User:Cedges/Dex Monk (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction
This dexterity based monk tries to maximize attacks per round and deal as much damage as possible with Stormguard Warrior combat rhythm attacks.

Warblade 6/Swordsage 1/Fighter 2/Monk 3/Shadow Sun Ninja 8

Progression
Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Str: 11, Con: 14, Dex: 18, Int: 8, Wis: 8, Cha: 8

Race (Templates): Human or Strongheart Halfling

Starting Racial Traits:

Skills
Put 8 ranks in hide by level 12, max jump:

Skills:
 * 1) 4 Concentration, 4 Jump, 4 others
 * 2) 1 Concentration, 1 Jump, 1 other
 * 3) 1 Concentration, 1 Jump, 1 Hide
 * 4) 2 Hide, 1 Jump
 * 5) 2 Hide, 1 Jump
 * 6) 3 Hide, 1 Jump, 1 other

Maneuvers and Stances
When chosing optional Swordblade and Shadow Sun maneuvers, you need to be aware of the prerequisites for maneuvers and stances to come. Stances count as maneuvers for the purpose of prerequisites.


 * Mirrored Pursuit requires 2 Setting Sun maneuvers. Counter Charge is one, so one of the swordsage optional maneuvers must be another Setting Sun.
 * Balance on the Sky requires 3 Shadow Hand maneuvers, Island of Blades and Cloak of Deception are 2, so you need one more either from Swordsage or Shadow Sun 3.

Items
Gloves of Dexterity, Belt of Giant Strength, Bracers of Armor

To add your dex mod as a damage bonus from Shadow Blade, your weapons must be one of the Shadow Hand weapons, which are dagger, sai, siangham, short sword, spiked chain, unarmed strike. Only three of these can be used with flurry of blows: sai, siangham, and unarmed strike. Only two of these are bludgeoning weapons, sai and unarmed strike, so these are the only real weapon choices. The table says Shadow Sun weapons and use Dex instead of Str for damage mod, but the text trumps the table.

Tactics
Take a full-round attack against a single opponent with combat rhythm using touch attacks that do no damage but give +5 damage to damage rolls against that opponent next round, gaining a huge bonus to damage rolls. Attack the same opponent full round on the next turn and hit them multiple times with the bonus, preferably with dancing mongoose. Early on use Leaping Dragon Stance and Sudden Leap to catch up when they move, once you hit level 13 you can follow after them and only leap to make the first full-round. At level 18 you can teleport around as a swift action, and should switch your stance to a shadow stance to get your dex bonus added as damage on your attack rolls from Shadow Blade.

Use all of your other abilities when appropriate. You have lots, including some per-encounter one-offs picked up from the swordsage class. Child of shadow and light lets you blink, dazzling enemies every other round with no save instead of flying.

At 20th level, your tactics look like this:
 * 1) Shadow Blink to your opponent. Touch them with Combat Rhythm. Offensive Metered Foot accumulates its maximum +5 insight bonus against this opponent
 * When your opponent slips away on their turn, use the counter Mirrored Pursuit and follow.
 * 1) Full attack the same opponent with Dancing Mongoose
 * 2) If your opponent hasn't moved, go back to step 1, but recharge all your warblade maneuvers as a swift action instead of teleporting. If your opponent has moved, run up to your opponent and recharge all warblade maneuvers as a swift action. Strike with a standard attack or your best warblade strike that is one standard action and makes a melee attack.

Further Optimization

 * Get Haste somehow, perhaps through Boots of Speed

Side Notes
Choose to have all of your Shadow Sun maneuvers be tied to warblade so you can recover them quickly.

Limitations
DM Counters:
 * Actually use the full round withdraw action
 * Dimension Door
 * Move

Variants

 * The starting maneuvers can be juggled around a bit as long as the prerequisites are met at the appropriate times for ironheart aura, stoneguard, and dancing mongoose.
 * The swordsage maneuvers can be changed as long as you meet the prerequisites for Shadow Sun Ninja, Mirrored Pursuit, other Shadow Sun stuff you get.
 * Balance in the Sky isn't really required, this could be changed for a different stance from either Setting Sun or Shadow Hand. Island of Blades is enough to blink and get bonus damage when you want it.
 * It might be possible to replace the level of Swordsage with 5 feats: Weapon Focus, 2 Martial Studies, A Martial Stance, and another Martial Study or Stance to meet the prerequisites for Shadow Sun, Shadow Blade and Mirrored Pursuit. Two of these could be obtained from flaws such as shaky, leaving 3 feats to summon from somewhere. Dropping Shadow Blade would get one feat, which would then require one less feat to meet its prerequisite. Shadow Blade could then be reacquired after getting into Shadow Sun Ninja.

Miscellaneous
<- Any other side notes that don't fit in the above sections. ->