Take a look at my Zen Archer! What do you think?!

[dkeller]

I'm joining a game tomorrow and was finishing up my character concept so wanted to see what anyone else thought about this character!

Name: Still haven't decided - toying with Enos after the chimp that went to space
Race: Vanara
Class: Zen Archer Monk

Background: Enos lived at a small monastery at the top of the World's Edge Mountains. He trained there since being mysteriously left there as a child on their door step. One day when he was out hiking in the mountains he came back only to find the monastery on fire and all the inhabitants including his mentor Shaolin killed. He wondered if it was the Giants of the mountains, the abyssal demons that lay deep within the underdark of the mountains or another unknown group. He left and began investigating and a tip led his to join the group.

Character Stats (rolled post racila modifiers and one ability score increase at level 4): Str 16, Dex, 16, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 9.

Favored Class bonus each level: Vanara bonus to get +1 to acrobatic checks to jump

Traits: reactionary (+2 init) & honored fist of society (+1 ki)

Level: 7

Fort save: 7
Reflex save: 8
Will save: 9
CMB: 8
CMD: 26 (+2 for trips and when hanging can't be tripped and +2 to bull, drag, reposition)

Skills:
Acrobatics: 19 (7 ranks, 3 ability, 3 class skill, 2 racial modifier, 4 feats
Climb: 21 (7 ranks, 3 ability, 3 class skill, 8 racial modifier
Perception: 9 (2 ranks, 4 ability, 3 class skill)
Stealth: 13 (5 ranks, 3 ability, 3 class skill, 2 racial modifier)
A few other 1 rank stats as well

Feats:
Tree Hanger (level 1 feat)
Improved Unarmed Strike (bonus)
Precise Shot (bonus)
Perfect Strike (bonus)
Point Blank Shot (bonus)
Weapon Focus (bonus)
Point Blank Master (bonus)
Deadly Aim (level 3)
Monkey Style (level 5)
Weapon Specialization (bonus)
Improved Precise Shot (bonus)
Spider Step (level 7)

Attack stats: (using a longbow - well for flavor i'm going ask to call it a diakyu)

Standard attack: +10, 1d8+5
Flurry of blows only: +10/+10/+5, 1d8+5
Flurry of blows with deadly aim: +8/+8/+3 1d8+9
Flurry of blows with deadly aim and point blank shot: +9/+9/+4, 1d8+9

Other character strategies:

Enos already has a +41 total jump stat at level 7 and that with his high movement for being a monk (50 ft), spider step ability and tree hanger ability, his goal is going to be to move around combat and hopefully get to a spot where he can perch high up with his tail and then shot with his bow. Going to carry around pitons to place into walls to use for hanging when I have prep time.

Thoughts/Concerns/Questions:

He feels a little like a one trick pony with his high agility and ability to shot fairly well with his bow damage wise. Also, I'm concerned a little about the synergy between his full round action flurry and all his movement based abilities (jump, spider step, tree hanger, etc). I've considered swooping one of the movement feats (probably spider step or monkey style) for vital strike so when moving he does a little extra damage as well.

Also, he has low HP only 52 at level 7 which is a little alarming so I've also considered the ole standard toughness or moving a few favored class bonuses to HP rather than jumping.

Finally, I've considered changing out his honored fist trait for dangerously curious (UMD +1 and a class skill) and pumping ranks into it for a +10 at level 7 for using low level wands like gravity bow, etc. Yes I'll only have a 50/50 shot with a 20 DC but I was still thinking about it as it gives him some other things to do while moving. If I got that route, I could consider taking out spider step or monkey style for skill focus UMD for a total +13.

Haven't thought about items yet as well but also toyed around with taking a vow of poverty for the rp flavor and also crazy extra ki though of course it's not really needed. I have no idea how the group is going to do magic items so i'll find out tomorrow!

Any other thoughts or ideas on the character would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thanks!

[avr]

You've got a lot of movement based abilities, yes. Also you're close to the level when wizards or sorcerers can throw overland flight around which would render most of them redundant. By say 11th level you're sure to feel the pain of the comparison but it could arrive before that.

Otherwise, yes you're a (competent) one trick pony as martials tend to be. UMD would help diversify a bit.

[Claxon]

Yeah, you are a one trick pony, which is what most martial characters are. This is why I prefer any of the many 6th level spell casting classes.

Also, while the Zen Archer is a competent archer for low to mid levels it eventually gets outstripped in potential by many other classes (primarily because it doesn't get any static damage bonuses and because with Rapid Shot and Manyshot other archers have the same number of attacks).

[Claxon]

Oh, and for what it's worth Pathfidner does have mechanics for a daikyu. There actually stated to be identical to a longbow.

[Alecak]

Follow Erastil and you can get your wisdom to Hit with the longbow/or hit and damage with it(prestige class out of Inner sea gods, sorry don't have it in front of me to remember whats its called)

[Claxon]

Technically is the deific obedience feats. Specifically it's the 3rd boon of the deific obedience feat which grants the ability to get wisdom to attack and damage with longbows. However, you don't get the 3rd boon until level 20 unless you take the prestige class (Evangelist).

Even so, you can't enter the prestige class before level 6 and it requires you to get to 9th level of the prestige class before you get the 3rd boon (so 15th character level total). While it's nice once you get there, you shouldn't really build around something that come online at such a late level.