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I'm looking to play a monk-like character who uses the melekatha style that was introduced in Cheliax: Empire of Devils, described thusly:
Melekatha is an exotic fighting technique designed by the vanished-archon Melek Taus.
This unarmed combat style is regarded as a soft art consisting of dodges, holds and strikes designed to turn the energy of the attackers back against themselves.
This martial art form is practiced by the Children of the Upper Reach, a group of monks in Cheliax who seek to combat the hamatulatsu fighting style. As of yet, the two techniques have yet to be properly tested against each other.
However, while hamatulatsu style is easily learned with a few feats, melekatha has no such information.
So, I'm left struggling to figure out how best to emulate the style based on its description, while fusing it with Iomedaean trappings, as the monastic order that invented it worships Iomedae. I'm particularly interested in pairing it with a sword of some sort, especially the longsword that Iomedae's followers favor. There's a few options I'm considering to do this.
1. Multiclass Flowing Monk and Cleric (and possibly Evangelist)
This was my original concept, as the Flowing Monk's special features like Redirection and Volley Spell fit the flavor of melekatha exceptionally well. The cleric levels are primarily a dip to gain proficiency with the longsword and qualify for the Crusader's Flurry feat, which lets me use a monk's flurry of blows with it. Since that prevents me from reaching Perfect Self at the end, I figured Evangelist would make one swell consolation prize, as Monk is one of Iomedae's options for that prestige class, so I'd be able to keep my Flowing Monk stuff going and get some extra skill points, which are always nice. I'm worried that such a character would take a lot of time to build though, and there's also the fact that I'd have to choose between Ascetic Style (which allows me to use my longsword for more than just flurries) and Crane Style, which is both thematically appropriate and a great feat chain on its own.
2. Master of Many Styles
This solves the aforementioned problem of having to pick between Ascetic and Crane Styles, as I'll have access to both and can get them for free to boot. Losing Flurry of Blows isn't even that big a deal, as melekatha's not about overwhelming your opponent with lightning strikes, but rather defending and waiting for the perfect moment to make one decisive strike. I'd have to use a different kind of sword like the temple sword or seven-branched sword, though, as since I wouldn't have Flurry of Blows I couldn't qualify for Crusader's Flurry.
3. Unchained Monk
From all reports I've heard this is a solid boost to the monk class, and that sounds neat. I'm not sure how best to emulate melekatha with it, though, as it runs into the same issue of only being able to use one set of style feats at a time, so I'd have to pick between Ascetic to use my sword best and Crane to best emulate melekatha.
4. Sacred Fist Warpriest
This essentially takes the first idea and synthesizes it into a single class. I'd have access to Channel Energy and Flurry of Blows so I can take Crusader's Flurry if I spend a feat or two, and I can get Ascetic and Crane styles for free. Plus, it captures the idea that his martial training is an extension of his faith in Iomedae, rather than some odd blending of religious faith and monastic tradition. The catch is that, as with most of the other options, I can't really combine the style feats like the Master of Many Styles can. Plus, according to the devs, Sacred Fists gain no benefit from Monk Robes.
So, I turn to the Advice forum for what it does best! Which of these setups would get me closest to matching the description of melekatha?
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First off, I wouldn't make a weapon monk for someone using an unarmed style. That said, you can combine styles with the weapon style mastery feat if one of the styles was a weapon style.
Another option would be an unarmed sawashbuckler/monk multiclass. The dodging panache and opportune parry and riposte deeds do a great gob of a flowing style.
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First off, I wouldn't make a weapon monk for someone using an unarmed style. That said, you can combine styles with the weapon style mastery feat if one of the styles was a weapon style.
Another option would be an unarmed sawashbuckler/monk multiclass. The dodging panache and opportune parry and riposte deeds do a great gob of a flowing style.
Could you elaborate? Are you saying melekatha shouldn't use swords at all?
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Well melekatha is described as an unarmed discipline, so it really is best represented by unarmed strikes. But I'm sure you could justify some mixed weapon/unarmed hybrid style as an offshoot of the "pure" form of the art.
Flowing Monk looks like it really captures the flavor of it. Maybe talk with your DM and see if he'll allow an UnMonk translation of the archetype.
Edit: also, given the description of melekatha, investing in grappling wouldn't be out of line.
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Dunno, maybe Panther Style for that more of that flavor of "you're going to regret attacking me", or Grabbing Style to put some emphasis on the holds mentioned in melekatha's description.
Just for kicks (har har) I looked over Flowing Monk with an eye toward, "Could you rejigger this into an UnMonk archetype", and I think you could, with a little GM permission:
- Bonus Feat list has been changed, and you lose the one at level 2.
- Redirection replaces Stunning Fist, no issue here.
- You replace Fast Movement, which stings a bit, because while I've never played an UnMonk, Flying Kick looks like the best Style Strike of the lot, but oh well.
- Purity of body gets replaced, check.
- That leaves the substitution of Diamond Body and Quivering Palm. Easiest thing to me would seem to be to replace the Ki Powers granted either at 10 & 14, or 12 & 16, maybe with an additional note that explicitly removes Diamond Body and Quivering Palm from a Flowing UnMonk's choices for Ki Powers?
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Thank you, Redblade8! I like this set of exchanges.
Been looking around and I saw JAM'S Blended Archetypes guide as well, and one of them basically the ultimate defender, using Flowing Monk with Monk of the Sacred Mountain. Crane was naturally listed as a style that complements it well, as well as Archon and Snake Styles.
Wondering if maybe that might be worth looking into. I mean, the Children of the Upper Reach's Monastery IS on top of a mountain, after all! And I saw if I take the Crusader archetype, I'd get Weapon Focus with longswords for free...that's making Crusader's Flurry look tempting again...
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Flowing Monk is what we used as a base when we played it in our games.
It worked really well, over-all, and heavily represented the aspect of soft dodges and redirects for our particular game.
... that said, we also used in Council of Thieves, which didn't properly have the hamatulatsu style to compare it with, soooo...
Regardless, now there's also Archon Combat Style, Archon Diversion, and Archon Justice. I'm not certain how this would work when paired with the U-Monk variant Flowing Monk, described above, but it may be worth thinking about (as Melakatha was literally the style developed by an ancient archon).
I'm not exactly sure it fits the flavor... but it does somewhat work, and I get the idea of making a style that assists others with your own self-sacrifice. Blending something like Crane Wing with this one might also do well? I'm not sure.
Hope that helps!
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It does, thank you Tacticslion! And it just so happens Council of Thieves is EXACTLY what I want to build this character for! Archon was listed as a style that complements that aforementioned Flowing Monk/Monk of the Sacred Mountain combo. I admit it's tempting, though the Vow of Silence near the end makes me wonder...how am I supposed to make dramatic speeches about JUSTICE?!
I do want to warn you: I've not played with a U-Monk, but a regular monk struggled to hit and damage without heavy buffing. Effectively, though, what the monk was excellent at was getting into really irritating-to-the-enemy position (assisted with terrain-control by sorcerer), and simply tanked everything (along with the paladin) until the bard could persuade it to please, please, pretty please not fight anymore *bat-eye-lashes* and the bad guy would be all, "D'awww..." and that was the end of the encounter.
A few times the encounter went, "Sorcerer+Paladin end the world (of this villain)." instead, but for the most part making the enemies hate themselves (and the monk) was what the monk did best, instead of actually harming them directly.
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That suits me fine. I'm more interested in making enemies yell "STAND STILL! WHY CAN'T I HIT YOU?!" than getting glorious kills.
And on an unrelated basis...does using telepathy break a vow of silence? Evangelists get it at tenth level and I was already looking at it for this guy...
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Been re-looking at the components of this character and I'm finding myself more and more convinced that the longsword isn't a NECESSARY aspect. As long as it's A sword of some kind I imagine Iomedae would approve. And both monks AND Sacred Fists have access to a few kinds of swords. And re-looking at the Monk's robe makes me realize it's not AS essential as I'd previously believed. I'm starting to wonder if Sacred Fist Warpriest might be the way to go after all. What do you guys think? Would it be better than or equal to a straight-up Unchained Monk?
They get 6 levels' worth of cleric casting, which I doubt will ever go unappreciated. It could probably go either way. I still like the idea of seeing if your GM will let an UnMonk be Flowing, but I think either one will work out decently.
Depends how much you value the 6 lvls of casting, and the full BaB/d10 hds