I wanted a good STR based unarmed monk which would keep a decent AC. I figured RDD was the way to go. Bard to open it up and for added power at the cost of alignment shifts.

A respectable natural AB with self buffing at your disposal (bard song, curse song, taunt, bull's, war cry, UMD), full monkish unarmed damage and a high STR makes this guy a fearsome opponent with lotsa tricks up the claw (UMD alone lets you cap AB in clerical scrolls rich environments, for example). AC is ok (especially for a STR based Monk) and easily raisable (Owl's Wisdom with a lucky roll, Cat's Grace, PfA, MA, Haste, Bard Song, Curse Song) gear apart. Saves are ok. Good speed which is gonna help a lot. Traps skills for the win (able to set all deadly traps but gas and to recover one's own).


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The Dragon's Claw - Monk(16), Bard(14), Red Dragon Disciple(10)

Human, Alignment Changes: 2 (non-lawful to lawful to non-lawful)
PvM, playable 1-40



ABILITIES (ending)
STR: 16 (38)
DEX: 14
CON: 12 (14)
WIS: 8
INT: 12 (14)
CHA: 14 (16)


BASE STATS
Hitpoints: 416
Skillpoints: 257

Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 25/25/26
Saving Throw boni: Spells: +8, Mind Effects: +2, Improved Evasion

BAB: 25
AB: 43 (melee), 28 (ranged)
Buffed AB: 50-51 (Bull's STR, War Cry, Bless, Aid, Bard Song), 53-54(Curse Song), 54-60(Taunt)

AC(naked/armor and shield): 29/34

Speed: 145%

Spell Casting: Bard(5)
Spells known: 5/4/4/4/4/3
Spells per day: 4/4/4/4/3/1

Bard/Curse song, 14th lvl (extended, 14 uses per day): +2 AB, +3 dmg, +1 Fort/Ref/Will, +16 HPs, +3 AC, +2 skills (reverse boni for curse song)


SKILLS
Disable Trap 1(5)
Discipline 43(57)
Lore 8(24)
Open Lock 1(3)
Perform 18(21)
Set Trap 13(15)
Spellcraft 38(40)
Taunt 43(46)
Tumble 40(42)
UMD 32(35)
5 points leftover


LEVELING GUIDE
01: Bard(1): Lingering Song, Curse Song
02: Bard(2)
03: Bard(3): Weapon Focus: Unarmed
04: Bard(4): STR+1, (STR=17)
05: Monk(1): {Cleave, Evasion, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist}, *Alignment Change*
06: Red Dragon Disciple(1): Blind Fight
07: Red Dragon Disciple(2): (STR=19)
08: Red Dragon Disciple(3): STR+1, (STR=20)
09: Red Dragon Disciple(4): Lightning Reflexes, (STR=22)
10: Red Dragon Disciple(5)
11: Red Dragon Disciple(6)
12: Red Dragon Disciple(7): STR+1, Improved Critical: Unarmed, (STR=23), (CON=14)
13: Red Dragon Disciple(8)
14: Monk(2): {Deflect Arrows}
15: Monk(3): Toughness
16: Monk(4): STR+1, (STR=24)
17: Monk(5)
18: Monk(6): Still Spell, {Knockdown, Improved Knockdown}
19: Monk(7)
20: Monk(8): STR+1, (STR=25)
21: Red Dragon Disciple(9): Epic Weapon Focus: Unarmed, (INT=14)
22: Red Dragon Disciple(10): {Darkvision}, (STR=29), (CHA=16)
23: Monk(9): {Improved Evasion}
24: Monk(10): STR+1, Epic Prowess, (STR=30)
25: Monk(11)
26: Monk(12)
27: Monk(13): Armor Skin
28: Monk(14): STR+1, (STR=31)
29: Monk(15)
30: Monk(16): Great Strength I, (STR=32)
31: Bard(5): *Alignment Change*
32: Bard(6): STR+1, (STR=33)
33: Bard(7): Great Strength II, (STR=34)
34: Bard(8)
35: Bard(9)
36: Bard(10): STR+1, Great Strength III, (STR=36)
37: Bard(11)
38: Bard(12)
39: Bard(13): Great Strength IV, (STR=37)
40: Bard(14): STR+1, (STR=38)


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Advantages
•Good AB, even more so buffed
•Good damage output (1d20+14)
•Monk attack progression, 5 apr
•Decent base AC (good for a STR monk)
•14th lvl Bard/Curse Song
•Lingering Song
•Decent saves
•Improved Evasion
•Decent HPs
•145% speed
•3,453 pounds of carrying capacity before getting encumbered (5,180 to become heavyly encumbered)
•Immunity to Paralysis, Fire and Sleep
•Good skillset
•Trap setting skills
•UMD
•Taunt
•5th lvl Bard spells
•Ready to exploit Divine Power scrolls
•Wings


Weaknesses
•2 Alignment changes along the law-chaos axis
•Not a noob-proof build, might take care to level (traps and UMD are a gift from the gods)
•Tight on skillpoints (for my taste)
•Dispellable
•Bardic power develops late
•Wings


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Similar builds

Fallen Monk of the Red Scale /Monk 6/Bard 24/RDD 10 by koolthursday
Heavy Metal /Monk 28/Bard 2/RDD 10 by sgtslayerVT

Either heavy on Monk or on Bard, the balanced approach is missing. The first build is a kama wielder besides.


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Feedback and constructive criticism are, as usual, greatly appreciated. Many thanks and praises already go to Grim for his suggestions.


Cheers,
Kail
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Quote: Posted 09/25/06 11:58:10 (GMT) by xitooner

I find its better to be flexible, THINK, and know your enemy.

Edited By Kail Pendragon on 11/18/06 13:41

A good build, that. RDD and Bard compensates some of the AC issues a STR-monk often faces. I played a Monk/Sorc/RDD once, and it's fun to me. A bard is def better. Two things are bugging me in this build. You have two bard AND two monk levels less than would be preferred. 16 bard because it get's a good boost to the song those two levels, and 2 more monk for Self concealment. Imp invis isn't undispellable, and not fool-proof. But it serves best as-is. Nice AB considering all your attacks. From experience I can say that STR-monks are excellent mob-slayers.

Nice job again mr. Pendragon.
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We are sons of Odin, and the fire that we burn inside
is the legacy of warrior-kings who reign above in the sky
I will lead the charge, my sword into the wind
Sons of Odin fights to die and live again I concur Grim, you need 44 lvls for this build to be the way it needs to be

Although the lvl 16 Bard song and extra spells would be welcome I wouldn't lower the Monk levels: you'd lose base AC, speed and fist damage (full unarmed damage is one of the aims of the build).

Thinking about it, I can see one going Monk 18/Bard 12 for Empty Body and some further extra speed (150%) at the cost of 5th lvl spells, 1 lvl 4 and 1 lvl 0 spellslots and bard/curse song power (-1 AC, -8 HPs, -1 dmg) with AC loss compensated by extra monk, HPs half compensated by monk over bard again and damage being a minor detail. Overall a definite possibility. Thanks for setting my thinking mechanism on


Cheers,
Kail
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