Fighter build (extra feat at EVERY level + free exotic weapons proficiency)

[Elves]

Core monks do, indeed, suck, although a dip here and there can grant some defensive and offensive boosts to certain characters.

With a greatly expanded source list, however, monks have a ridiculously high ceiling compared to their likewise ridiculously low floor, but it requires a LOT of optimization to get there.

That build has some cool tricks, but the feats chapter is not primary source for what class features classes get (which includes feats and proficiencies), so the old "swap out armor proficiency feats" trick is not RAW. That puts it down like 10 feats.