"Woof" Monk

[goodoldxelos]

I can attest that this build is fun and works; most importantly, it's not some boring pure class build anyone can think of.

Good job.

Glad you enjoyed it. I created a dps simulator using SAS software awhile ago and the dps is around the same as a barb using an epic SOS.

[lastdrunky]

currently trying out this build, currently lvl12 and having lots of fun. when it gets full stacks on fatal harrier it looks like im on steroids lol. changed a bit the lvls and some feats to adequate to my play-style, but overall very solid! ty +1

[tpbtoc]

Nice build!

What gear are you currently using?

[Luzelina]

Here is my version. I called her “Young Pup”. Basically she is an undecided student, who studied to be a monk, then decided to study druid, then change to fighter… she’s just not sure what to major in is all. Anyway, I’m not even sure if I did a good job but I tried to follow your advice, as well as took some ideas from WeberCC’s version. She may need some work but I managed to get HP to 350 and over 500 SP. I only did 1-20 because I've no idea about Epics either so if someone wants to add the epic levels that would be helpful. But I think the point of this build is to be first life and then TR? I'm interested in knowing about tomes and would like to hear some advice on what levels I should add them and to what abilities. But please keep in mind that as a new player funds are low and getting tomes from the DDO store is probably the only way I'll be able to do it but too many tomes will be too expensive.

Tnx

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.16.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Young Pup 
Level 20 Lawful Neutral Human Female
(2 Fighter \ 9 Monk \ 9 Druid) 
Hit Points: 350
Spell Points: 546 
BAB: 14\14\19\24
Fortitude: 17
Reflex: 11
Will: 14

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             15                    23
Dexterity            14                    14
Constitution         14                    14
Intelligence         10                    10
Wisdom               14                    15
Charisma              8                     8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               6                    21
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         6                    26
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                  2                     2
Hide                  5                    20
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  2                    12
Listen                2                     2
Move Silently         6                    21
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     0
Spot                  6                    23
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                3                     6
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Human Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Stunning Fist
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Druid)
Enhancement: Druid Blood Moon Frenzy I
Enhancement: Druid Eminence of Hoarfrost I
Enhancement: Druid Eminence of Life I
Enhancement: Druid Toughness I


Level 3 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Wolf
Enhancement: Druid Aggravate I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Druid Wisdom I


Level 4 (Druid)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Druid Beastial Nature I
Enhancement: Druid Waxing Hoarfrost I
Enhancement: Druid Waxing Life I


Level 5 (Druid)
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Strength I
Enhancement: Druid Strength I
Enhancement: Druid Toughness II


Level 6 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Maximize Spell
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Bear
Enhancement: Druid Essence of the Shrike I
Enhancement: Druid Vengeful Hunter I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II


Level 7 (Druid)
Enhancement: Druid Nature's Warrior I


Level 8 (Druid)
Ability Raise: STR
Enhancement: Druid Aggravate II
Enhancement: Druid Blood Moon Frenzy II
Enhancement: Druid Reaving Roar


Level 9 (Druid)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Druid Wild Shape) Wild Shape: Winter Wolf
Enhancement: Druid Eminence of Hoarfrost II
Enhancement: Druid Eminence of Life II


Level 10 (Druid)
Enhancement: Druid Strength II


Level 11 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Druid Zenith of Hoarfrost I
Enhancement: Druid Zenith of Life I


Level 12 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Critical Accuracy I
Enhancement: Druid Toughness III


Level 13 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery I


Level 14 (Monk)
Enhancement: Static Charge
Enhancement: Improved Jump I
Enhancement: Improved Jump II
Enhancement: Improved Tumble I
Enhancement: Improved Tumble II


Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Enhancement: Monk Ninja Spy I
Enhancement: Adept of Wind


Level 17 (Monk)
Enhancement: Monk Improved Recovery II


Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Natural Fighting
Enhancement: Void Strike II


Level 19 (Monk)


Level 20 (Fighter)
Ability Raise: STR
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Zen Archery
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Improved Jump III
Enhancement: Improved Tumble III
Enhancement: Druid Zenith of Hoarfrost II
Enhancement: Druid Zenith of Life II
Enhancement: Druid Energy of the Locus I
Enhancement: Druid Energy of the Locus II

[willienillie]

How does this build stack up now?
Also, any particular reason for wraps over say 2 kamas (off hand for things like devo, stunning, vertigo, seeker)?

[inspiredunease]

Still stacks up great. There are a few things you can do to optimise this build now. The optimum levelling order is 2 monk, 9 druid, 7 monk, 2 fighter. Leave dex at 12, requires +5 dex tome, but allows you a stat distribution of:

18 (all level ups here)/12/14/8/16/8

Feats:
1. Cleave 1H. Power attack 1M. Stunning Fist.
2M. Dodge.
3. PL: Monk (or completionist if you have it).
6. Great Cleave
9. Empower Healing.
12. IC: Bludgeon
15. Natural Fighting 6M. TWF
18. Master of Forms
1F. ITWF (level 19, your +5 dex tome kicks in here allowing you to pick up ITWF and GTWF with fighter levels)
2F. GTWF
21. Overwhelming critical
24. Natural Fighting.
26. PTWF
27. Natural Fighting
28. Elusive/toughness/whatever

All 3 natural fighting feats = 18% doublestrike, master of forms for earth stance +1 crit multiplier, Full TWF with shintao +10% for 90% offhand chance (if you didn't know TWF works currently in druid animal forms). If you can then pick up the 3 EPLs for the additional 9% doublestrike toggle, 8% doublestrike item and ptwf, you're looking at 40% standing doublestrike (may have even missed some here). Stunning fist DCs are perfectly adequate for EE. You have improved evasion, good PRR from earth stance/shintao/standing in stone twist, shadow veil. Pick up displace clickies for invincibility mode. I think the dice come out as: 1[d10] + 1 monk levels + .5 monk past life + .5 reinforced fists + 2 epic wraps (+2.5 with ee addy knuckles) + 1.5 dance of flowers = 6.5 (or 7)[d10] 17 - 18 x3 / 19 - 20 x 5 (x 6 with any of the ED improved crit effects like primal avatar or LD). Truly insane.

Use wraps for increased die steps at epic levels, level using GS kamas or shortswords.

Also great as a levelling template for heroic PLs, just take 2 monk, 9 druid, 9 past life. Google pastlifenmo for this purpose, but for an end-game build nothing beats the 9 monk for value.

[LotM]

Still stacks up great. There are a few things you can do to optimise this build now. The optimum levelling order is 2 monk, 9 druid, 7 monk, 2 fighter. Leave dex at 12, requires +5 dex tome, but allows you a stat distribution of:

18 (all level ups here)/12/14/8/16/8

Feats:
1. Cleave 1H. Power attack 1M. Stunning Fist.
2M. Dodge.
3. PL: Monk (or completionist if you have it).
6. Great Cleave
9. Empower Healing.
12. IC: Bludgeon
15. Natural Fighting 6M. TWF
18. Master of Forms
1F. ITWF (level 19, your +5 dex tome kicks in here allowing you to pick up ITWF and GTWF with fighter levels)
2F. GTWF
21. Overwhelming critical
24. Natural Fighting.
26. PTWF
27. Natural Fighting
28. Elusive/toughness/whatever

All 3 natural fighting feats = 18% doublestrike, master of forms for earth stance +1 crit multiplier, Full TWF with shintao +10% for 90% offhand chance (if you didn't know TWF works currently in druid animal forms). If you can then pick up the 3 EPLs for the additional 9% doublestrike toggle, 8% doublestrike item and ptwf, you're looking at 40% standing doublestrike (may have even missed some here). Stunning fist DCs are perfectly adequate for EE. You have improved evasion, good PRR from earth stance/shintao/standing in stone twist, shadow veil. Pick up displace clickies for invincibility mode. I think the dice come out as: 1[d10] + 1 monk levels + .5 monk past life + .5 reinforced fists + 2 epic wraps (+2.5 with ee addy knuckles) + 1.5 dance of flowers = 6.5 (or 7)[d10] 17 - 18 x3 / 19 - 20 x 5 (x 6 with any of the ED improved crit effects like primal avatar or LD). Truly insane.

Use wraps for increased die steps at epic levels, level using GS kamas or shortswords.

Also great as a levelling template for heroic PLs, just take 2 monk, 9 druid, 9 past life. Google pastlifenmo for this purpose, but for an end-game build nothing beats the 9 monk for value.

Is this the final consensus on drunks?

Also, why handwraps and not any other weapon?

Also, why dodge feat?

Finally, why strength based, and not dex or wis based? (makes getting OC easier I know, but that can be achieved while going either dex or Wis based too, and both those seem more appealing, no?

[LotM]

Is this the final consensus on drunks?

Also, why handwraps and not any other weapon?

Anyone care to answer?

[Shinjiteru]

This is definitely not final consensus because there are several drunk builds around, but I have a similar toon like this build and it's working much better than my barbarian. And the build itself is a good wolf/drunk build and belongs to my favourite ones because it even works with bad equipment because with improved evasion you don't need to care about your saves that much. If you think that you don't need improved evasion I would suggest a slightly different split probably.

You need to use handwraps to get all the +die step effects of monks working. At level 28 with TF you can get to 8W(1d10) this way. If you would use a standard weapon this would drop to around 3-4W I think(maybe less, not sure about the mechanic atm). Not sure about other builds but especially if you are not geared out to the top this makes a big difference of damage numbers you are going to see.

Some players say SWF+TWF would be better dps wise, but that would be a different split and the swf+twf mechanic is not working as intended and might suddently stop working with an upcoming patch/update.

About the dodge feat: 3% dodge isn't that bad and it is needed for the animal stance to be knockdown immune(four legged god or something) and one of the monk attacks that gives additional dodge for some seconds.

My 'problem' with drunks was always that I have too many feat slots in the early levels and not enough after level 12+, that's why I went with 1-9 druid before getting first monk level for my own toon so I could take my first natural fighting with level 9 already(allowing me to take an additional tier of monk stance at level 18). But you are probably going to notice a difference dps wise with the early monk levels beeing better. But starting with druid wasn't that bad, at least from my point of view.

It's definitely still a very good build (although it was posted some years ago already) which has good chances to survive a rework of the devs to twf working in animal form. At least last thing I heard was that they won't touch this feature without reworking the natural fighting feats. So I would guess that natural fighting would be buffed if twf stops working in animal form, since this build has both it should still be playable after such a change.

About the str,wis or dex... I am not sure how well wis to atk/dmg and dex to atk/dmg is going to work with handwraps or if you need weapon finess to get it working. But str is still a valid choice (especially for dps) because it's still easier to buff str than wis or dex. But wis would be better for the DC of stunning fist. But atm I am not sure how you want to get wis working as atk and dmg mod in animal form. Without the str requirement for OC it's definitely easier to take dex or wis as main stat. But I can't tell you how much the difference is going to be dps wise.

[GreyPawn]

For inspiredunease - I'm trying out the build you've recommended and so far it's going great.
What would you or any of the others in this thread advise by way of enhancements as a load out? Would you go Harper at all?

Thanks in advance for any guidance.