Sister Jillian Li's page

@Delmoth,
I added Endure Elements and Ward Against Nature as my always-active conditions. I might buy some crap with my remaining few hundred bucks, but aside from that I’m ready.

Not a legal build so... still tweaking. I just noticed the silly amount of prerequisites.

Jabbing Style! DEX is Damage!

So far, so good…

A question on behalf of the owner of a white rabbit:

Will WARDED AGAINST NATURE cause a problem?

Animals do not willingly approach within 30 feet of you, unless you or the animal’s master succeeds at a DC 20 Handle Animal, Ride, or wild empathy check. Animal companions, familiars, and mounts granted by your class abilities are immune to this effect.

I’m not married to this drawback. Just find the idea of animals making a wide berth amusing.

Overkill STR was working on the other table, but it had a weird houserule which (sparing you the explanation) meant I would get DEX and CON later.

It was better you say now while I can not only rebuild (GM already permitted and gave advice), but the charter is fresh, not a rehash whose personality ‘requires’ the quirks I had in the current, soon-to-be-drastically-altered build.

Also, please don’t misunderstand me as one who uses allies as meat shields. I’ll still have Flying Kick so you’ll see what I mean.

@Sister Li, if you are actually open to suggestions on your build, is there any way we can convince you to invest more in your defense?

A little more Dex/Con?
A more defensive fighting style, like Crane or Snake?

We have told you this is a very tough dungeon.
We have told you that hiding behind others is not a defense.
And given the damage dealt at this level, the -Con buffer does not go far.

Mara has only so many spell slots for Breath of Life and cannot spend all of her actions bringing you back.

You could quite easily have an in-combat AC comparable to Dervak (around 33-35), with equal HP and better saves, and comparable damage given your many attacks. As it is, you have far fewer HP than Theo (our witch). It looks like you have put everything into offense.

It is your PC and you can build the way you want. However, if you intentionally leave a gaping hole in your defenses in order to shine more brightly on offense, do understand that it will not be the responsibility of others to patch that hole for you. Yes we will try to help you survive as we do for each other. But we can't have the party single-mindedly focused on "keep the monk upright." Dervak is not going to volunteer to charge in and soak up AOOs because he can take it and you can't - when the fact that you can't is an intentional decision you are making here. Some more investment in your own survival would IMO lead to a more enjoyable game for everyone and less risk of PC death, which nobody wants.

Again, build the way you want, but please do understand the risk you are taking by neglecting defense. If you want to be the glass cannon who does a ton of damage, draws fire, and dies in a blaze of glory, that is a choice you can make. If that fragility is an essential part of who the character is in your mind, then so be it.

Thanks. Spoke to Delmoth. DEX-based monk looks doable, so can dump STR!

Allegra Gavrospex wrote:

I'm cool with that, it definitely sounds like something that could have even been worked about between the convent and the Accusers? Or just Allegra herself, always good to bring more muscle. Ci Ci, would you liked to be a hired expert as well, a stranger, or something else entirely?

I made Ci Ci’s back story as being a spell-slinger for hire. She decided it was a more interesting life than working her family’s jewelry business. I figure Allegra contracted her as a deterrent to gangs of bandits on the road or if her quarry happened to have a large number of henchmen.

We can make it that this is the first time the three of us have worked
together, but we’ve traveled a bit to get here. In other words, we have a bit of familiarity, but not the close bond of longtime companions.

This works. I’m actually seriously looking into what convent sent my nun to you. The best existing monk order that fits Li’s abilities is the House of the Unfolding Wind. Her convent could be an all-female branch of that. The Sisterhood of the… well, stick to Unfolding Wind, I guess. Wouldn’t be much of a branch if they alter the name.

Maybe I should go with electricity instead of cold, then. Mara was suggesting that, so as long as you guys don’t mind half the party being lightning-themed…

On the fence between electric or cold. One fits my monk order and abilities; the other makes a nice shattering sounds when I hit enemies and provides an element the rest of the party lacks. I’ll commit before posting, but feel free to sway me in either direction if you so desire!

Or in case he needs to find dinner.

Sure glad I bought that Ring of Sustenance!

Okay....... close to the end, though I still need my bylines.

Questions:
• Stun and Paralyze — always Fort?
• Enchant — always Will?

In my byline, I separated fort, ref and will because all three have stuff going on. If the above is correct, those +2s to fort are only active when in dragon style stance. I halve damage when failing a reflex save! Will has a racial and class bonus combined.

Note the Always Active conditions from items, and I listed my unarmed damage types. I think at this point I’ll commit to Cold (for my elemental fury) and go sans-archetype.

Okay....... close to the end, though I still need my bylines.

Questions:
• Stun and Paralyze — always Fort?
• Enchant — always Will?

@Allegra,
I like Delmoth’s suggestion that I’m working for you. Since our characters don’t actually pay each other, the convent sent Sister Li. All she does is drone on about fighting styles from around the world. The other sisters think she’s boring, and maybe if she gets out in the world, she’ll find something else to talk about. They won’t have to listen to her.

If the past year with Delmoth taught me anything, low HP damage dealers have a target painted on them. Committing to melee doesn’t help. (Not too late to change my Lv.10 to Snatch Arrows!)

I don’t know how I feel about the teamwork feat. I think we need to fight some battles together to know if that feat would benefit us.

I’m not familiar with the term ‘rocket tag.’ Vix uses Dragon Style to run ‘through’ allied squares and Saph uses Flying Kick to leap over defensive allies and flurry. I think we can find a way for strong defense and strong offense to make for good teamwork. I’m not entirely sure we need a feat to do that.

It ought to be fine. We haven't run into much elemental resistance so far.

FWIW, Theo has the possibility of learning Lighting bolt as one of his few damaging spells, and could get Chain Lightning at 13th. Mara gets a once/day Chain Lightning next level (Spirit Spell).

Would you prefer I go with Cold then?

CHA is my dump stat, so it actually works for the personality I have in mind.

How do you guys feel about lightning for my elemental fury? I was going with ice in the pirate game, but since we’re not at sea I’m going with more air-based monk skills, like ethereal form and insane jumping.

PM to GM coming... (discord because easier)

Hey all... thanks for the welcome!

I decided to make a fresh new monk. She’s a half-elf, and will specialize in trips and grapples.

In case you’re wondering about the avatar, I was once in a karate tournament hosted by a guy who was demonstrating techniques (causing his students to shriek in pain) while wearing a suit. He was a jerk, but while looking for a much rougher looking character I saw this half-elf and PM’d Delmoth on discord.

So here is Sister Jilly Li.

(PS- I’m well aware that the dad in the backstory has a Mandarin surname but a Cantonese given name.)

As far as knowledge skills go:
•Religion
•History
•Geography