need help with stats for a monk

[soltangris]

(lost my previous account)

 

Hi,

So i want to play POTD and I want a monk as my main character, but I want to be able to have access to many dialogue options, but I also want the character not to be useless in battle. I will play with the NPC's that have a story.

 

I want my monk to be second tank or melee dps. I understand I need good CON, MIG and DEX, but the attributes that open dialogue options are INT, PER and RES... I also understand that I don't need to have access to ALL dialogue options : for example, for RP reasons, I am not really interested in RES dialogue options, because my monk is going to be a pretty good guy. INT seems interesting for the bonus that it gives to the skills, and PER seems good too. RES gives me deflection but shouldn't my monk take as much wounds as possible ?

 

I am not really into min-maxing, but I just want a good start. I was about to start with MIG&CON15, DEX14, PER&INT12, and RES10.

 

Thanks for the help.

[DreamWayfarer]

(lost my previous account)

 

Hi,

So i want to play POTD and I want a monk as my main character, but I want to be able to have access to many dialogue options, but I also want the character not to be useless in battle. I will play with the NPC's that have a story.

 

I want my monk to be second tank or melee dps. I understand I need good CON, MIG and DEX, but the attributes that open dialogue options are INT, PER and RES... I also understand that I don't need to have access to ALL dialogue options : for example, for RP reasons, I am not really interested in RES dialogue options, because my monk is going to be a pretty good guy.

Not all RES dialogue is about intimidation and bullying. Most is simply about sounding like you really mean what you are saying and sometimes it allows you to reach a peaceful solution.

 

Luckly, in the beggining of White March you get a ring that gives +3 RES as a drop from the ogre Boss you have to fight, and with bonuses from resting and prostitutes you can make that +6, I think.

 

Most important RES options are available at 17 RES and PER is nowhere as relevant to dialogue as RES and INT so I would use the following spread:

 

16 MIG

15 CON

8 DEX

10 PER

15 INT(plus armor enchatment you get 17, a good number)

14 RES(try to get the ring as early as possible. Level 6 or 7 should be enough, depending on your party. It gets easier with scrolls of paralysis or sneaking past the first Ogres.)

 

You won't be the very best of all DPS characters, but your tanking and CC will be good, and you can get veteran's recovery to compensate the need for taking damage. Invest in Survival and Lore, as not only they give tons of dialogue options, but you also benefit greatly from scrolls and the extra healing received from survival.

 

Wear medium or light armor depending on the encounter, and use your fists as your main weapon. As for which NPCs to use, you can't go wrong with Pallegina by your side, and her order specific talent improving flames of devotion will help compensate the below average DEX, as will the Torment's Reach full attacks.

 

And as a hint for when you build you characters: A increase or decrease of two or three points in a single attribute is hard to notice, unless you do the sane with another that affects the sane defense. More than that, however, can make a big difference, so you should be careful with not spreading your points too thin, and also think twice before dumping a stat below 8.

 

EDIT: the sane defense. Now I want a Sanity meter in PoE and things that target it . Keeping the typo. Ah Ah Aj

Edited June 26, 2016 by DreamWayfarer

[KDubya]

To expand on the good advice from Dream Wayfarer above I'd focus on fewer things instead of spreading out.

 

Resolve is good for many classes but Monk is not one of them. Use a high Resolve with another character in another play through. That frees up a few points which I'd add two to Dex to make a ten and place the other two in Con. Monks have great multipliers on endurance and health and really benefit from a big Constitution. It also lets you get by with lighter armor which will improve your DPS by having you attack faster.

 

The 15 base Intellect will get you good dialogues as well as great area on your Torment' Reach and really long duration on your Force of Anguish prones. You will definitely not be useless in battle

[DreamWayfarer]

To expand on the good advice from Dream Wayfarer above I'd focus on fewer things instead of spreading out.

 

Resolve is good for many classes but Monk is not one of them.

Well, I wouldn't advice this, as the OP wanted to have many dialogue options, and RES is, while not synergic with Monks not really as detrimental as some think, as with light or medium armor grazes can still give Wounds, and if you don't get many Wounds... you probably don't need them .

 

Yeah, RES is not the most combat effective stat for Monks, but IMO you can raise it without being guilty.

[soltangris]

Thanks for your insight.

 

Dex gives more attack speed and reflex, it isn't a problem to have it so low ? Or maybe the skills and level bonus of the monk will counterbalance this ?

 

And it's better to have more INT than PER ? PER gives accuracy, don't I need more accuracy ? In the other hand, INT gives good bonus to area of effect and duration.. But if as you say INT is more relevant to dialogue than PER, then I guess it's ok !

 

Also, both PER and DEX give reflex, but if both are low, am I going to have reflex problems ?

 

I played the game when it came out but but I didn't go far.

[DreamWayfarer]

Thanks for your insight.

 

Dex gives more attack speed and reflex, it isn't a problem to have it so low ? Or maybe the skills and level bonus of the monk will counterbalance this ?

 

Reflex... well, having it at base or close below is not bad for someone like a Monk, who has enough endurance to tank a few damage spells. As for speed fists are fast as hell, dual wielding already diminishes your recovery period a lot, and Torment's Reach is a full attack, which means both weapons strike in quick sucession, making the less than stellar DEX not a problem. And if you feel reflexes are really such a problem, you can spend a talent point on it and wear gear that boosts reflexes, right?

 

And it's better to have more INT than PER ? PER gives accuracy, don't I need more accuracy ? In the other hand, INT gives good bonus to area of effect and duration.. But if as you say INT is more relevant to dialogue than PER, then I guess it's ok !

 

Also, both PER and DEX give reflex, but if both are low, am I going to have reflex problems ?

 

I played the game when it came out but but I didn't go far.

Monks have very good base accuracy, and their fists gain an accuracy bonus automatically as you level. Talents should be enough to rarely graze, and buffs from your party members can make you crit a reasonable amount of time. INT however, is harder to buff, and it affects most Monk abilities in a significant way.

 

And yes, INT is way more relevant to dialogue than PER IMO. RES still hangs somewhat above both, though.

Edited June 27, 2016 by DreamWayfarer

[baldurs_gate_2]

(lost my previous account)

 

Hi,

So i want to play POTD and I want a monk as my main character, but I want to be able to have access to many dialogue options, but I also want the character not to be useless in battle. I will play with the NPC's that have a story.

 

I want my monk to be second tank or melee dps. I understand I need good CON, MIG and DEX, but the attributes that open dialogue options are INT, PER and RES... I also understand that I don't need to have access to ALL dialogue options : for example, for RP reasons, I am not really interested in RES dialogue options, because my monk is going to be a pretty good guy. INT seems interesting for the bonus that it gives to the skills, and PER seems good too. RES gives me deflection but shouldn't my monk take as much wounds as possible ?

 

I am not really into min-maxing, but I just want a good start. I was about to start with MIG&CON15, DEX14, PER&INT12, and RES10.

 

Thanks for the help.

From playing this game through three times i can say, a main with high resolve is the best for it. Paladin as example. The reputation gain from dialogues you get even effects the stats of him, but i don't think it does anything for the monk.