Get old halfling monk to 20

[Compost]

Returning player that never played too much and been away for a long time. My highest level char is lvl 11 (almost 12) halfling monk using a rockin robbin build (so a long time ago).

I've got a free +0 heart of wood that I was planning to respec him with and would like some advice. My hope is to get to 20, likely playing solo 90% of the time, doing elite for favor (over leveled), without it being too much of a slog. Then I can TR or start a different char.

I'd like to stay pure monk and use hand wraps. He does have +1 str and +2 dex tomes. At level 15 I'll have the Shield Guardian hireling. I have a decent number of adventure packs (non-expansion) plus Sharn.

Here is what I have made w/character builder:


20 Monk Halfling, Lawful Good

· · ·Start Tome Final · · ·Incorp:· · ·0% · · ·Displacement:· · 0%
Str:· · ·8· · 1 · · 9 · · ·HP:· · · · 711 · · ·AC:· · 46
Dex:· · 18· · 2 · ·26 · · ·PRR: · · · ·20
Con:· · 14· · 0 · ·14 · · ·MRR: · · · · 0 · · ·+Healing Amp:· · 60
Int:· · 12· · 0 · ·12 · · ·Dodge: · 16/27 · · ·-Healing Amp:· · ·0
Wis:· · 16· · 0 · ·25 · · ·Fort:· · · ·0% · · ·Repair Amp:· · · ·0
Cha:· · ·8· · 0 · · 8 · · ·SR:· · · · ·30 · · ·BAB: · · · · · · 20

1 · · Monk(1) · · · · ·Standard: Dodge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Monk Bonus: Two Weapon Fighting
2 · · Monk(2) · · · · ·Monk Bonus: Mobility
3 · · Monk(3) · · · · ·Standard: Stunning Fist
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Monk Philosophy: Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light
4 · · Monk(4) · · · · ·Dexterity: +1 Level up
6 · · Monk(6) · · · · ·Standard: Whirlwind Attack
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Monk Bonus: Spring Attack
8 · · Monk(8) · · · · ·Dexterity: +1 Level up
9 · · Monk(9) · · · · ·Standard: Improved Two Weapon Fighting
12· · Monk(12)· · · · ·Standard: Improved Critical: Bludgeoning Weapons
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
15· · Monk(15)· · · · ·Standard: Greater Two Weapon Fighting
16· · Monk(16)· · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up
18· · Monk(18)· · · · ·Standard: Two Weapon Defense (or Toughness or Precision)
20· · Monk(20)· · · · ·Wisdom: +1 Level up

Enhancements: 80 APs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Halfling - Points spent: 7
Core1 Luck I
Core2 Dexterity I
Core3 Luck II
Core4 Dexterity II
Core5 Luck III
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shintao - Points spent: 49
Core1 Bastion of Purity
Tier1 Elemental Curatives I: Difficulty at the Beginning
Tier1 Reed in the Wind - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Deft Strikes - 3 Ranks
Tier1 Ki Shout
Core2 Protection from Tainted Creatures
Tier2 Elemental Curatives II: Lifting the Veil
Tier2 Smite Tainted Creature
Tier2 Iron Skin - 3 Ranks
Tier2 Elemental Ki Strikes: Unbalancing Strike
Tier2 Conditioning - 3 Ranks
Core3 Iron Hand
Tier3 Elemental Curatives III: Restoring the Balance
Tier3 Jade Strike
Tier3 Dismissing Strike
Tier3 Ability I: +1 Wisdom
Tier4 Tomb of Jade
Tier4 Elemental Curatives IV: The Receptive Earth
Core4 Argent Fist
Tier4 Instinctive Defense - 1 Ranks
Tier4 Ability II: +1 Wisdom
Tier5 Empty Hand Mastery
Tier5 Kukan-Do
Tier5 Violence Begets Violence
Tier5 Meditation of War
Tier5 Rise of the Phoenix
Core5 Touch the Void Dragon
Core6 To Seek Perfection
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ninja Spy - Points spent: 24
Core1 Basic Ninja Training
Tier1 Sneak Attack Training I
Tier1 Acrobatic - 3 Ranks
Core2 Advanced Ninja Training
Tier2 Sneak Attack Training II
Tier2 Elemental Ki Strikes: Eagle Claw Attack
Tier2 Agility - 2 Ranks
Core3 Shadow Veil
Tier3 Flash Bang - 3 Ranks
Tier3 Sneak Attack Training III
Tier3 Ability I: +1 Dexterity
Core4 Poisoned Darts
Tier4 Ability II: +1 Dexterity
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Skills(5):
Max Concentration, Diplo, Healing.
The rest in jump, balance, tumble

Questions:
So monk sound currently underpowered and no builds suggest a halfling. Is this going to be a slog?
Is UMD worth it? I really don't see myself using that but I may be missing something.
Is healing really worth it?
What are the best elemental strikes, esp. for solo play? Is unbalancing strike a good choice, paired with some sneak attack training from Ninja Spy?
I'm uncertain about the last feat: Two Weapon Defense or Toughness or Precision or ...?
Any hireling suggestions especially before lvl 15?
Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks!

[Abyx]

First of all, Welcome back !

Sure, Monks are not the top dogs right now. However, they're still decent and can level to 20 rather easily.
They have not changed recently, so your build is still quite valid.
WIS-based monk with aasimar race and falconry tree are better overall, but they do require falconry, and maybe tomes to get requirements.

I don't know which enhancements you have, but I would suggest to play a few quests (even on normal/hard just to get the feelings back) and reset your enhancements at level 12. To get the goodies in tier 5 Shintao (but don't forget some points in ninja spy for dex to hit and to damage).

Main aspects of your monk : run in Fire / Wind Stance. Fire will get you more ki, and increased crit damage at level 12, while wind will give you other small buffs (mostly +2/3dex and some doublestrike)
Spam Whirlwind Attack (WWA). And spam it again.
Use Spring attack to get in the center of the fight.
Use finisher when you want/can
Best finishers are IMO Wind-Light-Wind for blur effect, the Light-Light-Light for the small heal, and Fire-Light-Fire fore the small boost to atk/dmg.

Now for your questions :

UMD can be worth it, and is usually recommended, but if you have not invested in it already I would suggest you to drop it entirely. The exception being if you want to go to 32 and keep playing at that level. Having buff/heal/raise scrolls will be more beneficial then.

Elemental Strikes. Drop them ? I do not use them personally. So I cannot give you any advice there.

For hirelings, get what you want really. I would recommend a cleric/fvs with Raise Dead and a cure spell.

As for the last feat, it depends on what you do. Precision will give you more damage. Two Weapon defense will give you more MRR (magic damage reduction) and toughness more HP. If you plan to play through epics to 30/32, I would say precision as it will help bypass enemy fortification (their resistance to crit strikes).

And overall if you want to know more about monks in general, I would highly recommend reading this :
The Book of Syncletica 2nd Edition (don't use sidebar menu, use the top one)

[C-Dog]

Welcome back!

Q So monk sound currently underpowered and no builds suggest a halfling. Is this going to be a slog?

Monk is not UP so much as it is not the FotM. "Leveling" in general, especially thru Heroics, is MUCH faster/easier than it was years ago. If you can handle Reaper 1, you almost double the normal XP you gain. You'll do fine.

Q Is UMD worth it? I really don't see myself using that but I may be missing something.

Scrolling Heal is always nice; being able to RD other party members is ymmv.

Q Is healing really worth it?

As opposed to dying? yes.

If you mean the Heal skill? If you are using a Monk's self-healing abilities, then Heal adds to the Spellpower involved, and is a % increase - which is worth it, yes.

If you mean a Halfling DM of Healing? It's a REALLY nice ability to have, and makes tough quests that much easier.

They have not changed recently, so your build is still quite valid.

There has been (at least) one significant change, and just a couple months ago - that Whirlwind Attack no longer requires Combat Expertise (nor the Int 13 requisite that came w that). However, the OP's build reflects that already, so I have to assume that's not the original build from back whenever.

It looks solid, very much in line w modern builds.

(One comment - I like to squeeze in 2-Weapon Defense asap, while that +5 boost to PRR is relatively more noticeable, but I'm not sure what this build would delay to get that. Many "modern" builds are not pure, and add in some Fighter/whatever, esp if not going to 30 (so not as concerned w/ Core 20 capstone Enhancements).
o https://ddowiki.com/page/Two_Weapon_Defense)

[Compost]

Thanks guys! I just wanted to say that I appreciated your responses and that it was helpful.