Building a Monk for S&S

[Goblin13]

Hi everybody !
Not sure if it's the right corner of this forum for this but here's the topic :

For an upcoming adventure we will play a Pirate-Themed Adventure Path and after some discussion with my fellow players I'll be our other melee on board ( my pals will be a Barbarian, an Alchemist, a Bard and an Oracle )

After reading of ship to ship combat I would like to play a Monk, so I will be able to High ( or better Far ) Jump to reaching the enemy with a Flying Kick of Badassitude !

So ... How I should build it ?

[Skull]

We might need a bit more info first.

What books are allowed?
point buy (how much?) or rolling for stats?
Which races are allowed?

:P

[Goblin13]

Ah right, sorry xD !
20 points buy, all Paizo Books
AFAIK races that makes sense for the setting !

[Arachnofiend]

The Barbarian is going to out-smash you regardless of how hard you optimize for damage, so I'd recommend going a different route. A maneuver expert going Underfoot Adept (human via racial heritage: halfling) or Tetori would be a good choice.

[Goblin13]

Yeah going full damage wasn't on top of my list, I'll trust the Barb on that ! Uhm Underfoot seems great ( I always loved to use Acrobatics that way since we house-ruled that if you beat the DMC to cross the threatened area you get to Sneak Attack for 1 strike after the jump ), but he lose High Jump :( !

[Arassuil]

This was an Urban Barbarian/Martial Artist Monk I came up with for Pathfinder Society that has worked out pretty well so far (currently level 4). Although since posting that, I decided to switch Dodge for Improved Grapple; so far grappling has been pretty useful, even if it's not a focus for this character.

It may or may not be what you are looking for.

[Cornielius]

Ninja has these abilities available:

Acrobatic Master (Su): As a swift action, a ninja with this trick can focus her ki to grant her a +20 bonus on one Acrobatics check of her choice made before the start of her next turn. Using this ability expends 1 ki point from her ki pool.

High Jumper (Ex): When a ninja with this trick makes a high jump, the DC for that jump is half the normal DC. The ninja must have the acrobatic master trick before taking this talent.

So you could have a high jumping ninja, instead of a monk.

Edit: and here's a rogue talent to add on:

Expert Leaper (Ex): When making jump checks, the rogue is always considered to have a running start. Also, when the rogue deliberately falls, a DC 15 Acrobatics check allows her to ignore the first 20 feet fallen, instead of the first 10 feet.

[Goblin13]

Half the DC on Jumps is good .. and the monk doesn't get it .. some way to get it anyway ?

Side-Question = if I grapple then when I can move the taget can i jump as part of the movement ?

[Skull]

Keep in mind that the ninja's high jump ability is for vertical jumps only. The ones where the DC is usually 4 times the distance.

What you most likely want to do is jump horizontal distances. Which the monk wins hands down, with his high jump ability. Remember you also get a +4 bonus per 10 feet you move faster than 30feet.

The ninja could run across the water to the other ship as a double move with the light step ability...

Really depends for what you are going for.

[Goblin13]

Jumping very far is what I seek, and so monk is the way .. At last I think I'll going for a Bull Rush/Trip build, and thematically a sort of ex-monk : while the Underfoot Adept is a solid choice it loses High Jump :( my combination is at the moment Master of Many Styles ( Janni and Tiger for kicking opponents away and overboard )and Drunken Master ( because Pirates ! ). With Janni Tempest and Tiger Claws my full attack is going to be a single powerful attack and a bullrush with a +6 Bonus on top of my CMB .. Later with MoMS i'll add Monkey for more Acrobatics and Drunken Action !

Toughts ? Later I'll try to post a build sample

[Mergy]

I would actually suggest urban barbarian. I know you have a barbarian already, but a half-elf urban barbarian with a Dexterity focus would be a very different spin, and would definitely be an amazing jumper with the help of rage powers like Raging Leaper (and maybe Raging Flier from the Advanced Class Guide).

Let me know what you think of this. Advantages: full BAB, and some great physical ability. Disadvantages, no Improved Unarmed Strike, and dependent on a single type of weapon.
A quick level 5 sample with full Wealth by Level and 15 point buy:

Half-elf urban barbarian (in controlled rage)
N Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +7; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11

DEFENCE

AC 21, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+5 armour, +6 Dex); +1 vs. traps
hp 48 (5d12+10)
Fort +7, Ref +9 (+10 vs. traps), Will +3 (+5 vs. enchantments)
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge; Immune sleep

OFFENCE

Speed 40 ft.
Melee +1 elven curve blade +14 (1d10+8/18-20)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +13 (1d8+1/x3)
Special Attacks controlled rage, rage 14 rounds/day

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 24, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 23
Feats Slashing Grace (Elven Curve Blade), Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Elven Curve Blade, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Elven Curve Blade)
Skills Acrobatics +15 (+24 to jump), Climb +7, Knowledge (local) +4, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Perception +11, Profession (sailor) +7, Swim +6
Languages Common, Elven
SQ crowd control, rage powers (Raging Leaper, Swift Foot)
Gear +1 elven curve blade, +1 mithral chain shirt, alchemist's fire (5), backpack, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, mwk composite longbow (Str +1) [20 arrows], potions [cure moderate wounds, jump, touch of the sea], rope (50 ft.) and grappling hook, 15 gp

Build:

Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Alternate Racial Traits: Ancestral Arms
Favoured Class Bonus: +1 ft. to land speed/level

1 Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Elven Curve Blade, Weapon Finesse
2 Raging Leaper
3 Weapon Focus (Elven Curve Blade)
4 Swift Foot, Dex +1
5 Slashing Grace (Elven Curve Blade)

Skills
5 Acrobatics
3 Climb
1 Knowledge (local)
1 Knowledge (nobility)
5 Perception
3 Profession (sailor)
2 Swim

Wealth Spent (10,500 gp):

2,380 +1 elven curve blade
4,000 belt of incredible dexterity +2
2,100 +1 mithral chain shirt
1,000 cloak of resistance +1
500 mwk composite longbow (Str +1)
1 arrows (20)
300 potion of cure moderate wounds
50 potion of touch of the sea
50 potion of jump
100 alchemist's fire (5)
2 backpack
1 hemp rope (50 ft.)
1 grappling hook
15 gp remains

I'm pretty sure that's competitive with monk jumping, while still being able to fight pretty well. It's very different from the average barbarian, so you shouldn't be necessarily stepping on your party member's toes.

[Arassuil]

Mergy: A problem with that build is Slashing Grace requires a one-handed weapon if I remember correctly, while the Elven Curve Blade is two-handed.

[Mergy]

Oops, good call. It would have to be an Aldorei dueling sword then. Sadness. :)

[Skull]

I still support the monk idea. Just thinking of ki throw. Always fight close to the side of the ship. Trip people over the edge... :)

Had my highest level monk in PFS end a mini boss fight on my first round. Ran up to the mini boss, ki throw him off the side of the bridge. Stand and watch the guy drown...

[Goblin13]

That urban Barbarian build is good, but the other player and my GM is against a double class in the party, mainly because I'm the veteran and he is the new one, so It will end up with him looking up to my character .. And even with that I cannot Jump very far xD !

Ki Throw is nice, with Underfoot Adept it gets scarier !