept of Wind


Level 7 (Monk)
Enhancement: All-Consuming Flame
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Winter's Touch


Level 8 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Touch of Death


Level 10 (Monk)
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Adept of Rain


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Master of Thunder


Level 13 (Monk)
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy I


Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy II


Level 16 (Monk)
Enhancement: Eagle Claw Attack


Level 17 (Monk)


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires


Level 19 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Master of the Sea


Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Void Strike IV

[Feithlin]

I didn't look everything, but on your feats, Imp. sunder would be much more useful than Weapon focus: this is a guaranteed -3 to Fort, on which most of your special attacks are based.

[SensaiRyu]

I suggest you rearrange your enhancements to get ninja spy I at lvl 6, Touch at 9, spy II at 12 and void IV at 19.

I agree about dropping weapon focus for improved sunder. Take SB instead of focus and take imp sunder at lvl 18.

[Nolegjohnson]

Alright 3rd times the charm hopefully. This is an updated build in which I took all the advice in to consideration.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

First Monk 
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 314
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    22
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom               14                    20
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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    31
Bluff                -1                     0
Concentration         6                    39
Diplomacy            -1                     0
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle               -1                     0
Heal                  2                     5
Hide                  3                     8
Intimidate           -1                     0
Jump                  2                    20
Listen                2                     5
Move Silently         3                     8
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                    n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                  6                    28
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                4                     7
Use Magic Device      1                    11.5

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist
Feat: (Human Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Improved Jump I
Enhancement: Improved Tumble I


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I


Level 3 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


Level 4 (Monk)
Enhancement: Static Charge


Level 5 (Monk)
Enhancement: Porous Soul
Enhancement: Improved Jump II
Enhancement: Improved Tumble II


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Selected) Stunning Blow
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy I
Enhancement: Adept of Wind


Level 7 (Monk)
Enhancement: All-Consuming Flame
Enhancement: Void Strike II


Level 8 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Winter's Touch


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Touch of Death


Level 10 (Monk)
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Adept of Rain


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy II
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock


Level 13 (Monk)
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I


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


Level 16 (Monk)
Enhancement: Eagle Claw Attack


Level 17 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Master of the Sea


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Sunder
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II


Level 19 (Monk)
Enhancement: Void Strike IV


Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II

[Battery]

I didn't look everything, but on your feats, Imp. sunder would be much more useful than Weapon focus: this is a guaranteed -3 to Fort, on which most of your special attacks are based.

this

[Nolegjohnson]

this

I did address that in build 3 but thank you for your input.

I've noticed a lot if not all monk builds include the improved healing enhancements, is that essential for being successful or is it for those who wish to tank content? While I don't have any interest in tanking I wouldn't mind not being a burden on the rest of the group and the healers especially. Once again feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Kinerd]

Human Versatility is a very good DPS enhancement. I have never been impressed by Void Strike IV: a lot of cost, limited benefit, unreliable by design... you will be (slightly) better off on average using an elemental 4 strike unless you expect to get off 14 Void strikes, which means 42 seconds. The targets that meet both "expect to fight for 42+ seconds" and "susceptible to Void IV instant death" are few. Damage Boost you can set your watch by: I activate it, I do more damage. Every target, every time.

A monk does not have to take healing amp to be successful, and you're very tight on AP anyway. High healing amp characters are a lot of fun, but you shouldn't feel compelled to make this particular character one of those.

[Nolegjohnson]

I feel like the damage from void 4 is fairly nice for the cost. Granted I'm very new to the game but 8d4 additional damage sounds pretty good for 5 ki and a 3 second recast. While I know the human versatility is a flat damage increase which is always nice.

Also since I'm a strength build would I benefit more from Sun stance then Wind stance?

[Battery]

I did address that in build 3 but thank you for your input.

I've noticed a lot if not all monk builds include the improved healing enhancements, is that essential for being successful or is it for those who wish to tank content? While I don't have any interest in tanking I wouldn't mind not being a burden on the rest of the group and the healers especially. Once again feedback is greatly appreciated.

always good to have plenty of healing amp no matter what the situation, good for soloing etc too

[Battery]

I feel like the damage from void 4 is fairly nice for the cost. Granted I'm very new to the game but 8d4 additional damage sounds pretty good for 5 ki and a 3 second recast. While I know the human versatility is a flat damage increase which is always nice.

Also since I'm a strength build would I benefit more from Sun stance then Wind stance?

best thing about void 3 and 4 is not just the damage, 3 has a powerful stun component that even lands on undead and 4 of course erases them completely (both on vorpal strikes)

If soloing wind is probably better for the attack speed, I use it most the time myself but if you find yourself low on KI while in groups you can use fire, I use all 4 stances in different situations, grandmaster in earth and wind

[Kinerd]

I feel like the damage from void 4 is fairly nice for the cost. Granted I'm very new to the game but 8d4 additional damage sounds pretty good for 5 ki and a 3 second recast. While I know the human versatility is a flat damage increase which is always nice.

Also since I'm a strength build would I benefit more from Sun stance then Wind stance?

That's just what I mean, though. 8d4 works out to 20 average damage. A fourth tier elemental strike has the same ki cost and cooldown and works out to 21 average damage, and you don't have to get 16 base in every monk stat or get stances you'll rarely/never use.

Also, Human Versatility is a % damage increase now, so it gets better and better as your character gets stronger and stronger.

The thing with Sun stance is that you get the main bonus (+1 ki on hit) without spending any AP at all. Since auto-crit went away, the increased ki on critical hits isn't worth much at all. (Same reason you hardly see anyone going Crane animal path these days.) In effect, getting Grandmaster Sun gives you +1 to hit and damage for 9 AP. You also get Fire strikes, which to be fair are becoming more useful as more endgame content is released that isn't outright immune to fire. Earth and Water stances are more graduated but have big spikes at rank 3, and Wind stance is almost completely graduated.

[SensaiRyu]

I feel like the damage from void 4 is fairly nice for the cost. Granted I'm very new to the game but 8d4 additional damage sounds pretty good for 5 ki and a 3 second recast. While I know the human versatility is a flat damage increase which is always nice.

Also since I'm a strength build would I benefit more from Sun stance then Wind stance?

My most common boss-beating moves are void IV/light/void III followed by sundering moves then earth strikes and smite. Sunder doesn't break the finisher combo chain.

My most common trash-beating moves are sunder/SF followed by void IV and light. Others go in situationally.

I rarely use the elemental finishers. I rarely get around to using dance also. I often forget to use vers IV. Just toooo many options available.

I did try out wind IV a bit ago. I've finally settled on Earth IV. I run in Sun III/Earth IV most often. The +3 str from sun evens my str out.

[cohiba007]

Bringing up old thread here but how can he take improved sunder without sunder?

[xSeverinax]

Everyone gets sunder as a free feat at creation.