Help with my monk build

[Masqueey]

Hi all,
I want to build a monk but I don't know how exactly, I just bought the most expensive expansion so I do have the level 7 veteran status, I have nearly all classes (I don't have half-elf and half-orc). I would like to have the dark path, can someone help me build my monk? I also have 32 point build.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Hi all,
I want to build a monk but I don't know how exactly, I just bought the most expensive expansion so I do have the level 7 veteran status, I have nearly all classes (I don't have half-elf and half-orc). I would like to have the dark path, can someone help me build my monk? I also have 32 point build.

Concept/Goals: As above
Class: 20 Monk
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Stats and Race (32pt build): Human
Str: 30 (15 base +2 tome +5 levels +1 human +6 item)
Dex: 28/22 (16 base +2 tome +6 item +4 air stance/-2 earth)
Con: 28/22 (16 base +2 tome +6 item +4 earth/-2 air)
Int: 10 (8 base +2 tome)
Wis: 22 (14 base +2 tome +6 item)
Cha: 16 (8 base +2 tome +6 item)
34/36 point build: Raise strength and/or wisdom.
Ability increase every 4 levels: All in strength
Skills: Concentration (23), Balance (10), UMD (11), Intimidate (23), Tumble (1), Move Silently (14)

Feats (by level): Two Weapon Fighting (1), Stunning Blow (1), Power Attack (3), Skill Focus: UMD (6), Improved Two Weapon Fighting (9), Improved Critical: Bludgeoning (12), Greater Two Weapon Fighting (15), Improved Sunder (18)
Feats (monk): Toughness (1), Stunning Fist (2), Dodge or Cleave (12)

Skill Focus: UMD is very much an optional feat but couldn't think of anything more obvious off the top of my head. Take Dodge if you want dark path (your request) or Cleave if you want light path (my recommendation due to the AB issues that first life, ungeared monks have).

Enhancements (Monk): Shintao or Ninja Spy III, Improved Recover I-III, Grandmaster Air/Earth Stance
Enhancements (Human): Racial Toughness II (3), Versatility III (6), Adaptability: Strength (2), Improved Recovery II (6)

Just play around with enhancements every 3 days to find what works best for you.

Equipment:
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Details:
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Everything here that is important, if you want anything filled in then just ask and me or someone else will provide. Half-elf is a better race for a monk but human is very good too.

[edgarallanpoe]

I agree with most of the post above...except..

I wouldn't go for Lawful Neutral on a first life monk. The LN alignment is really only for being able to equip Litany and on all of my monks, I have never even bothered with it. I guess +1 Profane to all stats is nice but again...I've never had it, or even run the raid and I have several capped monks. It used to be stupid rare...the people I know that have it only got it after their 20th completion of the raid and a lot of them had to run it 40 times to get it. No thanks. Not sure if that has changed to 3 completions now with the new mechanic. If it has, then it might indeed be worth a look.

LN still allows you to wield Holy weapons but it *does not* allow you to wield Pure Good without neg levels. Some of my best wraps for leveling are PG wraps. If you don't have access to a stash of great wraps then a set of Acid PG or Paralyzing PG are easy to get and extremely versatile.

Again...if you have access to decent wraps the LN makes sense but if this is your first life stick with LG. JMHO...don't kill me here.

Also...and along the same lines as above... The dark side is very nice but it doesn't have DR breaking like the Shin line does. This will not be that much of an issue once the new pack comes out in a few weeks as from what I am hearing the devs have thrown dark monks a bone and started releasing silver/cold iron/byshek threaded wraps. Still, having built in DR breaking is a godsend to a first life monk. Once you gather the essential wraps, going dark is a lot more fun.

As far as gear goes for a 16th level monk?

Garments of Equilibrium - Stormreach chain
Frozen Tunic - Cannith Challenges (+1 Ki on a 16th level item is awesome)
Thaarak Bracers (sp?) - Harbor quests
Ring of the Stalker - Cannith Challenges


Hope this helps.

[Masqueey]

Thank you both, but can I also use a warforged for this build?

[edgarallanpoe]

Sure...but please note the hit to wis that a WF takes. Dwarves get the bonus to Con without the penalty to wis. Also, the WF immunities are somewhat lessened by the monk class because the *class* gets so many immunities. That isn't to say that they can't be great monks, it is just something to consider. Also...the dwarf gets a tactical line that adds +3 to *all* stuns. That includes SF, SB, and if you go light, your Kukan-do ranged stunner you get at 18th level. With minimal effort, you can get darn close to a 50dc with your KD stunner.

[Kinerd]

LN still allows you to wield Holy weapons but it *does not* allow you to wield Pure Good without neg levels. Some of my best wraps for leveling are PG wraps. If you don't have access to a stash of great wraps then a set of Acid PG or Paralyzing PG are easy to get and extremely versatile.

A bit worse than that, it doesn't allow you to wield PG at all unless you have 20+ UMD, which is tricky on a first life monk.

Human exaggerates certain monk strengths and doesn't really neutralize any. Warforged neutralizes some without really exaggerating any.

[wax_on_wax_off]

A bit worse than that, it doesn't allow you to wield PG at all unless you have 20+ UMD, which is tricky on a first life monk.

Human exaggerates certain monk strengths and doesn't really neutralize any. Warforged neutralizes some without really exaggerating any.

Half-elf or Human are definitely the 2 best choices for a first life monk. At level 10 a first life human light side monk can have 32 UMD (6 ranks+4 charisma+4 GH+3 cartouche+1 big top+5 versatility+2 walk of the sun+5 moment of clarity+2 GL), 20 for pure good is a piece of cake. Besides which Pure Good is a rubbish suffix, I'd take righteousness any day and in the expansion it becomes even better (+2 att/dam vs +3.5 damage - righteousness will win in most situations now and in almost all situations in U14).

The reason to be LN is to avoid alignment damage from enemies that use spells or weapons that specifically target good characters (Unholy Blight or Unholy weapons by some mobs or bosses).

Additionally I think there is a monk item in the expansion which has a taint of evil (and no chance to remove it like LotD).