[3.5] Some help with building a monk.

[Beowulf DW]

A friend of mine recently suggested a combination of the paladin and monk classes to create a "Run up and jump-kick you in the face" style of unarmed combatant. He didn't go into much detail, but the concept intrigues me.

Anyway, how would any of you create this kind of combatant such that he would be effective (i.e. not exactly optimized but capable of pulling his own weight)?

The character is a LG level 1 Human Monk, by the way.

[krossbow]

see my sig.

http://instanttrap.com/trap.jpg

[Beowulf DW]

see my sig.

http://instanttrap.com/trap.jpg

Witty, but I didn't ask you to tell me something I already know. If you think monks are that bad, then perhaps you can come up with something that accomplishes what I described in my first post, without levels in monk.

[Boci]

Step one: Open Tome of Battle
Step two: Turn to the swordsage

Based on that level of detail are simply too many options. Superior unarmed strike really means any full BAB should be able to cover the roll, as could a totemist.

Basically, he has described an unbercharger that is always armed. power attack, improved bullrush, Shock trooper and leap attack are the most important feats, combat brute also fits but is not a must.

I would go unarmed swordsage 2 / fighter 2 / warblade 2, then any PrC he wants. Retraining would be useful but not compulsary.

[Brendan]

unarmed swordsage?
everything good a monk has without the blatant and scary holes.

to tell the truth I am playing a monk in a current game and I am doing well. I admittedly aren't among an optimized party, but you can do some good things with monk. just have good con and strength and you're golden. my monk has 11 wis and still somehow is able to do more damage than any other party member.

[Hawk7915]

If he thinks he'll have fun with the concept and doesn't want to change it to something...less bad, then I'd make sure to take Ascetic Knight (Complete Adventurer) and probably hop out of Paladin after a level or two since Monk has actual class features. Some good feats might be Martial Study and Martial Stance (for some maneuvers), and...err...yeah. Extra Smiting/Power Attack/Awesome Smite line?

You could also stick it out for Paladin 5 and go Sacred Fist. An even better idea is to take cleric levels instead, and then take Sacred Fist. Monk 1/Cleric9/Sacred Fist 10 is a solid enough build that is a decent "punch you in the face with holy power" character that still gets 9th level spells, and you can even get smiting if you go for Destruction as a domain.

If your DM will houserule, consider houseruling a "Serene Paladin" variant that uses Wisdom instead of Charisma for class abilities; that should make him less bad as well.

[Critical]

Sacred Fist gish?..

[erikun]

There are both feats to swap Paladin abilities to Wisdom (Serenity, Dragon Comp.) and Monk abilities to Charisma (Ascetic Mage, Comp. Adventurer). You'll want one or the other, or an alternate class feature, to cut down on the MAD.

Paladin Monks of Ilmater (Forgotten Realms) may freely multiclass, from what I recall. Or you could just use a DM that ignores such silly multiclassing restrictions.

Sacred Fist (Comp. Divine) sounds like a good option. You get full BAB, progress some Monk abilities, and even get a few combat options from your spell slots. You have slower spell progression, but that doesn't matter as much with a Paladin caster.

Kensai? (Comp. Warrior) The Kensai prestige class will allow you to spend XP to enchant you weapons, including your fists. +5 Holy Ghost Touch fists will be far more useful than whatever you have otherwise. They have some pretty decent other abilities, at that.