With this Monk, I had in mind a purely Western monk, rather than the Eastern monks that the character class and weapon choices are based on. My feat and skill choices are based on this character concept, and may not be the best min-maxing choices but they are at least coherent.
I consider that he is fully playable 1-40 PvM, but may very well come unstuck PvP against melee-types, particularly those with Dev Crit, due to his low Fort saves.
Background
Race: Half-Orc
Brother Thomas was found abandoned on the steps of the monastery as a newborn. It is unknown to this day who his parents were, but it is assumed his mother was human (an orcish mother would have been more likely to murder her half-blood offspring).
He was taken in by Brother Hephaestus, the congregation's blacksmith, and spent his childhood at the forge. While he spent most of his time shoeing horses and repairing farming tools, he was able to learn simple weapon-smithing (hence the craft weapon skill, but no craft armour).
As a teenager, the local tavern owner commented on the size of his hands, large due to his heritage and occupation, and suggested he participate in the local pugilist bouts that night.
While soundly beaten in his first bout, Brother Thomas had found his calling. After his smithing and contemplative duties were dealt with, he would spend time in the fields or the dungeons training, shadow boxing and fighting any who would step in the arena with him.
Entirely self-taught, Thomas' abilities come from his natural physique as well as his complete mastery of his own body,thanks to his contemplative life in the monastery.
01: Toughness 03: Weapon Focus: Unarmed 04: STR+1, (STR=19) 06: Power Attack 08: STR+1, (STR=20) 09: Great Cleave 12: STR+1, Improved Critical: Unarmed, (STR=21) 15: Zen Archery 16: STR+1, (STR=22) 18: Great Fortitude 20: STR+1, (STR=23) 21: Overwhelming Critical: Unarmed 24: WIS+1, Epic Weapon Focus: Unarmed, (WIS=17) 25: Armor Skin 27: Great Strength I, (STR=24) 28: WIS+1, (WIS=18) 30: Great Wisdom I, Epic Toughness I, (WIS=19) 32: WIS+1, (WIS=20) 33: Great Wisdom II, (WIS=21) 35: Improved KI Strike +4 36: STR+1, Devastating Critical: Unarmed, (STR=25) 39: Epic Fortitude 40: STR+1, Improved KI Strike +5, (STR=26)
Hitpoints: 420 Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 29/27/22 Saving Throw bonuses: Mind Effects: +2, Poison: +1 BAB: 25 AB (max, naked): 36 (melee), 30 (ranged) AC (naked/mundane armor/shield only): 33/33
Skills: Craft Weapon 43(43), Discipline 43(51), Taunt 21(19), (aren't all boxers trash-talkers?) Tumble 43(43) _________________ Pure Class Builds
Edited By ShayneP on 01/26/06 04:01
Improved Ki Strike +4 and +5 are a waste as they only offer an Attack Bonus, not an Enhancement Bonus. You would be better getting some monk gloves. Maybe opt for Epic Prowess and Great Wisdom instead
Finishing with WIS 21? Could you not ramp it up to 22? Or have I missed something?
Edited By I...Samphus on 01/26/06 06:28
Ki strike does not even add to AB actually, its just used to calculate whether you can overcome DR or not.
Interesting build though. _________________ Inactive for a while
As noted, drop Ki Strike feats, and drop WIS to 14. Put the other starting points into Con and Str. Pump Str up throughout. In Epic, you can either go for high Str and Dev crit (can get Str up to 32 or so that way), or for decent Str and lots of SR feats to be a mage-killer (Str will end around 26 that way, but with unbeatable SR).
TM
Drop KI STRIKE, of course. Start with DEX and WIS of 14, you won't be using armour. You will loose some Stunning Fist DC, and that one-hit Quivering palm. I don't think raising WIS further is worth it. Get SR or STR instead. Without Dev Crit you free quite a few feats, and for a PW, that is probably needed also.
Pure monks should be fun. Will have a hard time with your AC, but you got a lot of Stunning fists.
For it being a pure monk, its actually in a RP sense right to take Ki+5. (and if you would be playing on Soul Forge you need that for the best monk items too )
But if you were about min-maxing, then yes drop it _________________ Inactive for a while
I've always considered a high wisdom to be a definite asset for a monk, as the AC bonus is not lost when flat-footed, unlike the dexterity bonus. It also helps with the Stunning Fist DC, so my opinion on this would be to keep Wisdom at 20, and grab two other feats in place of Improved Ki Strike +4 and +5.
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