Strength based monks?

[Drowbane]

<snip>
...str based monk...

...His stats: (28 pt. buy)
14/14/14/12/14/8...

Eh, what? How in the hell is that a "Str-based Monk"?

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

Unusual races may have other advantages- Githzerai and Thri-Kreen Dex monks can be devastating. Look at the Anthropomorphic Animals from Savage Species, and you'll find races that can be a dual Str/Dex build...and who may have decent Wis scores as well.

IIRC, almost all of them get significant Wis bonuses.

If you don't mind looking a bit odd, try for Moby Lee, the anthropomorphic baleen whale monk. High Str, high Con, high Wis, Large size (for extra unarmed strike damage), and good natural armor. Also, as listed, it has 3x Monstrous Humanoid hit dice (Good BAB, Ref, Will, d8s, 2+Int) and no level adjustment.

Brad

 

[Darklone]

one of the people I play with is experementing with a strength based monk build. I know this goes outside the normal monk build, but I thought it interesting. .....
His stats: (28 pt. buy)
14/14/14/12/14/8

Outside the normal monk build? No way. Effective monks always need strength. The "typical Weapon Finesse high dex monk" is the weaky wussy boy that needs Spring Attack. Dannyalcatraz is somehow right, a Dex monk may be ok if he gets polearms. Otherwise? You have to make him effective in the same way as you can make a bard effective.

These stats are horrible for a monk. Too low. A good monk needs str 16, con 16 and wis 16. Dex may be 12 or even lower. AC comes from WIS and mage armor or bracers of armor.

 

[Plane Sailing]

one of the people I play with is experementing with a strength based monk build. I know this goes outside the normal monk build, but I thought it interesting.

IMX strength-based monks ARE the normal monk build (and with very good reason - they have more fun participating in the combats)

 

[Victim]

Dex may be 12 or even lower. AC comes from WIS and mage armor or bracers of armor.

I think you need at least 13 for Improved Grapple.

 

[werk]

IMX strength-based monks ARE the normal monk build (and with very good reason - they have more fun participating in the combats)

QFT!

I think I'd say, IMX strength-based monks are the monk build that is effective in combat.

 

[Darklone]

I think you need at least 13 for Improved Grapple.

Bonus Feat

At 1st level, a monk may select either Improved Grapple or Stunning Fist as a bonus feat. At 2nd level, she may select either Combat Reflexes or Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. At 6th level, she may select either Improved Disarm or Improved Trip as a bonus feat. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

You don't if you're a monk.

 

[phindar]

If you're going to go STR based for a monk, take Power Attack. Use one end of a quarterstaff as a two hand weapon for that sweet 2:1 ratio as part of your flurry.

 

[Victim]

You don't if you're a monk.

True, if you take it as your bonus feat. Considering the difficulties in picking up Imp Grapple vs Stunning Fist, my general preference is to take Imp Grapple as the normal first level feat and then Stunning as the bonus feat. The 13 Dex also opens up Dodge and thus Defensive Throw. Or Spring Attack if you're some kind of sissy.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ways to bump the potency of your monk:

1) Find a way to get access to either arcane Enlarge or psionic Expansion- both increase your size for a damage bump...Expansion does it twice as well.

2) If your campaign doesn't HR away the multiclassing restrictions on Monks (which, as I recall, don't exist in Oriental Adventures...) start off with a Ftr level or two. Those bonus feats will really boost your combat effectiveness.

3) As 2 above, levels in Paladin or similar classes can also dovetail nicely with the Monk's abilities. Paladin class features are notoriously compatible with those of the Monk, and others, like the PsyWar, also work well with them.

4) If your DM allows them, feats such as INA and VoP can boost your PC's power.

5) A nifty Feat from DCv1 is Ring the Golden Bell. It gives the Monk very cinematic/legendary ability to use your unarmed attacks at range, including any effect that the Monk could deliver with a touch or unarmed attack. It is VERY sweet.