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View Full Version : Feats for a VoP Sacred Fist?



Deel
2007-04-09, 06:14 PM
He's going Monk 2/Cleric 4/Sacred Fist 10/Something 4. And either a human or a Strongheart Halfing if allowed, since I play way too many humans as it is, but I just can't ditch that bonus feat. Stats: 14 STR 16 DEX 16 CON 10 INT 16 WIS 14 CHA, I could switch them around since we aren't passed character creation yet.

I dunno about the last 4 class levels, something with fullcasting capability and works with VoP, might just fall back on cleric if nothing is better. It's generic, but it fits my character, and gives me 18/20 spellcasting, which isn't awful.

I've never played a Divine Caster before, but with my love of monks, and the whole ascetic lifestyle thing, I decided this would be best. I plan on grabbing the Travel and Strength domains with non-specific deity worship, possibly a new deity since this is in a homemade campaign. Travel is there to help me with certain things VoP generally has difficulty with(flying enemies) and transportation, obviously, and it fit the whole travelling monk thing, and strength for buffs, and it fits the whole general monk thing.

I dunno what feats to pick up though. So far I got:

Monk 1 - Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty(Bonus), Improved Unarmed Strike(Bonus), Stunning Fist(Bonus)
Monk 2 - Combat Reflexes(Bonus)
Cleric 3 - Combat Casting

Starting at either level 5 or 6, but I'm obsessive with planning ahead, so any ideas on some good feats to pick up would be nice. I might pick up Domain Spontaneity or whatever, makes sure I don't run out of flying or other transportation spells I may need. Other than that, I'm not sure what to pick up, any suggestions?

Fax Celestis
2007-04-09, 06:22 PM
DON'T TAKE COMBAT CASTING IT SUX.

*ahem*

Now, it really depends on what you plan on doing. Are you going to be a frontlining, beat-em-down with "Monkzilla" approach? If you are, I recommend Power Attack/Leap Attack/Shock Trooper. If you're using natural weapons (as a Monk, that's almost a given) and Incarnum is available, I'd also suggest grabbing Open Lesser Chakra (Arms) and Shape Soulmeld (Sphinx Claws), which will let you full-attack with natural weapons at the end of a charge.

The combination of the two can be devastating.

Khantalas
2007-04-09, 06:23 PM
I think Combat Casting is a pre-req for Sacred Fist, though.

Deel
2007-04-09, 06:29 PM
Yeah, need combat casting for Sacred Fist, other-wise it wouldn't be there.

I like the charge idea, I have to use natural weapons too, Sacred Fist can't use anything but fists, which is cool with me since I am using VoP anyway. The Power Attack/Leap Attack/Shock Trooper thing sounds good too, since I do plan on being a melee guy.

brian c
2007-04-09, 07:09 PM
Intuitive Attack is a really good Exalted feat, which you will have many from VoP. I know there are a whole bunch of feats for clerics, but don't forget that one, lets you sub Wis for Str on attack rolls; Monk/Cleric gets a lot of benefit from Wis anyway so this just makes that even better.

Ryuuk
2007-04-09, 07:12 PM
Do unarmed strikes count as natural weapons though?

Nevermind, that's what Sphinx Claws are for.

Khantalas
2007-04-09, 07:13 PM
It counts as a simple weapon.

Deel
2007-04-09, 07:39 PM
Unarmed weapons on a monk count as natural weapons, and that encompasses pretty much their entire body.

I already got Intuitive Attack attack down, that one was pretty obvious with a class combo both dependant on WIS. I am hesitant to use touch of golden ice just because eventually the rolls really won't matter - it just isn't going to work on a lot of stuff, but early on it is alright, I just probably won't both later on if my DM doesn't mind.

Fax Celestis
2007-04-09, 07:54 PM
Touch of Golden Ice is actually very very good, and continues being useful later. Every once in a while, they'll roll badly and get hurt. It lasts longer with Ability Focus (Touch of Golden Ice), though it depends on if you really want to spend a feat on it.

Snap Kick is another good feat, being basically Rapid Shot for melee attacks. It's in the PHB-II. If you're good, your DM will let it count as your "off hand" for Two-Weapon Rend, which'll net you a few extra dice of damage.

Martial Study might be another good choice, to grab a few maneuvers (probably from Devoted Spirit, considering the divinity of your character, but, really, any could work). Tome of Battle.

Versatile Unarmed Strike is also good. Swift action, switch your unarmed strikes between bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing. Pretty good for getting around DR. PHB-II.

Another recommendation is Brutal Strike, from the PHB-II. With Leap Attack/Shock Trooper, you can rather easily get the Fort DCs into the 30s or 40s or higher. It's like Stunning Fist on speed, since it sickens your foe for a round.

Alternatively, you could go wiht some (or all) of the Combat Focus feats in the PHB-II. They've got a Wis-req, which you should have no problem meeting, and provide terrific stacking bonuses with each other. The more you have, the better they get.

KoDT69
2007-04-09, 07:58 PM
Oh come on guys, take MONKEY-GRIP! It comes with a free toaster!
(referencing my post on the "Make monkey-grip worth taking" thread)

Fax Celestis
2007-04-09, 08:09 PM
Oh come on guys, take MONKEY-GRIP! It comes with a free toaster!
(referencing my post on the "Make monkey-grip worth taking" thread)

HAH! The ultimate in uselessness! A character...with no weapons...taking Monkey Grip! What's he do, cast enlarge fists?

KoDT69
2007-04-09, 08:13 PM
But I thought there was a master "basket-weaver" monk build out there. He can dual-weild oversized masterwork baskets!

brian c
2007-04-09, 08:20 PM
Oh come on guys, take MONKEY-GRIP! It comes with a free toaster!
(referencing my post on the "Make monkey-grip worth taking" thread)

Um, okay... I like monkey grip, even though it's underpowered, but it's completely useless for a monk so let's just move on.



Combat Focus is nice, and I'm also going to recommend Superior Unarmed Strike from Tome of Battle; it lets you deal unarmed damage one category higher (as written, it says "as a monk 4 levels higher"). It's not useful for anyone going straight monk, but since your 2 cleric levels (plus 2 whatever else) will keep you from getting the full monk unarmed damage, it could be nice.

martyboy74
2007-04-09, 08:33 PM
Snap Kick is another good feat, being basically Rapid Shot for melee attacks. It's in the PHB-II. If you're good, your DM will let it count as your "off hand" for Two-Weapon Rend, which'll net you a few extra dice of damage.
I think you mean ToB.

Also, seeing if your DM would let you use Kensai would be very handy for you. Plus, if you say your entire body is a weapon, and you pick up the Sizing enhancement, you can change size at will.

SpiderBrigade
2007-04-09, 09:01 PM
HAH! The ultimate in uselessness! A character...with no weapons...taking Monkey Grip! What's he do, cast enlarge fists?Wasn't there somone who insisted you could arbitrarily decide your fists were bigger, to get better damage dice, according to the RAW?

Deel
2007-04-09, 09:02 PM
Okay, I think I'm going with this for my mostly offensive cleric.

Monk 1 - Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty(Bonus), Improved Unarmed Strike(Bonus), Stunning Fist(Bonus)
Monk 2 - Combat Reflexes(Bonus)
Cleric 3 - Combat Casting
Cleric 6 - Power Attack
Sacred Fist 9 - Leap Attack
Sacred Fist 12 - Lesser Chakra Meld
Sacred Fist 15 - Shape Soulmeld(Sphinx Claws)
??? 18 - ???

I might ask my DM about taking some flaws in exchange for feats. I won't be going with range much if at all, so taking the shaky flaw would have no real drawback, and the extra feat would actually let me get Shock Trooper, which I can't with the current setup(stupid Improved Bullrush. :smallannoyed: )

Edit: Kensai might be nice, but the lack of spellcasting progression annoy me to no end. Right now I only get 2 9th level spells + 1 Domain 9th level spell in the end, I'd rather not drop any of those. I am using a Kensai for an unarmed focused non-VoP monk I am using in another campaign anyway. If you didn't notice, I like me some monks. :smallbiggrin:

brian c
2007-04-09, 09:51 PM
Flaws are specifically by DM fiat; and the description says that it has to be something that would affect the character. The DM shouldn't allow you to take Shaky if you aren't going to be hurt by it.

For your 18th level feat, Snap Kick and Versatile or Superior Unarmed Strike should be good enough.

Aximili
2007-04-09, 09:53 PM
Ask your DM for a divine variant of Arcane Strike (CW or CA)

Deel
2007-04-09, 10:00 PM
It'd make sense, I'd be so hyped up to fight that I'd be shaky!

Okay, okay, I know when I'm being a munchkin. I'll either take snap kick, or if I can get it by my DM, some sort of Divine Strike, because that would be awesome.

Ramza00
2007-04-09, 10:11 PM
Wasn't there somone who insisted you could arbitrarily decide your fists were bigger, to get better damage dice, according to the RAW?
There is a spell that makes your fists act as if they are caster level/4 sizes bigger (up to 5 or your fists are treated as collosal size) called Greater Mighty Wallop. Wiz/Sorc 3 lasts 1 hour/lvl. It is one of the best monk spells (others being greater mage armor, greater magic weapon, overland flight, wraithstrike, blood wind) Blood wind is another good spell, treat your fists as thrown weapons with an ranged increment of 20 feet, swift action lasts 1 round. Cleric 1 Wizard/Sorc 1.

If you are VoP get your wizard ally to cast all these spells on you with the exception of wraithstrike.

There is probably one more good monk only/mostly spell I am forgetting for a monk that you can get via arcane...