Monkey King Build (WIP)

[Gremlin1forged]

Hi,

This is my first monk, a staff using Horc, and i wanted some feedback on it before trying it out in the game. Thanks in advance for any useful advice and comments.


Monkey King

Level 28 Lawful Neutral Half-Orc Male
(4 Fighter \ 12 Monk \ 4 Rogue \ 8 Epic)
Hit Points: 361
Spell Points: 0
BAB: 16\16\21\26\26
Fortitude: 15
Reflex: 21
Will: 14

Starting Ending Feat/Enhancement
Abilities Base Stats Base Stats Modified Stats
(32 Point) (Level 1) (Level 28) (Level 28)
Strength 16 18 20
Dexterity 14 20 20
Constitution 14 15 15
Intelligence 10 11 11
Wisdom 14 16 16
Charisma 10 11 11

Tomes Used
+1 Tome of Strength used at level 22
+1 Tome of Dexterity used at level 22
+1 Tome of Constitution used at level 22
+1 Tome of Intelligence used at level 22
+1 Tome of Wisdom used at level 22
+1 Tome of Charisma used at level 22

Starting Ending Feat/Enhancement
Base Skills Base Skills Modified Skills
Skills (Level 1) (Level 28) (Level 28)
Balance 6 22 31
Bluff 0 0 9
Concentration 6 18 30
Diplomacy 0 0 9
Disable Device n/a 15 23
Haggle 0 0 12
Heal 2 3 11
Hide 2 5 13
Intimidate 0 0 8
Jump 7 24 33
Listen 2 3 11
Move Silently 2 5 13
Open Lock n/a 20 28
Perform n/a n/a n/a
Repair 0 0 8
Search 0 0 8
Spellcraft 0 0 8
Spot 2 3 11
Swim 3 5 13
Tumble n/a n/a n/a
Use Magic Device 2 9 17

Level 1 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Dodge
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Two Handed Fighting


Level 2 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Mobility


Level 3 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Monk Path) Path of Inevitable Dominion: Fists of Darkness
Feat: (Selected) Weapon Focus: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 4 (Monk)
Ability Raise: STR
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 5 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Power Critical


Level 6 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Deflect Arrows
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Spring Attack


Level 7 (Rogue)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)


Level 8 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)


Level 9 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting


Level 10 (Fighter)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons


Level 11 (Rogue)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)


Level 12 (Rogue)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Disable Device (+3)
Skill: Open Lock (+3)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Selected) Adept of Forms


Level 13 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 14 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Precision


Level 15 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Handed Fighting


Level 16 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 17 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 18 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 19 (Monk)
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)


Level 20 (Monk)
Ability Raise: DEX
Skill: Balance (+1)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Jump (+1)


Level 21 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Grandmaster of Forms


Level 22 (Epic)


Level 23 (Epic)


Level 24 (Epic)
Ability Raise: DEX
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Overwhelming Critical


Level 25 (Epic)


Level 26 (Epic)
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Perfect Two Handed Fighting


Level 27 (Epic)
Feat: (Selected) Epic: Epic Damage Reduction


Level 28 (Epic)
Ability Raise: WIS
Feat: (Epic Destiny) Epic Destiny: Elusive Target
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Strength (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Fury (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Weapon Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Stubborn (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Stubborn (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Stubborn (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Orcish Weapon Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Half-Orc - Great Weapon Aptitude (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Riddle of Fire (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Ki Bolt (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Sounding Staff (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Mystic Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Negotiator (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Way of the Clever Monkey (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Quick Strike (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Eagle Claw Attack (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Contemplation (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) - Embrace the Void (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Embrace the Void (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Training (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Focus (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Staff Specialization (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Henshin Mystic (Mnk) - Shadows Cannot Exist Without Light (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Kensei Focus: Druidic Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Spiritual Bond (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Kensei Weapon Specialization: Druidic Weapons (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Haste Boost (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Improved Dodge (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Improved Dodge (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Improved Dodge (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Weapon Meditation (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Weapon Meditation (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Agility (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Agility (Rank 2)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Agility (Rank 3)
Enhancement: Kensei (Ftr) - Improved Mobility (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Staff Control (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Thief Acrobatics (Rank 1)
Enhancement: Thief-Acrobat (Rog) - Sly Flourish (Rank 1)


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[unbongwah]

A few things about this build puzzle me or seem suboptimal:

• Why so much WIS & CHA on a build w/out Stunning Fist or Div Might / Grace? Building for AC is a fools errand, IMHO, particularly on a build with so much Dodge and access to Shadow Veil.
• Several feats are weak: WF Blunt, Power Crit, Mobility, Spring Atk, Toughness. Also you don't need to take Adept of Forms, it's auto-granted by monk lvl 6.
• Why didn't you max out Acrobatics and Quick Strike in the Acro tree? Why no APs spent on Stalwart D. and Ninja? +25 PRR/MRR, Shadow Veil, and some extra Dodge & sneak atk for 17 APs is a pretty big deal.

Did you consider pally splash instead of ftr? You'd lose 3 feats and Kensei enhs; but you'd gain Div Might and access to Emp Heal and some Pos Spellpower.

[Gremlin1forged]

Actually i did consider a pally splash instead of fighter, but after running it thru the character planner it just didn't seem as good as the fighter stuff, i also considered a using barbarian levels (maybe his second life, if this works out). This is a stick fighter build hence the feat choice, but your right i made a mistake with the adept of forms, already planned to correct that,not sure what to take yet. Good points about the acrobat and ninja enhancements, i'll try doing that, luckily its easy to reset the enhancements. My biggest problem is how to use the stances and strikes with a staff, i've seen it done,kjust need to figure out how.

[Xyzima]

Actually i did consider a pally splash instead of fighter, but after running it thru the character planner it just didn't seem as good as the fighter stuff, i also considered a using barbarian levels (maybe his second life, if this works out). This is a stick fighter build hence the feat choice, but your right i made a mistake with the adept of forms, already planned to correct that,not sure what to take yet. Good points about the acrobat and ninja enhancements, i'll try doing that, luckily its easy to reset the enhancements. My biggest problem is how to use the stances and strikes with a staff, i've seen it done,kjust need to figure out how.

Cant take barbarian, or bard, with monk or paladin levels. Cant take Druid, with paladin.

You may want more Str for Overwhelming Critical, and Dex also if you reincarnate, i suggest lowering int to 9, or 8 if you get a +2 tome, with items, you shouldnt need more than 10 str. my character is a WIS monk, and has 4 ranks spent in jump, and more than 40 for the skill effect(which is max effectiveness). of course due to enhancements/items. your results will differ.

I would dump cha, and either focus on Dex, or Str. lots of your abilities will be based on this. TA sweeping strikes is dex based, and LD lay waste is STR based, i would recommend STR, because i would rather have one really good dc, and Lay waste is Character level based rather than class based. rather than 2 mediocre ones, should take sweeping regardless as it counts as a cleave for momentum swing. Dex improves your ref save of course. Both attacks target balance, Unbalancing strike targets reflex, and utilizes Wis, then lowers targets balance.

Take First level as a rogue, more skill points are available, which will help.
take the fighter levels late, preferably after whatever level your INT tomes give you skill points. if possible, and you dont need anything specific for a level, alternate classes ie: at level 7 you get +1 skill/level with a +2 tome and 8 base. take fighter at level 8, monk level 9, fighter level 10.. spend the skill points on a skill that isnt cross class, or a cross class skill that you want as high as possible, like UMD. that way you arent wasting skill points that monk or rogues get on skills that they can get 1 rank/point. i would play around in the planner until you find an order you like because the ed results can be better by alternating classes than just upping all skills you want every level.

Also, taking fighter later allows you to get the Feats that require a higher BaB as bonus Fighter Feats(GTHF/IC etc), opening slots like level 18 up for a feat like Grandmaster of Forms, this requires 12 monk levels PRIOR to level 18.

I would take rogue levels(for skill points only) at levels 1, 7 or 8 with base 8 int and +2 tome, 15 or 16(with a +4) and 20.
Your 19th ad 20th levels, should be fighter and rogue, rogue since it gets the most points.
again play around with the planner if you want to get the most out of your Skill points.

Enhancements.

From TA, you dont have to take Dex to damage, if your STR is higher, dont.
Get the 15% attack speed increase, and quick strikes, it has a better cooldown than the Henshin mystic one. 12 sec rather than 20.
Also it gets sweeping strikes, which counts as a cleave for momentum swing and lay waste chain, and trips, your DC will only be 12 + dex, but it targets balance, convienetly, Henshin can get unbalancing strikes, which lowers balance and makes targets vunerable to SA.
Also it has no mercy, which means you dont have to go into ninja spy for it.

This is just a preference not, but the ED legendary Dreadnaught at Tier 5 has Pulveriser, which does the same thing as staff specialization, from TA or Henshin. If you dont want another Tier 5 from either of those, other than staff specialization, you can free up some ap by utilizing the Legendary dreadnaught version, unfortuneately, you have to respec if you want to change EDs but LD is a good one, with abilites a staff user would love, like lightning mace(15% doublestrike everytime you crit.)

I would stop at Horc's 2nd str, and not get the last core, it requires you to be at low health, and while useful for that moment, being low health isnt good. so it would be wise to avoid it.

Absolutely spend 11 points in Ninja spy and get shadow veil. i suggest 3/3 +1(total 3%) dodge, 1 sneak attack, 3/3 Agility(doesnt stack and is cheaper than the kensei one so more AP is opened), and the first 3 core. 25% incorporeality is wonderful, also you get your own invis clickie. you can invest more into sneak attacks, if you want more damage. im not sure if No mercy from Ninja stacks with it from TA.(would be nice though)
Also if dark monk consider one of the touch of dispair finishers, unless you never use the finishers, i recommend the neg level, because neg levels are great for dps.


Horc:
You dont need the stubborn, though its not bad to have +3 will saves.
Instead, consider these:
Extra action boost, with fighter and LD haste boosts, Fighter and LD extra action boosts, you get 5 base of each, and 9 extra of each(10 with an item like alchemist's pendant) for a total of 30 haste boosts, you may not need that many, so spending points elseware, either AP or the ED ones is viable. LD lowers cooldown of Action boosts to 20 seconds, and the level 5 core ability increases damage to helpless opponents.
Also consider Brutality, for 20% more damage to helpless opponents.


Kensei:
Improved dodge, is useful, keep in mind your dodge cap, and where else you get dodge from before taking it though. Ninja spy will give 3% for 3ap vice the 6 ap from kensei.
I personally wouldnt take weapon meditation, but to each their own.

Henshin mystic,
If you have a sireth(i hope you do), consider the lightning elemental strike. 10% more lightning damage from your many lightning sources(with sireth) isnt bad.
I personally wouldnt take sounding staff or ki bolt.
TA quick strike is better than Henshin, unless they dont share a cooldown(i think they do) if they didnt you could chain them and have a permanent 25% doublestrike.
I would take unbalancing strike rather than eagle claw, because Unbalancing makes targets vulnerable to sneak attack, also it turns them around for a second, so they stop hitting you.

Assassin: you can get a poison, which lowers saves, like reflex(which unbalancing strike targets) or fort(which stunning blow would target), and on crit, lowers the ability that governs each save. your dc wont be high though, due to needing rogue levels and int.
More sneak attack damage of course
and venomed blades(misnomer, as it works with any weapon so venomed blunt object!)

Last enhancement notes:
Shintao, if you use earth stance can increase your PRR, also increaes healing amp.
Stalwart, the stance does not increase MRR unless wiki hasnt changed, paladin one does though.


Feats:
You have OC, but dont have Cleave/Gcleave or power attack listed

I would take:
1 +0 bab Rogue: Feat PA
2monk Bonus THF
3m Feat Dodge bonus Cleave
4m
5m +0
6 m Feat Mobility
7 F Bonus Weapon Focus
8 r
9m:Feat Stunning blow, Improved Trip, Magical training, zen archery or Spring attack Bonus ITHF
10 m
11m +0
12 m Feat Stunning blow, Improved Trip, Magical training, zen archery or Spring attack
13m
14m
15f Feat GTHF bonus: IC blunt
16r
17F
18m +0 Feat Grandmaster of Forms
19f Bonus: Weapon specialization if you want it, take something else if you dont
20r +0

Stunning blow, Improved Trip, Magical training, Zen archery, or Spring attack are all options. honestly mobility is in here too, try and figure out what your dodge will be.
Magical training gives you echoes of power which allows you to regen MP, and the regen MP will effectively give you endless healing via cocoon.
Zen archery gives you a ranged option other than shuriken.