Grapple Monk Critique Needed

[CalebTGordan]

This is the very first time that I not only made a monk, but my first character that focuses on grappling. I am more experienced with fighters and rogues, and generally don't pay much attention to monks.

While I used Hero Lab to put the character together, I may have overlooked something.

I honestly don't have a plan to play this any time soon. This is just an experiment and a possible NPC. I also didn't try to optimize it too much, as the idea was just to create a fun to play grappler who could handle themselves well in a typical combat situation. A couple of the feats (like ki throw,) were taken mostly for the flavor.

I used the Tetori archetype because of the class features it provided. The half-orc race was for flavor. The character has no gear on them yet.

I am really just looking for someone to either tell me I did it right, or what needs to be changed.

The Monk:

MONKGRAPPLER CR 17
Male Half-Orc Monk (Tetori) 18
LN Medium Humanoid (Orc)
Init +2; Senses Darkvision (60 feet); Perception +23
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DEFENSE
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AC 18, touch 18, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex)
hp 129 (18d8+18)
Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +13
Defensive Abilities Evasion; Immune Diamond Body, disease, poison
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OFFENSE
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Spd 45 ft.
Melee Constrict (Graceful Grappler) +19 (/20/x2) and
Unarmed Strike +19/+14/+9 (2d8+6/20/x2)
Special Attacks Grab, Ki Strike, Adamantine, Ki Strike, Lawful, Ki Strike, Magic, Quivering Palm (1/week) (DC 21)
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STATISTICS
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Str 23, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 7
Base Atk +13; CMB +24 (+32 Grappling+26 Tripping); CMD 37 (44 vs. Grapple39 vs. Trip)

Feats Body Shield, Bonebreaker, Chokehold, Combat Expertise +/-4, Greater Grapple, Improved Grapple, Improved Ki Throw, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Jawbreaker, Ki Throw, Monk Weapon Proficiencies, Neckbreaker, Pinning Knockout, Power Attack -4/+8, Rapid Grappler, Stunning Fist (18/day) (DC 21), Stunning Pin

Skills Acrobatics +23, Heal +20, Intimidate +0, Perception +23, Sense Motive +23, Stealth +23

Languages Common, Giant, Orc

SQ AC Bonus +6, Break Free +18 (Ex), Counter-Grapple (Ex), Fast Movement (+60'), Form Lock +20 (Su), Graceful Grappler (Ex), Inescapable Grasp (Su), Ki Defense (Su), Ki Pool (Su), Maneuver Training (Ex), Orc Ferocity (1/day), Purity of Body (Ex), Still Mind (Ex), Stunning Fist (Stun, Fatigue, Sicken, Stagger, Blind, Deafen) (Ex), Unarmed Strike (2d8), Wholeness of Body (18 HP/use) (Su)

[bigkilla]

Pretty similar to one I rolled up. I took the Snapping Turtle Style for my guy.

KROJUN SNAPPING TURTLE

Spoiler:

KROJUN SNAPPING TURTLE CR 19
Male Human (Shoanti) Monk (Tetori) 20
LN Medium Outsider (Augmented Humanoid, Human)
Hero Points 1
Init +8; Senses Perception +21
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DEFENSE
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AC 22, touch 22, flat-footed 20. . (+2 shield, +2 Dex)
hp 163 (20d8+60)
Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +15
Defensive Abilities Evasion; DR 10/chaotic; Immune Diamond Body, disease, poison
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OFFENSE
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Spd 45 ft.
Melee Constrict (Graceful Grappler) +18 (/20/x2) and
. . Unarmed Strike +19/+14/+9 (2d10+3/20/x2)
Special Attacks Grab, Ki Strike, Adamantine, Ki Strike, Lawful, Ki Strike, Magic, Quivering Palm (1/week) (DC 23)
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STATISTICS
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Str 17, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 9
Base Atk +15; CMB +24 (+32 Grappling); CMD 40 (47 vs. Grapple)
Feats Bonebreaker, Chokehold, Greater Grapple, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Jawbreaker, Monk Weapon Proficiencies, Neckbreaker, Pinning Knockout, Pinning Rend, Power Attack -4/+8, Rapid Grappler, Snapping Turtle Clutch, Snapping Turtle Shell, Snapping Turtle Style +2, Stunning Fist (20/day) (DC 23), Stunning Pin, Toughness +20, Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike
Traits Bred for War (Shoanti), Reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +18, Climb +11, Escape Artist +15, Heal +15, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Geography) +5, Knowledge (History) +8, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Perception +21, Ride +10, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +10, Survival +8, Swim +11
Languages Common, Shoanti
SQ AC Bonus +8, Break Free +20 (Ex), Counter-Grapple (Ex), Fast Movement (+60'), Form Lock +23 (Su), Graceful Grappler (Ex), Hero Points (1), Inescapable Grasp (Su), Iron Body (Su), Ki Defense (Su), Ki Pool (Su), Maneuver Training (Ex), Perfect Self, Purity of Body (Ex), Still Mind (Ex), Stunning Fist (Stun, Fatigue, Sicken, Stagger, Blind, Deafen, Paralyze) (Ex), Unarmed Strike (2d10), Wholeness of Body (20 HP/use) (Su)

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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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AC Bonus +8 The Monk adds his Wisdom bonus to AC and CMD, more at higher levels.
Bonebreaker Deal Str or Dex damage when using Stunning Fist
Break Free +20 (Ex) At 5th level, a tetori adds his monk level on combat maneuver or Escape Artist checks made to escape a grapple. If a tetori fails a save against an effect that causes him to become entangled, paralyzed, slowed, or staggered, he may spend 1 point from
Chokehold May pin grappled opponent one size category larger than you
Counter-Grapple (Ex) At 4th level, a tetori wrestler may make an attack of opportunity against a creature attempting to grapple him. This ability does not allow the tetori to make an attack of opportunity against a creature with the Greater Grapple feat. At 6th level, he
Damage Reduction (10/chaotic) You have Damage Reduction against all except Chaotic attacks.
Diamond Body (Su) At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
Evasion (Ex) If you succeed at a Reflex save for half damage, you take none instead.
Fast Movement (+60') The Monk adds 10 or more feet to his base speed.
Form Lock +23 (Su) At 13th level, a tetori can negate a polymorph effect by touch with a Wisdom check, adding a bonus equal to his monk level, against a DC of 11 + the caster level of the effect (or HD of the creature, for supernatural polymorph effects). This is a sta
Grab (Medium) (Ex) You can start a grapple as a free action if you hit with the designated weapon.
Graceful Grappler (Ex) A tetori uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus to determine CMB and CMD for grappling. At 4th level, he suffers no penalties on attack rolls, can make attacks of opportunity while grappling, and retains his Dexterity bonus to AC when
Greater Grapple +2 to grapple, maintaining a grapple is a move action.
Hero Points (1) Hero Points can be spent at any time to grant a variety of bonuses.
Immunity to Disease You are immune to diseases.
Immunity to Poison You are immune to poison.
Improved Grapple You grapple at +2, with no attacks of opportunity allowed.
Improved Unarmed Strike Unarmed strikes don't cause attacks of opportunity, and can be lethal.
Inescapable Grasp (Su) At 9th level, a tetori can spend 1 point from his ki pool to suppress his opponents' freedom of movement and magical bonuses to Escape Artist or on checks to escape a grapple. At 13th level, this ability also duplicates the effect of {i
Iron Body (Su) At 19th level, as a move action, a tetori can make his tissues ultra-dense for 1 minute as the iron body spell (Core Rulebook 302) by spending 3 points from his ki pool. This ability replaces empty body.
Jawbreaker With successful Stunning Fist, you may cripple opponent's mouth
Ki Defense (Su) A monk can spend 1 point from his ki pool to give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.
Ki Pool (Su) You have a ki pool equal to 1/2 your monk level + your Wisdom modifier.
Ki Strike, Adamantine (Su) At 16th level, a monk's unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
Ki Strike, Lawful (Su) At 10th level, a monk's unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Ki Strike, Magic (Su) At 4th level, ki strike allows a monk's unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
Maneuver Training (Ex) CMB = other BABs + Monk level
Neckbreaker May deal Str or Dex damage to pinned opponent
Perfect Self You gain damage reduction 10/chaotic.
Pinning Knockout Against a pinned opponent, you may double nonlethal damage with grapple check
Pinning Rend Against pinned opponent, you may deal bleed damage with Grapple check
Power Attack -4/+8 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Purity of Body (Ex) At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Quivering Palm (1/week) (DC 23) (Su) Once a week, make an attack that can kill with your thought.
Rapid Grappler Spend a swift action to make a combat maneuver check to grapple while using Greater Grapple
Snapping Turtle Clutch Your shield bonus applies to your CMD and touch AC
Snapping Turtle Shell AC bonus increases by 2, and opponents receive -4 on critical confirmations
Snapping Turtle Style +2 Gain +1 shield bonus to AC when at least one hand is free
Still Mind (Ex) +2 to saves against enchantment spells and effects.
Stunning Fist (20/day) (DC 23) You can stun an opponent with an unarmed attack.
Stunning Fist (Stun, Fatigue, Sicken, Stagger, Blind, Deafen, Paralyze) (Ex) At 1st level, the monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the monk gains the ability to apply a new condition to the target of his Stunning Fist. This conditio
Stunning Pin Use Stunning Fist against pinned opponents
Unarmed Strike (2d10) The Monk does lethal damage with his unarmed strikes.
Wholeness of Body (20 HP/use) (Su) Self-heal monk level in damage for 2 Ki points.

[CalebTGordan]

bigkilla wrote:

Pretty similar to one I rolled up. I took the Snapping Turtle Style for my guy.

KROJUN SNAPPING TURTLE

Wait, is that THE Krojun from Curse of the Crimson Throne?

[CalebTGordan]

Should a grapple style monk even have manufactured weapon?

[bigkilla]

CalebTGordan wrote:

bigkilla wrote:

Pretty similar to one I rolled up. I took the Snapping Turtle Style for my guy.

KROJUN SNAPPING TURTLE

Wait, is that THE Krojun from Curse of the Crimson Throne?

I didn't know there was a Krojun in CotCT.

CalebTGordan wrote:

Should a grapple style monk even have manufactured weapon?

It wouldn't hurt at lower levels so he could possible do some attacks that could bypass DR, but by higher levels I do not see a reason to.

[Mike Schneider]

Caleb, what level is your game likely going to be at?

(What's awesome at 20th may be worthless at 8th.)

[CalebTGordan]

Mike Schneider wrote:

Caleb, what level is your game likely going to be at?

(What's awesome at 20th may be worthless at 8th.)

If I do end up playing this monk, I would start at 1st and move on up the levels. I picked 18th level because most APs don't go past 18th.

If he were to be an NPC, I could easily scale him back to the level I need.

Maybe I should work on a table to show what feats would be taken at what level.

[posternutbag]

Just taking a look at CR 17-18 monsters, most of them have a CMD in the high 40s. With a Grapple CMB of 32, you will have to roll very well (likely a 15+) to grapple CR level equivalent creatures.

To put it another way, you will probably not be very successful at grappling most of the big bads you face. Sure, you can always grapple the mooks, but I don't know how fulfilling that will be for you.

I try to tell my players that they should shoot for a slightly better than 50/50 chance in succeeding against level equivalent CRs in their area of expertise. Spellcasters should have a better than 50/50 chance of punching through the Spell Resistance of CR level appropriate monsters. Rogues should have a better than 50/50 chance of picking CR level appropriate locks and disarming CR level appropriate traps. And so on.

A good rule of thumb is that at every level, you should have a better than 50/50 chance of grappling most of the monsters at an equivalent CR.

Simply put, if you want to focus on grappling, focus on boosting Strength. I know that there haven't been primary attributes since first edition, but the concept is still valid. Your primary attribute is Strength, and yours needs to be higher. I would shoot for a starting Strength of 18 with your racial bonus raising it to 20. You haven't posted gear, but you should be inverting in Strength boosting items early and often.

[Mike Schneider]

With the Agile Maneuvers feat, a DEX-based character can easily be a grapple-machine.

[Argus The Slayer]

I'd recommend blending in 7 levels of Lore Warden, for the bonus feats and the +4 bonus to CMB and CMD.