Would a PDK make a good Sacred Fist?

[shawnvw]

I'm thinking of taking a Purple Dragon Knight and leveling him as Sacred Fist (the "handwrap paladin" archetype).

Since PDK can use CHA for Attack and Damage, there might be some good synergies. And if it turns out I don't like playing a paladin in robes with handwraps -- well, his fighter splash has given him armor, martial weapons, and tower shield proficiencies.

Whaddya think?

[unbongwah]

The problem is if you equip armor or shields on a Sacred Fist, you're uncentered just like a regular monk and can't use a lot of what makes SF unique, like ki spells, Sacred Flame, and the two Whirlwind abilities (since those run on ki too). At which point, what are you gaining over regular paladin - access to Radiant Servant?

[shawnvw]

The problem is if you equip armor or shields on a Sacred Fist, you're uncentered just like a regular monk and can't use a lot of what makes SF unique, like ki spells, Sacred Flame, and the two Whirlwind abilities (since those run on ki too). At which point, what are you gaining over regular paladin - access to Radiant Servant?

Well, yeah. I guess I wasn't clear, but I meant that using weapons and armor was my fallback position. I really want to be a full paladin sacred fist, ki and all, with a splash of PDK fighter because that's how iconics work.

[C-Dog]

Since PDK can use CHA for Attack and Damage, there might be some good synergies...

Whaddya think?

I think it's 100% unnecessary.

Sacred Fist gets Cha to hit & damage (while centered) at Level 6 for free - done. Not even an AP thing.
o https://ddowiki.com/page/Sacred_Fist#Level_6

So, any Iconic (or even a Vet II start) will jump past that and enjoy the same.

Many players have noted that a splash of Fighter and 1-3 Monk are good things for SF.

[shawnvw]

Many players have noted that a splash of Fighter and 1-3 Monk are good things for SF.

Please tell me more.

[C-Dog]

Please tell me more.

<reminded of Starship Trooper movie - "Would you like to know more?" >

Sf is new enough that there still is no single paradigm for "best" - some go one way, some another.

"Most" vets agree that, altho' doable, pure SF is sub-optimal, for several reasons.* From there, the question of what to dip, and how deep, then arises, and has not been resolved definitely except that "X is better than pure for these reasons...".

(* Largely b/c, altho' effectively a monk, there are no monk trances to use.)

As a rule, any splash more than 2 levels total is for Heroic leveling - it's front-loading to make leveling overall to 20 faster/easier*, but you (might?) lose power by the time you hit 20*, and so may not be worth it if going to 30. Read the threads, read the give and take, ymmv.

(* which is really not a factor for Iconics, which start already at 15, and have to go to 30.)

o Sacred Fist Strimtom (pure, but persuasive!) https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6538315

o Sacred Fist 16/3 Monk/1 FvS https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6541456
& streamlined/better? Vistani Knife VKF https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6545742

o Drow Cleric dip w VKF for daggers https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6539126

o Human for Whirlwind https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6539291

o multi fist staff https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6540469

Also this, for general theory-crafting discussion: https://forums.ddo.com/forums/showth...=1#post6539291

[Kodwraith]

SacredFist with WSS works quite well. For PDK, you'd likely need 1 fighter / 1 monk / 18 SF. But if you're just planning things out, I'd go handwraps with TWF and save yourself a ton of feats.

Alternatively I'm theorycrafting a build I'm about to run with centered bastard sword as 8 Fighter / 6 Monk / 6 SF. I'll let you know how it goes in practice. The build is centered with SWF + bsword through T5 of Kensai. then T4 SF and just enough to squeeze in some defense + auras. It looses a Trance, but picks up a lot of dmg from T4 SF + T5 kensai. I'm mainly worried the self healing /defense will be pretty bad.