Strong unarmed combatant with good AC and early access to Flurry of Blows.
Stat Block Level 1:
Unnamed Character: male, Elan Monk 1; CR 1; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 10; hp 10; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 11; Base Atk +0; Grp +0; Atk Unarmed +0 (1d6); Full Atk Unarmed +0/+0 (1d6, 1d6); SA Flurry of Blows, Stunning Strike; SQ AC Bonus (Int); AL LN; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats:
Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Disguise 2, Knowledge (Arcana) 1; Carmendine Monk, Improved Unarmed Strike. Special Attacks and Qualities: Flurry of Blows: Gains additional attack at a -2 penalty.
Possessions: Shurikens.
Level 5 Brief:
Monk/Assassin hybrid with stealth and direct combat focus. Exceptional at evasion and precise attacks.
Stat Block Level 5:
Unnamed: male, Elan Monk 5; CR 5; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 5d8+10; hp 32; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +3; Grp +3; Atk unarmed strike +6 (1d8); Full Atk unarmed strike +6/+6 (1d8); SA Stunning Strike, Flurry of Blows; SQ Evasion, Purity of Body, Slow Fall 20 ft., Ki Strike (Magic), Elan Traits; AL LN; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8.
This build excels at stealth and melee combat, employing death attacks and sneak attacks.
Stat Block Level 10:
Unnamed Monk-Dungeon Lord[1]: male, Elan Monk 5/Assassin 4; CR 10; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 5d8+14 plus 4d6+14; hp 55; Init +3; Spd 50 ft; AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +6; Grp +9; Atk Unarmed strike +9 melee (1d8+1); Full Atk Unarmed strike +9/+9/+4 melee (1d8+1); SA Death Attack, Sneak Attack +2d6; SQ Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Purity of Body, Slow Fall 20ft, Ki Strike (Magic); AL LN; SV Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8.
A nimble Elan Monk/Assassin/Soul Eater/Dungeon Lord[1] focusing on stealth, traps, and deadly attacks, perfect for controlling a dungeon.
Stat Block Level 15:
Unnamed Character: male, Elan Monk 5/Assassin 9/Soul Eater 1/Dungeon Lord[1] 1; CR 15; Medium humanoid (psionic); HD 5d8+9d6+1d8+30; hp 106; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; AC 18, touch 15, flat-footed 14; Base Atk +10; Grp +9; Atk Unarmed +13 (1d8+0 plus negative levels) or Shuriken +13 (ranged); Full Atk Unarmed +13/+8/+3 (1d8+0 plus negative levels) or Shuriken +13/+8/+3 (ranged); SA Death Attack, Sneak Attack +5d6, Energy Drain; SQ Evasion, Purity of Body, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Poison Use, Hide in Plain Sight, Dungeon Mastery, Horde Lord +1; AL Lawful Evil; SV Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 8.
Death Attack, Sneak Attack +5d6, Energy Drain, Evasion, Purity of Body, Uncanny Dodge, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Hide in Plain Sight, Poison Use, Dungeon Mastery, Horde Lord +1.
Possessions: Shurikens.
Level 20 Brief:
A Monk build focused on stealth, instant kills, and dungeon control. Combines Monk, Assassin, Soul Eater, and Dungeon Lord[1] for versatile combat and trap manipulation.
Stat Block Level 20:
Unnamed Character: Male, Elan,Monk 5/Assassin 9/Soul Eater 1/Dungeon Lord[1] 5, CR 20; Medium Humanoid (psionic); HD 5d8 + 9d6 + 1d8 + 5d8 + 40; hp 133, Init +3, Spd 60 ft., AC 21, touch 17, flat-footed 18; Base Atk +15, Grp +17; Atk +18 melee (1d8+2 unarmed strike, 20/x2) or +16 ranged (1d4 shuriken, 20/x2); Full Atk +18/+13/+8 melee (1d8+2 unarmed strike, 20/x2) or +16/+11/+6 ranged (1d4 shuriken, 20/x2); SA Sneak Attack +5d6, Death Attack, Energy Drain, Animate Objects; SQ Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Still Mind, Ki Strike (magic), Fast Movement, Purity of Body, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Uncanny Dodge, Complete Awareness; AL LN; SV Fort +13, Ref +17, Will +9; Str 10, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 8.
Death Attack, Poison Use, Evasion, Flurry of Blows, Slow Fall 20 ft., Purity of Body, Sneak Attack, Hide in Plain Sight, Energy Drain, Animate Objects, Dungeon Mastery, Horde Lord, Dungeon Step, Complete Awareness, Dungeon Minions, Dungeon Defender.
Possessions: Shurikens, various minor weapons, basic adventuring gear.
Core Abilities & Features of the Dungeon Lord
Elan Race
The Monk Dungeon Lord[1] build leverages the Elan race for its powerful psionic abilities and resistance to mental effects. Elans can use their power points to mitigate damage, adding survivability. This race’s racial traits like resistance to enchantments bolster the character’s defenses, crucial for a dungeon lord[1].
Monk Foundation
Starting with five levels in Monk offers several critical abilities. Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, and Stunning Strike bolster offensive capabilities. The class also provides Evasion, reducing the likelihood of damage from area spells. The Monk’s AC Bonus (tied to Intelligence via Carmendine Monk) enhances defenses, making this build resilient.
Assassin Versatility
The nine levels in Assassin introduce Sneak Attack bonuses and Death Attack, allowing for significant burst damage or instant kills. Uncanny Dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge improve reactive capabilities, making the character less vulnerable to sneak attacks. The poison use and the high saves against poison add to the versatility and threat level. Hide in Plain Sight is invaluable for remaining undetected.
Soul Eater Aggression
A single level in Soul Eater grants the Energy Drain ability, which lets each unarmed strike apply a negative level to foes. This ability is synergistic with the Monk’s high attack rate, depleting opponents rapidly. Darkstalker ensures that typical methods of detection won’t easily reveal the character.
Five levels in Dungeon Lord[1] cement the build’s control over its environment. Dungeon Mastery grants control over dungeon beasts and traps. Dungeon Step and Animate Objects allow instant repositioning and manipulation of the surroundings. Complete Awareness gives unmatched situational knowledge. Horde Lord boosts mop up capabilities, and Leadership provides minions for additional strategies.
Combat Strategy
The build’s strategy revolves around stealth, hitting hard, and debilitating foes. Initiate with Sneak Attack or Death Attack from hiding, leveraging Assassin skills. Follow up with Monk’s unarmed strikes, inflicting negative levels via Soul Eater’s Energy Drain. Utilize dungeon manipulation with Dungeon Lord[1] abilities for defensive or offensive positioning. The combination of deadly strikes, stealth, and environmental control makes this build a formidable and adaptable defender of its domain.
Milestones Of Character Development
Levels 1-5: The character starts as a Monk, gaining critical feats like Carmendine Monk and Weapon Finesse for improved combat versatility. Key abilities include Flurry of Blows, Evasion, and Ki Strike (Magic).
Levels 6-10: Transition to Assassin augments offensive capabilities with Sneak Attack and Death Attack for instant kills. Poison Use and Improved Uncanny Dodge enhance their lethality and survivability.
Levels 11-15: Peak Assassin skills with Hide in Plain Sight and maximum Sneak Attack damage. The addition of Soul Eater levels introduces Energy Drain, dangerously weakening enemies with each strike.
Levels 16-20: Becoming a Dungeon Lord[1] bestows mastery over the dungeon itself. The character gains abilities such as Dungeon Mastery, Animate Objects, and Dungeon Defender, making them a formidable force within their stronghold.
Equipment Progression
Level Range
Equipment
Details
L1-5
Bracers of Armor +2
Enhances AC without needing armor, preserving monk’s unarmored benefits
Amulet of Mighty Fists +1
Improves unarmed strike and natural weapon attacks
Ring of Protection +1
Grants deflection bonus to AC, stacking with other protection items
L6-10
Boots of Striding and Springing
Increases movement speed and enhances jump capability
Cloak of Resistance +2
Boosts all saving throws, adding resilience against various threats
Headband of Intellect +2
Enhances Intelligence, crucial for skill checks and AC bonus
L11-15
Amulet of Mighty Fists +3
Further improves unarmed strike damage and effectiveness
Bracers of Armor +4
Provides higher AC enhancement while still preserving monk abilities
Belt of Giant Strength +4
Greatly boosts Strength, useful for grapples and melee attacks
L16-20
Ring of Invisibility
Grants use of invisibility spell, enhancing stealth and escape options
Amulet of Mighty Fists +5
Maximizes unarmed strike potency, crucial for high-level combat
Cloak of Displacement, Minor
Gives miss chance against attacks, substantially improving survivability
Combat Scenarios
Dungeon Crawls:
With the Dungeon Mastery ability, the Dungeon Lord[1] controls traps and beasts, turning them against intruders.
Use stealth and Hit-and-Run tactics. Hide in Plain Sight from Assassin levels helps evade and surprise foes.
Death Attack can be a game changer. Use stealth and strike swiftly for instant kills.
Open Fields:
Although less effective in open fields, the Dungeon Lord[1] should use sneaky tactics. Avoid direct confrontation.
Use Move Silently to approach enemies unnoticed and Disguise to mislead foes.
Utilize increased speed (+10 Speed from Monk) to maintain distance and reposition during combat.
Ambushes:
The Dungeon Lord[1] excels with surprise attacks. Set up ambushes using stealth and the terrain.
Sneak Attack and Death Attack provide high damage output in the first strike.
Employ Hide in Plain Sight to evade detection before and after the ambush.
Defensive Stands:
In a defensive position, animate objects and command dungeon minions to bolster defenses.
Utilize Complete Awareness to detect and counter enemy approaches effectively.
Urban Encounters:
Use the urban environment to your advantage. Dark alleys and crowded places provide cover for stealth.
Employ Disguise to blend in and strike foes unexpectedly from the crowd.
Utilize Combat Reflexes to take advantage of tight spaces and multiple enemy attacks of opportunity.
Weaknesses & Counters
Weakness
Counter
Low Hit Points
Obtain Amulet of Health (+2,000 gp, +2 to Con) for more HP.
Weak against Magic
Acquire Cloak of Resistance (+1,000 gp, +1 to all saves) for better saves against spells.
Low Weapon Damage
Utilize Bracers of Striking (1,310 gp, +1 to unarmed damage) to enhance unarmed strike damage.
Limited Ranged Options
Carry a collection of Shurikens (1 gp each) for ranged attacks.
Reliance on Stealth
Use Boots of Elvenkind (2,500 gp, +5 to Move Silently) to improve stealth capabilities.
Vulnerability to High AC Targets
Equip Gauntlets of Ogre Power (4,000 gp, +2 Str) to boost attack rolls.
Roleplaying
Opportunities: The life of a Monk Dungeon Lord[1] is one carefully balanced between mastery of self and control over one’s surroundings. As an Elan, you have an innate resilience and are nearly undetectable, giving you a mysterious aura. Leverage this by incorporating elements of an enigmatic, wise figure who seeks knowledge through unconventional means.
Play with the dynamic between discipline and the dark nature of your abilities. Emphasize your character’s calm exterior while hinting at the inner conflicts driven by the Soul Eater’s dark power. Your Death Attack can be a point of internal strife; are you willing to take a life instantly, or do you resist this power, using it only in dire need?
Themes: The duality of light and darkness is central to this build. You walk through shadows, quite literally hiding in plain sight while maintaining a facade of a disciplined monk. This dichotomy can create rich storytelling. Perhaps you are on a path of redemption, having taken a dark turn to obtain power necessary to protect something valuable.
Exploit the theme of isolation. As a controller of a dungeon filled with beasts and traps, you’re likely a loner. Yet, this solitude has forged a strong sense of duty and protection over your domain. Think of yourself as a shepherd of the dark, guiding those who dare enter with either enlightenment or a swift end.
Elans offer powerful psionic abilities and resistance to mental effects. Their power points can mitigate damage, increasing survivability. The racial traits like resistance to enchantments bolster defenses. These features make Elans an excellent choice for dungeon lords.
What are the primary advantages of starting with five Monk levels?
Five Monk levels grant Improved Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows, and Stunning Strike. These offensive abilities enhance combat effectiveness. Additionally, Evasion helps avoid damage from area spells. Lastly, the Monk’s AC Bonus, tied to Intelligence via Carmendine Monk, improves defenses significantly.
The Dungeon Lord[1] class grants dungeon mastery, controlling beasts and traps. Their abilities include Dungeon Step and Animate Objects for instant repositioning and environment manipulation. Complete Awareness provides unmatched situational knowledge. Horde Lord and Leadership boost defense and minions for strategy.
What is the best combat strategy for the Dungeon Lord[1] build?
Start combat with stealth attacks, such as Sneak Attack or Death Attack. Follow up with unarmed strikes to inflict negative levels using Energy Drain from Soul Eater. Use Dungeon Lord[1] abilities for defensive and offensive positioning. This strategy excels at taking down enemies swiftly while controlling the battlefield.
How should the Dungeon Lord[1] act in different combat scenarios?
In dungeon crawls, use traps and beasts via Dungeon Mastery. Ambushes benefit from Sneak Attack and Hide in Plain Sight, while defensive stands use animate objects and dungeon minions. For urban encounters, leverage disguise and stealth tactics effectively. Adapt your strategy to the environment for maximum efficiency.
Writer, Editor, GM, Technologist – Andrew’s been playing TTRPGs since as far back as he can recall… at least sometime in the nineties… or was it the early 2000s?
Something watched the young monk as he made his way through the darkened tower in silence. Part of it wanted to kill the young man, steal his life essence and feed on his soul. Still, it watched them continue their path as he made his way through beast after horrifying beast. Fighting off the dangerous denizens that plagued the bleak, dark space before him. The well-place, mostly hidden and hard to detect traps were little challenge for the adroit mind and careful pacing he displayed. When a normal intruder would have fallen prey, this uninvited guest proved… Capable.
The Lord of the Tower’s curiosity was peaked. Why would a young brother of the Argent Fists come to him? He shadowed the young man, unnoticed, studying his, his movements, his purpose. He could kill him instantly. But yet something deep within him made him hesitate. Unable to figure out the young man’s purpose in its tower, they didn’t seem there to vanquish what was there. The young man only challenging that which saw him as prey, defeating it, before moving onward. Deeper into the unknown. The Lord of the Tower growing ever-curious, finally coming forth, presence felt but never seen. He exclaimed.
-“Why have you come to my Domain, foolish Argent Fist?”
The answer gave serious pause to the Lord of the Tower.
Alright, alight, this one is admittedly more an NPC build, although a reverse dungeon lord PC makes for a very interesting thought. You are the undisputed master of your dungeon. You control its beasts, its traps, and you can animate it to defend itself against intruders. You yourself are its foremost defender. You are almost impossible to spot in darkness, and can Death Attack targets for instant kills if so you choose. Even if you don’t, your fists impart Negative Levels with each strike. You are not to be trifled with.
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