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I want to make an unchained monk. I also want to make use of Crusader's Flurry. Previously I was making a wapriest that would do this, but with the recent errata I have 0 desire to make that build work now.
So what I've got so far is this.
Half-orc
Sacred Tattoo and Fate's Favored for +2 luck bonuses to save
Str 19 (17 + 2)
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 7 (dumping this to 7 gives me just as many skill points as the warpriest I was planning anyways)
Wis 14
Cha 7
feats
1 - Power Attack
2 - (Crusader Cleric 1) Weapon Focus
3 - Crusader's Flurry
So I need to dip a level into cleric (probably Crusader Cleric) to qualify for Crusader's Flurry. The problem is I can't find any deities that have a weapon worth using that are also within one step of lawful that have the domains I want. The domains I want are primarily Liberation or Plant (Growth).
Feronia is N so I could be LN (which is what I was thinking I would be anyway) and has the Liberation domain. There's no info about her in Inner Sea Gods. But she does have a bastard sword so I could run around with a large bastard sword which would be good.
At this point I'm also considering dipping one level into bloodrager to give me access to Mage armor without needing UMD and to rage to make up for the hit penalty of both flurrying and a large weapon--but then I'm kinda losing out on being a monk.
So what are the upsides of the unchained monk, and is it worth going into three different classes before I resume leveling up as a monk just so I can flurry with a bastard sword?
Another thought after the first two levels to get Crusader's Flurry, is to go four levels into Aberrant Bloodrager for the critical stagger and elongated arms.
So it would look something like
1 - Monk 1 - Power Attack, (BF) Combat Reflexes
2 - Crusader Cleric 1 - (BF) Weapon Focus
3 - Bloodrager 1 - Crusader's Flurry (Staggering Strike)
4 - Bloodrager 2
5 - Bloodrager 3 - ??
6 - Bloodrager 4 (Abnormal Reach)
7 - Monk 2 - ??, (BF) Deflect Arrows
8 - Monk 3
9 - Monk 4 - Improved Crit
Thoughts?
Well, for one the unchained monk gains full BAB which is a massive bonus. Secondly, an unchained monk does not get a hit penalty when he flurries. Lastly, an unchained monk has a more pick-and-choose ki power pool than did the linearly progressive regular monk. Those are the main bits I can think of, but Unchained Monk is a million times better in my opinion.
As far as multiclassing so much... I don't think it would be a wise choice. Dipping into the Crusader Cleric would be nice for the bastard sword flurry but I don't think it's worth going into bloodrager unless you'll really get a use out of the spells it provides. The other thing is that eventually your unarmed strikes will catch up to your bastard sword if you stay on track with the monk. Go either u.monk X/cleric 1 or a mix monk/bloodrager, but not all of it jumbled together. You'll be spread too thin.
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Well, for one the unchained monk gains full BAB which is a massive bonus. Secondly, an unchained monk does not get a hit penalty when he flurries. Lastly, an unchained monk has a more pick-and-choose ki power pool than did the linearly progressive regular monk. Those are the main bits I can think of, but Unchained Monk is a million times better in my opinion.
As far as multiclassing so much... I don't think it would be a wise choice. Dipping into the Crusader Cleric would be nice for the bastard sword flurry but I don't think it's worth going into bloodrager unless you'll really get a use out of the spells it provides. The other thing is that eventually your unarmed strikes will catch up to your bastard sword if you stay on track with the monk. Go either u.monk X/cleric 1 or a mix monk/bloodrager, but not all of it jumbled together. You'll be spread too thin.
I'll never get to a point where my fists will be doing 2d8 which is what my weapon will be doing from lvl 2.
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I am working on a guide for the unchained monk ATM. It is up and viewable, however there are things I need to finish.
couple of things-
Flurry- Its completely different, tand there is no to hit penalty. You get 1 additional attack at first level (option to spend a ki point for another free attack), and another attack at 11th level, (same option for additional attack), these stack with haste/speed enchant and they now get 1.5 Str for two-handed weapons.
Wisdom is important, VERY important you should bump it to -at least- a 16 by level 4, lower con if you need to.
multiclassing- Sorry, no, bloodrager is not worth it here, (you can pick up bracers of armor)
Cleric- If it's a core part of your theme/concept, we can make this work. However in the end its a hurdle, less a benefit. (mechanically) If you do do this travel domain is a good option (it stacks with monk movement).
higher level unchained monks can, quite literally, move faster than other martials, while still making full attacks. (either ki intensive or feat intensive, but I digress)
so, lets look at your level 6 (assuming 1 dip into cleric)
you now can pick a ki power, I suggest (especially if you keep a lower wisdom) ki metabolism. (this lets you get your ki back after 2 hours of rest) which lets you flurry often
this also opens up your first style strike. I suggest either- Foot Stomp (An absolutely amazing ability). However this forces you to use an unarmed attack (in place of your Bastard sword) as part of your Flurry.
I'd drop str to a 16+2 and raise wis to a 16
Also what kind of weapon are you wanting to flurry with that is better than what the Monk already can flurry with?
-seven-branched Sword 2-handed d10
-temple-Sword 1-handed d8 19-20 x2
-Sansetsukon 2-handed d10 19-20 x2
I do think that a level of bloodrager or a level of Empyreal Sorcerer can be handy for the monk. gets some cool things and mage armor
The thing about staying straight monk is that your AC actually gets good if you stay monk. Barkskin at lv4 gives +2 that increases to 3 at lv6.
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As Chess Pwn says - Umonk gets very solid weapons to flurry with. The only weapon which MIGHT be worth dipping cleric is a rapier to stack with Fencing Grace on a dex build. And if you're going with a dex build - go with an archetyped normal monk - Umonk comes into its own with STR weapon builds.
Multiclassing as a monk is almost always a bad decision. Too much is based upon your class level. Monk can be a solid dip for other classes - but should almost never be dipped out of.
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First off, I wouldn't take the to-hit penalties for a large weapon on a monk. Yes, you are more accurate than a core monk, but the -2 is basically bringing you back to the the flurry of misses monk with one less attack.
Secondly, being an unchained monk makes crusader's flurry less desirable, as there are great monk weapons and you are proficient in all of them. Seven-branched Sword, Nine-Section Whip, Temple Sword, Nine Ring Broadsword, Sansetsukon, and Kurasigama for reach.
The best reasons for crusader's flurry are Rapier or Scimitar for Dervish Dance / Fencing Grace + crit fishing.
Are you looking to max damage dice or to go crit fishing? If it's the former, Smiad and Zursvaater get you the greatsword. The domain choices (Good/Law/Nobility/War and Evil/Fire/Law/Trickery/War) aren't great, especially since the big draw for War is the eighth level ability.
For max crit range I was able to find:
- Shizuru (Katana; Glory, Good, Law, Repose, Sun)
- Tanagaar (Kukri; Animal, Darkness, Good, Law)
- Sarenrae (Scimitar; Fire, Glory, Good, Healing, Sun)
- Uskyeria (Scimitar; Animal, Good, Repose, Strength)
- Nalinivati (Urumi; Charm, Magic, Nobility, Rune, Scalykind)
The Urumi gets maximum style points IMO. The only downside is that it will be hard to find a mini wielding a whip sword.
Overall the improvement over the available monk weapons seems kind of marginal. Crusader's Flurry honestly seems better for a cleric dipping monk rather than a monk dipping cleric. The dip+feat lets a monk make a somewhat better attack; it lets a cleric make an extra attack at full BAB.