green slime
First Post
Monks make TERRIBLE front-liners...
Their prime role in the game is NOT to stand still and take the heat, but penetrate the other team's frontline and attack its weak underbelly; the supporting spellcasters and archers.
A monk focusing on doing this will do this well.
A monk focusing on taking the heat in the front-line will get mashed into monk-pulp. He doesn't have the AC, nor the hit points, nor the damage dealing capability to slug it out.
To return to the original posters question:
In your team of four you need a tank. Not a dex fighter, a tank.
You want as high AC as you can possibly get, and thus more than 13 in Dex is a waste (you are aiming for +X adamantine full plate of heavy fortification).
You should get a shield. Because you cannot afford to give +2 to +7 in Armour bonus, as the sole fighter in the team. This takes away all those exciting dual weapons, the spiked chain, and the greatsword.
I favour humans, for the extra feat, which gives you the opportunity of choosing the bastard sword Exotic Weapon Proficiency, then Weapon focus (same) and then start some other feat chain (expertise, power attack, dodge, which ever you prefer).
Stats: In order of import (Str, Con, Int, Dex, Wis, Cha).
28 point purchase suggestion:
Str 17, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 8.
Alternatively you could lower Con by one to gain extra skill points, (You only need Dex 13 if you go Dodge, an Int 13 if you go Expertise) something you'll never gain if you try and raise your Intelligence later in the game, unlike raising other stats.
Their prime role in the game is NOT to stand still and take the heat, but penetrate the other team's frontline and attack its weak underbelly; the supporting spellcasters and archers.
A monk focusing on doing this will do this well.
A monk focusing on taking the heat in the front-line will get mashed into monk-pulp. He doesn't have the AC, nor the hit points, nor the damage dealing capability to slug it out.
To return to the original posters question:
In your team of four you need a tank. Not a dex fighter, a tank.
You want as high AC as you can possibly get, and thus more than 13 in Dex is a waste (you are aiming for +X adamantine full plate of heavy fortification).
You should get a shield. Because you cannot afford to give +2 to +7 in Armour bonus, as the sole fighter in the team. This takes away all those exciting dual weapons, the spiked chain, and the greatsword.
I favour humans, for the extra feat, which gives you the opportunity of choosing the bastard sword Exotic Weapon Proficiency, then Weapon focus (same) and then start some other feat chain (expertise, power attack, dodge, which ever you prefer).
Stats: In order of import (Str, Con, Int, Dex, Wis, Cha).
28 point purchase suggestion:
Str 17, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 8.
Alternatively you could lower Con by one to gain extra skill points, (You only need Dex 13 if you go Dodge, an Int 13 if you go Expertise) something you'll never gain if you try and raise your Intelligence later in the game, unlike raising other stats.
Fighters derive more benefit from a Periapt of Wisdom than monks do from +5 plate. It's all about cost effectiveness. A fighter can get AC or damage bonuses much cheaper than a monk. Even if we assume that the monk has 18 dex and wis for the equivalent of plate, then the fighter will still pick up magic bonuses faster. Whether from ability score increases, bracers, deflection, or natural, a monk pcisk up AC at the cost of 2000*X^2. Real armor costs half as much per plus. Until much higher levels, the figheter will be better able to derive AC boosts from magic.
