Eldritch Monk - It's my first build so I'd love some advice!

[shenanigans920]

Like the title says, this is my first build I've made by my self, I got the idea after playing a Qstaff monk until about lvl 8, and then seeing an eldritch monk player and looking at the tree and thinking it would be a fun char to play.. then put the two together. I searched the forums and found this build. I switched to the spalsh of rogue to get the 15% faster attack speed, opted for wraith form and monk capstone instead of perma tensers (which I can cast if I need to),switched race also since I will be in wraith form and won't be healing with reconstruct. Any advice would be great, I'm sure I missed things so thats why I'm putting it here so some more experienced players a builders could take a look at it, I'll try to answer any questions you have. Thanks!

For a 32 pt build you could just start with 15 con

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Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(6 Monk \ 2 Rogue \ 12 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 292
Spell Points: 650 
BAB: 11\11\16\21
Fortitude: 12
Reflex: 13
Will: 12

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(34 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    23
Dexterity            13                    13
Constitution         16                    17
Intelligence         11                    11
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma              8                     8

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               5                    11
Bluff                -1                    -1
Concentration         7                    26
Diplomacy            -1                    -1
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -1                    -1
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                  1                     1
Intimidate           -1                    -1
Jump                  8                    13
Listen               -1                    -1
Move Silently         1                     1
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                0                     0
Search                0                     0
Spellcraft            0                    23
Spot                 -1                    -1
Swim                  4                     6
Tumble                5                     8
Use Magic Device      1                    22

Level 1 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Human Bonus) Cleave
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Dodge
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Druid
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Feat: (Automatic) AC Bonus
Feat: (Automatic) Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Defensive Fighting
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Kama
Feat: (Automatic) Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Shuriken
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves
Feat: (Automatic) Flurry of Blows
Feat: (Automatic) Heroic Durability
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Handaxe
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Club
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Dagger
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Heavy Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Light Crossbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Quarterstaff
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak
Feat: (Automatic) The Way of Air
Feat: (Automatic) The Way of Fire
Feat: (Automatic) The Way of Earth
Feat: (Automatic) The Way of Water
Feat: (Automatic) Unarmed Strike


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Mobility
Feat: (Automatic) Evasion
Feat: (Automatic) Meditation
Feat: (Automatic) Sunder
Feat: (Automatic) Trip


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Deflect Arrows
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness
Feat: (Automatic) Fast Movement
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves: Path of Harmonious Balance (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Finishing Moves: Path of Inevitable Dominion (ALL)
Feat: (Automatic) Still Mind


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Spellcraft (+3)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Extend Spell
Feat: (Automatic) Dismiss Charm
Feat: (Automatic) Inscribe Wizard Scroll
Feat: (Automatic) Magical Training
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency: Throwing Dagger


Level 5 (Wizard)
Skill: Spellcraft (+3)


Level 6 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 7 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)


Level 8 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Mental Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Improved Heroic Durability


Level 9 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Great Cleave


Level 10 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 11 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 12 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Spring Attack


Level 13 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Quicken Spell


Level 14 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 15 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Automatic) Ki Strike: Magic
Feat: (Automatic) Slow Fall


Level 17 (Monk)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)
Feat: (Automatic) Purity of Body


Level 18 (Monk)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Master of Forms
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Toughness
Feat: (Automatic) Adept of Forms


Level 19 (Rogue)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+9)
Feat: (Automatic) Light Armor Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Rapier
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortsword
Feat: (Automatic) Martial Weapon Proficiency: Shortbow
Feat: (Automatic) Simple Weapon Proficiency
Feat: (Automatic) Sneak Attack
Feat: (Automatic) Trapfinding


Level 20 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Spellcraft (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)
Enhancement: Human - Human Versatility: Damage Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Riddle of Fire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Ki Bolt (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - All-Consuming Flame (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Way of the Patient Tortoise (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Porous Soul (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Quick Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Quick Strike (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Quick Strike (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Fists of Iron (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Winter's Touch (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Lighting the Candle (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Lighting the Candle (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Lighting the Candle (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Static Charge (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Void Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Specialization (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Dark Reaping (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Shroud of the Zombie (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Shroud of the Vampire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Shroud of the Wraith (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Necrotic Touch (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Necrotic Touch (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Necrotic Touch (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Deathless Vigor (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Negative Energy Conduit (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Negative Energy Conduit (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Negative Energy Conduit (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Bone Armor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Bone Armor (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Bone Armor (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Pale Master (Wiz) - Constitution (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Eldritch Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Spellsword: Flame (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Spellsword: Acid (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Spellsword: Frost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Mage Armor (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Mage Armor (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Mage Armor (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Shield (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Shield (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Improved Shield (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Wand and Scroll Mastery (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Wand and Scroll Mastery (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Wand and Scroll Mastery (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Arcane Barrier (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Arcane Barrier (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Eldritch Knight (Wiz) - Arcane Barrier (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Staff Control (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Thief Acrobatics (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Thief Acrobatics (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Thief Acrobatics (Rank 3)

[Saekee]

Hmmmn strange build--you are taking a lot of feats for ranged but the IC is bludgeon? I assume that the advantage of 12 wiz is wraith form more than EK; EK is better for a splash. But then wraith form is kind of redundant with dark monk since the latter gets incorporeality. EK enhancement line benefits from shield use, which you cannot do as a monk (or Q staff user). So you do not get the benefit of taking all the AP there.

[Darkvx]

I'm not a fan of min/maxing but in an mmo you have no choose. Your ability points are to spread out, HP is to low (even after gear) for a melee.

It seems like you want to focus on using staffs

If you take 3 rogue and get Stick Fighting drop strength to an 11 for 18 dexterity raising ac and reflex saves. You can use a +2 str tome to get power attack cleave/gcleave.

I would also dump wisdom or Int, wisdom doesn't do much for the build 2-4 ac 2-4 will save. Int will be needed for spell points, skills and you need at least a 17 to cast level seven spells(unless this changed).

Drop rapid shot, drop point blank shot and Zen Archery. pick up mobility, spring attack and whirlwind attack.

I would have starting stats like

Str 11
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 11
Wis 6
Con 6

[dunklezhan]

edit: NVM. I'm being an idiot.

[shenanigans920]

I'm not a fan of min/maxing that's an an mmo you have no choose. Your ability points are to spread out, HP is to low (even after gear) for a melee.

It seems like you want to focus on using staffs

If you take 3 rogue and get Stick Fighting drop strength to an 11 for 18 dexterity raising ac and reflex saves. You can use a +2 str tome to get power attack cleave/gcleave.

I would also dump wisdom or Int, wisdom doesn't do much for the build 2-4 ac 2-4 will save. Int will be needed for spell points, skills and you need at least a 17 to cast level seven spells(unless this changed).

Drop rapid shot, drop point blank shot and Zen Archery. pick up mobility, spring attack and whirlwind attack.

I would have starting stats like

Str 11
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 11
Wis 6
Con 6

ITS A BOY!!!!!! YAY!!!!!

But in other news, I love the stick fighting idea thats just the kind of tip I was looking for, I think I can drop a level of wiz to make up for it and not lose anything important. My stats were originally going to be str and con heavy, but I had to change them too much to have the feats I wanted available, but dropping zen archery I won't need wis any more, or need a +5 dex tome to get anything, +2 str is a lot more reasonable. Does spring attack effect glancing blows? The happens while attacking and moving right? And the wiki says whirlwind attack is bugged and doesn't work on melee weapons, just unarmed, do you know if that's fixed or not? Not familiar with some of the mechanics of the game still, my highest level guy is only 10 lol. I'm hoping the extra con will help with the low health, I'm also not sure what buffed and geared stats will be since I'm not sure about optimal end gear and buffs I'll have.

I'm on mobile right now, I'll update the build when I get home.

[Fhtagn]

Hey,
I sure like the concept, especially for the fact that you are, in fact, playing what you feel like playing and trying out things instead of just copying the flavor of the month build.
A few points you might want to consider:


1. Leveling is a lot easier, faster and more fun if you get that 13 starting strength for Power Attack and Cleave at lvl 1.

2. While you can go for a dex build and profit from the reflex and ac, most players would probably agree that not going for strength and including Overwhelming Critical when you get to lvl 21 severely hurts your damage output. Also, strength tends to be easier to buff than dexterity.

3. That being said, it's a choice between defense and offense, basically, and might also be a question of what feels right for you. Both should work fine outside of Epic Elite content.

4. Speaking of defense, when you have 11 levels of wizard, you might want to consider a 12th one. This would allow you to run around in Wraith Form, granting you 25% miss chance due to Incorporeality and 100% Fortification as well as constitution drain on crititcal hits.
Being undead also allows you to self-heal with Negative Energy Burst and Aura of Death (which, incidentally, are both lvl 4 spells, meaning that if you mostly frontload your non-caster levels, they come around just when the difficulty of the quests you're running tends to curve upwards).

You could probably drop a level of monk in this case, since you would not profit from Shadow Veil any longer.

5. Eldritch Knight enhancements indeed seem to intended mainly for armor-wearing S&B users, neither of which work with being centered. So you might want to invest only a few points into the Eldritch Knight tree.


All in all, taking Wraith form into account, you'd be looking at a very solid defense: displacement, incorporeality, 100% free fortification and the ability to buff resistances, haste and greater heroism to boot, all that with very decent self-healing. Sure sounds nice to me.

Hopefully this is helpful and doesn't feel like badgering.


Edit: Congratulations!

[shenanigans920]

Hey,
I sure like the concept, especially for the fact that you are, in fact, playing what you feel like playing and trying out things instead of just copying the flavor of the month build.
A few points you might want to consider:


1. Leveling is a lot easier, faster and more fun if you get that 13 starting strength for Power Attack and Cleave at lvl 1.

2. While you can go for a dex build and profit from the reflex and ac, most players would probably agree that not going for strength and including Overwhelming Critical when you get to lvl 21 severely hurts your damage output. Also, strength tends to be easier to buff than dexterity.

3. That being said, it's a choice between defense and offense, basically, and might also be a question of what feels right for you. Both should work fine outside of Epic Elite content.

4. Speaking of defense, when you have 11 levels of wizard, you might want to consider a 12th one. This would allow you to run around in Wraith Form, granting you 25% miss chance due to Incorporeality and 100% Fortification as well as constitution drain on crititcal hits.
Being undead also allows you to self-heal with Negative Energy Burst and Aura of Death (which, incidentally, are both lvl 4 spells, meaning that if you mostly frontload your non-caster levels, they come around just when the difficulty of the quests you're running tends to curve upwards).

You could probably drop a level of monk in this case, since you would not profit from Shadow Veil any longer.

5. Eldritch Knight enhancements indeed seem to intended mainly for armor-wearing S&B users, neither of which work with being centered. So you might want to invest only a few points into the Eldritch Knight tree.


All in all, taking Wraith form into account, you'd be looking at a very solid defense: displacement, incorporeality, 100% free fortification and the ability to buff resistances, haste and greater heroism to boot, all that with very decent self-healing. Sure sounds nice to me.

Hopefully this is helpful and doesn't feel like badgering.


Edit: Congratulations!

Alright, so first off thanks for being nice and criticizing at the same time and not being rude about it, it definitely made me consider your suggestions a lot more lol.

1. I started 12 str and 12 int so I could get an extra skill point every level because it was a little starved of points, but I switched the build to 34 pt because I'll probably just tr the guy I'm playing now into this. So I'll probably fix that in the dex build.

2. After I cut out some ranged and zen archery feats (my original build was str based but I spread around my stat points too much to accommodate for zen archery [13 wis] and some ranged feats including manyshot [base 13 dex with a +4 tome later on]) I didn't even try to rework the str build because the dex looked promising. I'm going to work on a str build again with your advice but keep the dex build because its also do-able like you said, choice between offence and defense. I'm also going to go human and see what I can do with 4/4 monk and rogue thanks to some advice from fTdOmen.

4. (I skipped 3, answered that in the last one) I was planning on using permanent Tenser's from the EK capstone, any idea if I can use that and wraith form? If I can, then like fTdOmen said I might as well switch to human (considering Horc as I'm writing this but we'll see when I get to the char builder) because I'm not getting anything self healing from reconstruct any more.

5. If you look through the tree and see which enhancements I took, none of them are s&b or armor using but they are all still useful, and its just a preference too really, the idea of the build is to be a spell-enhanced melee fighter.

Working on the build now and will post when I get it finished! Thanks again :]

[Saekee]

I'm not a fan of min/maxing but in an mmo you have no choose. Your ability points are to spread out, HP is to low (even after gear) for a melee.

It seems like you want to focus on using staffs

If you take 3 rogue and get Stick Fighting drop strength to an 11 for 18 dexterity raising ac and reflex saves. You can use a +2 str tome to get power attack cleave/gcleave.

I would also dump wisdom or Int, wisdom doesn't do much for the build 2-4 ac 2-4 will save. Int will be needed for spell points, skills and you need at least a 17 to cast level seven spells(unless this changed).

Drop rapid shot, drop point blank shot and Zen Archery. pick up mobility, spring attack and whirlwind attack.

I would have starting stats like

Str 11
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 11
Wis 6
Con 6

I second this and CONGRATULATIONS on the boy!

[Munkenmo]

If you changed from your 11/6/3 to a 12/4/4

Youll qualify for the auto granted uncanny dodge feat granted at rogue level 4 (its worth 6dodge at level 20)
Youll still get 6% dodge from you monk levels
You could pick up wraith form form for incorp and healing.

Youll lose the free stance feat granted at 6th monk & 5% movement speed.
It makes warforged a bit of a weaker choice, id probably go human.

[Darkvx]

Hmmmn strange build--you are taking a lot of feats for ranged but the IC is bludgeon? I assume that the advantage of 12 wiz is wraith form more than EK; EK is better for a splash. But then wraith form is kind of redundant with dark monk since the latter gets incorporeality. EK enhancement line benefits from shield use, which you cannot do as a monk (or Q staff user). So you do not get the benefit of taking all the AP there.

EK doesn't require a shield, you just skip Eldritch Shield, Shield Striking and Shield Training. He didnt take an pale master enhancements so no wrath.

[shenanigans920]

Hmmmn strange build--you are taking a lot of feats for ranged but the IC is bludgeon? I assume that the advantage of 12 wiz is wraith form more than EK; EK is better for a splash. But then wraith form is kind of redundant with dark monk since the latter gets incorporeality. EK enhancement line benefits from shield use, which you cannot do as a monk (or Q staff user). So you do not get the benefit of taking all the AP there.

The ranged feats were so I have some kind of ranged damage when it comes to it, I'll see what else I can do about that, I have 10k stars so I could probably drop manyshot without too big of a difference, not counting on long term ranged fights anyways.

IC:bludgeon is because I was planning on using staves.

Advantage of wiz 12 was more for the reconstruct spell available at lvl 11, I'll look into the wraith for though..

I went dark because I put a point into Touch of Despair finisher that give me 25 ki and 25 temp hp if they die within 30 sec of hitting with the finisher, would light work better?

EK benefits from shields but only if you put the enhancement points into it, I didn't.

Sorry if this sounds curt or rude, got to leave soon for an ultrasound, finding out if I'm having a boy or girl today! *crossesfingersforaboy*

I'll respond to some other posts when I get back :]