Chatacter concept, How to make it work?

[kentma57]

I want to build a Dwarf, Bard, monk, Drunken Master. I am trying to make this build work, one problem is that once you stop takeing monk levels you can't get more. Though I might be able to spend a feat to get monk multi-classing or level stacking. Assuming that does not happen do you have any suggestions?

[Zincorium]

I want to build a Dwarf, Bard, monk, Drunken Master. I am trying to make this build work, one problem is that once you stop takeing monk levels you can't get more. Though I might be able to spend a feat to get monk multi-classing or level stacking. Assuming that does not happen do you have any suggestions?

Alright, the obligatory questions for anyone asking for a build:

1. What books do you have access to?
2. Is homebrew an option?
3. What is the character's function? What do you need to be able to do?
4. Is this supposed to be optimized? (in this case, it may not be possible)

The primary problem is you are requiring an alignment change as necessary for the two base classes. Secondary problems are that you need pretty much every score except intelligence to function at a minimal level, and you have a penalty in the number one score needed for a bard.

[Guy_Whozevl]

I want to build a Dwarf, Bard, monk, Drunken Master. I am trying to make this build work, one problem is that once you stop takeing monk levels you can't get more. Though I might be able to spend a feat to get monk multi-classing or level stacking. Assuming that does not happen do you have any suggestions?

Why?

On a serious note, there is a Chaotic Monk in Dragon (or Dungeon) magazine that gets a FoB varient with variable hits when you use it. You might want to check that out. Also, in Faerun, there are monk orders that don't have multiclass restrictions for specific classes based on the order you join. See if your DM can do something like that for you.
On a more negative note, it seems your character has MAD to the extreme and seems to have no synergy whatsoever. Are you doing Bard just to get UMD or something? If you want it for RP purposes, Monks have Perform as a class skill.

[Temp]

Another couple important questions:

What do you want from your levels in Bard?
What do you want from your levels in Drunken Master?

These will help the build do whatever it is youwant to do.

[kentma57]

The character is more based on working well, while maintaining a theme. The theme is a dwarf that loves drinking songs and a good bar brawl. My DM says he will alow me to stack bard and monk levels for purpose of unarmed damage. I just want the character to remain playable, while retaining the theme.

[dyslexicfaser]

Well, you could take the feats Monastic Training (Bard) and Talashtora, which would let your bard and monk levels stack for purposes of Flurry and... a couple other monk abilities which escape me.

EDIT: Ah yes, I think it was flurry, AC bonus, and unarmed damage.

[martyboy74]

Unless the drinking songs absolutely have to be bardic music you could just put ranks in Perform (singing) and fluff it. Not every single nuance of your character needs to be represented with class levels, after all.

[Quietus]

The Ascetic Mage feat from Complete Adventurer could help a great deal here. One level of Monk, combined with four (or five, depending on Cha) levels of Bard, gives you second-level spells and Improved Unarmed Strike. This'll let you burn spell slots to gain bonuses on unarmed attack and damage (not as helpful since you don't have a lot of spell slots, but it's nice to have the option). It's built for Sorcerer/Monk, but if you can convince your DM to let it apply for Bard/Monk instead, it'll stack your Bard levels with Monk to determine your AC bonus, and allow multiclassing between Monk and Bard.

Most importantly, it'll reduce your MAD by making your AC bonus from Monk use charisma instead of wisdom.

[Temp]

Personally, I'd just go Riposte Scout with the Highest perform ranks possible, TWF and the Improved Unarmed Strike Feat... Not optimized, but still effective. The Drunken Master's neat, but it's not great (unless you get cheesy with Improvised Weapon reach).

If you are attached to Drunken Master, I'd say enter via Rogue/Monk with Maxxed perform (Bardic Music isn't going to affect your character at all unless you spend levels developing it... Difficult to do as a Dwarf) with the Ascetic Rogue feat.

The Ascetic Mage feat from Complete Adventurer could help a great deal here. One level of Monk, combined with four (or five, depending on Cha) levels of Bard, gives you second-level spells and Improved Unarmed Strike. This'll let you burn spell slots to gain bonuses on unarmed attack and damage (not as helpful since you don't have a lot of spell slots, but it's nice to have the option). It's built for Sorcerer/Monk, but if you can convince your DM to let it apply for Bard/Monk instead, it'll stack your Bard levels with Monk to determine your AC bonus, and allow multiclassing between Monk and Bard.

If he isn't advancing spellcasting (he's taking Drunken Master levels), I don't see any reason to give the character high Charisma at all. For a 1 or 2/day Fascinate? I wouldn't say it's worth the feat.

[Quietus]

If he isn't advancing spellcasting (he's taking Drunken Master levels), I don't see any reason to give the character high Charisma at all. For a 1 or 2/day Fascinate? I wouldn't say it's worth the feat.

If he goes up to six levels of Bard, he gets 6/day music, with suggest. 8 levels and 2 monk in addition to his 10 drunken master as a full build gives him +2 inspire courage, third level spells (I think), and all the drunken master goodness.


Personally? I think that the bard portion is unnecessary. Monks get Perform as a class skill. I'm just trying to suggest things that fit with what he's asking.

[Temp]

If he goes up to six levels of Bard, he gets 6/day music, with suggest. 8 levels and 2 monk in addition to his 10 drunken master as a full build gives him +2 inspire courage, third level spells (I think), and all the drunken master goodness.

Still second level spells... Bards advance spell-level every 3 class levels past 4th.

And I was assuming the "Favored Class: Fighter" was still in place because he mentioned nothing contrary. This would mean a very low Bard level... 2 [or 3 at most] unless he wants to suffer experience penalties.

[BardicDuelist]

Is your DM removing alignment and/or favored class restrictions?

[kentma57]

Is your DM removing alignment and/or favored class restrictions?

Probably, but it looks like the best way to go is to just take ranks in perform (dwarven drinking songs)

[AKA_Bait]

Yeah. Just go Dwarven Monk/Drunken Master and take the ranks in perform. It doesn't seem like you need the bard's class features so don't overcomplicate things. Anyone can sing, you only need to be a bard if you want to sing magically.

[kentma57]

I will do that, out of curiosity does anyone no how many levels of monk I need? (I can look it up later, but I was looking for a guess)

EDIT: improvised weapon lute