Beating Batman: Sir Giacomo's Guide to Monks

[Talic]

First of all, the 1.5 multiplyer only applies to the STR, not the spc. or enhance bonus. The fighter with a TH-weapon will add 1.5 of his STR bonus to the damage.
So at level 15, enlarged, he'll do:
3d6 (base) + 12 (STR bonus damage) + 4 (enhance) +4 (wp. specialisation) = 31 avg

Ok. Let's take this example.

Well, since you added the STR bonus to it, a monk specialised in damage-dealing will have a STR of exactly the same extent (note that your STR item AND the +4 weapon are more expensive than the monk's expense for monk's belt and divine power - to make up the monk adds a lvl 3 pearl of power and rod of lesser extend to receive a +3 enhancement bonus from greater magic weapon casting for 24 hours); plus the monk gets +6 enhancement vs the fighter's +4, so actually he has higher STR than the fighter).

6d8 (base) + 9 (STR bonus damage) +3 (enhance) = 39 average.

See, now this really turns my stomach. Reason being? This deviates from your build listed. You're still using whatever build you find convenient. The build you've listed here is going to have weakened saves, very weakened AC, and the like. This will result in a scenario that I'll pull up in a moment.

So that puts the monk ahead by +8 damage per hit.

If you factor in an improper fighter build and a monk build that sacrifices everything for damage, plus a monk that gets 2 free rounds of buffing. We'll get back to that.

Now, let us see. The fighter is behind in damage output by 8. So he'll need to deduct with power attack already his complete BAB advantage. However, his BAB advantage is gone thanks to divine power of the monk - the only thing remaining, therefore, are the bonuses from +2 greater weapon focus (note that the monk can spend one feat to get weapon focus as well!) and the one better enhancement bonus.
So the monk stays slightly ahead in damage.

Wrong.

NOW factor in that the monk has TWO more attacks from flurry, AND could use feats to have two-weapon-fighting tree (that a TH-Attacking fighter or babarian could not choose), and then the monk actually outdamages the fighter by far.

First factor incorrect, second factor, incorrect. Flawed conclusion based on flawed premise. Two handed Weapon fighters CAN take advantage of Two weapon fighting, and two weapon fighting cannot be used with unarmed strikes alone for extra damage. For that, you'd need monk weapons in your off hand, which would cause you to lose that damage bonus from monk unarmed.

This is counterbalanced by the fact that without the divine power (7 rounds only) buff, the monk is somewhat behind in damage output (though not much, he'll retain TWO more attacks at level 15, and one more for the rest of the non-epic levels).

Do you now start to see what it means to have such a high base damage AND a higher number of attacks?[/quote]Yes. Nothing.

Dissection time.

On Two Weapon fighting. Not a monk feat, so you need to meet prerequisites. Dex 15. If you intend to use that with your 18 strength in your fighter example above, it means that before enlarge, you need a dex of 17. Thus, the 29 point build is:
Str: 18, Dex: 17, Everything else: 8.

That would be IF it worked, which it does not. SRD text:

If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon.

A weapon must be in your hand to benefit. Certain exceptions apply (such as armor spikes, which have specific text overriding this). But an unarmed strike does not qualify.

On your monk's superior damage, let's assume for a second that the numbers you posted are correct.

Round 1: Fighter and monk each get enlarge from friendly mage, fighter charges, dealing his average damage on a charge (33, for a 1 point power attack, to offset the charge bonus). This is done after the trip attack. Monk pulls out his wand, and performs UMD, also successful, luckily, and gets off a divine power.

Monster attacks fighter, hits once. Provokes attack from getting up. 33 more damage.

Round 2: Fighter Full attacks, dealing an average of 31 on his first hit, 31 on his second hit, uses improved trip to knock opponent down.
Monk charges, hits, and deals his average damage. 39.

Monster on fighter hits once, provokes an AoO getting up. 31 more damage for fighter.
Monster on monk hits twice, as the monk's AC is sitting somewhere in the vicinity of 13.

End of round 2: Fighter - 159. Monk - 39. At this level range, the fighter has already dropped his target.

Round 3: Fighter charges trip-resistant monster, deals 33 damage (1 pt power attack).
Monk full attacks original monster, 3 hits, 117 damage, dropping monster.

Round 4: Fighter full attacks, dealing 62 damage in 2 hits.
Monk charges, dealing 39 damage.

Round 5: Fighter attacks once, deals 31 damage, dropping foe, moves to gain position on next foe.
Monk full attacks, dealing 117 damage, dropping foe.

End of round 5, remaining monsters flee. Party successfully overcomes encounter.

This is fighter. Barbarian will outdamage, and by quite a bit. (likely use a +1 Greataxe, Vicious, Flaming, for enlarged damage of 3d6+2d6+1d6+1.5 str + 1). This results in a rather narrow Damage dice margin, and with an 8th level strength easily reaching 30 (let's say 18 base, +2 from levels, +2 enlarge, +4 rage, +4 bull's strength, which is an hour/level long term buff), for an easy +15 from str. That extra str can be put into power attack, on a 1 for 2 basis, maintaining parity with even a divine power'd character after power attacking for 2. (+4 damage). Average damage: 41, easy, and this isn't really even trying. Add in another level to match out your monk, throw on, let's say, a +4 dex item, and two weapon fighting with armor spikes, and we've got another 1d8+5 minimum per off hand, on top of the other stuff.

This also doesn't factor in the added bonus against low ac opponents, where both the fighter and the barbarian have easy access to a 9 point power attack, for a +18 to damage per hit, shooting them both quite high.

This also doesn't factor in outside of core, where the fighter will have the shock trooper tree for massive power attacks, and the barbarian will have pounce, for similar levels of damage.

In short, when you think of your damage, you don't think of the rounds it takes to get that damage. You assume magic weapon, enlarge, and divine power, all available at the start. That's almost never the case, given the duration of the last two.