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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Unseelie" data-source="post: 1699790" data-attributes="member: 6940">YmmvWell, I'll start with the three big caveats...1) The game I play my Monk in started with 32 points for point buy. That made the point buy monk issue less of an issue.2) I entered the game in progress. Came in at 10th with the wealth appropriate for a 10th level character. I was able to make some focused choices.3) I'm a memer of the Monastery of the Yellow Rose. I am an 8/4 Monk/Ranger. This was done primarily because a) I wanted to play a monk, and b) the party REALLY needed someone with Wilderness skills.In retrospect I would have done a few things differently but I don't feel that the Monk is underpowered or broken. Really it all comes down to player and GM style. I've been thinking about this some over the last week or two based on the last couple of encounters, so excuse the stream of consciouness(sp) babble.1) If that if you play a Monk as a line fighter, there's a good chance that you'll get your ass handed to you. It might take awhile before it happens, but it will happen. They just don't have enough hit points to take the hits.2) Be careful of what look to be optimal specialized builds. Trip Monks can be quite impressive, especially at lower levels. However, if your GM throws lots of large or bigger critters at you, the trip route is suddenly not all that useful. This is currently the case in the game I'm in.3) Stunning Fist is very much underrated. Especially so if you have a Rogue in the party.4) For the same reasons as (3), don't forgo Tumble. A monk can move across the battlefield faster than just about anyone.5) Monks can easily be mage bane. Want to be even more annoying? Get a party member to cast silence on you before you attempt to trip, grapple or stun the Mage. Mages tend to have low touch AC, low STR and poor FORT saves. Exploit that.6) There will be times when you just can't add much damage to a fight, but that doesn't mean you can't help. You can always flank and aid other. We just fought a Vampiric Green Dragon (at least Adult). I didn't have a chance in hell of hitting it. I did however, have a current AC of 33. I tumbled behind the dragon, went total defense and provided flank for the fully buffed battle cleric. The damage the cleric did and a well placed Greater Dispell convinced it to leave rather than take a chance with us (we were not in its lair).7) I'm no longer convinced that high DEX and Weapon Finesse is the way to go. You're better off taking those extra points from DEX and raising your STR and perhaps your WIS instead. DEX gives you AC and hit bonuses, but WIS can make up for the AC loss (and raise your Stun DC, etc.). STR on the other hand gives you BAB and damage. Monks are not high damage output characters, so every bonus to damage helps. Carry a magic quarterstaff, choke up two handed when you need to.8) Power Attack seems sub-optimal at first. I don't think that holds true at higher levels. You can't power attack with any of your monk weapons except for quarterstaff. You can, however, power attack unarmed and ultimately you're going to abandon those monk weapons because your hands do better.9) If your GM allows stuff from Complete Warrior, consider some of the monk feats within. Specifically, look at Fists of Iron. If you're fighting things with high fort saves, you're likely not going to use your stunning fist attacks. Might as well burn them for extra damage.10) Carry potions of Enlarge. Trust me on this. Stat buff magic and magic items are obvious as well.</blockquote>

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