Drunken Master PURE BUILD

I kept this one simple and straight to the point — both for maximum effect and to save time during this transitional period. Not just in life, but in my content as well. I truly appreciate each and every one of you for continuing to support me, and I hope you’ll enjoy what comes next as we enter the next phase of PURGE EVIL.

(Don’t worry, I’ll never quit making builds. Requests welcome!)

This build can heavily benefit from multiclassing into Rogue Thief at least 3 levels for Bonus Action Dash. 

-----CHARACTER CREATION & LEVEL 1-----

Starting Class: Monk

• +2 Ki Points

• Martial Arts: Dextrous Attacks

  • Monk Weapons scale with Strength or Dexterity, whichever is higher

• Martial Arts: Deft Strikes

  • Monk Weapons & Unarmed Attacks deal 1d4 Bludgeoning Damage unless their normal damage is higher

• Martial Arts: Bonus Unarmed Strike

  • Can make a bonus Unarmed attack after attacking with a Monk Weapon or Unarmed

• Unarmoured Defence

  • +Wisdom Modifier AC while not wearing armour

• Flurry of Blows

  • Bonus Action + Ki Point

  • Unarmed Bludgeoning Damage + Unarmed Bludgeoning Damage

Race: High Elf

• Perception Proficiency

• Elven Weapon Training

  • Proficiency with Longswords, Shortswords, Longbows, and Shortbows

• Darkvision

  • See in dark up to 12m

• Fey Ancestry

  • Advantage against being Charmed

  • Immunity to Magical Sleep

High Elf Cantrip: 

- Booming Blade

• Normal Weapon Damage + 1d8 Thunder Damage when target moves

• Can be cast while Silenced

• Level 5 = +1d8 Thunder Damage & +2d8 Thunder Damage when target moves

• Level 11 = +2d8 Thunder Damage & +3d8 Thunder Damage when target moves

Background: Any

Skills: Any (I try to get Athletics/Acrobatics)

Stats:

• STR = 8

• DEX = 17

• CON = 15 (or 14)

• INT = 8

• WIS = 16

• CHA = 8 (or 10)

--------------------LEVEL 2--------------------

Monk 2

--------------------LEVEL 3--------------------

Monk 3

Subclass: Drunken Master

--------------------LEVEL 4--------------------

Monk 4

Feat: Tavern Brawler

--------------------LEVEL 5--------------------

Monk 5

--------------------LEVEL 6--------------------

Monk 6

--------------------LEVEL 7--------------------

Monk 7

--------------------LEVEL 8--------------------

Monk 8

Feat: Ability Improvement (+2 DEX)

--------------------LEVEL 9--------------------

Monk 9

--------------------LEVEL 10--------------------

Monk 10

--------------------LEVEL 11--------------------

Monk 11

--------------------LEVEL 12--------------------

Monk 12

Feat: Any!

--------------------GEAR--------------------

Important Items:

• Hag’s Hair (+1 DEX)

• Elixir of Bloodlust

• Elixir of Hill Giant Strength

-------ACT 1-------

Head:

- Diadem of Arcane Synergy*

• When you inflict a condition, gain Arcane Synergy for 2 turns

  • Weapon Attack deal Bonus Damage equal to Spellcasting Ability Modifier

Location: Looted from Ardent Jhe'rezath in Inquisitor's Chamber, Crèche Y'llek

- Haste Helm

• At the start of combat, gain Momentum for 3 turns

  • Momentum

    • +1.5 Movement Speed

Location: Chest in Blighted Village near Waypoint

------------------------------

Chest:

- Graceful Cloth*

• Clothing

• 10 AC + DEX Modifier

• +2 DEX

• +1 DEX Saving Throws

• +1.5m Jump Distance

• Cat’s Grace

  • Advantage on DEX Checks

  • Half-Damage from falling

Location: Sold by Lady Esther at the Rosymorn Monastery Trail, just after taking the Mountain Path

------------------------------

Gloves:

- Bracers of Defence

• +2 AC while not wearing armour or holding a shield

Location:  In the secret area of the Apothecary's Cellar beneath the Blighted Village. The bracers are located in a gilded chest X: -656 Y: -370

- The Sparklehands*

• +2 Lightning Charges on Unarmed hit

Location: Decrepit Sanctuary

------------------------------

Boots:

- Disintegrating Night Walkers

• Cannot be Enwebbed, Entangled, or Ensnared

• Cannot slip on Grease or Ice

• Misty Step (Short Rest)

Location: Dropped by Nere

- Linebreaker Boots

• Gain Wrath for 2 turns when you Dash

  • +1 Damage to Melee Weapons for each turn remaining

Location: Beastmaster Zurk

------------------------------

Cloak: N/A unless DARK URGE (Deathstalker Mantle busts this build like all)

------------------------------

Amulet:

- Amulet of Branding

• Brand the Weak

  • Bludgeon the Weak

    • Target is Vulnerable to Bludgeoning Damage for 3 turns

  • Slash the Weak

    • Target is Vulnerable to Slashing Damage for 3 turns

  • Pierce the Weak*

    • Target is Vulnerable to Piercing Damage for 3 turns

Location: Looted from a Githyanki at Crèche Y'llek

- Broodmother’s Revenge*

• Whenever the wearer is healed, their weapon deals an additional 1d6 Poison Damage

Location: Looted from Kagha in Druid Grove AND/OR The High Hall in Act 3

------------------------------

Rings:

- Caustic Band

• +2 Acid Damage on Weapon Attacks

Location: Purchased from Derryth Bonecloak in the Myconid Colony

- Ring of Protection

• +1 AC

• +1 Saving Throws

Location: Reward for Steal the Sacred Idol

- Strange Conduit Ring

• +1d4 Psychic Damage on Weapon Attacks while Concentrating 

Location: Inside an elegant chest in Inquisitor's Chamber, Crèche Y'llek X: 1360 Y: -657

------------------------------

Melee Weapons:

- Knife of the Undermountain King

• Shortsword

• +2 Enchantment

• Number needed to roll a Critical Hit is reduced by 1

• If you roll 2 damage or less, reroll and take the highest result

• Advantage on Attack Rolls against Obscured targets

Location: Can be bought or looted from A'jak'nir Jeera in Crèche Y'llek

- Club of Hill Giant Strength (Off-Hand)

• Set STR to 19

Location: Break the chair in Arcane Tower

------------------------------

Ranged Weapons:

- Bow of Awareness

• +1 Enchantment

• +1 Initiative

Location: Purchased from Roah Moonglow in Shattered Sanctum in Goblin Camp

------------------------------

ACT 1 GEAR

Head is the Diadem of Arcane Synergy. Whenever you inflict a condition which is all the time, you gain 2 turns of Arcane Synergy, which causes your Weapon Attacks to deal Bonus Damage equal to your Wisdom Modifier. 

Chest is the Graceful Cloth. This increases your DEX by +2 which allows us to cap Dex at 20 without an Ability Improvement early on. 

Gloves are The Sparkle Hands for more damage or the Bracers of Defense for a bonus to AC which is extremely useful for this build. 

Boots can either be the go-to Disintegrating Nightwalkers, or you can go for the Linebreaker Boots, which synergize quite nicely with Step of the Wind. These will grant you 2 turns of Wrath whenever you Dash, which adds +1 Bonus Damage to your melee weapon attacks for each turn remaining. This is also a really good synergy with Rogue Thief multiclassed with Monk, but I’ll leave that up to you since this is a Pure Build video. Something to take note of though for sure, the Rogue Thief is likely the best multiclass with this build to bust it.

Amulet is Broodmother’s Revenge simply for bonus damage.

Rings are basic with Ring of Protection for a bonus to AC and Saves, and you can also wear the Strange Conduit Ring for more damage, as we will have some gear pieces that allow us to Concentrate on spells, which will activate the effect. 

Melee Weapons first in the off-hand is the Club of Hill Giant Strength. This increases your Strength to 19 to synergize with Tavern Brawler, and frees up our potion slot for Bloodlust. If you prefer to have a cooler off-hand weapon, you can always just stick to the usual Hill Giant Potion method instead. 

Main Weapon is of course the Knife of the Undermountain King. Nothing to say about this that hasn’t already been said.

And the Ranged Weapon is the Bow of Awareness for a bonus +1 to Initiative.

-------ACT 2-------

Head: N/A

------------------------------

Chest:

- Moon Devotion Robe (Optional)

• Clohing

• 10 AC + DEX Modififier

• +1 Saving Throws

• Advantage on Constitution Saving Throws

• While having Mage Armour, attackers take 1d4 Radiant Damage when you make a successful Saving Throw against their attack

• Lunar Bulwark (Mage Armour) (Long Rest)

• Produce Flame (Cantrip)

Location: Looted from Isobel in numerous locations; Last Light Inn if she is killed after dealing with the Nightsong but before completing the assault on Moonrise; Mind Flayer Colony if she is kidnapped by Marcus or killed at Last Light Inn before dealing with the Nightsong; In your camp in act 3 if she accompanies you; Ramazith's Tower in act 3 if the Nightsong is killed or imprisoned there

------------------------------

Gloves:

- Flawed Helldusk Gloves

• +1d4 Fire Damage with Weapon Attacks

• +1d4 Necrotic Damage with Unarmed Attacks

• Unarmed Attacks have a chance to inflict Bleeding

• +1 Strength Saving Throws

Location: Purchased from Dammon

------------------------------

Boots: N/A

------------------------------

Cloak:

- Cloak of Protection

• +1 AC

• +1 Saving Throw

Location: Purchase from trader at Last Light Inn

------------------------------

Amulet: N/A

------------------------------

Rings:

- Ring of Free Action

• Ignore Difficult Terrain

• Immune to Paralysed and Restrained

Location: Purchased from Araj at Moonrise Towers

------------------------------

Melee Weapons:

- Render of Mind and Body

• Shortsword

• +1 Enchantment

• When Attacking with Advantage deal bonus 1d8 Psychic Damage

Location: Purchased at Moonrise Towers

------------------------------

Ranged Weapons:

- Darkfire Shortbow

• Shortbow

• +2 Enchantment

• Resistance to Fire Damage

• Resistance to Cold Damage

• Haste (Long Rest)

  • Gain an extra action

  • Double movement speed

  • +2 AC

  • Advantage on Dexterity Saving Throws

  • When Haste ends, become Lethargic (lose a turn)

Location: Purchased from Dammon

------------------------------

ACT 2 GEAR

Head I’m still wearing the Diadem of Arcane Synergy.

Chest is Optional with the Moon Devotion Robe. This essentially just gives you a little bit more defensive capability but isn’t necessary at all.

Gloves are the Flawed Helldusk Gloves for bonus damage.

Cloak is the Cloak of Protection for bonus to AC and Saves.

Ring you might want to swap one of the previous rings for Ring of Free Action, making it so you’re immune to being restrained and ignore difficult terrain. 

Melee Weapon is optional but I like the Render of Mind and Body for extra Psychic Damage on Attacks with Advantage.

And Ranged Weapon is of course the Darkfire Shortbow, granting you Cold and Fire Resistance, as well as a free use of Haste once per long Rest. Also remember Haste uses Concentration, so it’ll activate the Strange Conduit Ring.

-------ACT 3-------

Head: N/A

------------------------------

Chest:

- Garb of the Land and Sky

• Clothing

• 10 AC + DEX Modifier

• +1 AC

• While using Patient Defense, gain Blade Ward

• While using Step of the Wind, next Attak Roll has Advantage and deals Bonus 1d8 Force Damage

Location: Sold by the trader Entharl Danthelon in Danthelon's Dancing Axe in Wyrm's Crossing

- Drunken Cloth

------------------------------

Gloves:

- Craterflesh Gloves

• On Critical Hit, deal +1d6 Force Damage

• +1 STR Saving Throws

Location: Sold by the Echo of Abazigal in the Murder Tribunal after the player character accepts Bhaal and becomes an Unholy Assassin.

- Helldusk Gloves

• +1 Spell Attack Rolls

• +1 Spell Save DC

• +1 STR Saving Throws

• +1d6 Fire Damage with Weapon Attacks

• +1d6 Necrotic Damage with Unarmed Attacks

• Unarmed Attacks may inflict Bleeding

• Rays of Fire (Cantrip) (Short Rest)

  • 3d6 Fire Damage per ray (3)

Location: Dropped by Haarlep in the House of Hope

- Gloves of Soul Catching

• +2 CON (Up to 20)

• Unarmed Attacks deal Bonus 1d10 Force Damage

• Regain 10HP Once per turn OR gain Advantage on Attack Rolls and Saving Throws until the end of next turn

Location: Reward for Save Hope

- Gauntlets of Hill Giant Strength

• Increase STR to 23

• +1 STR Saving Throws

Location: House of Hope

------------------------------

Boots:

- Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo

•  Unarmed Attacks deal Bonus Damage equal to WIS Modifier

Location: Dropped by Prelate Lir'i'c, as you enter Act Three.

------------------------------

Cloak:

- Cloak of Displacement

• Causes enemies Disadvantage on Attack Rolls against you until you take damage

Location: Sold by the trader Entharl Danthelon in Danthelon's Dancing Axe in Wyrm's Crossing

------------------------------

Amulet:

- Amulet of the Drunkard

• Regain 2d4 HP per turn while Drunk

• Increase Drunk by 5 turns

Location: Bought from Hoots Hooligan in Sharess’ Caress

------------------------------

Rings: N/A

------------------------------

Melee Weapons:

- Bloodthirst

• Dagger

• +2 Enchantment

• Bound Weapon

• Number needed to roll a Critical Hit is reduced by 1

• True Strike (Bonus Action) (Cantrip) (Short Rest)

• Main Hand: On hit, target becomes Vulnerable to Piercing Damage

• Off-Hand: When a creature misses you with a Melee Attack, gain True Strike

• Off-Hand: +1 AC

Location: Reward for defeating Orin during Get Orin’s Netherstone

- Crimson Mischief

• Shortsword

• +2 Enchantment

• +1d4 Necrotic Damage

• Main Hand Only: +1d4 Piercing Damage to targets with less than 50%HP

• Main Hand Only: +7 Piercing Damage when attacking with Advantage

• Off-Hand Only: Add your Ability Modifier to the damage

Location: Dropped by Orin

------------------------------

Ranged Weapons: N/A

------------------------------

ACT 3 GEAR

Head I’m still wearing the Diadem. 

Chest can of course be the Drunken Cloth, but I will actually stick with the Garb of Land and Sky. This also synergizes with Step of the Wind, causing your next Attack Roll to have Advantage and dealing bonus Force Damage. You also gain Blade Ward whenever using Patient Defence.

Gloves can either be the Craterflesh Gloves for big damage on Crits, or the Helldusk Gloves for sustained damage. This is really a preference option. The Gloves of Soul Catching are also quite nice.

Boots are still the Linebreaker Boots, but you could also use the Boots of Uninhibited Kushigo, which causes Unarmed Attacks to deal Bonus Damage equal to your Wisdom Modifier.

Cloak is the Cloak of Displacement, which essentially just makes it harder for enemies to hit you. I’ve used this in several builds and I do think it’s worth using over the Cloak of Protection.

Amulet is of course the Amulet of the Drunkard, regaining 2d4 HP per turn whenever you’re Drunk, and increases your Drunken state by 5 turns.

Main Melee Weapon is now Bloodthirst, which makes enemies Vulnerable to its Piercing Damage, allowing for massive attacks. It also reduces the number needed to crit by 1 and even gives you True Strike as a Bonus Action which is kinda cool. You are nothing but a damage dealer, purely, get in, attack, and get out the way. Just remember you’re sloshed, and your drunkenness will handle most of the heavy lifting.