Request- Fun to Play Monk

[mastacheff]

So I've been craving a bit of fists of fury action with a monk, however I have NO creativity whatsoever when it comes to the monk classes. When I sketch out an initial stat sketch it always looks like this..

STR: 16
DEX: 14
CON: 12/14 (On a human can't remember what would be the actual numbers)
INT: 0
WIS: 16
CHA: 8

I know those numbers aren't exactly correct but you get the idea...


As said in the thread title I want it be fun to level (had tons of fun leveling a tactics fighter) and I have these at my disposal.

Parameters:

-No tomes (can afford +1 Tomes, no higher than that though)
-Races Useable
Human
Elf
Halfling
Drow
-Don't mind any multiclassing
-Have ALL classes unlocked
-Can be gear intensive
-Endgame useable
-Any kind of monk

ex: Light/Dark

Thanks for any posts.

[Zachski]

I think you'd want 16 dex instead of 14 to start with... that way, you can go up to 18 if necessary to pick up Grandmaster Wind.

How'd you get 0 Int, by the way? </joke>

Hmm... which do you think sounds more fun?

1. Punching the living daylights out of enemies while buffing your team with combo finishers, while also being able to perform a sort of "Smite Outsider"?

2. Puching the living nights out of enemies while also cursing them, dealing massive burst damage, and also being able to cause a conceal effect on yourself to occur, while also being able to walk on water eventually?

[Symerith]

Hey, check out the build in my sig and let me know what you think about it. It is very fun to play, benefits from really good gear but will still work very well with the basics.

Hope that helps, good luck with it!

[HGM-Chi]

-Races Useable
Human
Elf
Halfling
Drow
.

Human is a good option, halfling dex/wis build can be fun, but can be frustrating when you come up against high hitpoint, unstunnable mobs. Dwarf is a solid option you shouldn't overlook either, str and con with enough dex for twf and the rest in wis. Grab the dwarf enhancements for tactics to bump your stun DCs and away you go. Light based for good survivability, dark for damage output.

All that being said you're going to find playing a monk without +2 tomes a pain in the ass. Grand Master stances require an 18 in their respective stat, so you'll have to start one at 17 and use a +1 tome to get it, or only take the stance associated with whatever stat you bump with level ups. With +2 tomes you end up with a more balanced build and access to all the GM stances if you want (well, or at least 3). This limitation is compounded somewhat by the fact that you'll: a) Probably want to bump str with your level ups, and b) Probably want Wind (which is dex based) and Earth (which is con based) stances.

So, with that said, I suggest Dwarf with stats at:
Str 16 (+ all levels, +2 tome)
Dex 16 (+2 tome)
Con 16 (+2 tome)
Int 8
Wis 14 (+2 tome)
Cha 6

If you really want only +1 tomes then perhaps human with:
Str 16 (+4 level ups)
Dex 16 (+1 tome [required for iTWF and gTWF)
Con 16 (+1 level up, +1 tome)
Int 8
Wis 10
Cha 8

Your stun DCs will hurt, so you might want to just go dark and play the damage roll...

[Marcus-Hawkeye]

I had a lot of fun with this build in the past:

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php...ighlight=robin

[mastacheff]

I think you'd want 16 dex instead of 14 to start with... that way, you can go up to 18 if necessary to pick up Grandmaster Wind.

How'd you get 0 Int, by the way? </joke>

Hmm... which do you think sounds more fun?

1. Punching the living daylights out of enemies while buffing your team with combo finishers, while also being able to perform a sort of "Smite Outsider"?

2. Puching the living nights out of enemies while also cursing them, dealing massive burst damage, and also being able to cause a conceal effect on yourself to occur, while also being able to walk on water eventually?

I'd take the 1st, although I've heard that shintao COMPLETELY sucks. To also be more specific I want to be mainly unarmed because I'm for some reason not a fan of quarterstaffs (acrobats exist for a reason), whirling steel (not spending a couple of feats for that), and whatever else that exists.

[Zachski]

Shintao hasn't sucked for awhile.

(Actually, many consider it to be a superior option to Ninja Spy now)

I understated Shintao a bit, actually. In addition to the whole "Smite Outsider" thing they can do (which includes Undead, by the way) theyh can also do a lot of other nifty stuff, like bypassing all kinds of DR just by taking the PrE.

[mastacheff]

I don't like them just because they seem extremely situational, like oh noes evil men that want to take my life my platinum in the form of repair costs, AAAAHHH.


Now looking again at light monks on the wiki, they seem to be somewhat DC intensive with some of their attacks.

[smithj_2020]

First off: all monks are fun to play!!

Go Human, dex/wis build, for very AC capable for soloing alot of content....access to +1 tomes only limits on monk stances and you cant go Void IV which is fun to play and no resis to the force damage, along with chance to vorpal things..but here is rough draft on a Grandmaster of storms/Grandmaster of Oceans stance..

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

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: 19

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             13                    14
Dexterity            17                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                     9
Wisdom               15                    24
Charisma              8                     9

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 3
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 3
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 3

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    30
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         6                    38
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device       n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                  2                     7
Hide                  3                     8
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  4                    12
Listen                4                    26
Move Silently         3                     8
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                    -1
Search               -1                    -1
Spot                  4                    26
Swim                  1                     2
Tumble                4                     7
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

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


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Weapon Finesse
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I


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


Level 4 (Monk)
Enhancement: Static Charge
Enhancement: Improved Jump II
Enhancement: Improved Tumble II


Level 5 (Monk)
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
Enhancement: Porous Soul


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


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


Level 8 (Monk)
Enhancement: Adept of Rock


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


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


Level 11 (Monk)
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy II


Level 13 (Monk)
Enhancement: Master of Thunder


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Versatility III
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike
Enhancement: Master of the Sea


Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II


Level 16 (Monk)
Enhancement: Human Versatility IV


Level 17 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms


Level 19 (Monk)
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Oceans


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

Change enhancements and feats to your liking/wants....

Final stats:
14 +2 ship + 2 rage +6 item + 1 exceptional = 25 + 2 yug (if you get favor)= 27
18+ 2 ship + 6 item + 2 yug pot +4 stance = 34
16 + 2 ship + 6 item +2 yug = 24
9+ 2 ship = 11
24 +2 ship +2 yug +6 item + 2 exceptional + 4 (ultimate oceans, +2 dcs and + 4 AC i think) +4 wisdom also)= 40
9+2 ship = 11


DCs:
Stunning Fist = 10 + 10(1/2 monk level)+ 15 wis mod + 10 (stun item)=45 (without ship buffs)
ToD=10 +10(1/2 monk) + 15 (wis)= 35
QP= 10 + 10(1/2 monk)+ 15 = 35

Good dcs, good stats and bonus to hit with weapon finese, you should be able to obtain around a 70 AC self buffed, with pots and just items from running quests without epics.....have fun....monk is awesome.

[Drakos]

I'd take the 1st, although I've heard that shintao COMPLETELY sucks. To also be more specific I want to be mainly unarmed because I'm for some reason not a fan of quarterstaffs (acrobats exist for a reason), whirling steel (not spending a couple of feats for that), and whatever else that exists.

I think you have been misinformed. Shintao is actuall a really nice PrE. It is very survivable, being light side, and has few DR issues at end game. With Ranged Stun, Tome of Jade, Smite Taint, etc... they are a strong contender.