What would you think of a pure monk build made for stunning fist DC? gets really high... but it lacks AB big time.
I tried it like this:
Elf
STR 12 DEX 18 (20) CON 12 WIS 16 (24) INT 8 CHA 8
Armor Skin and Improved Stunning Fist X are all the epic feats.
40 stunning fists with a DC that goes up to 57, which is an awesome DC, and naked AC of 40 (counting tumble)... but AB stands at +27 with WF, and if Armor Skin is changed for EWF it would still be on a low +29... crappy.
After a stun the enemy AC drops... but I would be surprised if it hits anything at all. Is there a way to keep an amazing DC for stunning fist with a reliable AB? since the 19+ DEX and WIS are a complete pain to achieve pre-epic, mark the fact of only 11 epic feats, and that I want it as a pure build.
Why limit yourself to being a Monk when you can be a Shadowboxer _________________ Fanget av begravelsen pines vi av guds godhet ingen flammer, intet hat de hadde rett vi kom til Helvete...
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You could also go with something like the Nature's Wyrm build: Click Here That build gets a SF DC of 42, 8x per day, plus it can self-buff wisdom to the limit with Owl's Insight, for a DC of 48. You could easily drop a few levels of Druid for monk to pick up a few more SF's per day, and it has a nice AB of 49 unbuffed in Dragon Shape. SF is also just one of several tricks up his sleeve, with Dragon Shape, Elder Elemental Shapes, and all Druid spells available.
TM
Alright, but a pure build of a non prestige class requires the 40 levels being the same class!
Quote: Why limit yourself to being a Monk when you can be a Shadowboxer
Sorry, don't really like it (that unarmed damage is so low), I would probably go more for a Monk/Assasin if I were multiclassing.
Quote: You could also go with something like the Nature's Wyrm build: Click Here That build gets a SF DC of 42, 8x per day, plus it can self-buff wisdom to the limit with Owl's Insight, for a DC of 48. You could easily drop a few levels of Druid for monk to pick up a few more SF's per day, and it has a nice AB of 49 unbuffed in Dragon Shape. SF is also just one of several tricks up his sleeve, with Dragon Shape, Elder Elemental Shapes, and all Druid spells available.
Not really wanting to make a dragon right now, in which case, for the stunning fist, I would probably go for a druid 14/monk 26, not bad idea though, since the dragon status might improve a lot my AB (and maybe AC too)
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 02/21/06 17:27
Well, the other obvious choice would be a monk/cleric - something like Monk 16/Cleric 24 if you want to rely on unarmed attack, or drop monk to 6 or 9 if you will mostly use kamas. Wisdom based, and has all the Cleric buffs to raise AB. Wis will be somewhere in the 30's, or you could drop Wis somewhat to get Dex to 19 and take Improved SF's.
A pure Monk can never be monk 16/Cleric 26. _________________ I see the fear you have inside, you can run but never hide. I will hunt you down and tear you limb from limb.
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Hmm.. didn't think any character could manage that level split!
Well, I guess you could say that the fact that every answer was a multi-class build indicates that we don't think much of a pure monk stunner build. You pointed out the problem in the first post - in order to get the high stun (pumping Wis and using feats for Improved SF) you will leave yourself with low AB. It doesn't really help much to have an unbeatable DC on Stunning Fist if you can't hit with it in the first place....
The only way around that problem is to use other classes that will help you boost either the AB or the SF DC. If you don't want to try that, then you have already answered your own question.
TM
I think the very max DC would be naked 59, since with Improved Stunning Fist X WIS can't get past 29, but to start with DEX 19 and WIS 18 is too much to suffer on the rest of the status.
Well, I probably had answered my own question......... weapon finesse is what I need! why didn't I think of it before? +4 AB instantly.
In either case, I'll try my pure monk stunner, with weapon finesse, changing extra WIS to DEX, using EWF and EP, I could raise my AB from +27 to +36, keeping DC in 51, or 49 with Armor skin to keep 40 AC, and with the capped WIS, DC of 55 (using the previous 49), which I still find to be a stunning fist DC to fear, well, maybe not for a CHA based Paladin/Champion of Torm, but it's still very high.
+36 AB is still low, but it's enough for PvM at least, it's more playable now. My damage would be 1-20 +7 (with STR cap maxed) + whatever the gloves give me, but I think that if I can hit, the enemy won't be able to defend, so really high damage is not necesarry, as much as to beat full resistances (like epic resistance feat 9/-).
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 02/22/06 22:29
There's not going to be need for more replyies, I won't make this build, it's just not playable.
Even though stun DC is great, AC is good, SR is good, improved evasion, empty body, and whatever else can be good, this character doesn't gets substantial bonus until around level 30, making it weak and unplayable for all pre-epic and most epic, it only works at full level, and not against high AC characters.
Hmm.. didn't think any character could manage that level split!
That makes my statement even more true, no? _________________ I see the fear you have inside, you can run but never hide. I will hunt you down and tear you limb from limb.
I run the Pre-Epic Builders guild. Join and share your experience.
A pure monk build is still a good build for a stunner. Instead of pumping Improved Stunning Fist up to the max, you can take some Greater Wisdom instead. Sure it will be slower to boost your stunning DC, but you AC will raise because of the wisdom. For every 2 points in Wisdom, your stun DC goes up 1.
This is of course entirely dependent on you hitting the creature to begin with, so pumping up your DEX and getting Weapon Finess is a must.
Epic Prowess and Epic Weapon Focus are very important. If you can't hit the creature/person, your stun DC won't be worth anything.
Good pre epic feats (that might be overlooked) would be Improved Initiative.
Well, I guess you could say that the fact that every answer was a multi-class build indicates that we don't think much of a pure monk stunner build. You pointed out the problem in the first post - in order to get the high stun (pumping Wis and using feats for Improved SF) you will leave yourself with low AB. It doesn't really help much to have an unbeatable DC on Stunning Fist if you can't hit with it in the first place....