How should I build my character from here on out?

[Vamphyr]

Hello! I am new to posting here but I have been lurking for a while. I've recently jumped into a friends game of 3.5 starting at level 4.

What I have so far:

Ras is a human Monk 1/ Barbarian 1/ Fighter 2

His monastery was destroyed by a Warlord working under the command of a Hag queen and now Ras seeks his revenge for the death of everyone he's ever cared for.

Stats:

Str: 19
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 16
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

(Stats were rolled per the DM's request on 4d6, taking the highest 3 numbers and rerolling 1's.)


Feats:

Improved Unarmed Strike (monk)
Stunning Fist (monk)
Extra Rage
Extra Stunning
Pain Touch
Improved Trip (DM allowed me to forgo Combat Expertise)
Imroved Natural Attack

Right now I punch for 2d6 damage with a Monk's Belt.

Are there any feats you all would suggest I take next? I was considering going for the Karmic Strike feat, but I'm not sure.

Are there any classes that I should dip or prestige into?

The only limitations are no Dragon Mag and no ToB (Since I don't own it). I would also like to stay away from Psionics since neither the DM nor I really use them.

[Pilo]

Look at Fist of the forest Prc in Complete Champion. It is a nice Prc that will lower your life cost and improves your monk fighting ability, you get Con to AC too.

[00dlez]

Just a brief point of order, unless you have a major alignment shift, or have alignment restrictions waived in the campaign, you can't have a barbarian (chaotic) and monk (lawful) classes.

That said, check out Scorpian's Grasp feat from Sandstorm. I've played a few grappling barbarian/clerics in the past to a good deal of success. It isn't always a slam dunk (as many want to see out of fighter/martial builds) but it's fun and fairly effective.

Essentially, it allows the PC to follow up a successful melee attack with a grapple attempt.
Flurry for some hits and damage, following your last attack with a grapple attempt, adding more unarmed damage (which fora strong monk should be respectible) and you have the foe grappled.

What's more, if you min/max your grapple check, you can take a -20 and drag your opponent around and continue fighting others while grappling the first guy. Not something I've used yet, but neat to day dream about.

Moving forward, perhaps tack on cleric or druid levels? The buff abilities can pad your combat ablities nicely, even at low levels (enlarge person, bulls strength, etc)

[GenghisDon]

barbarian (non-lawful) I think you mean.

Obviously he changes alignment during/after L1. That's among the least hard to accept optimizations I've seen here.

Beat the crap outa everything, avoid spells, is how I'd play that guy. Unless your party is all twinked full casters...then just start over with a full caster.

Drunken Master, Reaping Mauler?, Avenging Executioner, Shou disciple?

[Vamphyr]

Just a brief point of order, unless you have a major alignment shift, or have alignment restrictions waived in the campaign, you can't have a barbarian (chaotic) and monk (lawful) classes.

My character is currently Chaotic Neutral, originally he was lawful neutral, but watching his master murdered in front of him caused him to snap into a blind rage, thus gaining his first level of Barbarian and switching his alignment. I take no penalties going from Monk to Barb other than the fact I can no longer level as a monk.


That said, check out Scorpian's Grasp feat from Sandstorm. I've played a few grappling barbarian/clerics in the past to a good deal of success. It isn't always a slam dunk (as many want to see out of fighter/martial builds) but it's fun and fairly effective.

I will definitely have to check that out! I had considered going grappler but I didn't want to be limited to only shutting down one target.


What's more, if you min/max your grapple check, you can take a -20 and drag your opponent around and continue fighting others while grappling the first guy. Not something I've used yet, but neat to day dream about.

What kind of feats would I have to take to be able to do all of that?


Moving forward, perhaps tack on cleric or druid levels? The buff abilities can pad your combat ablities nicely, even at low levels (enlarge person, bulls strength, etc)

That would be helpful since our party cleric chooses not to take any useful spells.

[00dlez]

What kind of feats would I have to take to be able to do all of that?


Well, Improved Grapple is a start. I'm not a huge optimizer so my specific realm of reference is small, but I think there is a feat that alters how you size is considered (if you are medium, you are considered large, etc).

Mainly, though, it is though spells and non-feat abilities that you can accomplish great mods. At 6th level, my barb1/clr5 was rocking a, if I recall correctly, +38 (for one round, anyway). Rage helps, enlarge person helps, bulls strength helps, debuff spells that can sap their STR or give penalties on STR based checks help, Feat of Strength domain power helps... theres many little bumps that can be used to keep your check above normal for extended fights, or (given the time to prep) can put your check stupid high for a shorter periods. The good thing is that many of these bonuses stack, so you aren't limited in that regard.

EDIT: I've not read the below thread, but it seems like it may be helpful
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134094

[Brock Samson]

Well... if it were possible, you should've gone Monk 2, it's the Sweet Spot if you're going to dip Monk. Evasion is a NICE ability if you've already got one level. And you get the BAB.

Barb 2 is decent. Not entirely necessary as you've got the Int to take Improved Trip, so you don't need the Alternate Class Feature to give you it. Did you, I repeat, did you take the Alternate Class Feature that swaps out (Fast Movement?) for Pounce? I really hope you did, or still can. Especially since you can Flurry on a Full Attack, on a Pounce.

[Vamphyr]

Did you, I repeat, did you take the Alternate Class Feature that swaps out (Fast Movement?) for Pounce? I really hope you did, or still can. Especially since you can Flurry on a Full Attack, on a Pounce.

Sadly I did not, I didn't want to over power the party, The party consists of a Lord of the Uttercold wizard I build for my brother, a sub-par rogue, a second rogue, a fighter who isn't optimized, and a cleric who took trickery as a domain and uses none of his spells. With my character the way he currently is I am the hardest hitter in the party (save the wizard). If I took pounce I would greatly overshadow the party, which I don't want to do. At least not so blatantly.


Also, Fist of the Forest is my new favorite PRC and what I'm aiming to complete by level 9.