PDA

View Full Version : Help me fix my crappy monk...



Yehomer
2008-11-29, 03:10 PM
Edit: Let me rephrase:
I've a monk, and he sucks. He's a doppleganger, so I thought the wisdom bonus would synergise well, but I made him badly. He gained a level now, so using retraining or some prestige class, maybe you can make him suck a little less:

Doppleganger (4HD) \ Monk 4 \ Ninja of the crescent moon (prestige class in sword and fist) 3

Str 10
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 20
Cha 14
(Our game involves a lot of roleplaying... but being a doppleganger, my DM rarely asks me to throw bluff or disgiuse, people just don't have a reason not to belive me)

Class features:
Sneak attack: +4d6 (I traded unarmed damage for +2d6 sneak attack, so it's still 1d6. The rest from prestige class)

Feats:
Alertness (My DM forced me to take it because I'm a doppleganger, probably needs changing)
Improved intiative
Imp. unarmed strike (b)
Imp. Grapple
Stunning fist (b)
Quick draw (pre requisite for prestige class)

I know it's greatly underpowered, so anything you can give me in sense of feats or prestige classes would be welcomed...

Oh, also, this game started in 3e and hasn't been completly updated to 3.5, so the monk is using the 3e version :S

Signmaker
2008-11-29, 03:15 PM
Anyone knows any feats \ classes that let you add your wisdom to melee attack rolls \ damage? Other than Zen Archery...

I believe that one of the Tattooed Monk's tattoos is a Wis-to-Stat transfer. A bit unoptimized, but magical tattoos are fun.

Deepblue706
2008-11-29, 03:18 PM
I think the Book of Exalted Deeds had a feat that allowed you to use your WIS modifier for attacks with simple and natural weapons. Intuitive Attack, I think it was called. I think it only required BAB of +1.

Tempest Fennac
2008-11-29, 03:21 PM
Zen archery could work well with the Monn-Warded Ranger on page 99 of http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Classes-Base.pdf (especially since it would synergize with spellcasting:smallbiggrin:).

sleepy
2008-11-29, 03:34 PM
I don't know how up to date it is but this (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=4584975) should cover most of your options.

playswithfire
2008-11-29, 03:41 PM
Among the things in what I assume is the 'X stat to Y bonus' thread linked above is the Shiba Protector prestige class from Oriental Adventures (3.0). Human only, must be a member of the Phoenix clan, Prereqs of Combat Expertise, Iron Will and Alertness I believe. First level gives an Ex ability called No Thought that lets you add your WIS mod to all attack and damage rolls.

For ranged WIS-based fun. A whatever/soulbow/shiba protector with Xen Archery would get double WIS to both hit and damage with mind arrows.

ChaosDefender24
2008-11-29, 03:48 PM
Focus on stunning fist?

Stupendous_Man
2008-11-29, 03:57 PM
Beating Batman: Giacomo's Guide to Monks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=80704) :smallsigh:

Seriously, play an unarmed swordsage.

monty
2008-11-29, 04:04 PM
Do the opposite of what that guide says, and you'll be fine.

insecure
2008-11-29, 04:08 PM
Do the opposite of what that guide says, and you'll be fine.

That pretty much sums it up.

only1doug
2008-11-29, 05:50 PM
Do the opposite of what that guide says, and you'll be fine.

"I'd like to buy a 1 liter bottle of coke please..."

"I'm sorry, we only sell 2L, 1.5L or 0.5L bottles"

"well could I buy a half empty bottle?"

"sorry, we only sell full bottles"


"but i only want 17 charges in my wand..."

Kurald Galain
2008-11-29, 06:34 PM
Since you mention retraining, your best option is to retrain out of those monk levels as soon as possible, replacing them by a class that is actually useful. Even fighter would be an improvement.

As always, the best monk character is the one that tries hardest at not being a monk. So start wearing armor, start wielding weapons (magical ones, if possible), and start working off those levels.

Keld Denar
2008-11-29, 07:08 PM
I didn't think you could retrain WHOLE class levels. I know you can retrain feats, skills, and class features (like if you took Stunning Fist instead of Improved Grapple at monk1), but I didn't think you could retrain whole class levels. I don't have my PHBII on me (doh, working in Alaska!) but I remember someone calling me out on it in the past saying that you can't do it...

only1doug
2008-11-29, 07:14 PM
I didn't think you could retrain WHOLE class levels. I know you can retrain feats, skills, and class features (like if you took Stunning Fist instead of Improved Grapple at monk1), but I didn't think you could retrain whole class levels. I don't have my PHBII on me (doh, working in Alaska!) but I remember someone calling me out on it in the past saying that you can't do it...

PHII pg 192:
Retraining involves small scale changes such as re-allocation of feat slots and skill points.

Rebuilding encompasses much broader changes such as class and race. for that reason rebuilding can only be achieved by completing DM chosen quests.

Keld Denar
2008-11-29, 07:17 PM
PHII pg 192:
Retraining involves small scale changes such as re-allocation of feat slots and skill points.

Rebuilding encompasses much broader changes such as class and race. for that reason rebuilding can only be achieved by completing DM chosen quests.

Right...so, what does the OP want? Retraining? (not gonna help much) or Rebuilding? (requires DM fiat, might as well just build a new character with the same name)

The Glyphstone
2008-11-29, 07:21 PM
In before "Unarmed Swordsage"...

Kurald Galain
2008-11-29, 07:36 PM
Rebuilding encompasses much broader changes such as class and race. for that reason rebuilding can only be achieved by completing DM chosen quests.

Oh yeah, there's that. Well, you can always resort to the tried-and-true ritual suicide followed by creating a new character...

Stupendous_Man
2008-11-29, 07:38 PM
In before "Unarmed Swordsage"...

Not quite.

wadledo
2008-11-29, 07:43 PM
Warshaper, or something like that?:smallconfused:
The one where you can get fast healing, improved damage, and +5' to your natural attacks?

TempusCCK
2008-11-29, 07:45 PM
Are you severely lagging behind the rest of your group in terms of character power? For instance, do you have a super optimized wizard who is making you feel useless?

If you made a monk character and you're contributing fine, don't change it. D&D is about fun and being on a team, and if your optimization throws off the group dynamic by making you super powerful while everyone else is on the level of a doggleganger monk, you're doing it wrong.

Just please, take the rest of your group into consideration before you run off and try and "fix" something that might not be broken.

The Glyphstone
2008-11-29, 07:45 PM
Not quite.

Darn it...I got distracted by the hyperlink and didn't see the second line...:smallmad: - I knew it was too good to be true.