Dark Monk TR

[Blank_Zero]

Dwarves come to mind

Str vs. Con.

I like being in wind stance 4 and having the same str as a similar build in fire stance 4

[smithj_2020]

Str vs. Con.

I like being in wind stance 4 and having the same str as a similar build in fire stance 4

Very true, I don't know what I'm doing cause I'm about to TR my monk and don't know if I want Horc or Dwarf...

The Horc the str boost is insane and nothing better with that unreal str in Greater air stance.

But then I love the additional HPs and the full toughness line bc dwarves have access to it; guess its really up to what you want str or con....and more so if you don't have a PL barb...

[Paleus]

If you can get by with 1 less DC and AC then you can drop your wisdom enhancements to 1 and save 10 AP giving you enough to get all heal amp enhancements. If you had an odd wisdom with the third tier wisdom dropping it by one and dropping the spell defense line (you already have enough defenses as a monk I wouldn't bother with this regardless) and animal tier III will again net you 10 AP and enough to pump up your heal amp. So to be an echo chamber, pump up that heal amp if possible.

Also, as a side note:

I ask again, is it possible to be a dark monk and lawful good? Doesn't seem right to me.

A good way to think of the dark monk would be akin to the Crusader mentality when it comes to the question of good and evil. If you have ever read Order of the Stick then imagine it like that Paladin Miko*. You achieve the path of good by dominating everyone into submitting to your laws and vision of good. It falls in line with the relevant quote from the feat: "You seek to dominate the world" which can fit if we accept that there are evil people in the world (and even a tendency for evil in non-evil people) who need to be brought into line to ensure that dignity and the respect for life and law prevail. Taken further, if you apply that mentality a shadow spy works because you can justify it by asking if it is better to be a weapon of mass destruction in the quest for good or the silent assassin who efficiently removes evil people while minimizing impact on others.

*Note she fell for not following the rule of law or respecting her leaders, not because she was a total *** (I'll just censor myself there)

[jojoalva69]

Hmm.. Order of the Stick? I'll have to go see that for myself.Also, thanks for the explanation that I didn't want to do

[Taimasan]

It's possible. But there's no significant reason to be Lawful Good.

Lawful Neutral is the way to go...

Not right now..but as of U13 monks will be alignment restrictions on wraps. I.E. If your not Pure Good, Devouts wont be wieldable without UMD. etc. I am lucky and have wraps to compensate for being Neutral. But with the impending change its going to be alot harder to gear out a monk being Neutral.

[jojoalva69]

Not right now..but as of U13 monks will be alignment restrictions on wraps. I.E. If your not Pure Good, Devouts wont be wieldable without UMD. etc. I am lucky and have wraps to compensate for being Neutral. But with the impending change its going to be alot harder to gear out a monk being Neutral.

Sounds fair enough to me.. But that's me. I have the gear as well.

And if that's the case, I should just hurry up and cap, leveling is
about the only time that would be even the slightest issue to me... :P

[jamesownsu]

Instead of making a new thread I will just ask here. Since I'm new to monks I don't have much experience with ki strikes and finishing moves. What strikes/finishers are useful and when should they be used? Seems kind of confusing and I could use some help understanding.

[smithj_2020]

Instead of making a new thread I will just ask here. Since I'm new to monks I don't have much experience with ki strikes and finishing moves. What strikes/finishers are useful and when should they be used? Seems kind of confusing and I could use some help understanding.

Strikes/finishers that are useful depending on the situation and what you would like to do to a mob/enemy; I'll be somewhat broad too much to give a complete breakdown, but you can do anything from fear an opponent to reduce fort, increase the damage it takes from certain elements, curse opponents make a mob take extra damage.

There are many potential finishers depending on a combination of strikes landed
I.E void strike, dark, void strike allows you to use curse of the void as a finisher: charms enemy for short period of time.

Pretty cool things can be done, but a successful save negates it, so end game hard to land many finishers.

[jojoalva69]

I normally use E(earth) strikes, the E:E:E Finisher for the +2 to crit multiplier.

I also pair in Air Strikes from time to time, mainly when going through trash.

I use the Dark Finisher, Touch of Despair, which reduces fort, makes them 25% more vulnerable to Negative Energy(ToD damage is increased) and halves their positive energy income.
It usually consists of FoD(Fists of Darkness):ToD:FoD -> Finisher

There's also Karmic Strike Fire: Dark:Fire, but I'm not sure if it works or not...
Reduces fort 100% but makes the user susceptible to auto crits for the next three seconds. I'm fairly sure it no longer works this way.. But I dunno, never use it.

There's never a point in time where I'm not using strikes and finishers. I use these and many more when reasonable. It's worth getting used to using them whenever and wherever.