Sources of Sneak Attack?

[ATHATH]

As a personal challenge to myself, I'm trying to make a semi-effective Monk 20 build. I'd like to add Sneak Attack and the Craven feat to it, but I also don't want to dip out of Monk, since that kind of defeats the point of the challenge.

I've done some research, and here are the things that I've found so far and why they won't work:
*Multiclassing: I explained why I don't want to do this in the first paragraph of this post.
*Sidewinder Monk: I'm already using the Chaos Monk variant, and this variant kind of sucks anyway.
*Martial Stance (Assassin's Stance): I'd like to pick up some Sneak Attack-synergizing feats (like the aforementioned Craven), and level 12 is a bit too late to pick up Sneak Attack for my purposes.
*Sepulchral Thief: LA +6?! Also, I'd rather prefer to be Neutral or Good so that I can pick up the non-Evil versions of some feats/ACFs.
*Items: I'd REALLY rather not have to resort to using items to qualify for things, due to the varying DM-acceptance of that kind of thing. Other things with varying DM-acceptance might still work/be better, though, so don't feel afraid to share them.

I can tolerate a small amount of RHD if it's necessary, by the way, and I am willing to use material from Dragon Magazine and/or Dungeon Magazine.

So... Anyone got any other ideas on how to pick up some Sneak Attack without multiclassing?

[A.A.King]

I have two ways for you.

The first is a race, the Marrulurk from Sandstorm. Has 3 RHD and +1 LA but gains you 2d6 Sneak.

Finally the mystery option: Multiclassing into Umbral Disciple from Magic of Incarnum
Yes, I did read the first paragraph, and your second comment refering back to the first paragraph BUT I thought I suggest it anyway because it's a Monk Prestige Class. It doesn't actually progress any of your monk features (which is always a big shame) but it has that important clause: "Monks who take levels in umbral disciple can continue to advance as monks." which I thought might mean it would still count for your personal challenge.

[ATHATH]

I have two ways for you.

The first is a race, the Marrulurk from Sandstorm. Has 3 RHD and +1 LA but gains you 2d6 Sneak.

Finally the mystery option: Multiclassing into Umbral Disciple from Magic of Incarnum
Yes, I did read the first paragraph, and your second comment refering back to the first paragraph BUT I thought I suggest it anyway because it's a Monk Prestige Class. It doesn't actually progress any of your monk features (which is always a big shame) but it has that important clause: "Monks who take levels in umbral disciple can continue to advance as monks." which I thought might mean it would still count for your personal challenge.
The Marrulurk is interesting, and I'll use it if I have to. I had vaguely recalled something like it, but I didn't remember the name/the specifics.

While I appreciate the sentiment in the Umbral Disciple suggestion, if I had been willing to use a Monk prestige class, I would have just taken levels in Master of the South Wind PrC, which progresses a few Monk class features, gives me a few dice of Sneak Attack, AND gives me access to some spells.

Dragon Magazine stuff is on the table, by the way. I'll edit the OP to reflect that.

[A.A.King]

It was worth a shot. I can't think of any other ways to get Sneak Attack outside of the ones already mentioned, though I'm not familiar with the Magazine stuff so maybe someone can find something in there.

You mentioned though that you are open to DM-Acceptance. Are you also open to a little switch-a-roo (which is extreme DM dependant). The third level vestige Andromalius gives the binder Sneak Attack +2d6 as well as some other abilities. If you have both the feats Bind Vestige and Improved Bind Vestige from Tome of Magic you can bind up to 3rd level vestiges. It's only one at a time and you only get one power and sadly Andromalius his One Power is not his ability to Sneak Attack. You could always ask to swap that though, a lenient DM might allow you to have 'Sneak Attack' from this feat bound vestige rather than the ability to 'sense trickery'. Just like Martial Study + Martial Stance it's a two-feat combination giving you acces to +2d6 Sneak Attack. It comes online a lot sooner though so, if allowed you could gain acces to +2d6 Sneak Attack at level 1. If your DM thinks that would be too powerful you could try asking to get Sneak Attack as Andromalius his second power (making it a three feat combo by adding the Practiced Binder feat).

I mean, I realise it's not a very helpful suggestion for a purely theoretical challenge. But, if you are making this character for an actual table (and as such an actual DM) I figured it was worth suggestion anyway.

[Nifft]

I suspect that you've already considered Unarmed Swordsage 20 as your "monk" and rejected that idea, but I feel like it's worth mentioning even if the chance of relevance is low.


On the flip side, what about a Psi Rogue 20 with Monastic Training and Tashalatora?



Your levels in the psionic class you selected for Monastic Traning stack with your monk levels to determine your AC bonus, flurry of blows attacks, and unarmed damage from the monk class.

[ATHATH]

I suspect that you've already considered Unarmed Swordsage 20 as your "monk" and rejected that idea, but I feel like it's worth mentioning even if the chance of relevance is low.


On the flip side, what about a Psi Rogue 20 with Monastic Training and Tashalatora?
Oh, I know that there are better ways to be a "monk". In fact, when I'm done with it, this build might be fluffed/look like a "fallen paladin" than a "monk". I'm doing this with the terrible Monk base class in order to challenge/handicap myself.

[JustIgnoreMe]

If you already have Sneak Attack, Bracers of the Hunter will add 1D6. Rogue's Vest gives you some, I think. Bracers of Murder make it better, Deathstrike Bracers make it work on things that are immune. Deathstrike Bracers of the Murder Hunter might be a bit pricy though.

[ATHATH]

If you already have Sneak Attack, Bracers of the Hunter will add 1D6. Rogue's Vest gives you some, I think. Bracers of Murder make it better, Deathstrike Bracers make it work on things that are immune. Deathstrike Bracers of the Murder Hunter might be a bit pricy though.
I'll have no trouble improving my Sneak Attack after I acquire it; acquiring it is the problem, here.

Thanks for the attempted assistance, though.

[gorfnab]

Dark Creepers and Dark Stalkers (Dragon #322 and Fiend Folio) have Sneak Attack, although their LA might be a bit of an issue.

[ATHATH]

Dark Creepers and Dark Stalkers (Dragon #322 and Fiend Folio) have Sneak Attack, although their LA might be a bit of an issue.
How high are their LA and RHD?

[Anthrowhale]

Be an outsider and have a wizard cast polymorph any object on you to turn into a Kelvezu (MMII) permanently. You'll want 'same size' and either 'related' (i.e. an LA+1 Tiefling) or 'same intelligence' (i.e. an Int 17 LA+0 Neraphim).

You get 1d6 con poison, 8d6 sneak attack, Str 21, Dex 31, Con 16, Fly 60'(good), natural armor+15, and immunity to Electricity and Poison.

You can be lawful good with the [chaotic] and [evil] subtypes.

The PAO can be payed for at about level 3 as a routine spellcasting service and you can get it cast at a high enough level that only AMF and Disjunction will take it out.

[ViperMagnum357]

Kapak and Venom Draconians from the Dragonlance campaign setting. Kapaks are from the DLCS base book, reprinted in Dragons of Krynn which also has Venom Draconians. Both provide 1d6 sneak attack and a whole slew of other benefits, like scaling SR and natural, scaling, unlimited poison for their bite attacks. 2 RHD and +2 LA is a bit much for your build, but they are Dragon HD and you get quite a bit for your investment.

[Rebel7284]

Marrulurk or Sidewinder Monk probably are your best non-magical bets.

With that said, there are a number of spell based solutions.

Something like:
1. Get an Eberron Schema with Metamagic Item infusion on it.
2. Have an Unseen Seer craft an Eternal Wand of Hunter's Eye or get a regular wand.
3. Take apprentice Magician for UMD as a class skill, Extend Spell, and Persistent Spell.

There are other variants on this theme, of course.

[ShurikVch]

How about the Monk-related PrCs?

Dragon Descendant (Dragon Magic) have Still Mind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm#stillMind) as a prerequisite, advancing Monk Abilities, and gets Sneak Attack 2d6 at 3rd level (as part of Subtle Ancestor CF)

Fist of Dal Quor (Secrets of Sarlona) gets Sudden Strike at the very 1st level (and advance it at 3rd and 5th); while it isn't exactly a "Monk PrC", it still gives +1 use of Stunning Fist per level

Poison Fist (Dragon #289) required non-Good alignment (but Neutral works just fine), gets Sneak Attack at 2nd level (and advance it at 5th and 8th); according to Multiclass Note, not just Monk able to multiclass into Poison Fist and back freely, but even Monk which was "disqualified" by improper multiclassing will be able to take Monk levels again after entering the Poison Fist

Dragon #314 have "Master of the ... Wind" PrC line, all made by formula "Monk + something else". Master of the South Wind is a "Monk + <Arcane Rogue>": advancing Monk Abilities, gets Sneak Attack at 2nd level (improve at every even level up to 5d6 at 10th), and Bard-like spellcasting (from 1 to 4 spell levels)

[SirNibbles]

How about the Monk-related PrCs?

Dragon #314 have "Master of the ... Wind" PrC line, all made by formula "Monk + something else". Master of the South Wind is a "Monk + <Arcane Rogue>": advancing Monk Abilities, gets Sneak Attack at 2nd level (improve at every even level up to 5d6 at 10th), and Bard-like spellcasting (from 1 to 4 spell levels)

Qualifying for Master of the South Wind while only taking Monk levels requires trading Still Mind and your 2nd and 6th level bonus feats to pick up Uncanny Dodge. Only the base Monk and Chaos Monk get Still Mind (Sidewinder and Wild Monk do not), and Chaos Monks aren't the right alignment for Master of the South Wind.

That means you're forced to take the normal Monk and give up 2 bonus feats.


____


Sidewinder gets 2 flurry attacks, Chaos Monk gets 3.5 on average. That's 1.5 extra attacks (6.5 vs 5), or you can have an extra 6d6 Sneak on a character which can Blink (flatfoot enemies) pretty much permanently. I know which one I would choose. Additionally, Sidewinder gets a big non-combat boost with its Bluff and Intimidate bonuses. This is critical considering a Monk 20 has almost no useful non-combat abilities.

__

A very feat-intensive route would be going Holy Monk to be able to use DMM: Persist (Extend and Persist as prerequisites), plus Magical Training and Precocious Apprentice to gain a single 2nd level Wizard spell which you can freely Persist.

Another non-serious option would be optimising your Sidewinder's Fangs (Death) attack with Spit Venom, Deadly Spittle, and Improved Spit to have a save-or-die 30 foot cone once per day. Perhaps someone knows of a way to make it so you can use this more than once per day.

[Goaty14]

Dark Creepers and Dark Stalkers (Dragon #322 and Fiend Folio) have Sneak Attack, although their LA might be a bit of an issue.

Both are actually in fiend folio, so no need to delve into dragon. The dragon mag. gives monster classes (like in SS) that are 5/8 levels long and both gain SA +1d6 at 2nd level


In FF...
Creeper gives +2d6 LA +4
Stalker gives +3d6 LA +5

[ShurikVch]

Qualifying for Master of the South Wind while only taking Monk levels requires trading Still Mind and your 2nd and 6th level bonus feats to pick up Uncanny Dodge. Only the base Monk and Chaos Monk get Still Mind (Sidewinder and Wild Monk do not), and Chaos Monks aren't the right alignment for Master of the South Wind.

That means you're forced to take the normal Monk and give up 2 bonus feats.It's possible to get Uncanny Dodge by taking Bind Vestige+Improved Bind Vestige and binding Paimon the Dancer; or even easier - Shape Soulmeld (Impulse Boots)

[ATHATH]

How about the Monk-related PrCs?

Dragon Descendant (Dragon Magic) have Still Mind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm#stillMind) as a prerequisite, advancing Monk Abilities, and gets Sneak Attack 2d6 at 3rd level (as part of Subtle Ancestor CF)

Fist of Dal Quor (Secrets of Sarlona) gets Sudden Strike at the very 1st level (and advance it at 3rd and 5th); while it isn't exactly a "Monk PrC", it still gives +1 use of Stunning Fist per level

Poison Fist (Dragon #289) required non-Good alignment (but Neutral works just fine), gets Sneak Attack at 2nd level (and advance it at 5th and 8th); according to Multiclass Note, not just Monk able to multiclass into Poison Fist and back freely, but even Monk which was "disqualified" by improper multiclassing will be able to take Monk levels again after entering the Poison Fist

Dragon #314 have "Master of the ... Wind" PrC line, all made by formula "Monk + something else". Master of the South Wind is a "Monk + <Arcane Rogue>": advancing Monk Abilities, gets Sneak Attack at 2nd level (improve at every even level up to 5d6 at 10th), and Bard-like spellcasting (from 1 to 4 spell levels)
Again, Monk-related PrCs will not work for my purposes. This is a personal challenge to myself, and I am limiting myself to Monk 20 as a handicap.

[ATHATH]

In FF...
Creeper gives +2d6 LA +4
Stalker gives +3d6 LA +5
Do they have any RHD?

[ATHATH]

Qualifying for Master of the South Wind while only taking Monk levels requires trading Still Mind and your 2nd and 6th level bonus feats to pick up Uncanny Dodge. Only the base Monk and Chaos Monk get Still Mind (Sidewinder and Wild Monk do not), and Chaos Monks aren't the right alignment for Master of the South Wind.

That means you're forced to take the normal Monk and give up 2 bonus feats.


____


Sidewinder gets 2 flurry attacks, Chaos Monk gets 3.5 on average. That's 1.5 extra attacks (6.5 vs 5), or you can have an extra 6d6 Sneak on a character which can Blink (flatfoot enemies) pretty much permanently. I know which one I would choose. Additionally, Sidewinder gets a big non-combat boost with its Bluff and Intimidate bonuses. This is critical considering a Monk 20 has almost no useful non-combat abilities.

__

A very feat-intensive route would be going Holy Monk to be able to use DMM: Persist (Extend and Persist as prerequisites), plus Magical Training and Precocious Apprentice to gain a single 2nd level Wizard spell which you can freely Persist.

Another non-serious option would be optimising your Sidewinder's Fangs (Death) attack with Spit Venom, Deadly Spittle, and Improved Spit to have a save-or-die 30 foot cone once per day. Perhaps someone knows of a way to make it so you can use this more than once per day.
The problem with Sidewinder Monk is that it alters my list of bonus feats and removes the Stunning Fist feat from it, which is an important part of my build. I'm not quite sure that Golarion Monk can override the alteration, so I'd have to wait quite a long time to be able to pick up the Stunning Fist feat.

[SirNibbles]

The problem with Sidewinder Monk is that it alters my list of bonus feats and removes the Stunning Fist feat from it, which is an important part of my build. I'm not quite sure that Golarion Monk can override the alteration, so I'd have to wait quite a long time to be able to pick up the Stunning Fist feat.

You can combine Sidewinder Monk with the Martial Monk ACF to pick up any Fighter Bonus Feat.

[ShurikVch]

Do they have any RHD?Stalker is 3 HD


Other creatures with SA:
Derro (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/derro.htm) - +1d6, 3 HD, LA +2
Greenspawn Sneak (Monster Manual IV) - +2d6, 2 HD, LA +4
Shadar-Kai (Fiend Folio) - +1d6, 3 HD, LA +1
Splinterwaif (Monster Manual III) - +2d6, 2 HD, LA +4
Spriggan (Fiend Folio) - +3d6, 5 HD, LA +2
Vultivor (Fiend Folio) - +5d6, 3 HD, LA +4

[A.A.King]

The problem with Sidewinder Monk is that it alters my list of bonus feats and removes the Stunning Fist feat from it, which is an important part of my build. I'm not quite sure that Golarion Monk can override the alteration, so I'd have to wait quite a long time to be able to pick up the Stunning Fist feat.

Presumably a Sidewinder Monk is still a Monk and as such should qualify for the Fighting Style Monk Variant from the Unearthed Arcana. An often overlooked Fighting Style is the Hand and Foot fighting style whose first level bonus feat is Stunning Fist. It doesn't particularly enhance the choices of the OG Monk but it's a a perfectly legal way for a Sidewinder Monk to get back access to Stunning Fist.

[xyamius]

This is from someone who likes playing the monk. I've always been more about hitting them a bunch of times in one round instead of doing the one punch kill.

They have very nice options to manipulate and stall the battlefield along with massive ac potential making them amazing party tanks.

The Touch of Golden Ice feat is great to go with since you will be normally fighting a ton of evil in most campaigns:

TOUCH OF GOLDEN ICE [EXALTED] (page 47)
Your touch is poisonous to evil creatures.
Prerequisites: Con 13.
Benefit: Any evil creature you touch with your bare hand, fist,
or natural weapon is ravaged by golden ice (see Ravages and
Afflictions in Chapter 3: Exalted Equipment for effects).
Ravage Type Initial Damage Secondary Damage
Golden ice Contact DC 14 1d6 Dex 2d6 Dex

Backstab Feat

Type: General, Fighter
Source: Dragon Magazine #340

You can strike quickly when your opponent's back is turned.
Prerequisite: Combat Reflexes.
Benefit: Once per round, you may make an attack of opportunity against an opponent you flank who attacks a target other than you.
Special: A fighter may select Backstab as one of his fighter bonus feats.



Snap Kick Feat

( Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords, p. 32)

[General]

You have continued to hone your unarmed combat skills, and you deal more damage with your unarmed strikes.
Prerequisite
Improved Unarmed Strike (PH) , Base attack bonus +6,
Benefit
When you make a melee attack with one or more melee weapons (including a standard attack, full attack, or even a strike maneuver), you can make an additional attack at your highest attack bonus. This attack is an unarmed attack that deals damage equal to your base unarmed attack damage + 1/2 your Str bonus. You take a -2 penalty on all attack rolls you make this round.



Ring the Golden Bell

( Dragon Compendium)

[Fighter Bonus Feat, General]

With the rush of air from a single precise strike, skilled martial artists can extinguish a candle flame from several feet away. Legendary masters developed this ability to the point that they could ring a thousand- pound bell using only a finger strike from 20 feet away.
Prerequisite
Improved Unarmed Strike (PH) , Stunning Fist (PH) , Weapon Focus (PH) (Unarmed Strike) , WIS 13, Base attack bonus +5,
Benefit
A number of times per day equal to 1 + your Wisdom bonus, you may deal unarmed strike damage with a successful ranged attack. This attack has a range increment equal to 5 feet + 5 feet per point of Wisdom bonus. Normal cover modifiers apply. This attack can deliver any effect your unarmed strike can normally deliver, such as a stunning attack due to the Stunning Fist feat.

[ATHATH]

Presumably a Sidewinder Monk is still a Monk and as such should qualify for the Fighting Style Monk Variant from the Unearthed Arcana. An often overlooked Fighting Style is the Hand and Foot fighting style whose first level bonus feat is Stunning Fist. It doesn't particularly enhance the choices of the OG Monk but it's a a perfectly legal way for a Sidewinder Monk to get back access to Stunning Fist.
Oh, I don't doubt that the Sidewinder Monk is still a Monk. I'm just unsure about whether or not I can replace my bonus feat options twice (first by Sidewinder Monk, and again from Martial Monk, Golarion Monk, or the Fighting Style ACF).

[ATHATH]

Stalker is 3 HD


Other creatures with SA:
Derro (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/derro.htm) - +1d6, 3 HD, LA +2
Greenspawn Sneak (Monster Manual IV) - +2d6, 2 HD, LA +4
Shadar-Kai (Fiend Folio) - +1d6, 3 HD, LA +1
Splinterwaif (Monster Manual III) - +2d6, 2 HD, LA +4
Spriggan (Fiend Folio) - +3d6, 5 HD, LA +2
Vultivor (Fiend Folio) - +5d6, 3 HD, LA +4
I suppose that if nothing else will do, a Shadar-Kai might work. Thanks.

[ATHATH]

-snip-
With all due respect, your post does nothing to address the question that I asked in the first post of this thread.

[A.A.King]

Oh, I don't doubt that the Sidewinder Monk is still a Monk. I'm just unsure about whether or not I can replace my bonus feat options twice (first by Sidewinder Monk, and again from Martial Monk, Golarion Monk, or the Fighting Style ACF).

I don't see why you shouldn't be able to use thr Fighting Style ACF. You're trading away the same feature afterall. Sidewinder Monk replaces the options the feature "Bonus Feat" has, Fighting Style replaces your "Bonus Feat" feature, your ability to chose between certain options , and replaces it with a locked feat + bonus to a skill.

[xyamius]

With all due respect, your post does nothing to address the question that I asked in the first post of this thread.

There really isn't a ton of options available to go with sneak attack sorry was just attempting to give alternative options since you didn't want to go with anything non monk. Golden Ice is a good alternative to sneak attack but it only helps vs evil creatures.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Halfling Monk gives you Skirmish, which is sort of close? You can take Improved Skirmish at 12th for 4d6 damage. Otherwise, it looks like Sidewinder is the only option.

[ATHATH]

Halfling Monk gives you Skirmish, which is sort of close? You can take Improved Skirmish at 12th for 4d6 damage. Otherwise, it looks like Sidewinder is the only option.
Darn.

Would spending 3 HD (and 1 buyoff-able LA) on getting Sneak Attack for the Craven feat be worth it on a Chaos Monk? My general/current battleplan would be to charge in with an attack that's laced with as many action-denying debuffs (Stunning Fist, Fist of the Pharoh, that Chaos Monk ability that stuns (or was it dazes?) enemies that I charge, etc.) as I can cram onto it, thus denying my opponent a Full-Attack, then using Flailing Strikes (and some more action-denying debuffs) on my opponent to rack up loads of SA damage from the Craven feat and a bit of extra damage from that ACF that gives me +1d6 damage with my unarmed strikes against Evil creatures. Using the Holy Monk ACF so that I can both use Smite Evil on my initial strike/charge and use that feat that lets me stun (or was it daze?) an enemy that I both Sneak Attack and Smite might also be an option. Taking the Holy Monk ACF prevents me from taking that ACF that lets me nauseate enemies that I hit with an unarmed strike Monk levels/day, though.

[Anthrowhale]

I'm assuming you don't want to go the PAO route, but you did that would handle the MAD issue with Monks quite well---you can just optimize wisdom for AC and to-hit via Intuitive Attack. Also, a lawful good monk 20 in a [chaotic] [evil] body is immune to all the holy word variants except the rare Word of Balance. You would probably have to avoid using poison to keep the good alignment but Craven + PAO[Kelvezu] would allow you to do an expected 48 sneak attack damage/hit which is potent enough to matter.

[Nifft]

Skirmish + Pounce is a lot of fun... there's a Wild Monk in Dragon Magazine (Dr.324, p.97) which is compatible with the (RotW, p.158) Halfling racial levels 1 and 7 -- but not 2, so you can't get Weapon Finesse at level 2, no great loss.

Beast Strike is probably good with full Monk unarmed progression.

Skirmish progression is slow, but as noted there are feats which can boost it, so you can get to good numbers. Pounce with 5 attacks (claw/claw/bite/rake/rake), deal natural attack + Skirmish + Beast Strike with each one.

Plus your unarmed attacks count as magic + lawful + adamantine, which means you're maybe going to be doing slightly more damage than a Druid would even if you had identical buffs. So that's nice too.

[SirNibbles]

Skirmish + Pounce is a lot of fun... there's a Wild Monk in Dragon Magazine (Dr.324, p.97) which is compatible with the (RotW, p.158) Halfling racial levels 1 and 7 -- but not 2, so you can't get Weapon Finesse at level 2, no great loss.

Beast Strike is probably good with full Monk unarmed progression.

Skirmish progression is slow, but as noted there are feats which can boost it, so you can get to good numbers. Pounce with 5 attacks (claw/claw/bite/rake/rake), deal natural attack + Skirmish + Beast Strike with each one.

Plus your unarmed attacks count as magic + lawful + adamantine, which means you're maybe going to be doing slightly more damage than a Druid would even if you had identical buffs. So that's nice too.

If you're going the Skirmish route, it may be worth going with the Hunter Monk variant from Dragon Magazine #310, page 45. This allows you to qualify for Swift Hunter (Complete Scoundrel, page 81 which removes Skirmish immunity from your favoured enemies, which you get with your Monk levels as if you were a Ranger- 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th. Pick favoured enemies which are immune to Skirmish and suddenly you can Skirmish just about everybody. Undead/Construct/Elemental/Ooze/???

Unfortunately, this variant requires trading away Slow Fall, which Sidewinder Monk doesn't have. That means you lose out on the 6d6 Sneak in order to optimise your 4d6 Skirmish (with Improved Skirmish).

Thoughts?

[Nifft]

If you're going the Skirmish route, it may be worth going with the Hunter Monk variant from Dragon Magazine #310, page 45. This allows you to qualify for Swift Hunter (Complete Scoundrel, page 81 which removes Skirmish immunity from your favoured enemies, which you get with your Monk levels as if you were a Ranger- 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th. Pick favoured enemies which are immune to Skirmish and suddenly you can Skirmish just about everybody. Undead/Construct/Elemental/Ooze/???

Unfortunately, this variant requires trading away Slow Fall, which Sidewinder Monk doesn't have. That means you lose out on the 6d6 Sneak in order to optimise your 4d6 Skirmish (with Improved Skirmish).

Thoughts?

It's also incompatible with the Wild Monk, so you'd be losing access to Wild Shape.

Where would you get Pounce from, with that build?

[SirNibbles]

It's also incompatible with the Wild Monk, so you'd be losing access to Wild Shape.

Where would you get Pounce from, with that build?

Probably from Travel Devotion or Sphinx Claws.