Monk Ease Use (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
From D&D Wiki
Introduction[edit]
Easy to use ways to give yourself a better than average monk. Although these are not nearly as thorough as the Ultimate Monk Optimization above (one of the best things ever published on this Wiki) it does have tiny shortcuts.
References[edit]
Eberron Campaign Setting, Core books
Game Rule Components[edit]
Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc...[edit]
This trick has been so succesful that it was integrated into the Ultimate Monk build. For all interested, I show it here.
Monks have an awful BAB for combat characters. Combined with the lack of magical inhancements from magical weapons, monks are nearly powerless. The big gimmick for the monk to have magically enhanced attacks is the amulet of mighty fists, which is unfortunately way too expensive. Fortunately, there is a trick. Get a 20th level ranger or Druid to cast Greater Magic Fang on you. This will last you all day with +5 hands, and if you have a ranger or druid in the party should prove very helpful. However, few people have 20th level rangers or druids in their adventuring party, and the best that a monk can usually afford is the potion of Greater Magic Fang +5. It lasts a whole day, but costs 3,000gp. Nobody wants to pay 3,000gp per day during their adventuring career. Fortunately, there is a spell called permanency. Even magewrights can use this spell. You should have no problem finding a caster to cast permanency on you. The result: +5 hands for the rest of your life for less than 10,000gp. Campare that to the 50,000gp needed to buy a +5 magic weapon!
Items[edit]
Items are not as important for the monk as for other classes. However, the monk's belt is very useful, and certain items in Eberron were designed for warforged and Kalashtar monks.
The big use for the warforged is the battlefist. It allows the warforged to upgrade their unarmed strike damage like a weapon. This is a useful trick, and becomes especially powerful when combined with the Artificer's Weapon Augmentation infusion and the Greater magic fang trick above. It also increases the size of the unarmed strike damage.
Kalashtar can use psionic items as monks, and more importantly, can give themselves better armor with the Quori imbedded items also in the Eberron book. These seem perfect for the monk.
!! the battle fist upgrades a warforged's slam which is their natual attack NOT a unarmed attack ergo this will build breaks down, google the wotc web page for more clarification on this !!
Other Components[edit]
<- anything not covered by the previous sections ->
Highlights[edit]
<- How and why this build works ->
Munchkin-Size Me[edit]
<- Take it to the next level ->
Side Notes[edit]
<- overview of additional info about this build ->
Limitations[edit]
<- conditions of when this build works ->
DM Counters[edit]
One issue - DM can look at the spell entry for permanency and suggest that it only works when someone casts a spell directly, (which is at least implied by the spell description), not when you gain the benefit of the spell from a potion. There is also the question of a 20th level version of the potion - how many 20th level characters are there in a given world?
A simple dispel magic can take this trick down.
Miscellaneous[edit]
<- Any other side notes that don't fit in the above sections. ->
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Optimized Character Builds
