Bard/Monk multiclass

[Jurai]

I'm building a priestly character of Ilmater, using Way of Open Hand Monk and College of Lore Bard. Any advice for this build, aside from changing it? I already have my idea set.

[DethBySquirl]

My first thought is that this character would be a decent grappler, taking advantage of Expertise. Open Hand also gives you essentially a free trip on Flurry attacks, so you'd be decent at locking down certain foes. To that end, perhaps Sentinel would be a worthwhile investment, though as MAD as you are you're going to have a hard time having a good AC.

[zinycor]

I would go 1/2 elf, so my stats would be something like

str:10
dex: 16 (+1 half elf)
con: 14
int: 8
wis: 14 (+1 half elf)
cha: 14 (+2 half elf)

That's assuming standard array, which ends up with a very good set of stats, I like the way it looks, and I think it could be very good.

[Easy_Lee]

If you pick only buff and support type spells, you can avoid the need for high charisma. As long as your CHA score is high enough to learn your spells, you won't have to worry about low DCs or anything. So I'd find a way to start with a 16 in DEX and WIS and a 14 in CHA. That way you play as a monk (though a lesser variant) in combat and a bard out of combat. And maybe some of your buffs, divination, etc., will come in handy.

You could ignore your WIS in favor of high CHA, but you'd have to sacrifice movement speed as well as all of your monk DCs. That means stunning fist and anything you pick up from your archetype, just to note a few. It's tricky.

[CyberThread]

Am not feeling open hand is the best use of abilties, due to bard changing what you get. Would you be open to the way of the shadow?

[Ralanr]

Am not feeling open hand is the best use of abilties, due to bard changing what you get. Would you be open to the way of the shadow?

Perhaps a shadowy hand?

[djreynolds]

Yes, yes, yes to all of it. As DM I'd give you a bonus. There's a Celtic god who's like a great wrestler, or even think Gilgamesh. Very cool concept. I'm gonna run with it myself.

Now do you go 14 monk for the saves, 16 for 1d10. What's you balance thematically? And then does it hold up mathematically.

Anyway post the build, cause it's cool

[DethBySquirl]

Maybe you could use your bare chest as a percussion instrument? Be the manliest of men, wrestling and punching people and telling tales of glory.

[djreynolds]

Maybe you could use your bare chest as a percussion instrument? Be the manliest of men, wrestling and punching people and telling tales of glory.

That's what I'm talking about. But now as a woman........

Just kidding. If you go the grappler route, you'll need a 13 strength. If you go Cane, 10 strength is fine. I feel thematically if you dump intelligence below 10... I'd leave it there. You can still get a 20 in dexterity and maybe 16 in wisdom and charisma. Con will be like 12-14. Good enough.

You get so many goodies with those classes, forget feats and just focus on ASI.

[Jurai]

The character's a priest (not a cleric, a PRIEST) of Ilmater, who believes that physical ills and mental ills are interlinked, and that relieving one, even temporarily, relieves the other, so he's prone to throwing parties and performing music to alleviate boredom and misery, healing the ill and the sick.

I went Variant Human and grabbed Healer, and will probably go Monk 6 (Open Hand)/Bard (College of Lore) 14.

[djreynolds]

I believe in deities and demigods it was the Celtic god Ogmah. I like the build. I had some similar in mind

[Dimolyth]

The character's a priest (not a cleric, a PRIEST) of Ilmater, who believes that physical ills and mental ills are interlinked, and that relieving one, even temporarily, relieves the other, so he's prone to throwing parties and performing music to alleviate boredom and misery, healing the ill and the sick.

I went Variant Human and grabbed Healer, and will probably go Monk 6 (Open Hand)/Bard (College of Lore) 14.

I would rather went to monk as first level (martial arts and unarmored defence), then took 3 levels in bard to gain expertise with athletics and one mental skill (maybe medicine) to reflect perfection&purity of Ilmater.
That will give you support healer and grappler/wrestler in combat (don`t worry about extra attack - you have bonus attack from martial arts). Just don`t buff with inspiration - use cutting words for grapple checks or reducing damage (a.k.a. ability to endure pain).
With 5th level, you can go Bard for ASI if you need, or start progressing as monk for Open Hand battle control.

And don`t forget that oratory and spreading Ilmater`s ideals and words work better than musical performances.

[Jurai]

I know, but oratory isn't considered a musical instrument, so he plays ocarina. First level is monk, with entertainer as my background, giving me Performance AND Acrobatics. Spent VH skill on Medicine, took Healer as my feat, and have come up with an awesome name for him.

www.myth-weavers.com/showthread.php?t=315231

[Dimolyth]

I know, but oratory isn't considered a musical instrument, so he plays ocarina. First level is monk, with entertainer as my background, giving me Performance AND Acrobatics. Spent VH skill on Medicine, took Healer as my feat, and have come up with an awesome name for him.

www.myth-weavers.com/showthread.php?t=315231


Oh, sorry, I thought you meant "acolyte background" by speaking "priest" in description. So you would have Insight/Religion from monk class, then SAME skills from background, so it is Insight/Religion + 3 any skills at 1st level and artisan tool of choice at 1st level, then +1 any skill and musical instrument at 2nd level from multiclassing, then +3 any skills at 4th level...
You will get more languages (for communicating with enemies), you will get your musical instrument at 2nd level, and artisan tool or musical instrument at first level from monk class. By choosing something simple and common to poor folk (pipes is good example for instrument, weaver/cobbler for tool). I mean, more of Ilmater priest/commoner and less of professional musician...
...But that is only what I got from your description)))