Monk/Rogue Build Advice

[LeshLush]

Another Monk thread!

I've been kicking around ideas for a Monk/Rogue build. Yes, I know what everyone says about Monks, and I'm not interested in Swordsage. I also plan on using very little Monk. So it's really more of a Rogue thread, with a little Monk for flavor.

My basic idea is to use Flurry of Blows to get more sneak attack, instead of going the tradition TWF route.

I'm thinking about taking the Ascetic Rogue feat to keep the unarmed damage high. Monk and Rogue both get Evasion, so you might as well trade one of them away. Therefore, stay in Monk for two levels and pick up the Invisible Fist ACF from Exemplars of Evil. Let invisibility fuel more sneak attack.

So that's alls I've got. Monk2/RogueX, Ascetic Rogue and Invisible Fist. Anything else I should be looking at? I'm not sure where to go PrC wise. I'm considering Ninja Spy for the bonuses to Jump, Tumble, etc. Also, fun as dipping whirl-pounce barbarian would be, not interested.

[Big Fau]

Ew. Low attack bonuses aside, FoB does not progress at all once you start advancing Rogue. Ascetic Rogue advances Sneak Attack only, and there isn't a dual progression class that I know of.

[Curmudgeon]

Apart from Invisible Fist, there's not much to be gained from Monk levels except for bonus feats for which you don't need to satisfy the prerequisites, or ACFs which substitute for those bonus feats. Flurry of Blows is a loser if you don't keep adding Monk levels. Normally with a Monk's Belt your unarmed damage won't be any better than if you had zero Monk levels. Ascetic Rogue stacks your Rogue+Monk levels for unarmed damage, but you'll need to get your DM to OK the Monk's Belt adding to that total rather than just your actual Monk levels alone.

Monk bonus feat (or replacement) suggestions:

M1: Monk Draconic Fist ACF (Dragon Magic, page 12): lose 1st-level bonus feat; gain energy damage w/ unarmed strike
M2: Fiery Fist (Player's Handbook II, page 79), even without Stunning Fist prerequisite

[ThiagoMartell]

Shou Disciple (Unapproachable East) progresses flurry, unarmed damage and gets full base attack bonus. Only 5 levels long.
Scorpion Kama (Magic Item Compendium) is a good choice for a weapon. Deals your unarmed damage, slashing, can be enchanted normally.
Nightsong Enforcer (Complete Adventurer) loses a single sneak attack dice but gets full bab as well.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Monk + Tashalatora + Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) maybe, it gets fewer sneak attack dice but it will advance your Flurry of Blows.

Just a single-class Rogue with a Monk's Belt and TWF is better off than multiclassing Monk/Rogue.

Maybe check out the Master of the South Wind prestige class from Dragon 314, it gets full Monk ability progression, 5d6 sneak attack in ten levels, and up to 4th level spells from a limited list similar to Assassin. It requires 10 ranks in Climb, Disguise, Hide, and Move Silently, plus Ki Strike (Magic) and Uncanny Dodge. You could go something like Lesser Tiefling (PGtF) Monk 2/ Rogue 4/ Enlightened Fist 1/ Master of the South Wind, using your racial spell-like ability to qualify for Enlightened Fist's caster level prerequisite.

[ThiagoMartell]

Monk + Tashalatora + Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) maybe, it gets fewer sneak attack dice but it will advance your Flurry of Blows.

This, so much this.

[Psyren]

Monk + Tashalatora + Psychic Rogue (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b) maybe, it gets fewer sneak attack dice but it will advance your Flurry of Blows.

To add to this excellent suggestion, Carmendine Monk/Kung-Fu Genius/Ascetic Psion will let you rely on Int instead of Wis, reducing your MAD.

[LeshLush]

I'd been considering Psychic Rogue earlier, but I kind of want to go mundane. Sometimes you just want to play a guy who hits people.

Thiago, thanks for the Prc and scorpion kama suggestions.

Also, Sleeping Tiger variant trades bonus feats for Weapon Finesse and Improved Initiative, which is nice.

[Unusual Muse]

Sidewinder Monk from Dragon Magazine 331 is a base class that advances SA and Flurry.

[marcielle]

Get psychic rogue and just don't use the powers that much. The important thing is you advance BOTH SA and FoB at the same time. Besides, you get knock and hustle. Link hustle with a swift action power and you can move before FoB, run away after, or just run faster than the guy chasing you.

[Averis Vol]

how about a SA fighter instead of rogue? nets you full BaB and SA progress. Personally I am a fan of forgetting FoB and picking up hammerfist (Dragon Comp) for a 2:1 PA conversion and picking up stuff like Snap kick and the UA damage uppers. It just gives out a lot higher damage light hits do. Also, don't forget to grab a Guantlet of the Dwarven Forge; It gives an extra 1d6+10 damage whenever you touch someone, I assume when you punch your touching soooo....Yay fire damage?

[Fouredged Sword]

Monk 2 / rogue 2 / fighter 2 / swordsage 2 was my build for a mageslayer that worked fairly well.

Monk 2 for wis to AC, and focused attack. Rogue 2 traded evasion for ray reflection. Fighter 2 got the mageslayer chain going, and swordsage enough to get the save replacements.

Finish it out with rogue and you should be good to go. No overt magic, but really hard to kill with magic and you hit hard even vs things immune to crits. AOE's are evaded, save or X's are saved, and rays are reflected back at the caster.

I find I like focused attack better than spamming sneak attacks. It hits more commonly and you can double the power attack damage with focused attack. Get power attack and a quarter staff for smacking people around. It makes your AOO's hurt like anything.

[LeshLush]

I'm unfamiliar with focused attack. What is it?