added by MaxQuest, 8 May 2010

Foreword: Playing MoTB, I noticed that there were practically no optimal dual-weilding builds, except snake-attack or STR based. I was playing a dps-oriented fighter-monk mix, and all the way had a strange feeling about the fact that my fragile female character has almost twice more strength then dexterity. With introducing of Swashbuckler class in SoZ expansion, I finnaly got the possibility to build what I wanted: inteligent, dual-weilding character that doesn't strike from behind but is still competent in 1x1. And one of the resulted variations I am sharing with you.

Description: Edit

Insightful monk is a master in martial arts. He relies on wisdom, forefeeling and knowledge of opponent's weaknesses, rather then brute force. His defence is his speed. And intellect - his power.

His credo is "not the one who kills faster, is true master of combat, but the one who achieves victory without being hit at all".

Advantages:

• High Saves - that's obvious taking into account 20 Monk level.
• High Skills - high INT gives us 278 (!) skill points to spare: tumble (33), hide(33), move silently(33), listen(33), spot(33), search(16), diplomacy(32), lore(22), spellcraft(20) (even through it goes at double cost, we take it for +4 to all saves vs spells), and bluff (just 3 extra points that we couldn't dump anywhere during swashbuckler levels)
• High Movement Speed - Monk speed feat.
• High Damage - 14 attacks per round (Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting + Greater Flurry) + x2 INT multiplier is added to damage rolls (Insightful Strike + Insight Combat)
• Excellent Defences:

1. big natural AC, that benefits from DEX, WIS and Tumble.
2. various defensive feats, like: Dodge (basic, uncanny, improved uncanny, epic(!)), Evasion (basic and improved), Deflect Arrows, Empty Body (50% concealment for 2x20 rounds per day), Shadow Evade and Defensive Roll.
3. damage reductions: Shadow Evade (5/alchemical silver), Perfect Self (10/magic).
4. immunities and resistances: Immunity to Diseases (Purity of Body), Immunity to Poisons (Diamond Body), Immunity to all mind-affecting spells and effects (Perfect Self), and on top of that Spell Resistance of 41
5. HIPS + high stealth skills.

• Great Item Scalling - with basic 18 INT, we get +2x4 damage to every swing out of 14 attacks. With 26 INT (that is easily achieved by equiping just +8 INT ring), it is already +2x8.

Disadvantages:

• XP Penalties - by some strange meanings Yuan-ti's prefered class is ranger, through Duelist and Swashbuckler (at least in my oppinion) would suit much more. Anyway getting lvl3 Swashbuckler asap induces -20% xp penalty. And don't forget Yuan-ti -2 ECL.
• Sort of Late Game Hero - It may be harder to level in comparission with other classes/builds. The relief is instantly felt on level 22-23 when Empty Body + Combat Insight feats are received. And later, with Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, HIPS and Epic Dodge, game process transforms in a piece of cake.

Conclusion:

This build can easily find it's way in team-fights (especially on gameworlds with magic/item level from moderate to high), 1x1 both PvP and PvM, and even in OC, if you plan to do alll the side quests and charge into final fight in late twenties, when this build starts to shine.

Character CreationEdit

• Race: Yuan-Ti Pureblood
• Classes: Monk(20), Swashbuckler(3), Shadow Dancer(5), Cleric(1) + Shadow Dancer/Cleric(1)
• Cleric Domains: Earth, Luck
• Build Nature: PvP, hi-end PvM
• Alignment: Any-Lawful
• Deity: Corresponding to alignment

Why this Classes?

• Monk - monk is the base class of this build. It combines wisdom with wit. And through monk doesn't deal such extra-ordinary damage like RDD or FB does, his defences compensate that fact.
• Swashbuckler - Insightful Strike has the power to pump your monk's damage. Through the bonus is not big, it is added to each attack. And monk swings a lot with Greated Flurry and Perfect Weapon Fighting. Couple it with Combat Insight and some INT items, and you will get quite pleasant benefit.
• Shadow Dancer - Shadow Dancer bolsters monk's defences by adding HIPS, uncanny and improved uncanny dodge, shadow evade, and defensive roll which is a prerequisite for epic dodge.
• Cleric - 1 level of Cleric gives us 2 free feats, granted when choosing domains (basically Earth and Luck for 'Toughness' and 'Luck of Heroes'), and also few minor bufs.

Notes:

Basically the core of this build is Monk(20), Swashbucler(3) and Shadow Dancer(5). Last 2 levels can be:

• Clr(1) + SD(1) - to improve a bit shadow evade.
• Clr(2) - to improve cleric's buffs duration.
• F(2) - in this case you can get one bonus epic feat on fighter's level 2, but you'll loose 2 free cleric's feats, plus few buffs, which through aren't powerfull, but +2 to all saves (Conviction) and +1 to damage (Magic Weapon) are also nothing to laugh at.

Character Progression:

Thanks for reading. Hope you'll enjoy this build.