Help with Monk/X gestalt build

[RigaMortus2]

I second the Monk/Ninja... not a powerhouse, but a very cool conceptual character build there...

 

[sukael]

Add in levels of Sorcerer or Shugenja here and there and you've got the perfect setup for a 'ninja' as envisioned by pop culture (read: Naruto).

 

[Nifft]

Monk/Psion -- Detective. Question is, what kind of detective?


CSI:Sharn -- you solve cases by finding clues at locations -- you are a Monk/Seer:

Bonus Skills for being a Seer: Gather Information (Cha), Listen (Wis), and Spot (Wis).

Level, Power Name: Brief Description -- (Some Seer Specific Powers)
2, Clairvoyant Sense: See and hear a distant location.
2, Object Reading: Learn details about an object’s previous owner.
2, Sensitivity to Psychic Impressions: You can find out about an area’s past.
4, Remote Viewing: See, hear, and potentially interact with subjects at a distance.
8, Hypercognition: You can deduce almost anything.
9, Metafaculty: You learn details about any one creature.



Law & Order -- you solve cases by talking to people -- you are a Monk/Telepath:

Bonus skills for being a Telepath: Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Gather Information (Cha), and Sense Motive (Wis).

Level, Power Name: Brief Description -- (Some Telepath Specific Powers)
1, Charm, Psionic: Makes one person your friend.
2, Read Thougths: Detect surface thoughts of creatures in range.
2, Suggestion, Psionic: Compels subject to follow stated course of action.
4, Dominate, Psionic: Control target telepathically.
4, Mindlink, Thieving: Borrow knowledge of a subject’s power.
4, Modify Memory, Psionic: Changes 5 minutes of subject’s memories.
5, Mind Probe: You discover the subject’s secret thoughts.
9, Psychic Chirurgery: You repair psychic damage or impart knowledge of new powers.




Either way, you want to be a hardcore kung-fu champion, am I right? So, you'll need a decent Str and Wis, and a great Int. The stats you gave us to work with are [15,14,13,12,10,8], so I'll start from there. Having a low Charisma will hurt, but so will having a low Con -- oh well, you can't be everything. If your game is focused more on the social than combat, I'll write up another version.

Combat Monk/Telepath -- Human
Str: 13
Dex: 12
Con: 10
Int: 15
Wis: 14
Cha: 8

Skills: Concentration, Tumble, Sense Motive, Gather Info, Diplomacy, Jump(5), Bluff(5) -- some of these you only really care about having 5 ranks in for the synergy bonus

L1: Psicrystal Affinity, Psionic Fist -- powers: Vigor, Inertial Armor, Psi Charm
+ (Monk1): Improved Grapple
+ (Psion1): Psionic Body

L2 (Monk2): Deflect Arrow -- powers: Entangling Ectoplasm, Offensive Prescience

L3: Inquisitor -- powers: Psi Suggestion, Read Thoughts

L4: +1 Int -- powers: Psi Tongues, Brain Lock

L5 (Psion5): Psionic Meditation -- powers: Touchsight, Dispel Psionics

L6: Greater Psionic Fist -- powers: Time Hop, Telempathic Projection
+ (Monk6): Improved Trip

L7: powers: Aura Sight, Psi Dimension Door

L8: +1 Int -- powers: Psi Dominate, Psi Modify Memory

L9: Expanded Knowlege (Metamorphosis) -- powers: Mind Probe, Trace Teleport

L10 (Psion10): Metamorphic Transfer -- powers: Psi Plane Shift, Psi Overland Flight

L11: powers: Aura Alteration, Psi Disintegrate

L12: +1 Int --Metamorphic Transfer -- powers: Adapt Body, Divert Teleport


Your dual roles are: 1/ melee monster, and 2/ savvy inquisitor.

-- N

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Monk/Ninja -- the class features synergize quite well, and you end up getting x2 the normal Wis bonus to AC (since the bonuses provided by both classes are untyped).

You know, every sane DM will override this.

 

[Nifft]

You know, every sane DM will override this.

... but any sane DM wouldn't allow Gestalt. So maybe it's fair game.

I still say Monk/Psion, especially if you can wrangle higher stats.

-- N

 

[CyberSpyder]

Monk/Ninja -- the class features synergize quite well, and you end up getting x2 the normal Wis bonus to AC (since the bonuses provided by both classes are untyped).

From Complete Adventurer:

AC Bonus (Ex): A ninja is highly trained at dodging blows, and she has a sixth sense that lets her avoid even unanticipated attacks. When unarmored and unencumbered, a ninja adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her Armor Class. This ability does not stack with tha monk's AC bonus ability (a ninja with monk levels does not add the bonus twice).

 

[sukael]

D'oh. Nevermind then.

 

[Runesong42]

Thanx for the Psi build, Nifft!

I can tell you're all going to groan inwardly, but the DM has decided to allow me to play a half-celestial for this obviously high-powered campaign.

That in mind, I really like what Nifft put out there, but I think I'm going to go Monk/Psywar and milk the juicy bits. His "beginning career" will be helping out city watch, but he is to evolve into a demon slayin' Bad Boy so I thought it might be nice to add some weapon and armor prof's, should I need 'em.

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[Mokona]

He is to be assigned to the city watch to learn morality and 'cut his teeth'; later, he is to take on the Solider of Light PrC (ignoring alignment restrictions) as a symbolic warrior for his Goddess against a tide of demons and undead.

Do you care what level it takes before you get into the prestige class?

Unless you take a Fighter BAB class you won't be a level 1 Soldier of Light until 8th level. Is that ok for your character concept?

 

[Nifft]

Monk/Psywar and milk the juicy bits. [...] armor prof's, should I need 'em.

I'd just like to point out that "Monk" and "Armor" are not a good combination.

I'd also like to mention that a Half-Celestial will suffer many needless deaths up to about 16th level, where they start to shine. Losing four levels is a big deal, no matter what your stat boosts are. It might be more fun for you to play something with reasonable HP, saves, and class-related abilities.

Suggestions for the Monk/Psiwar:

1/ Focus on a reach weapon (like a Guisarme, which you can use to trip). If someone closes in and attacks you from 5' away, you can use your Monk unarmed strike without having to drop your reach weapon.

2/ Don't take Claw powers. You have a great unarmed strike. Just use that. Take weapon-boosting powers, since your Monk unarmed strike is treated as a weapon for the purpose of spells & effects that enhance weapons (vampiric blade, weapon of energy, metaphysical weapon, etc.)


Level-by-level Human (non-celestial) Monk/Psiwar:

Str: 13, Dex: 14, Con: 12, Int: 10, Wis: 15, Cha: 8

L1- Power Attack, Cleave -- power: Vigor
+ PsW1- Psionic Weapon
+ Monk1- Imp. Unarmed Strike, Imp. Grapple

L2- power: Inertial Armor
+ PsW2- Weapon Focus (Guisarme)
+ Monk2- Combat Reflexes

L3- Up the Walls -- power: Offensive Prescience

L4- +1 Wis, power: Animal Affinity

L5- power: Detect Hostile Intent
+ PsW5- Psionic Meditation

L6- Greater Psionic Weapon -- power: Hustle
+ Monk6- Improved Trip

L7- power: Hostile Empathic Transfer

L8- +1 Wis, power: Expansion
+ PsW8- Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)

L9- Improved Initiative -- power: Greater Concealing Amphora

L10- power: Inertial Barrier

L11- power: Weapon of Energy
+ PsW11- Expanded Knowlege (Dispel Psionics)

L12- +1 Wis, Improved Crit (Unarmed Strike) -- power: Psi Freedom of Movement

L13- power: Adapt Body

L14- power: Painful Strike
+ PsW14- Expanded Knowlege (Time Hop)

L15- Craft Psionic Arms & Armor -- power: Energy Adaptation

L16- +1 Wis, power: Personal Mind Blank

L17- power: Psi Freedom of Movement
+ PsiW17: Expanded Knowlege (Psi Teleport)

18- Expanded Knowlege (Psi Plane Shift) -- power: Detect Hostile Intent

-- N