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Arutema
2011-02-08, 02:58 AM
I've had the inspiration to play a quarterstaff-wielding fighter for a while now, and may be getting the chance at a one-shot game at Dundracon.

Specifically I've been looking at the Weapon Adept Monk (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk#TOC-Weapon-Adept) from the Advanced Player's Guide.

Game is 12th level.
Standard WBL.
25 point buy.

Many, many questions.

First, what would be the best way to spend 25 point buy for a quarterstaff-using human monk.

Next:

A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands.
Does this text mean I do not get 1.5x str when using my staff 2-handed in a flurry?

Is the Vital Strike feat chain worth taking? Can it be used as part of a Flurry?

What other feats should I consider?

What should I have my staff enchanted with?

What other magic items would be of use?

Thanks for your answers. I normally play lower level/wealth games, so I'm a but out-of-my-depth.

HunterOfJello
2011-02-08, 03:14 AM
"Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so he may make one additional attack using any combination of unarmed strikes or attacks with a special monk weapon (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham) as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat..."

When you use a Quarterstaff for two-weapon fighting you don't get 1.5x your str bonus to damage, therefore you don't get it during a flurry.

"A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands."

You do get your full strength bonus on your attacks though.

~

If you were lower than level 9, I would suggest avoiding the Weapon Adept route because you lose evasion, but since you're starting at 12 you'll only lose Improved Evasion. (This is still a loss in my mind and not as good as a normal monk).

~

Vital Strike seems like a bad feat if I'm reading it properly. If you can't use it with a Full-Attack Action then it's terrible feat. If you can use it with a Full-Attack Action (and therefore a Flurry of Blows), then it's a decent feat, but not a great one.

~

Also, have you considered the other melee classes that can fight well with a quarterstaff like the Ranger? Monks just aren't that great. (I'm strongly resisting the urge to bash monks right now.) Rogues are also good with quarterstaves. This is all, of course, assuming that you have some reason to love quarterstaff using characters.

MightyPirate
2011-02-08, 03:44 AM
Treantmonk's Guide to Monks (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/extras/community-creations/treatmonks-lab/treantmonk-s-guide-to-monks) is amazing, check it out.

The flurry of blows entry means you get your strength bonus to damage with all flurry of blows attacks, it's not halved for off-handed attacks (no such thing for a monk, you could even knee, kick, headbutt, what have you), and it's not multiplied by 1.5 for a weapon wielded in two hands (making two handed weapons generally a mediocre option for most monks sadly.)

Vital strike takes "an attack action" rather than being used "in place of a melee attack" meaning it can't be used in a full attack or a flurry of blows. It's sort of an alright option for a skirmisher fighter, which as a monk: you aren't.

All the other questions are answered in this guide but real quick:

Feats -Quick attack, power attack, and possibly deadly aim for shurikens. Later look at greater grapple, greater bull rush and the like.

Enchantments: Holy and anything that adds damage to each attack. You're using a large number of attacks so building up d6 damage like a twf rogue is the way to go. Don't forget special materials to blow through dr

Other Magic items: Any boost to physical stats, strength is primary. Headband for wisdom, monk's robes, and the standard stuff for anyone: ring of protection, cloak of resistance, handy haversack. Go Amulet of Mighty Fist if you have the change, Amulet of Natural Armor if not.

A monk's not much different from a fighter except you've got potentially lower ac and hp but with much greater touch ac, mobility, and saves. You don't get a feat every level either but you'll do alright.

Losing improved evasion is probably gonna hurt more than what you gain but it's your character, and you gotta do what you gotta do. :smallwink:

Arutema
2011-02-08, 02:42 PM
Other Magic items: Any boost to physical stats, strength is primary. Headband for wisdom, monk's robes, and the standard stuff for anyone: ring of protection, cloak of resistance, handy haversack. Go Amulet of Mighty Fist if you have the change, Amulet of Natural Armor if not.


Thanks for the answers, but why an Amulet of mighty Fists? The plan is to avoid unarmed fighting here.

Cieyrin
2011-02-08, 03:45 PM
Thanks for the answers, but why an Amulet of mighty Fists? The plan is to avoid unarmed fighting here.

No idea, either.

While I enjoy the thought of a quarterstaff wielder, I'm not sure the monk is the most apt user, unless you're really going for enchanting both ends of your staff and being able to Power Attack with both ends. You don't get the superior damage of a monk's unarmed damage and the vast majority of monk feats call for unarmed attacks.

Putting that aside, I assume you want to focus on Quarterstaff, possibly with some unarmed secondaries? You probably want to look into the Scorpion Style chain, along with Cockatrice Strike for getting in lots of extra attacks. Picking up Stunning Fist or Punishing Kick would also be of help, especially if you want to pursue the Power Attack chain and go into Furious Focus and Dreadful Carnage.

Human Paragon 3
2011-02-08, 04:24 PM
See if you can substitute Decisive Strike from PHB II (D&D 3.5). With that, you will be able to add 1.5x strength, double power attack, and it doubles your damage, too. See if you can convince your DM to give it a pathfinder-like upgrade to give you a bonus to hit instead of a minus to hit.

Arutema
2011-02-08, 04:29 PM
See if you can substitute Decisive Strike from PHB II (D&D 3.5). With that, you will be able to add 1.5x strength, double power attack, and it doubles your damage, too. See if you can convince your DM to give it a pathfinder-like upgrade to give you a bonus to hit instead of a minus to hit.

Given that this is a convention game and I won't be meeting the DM in advance, probably not.