Don't bother with a longspear. My ranger|monk started out with one and found it to be of little use even with Fading Strike (a dexterity based at-will power that can be used with melee or ranged attacks). Since there are no monk powers with a range of Melee Weapon (check the PHB3 book -- the Compendium may still be in error here), a pure monk has virtually no use for a reach weapon.
Dwarven Monk 4 Advice
- Thread starter FreeXenon
- Start date
Infiniti2000
First Post
Whoa, maybe my player missed something, but he's a human monk with a longspear and uses it all the time. I think he's centered breath, but I have to wait till I get home to double check his stats. What exactly is the rule about melee weapon that we're missing?
mysticknight232
First Post
The rule is that monks are an implement based class which means that non-magial weapon properties such as weapon proficiency bonus, reach, brutal and versatile don't work with Monk powers. Your player must read the power description as each power will tell him how far away he can target, typically Melee Touch, Melee 1 or Close Burst X. A longspear will never grant a Monk the reach property unless it's being used for a MBA. Same with any weapon a Monk wields. When used as a MBA, then all weapon properties will apply such as proficiency, reach and brutal. This is also where Monk class ability called unarmed strike is used and when it will grant you proficiency (+3) and dmg (d8). Otherwise, it will not come into play.
My lvl 2 Centered Breath Monk just took the Pointed Step Style Feat and I love the extended square he can target with his FoB power. It works well with my lvl 1 daily Masterful Spiral that increases the range of my Melee 1 attacks by 1 square.
FreeXenon
American Male (he/him); INTP ADHD Introverted Geek
Wow! Go away for a few days and my thread dances!
Herschel: Yea, they suck hard! =( I am not the one who usually has characters die. They usually end up unconscious a lot which is what I am known for, but not dead. I am sad.
Oh well, onto the next character. =)
Controller class?: A controller was my original thought. I was thinking perhaps Wizard or Invoker, but I was quickly talked out of it somehow. Not a big deal! I found, for some reason a Dwarven Monk rather compelling and it fit the moment of the campaign for easy character insertion. =)
Centered Breath? I was thinking that Stone Fist fit better with the Dwarven identity .... =), but I really had not looked at it too well, either....
I was just looking into moving away from Spear to Crag Hammer at 6th level via Dwarven Weapon Training, but the feat specifies weapon damage rolls and the CB seems to show that too - no damage increase at all with any of the powers. I originally choose Stone Fist due to increased damage and I want to focus on that instead of controllery effects.
I will most likely pick up Weapon Focus too to increase my base damage and then Pointed Step too to increase the range of my Flurry. The CB shows an increase in damage for all attacks with WF.
Versatile Expertise: I took versatile expertise in case I am given mba's or something like that. I suppose it is better to have more bonuses than less which gives me more options. Versatile Expertise is definitely more flexible than normal expertise.
Oh, and thanks again for the weapon/implement clarification stuff guys! That is really helpful!
Herschel: Yea, they suck hard! =( I am not the one who usually has characters die. They usually end up unconscious a lot which is what I am known for, but not dead. I am sad.
Oh well, onto the next character. =)
Controller class?: A controller was my original thought. I was thinking perhaps Wizard or Invoker, but I was quickly talked out of it somehow. Not a big deal! I found, for some reason a Dwarven Monk rather compelling and it fit the moment of the campaign for easy character insertion. =)
Centered Breath? I was thinking that Stone Fist fit better with the Dwarven identity .... =), but I really had not looked at it too well, either....
I was just looking into moving away from Spear to Crag Hammer at 6th level via Dwarven Weapon Training, but the feat specifies weapon damage rolls and the CB seems to show that too - no damage increase at all with any of the powers. I originally choose Stone Fist due to increased damage and I want to focus on that instead of controllery effects.
I will most likely pick up Weapon Focus too to increase my base damage and then Pointed Step too to increase the range of my Flurry. The CB shows an increase in damage for all attacks with WF.
Versatile Expertise: I took versatile expertise in case I am given mba's or something like that. I suppose it is better to have more bonuses than less which gives me more options. Versatile Expertise is definitely more flexible than normal expertise.
Oh, and thanks again for the weapon/implement clarification stuff guys! That is really helpful!
FreeXenon
American Male (he/him); INTP ADHD Introverted Geek
Racial Stat Mods Wasted?
Well... kind of. I know this build is not optimal due to not utilizing either of the Dwarf's Wis/Con as a major part of the build, especially by ignoring Centered Breath, but I am looking at the mods as a way of shoring up a potential weakness. They both increase by Fort and Will saves as well as increase my Endurance and Dungeoneering skills so all is not lost. =O
After this was specifically mentioned I took a really hard look at changing over to Centered Breath.... Thank you for pointing that out to me. =) I almost switched... almost... =)
Well... kind of. I know this build is not optimal due to not utilizing either of the Dwarf's Wis/Con as a major part of the build, especially by ignoring Centered Breath, but I am looking at the mods as a way of shoring up a potential weakness. They both increase by Fort and Will saves as well as increase my Endurance and Dungeoneering skills so all is not lost. =O
After this was specifically mentioned I took a really hard look at changing over to Centered Breath.... Thank you for pointing that out to me. =) I almost switched... almost... =)
Kwalish Kid
Explorer
That power increases your melee touch attacks, not your melee 1 attacks. Not so useful.
Bold or Stupid
First Post
FX - I get your point on the Stonefist sounding dwarfy it's a shame that it's not a path about toughing the body and thus based on Con as then it would be a great dwarf fit.
FreeXenon
American Male (he/him); INTP ADHD Introverted Geek
So true.
I am still waffling on the Centered Breath thing.... I have until Sunday to commit to something...
Grrr.... You people and your ideas... =)
Half of our group is tactically minded and the Centered Breath thing would help facilitate that....
but, I want DAMAGE.... Ugghhh!
mysticknight232
First Post
I couldn't remember exactly which one it affected. I knew my Crane's Wings at-will benefitted from it, but I just couldn't remember if it was Melee Touch of Melee 1. Thanks for clarifiying, I didn't have my books in front of me at that time.
mysticknight232
First Post
I don't feel that the Stone Fist Monk build actually deals that much more dmg. The Stone Fist FoB only deals 1 point more, or 2 points more if you're not targeting your original target correct? I'd rather have the slide ability of the Centered Breath Build because I don't feel that the dmg lost is significant enough to warrant a concern.
