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Hey, so: I've got a 5th level character, Monk (Ki Mystic, Sensei, Qinggong) 4 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 1 NPC here. Long and short of it is that he's got +21+1d6 in 8 knowledges, and +19+1d6 in the other two, along with several other flavorful abilities.
He's pretty bad combat wise, only saved from being *completely* useless through Advice and Insightful Strike. But that's fine, because he's an NPC. I would love any general suggestions as to anything I can do to tweak him to either make him more flavorful, more interesting, or just better. Already using the Breadth of Experience, Dilettante and Deific Obedience (Irori) feats. Traits in particular; right now I have Wisdom in the Flesh and Grounded, but the latter can easily be replaced.
Thanks in advance for any input!
Half-Elf (old)
Racial Abilities:
Reflexive Improvisation: +2 on any untrained skill
Sophisticate: +2 Knowledge (history), +2 Knowledge (local)
Keen Senses, Low-Light Vision, Elf Blood
Str 11 Dex 13 Con 13 Int 16 Wis 15 Cha 7 (20 pt. buy)
Str 8 Dex 10 Con 10 Int 20 Wis 18 Cha 9 (Race, Age & 4th level)
Monk (Ki Mystic, Sensei, Qinggong) 4 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 1
Traits: Wisdom in the Flesh (Acrobatics), Grounded
Feats: Deflect Arrows, Breadth of Experience, Dilletante, Deific Obedience (Irori)
Fort +4 = +4 + 0 stat
Refl +7 = +6 + 0 stat + 1 trait
Will +10 = +6 + 4 stat
Unarmed Strike/monk weapons: +7 = +3 BAB +4 WIS
+8 Acrobatics: 1 rank + 3 class + 4 WIS (additional +2 trait bonus for balance-related)
+3 Diplomacy: 1 rank + 3 Class - 1 stat
+4/+5 Disable Device: 1 rank + 3 class + 1 trapfinding
+8 Heal: 1 rank + 3 class + 4 Wis = +8
+19+1d6 Knowledge (nobility, engineering): 1 rank+3 class+5 Int +8 feats+2 Ki Mystic+1d6 Investigator
+21+1d6 Knowledge (history, local): 1 rank+2 race+3 class+5 Int +8 feats+2 Ki Mystic+1d6 Investigator
+21+1d6 Knowledge (big 6): 3 ranks + 3 class + 5 Int + 8 feats+2 Ki Mystic+1d6 Investigator
+13+1d6 Linguistics: 5 ranks + 3 class + 5 Int + 1d6 Investigator
+10 Sense Motive: 3 ranks + 3 class + 4 Wis
+12 Perception: 3 ranks + 3 class + 4 Wis + 2 Race
+13+1d6 Spellcraft: 5 ranks + 3 class + 5 Int + 1d6 Investigator
+8 Profession (any): 0 ranks + 2 racial + 4 Wis + 2 feat
+7 Craft (any): 0 ranks + 2 racial + 5 Int
Advice (Ex): Inspire Courage or Inspire Competence as a 4th level bard, 8 rounds per day.
Insightful Strike (Ex): Use WIS instead of DEX or STR on monk weapons and unarmed strikes
Maneuver Training, Stunning Fist (Ex): As 4th level monk.
SLA: 'barkskin', CL 4 (+2), self-only, costs 1 ki.
Commune with Spirits (Sp): 5/day, 'comprehend languages', 'detect secret doors', or 'identify' with casting time of one minute.
Inspiration (Ex): 6/day. Add 1d6 to Knowledge, Linguistics and Spellcraft checks for free. Expend a use to add 1d6 to an ability or other skill check.
Ki Mystic (Su): 8 ki/day. +2 knowledge checks while 1 ki remains. Spend 1 ki to gain +4 insight on a skill or ability check, in addition to normal monk ki options.
I have a know-very-much-cohort via leadership with one of my characters.
Liked to give him Tireless Logic trait.** spoiler omitted **
Hmm... a good thought, though I don't know if this guy is ever going to be failing intelligence skill checks in the first place. He's also less "Tireless Logic" than a guy who just somehow knows most everything despite spending most of his time meditating on a mountain top. If there were a low-level way to get WIS to knowledge (as opposed to just to identify monsters) I would have gone with that. I'm pretty sure there isn't (though I'd love to be wrong).
A Lore shaman can pick up the Benefit of Wisdom hex at level 1 if they're so inclined.
A Lore shaman can pick up the Benefit of Wisdom hex at level 1 if they're so inclined.
I did not know of this! Were that it were true, but looking at it closely it seems a 2 level dip would be needed. Which, I may still do. Though, honestly I won't be able to drop intelligence that much without losing too many skill points. So, I may just have to stick with a balanced Int/Wis.
Still! Thank you, because I didn't know that feature existed in any class.
You can get a hex at level 1 with the Unsworn Shaman archetype.
Oh! That makes it worth a look, now. Thanks!
If you're using the Variant Multi-class rules, you can grab Bardic Knowledge in place of your 3rd level feat.
Fantastic idea! I wasn't familiar with those rules, but after looking at it that is a much better option than Dilettante for that feat.
So, the 1st level power from the Knowledge [Memory] domain:
Recall (Su): With a touch, you can cause a creature to recall some bit of forgotten lore or information. The creature can retry any Knowledge skill check it has made within the past minute, gaining a insight bonus on the check equal to your Wisdom modifier. You can use this ability a number times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
You can use that on yourself, yes? If so, I think that's going to be the way to go. Monk 4 / Cleric 1. Fits the theme well. Plus throwing around the 0th level "Guidance" for that extra +1 competence bonus on every check.
Definitely using the bardic knowledge idea, so thanks for that.
You're welcome. And yes, Recall is usable on yourself.
Awesome! Here's the new build
Dwarf (Middle Aged)
Monk (Ki Mystic, Sensei, Contemplative, Qinggong) 4 / Cleric (Separatist) 1
Uran, a dwarven devotee of Irori, travels Golarian ceaselessly seeking knowledge of all things, and to know the walks of all lives, which he believes will be his path to enlightenment.
General Overview: The theme is a guy who’s done everything. Not in the epic slain every monster sense, but he’s held every job in the world, and knows just about everything about it. Knowledge checks are a solid +16 in combat, +17 out of it (more with the use of ki) made very good by the 9/day ability to re-do a knowledge check with a +6 insight bonus. Profession checks are all doable untrained, and have a +8 base, +2 if Any-Tool can be used, +4 insight with the use of a ki, and a +1 competence bonus due to ‘Guidance, to +15 maximum. Craft skills are a +4 base, with a +2 trait bonus that can be applied to one Craft per day, +4 insight bonus with one ki, +1 competence, +2 for Any-Tool (for most checks) to a +13 maximum. Numerous other skills as well.
He’s definitely not optimized for combat, but not completely useless in it either, with attacks based on Wisdom, and the Advice ability to give a small boost to a group. Not intended as a PC build, though. Low-level Cleric spells add amazing utility for a traveler, and he leaves many slots open.
The separatist with Travel domain (in addition to Knowledge) is both thematically appropriate, and mechanically important, as it gets him a +10 speed boost; crucial since he gave up monk fast movement. The agile feet domain power is nice, too.
*Guilty* I did end up making him a 25-pt build, because he's a monk, and I love him so.