Oooh, Shiny. Can I try it?

[ClayQ]

Working on a disarming build for a Ravenloft game we're starting and would appreciate some help. Now I know I could just run my wizard and go: "No, sorry but no. We're going to do this my way."

But that's not the most fun; so here's the shtick.

Basically without a weapon, I'm going to combine true strike with a disarm attempt and take any opponents weapon I can then use it on them. If for some reason, I'm not capable of using the weapon there's always masters touch while asking them if I can borrow their sword. Fitting with the theme, I'm looking for some ideas of what I should do for the natural weapon enemies, to optimize this idea and what other fun ideas that might come up.

We're starting at level 7, no flaws, 19k WBL, stats (haven't rolled yet) to be 4d6 drop lowest, and allowing all the books I personally own as sources (essentially everything except Dragon/Dungeon Mag and Dragonlance) most likely I've got access to the resource.

(click to show/hide)

Race: Undecided
Levels: Passive Way Monk 1/Wizard (Fighter Feat Variant) 4/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 1
Stats: Int > Con > Dex/Str > Wis > Cha

Level Progression:
1: Passive Way Monk 1 - Combat Expertise [Monk Bonus], Carmendine Monk Pretty obvious here.
2: Wizard 1 - Improved Disarm The Shtick
3: Wizard 2 - Knowledge Devotion Int Synergy, JPM Untrained knowledges and a stack-able to hit.
4: Wizard 3
5: Wizard 4
6: Warblade 1 - ????
7: JPM 1


Equipment of Note:
Gloves of the Master Strategist (3.6k x2) - Yeah I know.... But in case I don't want to use their weapon, or need my own its a hidey hole.
Strongarm Bracers (6k) - For those large creatures when I decide to use their weapon against them, considered monkey grip too, but don't think they'd stack properly.
5.8k Gold

Any thoughts on if I should specialize my wizard? I had considered the Arcane Monk (Arcane Fist? can't ever remember) PrC over JPM, but I think the stances/maneuvers will help my builds survivability without having to resort to using my wizard for that, so a little flavor is lost (not that I wanted to use that anyway.) The builds pretty much done and playable at this, but looking for any advice to spruce things up and push it just a little farther.

I expect that once the baddies catch on (DM is pretty good about baddies earning their knowledge of the party instead of just having it) they will start carrying backups and moving away from me when I cast trustrike so I'll have to look into ways to quicken later, or consider using teleportation effects to make sure I can get next to them, monk speed bonus would help here except I only get level 3 monk, swift expeditious retreat and that ilk will help too.

Thanks in advance.

[Nunkuruji]

For natural weapon enemies, you could adopt an alternate style of

TKing a set of daggers
Conjuring weapon-like spells - Mordenkainen's Sword, Black Blade of Disaster, Fire Shurikens, Ice Knife, Ice Lance, etc.

or just have Natural Weapons yourself.

[dman11235]

Check out my MOnk Handbook for more details, but I think you've got it pretty well planned out.  I'd say go for Monk 2, just to get another bonus feat and Evasion (and +1 BAB and all saves), but you might not need it (trip can help with the disarm problem when facing un-disarmable foes, gives you something to do).  Enlightened Fist is also a good choice later down the line (I think that's the Arcane Fist you were thinking of...CArcane).  It's more suited to stunning, however, but you can combine touch spells with your attacks through it!

On your speed boost: make sure that they stack.  Boots of Striding and Springing don't stack with the monk bonus, because they are both enhancement bonuses.  However, there are ways to improve your effective monk level, such as the Monk Tattoo (though it's prohibitively expensive in most cases.....see if you can get a 1/2 off for it, because 80k is just too much, 40k is expensive for it too).  Also see if you can get Ascetic Mage to count for wizard instead of sorcerer, and give you int instead of cha, and replace Carmedine Monk with it.

Another thing you might want to check out is the Decisive Strike ariant (PHBII).  Single attack at double damage, but that damage boost carries over until your next round (combat maneuvers+this=lots of AoOs at double damage).  Also, you might want to forgo using their own weapons against them if you can modify your own weapon (i.e. body) to be good enough, using a Necklace of Natural Attacks and various spells (Greater Mighty Whallop, GMWeapon, etc.).  These last two are a bit further from your stated shtick, however, which is why they're down here.

[ariasderros]

AFB, but Master of the Unseen Hand? With a ring of TK? The spell in SC that makes a Unseen Servant that steals for you?
IDK what all would be up your alley.

[ClayQ]

Oh, I forgot to mention its a Ravenloft based game; if that effects the suggestions. Original post fixed.

@dman: I'll take a look at the decisive strike and the handbook when I get home, but the rest is less likely for me to use although viable the point was for unarmed to be a complete back-up if at all, I could switch the Wizard for Sorcerer and use Aestetic. Re: the extra monk level, Picking it up later? or dropping a wizard level to take it now? In regards to this I get evasion at the cost of a 4th caster level vs taking a 5th level of wizard and getting imp trip as a bonus feat that way too. Just interested what your thought was completely.

@ariasderros: Actually not really what I'm looking for, different thematic effect, cheers though. and TK is level 3 if I recall? meaning I'd qualify for that in one more level if I chose to use it.

Too bad sudden quicken has a stupidly stupid list of pre-reqs because that'd be nice for the true strike.

[Amechra]

There always is the Disarm spell... It's online, it is a 1st level spell, and it uses your CL as your BAB for the Disarm...

Only problem is that it acts like a on-handed weapon. Hmm...

I just found a funny combo: Improved Disarm+Ranged Disarm+Snatch Weapon= Toss a knife at a guy within 30', their weapon jumps into your hand, and you can go ahead and make an extra attack with your off hand...

Strongarm Bracers mean that you could use Snatch Weapon to take a greatsword from your enemy and strike them with one hand...

So... yeah. Have the Disarm spell, throw Snatch Weapon on there (see Champions of Ruin), and you can just pump Int.

[dman11235]

Hmm, if you're not going to use unarmed strikes, Monk might not be the best choice.  I can still work, since it grants you an AC boost and access to a speed bonus above something like Fighter.  Something else to consider: you can't use Flurry with just any weapon.  But your idea is basically to disarm someone, take their weapon, and beat them to death with it?  Flurry might not help you out too much here.  So now you've got AC, -1 BAB, +2 ref/will, unarmed strike, flurry, and the speed bonus above a Fighter.  The speed bonus doesn't really apply unless you can stack things to get it (feats, items, etc.) and flurry doesn't help you unless they're using a special monk weapon, which I can almost guarantee they won't be.  If you end up using your own unarmed strike about 50/50 I'd recommend sticking with Monk and making your US viable for combat.  For the second level, you just have to do the math yourself.  Is the second level going to get you enough stuff to justify the loss of casterlevel/spells?  The level gets you saves, BAB, Evasion, and +1 monk level for all monk level dependent things.  If you're coming up 1 level short for an unarmed strike level or something, that makes the level a bit more desireable, for instance.

Now, you're going to want to try and get either int to attack, or change your priorities so that str is top (or dex, but with str you won't need to jump through hoops to get a decent trip modifier if you end up taking the feat).

[altpersona]

a monk wizard who wants to melee unarmed disarm weapons and use those same weapons against the original wielder? im missing something, i think.

you know your a wizard, dont cha harry?

[Endarire]

Frank made a Grapple Wizard.  How'zbout applying a similar philosophy to disarming?

[SneeR]

Great spell called Entice Gift. 2nd level, I believe.

Opponent who fails a will save uses its next action to walk up to you (using the most direct path and possibly incint attacks of opportunity) and hand you whatever it is holding. You may use a free action to accept this gift.

Fun for use on big stupid fighters like ogres and trolls and fighters.