Dwarven Monk 4 Advice

[FreeXenon]

Yea, yea, I know dwarven monk is suboptimal, but work with me peeps!

This is my first time playing a monk and it is going to be interesting since it is a striker that dabbles in control. I have found that engaging the boss of the encounter is probably not where the Monk is going to necessarily excel, but potentially cleaning up or clearing the way through the others is.

So, we are going through the Scales of War campaign reskinned for Eberron and my pimped out Elven Rogue Superior Crossbow Sniper died wishing he had a ring of feather fall after being knocked of a ledge from pushes from consecutive hits from belly bow archers and failing my save. =(

Fortunately, in the next room I was able to introduce a new character which I whipped up pretty quickly. I have changed him a little bit after taking a closer look at the class and feats, but here he is.


Feats: For feats I am thinking of picking up Long Spear so I can extend the range of my attacks. I think that will work with Monk powers, right? Plus taking the Pointed Step feat, but I am not sure if I take Long Spear prof if I even need the Pointed Step feat? I am also eventually considering Durable too.

Powers: I am thinking of picking up powers similar to Endure Pain and Eternal Mountain that increase my durability.

Let me know what you think or if I am missing something...

Thanks all!

Lorgar Four Beers, level 4
Dwarf, Monk
Build: Stone Fist Monk
Monastic Tradition: Stone Fist
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Spear)
Versatile Expertise: Versatile Expertise (Ki Focuses)
Background: Geography - Mountains (Dungeoneering class skill)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 15, Con 11, Dex 17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8.


AC: 20 Fort: 16 Reflex: 17 Will: 16
HP: 45 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 11

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +11, Endurance +10, Athletics +10, Dungeoneering +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +6, Arcana +2, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Heal +4, History +2, Insight +4, Intimidate +1, Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +2, Streetwise +1, Thievery +6

FEATS
Level 1: Versatile Expertise
Level 2: Toughness
Level 4: Unarmored Agility

POWERS
Monk at-will 1: Five Storms
Monk at-will 1: Crane's Wings
Monk encounter 1: Drunken Monkey
Monk daily 1: Spinning Leopard Maneuver
Monk utility 2: Endure Pain
Monk encounter 3: Eternal Mountain

ITEMS
Monk Unarmed Strike, Adventurer's Kit, Spear, Shuriken (5), Magic Ki Focus +1, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Everburning Torch, Grappling Hook, Potion of Healing (heroic tier)

 

[FreeXenon]

Rest of the Group's Composition

Eladrin Sword Mage (Arc Def)
Warforged Brawling Fighter (Mar Def)

Halfling Assassin (Sha Str)
Dwarven Monk (Psi Str) me

Warforged Pacifist Cleric (Div Lea) dm healer used if the Dragonborn cannot make it
Dragonborn Warlord (Mar Lea) just started this week. Good player.

 

[Mentat55]

A longspear will give you reach 2 with monk powers that have a range of Melee weapon. However, flurry of blows is Melee 1, so you need to take Pointed Step Style to able to use flurry of blows (on one target) at reach 2.

Looking at your current power line-up, I don't see any of them benefitting from reach. Most of them are close burst or melee touch powers (which use your inherent reach, and not the weapon's reach).

 

[FreeXenon]

That is how I was thinking it might play out, but I have not had the chance to really look into it.

Thanks for clearing that up. Perhaps then it is best to think about just taking Pointed Step since the it looks like very few, if any, of my powers will work with a reach weapon.

Thanks

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Versatile expertise might be gilding the lily. Check to see what defenses your powers target. You are down in your main stat relative to other characters, but what you target might compensate for that.

 

[Bold or Stupid]

Why not go centred breath? It gels with the Dwarf racial abilities better (wis based) and the sliding gels well with spear feats.

 

[Tarrl]

Which NAD's are easier to hit? Should a Monk choose powers based on which one is more likely to hit?

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Which NAD's are easier to hit? Should a Monk choose powers based on which one is more likely to hit?

Will is almost always the easiest to hit.

In play, I tend to find Fortitude to be the toughest to hit, but that might be because of the monsters that my groups like to fight, the monsters I like to use as a DM, and because of the monsters that my main PC (a defender) tends to fight.

As a monk, you don't always have to choose a power that is easiest to hit. It's certainly a good strategy, but you also want to choose powers that you think will make your character look cool. (Well, that's my strategy.) Taking powers that hit easily is a really good strategy for the monk because they get to dish out extra damage for free if they hit. But this also means that (especially if they have the spear feat) monks can go around hitting people that are easy to hit and pile damage on a monster that is tough to hit.

Remember that with the monk's movement powers, monks can often gain a bonus to hit because of combat advantage.

 

[Herschel]

So, we are going through the Scales of War campaign reskinned for Eberron and my pimped out Elven Rogue Superior Crossbow Sniper died wishing he had a ring of feather fall after being knocked of a ledge from pushes from consecutive hits from belly bow archers and failing my save. =(

I remember those jerks.

You have an odd character in a bit of an odd group. While you don't have a controller, the Swordmage can take a lot of controller-esque powers, especially as there are two defenders. And....yeah, I got nothin' on the build.

 

[Tarrl]

Oh ok! And take powers with good rider effects.