13 Monk / 7 Wiz (Pale Master)

[Badhands]

I played back in Update 2, and have just recently picked the game up again. I've been playing for about two weeks and have knocked the rust off by playing a cleric to 14 and a barbarian/rogue to 12/2. When I came back I had a bunch of Turbine Points, so I bought Veteran Status II. As a result I can create level 7 characters (Yay!).

I was sitting around thinking of an interesting build I could play, and decided upon a 32-point build -- 11 monk / 7 wiz (pale master) / 2 something (2 rogue? 2 fighter? Or maybe 9 pale master, or 13 monk?). Essentially he would be a dark specced zombie-ninja, self-healing with death aura, casting aoe spells (because, as I understand it, they don't require spell pen) and punching things (as well as trapping, if I took 2 levels of rogue).

I have no desire to min-max a character for peak dps, tank, or whatever. I really just don't care that much and for the first 20 levels this game isn't extremely difficult anyway (unless you want it to be). What I'd love to hear is opinions on which variation(s) of this build (either 11/7/2, 11/9, or 13/7) could be viable in a duo and PUGs to level 20, as well as what particular considerations I'd have to take into account to best build this character (as far as stats, gear, feats, and spells).

So far I have built one just to see how it looks at level 7, and here's what I've come up with:

Race: Halfling
Class: Monk 1 / Wiz 6

Base Stats
Str: 12
Dex: 16
Con: 14
Int: 14
Wis: 16
Cha: 8

Feats: Dodge, Mobility, TWF, Spell Focus: Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy, Extend Spell

I'm sure that's not as good as it could be, that's why I'm here. Any constructive advice is very much appreciated.

[gphysalis]

Zombie form gives you the following dps changes:
Your unarmed damage is increased by two die steps, but you attack 20% slower than normal.

Is that really an increase in dps over having zombie form off? two die steps doesn't seem like it would be 20% attack speed

You might want to look at an 18 wiz / 2 monk build

You don't need greater spell focus necro if you're only going pale master I

Make sure that haste and rage are part of your spell selection.

If your int is higher than your dex (like a typical pale trapper) you can take insightful reflexes, but that doesn't seem to be the case given your current stats.

[Badhands]

Zombie form gives you the following dps changes:
Your unarmed damage is increased by two die steps, but you attack 20% slower than normal.

Is that really an increase in dps over having zombie form off? two die steps doesn't seem like it would be 20% attack speed
---
You don't need greater spell focus necro if you're only going pale master I

Make sure that haste and rage are part of your spell selection.

Zombie form also gets heavy fort right away without having to put it on equipment, and gives self-healing through death aura. I'm not certain about an increase in dps, but it seems like a reasonable trade anyway (or at least I'm willing to try it to find out).

Thanks for pointing out I don't need greater spell focus: necro, that extra feat will come in handy. Also, I had haste, but rage had slipped my mind.

[gphysalis]

I would recomend these spells

1: (shield/nightshield), jump (if you don't put lots of points in jump), tumble, (any 2 others)
2:blur, invisibility, lesser death aura until you get death aura, gust of wind (for clearing aoe effects)
3: haste, rage, displace
4: Death Aura, Negative Energy Burst (probably take fire wall instead while low level)

The problem with undead self healing with a partial wizard splash is 3 parts:
1. The only necro spell power from enhancements is from the pale master enhancements, which you can only get 1 of.
2. Death aura has a really short duration, even with extend (~90 sec)
3. Negative energy burst (emergency healing) scales with caster level (so does death aura, but not as sharply)

For gear:
robe of night would be a good choice of body slot because you probably won't be slotting negative spell power on your handwraps (yes i know that is really annoying to obtain)

[Daemoneyes]

I did a 13wiz/4fighter/3rogue, from experience i can say you want at least 12 lvl wiz.
(for more sp and wraith form)
But even with 12 wiz your sp will be low, try to have guildslot item & wizardy/archmage.

12wiz / 8mnk
12wiz / 6mnk / 2rogue

you do not need much int for the spells and that can be easy achieved with items. (also you dont get much sp from int)
So only as much int as you need for casting with a +6 item or as much you need for skillpoints.

Wraith form is great (perma incorporeal , 100% fortification, featherfall) and you need the sp anyway.
If you dont want to splash so much lvl you are better of with cleric splash 6lvl+
for continues selfhealing and buffs.

also nice
8clrc/12mnk
1wiz/12mnk/7clrc

[MalkavianX]

...<snip>...
12wiz / 8mnk
12wiz / 6mnk / 2rogue

...<snip>...

I thought about a build like this a few days ago. I had some questions though.

1. Assume you go 7 monk for Wholeness of Body. What happens when you're in wraith form and you use WoB, does WoB heal with positive energy? (I know you can just drop out of form, but if you didn't...)

2. Would more than 1 level of rogue be necessary? You get evasion from level 2 monk anyways...

3. Would it be worth going with 9 levels of monk just for Imp Evasion? I realize you'd lose wraith form but...

4. Wiki states that while in wraith form you deal constitution damage on unarmed critical hits, but while in vampire form your unarmed and melee attacks heal you for 1 point of negative energy damage (and the con dmg). Would it be worth going with vampire form at all? Is the 1 point of healing per hit worth the quad damage from light spells?

5. Going back to my first question, does Fists of Light heal with positive energy as well? If I was in undead mode and slapping a kobold in the face, would I be taking the 1d2 as damage to myself or healing?

The Fists of Light deals 4D6 additional positive damage on undead. A chance hit on an undead creature with the healing shield may deal an additional 1D50 positive damage on a vorpal strike (Natural 20 followed by critical confirmation).

6. What about stats? What kind of spread would be optimal? (assuming a 12 wiz/7 monk/1 rogue split)

7. Also, what race would have the most synergy with a 12/7/1 split?

8. Would it even be worth taking Stunning fist? Could you get your DC high enough to be effective?

[Daemoneyes]

I thought about a build like this a few days ago. I had some questions though.

1. Assume you go 7 monk for Wholeness of Body. What happens when you're in wraith form and you use WoB, does WoB heal with positive energy? (I know you can just drop out of form, but if you didn't...)

Didnt test it but i dont think WoB does heal you.
Positve energy does not effect you in Form.

2. Would more than 1 level of rogue be necessary? You get evasion from level 2 monk anyways...

Not necessary, it just makes it easier with the skillpoints.
If you have a +2 or better tome i dont think you will need more then 1lvl

3. Would it be worth going with 9 levels of monk just for Imp Evasion? I realize you'd lose wraith form but...

no wont be worth, zombie form is so much less dps its not even funny.
If you still want 9monk for impr evasion and tod then go for Warforged either with Sorc or Wiz Archmage, pm is not viable under 12lvl.

4. Wiki states that while in wraith form you deal constitution damage on unarmed critical hits, but while in vampire form your unarmed and melee attacks heal you for 1 point of negative energy damage (and the con dmg). Would it be worth going with vampire form at all? Is the 1 point of healing per hit worth the quad damage from light spells?

I have seen some Vamp builds but none of them made it alive to the end of a quest with light damage.
Dont forget your hp will be a lot lower than you are used to and 4times 60damage from a normal light damage hit increases to 240, now factor in that you are not always at max hp and zapp you are ashes.
You can take vamp for fun and for quests where you know that there is no light damage but even so i would stay Wraith because the 25% incorp make a huge difference. I know, i know, shadow form but you need 6lvl monk for it and you should max wiz lvl first to have the buffs and wraith form.

5. Going back to my first question, does Fists of Light heal with positive energy as well? If I was in undead mode and slapping a kobold in the face, would I be taking the 1d2 as damage to myself or healing?

nope Fists of Light do nothing for you in Undead form.
but you dont need it, death aura heals 40-80 and lesser death aura will bring another ~12

6. What about stats? What kind of spread would be optimal? (assuming a 12 wiz/7 monk/1 rogue split)

Well 13wiz/6mnk/1rogue sounds better if you are not into void strike 2.
Stats
Str 14 / Dex 14 / Con 14 / Int 12 / Wis 16 / Cha 8 (human 32p)
+3 dex tome, +2 int tome
Reduce Str if you dont have enough build points, ups in Wis for Stun DC / AC
Note: i didnt look up if that would give you enough skillpoints with only 1rogue lvl, so you may want to raise Int

7. Also, what race would have the most synergy with a 12/7/1 split?

Almost every Race
Human for the Feat and boost
Helf for Paladin Dile and boost
Halfling sneak damage and luck boni
Warforged tactics and hp / power attack
Dwarf Tactics / hp / save boni
It really depends on what you want and what PL you got, but none of them is bad.

First life i would probably take WF, you can selfrepair till Wraith form and in light damage heavy quests, get Stun DC boni and more damage with Power Attack and you are level drain immune / hold person immune

8. Would it even be worth taking Stunning fist? Could you get your DC high enough to be effective?

high enough for what?
heroic elite, yes quite easy to reach that with cannith challenge belt & stunning wraps
Epic hard, still easy with the above mentioned
Epic elite, very hard to reach DC that matters

[unbongwah]

The atk speed penalty from zombie form basically renders it a no-go for any melee build; dunno if it carries over into ranged atks too. [Zombie monkcher is worth a laugh.] If I did something like monk 12 / wiz 7, it would be for the buff spells, not zombie. Wraith or lich are much better melee options (e.g., monk 6 / wiz 12 / ftr 2 or monk 2 / wiz 18).

[TheLegendOfAra]

I built a Melee PM not to long ago.
I went 12Wizard/6Monk/1rogue
Dual wields ShortSwords(Specifically Celestias, or Armor piercing shortswords) through Dark Monk Pre.
Use Wraith for for incorporeality. It's a shame but Vamp for is just s**t..

Maxed INT, CON, rest into STR.
Took insightful reflexes and Scroll Insightful damage for damage mod.

Main destiny is Fury of the Wild for DPS/HP

Use wraps until you get dual Celestia's, or the epic shortswords from Lords of Dust.