First PFS character advice: Tetori Monk

[Choon]

I'm getting ready to roll up my first PFS character, a Tetori monk.
This will also be my first monk build in general, so any advice in more than welcome. I'm not even decided if STR or DEX is better for a grappler, only that I really want to build an effective one.

I did search up a couple threads that mentioned using monk as a Druid dip and taking advantage of Wildshape to make yourself a massive mauling bear/tiger/whatever. I like the idea, but I'm not sure on viability for PFS.

Thoughts/Advice/Builds/critiques/anything else all welcome

[Rathyr]

I'd go Str, Dex is another feat tax you cant really afford to pay.

Snapping Turtle Style for your first 3 feats (at least the first 2, the third one isn't required). Done!

I can't comment on dipping, because I don't really bother with it.

[Choon]

Thanks for the tip. :)

[HowlingWolf]

Since pfs stops around level 12, multiclassing is harder to pull off. You end up waiting until the end of your career for the build to come together. Multiclassing ends up delaying the goodies of each class while only giving you low level abilities of another class.

[Choon]

wow, that early? Well, thanks for that bit of info. I guess it's pure monk then.

[HowlingWolf]

Not sure if it tops at level 12, but is close to that. There might be special scenarios to go up another level or two.

Multiclassing can work, but it can be trickier. Most people in pfs I have talked avoid it...same with prestige classes.

[Mergy]

Just one thing to say: make sure you have a legal copy of Ultimate Combat. One of the requirements of playing something that doesn't have all of its information in the CRB is that you bring your material.

Luckily, the PDF is a cheap $9.99, and you would only have to print out the relevant pages, as long as they're watermarked with your name.

Anyway, onto monk tips!

For stats, I would suggest Strength > Constitution = Wisdom > Dexterity > Intellect > Charisma. Of course, it's up to you if you want to have a character who has more skills or is better at talking to others.

I would avoid multiclassing with this build, as you get a lot of your powers by just staying in it. Grapple builds can be awesome in PFS, where a lot of your enemies tend to be humanoid and very grappleable. What race were you considering?

[Choon]

I couldn't find a race with a favored class bonus to grappling so I was thinking dwarf. +2 con/wis seems nice.

[Rathyr]

I'd say Wis/Dex are more important than Con to a grappler. Need to be able to hold onto your targets. Str > Wis/Dex > Con > Cha/Int

Half Orcs have a pretty good favored class ability (not sure if "resisting a grapple" includes enemies making CMB checks against your CMD to escape while in a grapple... but 1/2 a stunning fist is pretty handy), and have some nice alternate racial features.

Not sure if they are PFS legal, but Oread are Str/Wis with -Cha.

EDIT: Unlike trip, grapple has no size or body/limb restriction. You can grapple a god if you are feeling up to it, just beat its CMD.

[Choon]

No, I'm pretty sure it does have a size limit as one of the Tetori abilities lets you grapple things larger than yourself for a Ki cost.

[MacGurcules]

Nope. No size limits for a standard grapple. The Tetori does get a custom form of the Grab special attack, though. Ordinarily Grab is limited by size, but the Tetori can bypass that by spending extra Ki.

But you can run up and try to start a grapple the regular way on any size creature you want. It's just that bigger creatures get bonuses to their CMD that might be hard to overcome.

[Lamontius]

Biggest piece of advice:

Please, please please understand front-and-back-up-and-down the full grapple rules.

Nothing will kill a PFS game faster than having to look up every single reactive item that comes from grappling. Your GM and the other players will thank you when the game doesn't go over the time limit because of having to consult the grapple rules 49285822 times during the session.

[Choon]

Oh, I plan to. One of my pet peeves is stopping to look up rules. I plan to have a copy with me, just in case.

[Alejandro Acosta]

heres a grapple flowchart from pfsrd.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Grapple

[Choon]

MacGurcules wrote:

Nope. No size limits for a standard grapple. The Tetori does get a custom form of the Grab special attack, though. Ordinarily Grab is limited by size, but the Tetori can bypass that by spending extra Ki.

But you can run up and try to start a grapple the regular way on any size creature you want. It's just that bigger creatures get bonuses to their CMD that might be hard to overcome.

Ahh, thanks for that clarification.

[Rathyr]

Make sure DMs are aware of the grappled and pinned conditions (ie. spellcasting restrictions, enemy can only attack you with a 1h weapon, when pinned they cant even attack you). Drawing a new weapon is a move action, so no full attack for the baddies if they dont have the right weapon equipped!