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1 year ago ::
May 03, 2012 - 8:40AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Feb 23, 2012
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I know that the monk class really doesn't work with unarmed as well as it should/could compared to using a quarter staff, but the flavor was very important for my wife (tried to sell her on a brawler fighter with a monk veneer painted on) as its her first D&D character. I'm not sure if its the DM using creatures that have decent fort vs. other creatures he could be using, an inherent flaw in the class, or mistakes I made in helping her create the character but she misses about 80 percent of the time and seems to do defender level of damage rather than striker level. I'd really appreciate any help/advice you guys could give so I can help her enjoy playing this character more.
QUICK EDIT: I should mention that we have an artificer to supply her with arcane ammo for her alchemical launcher.
======Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder====== Whoa-Bot, level 7 Warforged, Monk Build: Stone Fist Monk Monastic Tradition Option : Stone Fist Versatile Expertise Option: Versatile Expertise (Unarmed) Versatile Expertise Option: Versatile Expertise (Ki Focuses) Unstoppable Soldier ( +2 to Athletics) FINAL ABILITY SCORES STR 15, CON 12, DEX 16, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 10 STARTING ABILITY SCORES STR 15, CON 10, DEX 16, INT 11, WIS 13, CHA 10 AC: 21 Fort: 18 Ref: 19 Will: 20 HP: 54 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 13 TRAINED SKILLS Acrobatics +11, Athletics +12, Perception +10, Stealth +11 UNTRAINED SKILLS Arcana +6, Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering +6, Endurance +7, Heal +6, History +6, Insight +6, Intimidate +6, Nature +6, Religion +6, Streetwise +4, Thievery + 7 POWERS Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack Warforged Racial Power: Warforged Resolve Monk Feature: Stone Fist Flurry of Blows Monk Attack 1: Crane's Wings Monk Attack 1: Dragon's Tail Monk Attack 1: Awaken the Slumbering Hurt Monk Attack 1: Spinning Leopard Maneuver Monk Utility 2: Swift Flight Monk Attack 3: Twin Thunders Monk Attack 5: Supreme Avalanche Combination Acrobatics Utility 6: Tumbling Dodge Monk Attack 7: Strike the Avalanche FEATS Level 1: Improved Monk Unarmed Strike Level 2: Unarmored Agility Level 4: Versatile Expertise Level 6: Quick Draw ITEMS Monk unarmed strike x1 Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds Blastpatch (level 4) Blurred Strike Ki Focus + 1 Delver's Light Amulet of Protection +2 x1 Stoneskin Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) + 1 x1 Alchemical Launcher x1 Fire Beetle Potion Exceptional Factotum Helm (heroic tier) x1 ====== End======
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1 year ago ::
May 03, 2012 - 9:29AM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jul 14, 2008
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Certainly the stat spread doesn't help with the missing. I recommend 16 STR 12 CON 18 DEX 10 INT 11 WIS 10 CHA, if Warforged is a necessity. 14 points in INT is a waste. Also, by level 7 you should be looking at getting a +2 implement. Superior implement training could net an additional +1 to hit.
Other than that, it's either poor rolls, or high level monsters.
Improved Monk Unarmed Strike is a waste.
Why play Monk? If she really wants a brawler style character, there could be better options that work with a Warforged.
One-half of the tabletop gaming news podcast Going LastCo-author on AoA 2-3 and 4-1.
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1 year ago ::
May 03, 2012 - 10:18AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Feb 23, 2012
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The race and class of this character are not changing and stats are really iffy. I Made the same recommendations about intelligence when the char was rolled saying those points should be put into her primary stat. Maybe I can steal some points out of charisma since whoa-bot is played as not understanding humaniod society at all. I think she really likes the full discipline ability to have lots of movement powers, its just that there aren't as many enemy wizards and crossbowmen and whatnot that would be the ideal targets for her.
Is changing the d8 to a d10 really that much of a waste? Quickswap is up for grabs so I do think it is possible to swap that out for superior implement training as I was talking to the dm about getting her an accurate ki focus.
Right now I think part of the problem monster-wise is that we are fighting lots of abberant creatures that seem to have fort either as their highest or second highest defense.
Would an exorable ki focus (through the superior ki focus training for it) be better? I know the to hit is only for fortitude but that's what almost all of her attacks target. Also, would retrain some powers so that the energized (force) woudl apply.
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1 year ago ::
May 03, 2012 - 10:43AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Jun 18, 2010
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Without explicitly knowing what her "must haves" are...
Improved Unarmed Strike really is a waste. Hitting is more important, especially since you need to hit to trigger FoB.
Monks have to maximize dex. So much of their effectiveness depends on it, especially attacks. If this isn't feasible, then monk isn't a good choice.
Its a risky choice to have your powers almost all hit fort. Monks have plenty of powers that target reflex, why not pick some?
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1 year ago ::
May 03, 2012 - 10:54AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Feb 23, 2012
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So stat wise this is what I proposed and she went for that at least for right now:
Lvl 7 Total S:14 Co:12 D:18 I:14 W:14 Ch:8
Your do raise a point, I can tank a look at some of her powers again and try to optimize more.
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1 year ago ::
May 08, 2012 - 7:47PM
#6
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Date Joined:
Jul 14, 2008
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Improved Monk Unarmed Strike isn't worth picking up because a Monk will very, very rarely make a MBA on their own turn.
One-half of the tabletop gaming news podcast Going LastCo-author on AoA 2-3 and 4-1.
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1 year ago ::
May 09, 2012 - 6:10AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Feb 23, 2012
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DM was against changing the stats but allowed pretty much everything else to change. Swapped out improved monk unarmed strike for Superior Implement Training (accurate ki focus). Our artificier made her a new key focus (accurate +2 emerald fire ki focus) and she swapped dragon's tail for fallen needle lvl 1 at will and also traided her tumbling dodge lvl 6 utility for quicksilver motion.
Her to hit is now a respecatable +10 and she has more options now. Thanks for the help everyone.
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