Matrix like monk?

[ivrob]

Was thinking about creating a Matrix like Neo character. Possibly a monk with some sort of spell casting ability. No particular level, just something to try to progress till 20th level. Any suggestions??

 

[Witch Doctor]

levels of psychic warrior. or sorcerer.

 

[Pax]

Definitely psychic warror. Drop the monk altogether, and just pick the right feats and powers. Improved Unarmed Combat at first level is a good starting point, if you don't just take a touch/claw attack power ...

 

[SteelDraco]

Psychic warrior is really the way to go if you want a Matrix-esque monk. I'm about to start such a character in a Planescape game - a githzerai Monk1/Psychic Warrior7. The level of monk is really important for the free Improved Unarmed Attack feat, saves, evasion, flurry of blows, and the martial arts feat.

Stats - Dex highest, then Str, Wis, and Con. Int and Cha aren't terribly important, at least for this build. You can do a fun one with Expertise, but this build is focused on hitting hard and avoiding attacks with a really high AC.

Items - Things that replicate monk powers are good - Boots of Skating, Boots of Striding and Springing, Monk's Belt, ki straps, etc. Stat buffs to Dex and Wis are nice as well.

Feats - Lots of the psionic feats are Matrix-esque. Up the Walls, Unavoidable Strike, Mental Leap, and such are pretty good examples. Here's what I'm going to play, though this isn't as Matrix-y as I could have made him.
Githzerai - Inertial Armor
Char1 - Psionic Fist
Monk1 - Power Attack
Psy Warrior 1 - Speed of Thought
Psy Warrior 2 - Weapon Focus (Unarmed)
Char3 - Weapon Finesse (Unarmed)
Psy Warrior 5 - Unavoidable Strike
Char6 - Flying Kick
Psy Warrior 6 - Weapon Specialization (Unarmed)

Powers - For most of these, you'll have to change the description a bit. However, a number of them work just fine mechanically for replicating the Matrix. Claws of the Bear, Displacement, and Animal Affinity all make sense.

What are you planning, anyway? Just a thought experiment, or are you going to play a Matrix game using the d20 rules?

 

[Angcuru]

Ah, but what about the increased speed, unarmed damage, and Ac bonuses that monks get? Don't forget deflect arrows(upgrade to snatch arrows), for the bullet-dodging effect.

Or you could make a new class: Psionic Monk.

Slap the Psychic Warrior's Psionic Ablities onto the Monk class, take away the more mystical monk stuff, I.E. Supernatural Abilites and Qualities: Wholeness of Body, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Tongue of Sun and Moon, Timeless Body, Empty Body, Perfect Self. Should keep Ki Strike, though, since it's absolutely crucial to a monk's survival. This should be enough of a trade in to slap on the lesser Psionic abilites that the Psychic Warrior enjoys.

 

[DM_Matt]

Ah, but what about the increased speed, unarmed damage, and Ac bonuses that monks get? Don't forget deflect arrows(upgrade to snatch arrows), for the bullet-dodging effect.

Or you could make a new class: Psionic Monk.

Slap the Psychic Warrior's Psionic Ablities onto the Monk class, take away the more mystical monk stuff, I.E. Supernatural Abilites and Qualities: Wholeness of Body, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Tongue of Sun and Moon, Timeless Body, Empty Body, Perfect Self. Should keep Ki Strike, though, since it's absolutely crucial to a monk's survival. This should be enough of a trade in to slap on the lesser Psionic abilites that the Psychic Warrior enjoys.

Its called the Diamond Warrior. Its on the WOTC site.

 

[Angcuru]

Its called the Diamond Warrior. Its on the WOTC site.

Damn those Idea-Thieves....

EDIT: Actually, I just looked it over. I like my idea better.

Why is it that WotC always puts stuff up as PrCs, and not just NEW CLASSES.?

 

[green slime]

Psychic warrior is really the way to go if you want a Matrix-esque monk. I'm about to start such a character in a Planescape game - a githzerai Monk1/Psychic Warrior7. The level of monk is really important for the free Improved Unarmed Attack feat, saves, evasion, flurry of blows, and the martial arts feat.

So are you using the OA for your monk?

Feats - Lots of the psionic feats are Matrix-esque. Up the Walls, Unavoidable Strike, Mental Leap, and such are pretty good examples. Here's what I'm going to play, though this isn't as Matrix-y as I could have made him.
Githzerai - Inertial Armor
Char1 - Psionic Fist
Monk1 - Power Attack
Psy Warrior 1 - Speed of Thought
Psy Warrior 2 - Weapon Focus (Unarmed)
Char3 - Weapon Finesse (Unarmed)
Psy Warrior 5 - Unavoidable Strike
Char6 - Flying Kick
Psy Warrior 6 - Weapon Specialization (Unarmed)

I was wondering where the monk 1 feat came from. Looking over OA, I saw that they get to choose a feat from table 6-1 to replace stunning fist. I also noticed that Power Attack isn't on table 6-1.

Personally I think this character should have Strength as their highest stat, to save a feat (weapon finesse).

I find that the Unavoidable Strike types of feats are too expensive at low levels. Speed of Thought with a maxed out Tumble would perhaps be more useful.

 

[the Jester]

I'm a big fan of Up the Walls, too....

 

[Zhure]

Ah, but what about the increased speed, unarmed damage, and Ac bonuses that monks get? Don't forget deflect arrows(upgrade to snatch arrows), for the bullet-dodging effect.

Skate/Burst for increased speed.

PsyWars get free weapon specialization at 6th, the +2 damage equates to two die size increases on average, so if he has 1 level of monk the 1d6+2 (plus another 2.5 average from Psionic Fist) is an average of 8 points of damage per hit. That's almost as good as a regular monk's d20 and significantly better than the d12 a monk gets at higher levels. Adding in Claws of the Bear ups that figure even more. A PsyWar can kick out more damage than a monk per hit, and gets almost as many hits if you take 1 level of monk for flurry.

In lieu of deflect arrows, use the PsyWar's bonus feats to pick up Return Shot (prerequisites: Dex 13+, Point Blank Shot, Psionic Shot, reserve power points 5+). Even better, get both, since Deflect Arrow and Return Shot have a fantastic synergy. "
If you also have the Deflect Arrows feat (see the Player's Handbook), you make return attacks at a bonus equal to your foe's full ranged attack bonus + your full attack bonus."

Increased AC is for high-INT, high-Wis PsyWars who can get Shield of Prudence (+6 insight bonus, 1 hr per level), Ectoplasmic Armor (+10 armor, 1 hr per level, acts as a force effect), Animal Affinity to boost DEX and WIS (for PsyWar/Monks- although it's not going to be as effective in 3.5 if they change the duration to 1 minute per level), Displacement for a 50% miss chance, Inertial Barrier (zero gold piece cost Stoneskin with a few minor additional gas immunities), and the Inertial Armor Feat (+4 AC, reserve of 1 pp). A naked PsyWar 20/Monk 1 with a 14 in WIS and DEX can have an AC of 36+ with a few power points. Add in a bunch of other magic items and its definitely competetive with a monk. If he does get hit, Improved Biofeedback, Claws of the Vampire, Inertial Barrier and Displacement will take the edge off the attack.

PsyWars can take heap amounts of damage, far more than even a raging barbarian.

Greg