Pure Unarmed Monk Build

[Yoshikami]

Guys I need advice on this. I really really want to go unarmed and role play a monk who can strike down powerful enemies with my fists. Do you guys have an optimal build path for me? So far I went with Scaled Fist Dragon style monk with focus on strength and charisma of course. Reading Dragon style's description, this seemed like some good damage but right now I'm not feeling it.

I'm on act 2 and my damage really sucks against enemies I encounter with DR. Even on enemies with no DR, like the troll boss Hargulka, my damage doesn't feel strong. I'm just getting carried by ranger/sylvan sorc pets (Ekun pet, then I dipped Amiri in sacred huntsman, and a custom sylvan sorc mercenary as my buffer).

Does it get better late game or is Dragon Style not that good. I heard Pummeling Style is also a good style. Should I shift to that?

[Invisible]

Those two feats should help with DR:

Vital Strike: As a standard action, make an attack at your highest BAB that deals damage equal to 2x the weapon's damage die.

Pummeling Style: "When you use a full attack or flurry of blows, total the damage from all hits before applying damage reduction"

You can also use the team feat "precise strike" to give your monk 1d6 precision damage.

A pure monk can use weapons if DR is too high. There a "monk weapons" available with cold iron.

[Yoshikami]

Originally posted by Invisible:

Those two feats should help with DR:

Vital Strike: As a standard action, make an attack at your highest BAB that deals damage equal to 2x the weapon's damage die.

For Vital Strike, since it is a standard action does this mean I lose out on my flurry of blows? Flurry of blows is part of a full attack and a full attack is considered as standard action, right?

And I'm level 8 so my fists should be cold iron (but I still get the "reduced" pop up in the screen for some enemies.

[Invisible]

Originally posted by Yoshikami:

Originally posted by Invisible:

Those two feats should help with DR:

Vital Strike: As a standard action, make an attack at your highest BAB that deals damage equal to 2x the weapon's damage die.

For Vital Strike, since it is a standard action does this mean I lose out on my flurry of blows? Flurry of blows is part of a full attack and a full attack is considered as standard action, right?

And I'm level 8 so my fists should be cold iron (but I still get the "reduced" pop up in the screen for some enemies.

Yes you can't do both together. Flurry of Blows is weak against DR, as you make lots of strikes that get reduced by DR. Making one strike with doulbe damage you get only one reduction. Later in the game, if you have lots of attack, vital strike is getting worse. Flurry is good against low AC targets with no or low DR.

[Yoshikami]

Thank you. Does going Cornugon Smash route still good on a monk? I have no idea if I would have enough feats to fit the Intimidation line + Pummeling and Vital strike... Tho it's better if I decide whether I should go pummeling or vital strike right? Since they both do the same purpose of trying to mitigate DR effect.

[Invisible]

You can see how many feats and monk feats. you will get for your monk in the class view of the character interface.

In Pathfinder Wrath the have improved the interface so you directly see the dependencies. In Kingmaker everything is a bit opaque.

Take a look in this table.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1807380960

[Yoshikami]

Seeing the dependencies would have been a great QoL feature. Thanks.

[Zzyl_tsw]

way better displayed in wotr btw (dependencies)

[SalteeNoah]

Im going with a similar build, only switched to using a dex weapon. I tried using only fists and was unsatisfied. Eventually, i looked up where to find an amulet that lets you use dex bonus on fists. I went 4 sca, 4 viv for the + accomplished sneak attacker for extra 3d6 damage. This time i'm going 1 viv(for mutagen and 1d6 backstab), 1 thug(for lingering intimidation), rest in Sca.

[Yoshikami]

Originally posted by SalteeNoah:

Im going with a similar build, only switched to using a dex weapon. I tried using only fists and was unsatisfied. Eventually, i looked up where to find an amulet that lets you use dex bonus on fists. I went 4 sca, 4 viv for the + accomplished sneak attacker for extra 3d6 damage. This time i'm going 1 viv(for mutagen and 1d6 backstab), 1 thug(for lingering intimidation), rest in Sca.

Why not rogue instead for the finesse feat where you use dex for damage as well as to hit? The amulet is just converting dex bonus for to hit not for damage. I think you only need 3 or 4 levels in rogue then the rest in monk.

[SalteeNoah]

I specifically wanted the spells from viv. Reduce person, shield, mirror image, blur, plus each level of viv also added 10 minutes to mutagen. Basically added +8ac. I had 28 ac without spells, 37 or so fully buffed, and that was at 8th level.

[SalteeNoah]

https://pathfinderkingmaker.fandom.com/wiki/Amulet_of_Agile_Fists

[Yoshikami]

So it's more of a tank build? I don't think dex type unarmed will do a lot of damage unless you go with the specific rogue talent or does the sneak attacks make up for it?

[SalteeNoah]

My current attempt is a dex build using sneak attack, and teamwork feats for attacks of opportunity. I have just enough str to pull off dreadful carnage later in the game. Switched from fists to kama's.