GreyLord
Legend
I am currently playing a Monk. We are at 16th level and the middle of the final (6th part) of Rise of the Runelords. It's still a way off, but we've been discussing who would like to continue their characters after the end, IF we reach the end. Our group has 7 players, currently there are 3 of us that want to continue with our characters with a possible 4th, and a willing DM currently.
If we finish around 17th level, we'll still have a few more levels of play. Everyone talks about getting to the Capstone level with that special 20th level ability. I'm looking at 20th level...that's the top level...what do you do after that? Just play at 20th level continuously? Or do you retire the character, and if you retire the character, what's the point of a nice little new ability or whatever at 20th level since you never use it, or if you do, it's only for a brief affair as you finish the adventure?
ALA...what's the point of the 20th level ability if you never actually use it that much in play since your character is pretty much finished at that point? Or do you continuously play at 20th level from there out without advancements?
Currently, I'm in till 20th, but don't see a point to continuing my character after that. Is there a point after getting to 20th level (If you survive of course).
Part II
We are playing the original RotR, not the anniversary edition. The Wizards and spellcasters which everyone seems to brag about aren't as big a powerhouse in these games thus far (of course, since we have a party of 7, I think the DM is making larger fights with harder foes added in to equal out CR and XP). In the past few adventures, the foes have had Saves that make it easy for them to overcome a lot of the DC's. Even with a 26 INT the Wizard's DC's aren't high enough to be effective with the save or die spells on some of the foes. This leaves affecting the environment which at times seems to have this AP make hard to work with (or our DM makes it hard for them to work the environment against the foes), and that leaves Damage spells a lot of the times, which don't seem to quite match up with as much damage as the Raged Barbarian or our Archer/Archery specialist does.
On the otherhand, we've been fighting a LOT of spellcasters this half of RotR. I can't say my monk is the most effective in straight up combat, that would go more to the Barbarian, Archer, and the Rogue if the opponent is susceptible to sneak attack damage and the conditions are right. I have been rolling extremely well, but compared to the Barbarian, the Monk doesn't really cut it in straight up Melee. However, against spellcasters my Monk is a Wizard Killer.
There was one fight at the end of RotR 4 that this really stood out. In the first two rounds our Barbarian was taken out of the fight by a spell, and in the second round our Cleric was turned to stone (both failed saves). My monk had good enough saves that he withstood everything cast at him, and brought the fight to the Stone Giant spellcasting boss...kept that boss occupied so that Archer could basically take him out eventually with some good hits by the Eldritch Knight and wizard. Sure I may not have been able to take the boss out by myself (not that I think any of the rest of our party could either) but I was able to basically withstand the spells with the saves and HP to occupy the boss enough to turn the tide of a battle which was really going badly at that point.
This has turned into a major tactic for our party when facing spellcasters now, my Monk is the Wizard killer. In otherwords, the Monk is able to have a better chance at the Spellcaster and take the fight to the caster so the rest of the party has time to gather resources and strike back instead of being taken out. It's been a lifesaver for the party on multiple occasions. I can cut through the foes with my speed and get quickly to the chase of getting the wizard or spellcaster.
Sure, in straight up damage dealing my Monk isn't going to be able to match up damage for damage with many of the classes, and if you base it on that, of course the Monk stinks. I'm not going to be able to tank either, like the barbarian against more martial foes. What the Monk seems best at is going at Spellcasters, and also being a good diversion or skirmisher. In fact, he's good enough that I'd say he's one of the best skirmishers, but most people don't want a skirmisher, they want a damage dealer or direct conflict type character.
So, after playing this monk thus far through this AP, I think Monks get a bad rap by people trying to play them in other roles than what they are intended. My monk isn't a melee class perse, more of a hit and run, or someone to keep others busy while the real damage dealers go to town.
My damage HAS been aided by the DM, he gave me a ring that allows me to bypass DR/5 for just about anything, which TRULY helps in these higher levels against some creatures...but it still doesn't change what the main role of my Monk seems to be at higher levels which is basically, get to the Wizards, annoy them so they have problems casting spells and keep them busy till the rest of the party catches up.
If we finish around 17th level, we'll still have a few more levels of play. Everyone talks about getting to the Capstone level with that special 20th level ability. I'm looking at 20th level...that's the top level...what do you do after that? Just play at 20th level continuously? Or do you retire the character, and if you retire the character, what's the point of a nice little new ability or whatever at 20th level since you never use it, or if you do, it's only for a brief affair as you finish the adventure?
ALA...what's the point of the 20th level ability if you never actually use it that much in play since your character is pretty much finished at that point? Or do you continuously play at 20th level from there out without advancements?
Currently, I'm in till 20th, but don't see a point to continuing my character after that. Is there a point after getting to 20th level (If you survive of course).
Part II
We are playing the original RotR, not the anniversary edition. The Wizards and spellcasters which everyone seems to brag about aren't as big a powerhouse in these games thus far (of course, since we have a party of 7, I think the DM is making larger fights with harder foes added in to equal out CR and XP). In the past few adventures, the foes have had Saves that make it easy for them to overcome a lot of the DC's. Even with a 26 INT the Wizard's DC's aren't high enough to be effective with the save or die spells on some of the foes. This leaves affecting the environment which at times seems to have this AP make hard to work with (or our DM makes it hard for them to work the environment against the foes), and that leaves Damage spells a lot of the times, which don't seem to quite match up with as much damage as the Raged Barbarian or our Archer/Archery specialist does.
On the otherhand, we've been fighting a LOT of spellcasters this half of RotR. I can't say my monk is the most effective in straight up combat, that would go more to the Barbarian, Archer, and the Rogue if the opponent is susceptible to sneak attack damage and the conditions are right. I have been rolling extremely well, but compared to the Barbarian, the Monk doesn't really cut it in straight up Melee. However, against spellcasters my Monk is a Wizard Killer.
There was one fight at the end of RotR 4 that this really stood out. In the first two rounds our Barbarian was taken out of the fight by a spell, and in the second round our Cleric was turned to stone (both failed saves). My monk had good enough saves that he withstood everything cast at him, and brought the fight to the Stone Giant spellcasting boss...kept that boss occupied so that Archer could basically take him out eventually with some good hits by the Eldritch Knight and wizard. Sure I may not have been able to take the boss out by myself (not that I think any of the rest of our party could either) but I was able to basically withstand the spells with the saves and HP to occupy the boss enough to turn the tide of a battle which was really going badly at that point.
This has turned into a major tactic for our party when facing spellcasters now, my Monk is the Wizard killer. In otherwords, the Monk is able to have a better chance at the Spellcaster and take the fight to the caster so the rest of the party has time to gather resources and strike back instead of being taken out. It's been a lifesaver for the party on multiple occasions. I can cut through the foes with my speed and get quickly to the chase of getting the wizard or spellcaster.
Sure, in straight up damage dealing my Monk isn't going to be able to match up damage for damage with many of the classes, and if you base it on that, of course the Monk stinks. I'm not going to be able to tank either, like the barbarian against more martial foes. What the Monk seems best at is going at Spellcasters, and also being a good diversion or skirmisher. In fact, he's good enough that I'd say he's one of the best skirmishers, but most people don't want a skirmisher, they want a damage dealer or direct conflict type character.
So, after playing this monk thus far through this AP, I think Monks get a bad rap by people trying to play them in other roles than what they are intended. My monk isn't a melee class perse, more of a hit and run, or someone to keep others busy while the real damage dealers go to town.
My damage HAS been aided by the DM, he gave me a ring that allows me to bypass DR/5 for just about anything, which TRULY helps in these higher levels against some creatures...but it still doesn't change what the main role of my Monk seems to be at higher levels which is basically, get to the Wizards, annoy them so they have problems casting spells and keep them busy till the rest of the party catches up.
