Fisty McFacePunch

[Emperor Tippy]

I was moderately bored during a meeting this morning so I decided to figure out how to make a a good "punch your face in" monk, I also decided to make a VoP monk that would be good. The result is below.

Race: Necropolitan Gray Elf (throw on Dark if LA buy off is allowed).
Class Levels: Factotum 1/ Cobra Strike Monk 12/ Factotum 7

Feats/Flaws:
Flaw: Shaky (-2 on Ranged Attack Rolls)
Flaw: Vulnerable (-1 AC)
Elf: Two Weapon Fighting
Elf: Snap Kick
Elf: Weapon Finesse (Unarmed Strike)
Elf: Shadow Blade
1 HD: Sacred Vow (BoED)
Flaw: Vow of Poverty (BoED)
Flaw: Lifesense
VoP 1: Martial Stance (Assassins Stance)
VoP 2: Faerie Mysteries Initiate
Monk 1: Improved Unarmed Strike
Monk 1: Superior Unarmed Strike
3 HD: Craven
Monk 2: Improved Natural Attack
VoP 4: Darkstalker
6 HD: Quick Reconnoiter
VoP 6: Font of Inspiration
Monk 6: Font of Inspiration
VoP 8: Font of Inspiration
9 HD: Font of Inspiration
VoP 10: Font of Inspiration
12 HD: Font of Inspiration
VoP 12: Font of Inspiration
VoP 14: Font of Inspiration
15 HD: Font of Inspiration
VoP 16: Font of Inspiration
18 HD: Font of Inspiration
VoP 18: Font of Inspiration
VoP 20: Font of Inspiration

Alternate Class Features and Variants:
Cobra Strike Monk (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#cobraStrike) (SRD)
Decisive Strike (PHB2)
Invisible Fist (EoE)

Ability Scores (32 PB):
Str: 18 (11 base, -2 racial, +4 VoP, +5 Inherent)
Dex: 32 (17 Base, +2 racial, +8 VoP, +5 Inherent)
Con: -
Int: 36 (18 Base, +2 Racial, +6 VoP, + 5 Inherent, + 5 Level Up)
Wis: 13 (8 base, +2 VoP, +5 Inherent)
Cha: 13 (8 base, +5 Inherent)

IP: 96 (5 base, 91 from 13 iterations of Font of Inspiration)
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Ok, basic idea is that you use Cunning Surge (3 IP) to use your 70 ft. (80 with Dark) movement speed and Tumble to get within range of your target for a Full Attack. Now you use Decisive Strike (spending an IP on Cunning Insight for a +13 bonus to the Attack), spend 4 more IP on this if your DM rules that you get your TWF and Snap Kick attacks as well. If you hit then you spend 9 IP (3 for Cunning Surge, 2 for Cunning Insight on each of your three attacks) for another three attacks. Repeat until your target is dead or you run out of IP. Spend an IP on Wraithstrike if you want all of these attacks to be against Touch AC.

This should occur in the first round of combat and you should go first, which means Flat-footed enemies. If so then you get your Sneak Attack (and more importantly Craven, if allowed).

Now each attack deals 3d8+13 (Int) + 11 (Dex) + 4 (Str) + 5 VoP. But Decisive Strike doubles that, for a minimum of 72 damage (average 106). And you get 3 such attacks per standard action, all with an AB of +40 (+15 BAB, -2 TWF, -2 Snap Kick, +11 Dex, +13 Int, +5 VoP).

Now spend your IP on this for your 10 such attack routines. If all attacks hit then it is a minimum of 2,160 damage (average is 3,180). If you figure half of the attacks hit then it is still 1,080 damage. And that is without accounting for critical hits.

You now have a VoP Monk that can punch a Great Wyrm to death in one round.

If your DM rules that Snap Kick and TWF penalties stack for each round then drop those feats. Your AB is 4 higher and your minimum damage (assuming all hit) drops to 792 for the round. Not as impressive but it will still let you 1 round KO a Great Wyrm Red.

Incidentally, your AB is also high enough that you only miss against a Great Wyrm Red or Big T on a natural 1 (so you should miss one attack out of every two such routines on average).

With average damage you will deal 1,166 damage.

And all of this is before Craven. If you get to use that then add 484 to the minimum damage number and 594 to the average damage number.

All feats are Chaos Shuffled, assume that they are taken in the correct order to meet prerequisites.

Trading three levels of Monk for Psion 1 1/Elocater 1/ Swordsage 1 would shore up a few weaknesses but is less Monkey.

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So there you go, a Monk that can 1 shot KO any monster in the SRD.

And the pretty much complete list of things that it won't hit on anything but a natural 1 is here (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndLive/SearchMonsterList.php).

Oh yeah, Fisty's AC is 40 (10 base +11 Dex +13 Int +2 Monk +3 VoP +2 VoP -1 Vulnerable). Not great but it is respectable.

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This is also a good scout, what with the massive Hide and Move Silently and the free action spot and listen checks.

[flare'90]

Can you DCFS Vow of Poverty and Sacred Vow and still get the bonus feats?

That would net you 2 more FoI and let you use magic items.

[Emperor Tippy]

Can you DCFS Vow of Poverty and Sacred Vow and still get the bonus feats?

That would net you 2 more FoI and let you use magic items.

Yes, but FoI is already maxed (13 iterations). Besides I wanted to make VoP actually useful.

[flare'90]

Wait, you can max FoI?

And sure, between spell-like abilities and the VoP boni you have a very adaptable character.

[Flickerdart]

But how does it punch the dragon if the dragon is faster and also flying?

[Gildedragon]

Yeap FoI caps out at Int modifier iterations

Factotum SLA: Fly

[Spuddles]

Is Assassin's Stance qualifying for itself?

What's your HP looking like; 20d12+260(int)+40(desecrated altar), so average 435?

Damn, that's a lot of hps.

Arcane Dilettante gets you up to Fly, as far as traveling around goes. But with a CL of 8, you can expect to have a dragon strip that off of you. I suppose you could also use Alter Self to turn into something undead with wings. Still problems with dispels.

Needs more spell stitching and a template that gives you wing. Dragonborn after you DCFS away your elf feats? White Dragonspawn?

[Flickerdart]

Yeap FoI caps out at Int modifier iterations

Factotum SLA: Fly
A 60ft flight speed is not fast enough to catch up to a dragon that doesn't want to be caught up to. I suppose the build can burn IPs to move multiple times in a round, but it already burns so many that I'm not sure how much it can spare.

[Emperor Tippy]

Is Assassin's Stance qualifying for itself?
Yes, Chaos Shuffle Martial Study after getting Martial Stance/


What's your HP looking like; 20d12+260(int)+40(desecrated altar), so average 435?

Damn, that's a lot of hps.
Yep.


Arcane Dilettante gets you up to Fly, as far as traveling around goes. But with a CL of 8, you can expect to have a dragon strip that off of you. I suppose you could also use Alter Self to turn into something undead with wings. Still problems with dispels.

Yep. Although its also what the group is for. Get the party cleric to drop Air Walk on you and you are golden.

[Lateral]

...Or just get a Feathered Wings graft. You've got 20th level WBL, remember, and since it's double land speed you should be fine as far as catching up with a dragon goes.

[tyckspoon]

But how does it punch the dragon if the dragon is faster and also flying?

If the dragon is *running away from you* you claim victory and laugh while you start cataloging its loot. Otherwise, you wait for it to come back to you and go punch it when it gets in range. They may be able to outrun you, but most dragons have a pretty restricted effective range where they can actually attempt to fight you.

[Lateral]

If the dragon is *running away from you* you claim victory and laugh while you start cataloging its loot. Otherwise, you wait for it to come back to you and go punch it when it gets in range. They may be able to outrun you, but most dragons have a pretty restricted effective range where they can actually attempt to fight you.

Nonononono. Never let something as smart and powerful as a dragon run away, you'll end up regretting it. (Especially since this is Tippy we're talking about.)

[Spuddles]

It's a level 19 sorc caster. And as a VoP character, you don't really have anywhere to be putting the loot. I suppose you could have a grig with a bag of holding in your pocket or something.

Arcane Dilettante Hoard Gullet for 800lbs of cargo?

[Vaz]

...Or just get a Feathered Wings graft. You've got 20th level WBL, remember, and since it's double land speed you should be fine as far as catching up with a dragon goes.

No you don't. Vow of poverty.

[Xervous]

Secretly, Tippy is planning on using this as casual cannon fodder for his campaigns. It appears to be very easy to run and takes up next to no time in the post-combat (no loot).

Just a wild guess

[Chronos]

I don't see Kung Fu Genius nor Carmendine Monk on your feat list.


Quoth Flickerdart:

A 60ft flight speed is not fast enough to catch up to a dragon that doesn't want to be caught up to. I suppose the build can burn IPs to move multiple times in a round, but it already burns so many that I'm not sure how much it can spare.
Those Fonts provide enough inspiration for 30 cunning surges per round, plus whatever you get from factotum class levels. Call it 33 surges.

[Flickerdart]

I don't see Kung Fu Genius nor Carmendine Monk on your feat list.


Those Fonts provide enough inspiration for 30 cunning surges per round, plus whatever you get from factotum class levels. Call it 33 surges.
It's also using IPs to supplement each Surge with extra attack and damage, isn't it?

[Emperor Tippy]

I don't see Kung Fu Genius nor Carmendine Monk on your feat list.
Doh, forgot it. Drop Superior Unarmed Strike or Improved Natural Attack for it.



Those Fonts provide enough inspiration for 30 cunning surges per round, plus whatever you get from factotum class levels. Call it 33 surges.

96 IP actually. But you are really looking at 5 IP per attack because of Cunning Insight. So 18 potential attacks if you drop Snap Kick and TWF.

[Flickerdart]

96 IP actually. But you are really looking at 5 IP per attack because of Cunning Insight. So 18 potential attacks if you drop Snap Kick and TWF.
We're trying (or I'm trying, anyway) to figure out how deadly this build remains if it needs to burn Cunning Surges to close to range rather than attack. How far away can it start from the Great Wyrm Red to still have a guaranteed 1-round kill?

[Emperor Tippy]

We're trying (or I'm trying, anyway) to figure out how deadly this build remains if it needs to burn Cunning Surges to close to range rather than attack. How far away can it start from the Great Wyrm Red to still have a guaranteed 1-round kill?

Well 70 ft. movement. A Great Wyrm Red tops out at 880 HP. So 890 damage to one shot kill it.

Drop Snap Kick and TWF from the build (they require house rules to not tank your AB), replace one with Kung Fu genius and the other with whatever float your boat.

Minimum damage without sneak attack is 72. That means you need 13 hits. That is 65 IP. You need 2 IP for Cunning Insight on Decisive Strike and should dump another for Wraithstrike, so 3 there. That is 68 total. You have 96 IP total so that is 28 IP left to play with. If you spend it all on Cunning Surge then that is 9 more uses of it.

At 70 ft. movement each that is 630 ft. Add in Dark with LA buy off and its 720 ft.