D&D 3E/3.5 Why be a 3.5 monk?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Dandu basically summed up my thoughts in his first post. Why would I play a monk? If swordsage and any other class that does the unarmed martial arts thing better isn't available, and I'm willing to be inferior to the other PCs just to pla a concept. Monk as the concept has alway been one of my favorite classes in D&D, so it sucks to rag on the class. But it's such a mess...

Monk, like Fighter, is a great two level dip, though. Unlike Fighter, who's good at very limited applications (killing stuff dead, basically), monk excels at nothing that you'd call an "important combat role," though. Running really fast, surviving things, and fanning off monsters on a hot day with a flurry of misses aren't the kinds of specialized skills most parties go looking to recruit for.

 

[Summer-Knight925]

the problem I see is all the multiclass levels

thats what killed it for me

the player (we played in ebberon) was dragon marked, dragon marked heir, monk AND fighter

wth was he?

like, usually, to me atleast, the class has a bit of character to it, a monk is reserved, it makes sense to have them cloisterd, organized, ect. ect.

not this guy, he just took what he wanted to make him better

he was the only person to get out of a dungeon, he left us all there as we died and he ran away, from that time on, I hate monks

you never leave youre party behind, even if youre who exsistance is to not help anyone ever, seriously, the character did 1 thing the whole time and that was run ahead of the party and find traps, wouldnt disable them or anything, just set them off...its not like the 2 rogues, the artificer or the scout could have done the same without setting them off and saying "hey monsters! look at me!"

I just...if I played a monk, hed be straight monk (all 20 levels) and actually care about his past, where he came from, ect. ect.

 

[Dandu]

Don't badmouth multiclassing. It's a beautiful and wondrous thing.

I submit as evidence a build of my own design: Fistbeard Beardfist

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I get the feeling that you are describing a style of play that involves "skirmishing" around the battlefield, using ranged attacks, and harassing the enemy.

That's part of it, yes, but my point about not standing still was less about that and more about not doing what I've seen a lot of people do with monks which is to grow roots right next to the fighters and that lot. Stay in place when it makes sense, but when it doesn't, move!

A polearm Dex monk can contribute to front line damage...without being on the front line. He can FoB with it, but with the monk's mobility, he can also bring that polearm to bear in a variety of places on the battlefield.

 

[Dandu]

Finessable polearm, I assume?

 

[Nifft]

the player (we played in ebberon) was dragon marked, dragon marked heir, monk AND fighter

wth was he?

Sounds like he was trying desperately to survive in spite of being a Monk.

he was the only person to get out of a dungeon, he left us all there as we died and he ran away, from that time on, I hate monks

He ran away from a TPK, and therefore you hate MONKS?

I just...if I played a monk, hed be straight monk (all 20 levels) and actually care about his past, where he came from, ect. ect.

Now there's a depressingly familiar non sequitur.

Oh well, -- N

 

[Nifft]

Finessable polearm, I assume?

That's not a polearm.

Yes it is, it's a glaive.

Glaives have a big blade on the end, that's just got a lot of little spikes.

It's a glaive-guisarme.

It doesn't even have a haft.

Yes it does, the haft is these non-spiky bits.

Those are just metal links, they don't even stand up straight.

Well, it's wilting.

Look, a glaive-guisarme has only one spike. This thing has lots of spikes.

It's a glaive-glaive-guisarme-glaive rose spoon. Those have lots of spikes and get very thirsty. I'm going to go water it now...

It can't be a pole-arm if it hasn't got a pole. This is just a chain with spikes on.

Alright, yes. It's a spiked chain.

Ah, so this shop does have cheese! Very well, four spiked chains, please. To go.

Sorry sir, we're fresh out.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Finessable polearm, I assume?

So far? Glaives & Greatspears predominate, but I did use a Bisento (a 1d12 polearm from a Rokugan/OA supplement) once.

Part of that is because, like all non-fighters, the monk is Feat starved, and it takes at least 2 feats to be able to FoB with a polearm, more if it's one you're not already proficient with. Then taking the Combat Reflexes feat tree...you're out of Feats. Finesse doesn't help.

Besides, with all the Str buffs available within a typical party's arsenal, he'll be doing just fine.

 

[Dandu]

What sources of Strength buffs?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What sources of Strength buffs?

Depending upon the game, potions, gear, party spellcasters, or self-buffs if multiclassed. Particular buffs included superfluous* belts of giant strength or gloves of ogre power, bull's strength (spells or potions), enlarge and expansion.


* superfluous because the warriors in the party had equal or better gear and could not use them due to bonus stacking rules. Leave 'em, sell'em...or use 'em- easy choice, really