Dwarven Monk 4 Advice

[FreeXenon]

It is about 2 points extra damage when targeting the same target.
Hmmm... I suppose there is potentially more damage to be done by tactically putting the poor sap in a dangerous situation between me and/or my allies.

Your reasoning is what I have been battling with. =(
Your mentioning it is making me wobble to the Centered Breath side, since it is really not that much more damage.

There is also a PP that requires Stone Fist that I am considering. I will have to see what PP there are that may require Centered Breath.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[FreeXenon]

Assuming I end up going with Centered Breath, what are the ways to increase Monkish damage -> Weapon Focus is the only thing I can see.

 

[mysticknight232]

Assuming I end up going with Centered Breath, what are the ways to increase Monkish damage -> Weapon Focus is the only thing I can see.

About the same way a Stone Fist Monk would increase their dmg (almost). Two-Weapon Fighting would be one if you wanted to wield a Spear and Dagger (or Club and Dagger). I had originally planned to walk down this path myself, but I feel it is most decidedly un-monk like and have changed my mind. Weapon focus as you already mentioned. I'm not sure what, if anything else would up the dmg.

Stone Fist Monk can take the feat that increases their FoB dmg by +2 when wielding a club. So that still may appeal to you...but then you'd be giving up the Pointed Step Style feat and the range of 2 squares.

 

[FreeXenon]

Yea, that club feat is what had me looking to Dwarven Weapon Training which does not seem to work. The club is just too.... clubby to be interesting.

thanks.

 

[mysticknight232]

Yea, that club feat is what had me looking to Dwarven Weapon Training which does not seem to work. The club is just too.... clubby to be interesting.

thanks.

I agree. The club is quite boring for me as well. I'm quite happy with my Githzerai Centered Breath Monk and Pointed Step Style Feat.

 

[Dr_Ruminahui]

Well, there are certainly more interesting itterations of the club, such as the tonfa (Tonfa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), so there is no reason you couldn't describe your club as such.

That said, I'm pro centred breath - the added tactical control is worth more than a few extra points of damage, and it more fun/interesting to boot (for both, IMHO).

 

[Artoomis]

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.

"Melee Touch" and "Melee 1" both do not benefit from weapon reach. "Melee Weapon" as a range does, though, which means Dancing Cobra (At Will) gets reach but Crane's Wings does not. Open the Gate of Battle (1st level) Dance of Swords(3rd level), and Three Winds Kick (17th level) are the only others that get reach with a spear.

Of course (whoops) that has nothing to do with Masterful Spiral which does affect Crane's Wings.

 

[sev]

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 can't speak to all the other aspects of this choice, but for this: Centered Breath sounds plenty dwarfy to me -- look at that Stand Your Ground racial characteristic? Have you seen anything more centered than that? Dwarfiness is all about having a strong, low center.

 

[mysticknight232]

I can't speak to all the other aspects of this choice, but for this: Centered Breath sounds plenty dwarfy to me -- look at that Stand Your Ground racial characteristic? Have you seen anything more centered than that? Dwarfiness is all about having a strong, low center.

Not to mention it conjures a really cool image to picture a dwarf (w/ the Pointed Step Style Feat) reaching 2 squares away and backhanding a monster with his FoB power. HEHE!

 

[Kilimar]

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.

Perhaps someone can clear this up. So the text for the Pointed Step Style Feat states, "When your Flurry of Blows power is triggered by an attack that you make with a spear, one target of that power can be up to 2 squares away from you. " Now, from the latest CB update, there are only two (I think up until 15th level and I think both are daily powers) which has the range of melee weapon, everything else is touch or blast, which sort of implies that NONE of them uses the spear. So does that mean the Pointed Step Style Feat is unless except in those two daily powers?