Monk's are my favorite class of all time (and I think the most powerful) They only remain good for the first 6/7 levels, but there's prestige classes to cover that. One of my favorites:
Race:Changling, Alignment: any.
Monk (Passive Way) 2/psychic warrior 2/swordsage 1/initiate of draconic mysteries 4/SS+1/shadow sun ninja 1/fist of the forest 3/warshaper 2/IoDM+4
1: Combat Expertise (bonus), Power Attack,2: Improved Trip (bonus),3: Alertness, Iron Will (bonus)
4: Great Fortitude (bonus),6: Tashalatora,9: Superior Unarmed Strike,12: Practiced Manifester
Skills:
1: hide 4, concentration 4, know (relig) 4, know (arcana) 4, jump 0, tumble 4
2: hide 5, concentration 5, know (relig) 4, know (arcana) 5, jump 2, tumble 4
3: hide 5, concentration 6, know (relig) 4, know (arcana) 5, jump 4, tumble 4
4: hide 5, concentration 6, know (relig) 4, know (arcana) 6, jump 5, tumble 4
5: hide 8, concentration 6, know (relig) 4, know (arcana) 6, jump 8, tumble 4 (with one left over)
Open after this.
Items: Monk’s Belt, Monk’s Tattoo, Fanged Ring, Necklace of Natural Attacks
Full attack is 4 unarmed strikes at 36d8 (or 48d8, depending on your extrapolation of the chart) damage each, and insane trip modifiers, as well as decent reach. Add in Inhuman Reach and one more Warshaper level for +10 foot reach. Add in Broken Fist Masteries I and II and Knock-Down for more trippy goodness. Tomb-Tainted Soul somewhere in the party would be great, and would make the healing go twice as fast. ( Shadow Sun Ninja lets you make 1 attack as a standard action and then heal that amount next round as a swift action)