Playing Monks

[Don21584]

Listen (class) and Spot (class I think?) are probably the most you'll be using for a Monk, for any class, and the Monk at least has Listen as a class skill. And Wisdom is what listen is based off of, I don't exactly remember what Spot is based off of, but it might be Wis as well.
I also took Perform (comedy) for my monk as a way to raise money for himself and his church. He doesn't have any bonuses (10 cha), but he still makes enough to get by.

 

[Dieter]

The monk has a better listen check the rogue I'm currently playing. Of course, his WIS is 3 or 4pts higher than mine too.

The monk can always be a secondary scout when the rogue is otherwise unavailable (ie. itemless at the bottom of a pit with only two daggers as his means of escape and defense for the next 5 rounds of combat)

 

[Don21584]

Yeah I think of the Monk more of like the backup Rogue than backup Fighter. Probably because of the Uncanny Dodge and good selection of skills, though.

 

[hong]

Well there's one of your problems with this monk right there. Did you not read what the main ability score is for this race? It's Wisdom!

Mind you, 14 Wis is not exactly poor.

 

[Darklone]

Oh my god...

This char sucks. Neg con modifier for a monk is plain deadly. No Int bonus on skill points is the reason why he s****s outside of combat.

High strength is usually unnecessary for a monk, his many attacks and fast increasing damage are enough. Combine with mage armour from the groups wiz and the monk rocks ACwise. (high dex, weapon finesse unarmed, high wisdom. Good con then, next value is int. Str should be at 10)

 

[Darklone]

Mind you, 14 Wis is not exactly poor.

The only reason for a monk to take higher dex than wis is if he wants to go for weapon finesse unarmed. If not (cause his strength is as high or higher than the dex) he should make wis the better stat since the AC bonus from wisdom is better than the dex bonus.

 

[Henrix]

I can easily see that your monk isn't built to be the party's tank. With a Con of only 8 you don't want to be the one taking the brunt of the attacks!
10 hp and AC 16 isn't much for the main fighter at 2nd level! (Less than I'd expect a 1st level tank to have.)

So your character isn't a tank, isn't the one who should stop the monsters head on. You should fight smart, perhaps take a level of Rogue (for the sneak attack) to emphasize that.

But you need another character in front. Somebody with more AC and hp's.

We have a monk in our Scarred Lands campaign and while he's no fighter, the flurry of blows using an enchanted gauntlet kicks butt.

Technically, you cannot do that. A spiked gauntlet is not a monk weapon. See the FAQ. Check with your DM.

 

[Darklone]

Henrix:

He uses an enchanted gauntlet. Not a spiked gauntlet

 

[Dieter]

Technically, you cannot do that. A spiked gauntlet is not a monk weapon. See the FAQ. Check with your DM.

Actually, it was the DM who gave the monk his gauntlet...so I'm thinking it's kosher.

 

[Henrix]

The DM is always right, of course.

But it's not sound advice to a player under a different DM.

A gauntlet, spiked or not, enchanted or mundane, is not a monk weapon. You deal damage as per the weapon in question, and cannot use special monk abilities with it.