Looking for feedback - Hungry Ghost Monk crit / reach build.

[MightyK]

I am planing a Monk for our new home-brew campaign and I wonder if you think this concept would work "reasonably well" (I know some people think monks are weak no matter what).
(cross post from reddit /r/pathfinder_rpg)

I love the flavor of the Hungry Ghost Monk(HGM) and think it can be quite good with a 19-20 crit weapon.

HGM gets punishing kick (PK) instead of stunning fist, and I think the most interesting bit about it is to me that foes get no save against the 5 feet push.
They only get one if you try to kick them prone.

We start at level 4, but I think he would be fun from lvl 1.

STR focus, with 25pt buy probably 19 14 13 8 16 7 (human)

Now my Idea is this:

lvl 1: unarmed fighter for all monk weapons, BAB1@lvl1, dragon stlye feat (useful with weapon (movement) and PK (1.5 STR))
power attack, weapon focus

lvl 2: Qigong HGM, dodge monk bonus feat, PK

lvl 3: Quick draw, combat reflexes monk nonus feat, evasion

lvl 4: Maneuver Training (Maneuver @full BAB)

I have a Sansetsukon (1d10 - 19–20/×2, monk) for damage and crits
and a Kusarigama (sickle and chain) (1d6 - ×2, reach, trip, monk) for reach.

I would begin battle by getting into position, delaying an attack or later buffing me with barkskin and drawing the Kusarigama.
I have 3 AOOs for approaching enemies and would use those for trip attemps.

The next round(s) depend on the situation, but the possibilites are

a) flurry with reach if none came through, step 5' back so they draw AOOs again.
b) 5'step, draw Sansetsukon and flurry agains a prone target for good damage
c) flurry - PK an adjacent foe away with first attack, if it hits continue with reach flurry, step 5' back afterwards. If PK did not hit continue with unarmed OR (if allowed) draw Sansetsukon (can you use a free action in the middle of a full action?) and continue flurry with it.

For quickdraw to work as a free action I would have to drop the Kusarigama to draw the Sansetsukon, so no easy going back to reach at that point. Of course PK can than be used to kick prone. Even if they make the save, the damage hits and should be ok with Dragon Style.

The trait Martial Manuscript gives +2 crit confirm with monk weapons, that should help with the hungry ghost aspects later on.

Now, my questions are:

- Can you use a free action (or 2) in the middle of a full action? (drop and quick draw a weapon)
- Am I overthinking this and missing something vital?
- Am I spreading myself to thin with 2 weapons regarding enhancements, so that one of the two will be worthless later on?

- Any must have feats? I thought about later getting Improved Trip (monk bonus), imp. Initiative or Toughness, maybe Lunge?, Improved Critical(monk bonus)
Critical Focus, Staggering Critical and Medusa's Wrath?
or the Dimensional Agility chain with Dimensional Assault and Dimensional Dervish?
(Allowed Materials: anything Paizo)

Tl;dr: ... hungry ghost crit/reach build with 2 weapons -> Nice? Fail? any suggestions?

[Kysune]

A) Unless you're starting at 10ft range you're not going to be able to do that. At 15ft you're spending your 5ft step to get into flurry range, anything further than that you won't get to flurry. Only way that'll happen is if they also have a reach weapon to attack you with, otherwise they'd charge or double move to base you.

B) Definitely an option, just remember that PK'ing to prone a target requires a Fort save which Constructs and other certain creatures are immune to. Fort saves are also usually the hardest to pull off but it's definitely possible. If you're fighting something with a strong full-attack you're better off with the auto 5ft push so you can 5ft back to get out of FA range.

C) Most all GM's I know would let you free action drop a weapon and free action pull out one, in PFS that's a bit iffy in the middle of a flurry. At best you'll have table variance. If not in PFS then speak with your GM beforehand.

You're going to be investing in 2 weapons doing that method though so you're eating up more money than someone that depends solely on a 5ft or 10ft range weapon. Just an FYI. If you're taking Dragon Style you may as well use Unarmed Strikes as that + Dragon Ferocity gives your 1st attack x2 str dmg bonus with 1.5x str bonus on all other hits. Your unarmed strike damage will match the Sansetsukon (losing out on the crit range though) by 8th level.

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Questions:
1) That's iffy, really depends on your GM and if you're playing under multiple GM's (PFS) then I wouldn't count on it. If your in a homegame then ask your GM beforehand.

2) HG Monk is pretty good, Proning casters and rogues is great, 5ft pushback works great to disengage but if you 5ft push early then you better have a good reach weapon. I personally don't think the Kasurigami is one of them though.

3) I personally think you are. As you're wanting reach my suggestion is 1 dip in Crusader Cleric at 3rd level (bet you didn't see that coming) and a Deity that has a favored reach weapon....or stick with the Kasurigama, even though its damage isn't the greatest.

4) Initiative isn't mandatory since you're not casting spells. I personally like Deflect Arrows (as you can 1hand a weapon before engaging to deflect arrows while you close in). Medusa's Wrath is great but you got rid of Stunning Fist. Prone does not = Flat Footed, you'll need a way to cause one of the other status effects to get MW off. You're also losing out on some of the benefit from Dragon Ferocity if you so choose to take it (If Stunning Fist hits they become shaken).

Toughness is always great. Lunge could be decent, I'd say go for it if you have at least 1-2 dedicated frontliners besides yourself so you can hide behind them.

If you're going into high levels (13 and beyond) go for the Demensional Dervish feat chain.

Improved Trip is decent if you're using a reach weapon that allows it. It's not a bad choice to get as one of the Monk's bonus feats.

Final Thoughts: You're much better off going with a high crit range weapon and focus on it solely. Katana, Rapier, Kukri, Falcata, Falchion, Scimitar are all great choices if you can find a deity that has it as a favored weapon. Hungry Ghost thrives on crits.

Like I mentioned before I was thinking of a HG/Qinggong Monk of Shizuru with a Katana. With it being keen thats 15-20crit range, crits for days with flurrying. You also qualify to put that katana in a Scabbard of Vigor (why stop at 1? Buy 2-3) which completely meshes with Quick Draw. 1rnd of +4atk/+4dmg or 3rnds of +3atk/+3dmg once per a day. With 3 of those on you that should take care of most fights that occur within a day. It's obviously not a reach build but I'm trying to keep my suggestion in line with staying HG and having a high crit range. There's really not any good flurry'able reach weapon with high crit range.

[MightyK]

Kysune wrote:

A) Unless you're starting at 10ft range you're not going to be able to do that. At 15ft you're spending your 5ft step to get into flurry range, anything further than that you won't get to flurry. Only way that'll happen is if they also have a reach weapon to attack you with, otherwise they'd charge or double move to base you.

B) Definitely an option, just remember that PK'ing to prone a target requires a Fort save which Constructs and other certain creatures are immune to. Fort saves are also usually the hardest to pull off but it's definitely possible. If you're fighting something with a strong full-attack you're better off with the auto 5ft push so you can 5ft back to get out of FA range.

I meant a) if they did not come through because i tripped them with my AOO and b) if I did trip them with the AOO trip attack.

thanks for the input!