Please help me build a monk better at combat!

[Roman]

Hello everyone!

I am playing in a combat-heavy campaign and we have had several deaths of characters throughout the course of the campaign. Our greatest hit, however, came last session as our highest level character (and also one with best stats) who was a multiclassed fighter6/ranger1 died in heroic combat to save a town from strange demonic constructs. In fact, all of us almost died in that fight, but ultimately only he bit the dust. This means that my Monk will be one of the two primary frontline fighters and I am looking for recommendations about what abilities/feats/skills/etc to select in the future to accomplish this role well.

Our party consists of the following:

Regulars:

Castela - 5th (or maybe now 6th) level Cleric - unlike Simon [a cleric mentioned later], Castela uses the spell point system from Unearthed Arcana.

Jaris Slade - 7th level Monk (advanced to 7th level at the end of last session and is currently probably the highest level character). This is my character.

Ragnar - Fighter5/Cleric1 (after the death of the fighter/ranger this is our group's primary combatant)

Simon - 6th level Cleric (may be 7th level now after the last session, but I think he is still at level 6)

????? - 5th level Wizard (this is the new character the player of the deceased fighter/ranger is creating - I do not know the name yet)


The following three people are still in the game but are rarely present due to RL issues. This may change in the future, but at least for now assume that at most 1 is present in any given session and even that is unlikely:

Ramir - 5th level Rogue (is no longer present at most sessions due to work schedule, but sometimes still shows up)

!!!!! - 5th level Wizard (played by the player of another deceased character, but he also does not come to most sessions any longer due to work schedule - he has not come long enough now so that I forgot his character's name, since the character was fairly new anyway his old one having died)

!!!!! - 2nd level Bard (the player also has not attended gaming sessions due to RL issues - for so long that I again cannot remember his character's name - how long he has been absent is attested to by the fact that the bard is still at 2nd level)


All characters are human (apart from Ramir who is a hafling, but as I mentioned already he is mostly absent)


The campaign uses 3.0 rules as a baseline, though occassionally some rules from 3.5 sneak in too.


We all have good stats (though none are as good as those of the deceased fighter/ranger) thanks to the special generation method used by the DM and here they are for my Monk:

Str. 16/+3
Dex. 15/+2
Con. 16/+3
Int. 10/+-0 (or possibly 11/+-0, I cannot precisely remember)
Wis. 18/+4
Cha. 13/+1 (or possibly 14/+2, I cannot precisely remember)

Jaris has all the standard features of a 3.0 Edition 7th level Monk, so I will only describe the things that one can choose.


Feats:

Improved Initiative
Combat Reflexes
Weapon Focus (Unarmed)
Dodge


Skills: (all are maxed out - the differences are due to key abilities)

Hide: 12
Listen: 14
Move Silently: 12
Tumble: 12

!! I forgot that as a human Jaris gets extra skill points, but I realized this now and can apply them retroactively - perhaps I will put them into jump, but I am not sure yet!!



Weapons:
Fists/Feet/Etc.
Staff
Sling
Dagger
Knife


Magic Items:

Permanent - Bracers of Defense +2
Temporary - Potion of Heal, Potion of Cure Light Wounds


Mundane Items:

Standard adventuring stuff - nothing special


Money: 800 gp



Some aggregate stats:

Saves

Fortitude: 8
Reflex: 7
Will: 9

AC: 19 (20 with Dodge)

Melee Attack: +8
Ranged Attack: +7
Unarmed Attack: +9/+6

Unarmed Damage: 1d8+3
Damage with Staff: 1d6+3


Thanks for your help!

 

[Bryin]

if the chars can pull all their money together and get a few returning arrows and a few bows yeah now prob (have the monk watch someones back like a cleric or wizard and have that character watch his, done deal)multi class with a rogue it should give sneak attack to unarmed attacks

 

[Darklone]

3.0 monk? Oh. Try to get ability focus for your stunning fist. A single fighter level for polearm use would be a good idea as well, but I'd ask your cleric guys to be the frontline.

 

[Thanee]

Pick up Leadership at 9th.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Plane Sailing]

3.0 monk? Oh. Try to get ability focus for your stunning fist. A single fighter level for polearm use would be a good idea as well, but I'd ask your cleric guys to be the frontline.

Rather than a fighter level which will set your monkishness back, you might be better using your feat at 9th level to get a useful martial weapon polearm - e.g. the guisarme which is a trip weapon with reach IIRC (if not, pick the one you want). Or just get an exotic spiked chain. Either way it plays well in to your existing Combat Reflexes and Improved Trip class ability; it will give you a lot of attack options and area denial options which are important for you in combat (not to mention the extra attacks possible).

With your 10 extra (human) skill points I would suggest 5 ranks in Jump (which gives you a +2 synergy bonus to the important tumble) and 5 ranks in either balance, climb or swim. Balance is a nice one because you get synergy from tumble and 5 ranks is enough to ensure your keep your dex bonus while balancing.

Cheers

 

[Roman]

if the chars can pull all their money together and get a few returning arrows and a few bows yeah now prob (have the monk watch someones back like a cleric or wizard and have that character watch his, done deal)multi class with a rogue it should give sneak attack to unarmed attacks

I should mention that the kingdom we are located in currently has serious economic problems and inflation is rampant. All prices are at least 2 times higher than those listed in the PHB, usually 3 times higher and sometimes 4 or more times higher. Hence the 800 gp I have is equivalent to at most 400 gp (but more like 200-250 gp) in a normal country. Also, I think my Monk has the most money of all party members, since unlike other characters, he has not really spent much apart from giving significant sums of money to his temple or to charities.

 

[Roman]

3.0 monk? Oh. Try to get ability focus for your stunning fist. A single fighter level for polearm use would be a good idea as well, but I'd ask your cleric guys to be the frontline.

Why the "Oh" - are 3.5 monks significantly improved in some way?
BTW: I have never heard of ability focus - where can I read about it?

 

[Lord Pendragon]

What kind of armor/AC do Ragnar, Simon, and Castela have? If it's better than yours, I'd suggest you allow them to be the front-line. Not only will they be harder to hit, they can also heal themselves when they've taken significant damage. Then take Plane Sailing's advice and spend a feat for the guisarme (reach/trip) or spiked chain, so you can add melee damage from the second line.

 

[Roman]

Pick up Leadership at 9th.

Bye
Thanee

He, he, shouldn't monks be able to stand ground on their own?

 

[Roman]

Rather than a fighter level which will set your monkishness back, you might be better using your feat at 9th level to get a useful martial weapon polearm - e.g. the guisarme which is a trip weapon with reach IIRC (if not, pick the one you want). Or just get an exotic spiked chain. Either way it plays well in to your existing Combat Reflexes and Improved Trip class ability; it will give you a lot of attack options and area denial options which are important for you in combat (not to mention the extra attacks possible).

Hmm, this is certainly worth considering.

With your 10 extra (human) skill points I would suggest 5 ranks in Jump (which gives you a +2 synergy bonus to the important tumble) and 5 ranks in either balance, climb or swim. Balance is a nice one because you get synergy from tumble and 5 ranks is enough to ensure your keep your dex bonus while balancing.

Cheers

You just convinced me - 5 in Jump and 5 ranks in Balance it is!