Erm, what method of stat making did you use? What sources are allowed?
What's your intelligence? Some alchemist can go a long ways to helping your tanking ability and if you go with the vivisectionist archetype you'll gain sneak attack damage, which you can get by stunning your opponents.
Beyond that I recommend a ring of protection +1, bracers of armor +2 and a headband of wisdom +2. Take dodge as a feat as well.
All told (with mutagen primed for strength active) you'll have an AC of 10(base)+5(wisdom)+4(dex)+3(natural armor)+1(deflection)+2(armor)=25 at level 4 if you take two levels of alchemist with 2 levels of monk.
I recommend dwarf for this build and going monk 4 then 2 more levels in alchemist (so monk 4/ alchemist 4 at level 8). Doing so will get you barkskin which is great since you need an amulet of the mighty fist.
One of the features of an actual tank is that it is powerful offensively. For you, that means strength.**
Unless you are adventuring with a lot of glass cannon types, I'd urge you to shift your attributes (str, dex, wis, con) to be more even.
You will also want CON as a tank. The guy in the front is the guy who has to make all the saves from monster abilities, and many of these are fort saves. Plus, HP are good.
**One of the benefits of flurry is that you get your full STR bonus with each attack. That's better than two weapon fighting, and it's better than the 1.5 str you get with a two-handed weapon. This is a big deal, but only if you are strong.
As for gear, I'd buy a wand of mage armor, and then hand it to someone who can use it on you.
At this level, I would try to convince your party wizard (if such exist) to cast mage armor on you for the benefit of the group. It will take some levels before you can afford a bracers of armor that can top that. In a few levels expending a first level spell slot on you shouldn't be a problem for his or her ressources.
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there was a home brew 35 point buy and my race is homebrew as well
verric
+2wis +2dex -2cha
1/day mage hand and comprehend languages
+2 perception, knowledge local/history
1 bonus language
+2craft
i also have wine red skin, long red ponytail w/ white hilights. (i know it doesn't mean anything mechanically, but its cool for a monk.)
my stats are at 4th lvl str14 dex18 con14 int14 wis18 cha 10
feats are
weapon finesse, dodge, toughness (from sacred mountain monk), combat expertise, ,mobility.
and i don't see how a tank needs to have high damage... my job is to make sure the ranger, rouge and druid don't get bashed to smithereens. i want to be in the face of the big baddie while the others tear him to shreds.
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Hmmm. Did you do point buy or roll? Cause using 20pt I got this:
Male half-orc Monk 4
LN Medium humanoid
Init +6 ; Senses Perception +11
==DEFENSE==
AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 15 (+4 dex, +5 monk bonus)
hp(4d8+-4)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +8
==OFFENSE==
Spd 40 ft./x4
Melee Unarmed Strike +5 1d8+1 20/x2
Melee Unarmed Strike +4/+4 1d8+1 20/x2
==STATISTICS==
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 9, Int 7, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +3, Cmb +5Cmd +23
Feats Combat Reflexes (PFCR 119-120), Dazzling Display (PFCR 120), Deflect Arrows (PFCR 121), Improved Unarmed Strike (PFCR 128), Stunning Fist (PFCR 135), Weapon Focus (PFCR 136-137)
Skills Acrobatics +11, Intimidate +10, Perception +11
• MONK BONUS FEATS - You have chosen the following monk bonus feats: Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows. (PFCR 58-59).
Traits • Bully (Social) - +1 intimidate checks. Intimidate is always a class skill for you. (PFCT 6)
• Reactionary (Combat) - +2 Initiative. (PFCT 4)
Stat wise I wouldnt use this at all. But liberal use of Intimidate would I think draw more foes to you, at the very least, want to kill you first to get rid of the effect.
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With a 35-point buy (Your GM must be planning to teshmetter you!), at 4th level, I would do:
STR 18 = 17 + 1 (level 4) (13 points)
DEX 14 = 12 + 2 (race) (2 points)
CON 15 (7 points)
INT 10
WIS 19 = 17 + 2 (race) (13 points)
CHA 8 = 10 - 2 (race)
Many people would disagree with my emphasis on wisdom over strength.
FEATS:
1: Dodge, Combat Reflexes
2: Improved Grapple, Toughness (MotSM bonus)
3: Power Attack
So, you have AC 18 = 10+2(DEX)+4(WIS)+1(Monk)+1(Dodge), Touch AC=18, Flat-footed AC=15
HP: 40 = 8+2+1(1st lvl)+3*(5+2) (2-4 lvl)+4(favored class)+4(toughnes)
I assume you take the hit point at each level.
As for magic items, I suggest a ring of protection, a magic weapon and a wand of mage armor.
Yar.
I will not try to make this character for you, but I do have some questions before dishing out advice...
Your 10k gold for equipment: Are there limits on how it is to be divided for your equipment? Or are you free to spend it however you wish? (page 400 of the CRB suggests that no one item is worth more than 50%, while also recommending that only 25% be spent on weapons, 25% on armor, 25% for other magic, 15% on consumables, and 10% for everything else).
What sources are you permitted to use?
Do you have a prefered weapon or martial arts style?
What kind of campaign is this? (as in, is there a theme, do you know what your most common enemies will likely be, where is it taking place, etc.)
The rest of your party (you mentioned in a different thread that they are a Rogue, Ranged style Ranger, and a Druid), what are they like?
The reason it was mentioned above for tanks to be damage dealers, is that there is no "aggro" mechanic in pathfinder. Baddies are usually smart. If something dishes out a lot of damage, they will more likely want to take that thing out first (usually, sometimes, depending on the baddies and the GM).
Instead of using the word "tank", I'm going to call your guys role (if he must have one) that of a protector. This is much more vague and can encompass a number of styles of play. You want to look out for and protect your comrades. This can be done by "tanking" (drawing enemy ire by hurting them bad). This can be done by "intercepting" (always being between the baddies and your friends, becoming a living wall so to speak). This can be by "disabling" (inflicting various negative effects on them so that they cannot effectively harm your comrades, sometimes without dealing with you first). And this can be done by "Buffing" (which is more of a caster thing, especially bards).
From the feats you've already selected, I can see you're going for more of the "interceptor" method. This works fine, but no method/style/build is infallible. Personally, I do prefer this myself, being both the "interceptor" and "disabler", while, when the need (or opportunity) arises, switching to a support damage dealer (flanking with the rogue to take out tougher than normal single baddies, for example).
A line of feats that you may wish to consider is Combat Reflexes followed by Combat Patrol. Although you will use your regular monk BaB to determine your expanded threat range, your enhanced base speed means that you can really dish out AoO's against multiple moving foes.
Of course, another good way to protect your comrades is to become a trip master... or even a bull-rush master (which may fit with the sacred mountain archetype theme better. You stay put while the enemies approach, then you knock them all back and away from your allies. If your allies are in a rough spot, you can even bull-rush them away from harm).
Don't be afraid to switch from mobility to solid and immobile (and back). You (as a sacred mountain) are good at doing both, and gain bonuses for doing both. Being able to foresee which tactic will be more useful in the current situation is invaluable. (many a times it means moving about one round to block off some baddies, than keeping them there while staying put to really lay on the hurt while gaining your class bonus' for not moving)
Anyways, I've rambled for long enough for now. Answer the above questions, and you'll get more advice (on equipment, for example).
~P
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all the paizo sources really, my dm has every published thing by paizo...ever...
no preferred anything really, i did take the vow of truth however for an extra 1ki/lvl. i have 2 cold-iron MWKkamas.
its basically a tweaked rise of the rune lords
we can spend our gold however we wish. we recently hit lvl 6 (were leveling very fast with very hard fights)so i took another lvl of mnk and then a lvl of alchemist so that i can buff myself. I now have about 15k total wealth with which i bought a mnk's robe for 13k and 10 potions of enlarge person for 500g leaving me with about 3.2k left. im sure i can rework those 10 enlarge potions for a refund or something else.
the other party is an ranger4 inquisitor2, caster druid5, and a basic rouge6.
i plan on playing the "interceptor" i guess. the RAW states that if you begin and end your turn in the same place i still get my cool sacred mountain monk abilitys, so i plan on taking spring attack next lvl so i can move out 25feet, attack, then move back to were i was, i think that will be cool.
i think i answered all your questions pirate.
P.s. i can still channge my 5th lvl feat. i took weapon focus unarmed, but if there is a better option out there i'll take it.
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Yar.
I have not played or read RotRL, so I can't say much on that.
If anything paizo is allowed, then I highly recommend the Guided weapon property. If you want to focus on Unarmed Attacks (given the Monk's Robe and Weapon Focus: Unarmed, this is a likely bet), then I recommend an Amulet of Mighty Fists: Guided. This costs only 5000 gp, and allows you to apply your Wisdom modifier to all of your unarmed Attack AND damage rolls.
Getting this on a regular weapon would cost at least 8000 gp (as it has to be +1 first, while the AoMF doesn't).
The Guided property can be found HERE, and is published in Pathfinder #10, Curse of the Crimson Throne Chapter 4: A History of Ashes, page 22.
If you really wanted to optimize with this ability (and are able to redo your stats), I would dump Str (yes, with this property you can make Str a dump stat) and up your Wis as high as possible. Even without doing this, your attack will be higher and hit for more damage. With this change, it will be even greater. Of course, this would somewhat invalidate your Weapon Finesse feat.
I wonder about your dual Kama's. The masterwork cold-iron is nice, as is the slashing damage, as is the Trip ability. Are you fighting many things with DR/slashing or DR/cold-iron. If not, I'd recommend selling at least one of them, as you only need one for your flurry (flurry, although it works LIKE two-weapon-fighting, is NOT actually two-weapon fighting. It is Flurry of Blows. You can make it with any combination of weapons available. This means you can attack with a Kama in your right hand, a Sai in your left hand, and kick with your feet for unarmed, all with the same flurry. This also means that you can make every attack in the flurry with just the Kama in your right hand). This is one thing that some GM's seem to disagree on, but as far as I've seen, this is a legal interpretation of the RAW. Check with your GM, and if he agrees, sell off one of your Kama's.
If you are concerned about your fists only doing bludgeoning damage, I suggest you look into the Hamatulatsu feat. It allows your unarmed attacks to do piercing damage, and inflict status effects (Sickened or Staggered) when you crit. It can be taken as a monk bonus feat at 6th level regardless of pre-reqs (though if you keep Weapon Focus: Unarmed, you already meet the pre-reqs anyways).
Hamatulatsu can be found HERE and is published in the Inner Sea World Guide, page 287.
There is an old version of Hamatalatsu as well, located HERE and published in the Pathfinder Chronicles: Campaign Setting, page 83. This version allows you to inflict bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing with your unarmed attacks, and increases your chance to crit with each round of combat that you change damage type (up to 16+/x2). This version can be taken as a 2nd level bonus feat, and if not, also has Intimidate as a pre-req.
The potions of Enlarge are nice (bonus to strength and bonus to your natural reach are both good boons. The reach is especially good in the role of protector: interceptor). I'd actually recommend keeping these.
Boots of Elvenkind (2500 gp) are awesome. That +5 to Acrobatics come in very handy with this type of character. Remember that making Acrobatics checks (including jump checks) are not a type of action, but done as part of another action. Thus, if you wanted to charge, and there was difficult terrain between you and your target, you can jump over the difficult terrain and still charge (if you fail to clear the difficult terrain, then you simply double move instead and cannot charge). Even for Spring Attack this is great, as you are able to keep your full movement instead of having it halved via terrain obstacles. Acrobatics also allows you to weave past your foes more easily. Should that fail, you still have Mobility, but it gives you another chance above and beyond to avoid enemy AoO’s. These boots are also way better for you than boots of Striding and Springing (which costs more; gives a +5 to Jump checks only, not all acrobatics checks; and the +10 speed does not stack with your Monk’s enhanced speed).
I'm always a fan of Rings of Sustenance (2500 gp). You no longer need to worry about food or water, and you only need 2 hours of rest per day to gain the benefits of a full nights rest (this can be huge). Though your basic Ring of Protection +1 (costs 2000 gp) is a standard for a reason (and deflection bonus' apply to normal, touch, and flat-footed AC).
Another standard is the Cloak of Resistance +1 (for only 1000 gp), though as a monk you have strong saves already.
Bracers of Armor +1 also only cost 1000 gp, but only apply to normal and flat-footed AC.
Unless you are worried about AC beyond what Bastion Stance gives you and your mobility making you hard to even get close to let alone attack, I wouldn't worry too much about these. Better to save up for something better for you and your group.
Of course, if you are fighting lots of one kind of creature, the Bane property vs them is great. That extra +2 to hit and to damage (which does multiply on crits), and +2d6 on top, for only the cost of a +1 (if on an Amulet, 5000 gp) can make a huge difference. If an AoMF: Guided is not going to work, then an AoMF: Bane may be an option (though some people will not agree with putting money into a situational bonus, even one as good as Bane).
Personally, I like Shurikens as my backup weapon. The are light, easy to conceal, and inexpensive to enchant (as they are treated as ammunition, thus the cost of enchanting is based on groups of 50). Though they are destroyed if/when you hit, and have a 50/50 chance of being lost if you miss, they can make great backups for those things you don't want to get close to.
Masterwork Shurikens cost 6.2 gp each (+1 to hit, 1d2+str damage)
+1 Undead Bane Shurikens cost 160 gp each (+2 to hit, 1d2+2+str+2d6 damage)
+1 Adamantine Construct Bane Shurikens cost 220 gp each (+2 to hit, 1d2+2+str+2d6 damage, ignored DR/adamantine, ignores up to 20 hardness)
Of course, if you really wanted to, you could sell those Kama's at half price (152 each) and trade in those potions at cost to bring your total gp up to 4000, which is the cost of a +2 stat enhancement item... but for versatility granted by the extra reach from Enlarge Person (even though they are consumable), I'd prefer the potions and a trip weapon (one Kama) for when it's needed.
(The cost of the Kama's are assuming that the doubling of the items cost due to masterwork does not double the masterwork cost. If it does in your game, then they are worth 604 gp each instead of 304 gp each).
Double check with your GM about Spring-Attacking with Bastion Stance. The RAW says "starts and ends his turn in the same space", but the Intent would seem to be that "when you don't move"... of course, it doesn't actually say that... so make sure your DM agrees with you on this.
For a completely different approach, and only if you are able to swap out Weapon Finesse, you might consider the Temple Sword (from the APG). It is a one-handed Monk weapon (monks are automatically proficient with it, and it can be used in a Flurry of Blows). Save up 8000 gp to make it a +1 Guided Temple Sword so you can use your Wisdom Modifier to attacks & damage, doing 1d8+1+wis damage, 19+/x2 crits per hit. You CAN also use it two-handed in conjunction with Power Attack to gain an extra +3 to damage per -1 to hit (though you still only add x1 str or wis to damage).
Back to feats: Weapon Focus: Unarmed may seem bland, but is in fact very good. Not only as a pre-req for some feats (unless you take them as monk bonus feats), but that +1 to hit does make a difference. However, other good feats to consider:
Combat Reflexes (being able to make more than 1 AoO a round is huge for a character like this)
Combat Patrol (for later in your career, needs Combat Reflexes first. as mentioned in an earlier post. good for those times when Spring Attacking is not viable and you really just want to defend your party. You superior movement combined with trip attacks (and potions of enlarge person for even more reach) can make this option devastating)
Ki Diversity (from the Faction Guide, page 56-7). There are a few sub-sections/abilities tied to this feat, and it can be taken as a monk bonus feat. Each time you take it, you select a different ability. This ability is added to your list of things you can do with your Ki. I personally like Dim Mak (make your Stunning Fist attacks as a Touch Attack for 1 Ki Point).
Hamatulatsu (already mentioned above).
Improved Trip (especially combined with Spring Attack. Run in, trip the enemy, run away, let your allies destroy it. If it lives, it can't charge you as it has to spend an action to get up first)
Medusa's Wrath (for later in your career. extra 2 attacks at highest attack bonus when making unarmed attacks vs Flat Footed, Stunned, or Helpless opponents... works great with Dim Mak, and also works great with Enforcer + Shatter Defenses)
If you encounter many enemies that use fear effects and intimidate, Focused Discipline (located HERE and published in the Inner Sea World Guide, page 286) is a good (circumstantial) option: +2 to saves vs fear. +2 moral bonus to attacks, CMB, and damage rolls vs any creature that tried to intimidate/fear effect you and failed.
I don't know how much changing you can do (or want to), but I am also a big fan of the Ki Mystic archetype (which you CAN take at the same time as the Sacred mountain Archetype). The extra ki points are great, but the ability to allow your companions to reroll botched attacks and saving throws will make them LOVE you (it's probably too late for such character rebuilds though).
In short (for equipment), I suggest Boots of Elvenkind (2500 gp), situational Shurikens, sell one of your Kama's (GM ruling on Flurry pending), and save the rest for future/more expensive enhancements.
Hope this gives you something to think about.
And more importantly, I hope you have fun!
^_^
~P
vow of truth only gives 1 ki/ 5 levels
