| Hubris |
So, I'm looking to play at a PFS game with a friend of mine, and we decided to work as a team. I had an idea for a flowing monk, and he wanted to play a dpr machine fighter. So... Here I am. I think I've got it down, I just wanted to see what the people of the advice forum think, as well as get suggestions for starting equipment.
L/G Human Flowing Quinggong Monk 1 (CR 1/2)
Strength 10,
Dexterity 16,
Constitution 12,
Intelligence 13,
Wisdom 16 (14+2 Racial),
Charisma 10
Feats:
(H) Dodge,
(1) Agile Maneuvers,
(B) Improved Reposition
(3) Weapon Finesse,
(5) Combat Expertise,
(6) Sidestep, (?)
(7) ????
(9) greater reposition,
(10)Repositioning Strike, (?)
(11)????
I trade out my second level bonus feat for unbalancing counter, but it seems like it's worth it. However, it may pay off to have improved and greater trip, simply so that I can knock somebody down and unbalance them when they try to stand up.
As far as class abilities go, I will be trading out slow fall for barkskin, but I'm not sure there's anything else that looks too good for me to pass up. I know I'll be trading out diamond body for a flowing monk ability, so that's out.
The goal is to step up in front of an enemy or group of enemies, and tempt one to charge me. Then, as an immediate action, I will use a reposition to place that foe behind me-- where my friend will be waiting with a massive power attack and flanking.
I'll be trying to bump AC as much as possible, so future equipment will most likely include:
Headbands of wisdom,
Belts of Dexterity,
Rings of Deflection,
Cloaks of Resistance,
Agile/Guided Amulets of Mighty Fists.
Which amulet I buy will be dependent on whether I decide to focus more on wisdom or dex, although wisdom seems like a good idea to me.
At low levels, I won't be worried too much about damage output. That's what my friend is there for. I would, however, like to be useful at feeding him things to kill, so please keep that in mind. I most likely won't be flurrying very much at all, which is fine by me.
Thanks in advance,
Hubris
| Rathyr |
Personally, I think Flowing Monk's strengths are in the fact that they drop Stunning Fist (so unreliable) for an immediate action Trip (that also sickens) and the fact that their AoO make opponents flat footed. They also get Improved Trip at level 1 with no pre-reqs.
-Focus on Trip OR Re-position. I'd advise trip because of Vicious Stomp.
-Attack Finesse applies to CMB for Sunder, Disarm and Trip, so no need for Agile Maneuvers, providing you aren't using Re-position.
-Don't even both with Greater Trip or Re-position. Now you can drop your Int to 10 (or 8, if you want), and it frees up Combat Expertise.
-I'd drop Cha to 7, but that's just because its the mechanically best option. If your int is dropped to 10 as well, that gives you a lot of point to put into Dex, Wis or Con (or Strength for more damage)
-Combat Reflexes is a must for Flowing Monk. Everytime you knock someone prone, you should be getting at least two AoO (one from Vicious Stomp, one when they stand up). Every time you hit with an AoO, you also can make them flatfooted, which makes them easier to hit for everyone else.
- Flowing Monk combines with Monk of the Sacred Mountain. Gives you a nice defensive buff (natural armor, toughness, more defenses/immune to forced movement if you stand still for a turn). It's actually one of my favourite combos.
Basically, if you can Prone and Flatfoot an opponent... your ally will have a MASSIVE increase to hit them in melee, way more than reposition will give you.
L/G Human Flowing Monk of the Sacred Mountain 1 (CR 1/2)
Strength 10,
Dexterity 18 (16+2),
Constitution 14,
Intelligence 10,
Wisdom 16,
Charisma 7
Feats:
(B) Toughness
(H) Vicious Stomp,
(1) Weapon Finesse,
(B) Improved Trip
(3) Combat Reflexes,
(5) Snake Style
(6) Dodge,
(7) Snake Sidewind
(9) Snake Fang
(10) Improved Reposition
More life, higher defenses, multiple sources of AoO (Snake Fang + Trip/Stomp). Just be careful with Unbalancing Counter and Snake Style, as both use immediates. At level 10, you can trip AND resposition with one Unbalancing Counter, so thats pretty amusing.
| Hubris |
Thanks. That makes a lot of sense.
I'll mull it over and run it by my friend as well, although I'll probably keep charisma at ten just because it's nice to not have any penalties.
Neither of us is playing what could exactly be called a charisma bomb, so I've invested a trait into ease of faith and intended to add some ranks to diplomacy.