Astor Pontifex's page

As the lead grappler, you must spend a standard action to maintain the grapple, as the lead you also have a chance to auto attack with your successful CMB with any weapon that you may otherwise use in a grapple. Since you are grappled just like the defender, you still do threaten other squares, you are just not able to make very much use of it.

Ok So I didn't read much past the first round of posts but here is my input.

Go STR as your Main stat, Con afterwards. You will be hit. The Idea is to hit them hard enough and fast enough to make your AC less of a concern. You can use your Monk bonus feats to pick up Deflect Arrows and have yourself a once a turn ranged attack negation. Covers having lower AC from distance.

WIS is nice...but you don't really need it too much. Considering how many stunning fists the Monk has per day you could honestly go for a lower DC since you can always flurry and attach Stunning Fists almost as an afterthought, nice if they fail the save, but the consistent damage is more important. Ki is also nice and having it is good, but with a 15 point buy, STR is your Reliable stat.

Power attack is a thing. You should consider using it whenever you can reliably hit. Shuriken, Flurry and Deadly Aim = your only real ranged option 1D2+9 = win! I am assuming your using Core only, so I will refrain from suggesting Dragon Style...If you do have access though, Dragon Style and Power Attack will eat through most DR.

Sorry but everyone seems to be closing over the big difference between fighting defensively and total defense. Threatened squares. If you take a full defense action, you no longer threaten your adjacent squares, focusing all your abilities on your own defense at the total exclusion of offense.

The note on Standard Actions being specifically mentioned is because some Combat Maneuvers use Standard actions and some of them may be used in place of an attack as in during a full attack action. Penalties to your attack rolls affect your CMB. Power Attack specifically takes away from your CMB to add to your damage during grappling for example.