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I'm STILL in the process of designing a character and am trying to decide whether to make him a Sacred Fist Warpriest or an Unchained Monk dipping into Cleric (likely with the Crusader archetype).
The goal is Crusader's Flurry and later the Ascetic Style feats either way, but I'm not sure which way to go. Monk gets me more skills and feats to play with, while Sacred Fist gets to actually use its spells, since a dip will only get me orisons and one or two trifling spells.
What does the Advice board advise? Are there aspects to either class that I'm not aware of, being a perpetual novice at this sort of thing?
Monk gets more damage from one level in the class than from Crusader's Flurry, so go Sacred Fist.
I present a third option- instead of dipping cleric, consider taking the Cleric Variant Multiclass (here, just scroll down a bit). You'll have to wait until level 9 (or level 7 with retraining) to get the feat, but it offers the full effectiveness of unchained monk.
As a side note, if you DO go Sacred fist, I would advise a two-level dip into Master of Many Styles Monk. This will get you any 2 style feats you need and evasion.
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What would be the major differences in builds if I was going to
A. Unchained Monk with Cleric Variant Multiclass
B. Sacred Fist with two-level dip into Master of Many Styles
Would I be able to master both Ascetic and Crane styles? Would I possibly be able to fit the Evangelist prestige class in either? How well would I be able to grapple? I'm looking to build a character who deflects and redirects attacks back at his opponents, sort of like how Aikido works.
I would not go sacred fist.
I would go unchained Monk with a "dip" into warpriest, Or go normal warpirest with a level of Unchained monk.
This will get you your flurry, you swift buffs, your channel for crusader's flurry.
What would be the major differences in builds if I was going to
A. Unchained Monk with Cleric Variant Multiclass
B. Sacred Fist with two-level dip into Master of Many Styles
Would I be able to master both Ascetic and Crane styles? Would I possibly be able to fit the Evangelist prestige class in either? How well would I be able to grapple? I'm looking to build a character who deflects and redirects attacks back at his opponents, sort of like how Aikido works.
Oh! I didn't know you wanted both crane AND ascetic styles! If you want both styles, Sacred Fist with a two-level dip would definitely be the better option because then you would have bonus feats. An unchained monk with Cleric VMC would only have the feats for Ascetic style, and just barely. As for overall build differences, the UMonk with Cleric VMC would be a much more martial character while the Sacred Fist w/dip would have a much heaver focus on spells and styles.
You could also fit in the Evangelist prestige class on either build, but it would be better with the sacred fist due to having 3/4 BAB progression and the extra feats so you can get deific obedience. It also heavily depends on your god, since they each grant different boons.
As for grappling, the UMonk VMC Cleric would probably be a better grappler, but grappling and its associated feats often take up the entirety of a character's build to be reasonably effective, so it's not something that would play too well with either build (unless you took a grappling archetype). It'd probably be better to not invest any resources and instead just take the AoO when you grapple occasionally.
As for deflecting and redirecting attacks, the best style chain for that would be Snake style (here,here, and here). You could also consider Panther style, but that one's really only for attacking back.
As a final note, if you do go Sacred Fist, get the Combat Style Master feat. It'll save you a lot of heartache and swift actions.
yes, ascetic style only works for weapons in the monk weapon group and no way to expand that.
Or just refluff a nine-ring broadsword instead
Well, spells > no spells, so I'd go war priest. But really you should do whatever you think you'd enjoy the most.
Well from previous experiments i can say that it´s very possible with a sacred fist to have more damage and hit better than a uc monk even.
You have also more feats which allow for ascetic style, since scred fist can take those as bonus feats.
You also have blessings and especially the air blessing can be really awesome for a sacred fist.