Have a player making a half-elf ZAM, & we're down to the last trait selection. First, the character so far:
Half-elf monk 1, Zen Archer archetype
LN (Irori)
STR 12
DEX 14
CON 13
INT 10
WIS 18
CHA 10
Feats:
Skill Focus: Perception (racial)
Improved Unarmed Strike (monk)
Perfect Strike (monk)
Precise Shot (monk bonus)
Eleven Accuracy (lvl 1 general)
Gear
Shortbow, 20 cold iron arrows, dagger, monk robes, bedroll, sack, bar of soap, 7sp, 9cp
Trait:
Failed Apprentice (racial): +1 trait bonus to saves against arcane spells
As a child, your parents sent you to a distant wizard's tower as an apprentice so that you could learn the arcane arts. Unfortunately, you had no arcane talent whatsoever, though you did learn a great deal about the workings of spells and how to resist them.
Background
Due to her mixed heritage, the pc never felt like she belonged anywhere - except at the monastery near the edge of town. The monks treated her like she was no different from anyone else when she came to visit. She loved spending time watching the monks practice and meditate.
However, her parents sent her off to learn the arcane arts - of which she had absolutely no talent for. Returning home in shame, she started spending more and more time at the monastery, helping with chores and imitating the monk's meditations and martial arts training. In time, the monk's began instructing her, refining and improving her techniques, and soon she was one of their best students.
Although capable in the martial arts, she found her calling the first time she picked up a bow (the monastery had monk's from multiple disciplines, including zen archery). Her martial training from that point shifted to zen archery, until it was decided she was ready to go out and experience life in the world.
So, at this point, we have one more trait to select. Our final choices are below. A couple points of note; the rest of the group consists of a human ninja (striker), a halfling bard (party face/support), a human inquisitor of Shelyn (reach build), an elven wizard (mix god/blockbuster build) and a catfolk barbarian (BSF, alternate house-rule for more lion-like build). Also, we'll be running the RotRL adventure path.
Second trait options:
Life of Toil (social): +1 Fortitude saves. You have lived a physically taxing life, working long hours for a master or to support a trade. Hard physical labor has toughened your body and mind.
Ambush Training (combat): +1 initiative, and +1 to weapon damage rolls in surprise round in which you act. You've learned that taking an enemy by surprise can end a combat before it begins.
Caretaker (faith): +1 Heal checks, class skill. As the child of an herbalist or an assistant in a temple infirmary, you often had to assist in tending to the sick and wounded.
Martial Manuscript (faith): +2 confirm crit hits with monk weapons, unarmed strikes and (house-rule) long/short bows. You either carry or have memorized a sacred text from your school, temple, or monastery, and its wisdom gives you insight that makes your attacks more devastating.
* Caretaker is appealing because we are limited on our healing options, with only a bard & an inquisitor in the party.
We are looking for a trait that will give a good balance of utility and flavor - we're not really huge on optimization, but we do like to be capable. Advice/thoughts on these options, as well as any traits we may have overlooked is very much appreciated. Please include reasoning for why you support a particular trait.
Thanks!
Polite bump, because the player is coming by tonight to try to finish the character...
I like Elven Reflexes for the +2 to initiative.
If I had to choose among the listed choices, I'd probably pick Ambush Training. Martial Manuscript is a little interesting with your houserule, but it's hard to beat higher initiative.
Signature Moves seems pretty cool. Can afford a masterwork composite longbow or shortbow (why shortbow?) with +1 Str bonus (or higher if not set on those stats) and darkwood if the strength modifer stays low.
I thought about suggesting Elven Reflexes, because there's always the 'you can never have too much initiative' thing, but I've been wondering if it's as important for the monk as for, say, the wizard laying down battlefield control spells.
Ambush Training follows a similar line, but the bonus on surprise round damage could come in handy...
Part of my concern with Martial Manuscript is the fact she'll only be having a critical threat on a nat20, so how often will it come into play - especially in the early levels before she can pick up Improved Critical?
Life of toil doesn't feel as necessary, either - what with a monk having all good saves, & no attribute penalties.
Part of our thinking is that Failed Apprentice addressed life before the monastery. We were thinking the second trait could relate to life inside the monastery (so fluff is fairly important, rather than just about getting the best bonus you can). That was part of why I thought Caretaker was nice.
If I was going to choose between the traits you listed, I would probably take Ambush Training as well. Monks already have very strong saves, he uses a bow so critting will not be often until later(if he gets improved critical) and the heal skill often get's overshadowed by spells/wands.
If I were to pick another trait, I would suggest the following in no particular order
Reactionary for the +2 initiative: Boring, but effective and the archer getting to go before melee rush in will make him happy. He gets IPS at 6th when it will matter a little less, but until than he will be glad he has it, and after, the +2 is still good
Fate's Favored: Can be useful later, makes some good items (luck stone, Jingasa) better, and prayer if the inquisitor casts it, amazing.
Lesson's of Chaldira: Even after being toned down, this trait is very good. It doesn't make you more powerful in combat (which the Zen Archer doesn't need anyways) but it allows you to reroll a saving throw before the result is known.
Defensive Strategist: this would have to be worked into his story, maybe the monastary had dwarven monks, a clever role-player can fit it in.
Well, my wife came home from work earlier than I expected. After an initial conversation, we narrowed the options down to Caretaker, Signature Moves & Reactionary as the traits she liked the best as far as mix of utility & RP-fluff...
Signature Moves is cool solely because of getting the primo-weapon at 1st level. The skill bonuses will be next to useless, between the character's 10 Charisma & the fact - as she pointed out - that's not really my wife's playing style...
Caretaker REALLY appealed to my wife, as she's studied Buddhist healing techniques herself previously, so it's very relatable to her. There is concern about it becoming useless later on, though...
Reactionary was also more appealing, both because the initiative bonus would 'never go out of style,' so to speak, & the flavor in the trait description fits the character background.
So, of these 3, thoughts/recommendations? She's getting something to eat before we hash this last bit out...
Eh, while starting dinner, she just killed Signature Moves - so it's either Caretaker or Reactionary...
Wisdom in the Flesh is really good. Make one skill a class skill, and it functions off Wisdom.
I usually use traits to pick up class skills that you don't otherwise get: Use Magic Device might be useful, depending on the rest of the party.
For this character, Wisdom in the Flesh might be a nice trait--maybe with Acrobatics, Climb, or Swim.
I'm not sure I would spend the feat on Elven Accuracy. Your Zen Archer can pick up Improved Precise Shot at level 6, which ignores all but total concealment. If you can combine that with a Seeking Bow, you will never worry about concealment in your career.
If you go that route, you might want to trade out Elven Accuracy for Improved Initiative (instead of Reactionary), or pick up Opening Volley, Dodge, or Point Blank Shot. I also like Combat Reflexes for a Zen Archer, because no one expects the archer to take an AoO--much less 2.
I vote Reactionary as that's useful every combat.
Caretaker fluff can simply be integrated into the character via RP. The mechanical benefit has VERY short shelf life. However if she's already maxing out Heal and wants to RP being able to diagnose what's wrong with someone, then it can be worthwhile. But if her modifier ever hits +18 to +20, I don't think she'd ever really need to increase it.
@ Protoman;
Point about Reactionary is exactly what we were thinking. The problem with fluffing Caretaker via RP is that Heal isn't a class skill for monks, so max'ing out Heal won't be nearly as effective without the class bonus. Making it a class skill via the trait was a bigger deal than the +1. I pointed out that it can still help conserve resources for the 1st several levels, at least...
@ Writer;
We considered Wisdom in the Flesh. Decided the only skills she'd be inclined to use it on were Acrobatics or Stealth - both are already class skills, & at least initially, you're only getting a +2 to that one skill from the trait - which didn't really seem worth it.
@ Gwen;
PBS is going to be her 2nd level bonus monk feat. IPS isn't, as you pointed out, until 6th level - so concealment is an issue for the 1st five levels - but is it worth spending a feat on???
The +1 AC/CMD from Dodge is nice, but again, worth a feat? Will probably recommend she wait & pick it up later.
Combat Reflexes is useless until 9th level, when Reflexive Shot kicks in...
Opening Volley would be great if the bonus extended to your allies, but as I know my wife will most likely be as well away from the melee as she can help it, this wouldn't be doing her much good, either.
Last zen archer I played I ran out of good feats to take by lvl 9. Zen Archers tend to be like that. Honestly, I'd take any trait that'd shore up my weaknesses. On that note Second Chance allows a reroll of a save 1/day. It might help.
After some deliberation, my wife decided to go with Caretaker. Although Reactionary was very tempting from a bonus standpoint & did fit into the character concept, my wife decided she didn't want it to be all about the numbers - that this was something reflective of her personality, & helps make this character 'hers.'
Thank you all for the input & advice - as usual, you were most helpful!
BTW, here are her relevant skills with ranks (just as an fyi):
Skills
Acrobatics +6
Climb +5 (pretty much a 1-point wonder skill)
Heal +9
Perception +9 (Half-Elf racial + SF:Perception + WIS)
Sense Motive +4
Stealth +6
Not shabby for 1st level...