Ok, just for chuckles I'd like to get the communities input on this. For several years now I've been toying around with the idea of creating a gnomish monk. It started out as a bit of a joke between myself and the group I play with but now I am seriously considering it. Why you ask? Well because I think it would be both amusing in terms of role play and in the visual of a 3' tall gnome flying in for the karate chop is just too tempting to pass up.
I understand the size of a gnome will prove problematic in terms of game balance. Also the slower movement speed would negatively impact one of the defining features of the monk class. I'd like to play this character nonetheless. I don't want to be too under powered just for the sake of role play. So how would YOU build this character? No need to go higher than level 12 or so since we rarely make it beyond that.
Oh, we roll for stats but for simplicity sake lets say its a 20 point buy with Core, APG, and any book with the word Ultimate in it.
It's not really difficult to build one like that. You pasically have to make sure you have a str of 13 in the end so you can take power attack.
Something quite nice for you compared to a stock human/half-elf/half-orc is that you qualify for arcane strike which allows you to increase your damage further. You have to forgo the swift action ki point for that in the round, but it's nice for all weapons - unarmed strikes included - and scales with your level.
Since charisma is boosted by +2 you could easily get a 13 to qualify for eldritch heritage. If you add another 2 - costing you only 3 PBS points in total after all - you could take improved eldritch heritage, e.g. for the draconic resistances or other nice powers.
Or you could go for an archetype that has no flurry, forgo the AC bonus, wear armor and just benefit from the monk's defensive package, abilities and bonus feats.
And if you think a small gnome monk is ridiculous, just think of Yoda ;-P
Maneuver master using agile maneuvers. Focus on steal and dirty trick.
Approach on rd one and poke him in the eyes to blind. Then next round kick him in the nuts to sicken him then box his ears to deafen him. On the third rd steal something from him and move into flurry range of the next foe
Hmm? Lockdown Sensei build?
Take the Zen Koan feat, and the Sensei/Drunken Master archetype. Prioritize Wis and Con. When you can get fast drinker. Beef up your bluff score like crazy.
Then start locking down enemies that can't beat your bluff check. Ever see a wizard that can't cast spells for a round? No? Thats because they are all dead!
Also, while you're at it, buff your teammates.
prototype00
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I wrote up a gnome monk for a game I started recently. My first level stats were: s14 d14 c14 i8 w14 ch16 (it was a 25pb game, you could drop the cha to 12 for a 20pb). My plan was 2 levels of paladin and the rest monk.
The slow speed isn't really a penalty, everyone else gets by just fine with speed 30 and it only takes level3 to get you there, everything beyond that is just a bonus. The big downside is the -2 str and reduced unarmed damage. I'd use weapons instead of going unarmed. You could go 1 level of cleric, or 4 levels of paladin for the crusaders flurry feat and use your flurry of blows with a great sword. But that might be getting too far away from your character concept.
If I was going straight monk, I'd go for monkey style, it just seems appropriate (and fun) for a gnome. I would'nt go the finesse route unless that was part of the personality I wanted for the character. Better to just deal with the -2str and not waste all the feats needed to make it dex based imo.
I'm playing a gnome monk, though it's a gestalt campaign. As mentioned, Bewildering Koan is key. Take a dip in in Heretic Inquisitor of Heresy, and Bluff becomes a Wisdom based skill that you get to add your Wisdom to.
I took Hungry Ghost to recharge ki with fireballs, but you don't have that option in non-gestalt.
You could do Drunken Master, assuming there is no penalty for non-stop drinking in your games (the standard penalty only kicks in after you've had more than 1 + 2*con mod drinks, then you become sickened), though some home games might have other rules for binge drinking.
There are some good ideas in here, but I wanted to give one as a counter to that. Does it have to be a gnome? The description you gave for why you want to play it would fit the Halfling as well as the Gnome. And the Halfling has the benefit of a fun little archetype in the ARG (if allowed), the Underfoot Adept. Focused on tripping, this little guy eventually can fell giants.
It doesn't have to be a gnome. I've just never played a gnome before. In our current campaign I play the party tank as a halfling warrior. As far as role play goes he is a bit psychotic. He'd think nothing of jumping off a tower onto the back of a flying enemy. It's kinda funny.
I'm liking these ideas though. I'm sure the dm won't allow the apg rules but I can ask. Tripping would be hysterical.
Thanks for the tips.
Gnome monks are fun. At the moment I'm playing a gnome martial artist/rime-blooded sorcerer. Main stats are DEX and CHA. He's about as optimized as my sock drawer (which is to say, not at all), but he more than makes up for the racial reduction in damage and speed with the ability to apply nasty conditions left and right. Sorcerous Strike is also a huge help at low levels, in making up for his itty-bitty unarmed damage.
Consider taking the Enforcer feat as well, and maxing Intimidate. Gnomes take the -4 size penalty to Intimidate, of course, but being able to flurry Stunning Fist and potentially apply Shaken (or Fear) in the same round is nice. Rime-blooded (Boreal Bloodline variant) gives you a single target slow effect as a cantrip, with Freezing Ray.
Also advised is weapon finesse, and dumping points in stealth. You don't really need to be able to hit them all that hard if they don't see you coming, and then can't do anything but drool while your buddies come up afterwards and chop them into pieces.
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Ok, just for chuckles I'd like to get the communities input on this. For several years now I've been toying around with the idea of creating a gnomish monk. It started out as a bit of a joke between myself and the group I play with but now I am seriously considering it. Why you ask? Well because I think it would be both amusing in terms of role play and in the visual of a 3' tall gnome flying in for the karate chop is just too tempting to pass up.
I understand the size of a gnome will prove problematic in terms of game balance. Also the slower movement speed would negatively impact one of the defining features of the monk class. I'd like to play this character nonetheless. I don't want to be too under powered just for the sake of role play. So how would YOU build this character? No need to go higher than level 12 or so since we rarely make it beyond that.
To make it even more fun and hilarious, become a Tetori Monk, so you can grapple any size creature, multiples ones, and pin them. It makes no sense, but it's legit RAW.
A grappling gnome monk huh? Now THAT would be amusing. I'm going to have to look this Tetori monk up.
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It works well with agile maneuvers after 4th level, but before then your Dex drops when you are grappling, dropping your CMB bonus while you are grappling, which hurts.
Edit: Also, and worse, is that as a grapple-focused build you NEED to get constrict into your build if you ever want to do damage in addition to control. As a small-size grappler, you can only constrict opponents your size or smaller at most, which robs you of almost all your potential damage output. You can be effective at pinning and tying up foes for a coup de grace, but you won't be good at bringing down HPs while doing it, which is something medium sized races can do easily.
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There isn't a grapple size limit, but there is a constrict size limit. Constrict is incredible useful because it lets you apply damage on any grapple check, but only if they are less than your size, or your size with Final Embrace.
Focus on AC. Make the character an evasion monk. Take the Vow of Poverty and Peace, and make him/her almost impossible to hit. Combine Improved grapple with fast movement and one could be quite proficient at crowd control.
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I don't think the op still cares now that it's almost three years later. I would like to say for anyone still reading this thread, all of my advice that was correct when posted is now illegal due to rules changes. SLAs no longer allow archance strike, and pcs are unable to get final embrace thanks to requirement changes.
I don't think the op still cares now that it's almost three years later. I would like to say for anyone still reading this thread, all of my advice that was correct when posted is now illegal due to rules changes. SLAs no longer allow archance strike, and pcs are unable to get final embrace thanks to requirement changes.
Yeah thanks for the update. I was wondering.
Can Produce Flame still work well with Unarmed Strikes and Flurry of Blows?
You don't have to hit anyone with it but a Battle Ladder enchanted as a Quarterstaff of Vaulting is dam fun to play with. You can just use kicks or elbows for your unarmed strikes