Hello all! I wanted to get some general feedback and discussion on an idea I have. As the title says, I wanted to find a way to potentially play a Monk with sneak attack. Unfortunately, there are no archetypes for the class that gain the ability, and using VMC Rogue only ends up giving 4d6 very slowly. Then I remembered that Brawler was a thing, and that it also had an archetype that granted sneak attack. Now, I wouldn't get all the neat bits of Monk like movement speed, disease immunity, or ki points, but I get the ability to use Unarmed Attacks with sneak attack and something like Flurry of Blows.
What I have come up with is really just a Human Unarmed fighter with sneak attack, but I can leave the flavorful stuff to his backstory. I've used the Brawler Snakebite Striker archetype combined with the VMC Rogue to effectively get a full BAB, 9d6 Sneak Attack at 20th, and a set of feats that lets him more consistently get successful sneak attacks without relying on a partner to flank. He is going to have to have a higher DEX, but I don't think it would be too bad. Overall, the build doesn't really come "Online" until about 10th/11th level where giving up the first attack in the flurry is worth the potential sneak attack damage.
Human - Combat Expertise
1st - Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike)
Bonus 2nd - Power Attack
3-Rogue Variant - Trap Finding
Bonus 5th - Weapon Specialization(Unarmed Strike)
5th - Imp. Feint
7-Rogue Variant - Sneak Attack
Bonus 8th - Two Weapon Feint
9th - Imp. Two Weapon Feint
Bonus 11th - Improved Critical(Unarmed Strike)
11-Rogue Variant- Evasion
13th - Critical Focus
Bonus 14th - Staggering Critical
15-Rogue Variant- Uncanny Dodge
Bonus 17th - Greater Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike)
17th - Greater Weapon SPecialization(Unarmed Strike)
19-Rogue Variant- Improved Uncanny Dodge
Bonus 20th - Stunning Critical
If I'm in a game where I know I'll have a consistent flank buddy I could easily trade out all of the feint feats for many other options, but I haven't gone down that route just yet.
Ah, I missed that it seems. So that's another route. I'd be able to keep the movement speed and other neat abilities aside from some disease immunity, self heal, and SR, but it caps out at 5d6 and to increase that with VMC Rogue would be losing out on a lot of feats.
sanctified slayer can get sneak attk at 4th and another by taking crocodile domain (but that adds starting at 6th).
VMC rogue will add by 7th.
This gives 4d6 sneak attack by 7th. Adding Snakebiter brawler means 5d6 at 8th.
Granted, bab of this inquisitor at Character level 8th has only bab of 5, so 2 losses of BAB (BAB of +6, sneak attk 5d6 is pretty good though, plus you have inquisitor magic to fall back on, as well as Studied target which by 7th is now move or swift action and 2 targets maintained at a time).
You can go Brawler the rest of way now or keep level inquisitor for more sneak attack and a Slayer Talent.
Or even add Monk of Mantis (Minimum 2) for sneak attack.
Why not just multiclass a Monk or Sacred Fist with a Rogue or Ninja? A Sacred Fist of Tsukiyo or another Darkness Domain deity can even drop a darkvision-proof concealment effect that can be used for the Moonlight Stalker feat chain, which is amazing if you have reliable concealment. You only need 4 levels of Sacred Fist and the right traits to get a swift-action +3 to attack and damage and 5/day uses of Darkness Blessing.
