Light Monk Build for review (1st life)

[SlayerInFlorida]

I tried to pool together different threads for the best way to build a first life monk.
I do not have access to half-elf, so race is human.
I'm not too familiar with the Monk enhancements, things like Lifting the Veil didn't look very useful, so provide your experiences for any I left out.

Please review and provide feedback for any improvements I can make.

BUILD AFTER REVIEW and TWEAKS

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.14.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Monk 
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 287
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    16
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               16                    26
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 8
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20 or earlier
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 20 or earlier
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20 or earlier
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 20 or earlier

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    14
Concentration         6                    37
Hide                  6                    25
Jump                  3                    11
Move Silently         6                    25
Spot                  3                    17
Tumble                4                     5

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

Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Dodge

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

Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack

Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting

Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons

Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack

Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Wisdom I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Ten Thousand Stars
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: The Receptive Earth
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: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Void Strike IV
Enhancement: Difficulty at the Beginning
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Master of the Sea
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Spot I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I

ORIGINAL BUILD

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.14.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Monk 
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 292
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             14                    16
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               16                    24
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 8
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20 or earlier
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 20 or earlier
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20 or earlier

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    15
Concentration         6                    40
Jump                  5                    14
Listen                3                     7
Spot                  3                    31
Tumble                4                     9
Use Magic Device      1                    10

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


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Precision


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

Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack

Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting

Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons

Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave

Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise II
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: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Void Strike IV
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Master of the Sea
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Improved Concentration II
Enhancement: Improved Jump I
Enhancement: Improved Jump II
Enhancement: Improved Spot I
Enhancement: Improved Spot II
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom II

[Kinerd]

The only thing I would change for sure is squeezing in at least one rank of Human Versatility. Whether it's Wisdom 2 or one of the skills, it will be worth your while.

I don't really like the Cleave/GCleave line if you can't get Overwhelming Critical, which you can't with your Str score. You qualify for Shintao with Precision, I would rather go up the Dodge chain.

[TeacherSyn]

Your build is similar to my main toon, Syncletica.

Some thoughts:

Players greatly underestimate the need for Hide/Move Silently. You don't need to place a lot of points there to make a difference in fighting against enemies that spot you in a heartbeat if Invisible yet can't detect you while hiding, such as beholders.

Why place points in UMD? Often there are many clickys that serve some purposes where UMD, and you can place those AP in class skills.

Just 10 points in Jump for most Monks is just fine as gear improves...especially a Wind Stancer that gets bonuses to Jump. Place the remaining points elsewhere.

Monk Wisdom AP is expensive. Unless necessary, let items, stances or leveling get you to higher points there.

A Light Monk's spell-like abilities make them extremely self-sufficient. While Lifting the Veil (remove blindness) seems worthless except to others who forget their blindness immunity gear, Difficulty at the Beginning (Lesser Restoration), The Restorative Earth (remove disease) and Restoring the Balance (remove curses) make you very handy in places where mummy rot is prevalent and spell points and potions are running low. It also makes you more versatile: You generate ki by fighting the very things you're getting affected by, so you can remove such maladies indefinitely.

While others will say to skip Rise of the Phoenix (raise dead) it is handy when you are soloing with only a hireling or as backup to Clerics. Sure, a clicky could work--once you can make or own one, and it will run out. You need either Rise or Monk Improved Recovery III for Shintao III, which is how you're going right now.

Max out Human Improved Recovery. Racial and class versions stack for greater healing. You will need it as a Wind Stancer, which has less relative AC and is more likely to be hit, requiring you to use Healing Ki/Fists of Light for best survival.

The Patient Tortoise animal path gives you things with no disadvantages save taking points that might work better in Versatility early on, or Adaptability for an extra ability point later. These are optional.

You don't need to get Void IV, but it's mighty nice to have. Before Grandmaster of Flowers' Epic Moment arrived, I'd say, "Yes! Always!" to Void Strike IV. For now, unless you can't do Epic levels, Void I only for the void finisher "Moment of Clarity" and wait for the ultimate epic Void attack, Everything is Nothing.

Check out my Monk guide, which might have more information that you need in starting out. Good luck.

[sebastianosmith]

You don't need to get Void IV, but it's mighty nice to have. Before Grandmaster of Flowers' Epic Moment arrived, I'd say, "Yes! Always!" to Void Strike IV. For now, unless you can't do Epic levels, Void I only for the void finisher "Moment of Clarity" and wait for the ultimate epic Void attack, Everything is Nothing.

Void IV is very useful against Wisps which are all over the current end-game content and highly susceptible to Force damage. Without some Chain/Force Missiles or Tactical Detonation/Prismatic Strike luvin', Void IV is your best option as they are deucedly difficult to kite into Blade Barriers and have an SR that makes Drow Necromancers jealous.

[Kinerd]

One quick piggy-back point on Spencerian, there used to be Disease Immunity items in DDO that made people look very far down their noses at Remove Disease (and relevant to Mummy Rot, Remove Curse) abilities. The Immunity items were removed while the Mummy Rot (et al) abilities were ignored, because that is how Turbine rolls. This has made the light monk abilities Spence mentions more appealing, but they are still not very appealing to me.

[Marmaduke]

Personally, I wouldn't bother with great cleave if you aren't shooting for overwhelming critical (and, given your final strength score, you are not). Additionally, if you're only going for +2wis from enhancements, drop monk wisdom 2 and get the point from human adaptability. This will allow you to get something like unbalancing strike which is sadly far too often overlooked.

[Uska]

Void IV is very useful against Wisps which are all over the current end-game content and highly susceptible to Force damage. Without some Chain/Force Missiles or Tactical Detonation/Prismatic Strike luvin', Void IV is your best option as they are deucedly difficult to kite into Blade Barriers and have an SR that makes Drow Necromancers jealous.

I love having void IV

[jbleargh]

Hi,

I am not a fan of Void IV and the stuff that can be substituted by pots/scrolls/wands... but all these are enchancements... so you can try them by yourself.

Suggestion: 15 dex and 15 con. So you can get Grandmaster of air and Mountain with +3 Tomes (they are not so difficult to get at 20+ lvls... and by them you will probably have enough plat to buy at the AH).

Cleave is somewhat useful... but great cleave, IMHO is too much as you can't qualify to Overwhelming Critical (epic feat) with your base strength.

My monk has Zen Archery and 10k stars... doesn't make him a proper archer but it is useful in some situations (mobs that you can't reach, Lob pillars, etc).

[TeacherSyn]

Void IV is very useful against Wisps which are all over the current end-game content and highly susceptible to Force damage. Without some Chain/Force Missiles or Tactical Detonation/Prismatic Strike luvin', Void IV is your best option as they are deucedly difficult to kite into Blade Barriers and have an SR that makes Drow Necromancers jealous.

Concur. Other classes lose their minds over the lightning strikes of these things--something that Monks just roll their eyes at for a moment as they pull on their Force Burst handwraps. I prefer these over the Void Strikes in terms of ridding them fast--but Void IV does bring them down far more quickly.

[TeacherSyn]

One quick piggy-back point on Spencerian, there used to be Disease Immunity items in DDO that made people look very far down their noses at Remove Disease (and relevant to Mummy Rot, Remove Curse) abilities. The Immunity items were removed while the Mummy Rot (et al) abilities were ignored, because that is how Turbine rolls. This has made the light monk abilities Spence mentions more appealing, but they are still not very appealing to me.

Absolutely. Thanks for reminding us. It wasn't long ago when I was out in the Sands I saw that I had the Rot on my Monk. I removed the curse but saw that I still had it. A "***" game mechanics moment for me. So, yes, more than before, having these two spell-like abilities isn't just a good thing but a resource necessity against mummies, since it also seems that they've increased the chances of you getting the Rot. No one is immune from the Rot now. You'll be a welcome party member when the Cleric is busy/nonexistent/hadn't prepped their spells and others had forgot/used up their remove curse and disease potions. Just ask the party to save more enemies for you to generate ki and plow on.

[SlayerInFlorida]

I really appreciate all the feedback. I have taken inputs from each post and modified the original build as follows.

Feats

Replaced cleave/great cleave with the Dodge line.

Skills

Added Hide/Move Silently
Removed UMD
Alternated raising Balance/Jump
Less in Spot

Enhancements removed

Monk wisdom II
Improved Jump I/II
Improved Concentration I/II
Improved Spot II
Way of the Patient Tortoise II

Enhancements added

Human versatility I/II
Human Adaptability Wisdom I
Ten Thousand Stars
Difficulty at the Beginning
Unbalancing Strike
The Receptive Earth

Does anyone recommend any other tweaks? Is the order of the feats optimal?

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.14.02
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Monk 
Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(20 Monk) 
Hit Points: 292
Spell Points: 0 
BAB: 15\15\20\25\25
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 16
Will: 20

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             14                    16
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         14                    16
Intelligence          8                     8
Wisdom               16                    26
Charisma              8                     8

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 8
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 20 (or earlier)
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 20 (or earlier)
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 20 (or earlier)
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 20 (or earlier)

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               7                    14
Concentration         6                    38
Hide                  5                    25
Jump                  5                    11
Move Silently         5                    25
Spot                  3                    18
Tumble                4                     5
Use Magic Device     n/a                   n/a

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

Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Precision

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

Level 6 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Mobility
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack

Level 9 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Weapon Fighting

Level 12 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons

Level 15 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting

Level 18 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack

Enhancement: Monk Serenity
Enhancement: Human Adaptability Wisdom I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery I
Enhancement: Human Improved Recovery II
Enhancement: Human Versatility I
Enhancement: Human Versatility II
Enhancement: Ten Thousand Stars
Enhancement: Way of the Patient Tortoise I
Enhancement: The Receptive Earth
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: Void Strike I
Enhancement: Void Strike II
Enhancement: Void Strike III
Enhancement: Void Strike IV
Enhancement: Difficulty at the Beginning
Enhancement: Unbalancing Strike
Enhancement: Adept of Wind
Enhancement: Grandmaster of Storms
Enhancement: Master of Thunder
Enhancement: Adept of Rock
Enhancement: Master of Stone
Enhancement: Adept of Flame
Enhancement: Master of Bonfires
Enhancement: Adept of Rain
Enhancement: Master of the Sea
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Spot I *Required for AP progression
Enhancement: Monk Wisdom I

[SensaiRyu]

Bear in mind that Improved Sunder can increase your effective stun DCs by reducing the fort saves of the sundered.

If you use IS/SF as a combo, your stun DC is essentially +3 more. IS' fort save reduction can be stacked 5 times (24 second timer for each IS fort save reduction).

I actually enjoy the cleave line. OC or not. It's very useful for priming Blitz and doesn't cost any ki. I have a blitz priming quickbar - sunder, GC, C, trip. Repeat.

Since you can't run Precision and Power Attack... maybe take cleave for the Shintao pre-req.

But it's first life. Try it out. You'll do fine either way.

[SlayerInFlorida]

Since you can't run Precision and Power Attack... maybe take cleave for the Shintao pre-req.

I didn't realize that i can't have both Precision and Power Attack enabled at the same time.

[JOTMON]

I didn't realize that i can't have both Precision and Power Attack enabled at the same time.

Nope, cant.. activating one disables the other.

Both are usefull I opted for PA and worked in combat expertise so I could get whirlwind.. it may be broken for melee classes but works great for monks. (dropped improved crit)

[SlayerInFlorida]

Dropping Precision and picking up Cleave. My int is too low for combat expertise.
Revised build in OP.

[Wipey]

Why wouldn't you value ability to self heal ( self frikkin healing, which half the forums in last two years are about lol ) with umd over situational hide/move silently.
If you have points to spare, get umd.
Fighters, rogues, every multi tr vet, everyone with good toons and in these videos and achievements have self healing.

[TeacherSyn]

Why wouldn't you value ability to self heal ( self frikkin healing, which half the forums in last two years are about lol ) with umd over situational hide/move silently.
If you have points to spare, get umd.
Fighters, rogues, every multi tr vet, everyone with good toons and in these videos and achievements have self healing.

He's a Light Monk already, 1st life, and in the current build has all Improved Recovery enhancements. With only this, he should have a respectable amp from Healing Ki, never mind Jidz-Tetka bracers, convalescent items, lesser/greater Vampiric wraps/weapons or Purple Dragon Gauntlets or Dragontouched Vestments with the right runes that will help healing further.

UMD, as you know, is a cross-class skill. He really needs those points elsewhere and it's not necessary. He won't be the best sneaking player, but a few points in Hide/Move Silently that work is a far cry better than doubling the effort for UMD with a low CHA and a smaller than better chance to heal off a wand or scroll. Stealth is so undervalued, but it's not that expensive.

Other players have figured this balance with getting UMD to work, especially for Dark Monks that need it more. If he could make a Half-Elf (which the OP noted he cannot), I'd steer him there. It is his first Monk, so it's better to understand what the class can do on its own class skills and enhancements before getting colorful with UMD. Based on that build, he should do great, provided he does as other Monks do--spam Fists of Light as needed and/or use vampiric wraps. He should be getting 2-4 HP per hit at base. In the 2nd life, experiments and tweaking from others might add to his versatility as he'll have a few more resources.

On the latest build: Looks great! You could avoid Mobility and Spring Attack and take an elective feat or two if the extra Dodge bonuses that you get from these are less appealing. If you can find 13 INT for Combat Expertise, then (with the current build) try for Whirlwind Attack, which is most awesome on a Monk. That might, however, mean a compromise somewhere else. Looking forward to seeing how it works for you.

[Silverleafeon]

Something to consider is Half Elf with Cleric Dilly.