Good Monk Builds

[Pax]

Monk-Kensai (Complete Warrior)
PROS: magic weapon unarmed strikes; BIG boost to strength a couple times a day; Concentration checks in place of Reflex saves (very useful for high-CON monks with evasion ... !); fighter BAB; can multiclass back and forth with monk.
CONS: every level of Kensai takes away monk abilities. You may want/need to skip the las level or two of Kensai.

Monk-Initiate of Pistis Sophia (Book of Exalted Deeds)
PROS: most core monk abilities continue to increase (speed, damage, flurry, ki strike, AC bonus); uncanny dodge; improved evasion; extra vows; smite evil; detect evil; a REAL "good-guy".
... this one could work especially well with a Vow of Poverty build, btw...
CONS: a really good-aligned character (to a fault); loss of non-core-concept monk abilities at higher levels

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

I'm currently playing a half-ogre (LA+2) monk L5/tattooed monk L2 (OA version) in a 3.0 game. IMX:

1) Flurry looks a lot better in 3.5.

2) Tattooed monk looks a lot worse.

3) Screw most monk builds. High dex/wis monks are useless. Go strength/constitution all the way. Weapon finesse is a trap from which no one recovers.

4) A monk's spell resistance should be better. A cleric's spell resistance is 2 points higher, 6 with a bead of karma.

5) Grappling is now pretty worthless at higher levels in 3.5. Freedom of movement killed it.

6) Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, run ahead of the party in order to attack the enemy spellcaster.

 

[Darklone]

Don't worry, tattooed monk becomes better rather quick at level 3 and 5.

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

Don't worry, tattooed monk becomes better rather quick at level 3 and 5.

In 3.0 OA, the tattooed monk gained DR 2/+Con mod. That means my 20 Con half-ogre has DR 2/+5. (Plus I took the feat, Thick Skinned from SS, to make it DR 4/+5.) This is far superior to DR 2/magic.

Also, the reroll tattoo in OA is one reroll per tattoo. In 3.5, it's one reroll total.

This is in addition to the fact that the haste tattoo is pretty worthless since it requires a move action to activate. (Boots of Speed are a free action.)

The tiger and the dragonfly are still decent, but I'd rather just go straight monk in 3.5.

 

[Plane Sailing]

3) Screw most monk builds. High dex/wis monks are useless. Go strength/constitution all the way. Weapon finesse is a trap from which no one recovers.

I agree about weapon finesse - it sounds like a good idea (add to your AC! add to your attacks! all with one attribute!) but in fact it is less effective for most monks than having a great Str - especially since flurries give you full str bonus on all attacks, putting it streets ahead of standard TWF - if you are strong.

Same for Wis really. It's nice, and adds to the classes distinctiveness, but not brilliant if you have some other way of upping AC (via mage armour, bracers of armour, natural armour etc)

 

[Darklone]

Wis rocks for the often underrated Stunning Fist and if you're a Mnk1/Druid

Edit: Build a human Monk with Ability Focus (Stunning Fist) and Improved Natural attack (both MM). Moderate Strength (~14), high Con (16), high Wisdom (16+). Next feat: Weapon Focus Unarmed Strike.

 

[Plane Sailing]

The thing is, stunning attack has *never* worked in any of our campaigns so far! Statistically it might be expected to have worked by now, but despite any number of monk stunning fists with DC's in the 15-20 range not one has worked...

I'm sure that it is great for someone, but... not us As a result of seeing everyones bad experiences my monk has taken improved grapple at first...

 

[Thanee]

3) Screw most monk builds. High dex/wis monks are useless. Go strength/constitution all the way. Weapon finesse is a trap from which no one recovers.

Wisdom still has some benefits with the better DC of those special attacks.

4) A monk's spell resistance should be better. A cleric's spell resistance is 2 points higher, 6 with a bead of karma.

Clerics > Monks

5) Grappling is now pretty worthless at higher levels in 3.5. Freedom of movement killed it.

Hmm... does everyone in your campaign have FoM?

There are plenty ways to kill grapple already... Blink, Dimension Door, Polymorph, ...

6) Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, run ahead of the party in order to attack the enemy spellcaster.

Heh. No, that doesn't sound like a good plan. Especially if the spellcaster has buddies to beat you up (not that he really needs any) while the rest of your party moves forward.

Bye
Thanee

 

[ConcreteBuddha]

The thing is, stunning attack has *never* worked in any of our campaigns so far! Statistically it might be expected to have worked by now, but despite any number of monk stunning fists with DC's in the 15-20 range not one has worked...

I'm sure that it is great for someone, but... not us As a result of seeing everyones bad experiences my monk has taken improved grapple at first...

The thing I don't like about stunning fist is that it requires an attack roll and a saving throw. That just plain sucks.

Besides the fact that you have to max wisdom for it to be good. (Which means you do less damage with a lower strength.)

Touch spells get a touch attack then a saving throw. Also, the spell isn't discharged if you miss. True, you can attack with an unarmed strike and discharge a touch spell, but generally I'd rather go for the touch attack with my slay living.

 

[Darklone]

PS: Group intern superstitions is probably one of the best reasons not do use something in game My players now only roll their dice on some special books, after some horrific fumbles on their own PHBs...

Stunning Fist: Well, it's not a touch attack... but then, it's just one of the attacks in a full attack action (is it?) And most monks can use them more than often enough per day. IMC, stunning fist saved another PC or the monk more than once and we didn't have a monk for a long time.