My current experience with my DMM is that while I miss Stunning Fist, the spell like abilities are really useful. Also selling the Ring of Wizardry to buy the Dagger of Venom early was one of the best choices I could make.
Is it possible to play with Rasaad and Dorn in your party without them killing each other? I've been thinking about playing with a monk and going the Darkmoon route. But I kind of want to try to keep a party without switching much.
I have ALWAYS played Good characters, and wouldn't even allow an Evil character into my party. I finally decided to play an Evil CharName, and I selected: Lawful Evil Human Female Dark Moon Monk! I've also never played a Monk before, so this is a big change from my traditional 'Goody Two-Shoes' run-throughs and I'm very excited to see how this character and my LE dialogue choices play out.
Thanks for posting this handy guide, I'm going to try some of your recommendations!
Also, is Southpaw's portrait based on Ray Stevenson?
My few cents: I've just finished BP2 with true class monk and I must say that I was very pleasantly suprised with effectivness of Stunning blow, that lasted even post 20th level.
The point is that usage of that ability suprisingly well evolves. For most of early levels like in BGEE, it's one day use ultimate ability to cripple bosses.
Later enemy saves rise. But so does your APR and ammout of uses per day. So you can use it multiple times per fight, mostly to get rid of immunity-lacking-yet annoying henchemen.
Is it possible to play with Rasaad and Dorn in your party without them killing each other? I've been thinking about playing with a monk and going the Darkmoon route. But I kind of want to try to keep a party without switching much.
You are totally getting a response a month after you asked, but yes its possible.
When it comes to bracers, I actually prefer using Bracers of AC. Unless you desperately need something to help your strength or dexterity, a bonus four (with Bracers to the Death) to your armor class is well worth the THAC0 and damage bonus trade off of the Legacy of the Master's bracers. By my (possibly wrong) calculations, a monk using all the best gear will have an incredible -9 AC at max level. (-11 if using Twinkle) And a bonus four from bracers certainly helps make that a reality. But that's just my take on it.
I prefer braces that give you +hit/+dmg. In both BGEE and BG2EE. Killing your enemy quickly is mostly the best defense and the monk's AC goes lower by itself anyway. You can use many other ways to get your AC low (rings, cloaks, spells, Shielding Amulet etc...) but the options to get your THAC0 lower are only a few (Strength and bracers...if without weapons, because you lose APR if you don a weapon.)
Yes. With some buffing done, the monk can have around -8AC by the end of BGEE (lvl8 - whilst most people agree, that the monks start to be really useful around lvl 9).
@Tresset Seriously?! That sucks... I suppose I can understand the logic behind it, but boo on you, Beamdog. I like stealing people's stuff and using it for myself...
Notice how the karate guy hits the brick after carefully making sure to place his hand correctly? The first 20 seconds is him focusing on the spot.
And then you got the guy who quick as lighting upper cut a moving horse. With the amount of force he uses on the horse in that picture, if his fist hits wrong or slips, he'll break at least his wrist.
My few cents: a mini-guide on how to blaze through the early levels with little difficulty
Solo until level 5 to gain XP fast. Do not recruit any companions except Imoen for reasons I will explain later. Do the talking/easy quests to grab cheap XP. These include:
1. Everything in Candlekeep. 2. Friendly Arm Inn: Landrin's Posessions, Joia's Stolen Ring, and Unshey's Belt. 3. Beregost: Marl the Drunk, Mirianne's Letter, Firebead's Book. 4. Area North of the Friendly Arm: Frightened Widow in the Fishing Village. Then you can help Tenya in The Fishermen and the Priestess. 2500XP for running around and getting spit on by ankhegs all the way. There's also a bit risky Farmer Brun(descend into the ankheg lair to the west, then go up and east, retrieve stuff from the cove, return back. Bring along a lot of healing or some invisibility, the ankhegs are mighty annoying). 5. Area South of High Hedge: Melicamp the Chicken, and you can also try your luck(or Dagger of Venom) in Bassilus the Murderer. 6. Nashkel Mines: Prism the Sculptor. You can make the fight a deal easier by leading Greywolf to the mine entrance. The Amnian archers there will remain glued on the spot, but will open fire on him, dealing the bulk of the damage. Don't forget to kite him away in time and land the killing blow yourself, or you won't get the XP.
All fights that may be included in these quests are winnable with some patience using throwing daggers and the monk's superior movement rate. If you complete just some of the quests, you should easily reach level 5 without too much grinding. Why is level 5 important? Because from that level on, any companion you recruit(except the new ones, Dorn, Neera, Rasaad, and Baeloth) will be on their maximum starting level, usually 6, so you can assemble a party like a proper adventurer and finally start playing the game. Granted, the monk will still be slightly inferior to a well-equipped regular close-up fighter of the same stats for all of BGEE, but he's no longer the helpless kitten he was in the very beginning, and the lack of ability will be diluted in the 6-member party.
For early Monks, I'd recommend using ranged weapons, as well as having one good melee weapon.
Ranged weapons are the superior choice in early BG1 but also BG1 in general. Even fighters in full plate should be using ranged weapons, there's no reason not to use one as a Monk. They get those proficiencies for a reason.
Monks should be played like Thieves in general. You don't just send them in and have them tank whatever. You hit and run. You don't stay in combat for too long.
Only in BG2 and ToB can Monks tank and just charge in and not worry too much about hits.
Comments
Thanks for posting this handy guide, I'm going to try some of your recommendations!
Also, is Southpaw's portrait based on Ray Stevenson?
The point is that usage of that ability suprisingly well evolves. For most of early levels like in BGEE, it's one day use ultimate ability to cripple bosses.
Later enemy saves rise. But so does your APR and ammout of uses per day. So you can use it multiple times per fight, mostly to get rid of immunity-lacking-yet annoying henchemen.
Killing your enemy quickly is mostly the best defense and the monk's AC goes lower by itself anyway.
You can use many other ways to get your AC low (rings, cloaks, spells, Shielding Amulet etc...) but the options to get your THAC0 lower are only a few (Strength and bracers...if without weapons, because you lose APR if you don a weapon.)
Yes. With some buffing done, the monk can have around -8AC by the end of BGEE (lvl8 - whilst most people agree, that the monks start to be really useful around lvl 9).
http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/29500/how-to-make-monks-work-offensively-in-bg1-ee-with-just-one-item-really#latest
Also Rasaad's two items (the boots and gauntlets) are now only usable by Rasaad himself.
"You rolled a natural twenty, well done you just broke your fist!"
And then you got the guy who quick as lighting upper cut a moving horse. With the amount of force he uses on the horse in that picture, if his fist hits wrong or slips, he'll break at least his wrist.
Solo until level 5 to gain XP fast. Do not recruit any companions except Imoen for reasons I will explain later. Do the talking/easy quests to grab cheap XP. These include:
1. Everything in Candlekeep.
2. Friendly Arm Inn: Landrin's Posessions, Joia's Stolen Ring, and Unshey's Belt.
3. Beregost: Marl the Drunk, Mirianne's Letter, Firebead's Book.
4. Area North of the Friendly Arm: Frightened Widow in the Fishing Village. Then you can help Tenya in The Fishermen and the Priestess. 2500XP for running around and getting spit on by ankhegs all the way. There's also a bit risky Farmer Brun(descend into the ankheg lair to the west, then go up and east, retrieve stuff from the cove, return back. Bring along a lot of healing or some invisibility, the ankhegs are mighty annoying).
5. Area South of High Hedge: Melicamp the Chicken, and you can also try your luck(or Dagger of Venom) in Bassilus the Murderer.
6. Nashkel Mines: Prism the Sculptor. You can make the fight a deal easier by leading Greywolf to the mine entrance. The Amnian archers there will remain glued on the spot, but will open fire on him, dealing the bulk of the damage. Don't forget to kite him away in time and land the killing blow yourself, or you won't get the XP.
All fights that may be included in these quests are winnable with some patience using throwing daggers and the monk's superior movement rate. If you complete just some of the quests, you should easily reach level 5 without too much grinding. Why is level 5 important? Because from that level on, any companion you recruit(except the new ones, Dorn, Neera, Rasaad, and Baeloth) will be on their maximum starting level, usually 6, so you can assemble a party like a proper adventurer and finally start playing the game. Granted, the monk will still be slightly inferior to a well-equipped regular close-up fighter of the same stats for all of BGEE, but he's no longer the helpless kitten he was in the very beginning, and the lack of ability will be diluted in the 6-member party.
Ranged weapons are the superior choice in early BG1 but also BG1 in general. Even fighters in full plate should be using ranged weapons, there's no reason not to use one as a Monk.
They get those proficiencies for a reason.
Monks should be played like Thieves in general. You don't just send them in and have them tank whatever.
You hit and run. You don't stay in combat for too long.
Only in BG2 and ToB can Monks tank and just charge in and not worry too much about hits.