Opinions on Drunken Master/Master of Many Styles

[5w337x7007h]

So I went and searched around for a build that fit Jackie Chan. I found one that fit his style of fighting, Drunken Boxing, instead, which he is amazing at. (Note: Drunken Master 1&2)

I found a partial build, and I was wondering, by that time, "How should I finish this partial build?". This is what I came up with, and I'm seeking opinions on adjustments, not rebuilds.

Human Drunken Master/Master of Many Styles

Str 16, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 17, Cha 11
C = Character Feat/B = Bonus Feat/H = Human Feat

1- Dodge-H, Mobility-C, Panther Style-B
2- Panther Claw-B
3- Combat Reflexes-C
5- Snake Style-C
6- Snake Fang-B
7- Panther Parry-C
9- Monkey Style-C
10- Monkey Moves-B
11- Deep Drinker-C
13- Combat Style Master-C
14- Pummeling Style-B
15- Dragon Style-C
17- Extra Ki-C
18- Pummeling Charge-B
19- Extra Ki-C

Start of Battle, I use my standard action to drink my booze, using that Drunken Ki to gain a +4 to AC for the round; to an effective 22 ac a 3rd lvl +4 vs AoO. I walk through enemy squares provoking AoO, for each AoO I gain a free attack with Panther Claw. Panther Parry allows my attacks to resolve first, if I hit, they get -2 to attack rolls, plus I can use a sense motive check as my AC instead as an immediate action. If they miss, I gain an AoO on them with Snake Fang, and when that hits I can get another attack as an immediate action, if I haven't already spent it that round.

Monkey Style and Monkey Moves allows me to do this while prone. Pummeling Style, Dragon Style, and Pummeling Charge allows me to charge through difficult terrain and allies to deal a devastating unarmed strike using all of my attack potential. Combat Style Master allows me to utilize the Pummeling Dragon combo until 20th when it becomes obsolete.

Quick question on Snake Style while I'm at it. The style states that I can role a sense motive on a melee or ranged attack, does this include range touch, such as from a ray spell?

[Razo1204]

Quick question on Snake Style while I'm at it. The style states that I can role a sense motive on a melee or ranged attack, does this include range touch, such as from a ray spell?




Snake Style

You gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks, and you can deal piercing damage with your unarmed strikes. While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.


Because rays require an attack roll against touch AC, I would say that you could use the feat against a ray.

Overall, I really like the build. I may have to borrow it for a campaign one day.

I have three questions about the build.

Have you considered taking the Qinggong Monk archetype in addition to DM and MoMS?
Have you thought about how you are going to carry enough ale to use a ki point per round?
Are there any negative effects to drinking that much?

[DrMartin]

If Path of War is allowed, i'd replace those extra Ki feat for Martial Training I and II, grabbing a couple of Broken Blade maneuvers (maybe one is Pugilist Stance, for a flat +2d6 dmg on all your unarmed attack).

minor nitpick: you cannot pick up panther claw at level 2 and combat reflexes at level 3, you have to switch them around

I believe snake style works against ray spells too, as they are considered "attacks" (from the wiki):


Ranged Touch Spells in Combat: Some spells allow you to make a ranged touch attack as part of the casting of the spell. These attacks are made as part of the spell and do not require a separate action. Ranged touch attacks provoke an attack of opportunity, even if the spell that causes the attacks was cast defensively. Unless otherwise noted, ranged touch attacks cannot be held until a later turn (see FAQ below for more information.)


[...] While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, [...]

edit - swordsaged (stalked? :smallconfused: stalkered?:D )

[Tvtyrant]

Have you thought about how you are going to carry enough ale to use a ki point per round?
[/LIST]

Giant beer hat, naturally. Probably going to be a custom magic "Shrink item" on two barrels of ale with straws.

[Razo1204]

minor nitpick: you cannot pick up panther claw at level 2 and combat reflexes at level 3, you have to switch them around


The feats don't need to be swapped.



Bonus Feat

At 1st level, 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, a master of many styles may select a bonus style feat or the Elemental Fist feat. He does not have to meet the prerequisites of that feat, except the Elemental Fist feat. Alternatively, a master of many styles may choose a feat in that style’s feat path (such as Earth Child Topple) as one of these bonus feats if he already has the appropriate style feat (such as Earth Child Style). The master of many styles does not need to meet any other prerequisite of the feat in the style’s feat path.

[DrMartin]

The feats don't need to be swapped.

uups, forgot that bit :)

[5w337x7007h]

I've got a Tengu Drinking Jug for the alcohol boons, which provides me with 8 Drunken Ki if each Ki is equal to a pint. Plus I'm going to be riding on a pirate ship, so booze abound. Also considering that my character is a Drunken Master, his body has a high resistance to the detrimental effects of alcohol.

Tengu Drinking Jug:
This looks like a one-gallon stoneware jug with white glaze, black birds painted around the middle, and a cork stopper tied about the neck with a hemp cord. Any liquid placed within the jug becomes safe to drink, as though affected by purify food and drink (though the jug only affects liquids). Three times per day, the bearer can command the jug to alter the temperature of its contents so that it ranges anywhere from ice cold to boiling hot. Once per day, the bearer can command water placed into the jug to transform into plum liquor, sake, or tea. A tengu jug holds up to 1 gallon of any liquid.

It was literally 1/3 of my gold at 3rd level, and that's all I got for starting items. They found me on an Island, I survived the wreckage of a Cheliax Ship. It's going to be a running joke that I'm obsessed with coconuts, and that's how I survived until they found me. For aesthetic reasons, I am Vanaran, but statistically I'm human, to keep the feats where I want them. I'm sad I couldn't be a Vanaran, because that climb speed and a prehensile tail would be awesome, but I'll deal with what I've got. I'll get slippers of spider climbing,a Monk's Robe, headband of wisdom, belt of physical might, and amulet of mighty fists, probably bracers of armor too.

The only downside to this build is that, early on, you depend on enemies attacking you first, smart ones won't waste time fighting you and deal with your party, so you've got to make yourself an issue, like flanking with the pyro fighter, or the Druid, if the Druid builds into melee.

[Psyren]

Put the 17 in Con, increase it by 1 at level 4, and get Fast Drinker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fast-drinker) as soon as possible after you get a ki pool.

You can get Combat Style Master much earlier than 13, I suggest you move it up. That way you can start combat with all your styles turned on. (Start in one, free action all the others, use your swift to drink, go to town.)

[5w337x7007h]

Put the 17 in Con, increase it by 1 at level 4, and get Fast Drinker (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/fast-drinker) as soon as possible after you get a ki pool.

You can get Combat Style Master much earlier than 13, I suggest you move it up. That way you can start combat with all your styles turned on. (Start in one, free action all the others, use your swift to drink, go to town.)

I'm stuck at 15 Con right now, but I do know that the number of style feats I have fall within Fuse Styles limits so I can keep them all active until about 13th level in which my styles become more than my limit. At 20th level, I'll only have five styles, and they'll be active because of Perfect Style. Unless there's something I need to know about these 'stances' that the Style Feats info mentions.

[Psyren]

It's just an action economy thing - swift actions are valuable (even without fast drinker, there are other things you can spend that on) so getting your styles to free actions should be obtained as soon as possible. CSM can be picked up as early as 5, so I don't see a reason to wait until 13 myself.

[5w337x7007h]

It's just an action economy thing - swift actions are valuable (even without fast drinker, there are other things you can spend that on) so getting your styles to free actions should be obtained as soon as possible. CSM can be picked up as early as 5, so I don't see a reason to wait until 13 myself.

I wasn't thinking about action economy when I made the build, I guess I could adjust that portion a bit, but the character itself is more roleplay than combat anyways. Though I would appreciate not dropping my Wis as it increases my AC, the number of free attacks I get with Panther Claws, my will save, and the save on my Stunning Fist.

I find it annoying that Monks are so MAD with their stats.
So if I can get my GM to agree to let me move my Stat bonus from Wis to Con, that'll give me Fast Drinker at 5th or 7th level.

5 Combat Style Master or Fast Drinker
6 Snake Style
7 Fast Drinker or Combat Style Master
9 Panther Parry
10 Snake Fang
11 Deep Drinker
13 Monkey Style
14 Monkey Moves
15 Dragon Style
17 Pummeling Style
18 Pummeling Bully
19 Pummeling Charge

[Psyren]

I wasn't thinking about action economy when I made the build, I guess I could adjust that portion a bit, but the character itself is more roleplay than combat anyways. Though I would appreciate not dropping my Wis as it increases my AC, the number of free attacks I get with Panther Claws, my will save, and the save on my Stunning Fist.

You can skip Fast Drinker and not change your stats. But Combat Style Master can still come much earlier in the build is all I'm saying :smallsmile:

[5w337x7007h]

I just edited my previous post, while you were responding, to avoid double-posting. It's an easy swap that'll drop my AC, Stunning Fist DC, my Will Save, and my Free Action Attacks by 1, which will hurt, but it will be worth the compensation. At 8th level I could easily fix that to 16 Wis and make it work, sort of, but by then I'll definitely have a headband of wisdom which will boost those three stats fairly well.

Hopefully I can survive the four levels to get there though.

18th lvl, I can gain a bonus feat, I'll snag Pummeling Bully, and I don't have to meet the prerequisites. Which means whenever I use Pummeling Style, I can trip or reposition, granting them an AoO since I don't have improved trip or reposition, which grants me a Free Attack with Panther Claw, which resolves first with Panther Parry, that gives them a -2 to attack and damage if I succeed. If they miss, I can gain an AoO with Snake Fang, if that hits I can get an immediate action unarmed strike on top of that. So I'll be hitting them for somewhere between 2d8 to 6d8 on the first hit, plus 2d8 from my AoO and another 2d8 from the immediate action. So if everything triggers and goes through, I'd be doing 6d8+2d8+2d8 of damage in one round, separating attacks for DR/- purposes. Overall, I'd be out-performing a Brawler's Awesome Blow maneuver.