3.5 Psy monk build help

[ElderCheese]

"Hey, guys, new poster without a lot of experience in multiclassing. Looking to make a psywar/monk using tashalatora, but I also really like the flavor of the freedom mantle of the ardent. I've absorbed a lot of info about the classes but its a bit overwhelming to grapple with.

My stats are str 18, dex 16, con 17, int 12, wis 16, cha 10 (I got some lucky rolls)

This hole mess started when my DM to be told me to go nuts so I did but I bit off more then I could chew all at once. Any suggestions on how best to put this thing together?

[Darrin]

"Hey, guys, new poster without a lot of experience in multiclassing. Looking to make a psywar/monk using tashalatora, but I also really like the flavor of the freedom mantle of the ardent.

Check out Mantled Warrior (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070214a).

Monk 2/Mantled Warrior 18.

[Piggy Knowles]

I'm ordinarily a big PsyWar fan, and will almost always recommend it over Ardent even though Ardent is strictly a better class.

That said, this Monk 2/Ardent 18 (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/29355731/) by RadicalTaoist is one of my favorite Tashalatora builds.

[Ellrin]

Looking to make a psywar/monk using tashalatora, but I also really like the flavor of the freedom mantle of the ardent.

Any particular reason you're going for monk/psywar instead of just pure monk/ardent?

@PiggyKnowles:
That link just directs to the previous editions optimization board on Wizards.

[ElderCheese]

two reasons I'm jut getting back to DnD after being away from it for a long time and I've never used the psionic books before (so ignorance may be a factor). The other reason is the Psywarrior just looks really cool. Also on a rather silly level I wanted to make a warrior so naturally...

on another note is there any reason to splice anything else in there like warblade or warshaper? or is that making this hole thing even more complex then it already is (ponders the wide range of feats required).

btw mantled warrior is aces :)

[Piggy Knowles]

@PiggyKnowles:
That link just directs to the previous editions optimization board on Wizards.

Whoops! Fixing now. Here's the correct link: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/29355731/

[Metahuman1]

If it was me making this character, I'd make the build look something like this.

Monk 2/ Ardent 2/Unarmed Swordsage 1/ Crusader 1/ Warblade 1/ Ardent 13.

You come out loosing 3 levels of Ardent Psionic ability progression and depending on the ruling on tashalatora, 3-5 levels of class features. And the class features in and of themselves from the dips are pretty Meh for you.

But you wind up with 6th lvl maneuvers, which is not at all insignificant. More so since you have LOT'S of them. And can access all Martial Initiator schools.

I'd put Mountain Hammer and the Diamond Mind concentration check in place of a save counters on Warblade and focus the rest of your maneuvers there on Iron Heart. Iron Heart Surge, Wall of Blades and Mithril Tornado will be a lot of fun to have.

Grab as many Devoted Spirit and White Raven goodies as you can on Crusader. Seriously, do this, there amazing, you basically can't go wrong with these.

On the Swordsage, avoid Desert Wind and Stone Dragon. Make a point of Having Diamond Mind.

Of the other three schools, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand and Tiger Claw, look at how you wanna play. If you wanna be all about mobility and not about being the biggest combatant, Grab Tiger Claw stuff with Shadow Hand. If not, then Grab Shadow Hand and Setting sun, which will be great with Improved trip/high sense motive rolls/high strength score and Expansion.


Lastly, crack open Tome of Magic. Three feats, Bind Vestige, Improved Bind Vestige, Improved Binding. One Item, the vestments of binding. Get them. If necessary, get them using magic locations that grant feats and retraining rules, if absolutely necessary, add a minor curse or class/alignment/race restrictions to cut the price down to make it affordable.

Grab what ever first level Vestige you care for form Bind Vestige, it's a feat tax. For your Improved Bind Vestige, there's a 5th lvl one who gives a +4 bonus to strength that stacks with like everything, and pounce. He's the one you want to make sure you have and can make the check to bind even on a natural 1. The Strength and other stuff he does are great, but pounce is the big deal. This way you don't need to spend maneuvers/dedicated magic items/known powers and power points on it and can use those resources elsewhere.

[Ellrin]

[snip]

Where are you getting 6th level maneuvers on that build? It's been a long time since I've looked at ToB, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that maximum maneuver level was based on initiator level, and initiator level is (number of levels of initiating classes) plus (1/2 * number of level of non-initiating classes). Which gives you an initiator level of 5th when you take your level in Warblade, and I seem to recall that your maximum maneuver level is something like half your initiator level.

And again, it's been a while, but I feel there has to be a cheaper way to grab pounce than a three feat chain + dedicated Diplomacy.

[Metahuman1]

Ack! Typo! That was suppose to read 5th lvl maneuvers. Which is still, as I said, nothing to sneeze at with the diversity and sheer number of them you can know and have ready.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I've never used the psionic books before

You might find the Psychic Warrior Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1542) worth a look, in that case.

You might also find Peregrine's excellent Psionics summary (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10635999&postcount=2) useful.