Spin-to-Win Monk (Build Guidance Request)

[frankdrebins]

Greetings,

I come to you with a half-baked build idea with some minor field testing. I humbly request feedback to potentially raise this build from the depths of "flavor" to maybe semi-viable.


The idea was:
1. Whirlwind style character using a lot of spin moves > WW, Great Cleave, Cleave, Eldritch Strike
2. Dodge + Incorp (shadow veil) + blur
3. Monk power Quivering Palm + Fists of Iron + Void Strike + Quick Strike
4. SPeeeeed Abundant step + fast movement speed + monk defying gravity (so fun)
5. I fell in love with debuffing mobs with negative levels, it's really fun. The sound alone is hilarious.
a. Every Light Casts a Shadow
b. LAST BUT NOT LEAST the main reason to even go with quarterstaff and a cornerstone of this whole build: Named Weapon: Shadow Staff - Crits and LifeStealing! (negative levels) However, the hard lesson that made me sad is AOE attacks such as cleave and greater cleave WW etc don't seem to proc Lifestealing. Only regular hits (do they?)

Before I post the build just know I am basically a noob so no past lives etc and:
1. My dodge is around 35% with guild buffs and normal quest gear besides the staff. I think I chose deep gnome just because of some dodge and perma-blur, but I am learning there might be "clickies" for that....
2. I built this dude before Strikethrough so... maybe that would help? IDK

gnomemonk
17/1 Monk/Wizard
Lawful Neutral Deep Gnome


Level Order

1. Wizard. . . . . 6. Monk. . . . . .11. Monk. . . . . .16. Monk
2. Monk . . . . . .7. Monk . . . . . 12. Monk . . . . . 17. Monk
3. Monk . . . . . .8. Monk . . . . . 13. Monk . . . . . 18. Monk
4. Monk . . . . . .9. Monk . . . . . 14. Monk
5. Monk . . . . . 10. Monk . . . . . 15. Monk


Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt
. . . . . . . .----
Strength. . . . 13
Dexterity . . . 16
Constitution. . 13
Intelligence. . 13
Wisdom. . . . . 16
Charisma. . . . .6. . .


Skills
. . . . . W .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M .M
. . . . . 1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------
Balance . 2 .3 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 . . . . . 18
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . 4 .3 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .0 .0 .0
Max . . .12 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5 .5


Feats

.1. . . . : Power Attack
.1 Wizard :
.2 Monk . : Dodge
.3. . . . : Cleave
.3 Monk . : Mobility
.6. . . . : Combat Expertise
.7 Monk . : Spring Attack
.9. . . . : Great Cleave
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Bludgeoning
15. . . . : Whirlwind Attack
18. . . . : Quick Draw

.4 Monk . : Path of Harmonious Balance


Enhancements (68 of 72 AP)

Henshin Mystic (42 AP)

• Riddle of Fire, Ki Bolt, Sounding Staff, Incinerating Wave
  1. All-Consuming Flame, Henshin Staff Training, Way of the: Tenacious Badger
  2. Static Charge, Henshin Staff Training, Quick Strike III, Fists of Iron, Contemplation III
  3. Porous Soul, Henshin Staff Training, Embrace the Void II, Dexterity
  4. Winter's Touch, Henshin Staff Training, Focus, Dexterity
  5. Void Strike, Henshin Staff Training, Staff Specialization, Every Light Casts as Shadow

Deep Gnome (11 AP)

• Wariness, Wisdom, Wariness II, Wisdom, Retain Scroll Essence
  1. Underdark Experience III
  2. Permanent Blur

Ninja Spy (11 AP)

• Basic Ninja Training, Advanced Ninja Training, Shadow Veil
  1. Subtlety I, Acrobatic III
  2. Agility III, Melee/Ranged Power Boost I

Eldritch Knight (Wizard) (4 AP)

• Eldritch Strike
  1. Improved Mage Armor III

As far as damage, it used to kick some Gianthold butt. IDK if it's actually any good beyond that really. What do you all think?

[Sunnie]

I think 1 level of rogue for Thief Acrobatics and 15% attack speed with q-staves would be good since you're not getting the Henshin Capstone anyway.

There is no need for you to take Quick Draw since you get that feat from the Henshin Mystic cores.

With Strikethrough there really is hardly any need for Cleaves, I'm running a 1/1/18 Fighter-Rogue-Monk with no cleaves at all, and my AoE damage has been great throughout. Swords to Plowshares is also a good feat for a little more critical power.

[frankdrebins]

I think 1 level of rogue for Thief Acrobatics and 15% attack speed with q-staves would be good since you're not getting the Henshin Capstone anyway.

There is no need for you to take Quick Draw since you get that feat from the Henshin Mystic cores.

With Strikethrough there really is hardly any need for Cleaves, I'm running a 1/1/18 Fighter-Rogue-Monk with no cleaves at all, and my AoE damage has been great throughout. Swords to Plowshares is also a good feat for a little more critical power.

Nice tips here. Sword to the Plowshares seems awesome.. heck the whole tree seems cool because it lends itself to quarterstaff. I get that strikethrough might be the way to go now. I wonder if the aoe from it will proc effects like negative levels. That could be the key.

I think I was going for 2 levels of wizard to gain a form BEFORE I learned that the incorp from veiled strike doesn't stack or maybe it was for zombie because I was going to use cleaves. Either way, it doesn't seem like the wiz splash was worth it just for the extra cleave. YES they can be staggered to use all of them on CD without overlap BUT the other abilities make it so WW/Great Cleave could already be back up again.

[frankdrebins]

Couple Ideas so far:

18 Monk with

2 druid or 2 bard for doublestike boost that apparently stacks with reaper enhancement boost. Looks like wilf form wont count for THF though.

--2 bard allows for some dodge and deflect arrows in swashbuckler

--2 druid allows for some dodge and maybe other goodies I am unware of

Vistani for Haste boost or just be happy with Windstance and Quickstrike (Henshin)

OR

2 rogue and get haste boost / quick strike (no doublestrike boost button)

Most likely falconry with wisdom either way. Thoughts?

[Sunnie]

Thoughts?

I think it's impossible to have monk and bard levels at the same time since monks must be lawful and bards must not be lawful.