I am seeing a ton of builds doing the Helf ranger/monk thing for 10KStars and Ninja Spy. And now after playing my own build to level 13 I have some thoughts.

It is the most fun melee build I have played. Before this I would have said my bard/fighter build or a WF FvS. It combines all the things I like in a melee; healing (self and others) and good damage numbers. While at the same time giving it a great deal of options for style of play and/or personal customization. Ranged is a good option for damage with a few banked Ki and a Manyshot of timer ready to go or 30sec left on cool down. And if you have a good healer in the party many of the Helf Dill options are super good as well as having viable options for stances to use. Like I said good and full of options.

With that said the bowonk is a 3 class build. So taking any of those 3 classes to the needed levels as to count as the “life” for the purpose of having done the class for past life feats, is easy. Add a few more levels of the wanted class and lose some monk levels. It is not a hard sacrifice for such a flexible frame.

But if I want to say use this frame for say a Pally or Rog life. It becomes a little less clear how to use it. So this is my basic 12 level package. With the idea that I have a few lives already done. But they ate not 100% needed but they add options.

1, Rang(1) Feat (Point Blank Shot)
2, Monk (1) (MF – Power Attack)
3, Rang(2) Two Weapon Fighting, Feat (Barb past life)
4, Monk (2) (MF – Stunning Fist)
5, Rang(3) jidz+earth d6->d8
6, Rang(4) Feat (Monk past life)d8->d10
7, Rang(5)
8, Rang(6)Manyshot, Improved Two Weapon Fighting
9, Monk (3)Feat(Sorc past life)
10, Monk (4) Unarmed Strike d10->2d6
11, Monk (5)
12, Monk (6) Feat (Weapon Focus: Ranged) AA- force and acid arrows…
*All past life feats can be replaced with non past life feats other then the monk one: but I happen to think the past life feats are better.

This path is laid out as it is for two main reasons. Get the most out of the ranger levels while keeping the pain of playing with a bunch of deep monk splashes down. And Bring AA and GTWF up as quickly as possible.

Also this layout happens to get your 12 base in 12 levels. Believe me I have seen many builds that defer getting to their point until very late in life. I once watched my friend Dana at level 18 or 19 until his build even started to click. Some builds do fine but really don’t get going until cap and epic gear. We don’t have to worry about that here.

The other thing I think is nice is if you want to take your first level in your “main” class for say skills or bonus feats this layout shifts up fairly nicely. There aren’t any prerequisites for anything. I can easily see going Rog first level for skills on a rog live or Fgr or Pally for full Intim or to take a combat feat like stunning blow or toughness.

Anyway I need to get to work,
❤