Fighter 12/Ranger 6/Monk 2 Dual wielding Halfling

[Fecerak]

So this post was just to show an example of a potentially fairly strong multiclass build that should work really well after the enhancements if they had gone live as is. It used synergy between a light ranger splash and TWF, and between kensei and monk. Any numbers here will be taken from the toon I used, however that toon have access to EE gear from lama, but on the other hand the items aren't really setup optimally, and there are lots of room for improvement (for instance I'm thinking that using epic diabolist robe is clearly not the best armor to be using). Also, the only tome the build is currently using is a +2 str one, so all the stats could also be improved if I actually had used better tomes.

Halfling
Fighter 12/Ranger 6/Monk 2

Stats (32 pt):
11 Str (or 10 if you feel like using a +3 str tome)
20 Dex+levelups
14 Con
10 Int
11 Wis
8 Cha

Feats:
Ranger Automatically gives TWF, iTWF, Precise Shot, Manyshot, Bow Strength and Rapid Shot. The build currently isn't using manyshot too much though.

9 Base+7 Fighter+2 Monk = 18 feats
Power Attack
Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Deflect Arrows
WF, GWF, WSpec and GWSpec: Slashing (could also go pierce if you prefer shortswords to scimitars)
Improved Critical: Slashing
Adept, Master and Grandmaster of Forms
GTWF

And then you have 4 feats to do w/e with. Personally I was just leveling quickly, so didn't really think very much about what to take, but I personally ended up taking Magical Training (for cocoon), Toughness (more hp never hurts), Quick Draw (had no clue what to take at that point, and figured I would be using quite a few action boosts). I don't actually know what the last feat is, as I can't find any more in my feat list, but might just be another toughness. Power critical or great ability (dex) might also be decent options.

Enhancements:
Using the Halfling, Kensei, DWS and Tempest trees.

Halfling:
First 2 core abilities (+1 dex, +1 all saves), as well as 1 cunning and 1 guile (7 points total)

Kensei:
One in all of the arrows leading up to one with the blade. I also grabbed 3 ranks in contemplation, 2 in improved dodge, 2 in crit attack and 2 in crit damage, and 2 extra dex. I also grabbed the level 3 and 6 core abilities. (Spent 43 points total) (note - I didn't take the +8 str boost, since I do not see any need for it, since I'm always using dex for damage)

Tempest:
Lots of options here, but to me, 3 ranks in improved defense is the most important (deflect arrow with 2 sec CD really feels like it adds up). Also grabbed a rank in sprint boost, some TWF damage, and obviously the level 3 and 6 core abilities.

DWS:
Fairly straightforward - 3/3 in stealthy for 1d6 SA, 1 rank in damage boost, level 3 and 6 core abilities (exposing strike is really good, especially when soloing).

I used shadowdancer as my epic destiny, 6d6 SA is really good when you have a way to get it to work most of the time, and it also offers more survivability, which never is bad. Twisted cocoon, sense weakness and GmoF 1.5W when using weapons that center you.

Now, for a listing of what I actually have that makes this build fairly nice:
Currently sitting at 46 dex, which helps a lot with ref save, AC and damage.
Full GM stances, and centered, using dual scimitars (or some other light weapon). This allows the use of GM wind stance for 10% doublestrike and no dependency on haste or the likes, or lets you use GM earth to get +30 PRR and the crit multiplier (assuming you twist the GmoF earth stance thingy or are in GmoF).
90% offhand strike due to tempest
Fairly good executioners strike DC whenever it procs (7 base+7 charges+25 level+18 dex=57 - and you could easily get a higher dex than me with some tomes, etc.)
10d6+13 SA combined with exposing strike to make you able to abuse it, together with your already really good attack speed.
Lots of defensive abilities, in the form of dodge (was sitting at 20% with 7 shadow charges), 25% incorp, can grab blurry, and even ac shouldn't be too hard to buff up to decency (while it won't help you a lot, it shouldn't be too hard to use for decent benefits either)
Manyshot if you ever feel the need to use it.

Also, if the current really high AP costs to get stuff gets reduced the build would only get better, as it could then get say more small damage bonuses from tempest, or some PRR, etcetc.

EDIT: Realised that it's probably worth it to take the power surge in kensei, not to get the actual surge, but because of the +1% doublestrike you get, and that you weapon can get another +1 from the 2nd ability or w/e. So dropped 1 seeker, and grabbed the power surge and another 1% dodge.

[CoasterHops]

So this post was just to show an example of a potentially fairly strong multiclass build that should work really well after the enhancements if they had gone live as is. It used synergy between a light ranger splash and TWF, and between kensei and monk. Any numbers here will be taken from the toon I used, however that toon have access to EE gear from lama, but on the other hand the items aren't really setup optimally, and there are lots of room for improvement (for instance I'm thinking that using epic diabolist robe is clearly not the best armor to be using). Also, the only tome the build is currently using is a +2 str one, so all the stats could also be improved if I actually had used better tomes.

Halfling
Fighter 12/Ranger 6/Monk 2

Stats (32 pt):
11 Str (or 10 if you feel like using a +3 str tome)
20 Dex+levelups
14 Con
10 Int
11 Wis
8 Cha

Feats:
Ranger Automatically gives TWF, iTWF, Precise Shot, Manyshot, Bow Strength and Rapid Shot. The build currently isn't using manyshot too much though.

9 Base+7 Fighter+2 Monk = 18 feats
Power Attack
Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Deflect Arrows
WF, GWF, WSpec and GWSpec: Slashing (could also go pierce if you prefer shortswords to scimitars)
Improved Critical: Slashing
Adept, Master and Grandmaster of Forms
GTWF

And then you have 4 feats to do w/e with. Personally I was just leveling quickly, so didn't really think very much about what to take, but I personally ended up taking Magical Training (for cocoon), Toughness (more hp never hurts), Quick Draw (had no clue what to take at that point, and figured I would be using quite a few action boosts). I don't actually know what the last feat is, as I can't find any more in my feat list, but might just be another toughness. Power critical or great ability (dex) might also be decent options.

Enhancements:
Using the Halfling, Kensei, DWS and Tempest trees.

Halfling:
First 2 core abilities (+1 dex, +1 all saves), as well as 1 cunning and 1 guile (7 points total)

Kensei:
One in all of the arrows leading up to one with the blade. I also grabbed 3 ranks in contemplation, 2 in improved dodge, 2 in crit attack and 2 in crit damage, and 2 extra dex. I also grabbed the level 3 and 6 core abilities. (Spent 43 points total) (note - I didn't take the +8 str boost, since I do not see any need for it, since I'm always using dex for damage)

Tempest:
Lots of options here, but to me, 3 ranks in improved defense is the most important (deflect arrow with 2 sec CD really feels like it adds up). Also grabbed a rank in sprint boost, some TWF damage, and obviously the level 3 and 6 core abilities.

DWS:
Fairly straightforward - 3/3 in stealthy for 1d6 SA, 1 rank in damage boost, level 3 and 6 core abilities (exposing strike is really good, especially when soloing).

I used shadowdancer as my epic destiny, 6d6 SA is really good when you have a way to get it to work most of the time, and it also offers more survivability, which never is bad. Twisted cocoon, sense weakness and GmoF 1.5W when using weapons that center you.

Now, for a listing of what I actually have that makes this build fairly nice:
Currently sitting at 46 dex, which helps a lot with ref save, AC and damage.
Full GM stances, and centered, using dual scimitars (or some other light weapon). This allows the use of GM wind stance for 10% doublestrike and no dependency on haste or the likes, or lets you use GM earth to get +30 PRR and the crit multiplier (assuming you twist the GmoF earth stance thingy or are in GmoF).
90% offhand strike due to tempest
Fairly good executioners strike DC whenever it procs (7 base+7 charges+25 level+18 dex=57 - and you could easily get a higher dex than me with some tomes, etc.)
10d6+13 SA combined with exposing strike to make you able to abuse it, together with your already really good attack speed.
Lots of defensive abilities, in the form of dodge (was sitting at 20% with 7 shadow charges), 25% incorp, can grab blurry, and even ac shouldn't be too hard to buff up to decency (while it won't help you a lot, it shouldn't be too hard to use for decent benefits either)
Manyshot if you ever feel the need to use it.

Also, if the current really high AP costs to get stuff gets reduced the build would only get better, as it could then get say more small damage bonuses from tempest, or some PRR, etcetc.

EDIT: Realised that it's probably worth it to take the power surge in kensei, not to get the actual surge, but because of the +1% doublestrike you get, and that you weapon can get another +1 from the 2nd ability or w/e. So dropped 1 seeker, and grabbed the power surge and another 1% dodge.

This is exactly the sort of thing I want to build, not OP in comparison to many of todays builds, but different and makes use of an ED that isn't too popular with many of todays melee builds.

It looks solid, about on par with todays typical melee builds but most of all fun to play. Did you think about the halfling healing dragonmarks? or would this lock out some of the other abilities due to AP spent?

[Fecerak]

You could grab the healing dragonmark, but if so I'd advise to do it with 3 feats instead of 1 feat+enhancements.

The build is fairly tight in enhancements, since there is so much good stuff that it wants. It could probably spare a few to get the 3 extra uses in tier 1, but it would likely come at the cost of either 1d6 SA or some dex and saves bonus, or exposing strike.

You should always spend exactly 43 points in kensei with this build IMO (although you could go up to 45 to get the execute), but the other AP has really many good uses, and you have no hope of getting them all. You are also required to spend 12 AP in tempest to get the dex to damage.

This leaves you with only 25 points to work with for the rest of the trees.

I personally ended up with 12 in DWS (minimum for exposing strike, also nets me another 2d6 SA), 18 in tempest (basically all the leftovers after the best DWS and halfling enhancements were taken), and 7 in halfling (1d6 SA, +1 dex, +1 all saves).

Since the build is really reliant on sneak attack, I'm thinking that you really should get both exposing strike and tempest level 6 ability, which only leaves you with 13 points to racial tree if you want to spend all of it there, but that might be enough to grab the healing enhancements for all I know.

[Fecerak]

Also note that one could easily make a strength based version of the build to abuse 15-20/x3 khopeshes or a dex based version with finesse and improved finesse from DWS to abuse 13-20/x3 balizardes, or a str based LD using 13-20/x3 mohrnaughts.

[shadereaper33]

how do you get the grandmaster stances with only 2 levels of monk? They aren't enhancements anymore, but rather autogranted feats at levels 6,12,and 18 of monk. All you could use with this build would be the base stances.

[Fecerak]

The autogranted feats can now be selected as a feat you get from leveling up (level 6, 9, 12, 15, etc.) if you have at least 1 monk level.

Basically, they require 6/12/18 character levels and 1 monk level, so anyone with a monk level can grab gm stances by spending 3 feats.

[Davelfus]

one thing is worring me quite a bit about the monk splash

- you can keep centered with any weapon as a kensai
- get the ultimate monk stances (which let's be honest, are quite good)
- the elemental strikes that can be used with any weapon add quite some dmg, and kensai can generate more ki on power surge
- evasion
- maybe some more i'm forgetting

why would a kensai fighter stay pure btw? (rly forgot what the capstone does)
or actually, why would a kensai fighter not splash monk?
how is the defensive side of a kensai? is heavy armor rly important or can you get by using robes anyways?


I have on live a bit old kensai ninja elf (with dragon mark for displace and the shadow fade) that uses long swords. it was more for flavor than anything else. but it was quite a nice build already even with the ls.

but it was quite expensive in feats to use them (shortswords would be easier, but anyways), and anyone who played a unarmed kensai monk know how powerfull they can be with the stuns and haste boosts (heh haste boost...)

so in general i'm seeing even less reason to not splash monk on a kensai fighter.

[Fecerak]

I'm thinking that post pass kensei will be fairly squishy, but using GM earth mitigates this.
Capstone is 10% doublestrike, but you get 10% doublestrike from GM wind anyways, so no reason to go pure when you get as much doublestrike in addition to evasion from splashing 2 monk (or GM earth, which possibly is more dps for some builds, in addition to more survivability). You also unlock more trees, because kensei as is run out of useful things to spend AP on, since stalwart being as limited as it is, isn't really worth spending points in at all, making you have ~30 points leftover which you without a splash only really can spend on racial enhancements, while now you can also use them to grab a couple d6 SA from ninja spy or some heal amp from shintao, etc.

Also - Defensive strikes as is would be insane for a 2HF Kensei monk - 50 PRR stance that reduces offhand strikes of your 2H weapon by 40%? Yes please.

[Davelfus]

Man you alerted the devs too soon about using 2HF weapons with that :P

doubt they will not add any other penality to thf or ranged for that matter

anyways, totaly agree with you, if any splash can get the top tier stances, don't see a reason to stay pure.
they would need to make the capstone way more attractive

think +1 threat range with the double strike would be interesting, or maybe +2[w]