My Solo Monk Journey

[Vassago]

I've cleared out most of the first level of the Ice Palace. The hardest fight so far has been with the Ranger you run into on the way to the Ice Palace. He kept panicing my Monk and apparently I couldn't save against it. I think I ended up fighting that battle like 4 times before finally killing him. The Remorhazes were only a problem if I didn't Mirror Image and Blur myself before the fight, including the queen. Crystal golems didn't hit me either as long as I was blurred and mirrored. The Ice Golem Champions gave me some problems until I remembered that I had a Flaming Star +1 mace in my bag of holding. I've also switched to using Great Swords now that I found Winged Blight. That makes killing them Auriles easy. Now it's just a matter of 2 to 3 hits with it and they are gone. I copied down my stats to show how I've done:

Vassago Male Deep Gnome Lawfully Good Monk of the Broken Ones 9
Current XP 242567 (10 levels squatted)
STR 16 DEX 20 +1 CON 18 INT 3 WIS 18 +1 CHA 1 +1
Skills: Hide, Move Silently, Pick Pocket & Diplomacy
Feats: Deflect Arrows, Dirty Fighting, Dodge, Improved Evasion, Axe 1, Great Sword 1, Crossbow 1, Mace 1, Missle 1, Quarterstaff 1, Small Blade 1, Stunning Attack

Equipment:
Yeti Skin Cloak: +1 Cold Resistance
Winter Wolf Hat: +1 Cold Resistance +1 CHA
Lucky Knucky: +1 to all saving throws
Sash of the Black Raven: +1 Attack Bonus to all attacks & Immunity to Confusion & Feeblemind
Chameleon Ring of Dexterity: +1 to hide, +1 DEX
Ring of the Wise: +1 WIS
Periapt of Wound Closure: Increased regeneration rate
Witherbranch Boots: Immune to Entangle

Weapons:
Winged Blight (Two-handed Great Sword)
Damage: 2d6 +1
Attack Bonus: +1
Enchantment: +1
Damage Type: Slashing
Special:
Bane: +3 Attack Bonus vs Humans
+2D6+3 Damamge Bonus vs Humans

Flaming Star +1 (One-handed Mace)
Damage: 1D8 +1
Attack Bonus: +1
Enchantment: +1
Damage Type: Bludgeoning
Special: Flame +1D6 Fire

Heavy Crossbow +1
Damage: +3
Attack Bonus +3
Bolt +1 (1D8+1, AB +1, E +1)
Bolt +2 (1D8+2, AB +2, E +2)
Sparking Bolts +1 (1D8, AB +1, E +1, Shock +1D6 Electrical)

I've also got Gauntlets of Weapon Skill (+1 Attack Bonus), but I prefer to have the Periapt of Wound Closure equipped for now.

[Bozos of Bones]

I suggest ou ditch teh Periapt for the Gauntlets, and only use the periapt if you're bleeding. And once you are through the Ice Temple and a few more levels after, ditch the Greatsword and use your fists, you'll find them much more usefull. As for feats, get Power Attack and Cleave I ASAP, you'll be hacking down little guys like matchsticks! If you want, you may take level II, but you'll have to attack one target every attack, so you can get a butload of bonus strikes later(once, my high-level monk gained some 16 attacks in a round after a mage cast Horrid Wilting).

[Aerich]

Neat. Monks kick butt. I look forward to seeing how he does.

[Marty4]

Lookin awesome. You shouldn't have trouble through the rest of the game, though I predict extreme difficulty in HoF.

[Bozos of Bones]

On the contrary, I predict a breeze through HoF. High AC, high Magic Resistance, high damage, and a heavy hitter at that, all this should make him powerfull. You might, however, be a bit low on HP, as in HoF, when someone hits you, you really feel the pain.

[Vassago]

**Update**
I cleared out the Ice Palace and surroundings maintaing level 9. I also mastered the first 3 levels of battle squares. I had 12 levels squatted, but took three of them before continuing on to chapter 3. I've just reached the entrance to the Fell Woods and I except things to get really exciting now.

[Stratos]

Hey, Vassago, how goes the soloing? I recently started a solo deep gnome Monk as well, but with more modest stats than yours; no stat below 10. I'm level 9 at the Goblin Fortress and I'm being torn apart by the enemies.

[Vassago]

I've completed the Fell Woods and have stopped so that I can finish building my new PC. Should have the remaining parts by Friday which means 4 day weekend of gaming (I'm off Monday, woohoo). My Monk is level 12 w/ 11 levels squatted and 1000 xp away from 12 squatted levels. I think once I load it back up, I'm going to take my squatted levels and finish out the game at level 24, I'm just afraid that it'll make it way to easy but I'm anxious to finish it and start a new one. I'm thinking of a party of 3 casters (1 cleric, 1 wizard and 1 sorceror).

I think with a solo character, it's a lot harder to role play, especially where the stats are concerned. I'm just curious if you took nothing below 10 what did you end up starting with?

[ 12-30-2004, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: Vassago ]

[Marty4]

The caster party looks like fun. However, are you going with single classes? Just glancing at that has me thinking:

fighter4/cleric
rogue1/ranger1/paladin2/mage (this is my favorite character!)
paladin2/sorceror

Course, that's just me. (after some soul searching, I changed my sig )

[Stratos]

Originally posted by Vassago: I've completed the Fell Woods and have stopped so that I can finish building my new PC. Should have the remaining parts by Friday which means 4 day weekend of gaming (I'm off Monday, woohoo). My Monk is level 12 w/ 11 levels squatted and 1000 xp away from 12 squatted levels. I think once I load it back up, I'm going to take my squatted levels and finish out the game at level 24, I'm just afraid that it'll make it way to easy but I'm anxious to finish it and start a new one. I'm thinking of a party of 3 casters (1 cleric, 1 wizard and 1 sorceror). I think with a solo character, it's a lot harder to role play, especially where the stats are concerned. I'm just curious if you took nothing below 10 what did you end up starting with?

Str: 14
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 10
Wis: 12
Cha: 10

But I've putted this character on hold. I'm trying out soloing a dual-wielding male drow (no, not a Drizzt clone ) Fighter/Bard with the emphasize on the Bard. I'm currently a Fighter(3)/Bard(2) and is just about to visit Shaengarne Ford.