D&D 3.x Why be a 3.5 monk?

[Dandu]

So you're usually going to end up with about +6 to Str from various buffs starting at around level 4 to level 10 ish?

 

[Wyvernhand]

Don't forget Monk2/Ardent1/Totemist2/SoulManifester10

Expanded Knowledge (Open Chakra, Psionic) is your friend. Open all the chakras you want, maybe use a little Midnight Augementation in conjunction with a Torc of Power Preservation and Soul Manifester's own powers to hit an effective ML of 17 by about level 12 to open the eluseive Waist and Throat Chakras. Tash together your Monk and Soul Manifester levels to get greater flurry. Bind Blink Shirt to your Totem Chakra for pseudo-multi-pouncing with the Sun School tactical feat + Snap Kick.

You know, because you can never have too many alternate rules systems in one build!

90% of the best Monk features, only 2 levels! Its like Diet Monk!

 

[Nifft]

You know, because you can never have too many alternate rules systems in one build!

90% of the best Monk features, only 2 levels! Its like Diet Monk!

That's a good call. Monk PrCs can be great, and they generally only require a few levels of Monk.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Fajita McJones]

If your party already has a Fighter (by that I mean a heavy hitting martial character, not the class) and a Rogue and you want to play a combat oriented character that can help them both out (sometimes) then Monks are fun. I played one from level 1 through level 9 before he and the rest of our party was flushed down the Castle Ravenloft toilet in the most pathetic TPK ever and I had a lot of fun with him. Granted, I couldn't go one-on-one with hardly any of our enemies, but I could usually find some very meaningful ways to contribute to combat. If playing a melee character who can hardly kill anyone on his own, but makes life easier for other melee characters sounds like an interesting challenge it can be rewarding. But mechanically it is DnD on hard mode like someone else said already.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

So you're usually going to end up with about +6 to Str from various buffs starting at around level 4 to level 10 ish?

About that, I guess, maybe more, maybe less- I never keep track.

Another boost can come from build. Kensai, as I'm sure you're aware, is a Monk-friendly PrCl- IOW it doesn't keep you from continuing Monk advancement. Besides it's weapon of choice rules, it also has an ability that grants a conditional untyped +8 Str bonus, which makes for a nice boost.

The condition is that it's a 1/day boost...unless you make a Concentration check. With Con as my 3rd best score and with Concentration as a class skill, my Monk/Kensais tend to get at least one extra use per day out of it.

 

[Fajita McJones]

About that, I guess, maybe more, maybe less- I never keep track.

Another boost can come from build. Kensai, as I'm sure you're aware, is a Monk-friendly PrCl- IOW it doesn't keep you from continuing Monk advancement. Besides it's weapon of choice rules, it also has an ability that grants a conditional untyped +8 Str bonus, which makes for a nice boost.

The condition is that it's a 1/day boost...unless you make a Concentration check. With Con as my 3rd best score and with Concentration as a class skill, my Monk/Kensais tend to get at least one extra use per day out of it.

A Monk/Kensai with fists that deal Constitution damage giving a stunned opponent a full FoB attack can actually be very threatening...

 

[Dandu]

About that, I guess, maybe more, maybe less- I never keep track.

What strikes me is that at this point, your polearm using, javalin throwing monk isn't making use of the signature monk ability of beating people up with his fists, which is the main reason people seem to want to play a monk. Moving around the battlefield adding chip damage here and there while tripping or supporting frontliners from the second line is something that can be done better by a fighter with Boots of Striding and Springing, or a barbarian.

You get higher touch AC and better saves though.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

What strikes me is that at this point, your polearm using, javalin throwing monk isn't making use of the signature monk ability of beating people up with his fists, which is the main reason people seem to want to play a monk...

I have never thought of Monks as merely unarmed combatants. Many of the iconic martial artists mix unarmed and armed techniques: Bruce Lee had his nunchuks; Shaolin Monks use swords, spears, halbards, staves, etc.; Jackie Chan uses anything within reach.

Some say Steven Segal can kill you with a hoagie.

So I mix as well- sure he's got the polearm, but what happens when someone closes? Well, unlike more conventional polearm builds, I don't bother with armor spikes (can't use 'em), Short Haft or similar feats, or switch weapons when foes close- I've got a scaling US that does similar damage.

Ditto if my weapon is disarmed, thrown (if I'm using a spear or Greatspear) or if the battlespace is too confined for using a polearm- about the only thing I've lost is Reach.*

That's because the Combat Reflexes feat tree isn't weapon specific- I still get all my AoOs and the like- its just that Reach makes that whole tree more effective.

Of course, you could always take feats that increase your natural reach instead of being a polearm monk and play essentially the same PC as an unarmed constant- a D&D version of Dhalsim from Street Fighter.






* I have 2 different kinds of poearm-using Monk/Kensais: those whose chosen weapon is US and those whose weapon is the polearm. The former sacrifice weapon damage for being an equal threat without it; the second has a nasty weapon with a significant power drop when not using his weapon. Both have their plusses and minuses.

 

[Dandu]

I have never thought of Monks as merely unarmed combatants. Many of the iconic martial artists mix unarmed and armed techniques: Bruce Lee had his nunchuks; Shaolin Monks use swords, spears, halbards, staves, etc.; Jackie Chan uses anything within reach.

If were going for a character that mixes armed and unarmed combat, the question of why to use a Monk still exists, as there are at least two classes (Totemist and Swordsage) which are in competition with the Monk class...

 

[Starbuck_II]

Monk 1 gives you stunning fist: Swordasge can't do that. You need stunning fist to get the CW feats (weakening or paralyzing).

If you don't go monk look at Prereqs: BAB requirement.

So there is a reason for monk.

Also Monk substitutions (there are a lot of good ones).