TL;DR: What's the best way to build a (probably Human) Monk who wields either a kama or a temple sword and keeps the other hand free?
As a disclaimer, I haven't played Pathfinder yet (I've only just bought the Player's Handbook and have been reading resources online). As such, I don't have a strong grasp as to what turn-by-turn play necessarily looks like and what makes one option better than another, so a lot of my questions will be about how to fulfill a certain character fantasy rather than fine-tuning.
With that out of the way, I'd like to build a Monk that focuses on using a one-handed weapon, inspired by Luo-Lang from Sword of the Stranger (he's the blond guy with the one-handed sword). So combat-wise, I would want this to be a PC characterized by extreme agility and athleticism who focuses on swordplay but is just as skilled at hand-to-hand, so a Monk with Monk Weaponry stands out immediately. I guess the most specific question I can ask is, how do I best access and use "Requirement: You are wielding only a single one-handed melee weapon and have your other hand or hands free" feats? More broadly, I've read that the Monk's less about raw damage and more about speed and mild control, so I think it would be cool to focus on stunning and tripping enemies. So what would be the best way to build and play to fulfill this character fantasy? This is where I get overwhelmed by options and my own lack of experience.
Ironblood Stance seems strong just for its versatile damage reduction. Peafowl Stance is cool in that it specifies a sword and a free hand, but is a Step after a Strike that useful? I wouldn't have expected weapons to be as deeply-supported as unarmed strikes by Monk feats, but there seems to a real dearth of Monk-specific options, here. The Fighter archetype lets me take Dueling Parry, which seems like a fun way to capitalize on the playstyle, but I wouldn't be able to get the cool parry stance and other dueling options further down that tree. Is it too much investment for too little return?
Also, how worried should I be about the temple sword's lack of Agile? MAP applies to trip/shove/disarm etc. attempts, right? The kama (I guess I could just say it's a small sword?) does everything that the temple sword does and more, but the damage is worse and can't be used with Peafowl Stance. Does Agile make up for this when I'm trying to perform maneuvers and such after a Flurry?
Or to go in a completely different direction, am I starting off on the wrong foot by fixating on the Monk? Swashbucklers are also all about speed and one-handed weapons, but the focus on Charisma isn't really in line with the character fantasy. Rogues might fit, but don't seem to be as good as Monks in a head-on scrap. Fighters have the options to build any sort of martial one can think of, but can they mix weapons with fists smoothly while also flipping through the air like a maniac?
A part of me thinks that I'm overthinking this and that Monk Weaponry, Stunning Strike, Stand Still, Peafowl Stance, and a temple sword will get me exactly what I'm looking for, but I thought I'd ask you guys to set me straight. Thanks in advance for slogging through this and I appreciate any help and advice!
I wouldn't have expected weapons to be as deeply-supported as unarmed strikes by Monk feats, but there seems to a real dearth of Monk-specific options, here.
Monastic Weaponry allows you to use most of these unarmed abilities with monk waeapons. You can totally Flurry with a Temple Sword - and add Stunning Fist.
If you want a control-style, I had a very good time with Tangeld Forest stance in a one-shot. I did use a Bo, though, so I had reach, greatly improving the area coverage of the Style.
The Fighter archetype lets me take Dueling Parry, which seems like a fun way to capitalize on the playstyle, but I wouldn't be able to get the cool parry stance and other dueling options further down that tree.
The Duelist Archetype would allow you to get various dueling abilities, including that stance.
Peafowl Stance is cool in that it specifies a sword and a free hand, but is a Step after a Strike that useful?
Getting into flanking position for upcoming attacks or taking a step back o the enemy must waste an action before he can even attack you are both very powerful tools. Don't underestimate a free step.
Does Agile make up for this when I'm trying to perform maneuvers and such after a Flurry?
Not sure Agile would even work with a maneuver. If you use the Kama to Trip via it's Trip ability, you'd probably get the reduced MAP. But the best way to use a maneuver after two attacks is Assurance Atheltics. It ignores MAP completely and sets your roll to 10 + proficiency. Will often not be enough to succeed, but IF you succeed, you know the enemy will fall for it - every singe turn.
Swashbucklers are also all about speed and one-handed weapons, but the focus on Charisma isn't really in line with the character fantasy.
A gymnast doesn't really need Charisma. And even the other styles can all gain Penache by using Tumble Through. I haven't looked at the Swashbuckler too closely yet, but I'm confident you can build one with low Charisma.
But, another path you can look at is something like Duelist Dedication. Which is a pure sword+free hand archetype. It gives you extra damage against your dueling target, and since you are a monk you can spare actions to actually challenge, stride, flurry against someone even on the first round. And you can get parry and the parry stance later on if you didn't pick any of the level 8 monk stances. It's less mystical than going pure monk (a lot less Ki and flying in the air stuff) but it does fit the image of a Monk that focuses on a sword+empty hand style.
I really wanted to take the Duelist dedication, but light armor training is required. Is there any way for a Monk to get it? Regardless, thanks for the advice!
Getting into flanking position for upcoming attacks or taking a step back o the enemy must waste an action before he can even attack you are both very powerful tools. Don't underestimate a free step.
Not sure Agile would even work with a maneuver. If you use the Kama to Trip via it's Trip ability, you'd probably get the reduced MAP. But the best way to use a maneuver after two attacks is Assurance Atheltics. It ignores MAP completely and sets your roll to 10 + proficiency. Will often not be enough to succeed, but IF you succeed, you know the enemy will fall for it - every singe turn.
This is great stuff, thanks!
I suggest you check out the 101 Monk Builds thread. There are a few weapon-based monks builds there. I posted 2, 'Basic Bo Becomes Iron Forest' (just switch out bo staff for temple sword) and 'Sword and Shadow' that might give you some ideas on feat progression among other choices.
Happy monking!
Kind of odd you need training in light armor, but nothing says you have to actually wear it.
Also, Temple Sword is not finess, so make sure to boost Str.
1: Monastic weapons (temple swords), Armor Proficiency (general feat)
2: Duelist Dedication
4: Dueling Parry
6: Stand Still
8: Iron Blood/Tangled Forest stance
10: Dueling Riposte
12: Diamond Soul
14: Improved Dueling Riposte
...
Human/Half-Elf
1. Monastic Weps
2. Stunning Fist
4. Flurry of Maneuvers
6. One-Inch-Punch
8. Mixed Maneuver
9. Fighter Dedication
10. Winding Flow
12. Dodging Roll
14. Basic Maneuver - Combat assessment
16. Shattering Strike/Flinging Blow/Whirling Blade Stance
18. Swift River
20. Advanced Maneuver - Agile Grace.
The idea here is to Temple Sword and focus on Strength. Using Flurry of Maneuvers and Mixed to help with tripping and striking during fights. Winding Flow is great movement.
Use the Temple Sword on the first strike and any follow up strikes just use normal 1d6 fists/kicks, at 20 with Agile Grace you Flurry at 0/-3.
Thank you for all of the great advice, guys. I'm thinking that I'll go with one of a few build options (all of them Human):
1. Monastic Weaponry, Natural Ambition: Ki Strike
2. Stunning Fist, Assurance (Athletics)
4. Stand Still
6. Peafowl Stance
8. Brawling Focus
10. Wind Jump
12. Stance Savant
14. Peafowl Strut
This is supposed to be more straightforward, using the temple sword and not taking any options outside of the Monk itself. It feels like it can do a bit of everything, dancing in and out of reach with Peafowl Stance and while dealing damage and hopefully stunning and tripping as I go. No one's suggested that I take Brawling Focus, though; are the critical specializations not that useful?
1. Monastic Weaponry
2. Stunning Fist, Assurance (Athletics)
3. Armor Proficiency
4. Stand Still
6. Duelist Dedication
8. Dueling Parry
10. Dueling Riposte
12. Stance Savant
14. Improved Dueling Riposte
16. Dueling Dance
18. Diamond Fists
This build is meant to be more mechanically evocative of a swordsman, although I would probably actually use a kama (It's my small, L-shaped sword!), because it's Agile and I'll hopefully be making a whole mess of attacks every turn. I really love the idea of the Dueling Dance stance, but nobody's recommended it; maybe I'm underestimating how often I'll have an action free for Dueling Parry? Also, is the Duelist's Challenge a significant damage boost? It didn't seem that impressive on paper, and it's an extra action of setup, but again, I don't have practical experience.
Or more likely I'll just use one of the builds that you guys have laid out for me. Mellored and shroudb's suggestions look like they'll really hit the ground running with the Monk swordsmen flavor, Vlorax's build would bring a ton of disruption to a party that already has a lot of damage, and dpb123's Iron Forest build looks like it would be fun if I replaced a few of the options with Duelist's Dedication feats and Peafowl Stance for a balance between damage and disruption.
Again, thank you for the help; I still feel like I'm swamped with options, but in a much less anxious way!