Hi everyone,
This is the first build I've posted here, so I'm definately open to any suggestions/critisms you have for improvements
I've been playing her on a PW and am pretty satisfied with her so far (currently lvl 33)... but find that the damage output is kinda low.
Thanks.

Elf
Lawful Good
STR 13
DEX 19(32)
CON 10
WIS 12
INT 12
CHA 8

All stat increases go to DEX

1 Monk Dodge
2 Monk
3 Monk Weapon Finesse
4 Monk
5 Monk
6 Monk Mobility
7 Monk
8 Shadowdancer
9 Monk Toughness
10 Monk
11 Monk
12 Monk Weapon Focus (unarmed)
13 Monk
14 Monk
15 Monk Improved Crit (unarmed)
16 Monk
17 Monk
18 Monk Blind Fight
19 Monk
20 Shadowdancer
21 Shadowdancer Great DEX 1
22 Shadowdancer
23 Shadowdancer
24 Monk Epic Dodge
25 Monk
26 Monk
27 Monk Great DEX 2
28 Monk
29 Monk
30 Monk Great DEX 3, Armor Skin
31 Monk
32 Monk
33 Monk Self Concealment 1
34 Monk
35 Monk Self Concealment 2
36 Monk Self Concealment 3
37 Monk
38 Monk
39 Monk Self Concealment 4
40 Monk Self Concealment 5

Edited By Kail Pendragon on 10/10/07 14:10

Quote: Posted 09/03/04 19:31:27 (GMT) -- riwipe

Hi everyone,
This is the first build I've posted here, so I'm definately open to any suggestions/critisms you have for improvements
I've been playing her on a PW and am pretty satisfied with her so far (currently lvl 33)... but find that the damage output is kinda low.
Thanks.

Elf
Lawful Good
STR 13
DEX 19(32)
CON 10
WIS 12
INT 12
CHA 8

All stat increases go to DEX

1 Monk Dodge
2 Monk
3 Monk Weapon Finesse
4 Monk
5 Monk
6 Monk Mobility
7 Monk
8 Shadowdancer
9 Monk Toughness
10 Monk
11 Monk
12 Monk Weapon Focus (unarmed)
13 Monk
14 Monk
15 Monk Improved Crit (unarmed)
16 Monk
17 Monk
18 Monk Blind Fight
19 Monk
20 Shadowdancer
If you went monk 16 /shadowdancer 4 you would have 1 more bab for nothing. Take the monk levels later.
Quote: 
21 Shadowdancer Great DEX 1
22 Shadowdancer
23 Shadowdancer
24 Monk Epic Dodge
25 Monk
26 Monk
27 Monk Great DEX 2
28 Monk
29 Monk
30 Monk Great DEX 3, Armor Skin
31 Monk
32 Monk
33 Monk Self Concealment 1
34 Monk
35 Monk Self Concealment 2
36 Monk Self Concealment 3
37 Monk
38 Monk
39 Monk Self Concealment 4
40 Monk Self Concealment 5

Just a couple of points it might be a good idea to use empty body for the concealment and free up a few feats to use elsewhere. It might not be always on but its still very useful.

Another variant you might like is to add in 5 levels of fighter (4 pre epic) to get epic weapon specialisation for +6 damage.

Syrath I'm not a fan of using all those feats for self conceal on a monk over level 18. They already get empty body 3x per day which is a 50% concealment.
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Click Here Thanks for the advice guys.

The monk16/SD4 makes perfect sense... was just some bad novice character planning on my part

My first version of this build I tried actually contained 5 fighter lvls as you described syrath, but I found that when playing with the xp penalty (from being an elf with 2 non-favored classes) it was becoming too difficult to lvl her. I suppose I could switch to Human to prevent the xp penalty.

The reason I went with the conceal feats was because I found that the 2 uses of empty body a day just weren't enough. They would typically wear out in the middle of a long battle and I'd start taking a nasty beating from the creatures I was fighting. I personally would leave the feats in, but you're right.. it could been seen as redundant, and the feats could be switched out for something different.
Quote: Posted 09/03/04 21:21:26 (GMT) -- riwipe

Thanks for the advice guys.

The monk16/SD4 makes perfect sense... was just some bad novice character planning on my part

My first version of this build I tried actually contained 5 fighter lvls as you described syrath, but I found that when playing with the xp penalty (from being an elf with 2 non-favored classes) it was becoming too difficult to lvl her. I suppose I could switch to Human to prevent the xp penalty.

The reason I went with the conceal feats was because I found that the 2 uses of empty body a day just weren't enough. They would typically wear out in the middle of a long battle and I'd start taking a nasty beating from the creatures I was fighting. I personally would leave the feats in, but you're right.. it could been seen as redundant, and the feats could be switched out for something different.

If you find empty body isnt enough then there is no reason not to take self concealment 5. It makes some that particular monk ability redundant.

Other than the spell resistance you might want to consider trying something like monk 16 / shadowdancer 24. This gets you a lot more bonus feats to use. It gives you a level 23 epic fighter pet you can summon and a few little extras. You lose some monk speed and some SR. You might even like it.

Syrath Ya I would go with what syrath suggested on levels. That would offer a lot of advantages over your current split. Like he stated already, it amounts to an extra feat, a much stronger shadow evade and a pretty decent pet. The tradeoff is less resist, your empty body and perfect self. I would even go with 15 monk/25 shadowdancer. 35 levels of monk gets you 3 bonus feats. 25 levels of sd nets you 5.
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Click Here 16 levels of monk gives you unarmed dmg of 1d20 however .
Worth losing the 25th level of sd for imo.

Syrath Thanks for the suggestions guys,

I agree with syrath about lvl 16 for monk's 1d20 dmg... pretty much necessary if I want to go unarmed.

How effective would that lvl 23 summoned shadow be? I've never taken SD lvls past 13 before.. and that shadow was absolutely useless in high lvls

What I'm thinking now is to also include the fighter classes again for the specialization feats. Make it a human 16 monk/19 SD/5 fighter. I'll try that, as well as a 16 monk/24 SD later today and post the one I like better to see what you guys think.

Thanks again
riwipe Syrath would be able to give you specifics as he is a resident shadowdancer expert. The basics of epic shadowdancer is a feat every 3 levels after 10 (13,16,19,22,25), your summon increases 2 Hd every three levels after 9th, and your shadow evades DR goes up by 2/+1 every 5 levels (15,20, and 25(which was another reason I suggested 25/15, but I completely understand d20 reasons)). On that not, I'd offer a 19 monk/21 SD split. This will offer you 4 epic bonus feats, a 14/+5 DR from evade, plus all monk abilities except perfect self.

Keep in mind you will have trouble with getting through any damage resist ove a +3 on this build.
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Edited By Emrill on 09/04/04 16:45

I just did some testing of builds, and the one I like the best was a Elven Monk 12/Fighter 6/SD 22 using kamas. I'll post that build in a new thread since it is almost completely different from this one.
Thanks again for all the advice.
riwipe Small correction manual is incorrect on the shadow. If you dont take epic shadowlord it doesnt go up in level from level 10. If you do its level is equal to your shadowdancer level less 1. So level 24 can summon a level 23 shadow to his side. PvM this shadow is quite good its immunities and DR are pretty reasonable even though its AB, AC and hp are pretty mundane. This means that pvm its quite good, pvp where the player will probably know how to harm it its not that good. It will still take them more than a few rounds to kill it. Giving you the opportunity to do some damage, or run away etc. So PvM you can use it as a tank, there to fight your opponent while you backstab it. pvp its just a distraction.

Syrath