Short 80 (8-0) freaking experience points.

[ZorroGames]

oh, just so you know, this is NOT a mountain Dwarf, just a Variant Human from Chult.

I should make 4th level as a character tonight if I do not die (Waters of Hate - sounds like underwater adventure to me) without my scale armor... or with it on encumbering me. Maybe I should buy a Crossbow?

Seriously, since this is a ‘ranged’ Ranger 4/Monk 6+ Build and I am currently Gloomstalker “3.97” there are two ways I can take this character.

If I had made fourth last week I could/would have gone to Monk 1-2 before finishing the Ranger 4 leg of the build. Now I am debating if going Ranger 4 then proceeding Monk “X” would be better.

Your thoughts?

Decision needs to be made before next Wednesday if I live through tonight’s game.

[Waterdeep Merch]

I'd go with the up front ranger level. You have an immediate need of it, and that really puts it ahead of a theoretical need for it later.

Plus lower levels are vastly more deadly. Shoring up those early points so that you can be annoyed by a less-smooth transition later beats a shallow grave right now.

[CTurbo]

Not a lot of info there, but I'd take Ranger 4 for feat or ASI and be done

[ZorroGames]

Not a lot of info there, but I'd take Ranger 4 for feat or ASI and be done

What do you want to know?

[CTurbo]

So you're a Vhuman Gloom Stalker at level 3 right now? And you only plan on 4 Ranger levels before jumping over to Monk?

What are your stats and feat, and which Monk subclass are you planning? Basically what is the concept here?

[ZorroGames]

So you're a Vhuman Gloom Stalker at level 3 right now? And you only plan on 4 Ranger levels before jumping over to Monk?

What are your stats and feat, and which Monk subclass are you planning? Basically what is the concept here?

So a short history of the world 🌍 seen thru my characters game life.

Joli’ Balaka.

Level 1: Chultan female Archaeologist taking up the adventuring lifestyle with a Sharpshooter Feat at start and at 2nd level FS of Archery. Whip from background, Long bow and Short Swords (later sold one to reduce treasure expenditure on a Rapier.) Wearing second hand Scale Armor despite the trade off between Stealth and Protection. Planning to sell it off if she adds Monk levels. Third level Gloomstalker and its associated skills came as a surprise to her as she expected to learn more mundane Hunter skills from her experiences.

Stats:

ST 10 (her older brother is appreciably stronger from his work in the Warehouses of the Port Ward and her older sister would have “joined the circus as a trapeze artist” if she had not married early to a stable successful budding Tej merchant.)

DE 16 (now 18 with the ASI at Fourth level). This would give her AC 17 (10 +4 DE bonus +3 WI bonus) as a Monk.

CO 14 (More durable than her slender build belies.)

IN 8 (grew up as pier rat at either Tiryki Anchorage or Harbor Ward when not being educated at home in the Market Ward. Can read and write but unless it is related to dusty old tombs it is not as interesting as learning hands on.

WI 16. (She has learned much from her Wild trips into the poorer districts and the jungle - hard won knowledge is the best retained knowledge.)

CH 8 (Withdrawn/quiet in social settings except at family shop in the The Red Bazaar but that is “business normal” to her.)

Talk ruins, maps (Cartographer skills from a family friend,) Wood working (her cravings on subjects of traditional Chultan tales sell well,) and she can bend an ear with the best but she also knows from more than a few forays into the jungle as a youth solo that a secret shared is a secret known to the world.

Joli’ is happier in a Dusty old tomb than in the Port of Nyanzaru (except when the dionsaur’s race or holidays - pretty much the same.)

She is a realist, knowing that with every great discovery comes grave danger and has a scar to prove it (and a family story about how her Father finally admitted she was going to be a better adventurer than a craftsman or merchant like her brothers and sisters.)

Her mother worries about her fascination on the subject of the lost city of Hisari, knowing she will eventually want to help find it.

Her family knows that while she respects the danger of Dinosaurs and jungle beasts, she is deeply afraid of monkeys - especially in large groups.

They also know of her passionate hatred of Undead, having lost friends and family - reference the scar above - to the the creatures.

What else do you want to know about?

She has travelled to the other lands to the North of Chult (AL adventures “White Well,” “Defiance in Phlan,” “Murder at the Stop,” “In the Face of Fear,”) and a paid mission for a combined faction group in Chult that she does not speak about.

From her travels she acquired a beautiful greenish grey-brown Cloak/hood of foreign manufacture and a Faerunian Quarterstaff of excellent quality she traded with a Gnome to acquire.

OOC: Her known spells are Hunter’s Mark (concentration,) Absorb Elements (reaction,) and Goodberry (utility/Healing.)

She views her Gloomstalker skills as divine signs supporting her decision to become an adventurer and a scourage to Undead.

She has spent time with a Chultan Monk named Wadizi Oboko and has a desire to supplement her Ranger skills with those of Wadizi’s order. Several of her surviving childhood friends are members of Wadizi’s monkish order (Kensei) who are rumored to have undertaken missions for one or more Merchant Princes.

[ZorroGames]

Check out the PeteNutButter Ultimate Optimizer Guide to Multiclassing entries and examples for Ranger/Monk and Monk/Ranger for my inspiration for this character.

Edit:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?502248-Ultimate-Optimizer-s-Multiclassing-Guide

[ZorroGames]

“A monk who dips ranger gains a fighting style, some spells, and likely a hunter ability. The fighting stye is probably duelist on a traditional monk. Hunter’s Mark is a fantastic damage boost on a class with 3-4 attacks a round. The hunter or gloomstalker ability is just more damage. This is a great choice for a 4 level dip, grabbing the precious ASI and avoiding doubling up on extra attack. It is completely void of MADness. Avoid Horizon Walker or Monster Slayer as there is too much bonus action competition.”

[ZorroGames]

“A ranger who dips monk could potentially increase AC, and gains monk features. There is good synergy here, although probably better left as the inverse, Monk/Ranger, as higher ranger levels don’t help as much.
Spoiler: E.g.
Hide
Human V. (Mobile)
Gloomstalker 5/Kensei 4+
10, 16, 14, 8, 16, 8

Maxing dex, gives a decent AC further boosted by Kensei +2. Kensei allows dex usage of more weapons that a normal rapier ranger couldn't manage with finesse. Monk is the only class that doubling up on extra attack isn't so bad, as stunning strike is a powerful enough feature on its own to avoid a dead level.”