Which class to start with


Advice

Grand Lodge

I have this cool idea for a Monk/Druid build which focus' on unarmed striking and uses some of the druid spells up to 2nd level (magic fang, frost bite, frigid touch) to give it some flavour. I am not really sure which class to start with though as if I go druid I would think I should take imp unarmed strike but if i go monk first I get it free.


Why not go magus instead of druid?

Grand Lodge

I was thinking Druid because the Wisdom is a main stat for both Druid and Monk, it plays into each class well.

Sczarni

Druid and Monk are highly synergetic.

I do recommend getting 10 Monk levels at the minimum, and 8 Druid levels minimum in that build, so that you can really optimize(if desired) your US damage and your Flurry of Blows. 12d8 once you hit level 15.(if you made sure to take the feat Monastic Legacy and the wonderous item Monk's Robe) You want the 8 Druid levels so you can reach the Huge sized elemental and Plant forms(Shaping Focus is required), as well as having access to casting Strong Jaw to bump up your US damage.

Aside from the ridiculously great defenses all-around. It's a lot of fun.

Shadow Lodge

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qinggong monk lets you use ki to perform spell like abilities

Sovereign Court

Look at qingong monk and monk of the four winds. Ask your DM if he would consider homebrewing Monks to be a full BAB class. Some DMs do this.


My advice would be to start with the Monk class; most first level druid spells are rather weak, so all you're really getting out of a first level druid is the animal companion (if that). A first-level monk can be a decent combatant.

Alternatively, take your first level in Druid, but don't bother with unarmed combat until you have your first monk level at level 2. Use a quarterstaff and the shillelagh spell until then.

The kung-fu panda is a great character that I have had a lot of fun with, although I usually go only 1-3 levels of monk (enough for the bonus feats) since I like casting. I also find that the monk's ability to grapple synergizes really well with a druid, so I tend not to do as much kung fu as judo. (Few things will mess a dragon's day up as much as being grappled by a fire-immune giant squid.) But this means that unarmed strike damage is less relevant.

Grand Lodge

What about for Society Play? I can't do 10 and 8 because it doesn't go that far.

Sczarni

Ah. It's still an effective build, even if you only make it out to 15. Their unarmed damage gets crazy regardless, not to mention all of the static damages on top of it. You could go Monk 7 and Druid 8. That way, you'll still have the equivalent US damage of a Monk at level 16 with the feat and item I mentioned earlier. It'd be more important to have those druids levels, since their Wildshape gives some seriously high quality perks and allows you to use Armor and Shields!!(well their static enchantments anyways - since your gear melds with you, it doesn't count as gear anymore and it won't effect your monk abilities while wildshaped) You would also have access to Strong Jaw as well still.

It's really only worth it if you're going to make it to 20 though. Multiclassing isn't worth it in a campaign if it stops at 15, unless you're dipping just a few levels to get a certain perk(s)

In my experience.


Kazumetsa Raijin wrote:


It's really only worth it if you're going to make it to 20 though. Multiclassing isn't worth it in a campaign if it stops at 15, unless you're dipping just a few levels to get a certain perk(s)

I disagree. Multiclassing can make a more interesting and flexible character, at the expense of a certain amount of power.

The trick is to enjoy the journey and not just focus on the destination. Will you have fun playing a level 2 monk/level 5 druid? (In my answer, the answer was "hell, yes!") Then when you hit 8th level, the appropriate question to ask is not "how many levels of druid do I want at the end of the campaign, when I can't play this character any more?," but "what would make the next level more fun, another level of druid or another level of monk? Or maybe a level of wizard, because FUN!"

Especially in a game where you may not live to see the next level, it seem silly and pointless to play a character for six months that isn't fun. If your character concept demands "just two more levels of sucking ass," maybe that's not really the character concept you want.

The flip side of it is that if you are having fun NOW it doesn't matter if this character will never get 9th level spells.

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