Beating Batman: Sir Giacomo's Guide to Monks

[Signmaker]

I would prefer that that example not be used, mainly because it's stupid. Unless you were a complete idiot, that would not occur.

The problem with Gia's builds is this: He believes that he will NOT be caught off-guard such that he cannot escape by A. Eversmoking Bottle, B. Monk move speed, or C. Hide from Animals (Seriously, WHAT?). He believes that his listen and spot checks can always be used without modifiers rendering it near-useless, and that even if a caster is INVISIBLE, he can still detect where they are. At least, this is what I notice from him, and his responses to being 'caught off guard'.

Thinking such, he believes that since he notices threats before they descend upon him, he has ample rounds to A. UMD buffs, and B. Hide so that he may ambush the enemy, who, in probability, is quite likely to be ambushing HIM.

Let's get this dog fixed before we touch on the next poodle. *Snip snip*

[Fenix_of_Doom]

The following message is a short interrupt of the ongoing discussion.

Somewhere lots of pages back in this thread a grappling contest was set up(link), between a cleric, a sorcerer and a monk, unfortunately the cleric's player has been banned and is unable to continue the fight, so if anyone want to take over, please report in at the thread linked above.

thanks in advance.

[Eldritch_Ent]

Whoa, Solo got banned? That's unfortunate.

Let us have a moment of silence for our fallen boardmate..... Okay done.

[Frosty]

Wonder why he got banned...

[Signmaker]

Guess he's joining TLN's ranks. Which is cool, in a way.

Gonna miss his asian stabbityness.

[Freelance Henchman]

Solo is permanently banned?

[Fenix_of_Doom]

Solo is permanently banned?

I don't have a clue and I don't think any non-mod can tell you that, however while I share the bummer feeling it wasn't really the point of the message and to prevent derailment I kindly request not discuss this topic here.

[Emperor Tippy]

I don't have a clue and I don't think any non-mod can tell you that, however while I share the bummer feeling it wasn't really the point of the message and to prevent derailment I kindly request not discuss this topic here.

All you have to do is go and look at their profile or anyone of their posts. Where it would normally list the post count rank (Pixie in the Playground, etc.) it will say Banned if someone is banned.

Now as a friendly reminder, it's a bit against the rules to talk about banned posters so you do so at your own risk.

[Sir Giacomo]

Hmmm. I wonder how you'll react to this...

1) At all levels? Level 14+ the wizard's phantom steed can fly much faster than the monk. No sane wizard casts a spell like that without first getting out of your way.

You cannot cast a full-round casting time spell while riding a mount not trained for combat (as a phantom steed); you'll always need a move action for that. And as for getting away so far that the monk won't reach you in that round: what exactly makes you think that a slow-moving centipede will be able to close in with the monk or even find him?

2) How long can you hide in the AMF? Eventually, it'll run out and the wizard will Power Word Kill you

The point of an AMF is not to hide in it. It's to attack with it.

3) The centipede was only a theoretical exercise to begin with, not an actual strategy. Power words and insane-high DCs should be able to finish off the monk in no time (unless there's something I missed)

Hmmm...I take this as you admitting that a summoned centipede will not make the wizard outgrapple and defeat a monk.
And...did you miss the part of where I said that a mind blank stops all power words? Of course, an AMF also stops them. Or several other spells or protective measures (total concealment being one of them...).

1) Unless he's more than 1 round away from the monk or casts it in the buff round or even makes the concentration check to keep casting while his mount moves. Also, how is your monk flying and seeing invisible things, again? That's +40 to the spot check for that, and at least one round spent buffing to fly. More if you fail your UMD checks.

When someone is casting for a full round, you can pinpoint that person easily with a DC 20 listen check OR a DC 20 spot check (including penalties for distance). You may wish to look up how high these skill bonuses are for the joker monk at the respective levels. You'll be surprised. And the buff time for fly is not "at least one round" but always one standard action at the levels of this super 40+ grappling centipede we are talking about.

2) Okay, so Polymorph is allowed now? Or is that just for monks? Plus where are you getting all the actions to cast all these buffs from? Remember, every time you take an action the wizard (And anything he summons) gets another turn as well.

If morhping is allowed, you get polymorph any object, and you're set permanently. Without morph, different methods are available.

Also, doesn't protection from evil only apply to Natural Weapons, such as bite? Does that apply to unarmed attacks as well?

Summoned creatures cannot touch you while you are protected by protection from evil ("prevents bodily contact"). This includes grappling.

Also, remember Antimagic field supresses all your buffs and (SU) abilities while it's up, so you can't fly or anything while it's up. That gives the Wizard the mobility advantage again, and lets him set up while the monk's groundbound.

Yes. Woudn't you think then, that an AMF is not the best of protections vs a summoned creature? This is where the cheap protection from evil wand comes in.

3) Unless the Centipede is outside the monk's threatened range, which is fully possible if the monk hasn't been grown to a size greater than Medium and has a reach weapon. Plus we're still investigating wether fiendish centipedes gain feats from HD because they're intelligent. (I'm thinking yes, but we'll see.)

Even when a colossal creature attempts a grapple, it enters the square of its opponent and suffers an AoO. Reach has nothing to do with it (see Oslecamos post above).
The fiendish centipedes have the feats that are listed in the MM/SRD.

Also, WHAT level 10 druid? I think you have the wrong guy.

Oops sorry. Must be the trauma of the duel vs Reel on, Love
I referred of course to the duel vs your level 10 wizard build.

Okay, so yet ANOTHER wand has been added to the monk's repetoire. ProEvil, to be exact.

Yep. 50 charges for a staggering 750gp at the colossal centipede levels.

Can we get a running count on which ones Gia has? Because with the sheer volume of wands we're running in to, I'm wondering how the monk manages to pull each one out so readily. Even with a Haversack, that's still a move action to bring out a wand you're not expecting to use, and then ANOTHER standard action to ATTEMPT to pass the check.

Which at the high levels we are talking about is no problem. And wands do not weigh THAT much. But a haversack is of course also a possibility at those levels.

Yes, while you waste a full round to counter the wizard's full round attempt at making the duel sporting, the wizard will then shoot you. With words. That redefine your very existance.

? If said wizard moved safely outside the charge range of the monk, this means that a wizard's choice of spells at that point for attacking is likely reduced to long range spells. No power words possible then.

Or, his familiar goes pyoo pyoo during the action-counter rounds, whittling you down. But hey, I'm no expert (Expert, yes, expert, no.)

A familiar taking down the monk? This is an - albeit cute - variant of the old "druid animal companion is better than a fighter" fallacy.

bear in mind that maxed out (which takes several in-combat actions) at level 20 the Giamonk is still outclassed in a major aspect of the build (check out how much of the guide is devoted to Grappling) not by a CR appropriate opponent, but by a summoned minion of a caster FIVE LEVELS lower...... (and thats without adding in the bonus that improved grapple give the centipede should the intelligent creature be allowed useful feats) which costs one standard action and then there's still this wizard buzzing around with a bajillion dirty tricks....

Two corrections:
1) The joker monk only uses grappling extensively until level 8, other stuff after that (I wonder how often I'll need to keep repeating that the joker monk build is not intended to grapple dragons and stuff, although he could do it in a morph campaign).
2) It was shown already that no fiendish centipede can beat the monk grappling. The gargantuan size+ kinds are not grappable by a monk in a non-morph world, that's true. But he could easily just smash it with his regular attacks in the round that it took the wizard to appear, or just ignore it and attack the wizard directly.

I would prefer that that example not be used, mainly because it's stupid. Unless you were a complete idiot, that would not occur.

Thank you for posting that. I wondered when someone else would start to oppose Kurald Galain's odd examples.

The problem with Gia's builds is this: He believes that he will NOT be caught off-guard such that he cannot escape by A. Eversmoking Bottle, B. Monk move speed, or C. Hide from Animals (Seriously, WHAT?).

No, of course the monk can be taken off guard. Only that he is (alongside the other spot/listen classes) the least likely to. And the hide from animals is a powerful low-level protection against those creatures up to mid-level most commonly able to outgrapple the monk at all: huge size+ animals.

He believes that his listen and spot checks can always be used without modifiers rendering it near-useless, and that even if a caster is INVISIBLE, he can still detect where they are. At least, this is what I notice from him, and his responses to being 'caught off guard'.

As you'll notice from the rules, you can pinpoint an invisible opponent not trying to hide and/or move silently (like spellcasters who do not cast silently or stilled) with a DC 20 (plus, you get BOTH checks). And I also account for distances (not that this works both ways, such as trying to pinpoint the monk moving silently within a smoke cload from his bottle).

Thinking such, he believes that since he notices threats before they descend upon him, he has ample rounds to A. UMD buffs, and B. Hide so that he may ambush the enemy, who, in probability, is quite likely to be ambushing HIM.

Well, said opponent can certainly try (a spellcaster can only sneak up on someone in the rarest of circumstances, or at VERY high levels). I do admit, though, that in the flat open stone plain duel settings, this big advantage of the monk is gone. He'll still be able to hold his own, do not worry.

OK, that's about it for now.

- Giacomo

[Spiryt]

When someone is casting for a full round, you can pinpoint that person easily with a DC 20 listen check OR a DC 20 spot check (including penalties for distance).

- Giacomo

Where did you get this from

A character can use Listen to notice the presence of an invisible creature (generally opposed by a Move Silently check). If the character beats the DC by 20 or more, he or she can pinpoint the location of the invisible creature, though it still maintains total concealment from the character (50% miss chance).

It's opposed check. Monk must beat it by 20. PLUS distance. No invisible mage will be 10 feet from Monk. More like 50 +. That gives huge DC (at least 25 or so, considering that mage rolls 2). Not to beat by Monk, who have only 4 skill points per level, without Intelligence. His listen can be average at most.

EDIT : That's listed under epic rules, BTW, so one could argue that characters can't use it before epic. I don't do so, just to give at least Rangers and Rogues some chance against invisible caster, but still.

[Roland St. Jude]

...Now as a friendly reminder, it's a bit against the rules to talk about banned posters so you do so at your own risk.

Sheriff of Moddingham: Indeed. Also, please don't troll this thread by just popping into to bemoan that this thread is still going or insult those taking part in the discussion.

[Eldritch_Ent]

Hmmm. I wonder how you'll react to this...
Yep. 50 charges for a staggering 750gp at the colossal centipede levels.
- Giacomo

Wand Creation costs, from the DMG-
375 x spell level x caster level. That's how much it takes just to make it.

To get a collosal centipede, you need Summon Monster 8.
To cast summon monster 8, you need a 15th level Wizard.
To create a wand of summon monster 8, it will cost 45,000 gold.
Then there's the 100% markup stipulated in the DMG. An item is sold for twice it's creation cost in gold pieces and is created at full charges.
So that's 90,000 gold, right? How are you getting it for 750 each?

[Spiryt]

Wand Creation costs, from the DMG-
375 x spell level x caster level. That's how much it takes just to make it.

To get a collosal centipede, you need Summon Monster 8.
To cast summon monster 8, you need a 15th level Wizard.
To create a wand of summon monster 8, it will cost 45,000 gold.
Then there's the 100% markup stipulated in the DMG. An item is sold for twice it's creation cost in gold pieces and is created at full charges.
So that's 90,000 gold, right? How are you getting it for 750 each?

In "wands" section in Magic Items in SRD, there's no even wand of summon monster VIII. The highest ist SM IV. For 21 000.

Honestly, Giacomo, I don't know where are you taking this 750 gp from.

I do not participate in this thread, but if I did, I would feel offended by arguments which are based on false numbers...

[Bayar]

In "wands" section in Magic Items in SRD, there's no even wand of summon monster VIII. The highest ist SM IV. For 21 000.

And that is because you cant create a wand which has a spell higher than level 4.

[Sir Giacomo]

Mojotech, I guess you misunderstood something.

The wizard is casting the monster summoning VIII.

The monk could respond by protection from evil from his 750 gp wand.

And: you can only create wands of lvls 1-4.

- Giacomo

PS: btw, while the joker monk will not be able to outgrapple a colossal fiendish centipede, a monk build devoted to grappling (with around STR 36 and grapple +37, with up to 6 flurried attempts) would have a good chance around those levels, even without morph.

[Sir Giacomo]

It's opposed check. Monk must beat it by 20. PLUS distance. No invisible mage will be 10 feet from Monk. More like 50 +. That gives huge DC (at least 25 or so, considering that mage rolls 2). Not to beat by Monk, who have only 4 skill points per level, without Intelligence. His listen can be average at most.

No beating by 20, just DC 20 (modified by distance). Or the wizard has to actively hide and/or move silently (necessitating a move action to do so). This is not done when using a full round for monster summoning.

EDIT : That's listed under epic rules, BTW, so one could argue that characters can't use it before epic. I don't do so, just to give at least Rangers and Rogues some chance against invisible caster, but still.

It's part of SRD or DMG, no epic rules mentioned.

- Giacomo

[Spiryt]

No beating by 20, just DC 20 (modified by distance). Or the wizard has to actively hide and/or move silently (necessitating a move action to do so). This is not done when using a full round for monster summoning.
- Giacomo

1)

It’s practically impossible (+20 DC) to pinpoint an invisible creature’s location with a Spot check, and even if a character succeeds on such a check, the invisible creature still benefits from total concealment (50% miss chance).

Realising mage is nearby is 20DC. Knowing where he is another + 20. And then it's still total concealment.
2) How exaclty monk benefit from knowing that mage is nearby? It's not that he have any range attack to speak of.
3) I haven't read whole thread, but why mage should play with summonig anything? Acid fog, and monk is gone.

[Eldritch_Ent]

1) You cannot cast a full-round casting time spell while riding a mount not trained for combat (as a phantom steed); you'll always need a move action for that.

2) What exactly makes you think that a slow-moving centipede will be able to close in with the monk or even find him?

3) The point of an AMF is not to hide in it. It's to attack with it.

4) When someone is casting for a full round, you can pinpoint that person easily with a DC 20 listen check OR a DC 20 spot check

5) If morphing is allowed, you get polymorph any object, and you're set permanently. Without morph, different methods are available.

6) Summoned creatures cannot touch you while you are protected by protection from evil ("prevents bodily contact"). This includes grappling.

7) Even when a colossal creature attempts a grapple, it enters the square of its opponent and suffers an AoO. Reach has nothing to do with it.

8) The fiendish centipedes have the feats that are listed in the MM/SRD.

9) Oops sorry. Must be the trauma of the duel vs Reel on, Love
I referred of course to the duel vs your level 10 wizard build.

10) Yep. 50 charges for a staggering 750gp at the colossal centipede levels.

11) Which at the high levels we are talking about is no problem. And wands do not weigh THAT much. But a haversack is of course also a possibility at those levels.

12) If said wizard moved safely outside the charge range of the monk, this means that a wizard's choice of spells at that point for attacking is likely reduced to long range spells. No power words possible then.

13) A familiar taking down the monk? This is an - albeit cute - variant of the old "druid animal companion is better than a fighter" fallacy

14) It was shown already that no fiendish centipede can beat the monk grappling.

15) DC 20 to Listen or Spot an invisible Foe. Also, Monk's in his eversmoking bottle.

16) Well, said opponent can certainly try (a spellcaster can only sneak up on someone in the rarest of circumstances, or at VERY high levels).
- Giacomo

1) DC 5 Ride checl to guide with knees.
2) Unless the monk is UMDing greater invisibility, he has to come out sometime, and the centipede can just grab him when he gets in range of the wizard.
3) How? You can't fly or use attack spells with AMF up, and the wizard is undoubtedly going to be flying above your range.
4) Where does it say this in the core rules?
5) If Morphing is allowed, I get all polymorph spells. As an aside, how do you define "Morphing" exactly? Any of the Polymorph spells, or do you include Giant Growth and Righteous Might?
6) It only says it prevents Natural Weapon attacks, not regular attacks or Grapples.
7) Where does it say that? And reach has everything to do with it, because you can't make AoO's against things not in your threatened area. That's a pretty clear rule too, so which takes precedence?
8) No they don't. They have the fiendish template and that may or may not include feats.
9) I don't know yet. Have you and Tippy finished your duel yet?
10) I hope you meant Protection from Evil. (Oh, I see by your next post you did. Fair enough. I thought you meant summon monster 8.)
11) Still a move action, so if you want to use the wand that same round you won't be able to do anything but take a 5 foot step.
12) Or he could just wait slightly outside the monk's range and prepare an action to cast when he gets too close. And if the monk doesn't move in at his full speed, the wizard can just move back some more.
13) Fully Possible, Not a Fallacy.
14) Has it? Where has that been shown? Could you give me a link?
15) Again, where in the core rulebooks does it say that? And how is the monk seeing out of his Eversmoking bottle, anyway?
16) Does the Monk get checks to hear a flying wizard or spot things behind him? What's the listen DC for hearing the soundless hooves of a spectral mount? What's the spot DC to see someone who's invisible? I have my PHB 3.5 in my lap and I can't find information on it in the Invisibility or Spot sections. Could you please tell me which pages they're on?


Also, I don't think Monks get flurry of blows when grappling... Do you have any PHB or DMG text to support that they do? If I recall correctly, a grapple is an attack-like action, or rather, succesive attacks only apply when starting a grapple- but once the grapple has begun, it's not an attack anymore, and it's merely various grapple checks to impse damage like you'd hit them with an unarmed attack.

[Sir Giacomo]

1)
Realising mage is nearby is 20DC. Knowing where he is another + 20. And then it's still total concealment.

Ah yes, you're correct. So it's a DC 20 spot check to realise the mage is nearby and DC 40 to pinpoint (note that the joker monk at high levels will make that roll quite often) - probably outside the 30ft range it's not even possible, it appears.
So that leaves the listen check of DC 20+ range. Still quite a good chance for the monk.

2) How exaclty monk benefit from knowing that mage is nearby? It's not that he have any range attack to speak of.

With his good move, he can still try to hit the wizard, re-rolling the miss chance thanks to the blind fight feat.

3) I haven't read whole thread, but why mage should play with summonig anything? Acid fog, and monk is gone.

Yep, that would be a superior attack (not a safe win, but definitely superior).

- Giacomo

[Ulzgoroth]

Regarding protection from evil:

Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Good summoned creatures are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.

If you want to say someone can grapple without making bodily contact...that's pretty silly.

However, I'm not sure that does any good, since fiendish centipedes have SR.

Sorry if I'm dragging out a tangent...I haven't drilled too many pages in.

[mostlyharmful]

Ah yes, you're correct. So it's a DC 20 spot check to realise the mage is nearby and DC 40 to pinpoint (note that the joker monk at high levels will make that roll quite often) - probably outside the 30ft range it's not even possible, it appears.
So that leaves the listen check of DC 20+ range. Still quite a good chance for the monk.

Good enough to what exactly? Provided the Wizard's acting like a complete moron and isn't flying invisibly high enough to make listen and spot irrelivant with a well worded contingency should the impossible happen and they're located, the monk will just know that somewhere there is something that they can't see. While the untouchable Wizard can prep at their leasure and rain down sucky doom at their conveniece.

[Spiryt]

Ah yes, you're correct. So it's a DC 20 spot check to realise the mage is nearby and DC 40 to pinpoint (note that the joker monk at high levels will make that roll quite often) - probably outside the 30ft range it's not even possible, it appears.
So that leaves the listen check of DC 20+ range. Still quite a good chance for the monk.

No. Logis says no, and rules also make it clear. Pinpointing by a hearing is even harder.

Again, from the SRD invisiblity entry :

A creature can use hearing to find an invisible creature. A character can make a Listen check for this purpose as a free action each round. A Listen check result at least equal to the invisible creature’s Move Silently check result reveals its presence. (A creature with no ranks in Move Silently makes a Move Silently check as a Dexterity check to which an armor check penalty applies.) A successful check lets a character hear an invisible creature “over there somewhere.” It’s practically impossible to pinpoint the location of an invisible creature. A Listen check that beats the DC by 20 pinpoints the invisible creature’s location.

It says clearly, that even succesfull check only reveals mage "over there somewhere". Exact location = + 20.
I will personaly homebrew it, just to give at least " good sighted guys ( R&R aka Rangers and Rogues) some chance. But by the rules like that....

With his good move, he can still try to hit the wizard, re-rolling the miss chance thanks to the blind fight feat.

Wizard will have Fly on him, and even in some dungeon, it's good for him. He can cast spells from high above. Pinpointning him is then 40 + distance DC. If he is moving at full speed DC is the same plus Move Silently Check - 4 according to the table in Invisibilty section. He can achieve any position profitable for himself, then assault. Fugging broken, but those are the rules.

[Fenix_of_Doom]

Regarding protection from evil:



If you want to say someone can grapple without making bodily contact...that's pretty silly.

However, I'm not sure that does any good, since fiendish centipedes have SR.

Sorry if I'm dragging out a tangent...I haven't drilled too many pages in.

Nice catch I must say, the larger centipedes even have quite high SR, so VS PvE at caster level 1 they have a good to certain chance of making it.

[mostlyharmful]

Nice catch I must say, the larger centipedes have quite high SR too, so at caster level 1 that have a good to certain chance of making it too.

HD+5 Maxing at 25 if memory serves, leaving SM8 24HD Colossal centipedes completely immune to CL1 Protection from Evil wands

[Sir Giacomo]

1) DC 5 Ride checl to guide with knees.

No, it's a DC 20 check to control a non-combat mount in combat.

2) Unless the monk is UMDing greater invisibility, he has to come out sometime, and the centipede can just grab him when he gets in range of the wizard.

Sometime? Yes, after the monster summoning length expired. Or until he has protection from evil up. Whichever comes first.

3) How? You can't fly or use attack spells with AMF up, and the wizard is undoubtedly going to be flying above your range.

So you have to find some ways to prevent the wizard from flying away. Hmmm. What could that be?

4) Where does it say this in the core rules?

DMG/SRD. The spot part I misread, the listen not. (see my answer above).

5) If Morphing is allowed, I get all polymorph spells. As an aside, how do you define "Morphing" exactly? Any of the Polymorph spells, or do you include Giant Growth and Righteous Might?

The morhping stuff comprises alter self, polymorph self, polymorph any object, animal shapes, shapechange and the druid wildshape abiltiy.

6) It only says it prevents Natural Weapon attacks, not regular attacks or Grapples.

No. It says exactly what I wrote above. No bodily contact.

7) Where does it say that? And reach has everything to do with it, because you can't make AoO's against things not in your threatened area. That's a pretty clear rule too, so which takes precedence?

It says so in the grappling rules.

8) No they don't. They have the fiendish template and that may or may not include feats.

The SRD lists the stats of the fiendish centipedes. They do not have improved grapple or improved grab.

9) I don't know yet. Have you and Tippy finished your duel yet?

Not even started. We're waiting for the setup by Talic (it is a very high level duel, it is quite complicated to resolve all matters beforehand).

10) I hope you meant Protection from Evil. (Oh, I see by your next post you did. Fair enough. I thought you meant summon monster 8.)

OK.

11) Still a move action, so if you want to use the wand that same round you won't be able to do anything but take a 5 foot step.

Yes, but a good thing about the wands is that the monk can hold two of them in his hands all the time and still do unarmed strikes with his feet or grapple (as per the wand rules). So he has the two most favoured combat wands in his hands and is set.

12) Or he could just wait slightly outside the monk's range and prepare an action to cast when he gets too close. And if the monk doesn't move in at his full speed, the wizard can just move back some more.

Yes. But did you note how many ways I outlined to stop the power words?

13) Fully Possible, Not a Fallacy.

It is a fallacy, proven many times over at the WoTC optimisation boards. Three points may help here: 1) the animal companion has less, and also less useful wbl, even if the druid gave all of his items to it (for instance, it cannot use speech-activated items). 2) the animal companion has no ranged weapons, which are the most powerful weapons in high level play and 3) It's an ANIMAL! A simple 1st level spell negates it (hide from animals), without save. And it will simply shy away from a fighter riding on a phantom steed.

14) Has it? Where has that been shown? Could you give me a link?

Check out my posts over the last 5 pages of this thread. Basically, the centipede has the following problems:
1) it will 95% likely be hit by the AoO it triggers when trying to grapple the monk
2) it is stopped by a first level spell (protection from evil)
3) a level 16 monk devoted to grappling (for instance, with STR 36 and thus 3 grapple checks at +37, plus three more) would have a good chance to outgrapple even a +42 colossal centipede.

15) Again, where in the core rulebooks does it say that? And how is the monk seeing out of his Eversmoking bottle, anyway?

See above 4). And the monk does not need to see in the smoke, only listen and blind-fight.

16) Does the Monk get checks to hear a flying wizard or spot things behind him?

Yes (a wizard moving makes sounds, even when moving silently) and yes (you are considered facing in all directions in combat).

What's the listen DC for hearing the soundless hooves of a spectral mount?

The monk cannot hear the soundless hooves, but he can hear the spellcasting caster.

What's the spot DC to see someone who's invisible? I have my PHB 3.5 in my lap and I can't find information on it in the Invisibility or Spot sections. Could you please tell me which pages they're on?

DMG pp. 295-296.

Also, I don't think Monks get flurry of blows when grappling... Do you have any PHB or DMG text to support that they do? If I recall correctly, a grapple is an attack-like action, or rather, succesive attacks only apply when starting a grapple- but once the grapple has begun, it's not an attack anymore, and it's merely various grapple checks to impse damage like you'd hit them with an unarmed attack

Pls check out the FAQ I put into the guide on page 1 of this thread.

- Giacomo

[Sir Giacomo]

Good enough to what exactly? Provided the Wizard's acting like a complete moron and isn't flying invisibly high enough to make listen and spot irrelivant with a well worded contingency should the impossible happen and they're located, the monk will just know that somewhere there is something that they can't see. While the untouchable Wizard can prep at their leasure and rain down sucky doom at their conveniece.

When the wizard flies very high above he actually acts like a moron, since he'll have difficulty to even spot or target the monk somewhere below, in case that monk opts to hide.
And when he's getting closer, the monk can catch him in a cloud of smoke, leveling the playing field compeletely (unfortuantely, the monk CAN still attack the wizard thanks to listen and blind-fight, whereas the wizard is seriously hampered with his spell attacks).

And that well-worded contingency...really needs to be well-worded.

Having said that, the colossal fiendish centipede truly has a SR - so a first level wand is not enough. In that case, the monk will simply outmanouvre and outwait the slower centipede easily.
Guys, drop it with this centipede. It is no use. Try different spells that could truly dent the joker monk, but not a full-round summoning spell bringing about a slow critter unable to even establish a grapple on the monk. Devoting 5 pages of this thread to that subject is useless imo.
Maybe re-reading the guide will give you other ideas on what to ask.

Then, Spiryt, in the case of listen you are incorrect. The DC for pinpointing someone who is spellcasting is 0 (noticing "something is over there") plus the 20 for pinpointing, hence 20. Add any range modifiers to that.

Will sleep now again, and get again to check the site on Wednesday.

- Giacomo

[Spiryt]

Then, Spiryt, in the case of listen you are incorrect. The DC for pinpointing someone who is spellcasting is 0 (noticing "something is over there") plus the 20 for pinpointing, hence 20. Add any range modifiers to that.

No. At least "Invisibilty" part of Abilities and conditions says something else. The rest of my points stand.

[Sir Giacomo]

Yuck. Got two "pinpointings" in there. Anyhow, check the table in your link. The DC for detecing someone active while invsible with listen is 0. Add to this 20, plus other modifiers (like range).

- Giacomo

[Frosty]

Actually it's really, really easy to cast without being heard. Zone of Silence will do just fine, and it lasts 10 mins/level. In battle, this is effectively forever, and it can be extended. The Zone is great because it leaves the caster and the surrounding squaures able to cast normally but there is a sound barrier further from that.

That, or apparently you can use Sleight of Hand to prevent people from noticing you are casting anything. The use is detailed in Rules Compendium and maybe Races of Stone.

If we go non-core, there's just no competition. Superior Invisibility makes the caster undetectable by any mundane means, be it sound, smell, whatever.

[Spiryt]

Yuck. Got two "pinpointings" in there. Anyhow, check the table in your link. The DC for detecing someone active while invsible with listen is 0. Add to this 20, plus other modifiers (like range).

- Giacomo

It says " combat or speaking ".

Like I said, any mage who feels anyhow endangered will begin assault (casting -> speaking) only when sure that his position is safe.

If this is necessary, there are always Silent spells. Only + 1 spell level.