Uber monk build

I was looking around the atari forums, and found this

(QUOTE)
Here's the skinny on Rod of the Python.

It doesn't turn into a snake, but it does count as a 2handed weapon that you can wield in 1 hand.
This means that it get 1.5x strength bonus, double damage from power attack, etc.
It also counts as a quarterstaff, which is a monk weapon, and can therefore be used with flurry of blows.
It can also be further enchanted to +3 holy, axiomatic, frost, and flame with keen edge castable on it.

Picture a half-orc 28 strength monk duel-wielding these with two-weapon, improved two weapon, and flurry of blows.
Damage output: +13 damage from strength, +16 damage from power attack, +1d6+3 from weapon, +2d6 holy, +2d6 law, +1d6 fire, +1d6 cold, +1 from prayer, +2 from good hope, 6 times a round with haste (at a 19-20 crit range).

To top it all off, monks get improved trip, so all those attacks can be made as trip attacks which ignore armor - eg. almost always hit unless you roll a '1'.
When you make the free attack that comes with the trip, it is always made at full bonus (without power attack penalty), which means again that you're only going to miss on a '1'.
It is also made with your primary hand (1.5x strength) regardless of which hand was used to make the trip in the first place.

Monks with rods of the python are juggernauts of destruction, much more than warriors with fragerach on full power attack.
(UNQUOTE)

Sounds cool to me! How would I go about making such a character, or is it still possible with the fixes introduced by Co8?

 

-Really-? Flurry of blows works with -any- weapon monks can use in ToEE?

In all the NWN incarnations it only works with unarmed and kukris, I believe. Wow, if it works with quarterstaff that seriously makes me far more interested in the class, never mind the cheese.

Qwinn

 

That was what I was wondering, together with it being counted as a two-handed weapon but being able to dual wield it. Has anyone tried this out?

 

Anyone has more info?

 

there are no dual weapons in ToEE but monks can flurry staffs as per the rules, if they can't in NWN then thats a mistake on their part.

 

Cool! What about the 2 handed str bonus? Is that a bug?

 

I never have played a monk, how important are each of the stats?
I would assume STR,DEX,CON, but what about WIS?

 

WIS is the key stat for monks. They get AC and class
feats bonuses from WIS.

 

But if you are building the monk I detailed above, you can compromise on wisdom since you are basically making a fighter. Albiet one with weaker defense. Now if only someone can confirm that rod of the python counts as a 2 handed weapon for dmg calculations...

 

No, not really. You would be better off using a higher WIS and a lower DEX - both stats will provide a monk with the same AC bonus, and the WIS will also increase his effectiveness with other class abilities such as stunning blow and quivering palm (though I'm not exactly sure if that works in ToEE.)

As for the Rod of the Python, I've never actually used it in game, but if I had to guess, I would think the modders here would have fixed that bug/exploit a long time ago. The only way to know for sure would be to try it out and see what happens. If you do try it, let us know what you find.

 

I've found that a low con doesn't really matter for monks, sure they die quick when they get hit but with a really high AC they don't get hit very often.

 

Ah, mistake on my part, in NWN you can flurry with unarmed and -kamas-, not kukris. My mistake.

But yeah, they don't permit it with quarterstaves in NWN. Neat that ToEE allows it, I had no idea that was part of the PNP rules.

Qwinn

 

Re rod of the python:- It´s silly that one can´t summon a python with it, but it´s most interesting to note that it counts as a 2-handed weapon re damage, despite being a 1-handed weapon. I usually sell both staves because I was disappointed at not getting the extra abilities that AD&D gives them. Can anyone tell me if the rod of the viper has the same 2-handed damage-bonus as the rod of the python? I think(?) that the rod of the viper was supposed to have a poisonous effect but it doesn´t seem to have that in TOEE - does it have any other abilities I didn´t perhaps notice?

 

Did abit of testing. Created a half orc monk with 20 str, consoled him the rod of the python, and choose to start dealing non lethal dmg to his party members. Max dmg I got over several rounds was 13.

If rod of the python deals one handed dmg, the dmg range should be 1-6 + 5, but does the + 2 to-hit enchantment of the rod translate to + 2 dmg?

If not, then the rod was dealing 1-6 + 5 str + 2 bonus str dmg, which means it still counts as a 2 handed weapon

[edit] Did more testing, this time with a belt + 6 str, and the max dmg was 18. Which means 1-6 + 8 str + 4 str bonus! Rod of the python counts as a 2 handed weapon in terms of dmg!

Question, if i plan to use only the quarterstaff, would it be better to create a fighter4/monk*? I'll end up with the same BAB and flurry of blows, but the start will be easier with the fighter levels as well as the + 2 dmg from weapon spec.

 

Let's get some things clear:

Are you using a vanilla game?
As far as i know, you can summon the python (giant constrictor snake), the "rod" of the python it's actually a staff, so it's logical that do 2 handed weapon damage. If it can be used in one hand, then that's a error.

Of course.

Also, the rod of the viper it's a medium weapon (1 handed). Medium weapons, like longswords, can be wielded with two hands to get the 2-h bonus damage, thus, if you don't equip anything in the other hand (and i mean anything), the game automatically "equip" it as a 2h weapon for bonus damage.
So, if you equip just one rod, then yes, it will do bonus 2h damage, but dual wielding not.
I assume you've consoled just one rod, and probably that's why you have the extra damage.