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Please help me build a monk better at combat!
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<blockquote data-quote="Lord Pendragon" data-source="post: 1703140" data-attributes="member: 707"><p>As DanMcS pointed out, you can still perform all your monk abilities at 5', even while holding a 2-handed weapon, though of course--as I think you were pointing out--you wouldn't be able to use your monk abilities while attacking at 10' with the guisarme. It's a trade-off, really, and I'd suggested it because traditionally the front-line is not a good place for monks to be. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />This does change things, and I can now see why you posted this in the first place. Like it or not, you are the most logical choice for the second front-line combatant.</p><p></p><p>As that's the case, you're going to have to start thinking like a tank. A tank's main duty isn't necessarily to deal damage. It's to stay alive long enough for the enemy to be taken down. While engaging the enemy in melee to prevent that enemy from turning his attention onto the more tender and juicy PCs in the back. That said, you'll have to start thinking about what every tank is thinking about.</p><p></p><p>1. Raise your AC. With an int of 10, Combat Expertise is out, which is unfortunate. Keep in mind that you can Fight Defensively and, because you have 5 ranks in Tumble, gain a +3 to AC for a -4 to attacks. Against tougher foes, this can keep you alive long enough for your party to take a baddie down. If you find yourself needing to block a doorway as a delaying tactic (recently my paladin need to do this to prevent new foes from entering a room while we were still fighting others,) consider Total Defense for +4 to AC, though you lose the opportunity to attack (including AoOs.)</p><p></p><p>2. Raise your hp. Here you're actually in good condition. +3 con bonus is nice, and you've rolled well. Still, as the front-line tank, you can never have enough hp! Start looking for a con-boosting item (if they exist in your game, which looks to be extremely low magic).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lord Pendragon, post: 1703140, member: 707"] As DanMcS pointed out, you can still perform all your monk abilities at 5', even while holding a 2-handed weapon, though of course--as I think you were pointing out--you wouldn't be able to use your monk abilities while attacking at 10' with the guisarme. It's a trade-off, really, and I'd suggested it because traditionally the front-line is not a good place for monks to be. :pThis does change things, and I can now see why you posted this in the first place. Like it or not, you are the most logical choice for the second front-line combatant. As that's the case, you're going to have to start thinking like a tank. A tank's main duty isn't necessarily to deal damage. It's to stay alive long enough for the enemy to be taken down. While engaging the enemy in melee to prevent that enemy from turning his attention onto the more tender and juicy PCs in the back. That said, you'll have to start thinking about what every tank is thinking about. 1. Raise your AC. With an int of 10, Combat Expertise is out, which is unfortunate. Keep in mind that you can Fight Defensively and, because you have 5 ranks in Tumble, gain a +3 to AC for a -4 to attacks. Against tougher foes, this can keep you alive long enough for your party to take a baddie down. If you find yourself needing to block a doorway as a delaying tactic (recently my paladin need to do this to prevent new foes from entering a room while we were still fighting others,) consider Total Defense for +4 to AC, though you lose the opportunity to attack (including AoOs.) 2. Raise your hp. Here you're actually in good condition. +3 con bonus is nice, and you've rolled well. Still, as the front-line tank, you can never have enough hp! Start looking for a con-boosting item (if they exist in your game, which looks to be extremely low magic). [/QUOTE]
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