Monk/Paladin Synergy Feat?

[FerhagoRosewood]

Hello again Collective Mind of Knowledge...

Welp the DM in our group known for making new campaigns wants to make an Halloween themed four shot game through Ravenloft (joy). Level 6 with starting gold.

So I'm making a multiclass Monk 4/Paladin 2 and I was wondering... Is there a feat not unlike the Daring Outlaw in Complete Scoundrel, that grants stacking of levels for a Monk/Paladin multi-class?

**Note: I know some of you guys hate monks for optimization but I concern myself more with character creation and overall fun than if I'm the best I can be. So please don't try to change my set up. Thanks in advance ^0^**

Also... Does an Animated Shield count against a Monk's unarmored bonus?

[paddyfool]

Ascetic knight feat, from complete adventurer. Monk and Paladin levels stack for Smite Evil & unarmed damage, and you may freely multiclass between them.

And, um... probably. EDIT: Actually, I really don't know whether an animated shield counts or not - best check one of the many monk threads.

[FerhagoRosewood]

Ascetic knight feat, from complete adventurer. Monk and Paladin levels stack for Smite Evil & unarmed damage, and you may freely multiclass between them.

Sweet! Thanks. I thought it did exist I just didn't even know where to start.

[Darrin]

Also... Does an Animated Shield count against a Monk's unarmored bonus?

I think that's a no-no. You're still taking ACP and ASF penalties as if you were wielding the shield... hence, you are still wielding the shield.

You might want to look at a Ring of Force Shield. This provides an untyped +2 AC bonus (so you can't say it's providing an armor or a shield bonus), and although it works similar to a shield, it has no ACP and no ASF. However, an unforgiving DM might still consider it "using armor".

What you *really* want are Rings of Force Armor from the Arms & Equipment Guide. It takes up both of your ring slots, but it provides a +4 armor bonus without being armor, provides +1 enhancement bonus on unarmed strikes, and does 1d4 damage on unarmed strikes or if anyone touches your skin (i.e., grapple damage).

[boomwolf]

What you *really* want are Rings of Force Armor from the Arms & Equipment Guide. It takes up both of your ring slots, but it provides a +4 armor bonus without being armor, provides +1 enhancement bonus on unarmed strikes, and does 1d4 damage on unarmed strikes or if anyone touches your skin (i.e., grapple damage).

X_X

If I knew of this baby...

Ok. back to playing monks.

Too bad it costs so much. (45000...)

[Sinfire Titan]

X_X

If I knew of this baby...

Ok. back to playing monks.

Too bad it costs so much. (45000...)

It was reprinted in the MIC. It lost the enhancement bonus to unarmed strikes, but kept most of everything else.

[Flickerdart]

I think that's a no-no. You're still taking ACP and ASF penalties as if you were wielding the shield... hence, you are still wielding the shield.

That doesn't follow. If they have to specify that you take penalties as if you are still wielding the shield, you are not actually wielding it. You just take the penalties as though you were. And only those specific penalties. If it said "you are still considered to be wielding a shield" then I'd concede the point, but it does not.

[Person_Man]

You might want to consider Monk 2/Paladin 4, since Divine Health, Aura of Courage, and Turn Undead (to fuel Divine feats) > Still Mind, Ki Strike, etc.

A Monk/Paladin build suffers from the worst possible MAD. So you might want to consider the Serenity feat (Dragon Magazine) shifts your Paladin abilities to Wis instead of Cha.

[paddyfool]

You might want to consider Monk 2/Paladin 4, since Divine Health, Aura of Courage, and Turn Undead (to fuel Divine feats) > Still Mind, Ki Strike, etc.

A Monk/Paladin build suffers from the worst possible MAD. So you might want to consider the Serenity feat (Dragon Magazine) shifts your Paladin abilities to Wis instead of Cha.

Seconded. Also, some of the level 1 Paladin spells are fairly useful, and you'll get more BAB and hit points this way.

[KillianHawkeye]

You might want to look at a Ring of Force Shield. This provides an untyped +2 AC bonus (so you can't say it's providing an armor or a shield bonus), and although it works similar to a shield, it has no ACP and no ASF. However, an unforgiving DM might still consider it "using armor".

What you *really* want are Rings of Force Armor from the Arms & Equipment Guide. It takes up both of your ring slots, but it provides a +4 armor bonus without being armor, provides +1 enhancement bonus on unarmed strikes, and does 1d4 damage on unarmed strikes or if anyone touches your skin (i.e., grapple damage).

Don't forget the simplicity of Bracers of Armor.

[ericgrau]

Also... Does an Animated Shield count against a Monk's unarmored bonus?

Yes, but only because of specific text within the animated shield description:

A character with an animated shield still takes any penalties associated with shield use, such as armor check penalty, arcane spell failure chance, and nonproficiency.

Do any of these make sense when you aren't even touching the shield? No. But that's how it is. IMO animated shields are silly in general.

For lots of "unarmored" AC on the cheap, get a mix of the following items, rather than a single expensive item:

• bracers of armor (or better yet beg a friendly caster for a mage armor)
• ring of protection
• amulet of natural armor
• dusty rose prism ioun stone
• that ion stone that boosts wis
• monk's belt

or if you like touch AC then get a periapt of wisdom instead of the amulet

Simply get the cheaper upgrades first. Find an NPC crafter to do upgrades. For example you could have bracers of armor +3 (9000 gp), ring of protection +1 (2000 gp), amulet of natural armor +1 (2000 gp) and a dusty rose prism ioun stone (5000 gp) for a total of 6 AC for 18,000 gp. Compare to +6 bracers for 36,000 gp. Or more for touch AC. Next you would upgrade the ring and amulet to +2, since 6,000 gp (8,000 gp - 2,000 gp) is cheaper than upgrading the bracers to +4 or getting the other 2 items listed above.

[Raltar]

Wait...you want to play a Paladin in Ravenloft?

[Kylarra]

Wait...you want to play a Paladin in Ravenloft?

Well it does change the question of if he's gonna fall to when...

[FerhagoRosewood]

What can I say, I'm still a noob at heart.

[elliott20]

Wait...you want to play a Paladin in Ravenloft?

It's like lighting a match in a pitch black room.

[FerhagoRosewood]

Small update:

I went with the whole little things to increase my AC, which ended up being a 22.

It went well and all for the most part. I was doing great up until playing my character in a situation left me surprise attacked by the BBEG & his minions. So insta-dead in three rounds after being dazed each round.

On the plus side, it freed my time up enough to get a 20" free Pep pizza. Turns out that the rest of the party had a tough time with him as well, after they went down the long way. Almost another death, if my understanding was correct.

Heh.

^o^;