Need help with TR monk paladin

[plendil3]

Should I TR into:
A. Monk 2 Pali 18 Stregth based TWF kopeshes
B. Monk 3 Pali 17 Dex based TWF handwraps
c. Monk 7 Pali 12 ? 1 Strength based TWF Healing AMP focused (400% amp)
...........Monk 1.2 Pali HotD 1.2 Jidz 1.25 Human 1.3 DT 1.1 DT 1.2 GS weapon 1.3

a little background:

This is my alt tank who has an AC of 74 self buffed but does no DPS so can hold no aggro despite an intimidate of like 60+. I find this extremely frustrating. I am looking to do more damge. This will be my first TR.

I just got back to game 4 months ago after 4 years off and just got serious a couple of weeks ago.
In that time, I have been able to farm/make:

1. Googles-GS Tier III concoordant opp with +10 +15 +20 hp
2. DT robes with healing amp 10% healing amp 20% and ennervation guard
3. Epic Jidz Tinka bracers--got so lucky here
4. Ring of the Stalker Tier II
5. Ring of the Buccaneer Tier III
6. Bramble Casters (left over from '07), trying for epic but that will be a long while
7. I can make any weapon from the Attack on Stormreach chain aka Sora Kell

So I was leaning toward the Monk 7 Pali 12 Other 1.
S-17 D-15 C-14 I-9 W-8 CH-12 with all levels up in strength

any feedback, commments, build advice very welcome

thanks

[Kinerd]

The trouble with unarmed on Paladins is that both Divine Sacrifice and Smite Evil (including Exalted Smite) do not work properly with handwraps: both turn off your offhand attack. So go with weapons.

We agree the point of being a tank is to make the group easier to heal. You have to hold aggro and have to have some kind of damage mitigation. Between Heal Amp, Evasion, and Defender of Siberys 3, it's reasonably easy to meet both these criteria. The trouble with the 12/7/whatever is that there's no real point in the 7 over the 2 unless you're using handwraps, and again they just don't work right with Paladin.

[Enoach]

I agree cause I don't see what 7 levels of monk is getting you since your going TWF Khopesh...

However, you could maybe go 12/6/2 Pal/Ftr/Mnk

Go with DoS II
Go with Kensei I

6 Fighter levels will get you 4 Fighter Bonus Feats
2 Monk Levels will get you 2 Martial Arts Bonus Feats

That's will be 6 Feats to help with filling out your PrE requirements as well as your TWF line.

[Stormraiser]

I think the question, what do you want the build to do? For 90%+ of the quests, you don't need a tank and often a tank is fairly useless with fairly low contribution.
Now a DPS character that is able to defend itself, is not exactly a tank in my mind.

Your build options:
A) Viable if want to play paladin. Has pros and cons vs 18 paladin 2 rogue.
B) Paladin abilities don't mix well with handwraps, and weapon finesse and handwraps is just not as good as a STR build.
C) More then 2 monk levels here are not offering much if you use khopesh.
Here are other ideas:
D) Paladin Monk Ninja Spy with short swords
E) 12 Fighter 6 paladin 2 monk Khopesh.
F) Pure monk
G) Pure Paladin
H) 12 rogue 6 paladin 2 monk Qstaff

It sounds like you either have the gear, or can get gear to make almost and build you make viable.

Storm

[plendil3]

quick answers to coments
i was only thinking kopeshes for the 2/18 build
monk 7 gets me healing amp 20% and ninja spy and shortswords

So based on the above,
Ninja spy 7 with Pali 12:
get me shortswords (probably the vampirc ones from sora kell),
all the pali advantages of using weapons,
maxed healing amp at 400% with 1 gs healing amp 30% and 1 vampiric
sounds like strength based is still the way to go even with short swords
comments still welcome

[Enoach]

Ok going that route of 12/7/1 pal/mnk/Something else you would need to weigh the one additional monk level over PrE requirement vs going 2 of something else.

For instance. 7th level monk gets you Wholeness of Body - An out of combat Ki ability to heal yourself. No additional AC or unarmed bonuses over 6th level

However, taking 2 Ftr levels will get you access to:

• One extra Fighter Feat over 1 Ftr Level (2 Fighter Feats Total)
• Fighter Strength I

So now the question for you is Wholeness of Body > the Extra Feat and access to Strength enhancement?

[plendil3]

Thank you Enoach:
Monk 7 gtes me healing amp 20% which this build is trying to max.
Thanks for all the replies

[Kinerd]

quick answers to coments
i was only thinking kopeshes for the 2/18 build
monk 7 gets me healing amp 20% and ninja spy and shortswords

So based on the above,
Ninja spy 7 with Pali 12:
get me shortswords (probably the vampirc ones from sora kell),
all the pali advantages of using weapons,
maxed healing amp at 400% with 1 gs healing amp 30% and 1 vampiric
sounds like strength based is still the way to go even with short swords
comments still welcome

You could always go half-elf. The monk dilettante gets you the same 20% monk as monk 7 does. Then you could stick with 2 monk for 2 feats and evasion and still get your tier 3 PrE. Hamp-wise it would be...

12 paladin (1.1 * 1.1 HotD, otherwise 1)
7 monk (1.2)
human (1.3)
total - 1.88 or 1.56
vs.
18 paladin (1.1 * 1.1 * 1.1 HotD, otherwise 1)
2 monk (1)
human (1.2)
helf monk (1.2)
total - 1.91 or 1.44

Even if you aren't getting the heal amp pre, tier 3 DoS is pretty good, plus you have significantly better paladin abilities in general.