[Build Help] Tashalatora Monk/PsyWar Items

[adonis53]

Hey there, I'm going to be playing a tash monk 2/psywar 1 character starting today. I'm starting at level 3 so I get 2700 gold to spend. What magic item/other good items should I get? I'm going to be saving up for a few in later levelz, but so far the only decent ones for less than 2700 that I know of are healing belts and ring of sustenance.

[Dagroth]

Get yourself the Exotic Weapon Proficiency "Meteor Hammer/Rope Dart" (Dragon Magazine #319). It's a 15' Reach Weapon that can be used with Flurry of Blows and can be used against any target within range, even adjacent ones.

In addition, you can use Weapon Finesse even though it's not a Light Weapon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IPl2tFNihc

Boots of Agile Leaping are pretty cheap.

A Vest of Resistance +1 is pretty good, especially since your Cleric can cast Magic Vestment on it when you're not using Inertial Armor.

[adonis53]

Huh, I've never seen that weapon in d&d before. Glad it has stats! :)

As far as the vest goes, I'm not sure I'm going to have a cleric haha. Still nice to have the +1 to saves though.

[Deophaun]

Mandatory link to Shax's Indispensible Haversack (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook)). Shapesand is a definite must.

Depending on how good you are at dodging flying books, see if you can pick up some +1 manifester arrows.

Speaking of ammo, some of the crystalline weapon enhancements (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20030426a) here might be fun to flurry with. Throw down a malachite shiruken at the start and your opponent is likely flat-footed against all your subsequent attacks (you do have five ranks in Balance, right?)

[emeraldstreak]

The one long term item worth spending your cash on is +1 Necklace of Natural Attacks for 2,600 gp. Otherwise consumables and non-class specific essentials beat long term investments at this WBL.

Also, for a good Tash, race, ability priority, and feat order are crucial. Will you be able to one day get the OK for Dragon Magazine's Beast Strike feat (presuming the campaign will get to ~ level 8). If so, there are a number of top combos, if not, there's another.

[adonis53]

Mandatory link to Shax's Indispensible Haversack (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook)). Shapesand is a definite must.

Depending on how good you are at dodging flying books, see if you can pick up some +1 manifester arrows.

Speaking of ammo, some of the crystalline weapon enhancements (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/pse/20030426a) here might be fun to flurry with. Throw down a malachite shiruken at the start and your opponent is likely flat-footed against all your subsequent attacks (you do have five ranks in Balance, right?)That link is amazing! I completely forgot about aboleth mucus... Hah... As far as power points go- I'm actually fine. My DM is going to be giving each player a strong magic item for story purposes and he said mine will grant pp among other things.


The one long term item worth spending your cash on is +1 Necklace of Natural Attacks for 2,600 gp. Otherwise consumables and non-class specific essentials beat long term investments at this WBL.

Also, for a good Tash, race, ability priority, and feat order are crucial. Will you be able to one day get the OK for Dragon Magazine's Beast Strike feat (presuming the campaign will get to ~ level 8). If so, there are a number of top combos, if not, there's another.I was thinking that instead of a +1 necklace I would save up for guantlets of the talon because they're much better and there's plenty of ways to get magical fists(such as psionic powers from psywar using psion/magic transparency).

Race: Kalashtar
Class: Monk 2/PsyWar 1
Abilities: Str is lead for my build after wisdom, con and dex are always nice, and int/cha are dump stats. I rolled pretty well.
Str: 17
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 13
Wis: 18
Cha: 13

Feats: Definitely going to at least level 8 and already want beast strike!
Monk Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Strike, Combat Reflexes
Flaw Given Feats: Wild Talent, Monastic Training
PsyWar: Speed of Thought
Free Level Feats: E.W.P(Rope Dart thing with the weird name), Tashalatora

Future Possible Feats: Snap kick, S. Unarmed Strike, Freezing the Lifeblood, dodge, karmic strike, Robilar's Gambit?, psionic body, extend power & persistent power(if DM allows it from 3.0), beast strike

[emeraldstreak]

I was thinking that instead of a +1 necklace I would save up for guantlets of the talon because they're much better


No, they aren't. They'll cost you a feat (True Believer), pigeonhole you to worship Bahamuth, and they cannot be enchanted with weapon enchants at all - which is the purpose of the necklace.

Mind you, Beast Strike's prereq is Improved Natural Attack and both have BAB prereqs too. You'll also need a slam or claw. A solo slam is the best because it can be enchanted with Greater Mighty Wallop - you'll want that one for your unarmed strike too - and adds x1.5 Strength. With Kalashtar, a good way to get it would be Warshaper PrC, but that might require template like Quasilycanthrope to qualify.

Ability-wise, your options are Strength, Dexterity via Weapon Finesse, or Wisdom via Intuitive Attack. All three have their pluses and minuses, but for PsyWar I tend to suggest Wisdom for power points. Now, if you are sure your DM will take care of PP for you, Strength saves you feats and will add x2.5 damage via Beast Strike, while Dexterity is initiative, AC, possibly damage via Shadow Blade if you mix in a level of Unarmed Swordsage for the prereqs. If you go Wisdom/Intuitive Attack, Touch of Golden Ice is a nice feat that delivers a ravage with your barehanded attacks. Ravages target evil creatures, there is no immunity to them, and can be delivered with touch only. Golden Ice destroys undead, who lack Con bonus to saves, as if they are wet paper, and I've seen even Pit Fiends roll 1s on Fort and succumb to Golden Ice flurries.

Speaking of flurries, if going rope dart or similar consider taking Decisive Strike from PHB II instead, and try to OK the Scorpion's Kama enchant (worth 4,000 flat) to other monk melee weapons too. Going that way is more of an area lockdown build of course.

Alternatively, consider boosts of movement. Chronocharm of the Horizon Walker and Anklets of Translocation are obvious, and PsyWar does quite well by itself with enough PP. Other options would be a level of cleric and some Cha or nightsticks - along with Travel Devotion (take Magic as domain); or pounce from a Spirit Lion Totem barbarian level (that would require being a rageless ex-barbarian or being a Chaos Monk: mechanically decent for a Monk if you like the nonlawful theme). Pounce - regardless of source - goes with skill trick: Twisted Charge.



and there's plenty of ways to get magical fists(such as psionic powers from psywar using psion/magic transparency).


Again, you don't take the necklace to have a magic weapon, you take it for weapon enchants later on (your only other option being Scorpion Kama which has certain limitations). Which exactly depends on what your DM finds palatable: there are some OP RAW combos.



Monk Feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Strike, Combat Reflexes
Flaw Given Feats: Wild Talent, Monastic Training
PsyWar: Speed of Thought
Free Level Feats: E.W.P(Rope Dart thing with the weird name), Tashalatora

Future Possible Feats: Snap kick, S. Unarmed Strike, Freezing the Lifeblood, dodge, karmic strike, Robilar's Gambit?, psionic body, extend power & persistent power(if DM allows it from 3.0), beast strike

Don't bother with Psionic Body unless you use retraining. Wild Talent - not sure about it. Speed of Thought is great on some builds, this one might do without it. Combat Reflexes is a must if you go above 5' reach, otherwise no. Monastic Training can be a monk bonus, instead of eating up a Flaw. Midnight Dodge is superior to Dodge in most situations.

[adonis53]

Woah, wall of text incoming! Thanks for the advice, but I'm happy with my above average build. I just needed advice on items, I'm playing with a bunch of first timers and I'm not trying to overshadow them.