Shifter / Monk build, will it work?

[Foltig]

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my very first thread on this site! I hope we'll get along well.

I have an idea for a character in a somewhat post-apocalyptic world. Most of what was once know as nature is destroyed or at least very limited. There was a darkness for a very long time, and it's been gone for about a decade, thus nature is rising up.

My idea for that character would be a shifter. Now, I know there is some controversy about the shifter, but hear me out.

We're starting at level 5.

Race: Dwarf (with some traits altered: Unstoppable, Shadowhunter, slagchild. I'm working these into his background.)
Level - Class: Feats obtained

Level 1 - Shifter: Weapon Focus (Claws), Toughness (Unstoppable trait)
Level 2 - Monk: Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Combat Reflexes (Bonus Feat)
Level 3 - Monk 2: Improved Grapple (Bonus Feat), Feral Combat Training
Level 4 - Shifter 2: Ability Point WIS
Level 5 - Shifter 3: Snake Style

Future plans include only Shifter levels, maybe dip into Monk till monk lvl 4

Lvl 7 - Snake Sidewind
Lvl 8 - Ability Point STR
Lvl 9 - Snake Fang
Lvl 11 - Jawbreaker
Lvl 12 - Ability Point STR
Lvl 13 - Bonebreaker
Lvl 15 – Neckbreaker
Lvl 16 – Ability Point DEX
Lvl 20 – Ability Point DEX

Aspects:

1 – Snake (Fluff = Snake Style)
5 – Tiger (+2 Dexterity)
10 – Wolverine/Bull/Bat
15 – Wolverine/Bull/Bat
20 – Wolverine/Bull/Bat

Haven't figured it out any further than that.

Ability Scores:

STR 16
DEX 14
CON 12 (+2 Dwarf excl.)
INT 10
WIS 13 (+2 Dwarf excl.)
CHA 10 (-2 Dwarf excl.)

Any thoughts on improving this? I was personally thinking about Panther Style or Snapping Turtle Style, but I think I like Snake Style better.
Anyway, I would love your feedback on this!

EDIT: I forgot to mention, I'm not hoping to minmax this, I just don't want a useless character.
I've recently seen the changes they are wanting to bring to shifter and I'm excited.
EDIT 2: Would need a Greater Grapple in the feat progression somewhere too.

[Foltig]

I was thinking maybe barbarian/shifter, but I haven't really found a way to make that work yet, since you're missing out on the rage powers. Might be a good way to balance the shifter class though.

[willuwontu]

If you want to go grapple based with shifter, I recommend your monk dip being tetori.

Note that snake fang requires you to use an unarmed strike, so you can't use your grab attacks to grapple on the attack of opportunity, this is why snapping turtle style is nicer for grapple builds.

Also note that swashbuckler 1 gets you parry, which can be used with snapping turtle clutch.

Here's a feat tree idea for a build i theorized at 1 point ofr a str based grapple shifter

Tetori 1/ Shifter 19

Feats:
Level (Shifter) 1: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Claws) (Human)
Level (Monk) 2: Improved Unarmed Strike (Monk), Improved Grapple (Monk), Stunning Fist (Monk)
Level 3: Throat Slicer
Level 5: Shifter's Rush
Level 7: Greater Grapple
Level 9: Powerful Shape (This lets us act as if we're Huge for Maneuvers, we can grab Huge Creatures)
Level 11: Horn of the Criosphinx
Level 13: Planar Wild Shape
Level 15: Mutated Shape
Level 17: Improved Natural Attack (Claws)
Level 19: Improved Initiative

Obviously it's not completely applicable but it may help you get more ideas. Link to the shifter guide thread

[Foltig]

This will give me a good idea of maybe changing some things! I would like to stick to dwarf (as storytelling-wise it fits better), but I can certainly take a look at this feat tree! Thank you.

[blahpers]

I hope this works, if for no other reason than I want to see people on the forums referring to their "shmonk" characters.

[Foltig]

blahpers wrote:

I hope this works, if for no other reason than I want to see people on the forums referring to their "shmonk" characters.

Hahaha! Well, the start of the campaign has been delayed, so won't be able to test it out just yet.

Shmonk, I love it!

I hope they consider the "rage" ability for the shifter as a balancing mechanic. Perhaps less powerful in an "animal fury" form?