[Pathfinder]: Optimize My Monk!

[Lazij Scalesong]

Greetings, GitP Forum Goers! I have returned once more with my ridiculous requests of optimizing a so-so class. This time, I am seeking help with a Pathfinder Monk.

Rules:
-Level 2 Character, with Level 1 Starting Wealth for Monk
-20pt Buy
-Human (Like this is -totally- restrictive [/sarcasm])
-Unarmed (I am counting Brass Knuckles as unarmed, using the APG rules for them pre-any Errata)
-All sources on the Pathfinder SRD (both of them) EXCEPT FOR 3RD PARTY.
-No flaws/traits.

Priorities (Descending Order):
-Damage (Does a respectable, if not f***awesome, amount of damage)
-Survivability (Doesn't die in two hits, or at least can avoid hits)
-Flexibility (Damage optimized with combat maneuvers)
-Gives me a reason to play Monk before any other ostensibly 'Martial' class.

Was thinking Master of Many Styles/Hungry Ghost Monk. I am concerned about giving up Flurry of Blows, though. Maybe Snake/Panther style? I don't really know.

[Hylas]

I like the Maneuver Master because you can string together a bunch of dirty tricks in with your flurry. It doesn't help your damage output but you can shut down enemies.

[Krazzman]

Ok, I for my part can only say a little bit about this but well...

I was often adviced to take Qinggong Hungry Ghost Monk. This changes your least wanted monk abilities into something useful.

For archery the Zen-Archer is probably pretty awesome and you could make a Half-Elven/Elven Zen-Arcane-Archer that only needs: 13 Dex and Wisdom as high as possible. (here you have 2 turning off points to switch from monk to Sorcerer [3 and 6]).
Zen-Archer is quite awesome when level 3 (Wis for to-hit) comes around and you can get the Wis to damage enchant on your weapon (albeit ask your DM about this as this is not PFS and was printed in an adventure path for 3.5).

Another "cool" build would be a Elemental Fist 1/White Dragon Sorcerer 4/Dragon Disciple X/Sorcerer X. This basically turns out to be Sub Zero.

There is another way with Master of many Styles but I'm not that firm with the other Monk Archetypes. I read that Tetori is quite good.

Hope this helps.

[Twilightwyrm]

My advice? Find a way to work Monk of the Four Winds into your build. You can break action economy, (by taking three standard actions in a row), do some elemental damage, gain a fly speed, and become basically unkillable. Seriously, whenever you die you reincarnate 24 hours later, within 20 miles of where you died, regardless of how, when or why (the only caveat being that, at some undetermined point in the future, you should visit the spot where you reincarnated (when you have nothing better to do). Yes, it is a 20th level capstone, but this is Pathfinder. Assuming you play your cards right, taking Monk 20 may be one of your better options.

[Mayito]

Monks have so many fun ways to play them but I think that the number one build and archetype that really sets them apart from other martial classes is the tetori monk because it is the only way to really keep grappling effective throughout the life of the character. Grappling can be a very effective combat option especially when combined with the high mobility that monks enjoy. Also in any build I would recommend you take advantage of style feats because they are amazing. I know that for your current request its human only but I am really interested in playing a halfling underfoot adept with panther style because he would literally run through the whole battlefield tripping anyone who tries to get him. I wonder if underfoot adept and tetori are compatible ..., of to the books I go!

[Blyte]

flowing monk 1 + kensai magus X

you get Dex + Wis + Int to AC

Dex 16+
Wis 14+
Int 14+
Con 10+
Str 8
Cha 8

put your +2 into Dex

Lvl 1 Monk1
feat lvl 1 - weapon finesse
human bonus - combat reflexes
monk bonus - improved trip

lvl 2 Magus1
magus bonus - weapon focus wakazashi (same stats as a rapier)

...

lvl 3 Magus2
feat lvl 3 - agile manuevers

lvl 5 Magus4
feat lvl 5 - vicious stomp

basically you want to shoot for an agile necklace of mighty fists and an agile wakizashi +1, and +dex/wis/int gear for a high AC

eventually take scorpion style to take away the opponents option to attack other team mates, and they eventually resign to fighting you from the floor after you trip them, hit them for standing, and then trip them again. you can also eventually take snake style for even more good damage shield effects.

use spells like shield and mage armor (until you can afford better bracers of armor)

[Rejakor]

There's an enchant that adds wis to damage in 3.5?

[Slipperychicken]

A Brawler Fighter gets better unarmed damage than a monk, between its buffed Weapon Training (+3 tohit and damage at level 3, +1 every four levels thereafter), extra feats for things like Weapon Focus/Specialization, easily-enchanted "unarmed weapons" like Brass Knuckles and the Cestus, and the new Brawling armor property from UE (+2 tohit and damage w/ UAS) which monks can't get because it only works for Light armor. So if your first priority is all-day punching damage, I say go Brawler, points in Str and Con, live in a monastery, and spout new age mumbo-jumbo like the rest of the kung-fu clergy.

Your out-of-combat utility will be about the same as a Monk (*Yawn* "Wake me up when combat starts again"), you'll be less MAD so you can put more points in Strength/Con/Dex, you can actually wear light armor (more than balancing out the Wis-to-AC), Brawlers get a bonus to some combat maneuvers, your Will and Reflex saves will be lower... but ultimately you'll be able to do your job, your core competency: Punching people to death.


Whatever you do, see if you can swing the Belier's Bite feat from Cheliax. Another d4 on your unarmed strikes is desperately-needed damage, and the bleed damage-over-time can still make a difference at early levels.

[Lazij Scalesong]

Thank you, everyone, for all of your support.

I was interested in building a martial-arts styled character. The brawler idea seems interesting (but I'm hesitant to give up Flurry of Blows for the Brawler-Fighter). Of course... Two weapon fighting and its other feats sorta improves that.

Of course of course, mentioning TWF makes me go 'Other than character concept, -WHY THE IN THE NINE HELLS AM I NOT PLAYING AN (X CLASS)-.

But thank you all. I'll do a bit of playtesting with some of these, especially Brawler and Kensai.

[Slipperychicken]

(but I'm hesitant to give up Flurry of Blows for the Brawler-Fighter). Of course... Two weapon fighting and its other feats sorta improves that.

Flurry of Blows is often referred to as Flurry of Misses -The attack penalty (plus how MAD you are so you can't put as many points in Str, and how few bonuses you can get on Unarmed Strikes in the first place) makes Monk's attacks miss a lot more, severely damage output.

Stacking TWF on it further tanks your attack bonus, it'll be a wonder if you hit anything. It probably won't be worth it. Didn't SKR say something about it not stacking anyway?