grappling monk

[xigbar]

@xigbar
i don't really see that fitting with this character. plus the requirements are in a very different direction than i was going.

@Wyvernhand
you are totally right, i looked up constrict and it does do damage every time you make a grapple check. so that is definitely going into the build.

adult dragons are large, and i can grapple up to one size larger than myself (powerful build included). so i can grapple all the way up to most very old dragons and even a couple of the ancient ones.

i wonder if the dm would let me write up a metapsionic feat like that. hopefully. although, if i just looked medium sized and was actually huge, wouldn't people be bumping into me all the time? and it would look like i had telekinesis.

Barbarian can be just as Grapple based as Monk, and is, in general, better. this gives you a way around Spellcasters. But whatever floats your boat.

 

[statimp]

wrote up a new build for this guy using talashtora and psi warrior. i am quite pleased with how it turned out. my new question is what kind of gear (items, enchantments, etc.) can i get to optimize this character for damage, grapple check and survivability. i already know to get a monk's belt and an amulet of mighty fists.

what kind of items should i get to help deal with casters? or maybe i should be relying on my powers for that, are there any good powers for dealing with casters?

level 1 feat: improved grab
level 2 bonus feat: improved grapple
level 3 feat: Talashtora, bonus feat: monastic training (psiwarrior)
level 4 +1 str, begin taking levels as psi warrior, bonus feat: combat expertise
level 5 bonus feat: martial stance (crushing weight of the mountain)
level 6 feat: multigrab
level 8 +1 dex, bonus feat: weapon focus (grapple)
level 9 take kensei prestige class and feat: greater multigrab
level 12 feat: superior unarmed strike, +1 str
level 14 continue taking levels in psiwarrior
level 15 feat: aberrant blood (flexible limbs)
level 16 +1 str, bonus feat: earth’s embrace (oriental adventures)
level 18 continue taking kensei prestige class, feat: throw enemy
level 20 +1 dex

by level 20 I will…
• Be a half giant 1/monk 2/psi warrior 9/kensei 8
• Be able to grapple 4 opponents at the same time with no penalty
• Deal unarmed damage of 4d8+5
• Have a BaB of 14/9/4
• Have a flurry of blows of 14/14/14/9/4
• Be able to initiate a grapple every time I strike unarmed
• Have 48 pp
• Know 11 powers
• Have a grapple modifier of 14 (BaB) + 4 (size) +4 (improved grapple) +6 (kensei) +5 (str) +2 (flexible limbs) +1 (weapon focus) +4 (power surge) +4 (hooking enchantment) +4-28 (grip of iron) + 4-8(expansion) = 52-76
• +3 AC

booyah

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Pick up Imp Grapple as your 1st level bonus feat.

I have to disagree. A monk can instantly qualify for Imp Grapple right away, it's much better to take it as a regular feat and use the bonus feat on Stunning Fist, which normally requires BAB +8.

 

[Dandu]

Imp. Grapple requires a Dex of 15, which could vanish if you enlarge yourself.

 

[statimp]

do i lose the benefits of the feat if my dex drops below 15? would it be different if i got it as a bonus feat or a regular feat? it seems like if it was true that i lost it's benefits if i no longer met the requirements that removing those requirements by taking it as a bonus feat would also mean that i could not lose it.

sound reasoning for taking it as a monk's bonus feat?

 

[Wyvernhand]

Monk has that wonderful little "prereqs" clause. You don't have to meet the prereqs for a monk bonus feat. Just the same as your Stunning Fist works even though you don't have the +8 BAB, so too would the Imp Grapple work with less than a 15 Dex. Expand away, and still get grabby!

 

[statimp]

awesome. my next question regards what powers i should take. i miscalculated when i said i was going to have 11 powers known, (i thought talashtora worked both ways) i will only have 9.

here are the ones i am thinking about getting


Animal affinity
Body adjustment
Dimension slide
Dimension swap
Empathic transfer, hostile
Expansion
Force screen
Grip of iron
Hustle
Inertial armor
Claw’s of the vampire

so i need to get rid of two. i was thinking i could get rid of either dimension slide or hustle, i am completely torn. hustle is great because of it's versatility and it's power point cost. but dimension door would allow me to get to places that i couldn't otherwise.

and i really can't decide which of the other powers i should get rid of.

which powers would you get rid of? alternately, which powers not listed here would also be good choices?

EDIT: i could also get rid of dimension swap although the image of a couple big guys cornering one of our squishy characters and suddenly having him turn into a basically naked half giant that proceeds to squeeze their heads until they burst is pretty humorous.

EDIT EDIT: i could also get rid of either force screen or inertial armor, although they do stack and that is a very nice buff to AC for a very small power point investment

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Don't get rid of Hustle, it's probably the next best power you have after Expansion. If you have Psionic Meditation, it lets you recover your focus as a swift for some PP, in addition to being a "poor man's pounce." Way too many uses to let it go.

Get rid of dimensional swap. Look at the Benign Transposition spell in Spell Compendium. Compare. Cry a little. Cross it off your sheet. Get a (Eternal) Wand of Benign Transposition and some Use Magic Device ranks if you feel the need.

I'd also get rid of Body Adjustment. One round (as in, you need to maintain concentration into the start of your next turn!) manifesting time makes it useless in combat, and out of combat your party has wands of CLW, or you should.

 

[Asmo]

"Freki the Dick", really?

Asmo

 

[statimp]

[MENTION=35909]StreamOfTheSky[/MENTION]
awesome. thanks for the help man. that narrows it down to 9. i'm looking forward to testing this out.

[MENTION=1767]Asmo[/MENTION]
yup, always liked the name freki. he was originally a goliath which are naturally competitive. i thought i could work it into his character to be over competitive even by their standards for some interesting flavor. and he can be a bit of an about it, but "freki the " sounds weird. thus "freki the dick".

it was that or "pete the bastard", after this guy i know. i like "freki the dick" better.

EDIT: apparently can't swear, my bad.