Unarmed STR monks seem to be less optimal than they used to be.  Not that they got nerfed, just that everything else pretty much got better and they stood still.

If you don't have a high wisdom and want to stay unarmed, your best bet is to splash some fighter as the Kensai can give you some nice damage boosts by choosing unarmed as your signature weapon. 


You don't loose too much from the monk when you do this.  The capstone is nice, but it's not horrible to lose. 

If you want to stay pure monk, I'd switch to short swords or staves.  You can still use QP and ToD with them now.  Even then, a splash of fighter might be in order to up the DPS. 

I'm not seeing a lot of benefit to the pure monk these days.  But it's early still. 

16Mnk/2Ftr/2Something is where I'll probably end up with my current 12Mnk/8Ftr. Tier 2 fighter for tactics boost and improved dodge (plus whatever other goodies I can grab). I'll most likely go Wis-based, just gotta figure out what to take for my other 2 levels. Probably Druid for Ram's Might and Emp Healing, and access to Doublestrike.

I just tweaked up my monk to 16m/2f/2d (wis/str).  Have to say it is amazing so far.  The ninja spy line is good, but try out the shintao tier 5's.  d8 damage, +10prr in earth, and +5 critical threat just roasts them.  I haven't even gotten around to amping up my sunder dc's yet.  Hell, even at 48 dc i am instakilling 1 in 5.

Without enhancements this is the build (first draft, haven't really finalized yet) that I came up with:

Human Monk 20/Epic 8/Grandmaster of Flowers 5

Str 14
Dex 15+2 tome
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 16
Cha 8

(first lifer, 'cause I have no TRs I wanna make monks)

Feats:
1Human-TWF
1Monk-Power attack
1-Cleave
2Monk-Stunning fist
3-Mark of passage (I want a DDoor clicky and couldn't think of a feat to fit in here)
6Monk-Dodge
6-Great cleave
9-ITWF
12-IC:bludgeoning
15-GTWF
18-Mobility (again, couldn't think of a better feat to put here)
21-Vorpal strikes
24-Improved martial arts
27-Blinding speed

Run in water stance with maxed out wisdom for super high quivering palm+stunning fist+GMoF ability DCs.

Will be quite fun when I can afford an alignment change xD

edit: forgot to mention, will be light monk. I love the self healing afforded by light monk, and I also find dark monk really really boring. Also kukan do ftw.

Packfan wrote on Aug 21^st, 2013 at 9:53am:


thought I typed in cleave as one of my lvl 1 feats.

Was there on paper, idk how I forgot it....

Wipe wrote on Aug 21^st, 2013 at 10:04am:


My plan was to invest in the heal skill and get all those +healing spellpower enhancements in the base line of shintao, then maybe slot a 114 devotion augment if I can get the adamantine knuckles or something.....then get some pretty decent self healing, as well as a slight back up for the healer for group healing, out of the triple light finisher.

And now that I can get the triple light finisher to restore curses, I could get that and then mass restore curses in CITW. Is more of a group build than a solo DPS build.....also I like readily available self healing (AND KUKAN DO STILL FTW).

Wipe wrote on Aug 21^st, 2013 at 10:28am:


Well, when I can actually afford an alignment change I'll test and tell you with a lvl 14 monk lol

Thanks to everyone for the replies.
I will look at the 16M/2x/2x builds.

Really appreciate the insight.

Wipe wrote on Aug 21^st, 2013 at 10:04am:

ToD no longer works on a doublestrike. Try again Nooby McNooberton.

Packfan wrote on Aug 20^th, 2013 at 6:44pm:

I take what I said earlier back. Losing Tier 4 of any stance seems to be a bad idea. Looks like 18Mnk/2Ftr (for the 2 feats and access to the +3 to tactical DCs) will be the way I go if I decide to change any of my Monk levels.


Shadehater wrote on Aug 21^st, 2013 at 8:32pm:

H-Elf w/Rogue Dilly Dark Monk Ninja Spy is also a VERY solid choice.

rest wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2013 at 2:45am:


Exactly. Going Wis-based would let you drop Cleave/Great Cleave/Overwhelming Crit for Empower Heal, GM of Forms, Vorpal Fists, or some other combo.

And if you haven't seen Beguiling in action yet, try it out. Red bosses meleeing at 50%? Yes please.

Packfan wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2013 at 6:56am:

Is Beguiling a new enhancement, spell, or something else? If it's something else, what is it?