Best Items for A Monk...

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Well, I'm about to start a game playing with a monk, and since I've never been a Monk before I was wondering what the best items for him would be. I know he can't use Helmets, armor, or boots...but what CAN he use? Oh, BTW, I'm playing all the way through SoA to ToB, so if there is a weapon that's good for a Monk in SoA, and an even better one in ToB, please list both.

 

Kit, I think he can use any Boots but the boots of Speed -- so put the boots of avoidance or the boots of the north on him. Celestial fury is a nice weapon for him in SoA. The Cloak of the Sewers, the Ring of Gaxx, the Ring of Earth elemental control, and any Ioun stone. These are nice things to boost AC and give other forms of protection.

Hindo's doom is good for ToB.

 

The Scarlet Ninja-to can be picked up in the Copper Coronet. I can't remember its exact stats, but it's pretty sweet and is for Monks only. I do know it gives you an extra attack, and I think does poison damage (verify?).

Monks can wear bracers, so get the Bracers of Defense AC3 as soon as you can. If you have a mage in your party, you may have to settle for the AC4 version, but later in the game this won't matter too much.

Speaking of bracers, the Gauntlets of Crushing can be picked up in the Sahuagin City, and are seemingly designed specifically for monks (+4 to hit/damage when attacking with fists).

It's too bad monks can't use quarterstaves. Seems weird, doesn't it? Oh well. You start the game doing d10 damage, and that's pretty cool if you ask me.

I've heard a rumor that a lawful good monk with appropriate stats can wear Keldorn's armor. But I've never tried this myself. I read this in a walkthrough found here on SP, but I'm not sure which one.

 

Why would you equip a monk with a weapon when his fists are the best weapons in the game?

 

Here's a question regarding the Gauntlets of Crushing...

I know they give you +4 to hit & damage when attacking with your fists, but do they make your fists +4 enchantment-wise? As in, your fists are now considered +4 weapons?

I've always wondered this, and if anyone can confirm this, well then that would be just terrific.

 

No I don't think thay do

 

What? They don't?!?!?

/me runs off to use IEEP

...They do now!

 

Since a monk's fists improve throughout the game eventually becoming +4 weapons anyways it is sort of.... I dunno, wrong I guess. He's overpowered enough as is. By the time you pick em up your fists may well be +3 anyways (level 15 iirc).

I see people recommend the scarlet ninja-to for dealing with trolls but I'd just keep some darts of wounding handy and use them as needed to kill trolls - they're cheaper and you really don't need that many.

Also, instead of ring of gaxx and ring of earth control I think I'd go ring of gaxx and ring of protection +2. Pretty sure you can do that and you get one better AC and can use the ring of earth control on someone using magic armor.

 

IIRC, monks cannot use protection rings or necklaces. That's why I recommended the earch control ring.

 

Sometimes things vary with patches etc. but in my game a monk can use a ring of protection +1 at least (I have a monk save wearing one). So, not sure why a +2 wouldn't work. It's just the basic out of the box game without patches atm.

 

I'm soloing a monk right now, so this is pretty good timing. As to Kitrax's first post, yes there is a weapon that is good for the monk in SOA and an even better one in TOB: his fists! My monk averages about 22 damage per hit. Most longswords do 1d8+x damage plus strength bonus, but it still doesn't add up as high.

 

A monk can certainly wear protection rings. And give one good reason why they shouldn't? They need all the protection they can get in the beginning of the game...

 

Do the Ioun Stone that monks can wear (wong fei???)

Amulet of Seldarine, that only furthers their magic immunity.

Cloak of Protection +2

Ring of Earth Control

Ring of Gaxx

Boots of Avoidance, making missile weapons just plain STUPID to use

The Monk Bracers help too

Keep a weapon which does fire damage ready, and a normal weapon too. Whip those out when needed, otherwise stick to the fists.