(Pathfinder) Is my build efficient?

[Hogsy]

I'm playing in a low-fantasy campaign with a 25 point-buy system and I wanted to make a character who doesn't necessarily deals a lot of dmg but can be a strong frontliner, make lots of trip maneuvers and attacks of opportunities. I'm thinking a Flowing Monk/Monk of the Iron Mountain or a Free Style Fighter for the juicy style feats. I also thought of going Monk 5/Fighter 15 but I'm not so sure. My current full monk build is as follows:

Feats:
Improved Unarmed Strike(Monk 1)
Improved Trip(Level 1 Monk)
Dodge(Level 1)
Crane Style(-2 +3 fighting defensively) (Level 3)
Toughness(Gained from Monk of the Iron Mountain)
Crane Wing(Level 5)
Combat Reflexes/Agile Maneuvers/Weapon Finesse(because my Dex is higher)
Greater Trip(Level 6 bonus feat)
Crane Riposte(Level 7)
Vicious Stomp(Level 9)

with my stats:

Str 14
Dex 18
Con 16
Int 13
Wis 14
Cha 10

Str 14
Dex 19
Con 13
Int 13
Wis 14
Cha 7 (How about these ones? Cha is completely useless to me and since I'll be playing a Hobgoblin, 7 isn't too bad.)

There won't be any magic items either, so my gold will most likely be useless. I haven't gone further from Level 9 because I don't think we'll play that long. It's also the reason I'm re-thinking about the multiclass. I'll ask my DM if he'll allow me to pick the "Double Hit" or at least the "Sword and Axe" feats from 3.5 before I consider the Fighter route. Our party consists of a TWF fighter, a Skulking Slayer Rogue, an Investigator and an Inquisitor.


EDIT: Also, if I do end up picking Weapon Finesse(and later on combat reflexes) I may ask my DM to allow me to use the Dervish feat for my unarmed strikes which isn't too far fetched. We'll see how it goes. I might even forbid him from dealing lethal damage and take up a few vows. Other than that, he's a kobold Hobgoblin who has left the kobold Hobgoblin army and their drow masters in order to help the dwarven, elven and human kingdoms overcome the threat. He believes that kobolds Hobgoblins were better of before the drows came into the picture.

[Geddy2112]

You don't need agile maneuvers if you have weapon finesse, as your maneuvers are done with unarmed strikes and then can use dex.

How did you get those ability scores with a 25 pt by and a kobold's racial stats? By my math that's close to a 40pt by.

Your feat tree looks great; you should be near unhittable and get some nice AoO trips and similar shenanigans.

[Hogsy]

You don't need agile maneuvers if you have weapon finesse, as your maneuvers are done with unarmed strikes and then can use dex.

How did you get those ability scores with a 25 pt by and a kobold's racial stats? By my math that's close to a 40pt by.

Your feat tree looks great; you should be near unhittable and get some nice AoO trips and similar shenanigans.

Did I say kobold? My bad, I meant a hobgoblin. I've had my mind on a kobold character all night yesterday so I must have mixed it up. Yeah that's why I thought I'd go for weapon finesse instead of agile maneuvers, so I'd get the dex both on my to-hit bonus and CMB.


Edit: I also thought of dipping 1 on Free-Style Fighter so I can get an extra style along the lines of Snake or Panther, for more AoO shenanigans plus the martial flexibility ability is great even at its level 1 state since I'll be able to use it 1/encounter. The d10 and 1 bab aren't bad either.

[Geddy2112]

Did I say kobold? My bad, I meant a hobgoblin. I've had my mind on a kobold character all night yesterday so I must have mixed it up. Yeah that's why I thought I'd go for weapon finesse instead of agile maneuvers, so I'd get the dex both on my to-hit bonus and CMB.


Edit: I also thought of dipping 1 on Free-Style Fighter so I can get an extra style along the lines of Snake or Panther, for more AoO shenanigans plus the martial flexibility ability is great even at its level 1 state since I'll be able to use it 1/encounter. The d10 and 1 bab aren't bad either.

Yeah, hobgoblin seems better. I would go 14/19/13/13/16/7 for stats post racial mods. You need wis for AC over con, as you have good fort saves and hit dice. Ideally, you just won't get hit very often. You can bump dex, then con, then int with the stat increases to round things out.

Free hand fighter is not bad, and panther is a really good style mesh with flowing monk, although you might also want wolf if you go with an AoO build.

[Hogsy]

Yeah, hobgoblin seems better. I would go 14/19/13/13/16/7 for stats post racial mods. You need wis for AC over con, as you have good fort saves and hit dice. Ideally, you just won't get hit very often. You can bump dex, then con, then int with the stat increases to round things out.

Free hand fighter is not bad, and panther is a really good style mesh with flowing monk, although you might also want wolf if you go with an AoO build.


Yeah, you're right. I'm already at 19 ac and next level with the Crane Style I'll be enjoying 22 AC. My only regret is that I won't be able to enjoy the panther claw/snake fang shenanigans with like 5 Attacks out of one enemy hit and only 1 of them being an AoO. I'll probably invest in the Wolf tree and use martial flexibility for Panther Style when I know that I want to provoke an AoO to set up my rogue for a sneaking charge using the Flowing Monk's ability to make targets he AoOs flat-footed.

[Geddy2112]

Yeah, you're right. I'm already at 19 ac and next level with the Crane Style I'll be enjoying 22 AC. My only regret is that I won't be able to enjoy the panther claw/snake fang shenanigans with like 5 Attacks out of one enemy hit and only 1 of them being an AoO. I'll probably invest in the Wolf tree and use martial flexibility for Panther Style when I know that I want to provoke an AoO to set up my rogue for a sneaking charge using the Flowing Monk's ability to make targets he AoOs flat-footed.

Remember to put three ranks in acrobatics as well for an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively, for an AC of 23!

And remember that it takes three levels in free-style fighter to get two style feats up at once. You could just skip that and invest in a second style to have as utility when you don't need to block with crane. Although getting martial weapon proficiency would allow you to get a blocking weapon for even more AC bonus! You could just dip brawler to get the same effect if you just want martial flexibility, while keeping your unarmed damage up.

[Hogsy]

Remember to put three ranks in acrobatics as well for an additional +1 dodge bonus to AC when fighting defensively, for an AC of 23!

And remember that it takes three levels in free-style fighter to get two style feats up at once. You could just skip that and invest in a second style to have as utility when you don't need to block with crane. Although getting martial weapon proficiency would allow you to get a blocking weapon for even more AC bonus! You could just dip brawler to get the same effect if you just want martial flexibility, while keeping your unarmed damage up.

That's true and with the Brawler dip I wouldn't need the 13 int for the feats, I could keep it down at 10 to increase one of my other stats. Maybe put Int 8 and Str 16.

[Geddy2112]

That's true and with the Brawler dip I wouldn't need the 13 int for the feats, I could keep it down at 10 to increase one of my other stats. Maybe put Int 8 and Str 16.

Yeah if you go brawler dump int as low as you feel comfortable doing. Personally, I like skills so I am hesitant to go below 10 but if you don't mind it 8 int is doable.

[Hogsy]

Yeah if you go brawler dump int as low as you feel comfortable doing. Personally, I like skills so I am hesitant to go below 10 but if you don't mind it 8 int is doable.


Well, the investigator in our party can roll Diplomacy, Intimidate and Bluff with his linguistics checks and then we also have an Inquisitor who's also a party face. I can just put ranks on Acrobatics, Perception, Ride and Survival for the rest of the game and be set.