Beefing up a monk

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I have to disagree that monk grappling is a good tactic, at least against spellcasters.

The Concentration check to cast dimension door or stilled gaseous form isn't that hard - 24, in both cases, plus (I believe) half the grappling damage inflicted. Eventually a spellcaster will have little trouble making that check due to the general poor damage of the monk and the spellcasters' ever-increasing Concentration score. (Of course, this is virtually always better than what a fighter can do with his grapple check.)

PS you don't have to use Dimension Door to run away from the whole combat - just 600 feet away with some trees to keep the monk from immediately charging you. Then summon or cast defensive spells (as directly casting spells at a monk is usually an exercise in frustration).

 

[Anubis]

Is he a monk or a professional wrestler?

He's gonna suck because graapling is a weak offensive style unless you're big and very strong. Monks are for beating on things. He'll do more against casters with flurry of blows than he'll ever do graapling.

If it's that bad, just let him replace his graapling feats for combat feats. Grappling sucks in this game. Unless he's really big or really strong, it's pointless.

Monks are more like Bruce Lee than Triple H sorry to say.

 

[boolean]

When the sorceress casts Enlarge Person,

So, how is the sorceress casting Enlange Person (Target: One humanoid creature) on your Goliath (type= Monstrous Humanoid)?

One of the balancing factors of Powerful Build is that none of the races that have it are legal targets for Enlarge Person.

 

[LostSoul]

It always amazes me when people when people complain about a class being "weak", judging solely on combat effectiveness.

Combat almost always occurs in your typical D&D game. It's got the most rules, and they are clear, and when they apply is clear to both the DM and the players.

In contrast to that, you don't know when you should get a Spot or Listen check (the DM might forget to ask for one, or just be one of those DMs who doesn't use them often). You can't always sneak around (if there is nothing to hide in, like your typical dungeon corridor, Hide won't do anything for you). Traps aren't always around. There aren't always people to talk to. etc.

But there is always something to smash or blast.

 

[Eloi]

Transforming that Dwarf Monk into a Troll via Polymorph is a good option. Might need to buy pizza for the next six sessions, but well worth it.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

Yeah. But sometimes a pessimistic opinion helps more than an optimistic opinion to realize that monks do need big bumps (and clever coordinate) to become an efficient character.

Oi vey, this is one of my pet peeves. The monk is an extremely versatile, well-balanced, all-around character. Best saves in the game. Great speed. Great skills. Great abilities.

But all that monky goodness comes at a price - and that's toe-to-toe combat ability. The monk needs NO improvements in combat ability. If you want to be tough, multiclass with levels in fighter. A monk shouldn't be trying to engage a BBEG if it's a melee focused enemy (unless the monk is good an incapacitating attacks), but if it's a caster then go nuts. IMO, monks are great for getting around the enemy's front lines, attacking spell casters in the rear, and generally providing effective support and sowing confusion behind the enemy's lines. But he's NOT supposed to be a frontline fighter (or, at least, he's not supposed to be as good as a dedicated frontline fighter).

I find it so annoying when monk players with 101 different abilities complain that the fighter is outdoing them in combat. Well, DUH! To me, this is part of the "My character should be good at everything" mentality that plagues the game these days.

 

[kigmatzomat]

Do you mean something like the Psionic Fist in the SRD?

Do you mean for the 'modify' part of the statement? Sure. However, it would need a bit of a change to be A) more effective at grappling and B) more effective in general

Dunno about the SRD version but the XPH psionic fist thing is great for grapplers. One power gives +4 to grapple checks, another bonuses to natural weapons (which should included unarmed), you can steal strength points from foes, several kinds of AC bonuses, buffs, and attacks, etc, etc.

One of the players IMC is a grappler-monk. He's got a very high strength, Close-quarters fighting, Cleve Wrestling, etc, but he's planning on taking the Fist PrC in 2 levels b/c the foes are starting to outrun him on strength & BAB.

 

[dontpunkme]

Three words: Vow of Poverty.

On a side note if you're gonna grapple everyone then you certainly need a better strength than 13. Seriously, what the h-e-double hockey sticks was he thinking?

 

[pbd]

I agree with Ogrork, monks are definately a versatile character class; able to contribuite in many ways.

I also think that a well put together monk can stand up in combat. An 11th level monk gets +8/+8/+8/+3 with flurry, an 1th level fighter gets +11/+6/+1; personally I think the extra attack is worth the minor loss in bonus, not to mention the monk gets 3 attacks that are better then the fighter's second best. Also, with a little work, the monk can have an excellent AC; add this to their immunuties and asaves and you get a potent combination.

The one caveate I would add is that monks tend to be more reliant on good stats than other classes. You tend to need 3 - 4 good stats (dex, wis, con, str, I tend to put them in that order of importance) to make one viable across the board. This can make for problems in point buy games; but whenever I roll really well, I start thinking monk.

I have played 2 monks recently, one higher level (up to 13, but started high) and one currently at 5th. They both went the finesse route, concentrating on dex, with con and wis being secondary. Strength wans't a dump stat, but also not a priority. In combat the charatcers tend to hit alot for mediocre damage, the overall damage output was slightly less than the fighter, but not terribly so. I also tend to go with stunning fist instead of grapple; used in the right situation it oculd really help out. If you make a tough guy save enough, he will eventually fail, then its time for CdG.

The problem comes when facing opponents with DR/ (something the monk can't beat). The monk's overall damage output really suffers; much worse than the fighter. This is true of archers and any other combat damage dealer that relies on multiple "small" hits vs the tank's "big smash". Personally, I think this has more to do with DR being, not necessesarily broken, but not completely "fixed" either. I have never really understood it concenptually (but that is my problem).

So, overall, monks are a very viable class, if a little dependant on good stats. The 13 str dwarf isn't necessarily terrible, but grapple may not be the way to go.

 

[Taloras]

So, how is the sorceress casting Enlange Person (Target: One humanoid creature) on your Goliath (type= Monstrous Humanoid)?

One of the balancing factors of Powerful Build is that none of the races that have it are legal targets for Enlarge Person.

DM Ruling.

Then again, there are a lot of somewhat broken things in this game.