Epic Monk Prestige Classes (?)

[Artoomis]

My Vow of Poverty monk needs to plan ahead for epic levels.

It's pretty clear that a prestige class is the way to go, especially a monk prestige class that allows advancement of all or most monk abilities.

I'm looking for suggestions. Pure combat is not the thing I'm going for, but, rather, total command of the battle field using his high speed and related feats (he will take speed-related epic feats) plus his tumble skill.

A 5-level prestige class that gains the half-celestial template over those 5 levels would be a ideal, perhaps, if such a thing exists, or any other class that lets him fly.

The source must be a 3.5 book, such as the Book of Exalted Deeds or Complete Warrior.

If you could let me know the very basic, I'll look up the rest. I need to know:

Perquisites - at least those not related top being a monk, he'll be a 20th level monk, so he meet any of those.

Basic benefits - not all the details, just the gist of it.

 

[James McMurray]

Initiate of Pistis Sophia is good, unlss you've already got a lot of Vows. If you've got too many vows, you end up having to take Vow of Nonviolence and Peace, which cold be hard on the character and hi party, depending on what the game is like.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

Dragon 297, pg 56

Perfected One
Prereqs:
Alignment - Any lawful; All saves at +12; Concentration 24ranks; Feats - Dodge, Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist; Epic Feats - Perfect Health; Special - may substitute Purity of Body or Diamond Body class feature for the Perfect Health Epic Feat

Special abilities include a Battle Trance that works like a Monk Themed Rage (in terms of mechanics only, of course), the ability to add your Wisdom mod to your unarmed damage, bonus feats, automatic defensive abilities (example - a freedom of movement ability that activates as a free action whenever you're made helpless) and so on.

I think it's excellent, personally.

 

[Artoomis]

Dragon 297, pg 56

Perfected One
Prereqs:
Alignment - Any lawful; All saves at +12; Concentration 24ranks; Feats - Dodge, Expertise, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist; Epic Feats - Perfect Health; Special - may substitute Purity of Body or Diamond Body class feature for the Perfect Health Epic Feat

Special abilities include a Battle Trance that works like a Monk Themed Rage (in terms of mechanics only, of course), the ability to add your Wisdom mod to your unarmed damage, bonus feats, automatic defensive abilities (example - a freedom of movement ability that activates as a free action whenever you're made helpless) and so on.

I think it's excellent, personally.

Hmmm..... Sounds okay. It would require concentration, an otherwise useless skill for a monk, but what the heck - finally some use for cncentartion for a monk.

Now I just need to get a hold of Dragon 297 to take a look at it.

 

[Pax]

Kensai - it stands to reason once you hit Epic levels of that class, you can continue improving yoru own attacks into Epic levels. Never be without magically-enhanced attacks again.

Drunken Master (CW version). A Monk(20)/Drunken Master(9+) deals a base of 2d10+1d12 damage per unarmed strike - the Improvised Weapons abilities are bonus damage, not replacement damage. ^_^

Exotic Weapon Master - if you use actual monk Weapons very often, well - monks nearly fall into this class, since their weapons almost all count as Exotic! Pick up EWM "Stunts" like Stunning Blow (use selfsame feat with yoru exotic (read: monk) weapon), Flurry of Srikes (yet ANOTHER attack, but back to -2 to all attacks ... hehehe ...), or the like.

Justiciar (CW) or Reaping Mauler (also CW) are both good choices for a grapple-oriented character, monk or otherwise.

And Tattoo'ed Monk got updated to 3.5, in CW, as well. While several of the tattoos got the shaft, bigtime, there're still some good ones in there. Tiger (bonus damage and to-hit, for a few rounds, a few times per day); Dragonfly (dodge bonus to AC equal to number of tattoos); Arrowroot (stabilise other characetrs, get the party healer conscious again, etc); and so on.

 

[Artoomis]

Kensai - it stands to reason once you hit Epic levels of that class, you can continue improving your own attacks into Epic levels. Never be without magically-enhanced attacks again.

I need to look this one over again. It is very, very combat-oriented, but still worth another look. it may overlap seriously with VoP.

Drunken Master (CW version). A Monk(20)/Drunken Master(9+) deals a base of 2d10+1d12 damage per unarmed strike - the Improvised Weapons abilities are bonus damage, not replacement damage. ^_^

Re-read required. Definate possibilities, but I neeed to look over the benefits more.

Exotic Weapon Master - if you use actual monk Weapons very often, well - monks nearly fall into this class, since their weapons almost all count as Exotic! Pick up EWM "Stunts" like Stunning Blow (use selfsame feat with yoru exotic (read: monk) weapon), Flurry of Srikes (yet ANOTHER attack, but back to -2 to all attacks ... hehehe ...), or the like.

Doesn't work with VoP. No weapons.

Justiciar (CW) or Reaping Mauler (also CW) are both good choices for a grapple-oriented character, monk or otherwise.

I'm not familiar wth these two at all.

And Tattoo'ed Monk got updated to 3.5, in CW, as well. While several of the tattoos got the shaft, bigtime, there're still some good ones in there. Tiger (bonus damage and to-hit, for a few rounds, a few times per day); Dragonfly (dodge bonus to AC equal to number of tattoos); Arrowroot (stabilise other characetrs, get the party healer conscious again, etc); and so on.

Also worth another look.

 

[Artoomis]

Two things the VoP monk really needs after 20th level:

A way to fly, if possible. Preferably one that gives a (fly) speed so that other abilities related to movement will work with it. Is there a class that grants the half-celestial template?

More abilities that at least partially duplicate the effects of having more magic items, since these won't exist for the VoP character. A class that grants more feats would work well for this, as many EPIC feats fit this category.

I am even considering taking fighter solely for the bonus feats. Note that the 3.5 DMG Epic rules do not restrict those feats to a list. I wonder if the list is still restricted or not? Even so, the list is broad enough to be okay. The downside is not continuing to improve monkish abilities (SR, Stunning DC, etc.)

 

[Pax]

No, Kensai and the Vow of Poverty don't overlap much at all - certainly not enough to speak against the concept. Granted, the VoP gives you an enhancement bonus of up to +5 - and, granted, for the Kensai, you enchant it "as a weapon", so you'll waste one "+" of your Kensai ability.

But +1 enhancement and +9 worth of special abilities, added to the +5 enhancement of the Vow of Poverty, means that - at 20th level = you're essentially wielding a +14 weapon! ^_^

I'm not familiar wth these two at all.

Justiciar - basically "supercop". Decent at grappling, his real trick is to grapple, and use some rope or a pair of manacles to literally "hog-tie" the opponent. Witht eh Vow of Poverty, though ... you won't HAVE said rope or manacles, so I'd give this one a pass.

Reaping Mauler ... is basically "das uber grappler". It's all of five levels, eventually gives a +2 competence bonus to grapple checks, the Improved gRapple feat for free when in light or no armor, when using grapple or escape artist to escape a grapple or pin he can immediately re-roll a failed check, and - the prime endpoint of his abilities - Devastating Grapple. Like the OA feat "choke hold", but it's a save-or-DIE effect, DC 10 + Reaping Mauler class level + Wisdom Modifier. It's on pages 75-77 of CW.

A way to fly, if possible. Preferably one that gives a (fly) speed so that other abilities related to movement will work with it. Is there a class that grants the half-celestial template?

A friend capable of casting fly would work ...

Failing that ... explore the concepts presented by Savage Progressions on the WOTC official website. ^_^

More abilities that at least partially duplicate the effects of having more magic items, since these won't exist for the VoP character. A class that grants more feats would work well for this, as many EPIC feats fit this category.

Sword of Righteousness, BoED. Three levels, three bonus [Exalted] feats. ^_^

 

[James McMurray]

Not sure a VoP character will find himself needing more Exalted feats any time soon.

Fighter makes a good class to step into if you're looking for bonus feats.

 

[Tessarael]

A way to fly, if possible. [..]

More abilities that at least partially duplicate the effects of having more magic items, since these won't exist for the VoP character. [..]

I am even considering taking fighter solely for the bonus feats. Note that the 3.5 DMG Epic rules do not restrict those feats to a list. [..]

I would suggest Dragon Disciple. It will give you fly eventually, good Strength improvement (increase to damage and attack bonus), breath weapon, and some more spells. Prerequisites are: Knowledge (Arcana) rank 8, Draconic language, and the ability to cast arcane spells without preparation (1 level in Bard or Sorcerer). It's good for combat, and not bad outside combat.

Taking non-epic Fighter levels (Fighter 1st -> 20th) will only give you access to standard Fighter feats. You definitely can't take Epic feats with this. Epic Monk is your best bet if you want more Epic Feats than 1/3 levels.

Just my thoughts ...