Is my 15th Level half-orc monk broken?

[KarinsDad]

This means he has an unarmed damage of 4d8+4 at medium size and 6d8+5 at large size. Average damage is 22 when medium and 32 when large! Is this broken?

Nope.

My next Psion will be in the ballpark of two +17 to hit 4D6+7 (21 average) attacks at 15th level with only 3 powers manifested (1 way before combat, 1 in round one of combat and 1 swift in round one of combat). This will be the status quo most combats power level with no additional powers/feats to boost to hit, damage, size, etc. yet thrown in.

PS. I would suggest dropping Great Cleave and getting a better feat unless your DM throws a lot of low level mooks your way.

 

[Question]

A 15th level barbarian with power attack and a greatsword can likely exceed this damage. A fighter either could exceed it, match or wouldnt be far behind.

 

[Nail]

Nope.

Agreed.

Ftrs and Bbns of that level can do hundreds of points of damage per round, if done right.

Can you?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Okay, I am making a 15th level half-orc monk with the following feats:

combat reflexes, power attack, improved natural attack (officially allowed by D&D 3.5 rules faq), great cleave, and blind fight.

He will also have a magic item to cast enlarge self on himself, and wears a "monk's belt", which increases his unarmed damage and AC as if he were a monk 5 levels higher.

He has an 18 strength

That's not that impressive. Starting Strength 16 (typical for a half-orc monk, I think) and a Strength +2 item. Really, a fighter could do much better, even if they weren't a half-orc, by 15th-level.

I don't know about the enlarge magic item - I haven't seen such an item in the core rules, but it's possible I missed it. If it's balanced, and I have no reason to suspect it isn't, then you're giving up something for it. Like maybe an Amulet of Mighty Fists or Periapt of Wisdom.

The Monk's Belt is perfectly balanced in the hands of a monk. You're a monk, not a druid. No balance issues there.

Also, Improved Natural Attack is iffy, even if the FAQ says its okay. It's the only thing I'd ban if I were DMing for this character. But still, it's just a small part of the equation.

This means he has an unarmed damage of 4d8+4 at medium size and 6d8+5 at large size. Average damage is 22 when medium and 32 when large! Is this broken?

What is your attack bonus and AC? Compare to a roughly equal levelled fighter? (Take a look at Enemies and Allies if you have it.) Picture what a 15th-level fighter could do with a flaming greatsword, Greater Weapon Specialization, and 4 points of Power Attack.

From the looks of it, you're trying to optimize your use of AoOs. You'd be a lot more impressive if you had Improved Trip, IMO. Then you could basically shut down any melee opponent who comes near you. At least until they Dispel you. (What is the level and duration of that Enlarge item?)

Pray your DM does not try to pull the "You do too much damage" card and force you to nerf your PC by either disallowing improved natural attack, the monks belt, or even disallowing enlarge person to be cast on you.

That'll only happen if you're using a cheesy template, took a poorly written PrC and rolled amazingly high on your stats, etc.

 

[Question]

That'll only happen if you're using a cheesy template, took a poorly written PrC and rolled amazingly high on your stats, etc.

Thats not the only way it can happen.

 

[Christian]

From the looks of it, you're trying to optimize your use of AoOs. You'd be a lot more impressive if you had Improved Trip, IMO. Then you could basically shut down any melee opponent who comes near you. At least until they Dispel you. (What is the level and duration of that Enlarge item?)

While he didn't list either feat, a 15th-level monk will have either Improved Trip or Improved Disarm from his 6th-level bonus feat. I'm not going to try to guess which one he's more likely to pick with this character.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

What is your attack bonus and AC? Compare to a roughly equal levelled fighter? (Take a look at Enemies and Allies if you have it.) Picture what a 15th-level fighter could do with a flaming greatsword, Greater Weapon Specialization, and 4 points of Power Attack.

BAB would be 11, assuming Monk-15, +4 Str, and then...maybe a Weapon Focus or a bit of magic bonus from his godawfully expensive Amulet of Monk-slapping.

No more than +20. Figure that the fighter's got that before adding in his weapon and feats.

AC...that's tough to figure out. It's not going to be high, though; maybe 30 at the outside, and that's with lotsa money. Wis and Dex can't be that high with that Str, and he'd need an Amulet of Natural Armor (expensive, and takes up Monk-slapping slot *and* Periapt of Wisdom slot), a Ring of Protection, and Bracers to get up there.

Brad

 

[Dross]

Wis and Dex can't be that high with that Str,

Brad

Not necessarily. The stats could have been rolled and not point buy, leaving a 17 Wis and 18 Dex 1/2 orc monk.

15th level also gets a stat bonus 3 times, so they could be that value now.

INA is the only issue that I could have with the build.

 

[javcs]

So, assuming that they're both up to 18s - it's still not that great of an Armor Class - even with the boost from teh Monk's Belt - he's in the lower 20s from that - plus, an amount from items .. probably wind up around 30, maybe a bit higher, depending.

I've built a human Fighter 10 with equivalent AC, better attack, and with slightly better average damage at medium size - 'course, that build was crazy broken. I admit that freely, it was mostly an exercise, not something that I'd ever use, except as an NPC.

Anyway, no, that half-orc monk isn't broken. INA, though, by the RAW, not the FAQ, isn't allowed, IIRC, as a 'natural weapons' aren't supposed to come from a feat or class ability - a monk's unarmed strike however is stated it counts as a natural and manufactured weapon for purposes of magical enhanchements only. I don't remember where I read that though.

 

[KuKu]

I am playing a sixth level monk who comes close to that damage. His armor class is pitifully low though. I hope that by your level my guy is doing more than what your guy is doing. Hopefully at least thirty percent more on average.