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Most Interesting Dervish Build?
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<blockquote data-quote="doctorbadwolf" data-source="post: 8232401" data-attributes="member: 6704184"><p>So, the basic idea I had was a Wood Elf Fighter/Monk with a Double-Bladed Scimitar, but the Monk steadfastly refuses to use...weird weapons...for some reason. The Monk, of all classes. Okay. </p><p></p><p>So, a couple of scimitars or even a longsword can work with reflavoring. It's not like I was gonna use the off-hand attack from the Double-Bladed Scimitar. Still, this whole thing is more fun if your DM is cool, and not a jerk, and lets you use a Double-Bladed Scimitar. </p><p></p><p>Anyway, the idea is to take 3-4 levels of monk, and the rest of your levels in fighter with some source of +damage per attack features or spells, eventually combining more than 2 attacks per attack action, flurry of blows, and action surge, with those per attack damage buffs. If we can get Haste on there, even better. </p><p></p><p>So, what sounds more fun? </p><p></p><p>Monk: </p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kensei - Level 3 gets you longsword and longbow, and an AC boost when you do slightly less damage with the attack action (by using an unarmed strike rather than a longsword attack), which doesn't feel like much for a melee focused character.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Drunken Master gives you Disengage and +10 speed for free every time you Flurry. That's awesome for a dervish.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mercy gives a mini smite to really just dish out as much damage as possible in a single round, and it's never wasted, <em>and</em> you can heal a little. Not bad at all.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Open Hand makes every flurry unarmed strike really count.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Cobalt Soul gives a reaction attack when a creature you've analysed attacks you, so a reliable usage of a reaction attack without spending a feat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Others just sort of give the build more options and depth. Sun Soul and Dragon give your unarmed attacks a different utility, and Shadow gives you all sorts of utility.</li> </ul><p></p><p>Fighter: </p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eldritch Knight - Spells. Not sure how great the available spells are overall, but even just the defensive ones are really nice to have for a softer melee combatant.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Battle Master - Maximum benefit from the attacks that land. Riposte is another way to get a reaction attack reliably.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Champion - Pairs well with lots of attacks, not much else to see here</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I'm probably missing some fun in some other subclass I never think about. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fighting Styles<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unarmed is an obvious pick</li> </ul></li> </ul><p>Other Classes? What about mixing in some Bladesinger Wizard? Quicker access to haste than a EK, and if you get 6 levels you've got an attack action that includes Booming Blade or whatever, and you've got spells like Shadow Blade. Is there any reason that Ranger would be better than fighter? I think at that point, you'd want closer to an even mix with Monk, and you'd lose a lot of the "make tons of attacks" thing. At least until you can cast that one Ranger spell where you stab every-damn-body on the field of battle.</p><p></p><p></p><p>So, any thoughts? Any obvious things I'm missing? I'm not looking to hyper-optimise my DPR and Nova potential here, just the fun fiction of being a blur of deadly whirling blades.</p><p></p><p>I mean, this is a whole thing that my Swordmage, which is a variant Monk basically anyway, can just <em>do</em> this with esoteric techniques that do things similar to Steel Wind Strike.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="doctorbadwolf, post: 8232401, member: 6704184"] So, the basic idea I had was a Wood Elf Fighter/Monk with a Double-Bladed Scimitar, but the Monk steadfastly refuses to use...weird weapons...for some reason. The Monk, of all classes. Okay. So, a couple of scimitars or even a longsword can work with reflavoring. It's not like I was gonna use the off-hand attack from the Double-Bladed Scimitar. Still, this whole thing is more fun if your DM is cool, and not a jerk, and lets you use a Double-Bladed Scimitar. Anyway, the idea is to take 3-4 levels of monk, and the rest of your levels in fighter with some source of +damage per attack features or spells, eventually combining more than 2 attacks per attack action, flurry of blows, and action surge, with those per attack damage buffs. If we can get Haste on there, even better. So, what sounds more fun? Monk: [LIST] [*]Kensei - Level 3 gets you longsword and longbow, and an AC boost when you do slightly less damage with the attack action (by using an unarmed strike rather than a longsword attack), which doesn't feel like much for a melee focused character. [*]Drunken Master gives you Disengage and +10 speed for free every time you Flurry. That's awesome for a dervish. [*]Mercy gives a mini smite to really just dish out as much damage as possible in a single round, and it's never wasted, [I]and[/I] you can heal a little. Not bad at all. [*]Open Hand makes every flurry unarmed strike really count. [*]Cobalt Soul gives a reaction attack when a creature you've analysed attacks you, so a reliable usage of a reaction attack without spending a feat. [*]Others just sort of give the build more options and depth. Sun Soul and Dragon give your unarmed attacks a different utility, and Shadow gives you all sorts of utility. [/LIST] Fighter: [LIST] [*]Eldritch Knight - Spells. Not sure how great the available spells are overall, but even just the defensive ones are really nice to have for a softer melee combatant. [*]Battle Master - Maximum benefit from the attacks that land. Riposte is another way to get a reaction attack reliably. [*]Champion - Pairs well with lots of attacks, not much else to see here [*]I'm probably missing some fun in some other subclass I never think about. [*]Fighting Styles [LIST] [*]Unarmed is an obvious pick [/LIST] [/LIST] Other Classes? What about mixing in some Bladesinger Wizard? Quicker access to haste than a EK, and if you get 6 levels you've got an attack action that includes Booming Blade or whatever, and you've got spells like Shadow Blade. Is there any reason that Ranger would be better than fighter? I think at that point, you'd want closer to an even mix with Monk, and you'd lose a lot of the "make tons of attacks" thing. At least until you can cast that one Ranger spell where you stab every-damn-body on the field of battle. So, any thoughts? Any obvious things I'm missing? I'm not looking to hyper-optimise my DPR and Nova potential here, just the fun fiction of being a blur of deadly whirling blades. I mean, this is a whole thing that my Swordmage, which is a variant Monk basically anyway, can just [I]do[/I] this with esoteric techniques that do things similar to Steel Wind Strike. [/QUOTE]
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