Gestalt Stalker/Monk build help

[sage20500]

So I'm currently applying to a game for War for the Crown; decided to try something different and thought I might have some fun giving an Unarmed Brutal Slayer Stalker and a Master of Many Styles Monk a shot. GM's rules for now is 25pb; feat tax rules are in use; and only humans allowed. My stat focus currently is Str, Wis, and Con. Currently stats are 18 Str, 12 Dex, 13 Con, 10 int, 16 wis, and 10 cha, with my +2 from human going to Str.

The main idea for the build was to focus on using Broken Blade and Black Seraph maneuvers; am currently waiting on the GM to rule if Fools Errand will be allowed for play. Not quite sure where Fool's Errand ranks on the power scale for Path of War.

Mechanics wise, I thought it would be fun to essentially use Enforcer and Shattered Defenses as a combo to keep hitting flat footed, and aside from Dragon Style, Black Seraph Style, and Broken Blade Style, I'm not sure what other styles I might be interested in looking at. I'm looking at Scarlet Thrones base style as a potential possibility to get double my strength on my unarmed strikes; but aside from that I have no idea on where to go.

Concept wise, the idea was to have the character essentially be an aspiring ulfen guard applicant with a quick temper and slight mean streak. Normally they'll be always doing non lethal damage, but when someone manages to set them off then they switch to lethal and start using black seraph on that person.

Final question for game mechanics. The characters alignment is starting as Lawful Neutral. When ever brutal strikes triggers to give me the profane str bonus, would that be something that shifts my alignment towards evil? I know constantly using Black Seraph will, I'm not sure though if Brutal Strikes will.

[Andor13]

Interesting idea. It's kind of a glass cannon build though, you're a melee combatant with very poor defenses (well, until Muscle Memory really kicks even, even then not fantastic.)

On the upside, stalkers are crit fishers, so extra attacks from flurry of blows can only be good. Black Seraph doesn't really give you much over broken blade (unless you're planning on intimidating a lot) except that it has some built in ranged maneuvers. I don't have a good handle on Fool's Errand, so I can't help you there. I personally love the Veiled Moon combat style, packing movement, utility and control/damage into just two feats as it does.

Stalkers have lousy recovery, so you may want to pick up victorious recovery or snag the Bushi archtype to help.

Did you look at the steelfist commando warlord?

[sage20500]

Interesting idea. It's kind of a glass cannon build though, you're a melee combatant with very poor defenses (well, until Muscle Memory really kicks even, even then not fantastic.)

On the upside, stalkers are crit fishers, so extra attacks from flurry of blows can only be good. Black Seraph doesn't really give you much over broken blade (unless you're planning on intimidating a lot) except that it has some built in ranged maneuvers. I don't have a good handle on Fool's Errand, so I can't help you there. I personally love the Veiled Moon combat style, packing movement, utility and control/damage into just two feats as it does.

Stalkers have lousy recovery, so you may want to pick up victorious recovery or snag the Bushi archtype to help.

Did you look at the steelfist commando warlord?

Haven't look at Steelfist, mostly the idea was to try and pick two classes that have stat synergy then go from there. Ac wise right now, with the stance I'm using it is currently 17, if I decide to pick up shattered mirror style using Master of Many Styles it'll rise to 19. For the monk side of things, Master of Many Styles ditches flurry of blows to instead get Fuse Styles, which is a lot more useful on a primary initiator since I almost will never be full attacking. Mostly I'm using the monk side for free access to unarmed strike, the ac bonus, and the ability to eventually combine 3-4 PoW style feat chains with Dragon Style and a stance.

I was interested in looking at Bushi, my only hesitation is I'm not sure if you can technically "sheathe" an unarmed strike... for now I've been sticking with just brutal slayer to get brutal ambush as my stalker art (I think I have access to two or three maneuvers that allow me to hit someone at their flatfoot, so for those attacks I get the +4 bonus to Str, though I can probably switch that out for the ability to get immediate access to Scarlet throne and take that at level 3....

Tactics wise, the eventual goal is to be doing a lot of demoralizing. Too my knowledge this adventure path is supposed to contain a lot of humanoids as enemies; currently my level 1 feat is Enforcer so that when ever I deal non lethal damage with a strike I get a free demoralizing attempt against a person. At level 3 I'm grabbing the feat that lets me add my Str to intimidate; At level 5 I'm going to take the feat to skill unlock intimidate, and at some point I can use a stalker talent to gain cornudon smash and dazzling display to open the way to gaining Shattered Defenses later on; which will help fuel Brutal Ambush once I trade out the low level strikes that let me hit flat foot.

That's currently where I'm at right now; I have sort of the base idea; just not sure if there is a better way to accomplish that idea or if I'm missing out on any feat combos that could add some more fun or utility on a lightning bruiser that wants to terrify people.

[Vhaidara]

I was interested in looking at Bushi, my only hesitation is I'm not sure if you can technically "sheathe" an unarmed strike...

You absolutely can. There's even a sidebar explaining how it works ("Sheathing" basically means placing the weapon in a non-readied position)

[Andor13]

^^ What he said. There is even feat support for it in Flowing Mithral Fist (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/flowing-mithral-fist-combat/). Note that a lot of mithral current strikes hand out vulnerability to silver, as well as what the Mithral Current style does.. There is also Silver Fang Initiate (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/silver-fang-initiate-combat/) for synergy with Steel Serpent. You'll probably also want to take a look at the Fuse Styles (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/path-of-war/feats/fuse-styles-combat-style/) feat, with your build direction.

As a note, while it's true that one of the big pluses to the PoW system is freedom from having to full attack, the Stalker in particular has the weird design of favoring crit fishing builds. Also Broken Blade in particular is notable for supporting full attacking styles with its extremely powerful boosts. If you do go for a crit fishing build then Deadly pairing may be worth a look, although it only works in a Steel Serpent stance, and you'll be wanting Black Seraph or Broken Blade.

Oh, and do note that as written the middle feat of the Black Seraph style, Black Seraph's Malevolence, currently does absolutely nothing with the errata to PoW.

[exelsisxax]

I don't think this is a good combo at all.

1: neither chassis is much of a boost to the other. both are 3/4 BAB with moderate skill points and similar skills.
2: the stalker AC bonus does not stack with the monk's, so the brutal slayer variant stacking is dubious at best.
3: stalkers rely significantly on crits to deal burst damage, and unarmed strikes are garbage at crit fishing.

compare this to, say, a stalker//druid, who can combine broken blade and wildshaping to just up and pink mist someone while also having an animal companion, or that CHA-monk//sorcerer, which is even more SAD and has the distinct advantage of being a fullcaster.

this is almost like building a fighter//ranger. Just... why? You don't really get anything cool.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

AFB right now, but does MoMS stack with any of the Charismonk archetypes? If so, then Steelfist Warlord becomes much more appealing and you can get high Intimidate more easily.

[Epic Legand]

Your looking for a unarmed combatant who is good at debuffing? Have you looked at Fiendbound Marauder? D12, INT based maneuvers, full BAB, 10' reach weapon that's also a natural weapon. The other side might have 1 level of Harbringer( Edgelord) which gives +10' movement, INT to AC, quickdraw and the claim mechanism. Then take all remaining levels in Stalker Vigilante. This gives you access to all the wonderful Stalker arts, 3 classes with INT based maneuvers, + Int to AC, crits, Ref saves, initiative, Trapfinding, uncanny dodge, Inspiration and sneak attack. With 6+ Int for skills for almost all levels. Recovery is moot, with 3 classes readied, you don't run out. Take Bruising Intellect trait for more synergy.

[Elricaltovilla]

I don't think this is a good combo at all.

1: neither chassis is much of a boost to the other. both are 3/4 BAB with moderate skill points and similar skills.
2: the stalker AC bonus does not stack with the monk's, so the brutal slayer variant stacking is dubious at best.
3: stalkers rely significantly on crits to deal burst damage, and unarmed strikes are garbage at crit fishing.

compare this to, say, a stalker//druid, who can combine broken blade and wildshaping to just up and pink mist someone while also having an animal companion, or that CHA-monk//sorcerer, which is even more SAD and has the distinct advantage of being a fullcaster.

this is almost like building a fighter//ranger. Just... why? You don't really get anything cool.

The Brutal Slayer's Armor of Scars is a bonus to Natural Armor, so it wouldn't interfere with the monk AC Bonus, although you wouldn't be able to double dip on the WIS bonus during a full recovery of your maneuvers.

To Sage20500 have you considered Unchained Monk instead of regular Monk? It would at least give you Full BAB to work with, and they have some interesting style strikes. But unarmed strikes and crits, even with stalker buffs, don't really work well together, at best you're looking at an 18-20 crit range, which just doesn't cut it when compared to a keen falchion's 14-20 (when combined with the Critical Edge stalker art).