Looking for a Halfing Monk Dex/Wis Build Light monk

[Cade_Wells]

My search skills are failing me badly today, looking for a build that i can use for my other half

please be nice and help a man in need

thanks

Cade

[Cade_Wells]

how does

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Level 20 Lawful Good Halfling Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 319
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 16
Reflex: 21
Will: 18

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             12                    14
Dexterity            16                    25
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence         12                    14
Wisdom               16                    21
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 3
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 3
+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

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    30
Bluff                -1                     3
Concentration         6                    30
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                  3                     5
Hide                  6                    34
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  5                    27
Listen                3                     7
Move Silently         7                    32
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     2
Search                1                     2
Spot                  3                     5
Swim                  1                     2
Tumble                4                    20
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

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


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Weapon Finesse


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


Level 4 (Monk)


Level 5 (Monk)


Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Combat Expertise
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness


Level 7 (Monk)


Level 8 (Monk)


Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack


Level 10 (Monk)


Level 11 (Monk)


Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting


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) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 19 (Monk)


Level 20 (Monk)
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity I
Enhancement: Halfling Dexterity II
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning I
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning II
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning III
Enhancement: Halfling Cunning IV
Enhancement: Halfling Guile I
Enhancement: Halfling Guile II
Enhancement: Halfling Guile III
Enhancement: Halfling Guile IV
Enhancement: Halfling Luck (Reflex) I
Enhancement: Lifting the Veil
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise III
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: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom III

starting stats and feats are important at this point, will be reseting and playing with enhancements as we go

[edgarallanpoe]

Dump int. It isn't needed on a monk. Monks are point starved as it is, spending points on a non essential stat is not wise. Take int back down to 8 and put those points into str.

[Cade_Wells]

trying to get a high ish AC on this toon for leveling (its my other halfs 1st monk) so went for CE, its also one of the prereqs for Shintao I

Requires One of: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Diehard, Discipline, Luck of Heroes, Precision, Resilience, Self Sufficient

so need Int 13

[edgarallanpoe]

Go Str and Power Attack with Cleave. You will need PA for Improved Sunder which gives mobs a -3 to their fort saves ( your SF DC is a fort save) even on a fail.

Your build can work, no doubt. But it will be a difficult way. I did this...made the exact same mistakes and wound up having to LR him to make him a little more viable a build.

Your build will also need you to take finesse as a feat. Again...on a feat starved toon like a monk it makes fitting all of the good stuff (TWF chain, Imp Crit, Im Sunder, etc) difficult.

On a first life this build would be a very hard path. When you have a few more stat points to play with this would be a nice build.

[edgarallanpoe]

Also...with a set of Paralyzing handwraps (easy to get on the AH) cleave is devastating. Get surrounded, hit cleave, and watch everyone freeze, kill at leisure HA!!!! Much more useful to leveling than a decent AC. They are viable wraps all the way through the Vale.

Again...not saying your build is bad. It can work. I just know from experience that it is actually harder to make it work than you would think.

Either way...hope I helped and wish you luck.

[Cade_Wells]

what starting stats would you do then?

[edgarallanpoe]

Just off the top of my head I would go...

14 str
16 Dex
15 Con
8 int
15 wis
8 char

All level ups in Str. The odd Con can help when you get any number of +1 exceptional Con items which will help mitigate the -2 con from Wind Stance. You can even take a point in level ups and place it in Con if the +1 exceptional Con eludes you. The odd Wis can be balanced by taking enhancements to even it out.

Again...there is no *right* way to do a monk. This is just a suggestion based on experience. Obviously feel free to tweak it to suit your needs. Remember that even a finesse build uses Str as their damage modifier.

[Thrudh]

Your starting stats are fine.

Go wisdom-based (put all level-ups into Wisdom) for Stunning Fist. An dex/wis monk will have great AC, and Stunning Fist will give you decent DPS. Not great DPS, but decent DPS. It's not a bad build.

Your to-hit will be the main problem. Make sure to get the Korthos gear that gets you +2 to-hit

[Thrudh]

Just off the top of my head I would go...

14 str
16 Dex
15 Con
8 int
15 wis
8 char

All level ups in Str. The odd Con can help when you get any number of +1 exceptional Con items which will help mitigate the -2 con from Wind Stance. You can even take a point in level ups and place it in Con if the +1 exceptional Con eludes you. The odd Wis can be balanced by taking enhancements to even it out.

Again...there is no *right* way to do a monk. This is just a suggestion based on experience. Obviously feel free to tweak it to suit your needs. Remember that even a finesse build uses Str as their damage modifier.

He's not asking how to do a STR-based monk.

[edgarallanpoe]

Go wisdom-based (put all level-ups into Wisdom) for Stunning Fist. An dex/wis monk will have great AC, and Stunning Fist will give you decent DPS. Not great DPS, but decent DPS. It's not a bad build.

This is a huge mistake and another trap I fell into when I started playing a monk. Max wis looks good on paper but fails in the game. Max wis doesn't mean jack if you can't hit your target. Also, with Spare Hand's +5 to your SF DC it is essentially like having a +10 to Wis. Shoot for a DC (without Spare Hand) of 40. That is a solid DC for end game. Not the best but more than enough for all but the most difficult of end game quests. With Spare Hand, a DC of 45 is more than enough to work on the vast majority of mobs in the game. The only thing I can think of that would need more would be (maybe) Epic LoB.

[edgarallanpoe]

He's not asking how to do a STR-based monk.

Nor am I showing him one. His main stats are still dex and wis. I haven't changed that. All I have suggested is that he not neglect str and take his points out of int. I have also been very clear that his build can work but will be difficult.

[edgarallanpoe]

To the OP. The reasoning behind my suggestion to put points into strength isn't to change the basics of your build. The reason is that with a starting Dex of 16 and a +2 Tome, you will be looking at a Dex of...

16 base +2 Tome +6 item +2 enhancements + 2 ship buff + 4 stance = 32 Dex.

A 32 dex is more than enough to hit most mobs if you decide to go finesse. You might have some problems in epics or some of the more difficult end game mobs but this is fine for the vast majority of the game. Especially when you consider the cunning and guile bonuses and inherent +1 bonus that halflings get to hit. In wind you won't be pulling aggro and even in a solo situation you should be fine in the to hit department...in a group you will be fantastic.

Even with putting points into str for the damage bonus you will still have a higher Dex than a Str.

[Thrudh]

with Spare Hand's +5 to your SF DC it is essentially like having a +10 to Wis.

You don't get that until level 20. And you need the bonus for epics. Stunning fist is fantastic in the 1-19 game too, and a high wisdom in 1-19 game (especially since he's going for AC too) is well worth it.

As a halfling, and with Weapon Finesse, his to-hit will be good enough.

Just my opinion. I'm not saying you're wrong, but the OP should get a counter-opinion, since you're the only one who has responded to him so far.

[edgarallanpoe]

You don't get that until level 20. And you need the bonus for epics. Stunning fist is fantastic in the 1-19 game too, and a high wisdom in 1-19 game (especially since he's going for AC too) is well worth it.

As a halfling, and with Weapon Finesse, his to-hit will be good enough.

Just my opinion. I'm not saying you're wrong, but the OP should get a counter-opinion, since you're the only one who has responded to him so far.

No worries, a disagreement can be had without it getting personal. I respect your opinions, I just don't agree with them and I take no offense at any of your posts and certainly don't intend any on my part.

SF is indeed awesome in the game, but I have never had any problems stunning until the very end of the game and that was without maxing wis. Also, you can get Spare Hand starting at 8th level and it will be an awesome addition to any monks arsenal. The difference in difficulty between end game and leveling is vast. He wont have any problems hitting or stunning with a solid Wis. He might have them if he max's wis and neglects his "to hit" stat even if that is Dex.

[Braegan]

For dex/wis based build your feat selection looks fine. I would also lower int to redistribute points elsewhere and drop CE for another pre-req of shintao. Common split I've seen and used:

Str: 12
Dex: 18
Con: 14
Int: 8
Wis: 16 <- level ups here
Cha: 8

I did something similar my first life then tr'd to a dark monk with:

Str: 16 <- level ups here
Dex: 15
Con: 15
Int: 8
Wis: 13
Cha: 8

Differences between the two types the dex/wis had superior ac, self-healing. The str based was able to tackle mobs with fast-heal/regen that the dex/wis had troubles with. The dex/wis could land harder stuns, but the str based only fails on rare occasion.

But all in all if you want to play a dex/wis monk there is nothing wrong with it, just know one of the biggest problems you will face will be mobs that you cannot stun that can regen quickly. Otherwise they are a blast.

[Cade_Wells]

Thanks for the input guys

i've gone

Str: 14
Dex: 16
Con: 14
Int: 8
Wis: 16
Cha: 8

Picked up luck of the heros for shintao

thanks for the help guys and will see how it goes

[lethargos]

Take a look at rockan robin build. Its wis/dex build. I followed it and went wis all the way. Nice for leveling and can get to 48-50 dc sf at lvl 20 quite easily. I think 50 work!s a lot better than 40. You can't have much dc on sf.

[Blank_Zero]

Take a look at rockan robin build. Its wis/dex build. I followed it and went wis all the way. Nice for leveling and can get to 48-50 dc sf at lvl 20 quite easily. I think 50 work!s a lot better than 40. You can't have much dc on sf.

I have a 42 DC on SF before Spare Hand. I think 47 is plenty, but I did go STR based on mine and have a few +3 tomes now :P

to the OP: I'd personally go STR/WIS. If you're worried about AC, put points in WIS. But even as a STR based monk, I'm running around in DPS gear with an unbuffed 60+ AC.

[ethyr]

iirc i started my monk around 12/16/16/08/16/08

with more or less the same feat layout as the 2nd post, i took die hard over power attack for i found it handle solo leveling,

put a few pts in str during level up, and either wis or dex depending

if u can get around the low str at the early stages and get a nice pair of double dmg type wraps (eg.shock of puregood) you'll fly through early levels