The Flurry of Throws: D&D Build

[@pederw4900]

THIS BUILD IS SWEET! DRIPPING WITH FLAVOR! LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE!

[@20storiesunder]

All my builds are zero carbon.

[@cueball6969]

Practically buzzing to try it

[@texteel]

ELMINSTER!

[@Styrixa]

How to talk to your DM and players about optimization and tactics would be a great video. Yeah, we should, but the “how” matters. Love the build and the channel.

[@trevorgreenough6141]

Your welcome home is the vocal equivalent of a warm hearth. Your builds are always a fun. Thank you for the effort that goes unseen to make a video.

[@RunAzazelRun]

The build I've been using similar to this, focusing WIS and dex. One round can get 60ft of forced movement and every round can move around 50. With the dragon form from druid and starting fighter you have a really hard time failing con saves. Battlemaster fighter 5 Swarmkeeper ranger 3 Open hand monk 3 Stars druid 3 Pick up crusher feat Round one: Set up spike growth and shillelagh or starry form dragon Round two: Use shillelagh with crusher (5) Pushing Attack (15) Action surge Thorn whip (10) gathered swarm (15), bonus action flurry of blows open hand technique (15).

[@nicholass5621]

You can’t use a longsword with your dexterity mod until you pick up your first monk level. So at level 4, make sure to use a shortsword or rapier!

[@TopSpecsGD]

It would be your 2nd monk level when you can pick up the Dedicated Weapon optional feature

[@nicholass5621]

@@TopSpecsGD you right, I’ve been playing too much baldur’s gate

[@bigaj6901]

​@@nicholass5621 haven't we all? Lol

[@SortKaffe]

@nicholass5621 take a drink 🍻

[@alexlionfeather]

¹¹¹¹r⅚😊😊😊😊😊​@@TopSpecsGD

[@lenny-822]

was half-expecting Paul Rudd to show up when you played that clip 🤣

[@jeremynadaskay7872]

And Conan O’Brien

[@syranas]

As a beekeeper myself, I love this build

[@BLynn]

The Flurry of Throws: D&D Build #160 Level 01: (see above) [ranger 1 & race] Level 02: (see above) [ranger 2 & fighting-style] Level 03: (@13:27) [ranger 3 & subclass] Level 04: (@16:48) [ranger 4, ASI & change fighting-style] Level 05: (@18:06) [ranger 5] Level 06: (@20:49) [monk 1] Level 07: (see above) [monk 2] Level 08: (@27:30) [monk 3 & subclass] Level 09: (@29:32) [monk 4 & ASI] Level 10: (see above) [monk 5] Level 11: (@39:51) [fighter 1 & fighting-style] Level 12: (@41:27) [fighter 2] Level 13: (@41:54) [fighter 3 & subclass] Level 14: (see above) [fighter 4 & ASI] Level 15: (@46:00) [monk 6] Level 16: (@48:32) [monk 7] Level 17: (@49:09) [monk 8 & ASI]

[@ryadinstormblessed8308]

48:33 40' movement speed on a Dwarf 😆 I'm just imagining how fast those legs would have to move to cover that much distance that fast! Definitely gonna look like an anime character at that point!

[@SamuelDancingGallew]

"Dwarves are dangerous over short distances..." Especially when you take their honeyed mead.

[@berthulf]

The way you say "welcome home" at the beginning is like being handed a hot mug of cocoa after coming in from the rain... So I love my swarmkeeper, Littlebear, but he's a bardbaringer as opposed to a cheesemonger. He's a honey-eyed, honey-tongued stout halfling apiarist, locally reknowned for his alchemical brewmastery, and based on a character I played at a LARP (that character was cut shorter by the big bad's favourite pet). This sounds fun though.

[@Wouldyoukindly4545]

In an effort to help martials (and especially monks), our table gives all martials a free subclass which we decided on as being the most iconic version of the character. Also monks get their proficiency bonus to their Ki. So this character would get hunter for ranger, open hand for free for monk, and champion for fighter. The question I was trying to answer is what subclass to take for monk. Mercy would be good but their abilities only apply to unarmed attacks. Kensei maybe? But I was also looking at Sun Soul, for the ranged attack that you could use if your foe gets stuck far away in the thorns. Or, way of the arcane hand for a couple more spell levels so you can cast spike growth more often.

[@ad9aggie]

Awwww, I was hoping this would be a Swarmkeeper/Drunken Master build, but I understand now why it wasn't. Still a good build that would be fun to play. The way you sing, you should play a Bard. You could sing your Vicious Mockeries! Keep on keepin' on, man!

[@bobbyfartz5591]

That’s what I thought too

[@mac_sour]

swarmkeeper and drunken master is so flavorful for a monastery that brews mead

[@ad9aggie]

@@mac_sour When he said bees in the short, that's exactly what I was thinking.

[@Putoaduh]

I don't think you've done anything like this before, but I think it would be really cool to see what you could come up with for a character that scales extremely well. The core of their identity is that so many features scale off their proficiency bonus. Features such as the bard's jack of all trades, the watchers paladin 7th level aura, the harengon's hare-trigger, dipping subclasses that allow "proficiency bonus times per long rest" features, and so on.

[@CivilWarMan]

I mentioned this in the short previewing this build, but while it doesn't fit the Monk/Ranger concept, my favorite Monk throwing people around idea is a Bronze Metallic Dragonborn Tempest Cleric 6/Ascendant Dragon Monk X. It takes a while to come online, but once you've got it going you can take the attack action and replace the first attack with the Ascendant Dragon breath weapon (dealing lightning damage), move forward, then replace the second attack with the Bronze Metallic Dragonborn breath weapon (also dealing lightning damage). Tempest Cleric 6 may have the enemy size restriction, but it also has no save to avoid the forced movement, and both breath weapons are save for half damage, so you can potentially get 20 feet of unavoidable forced movement against a group of Large or smaller enemies. You can then potentially follow it up with Flurry of Blows to deal more lightning damage to one of those enemies and push them up to 20 additional feet if you hit. It does rely on other characters for the Spike Growth cheese grater, but at very high levels it might be worth it to divert 3 Monk levels into Circle of the Land Druid (Mountain and Arctic get Spike Growth automatically prepared), which would also allow the character to recharge a 2nd level spell slot on a Short Rest. In that case, the character's got the option to lay down a Spike Growth, and if a group of enemies are trapped inside, they can actually use Step of the Wind to dash (which, with 6 levels of Ascendant Dragon, will allow them to fly), fly above the Spike Growth, then use the breath weapons to push the enemies across the Spike Growth.

[@jamesfoster9613]

There's also a new magic item in Book of Many Things which is basically a handwrap that adds +1 to attack and damage to unarmed attacks, in the same vein as other magic items that give flat bonuses. +1 is uncommon, +2 is rare, and +3 is very rare. That on top of the Dragonskin belt from Fizban's makes a really formidable monk who gets some bonus ki, bonus to unarmed attacks, and a bonus to their save DCs for monk abilities. Granted, I know you don't plan for magic items, but can add that on top of the go to's of Claw insignia or eldritch claw tatoo.

[@DavidMonarres]

Look at Colby, name-dropping celebrities all over the place.

[@lexmtaylor]

Colby is a celebrity!

[@muskrat7444]

Arriving late today because I had to recoup from another secret project reveal from Sanderson. Great work as always Colby!!!!

[@captainpolar2343]

I recently did a swarm ranger undead warlock (who was technically reincarnated...?), she was covered in cockroaches that were siphoning her old life away. At first she hated the bugs and wanted them gone, she tried everything to remove them but nothing worked. Until she made the pact of undeath and was transformed and found affection to the insects

[@relaxedfantasyreview]

I want more Kelly with my Colby! 😁

[@B.J.Camire]

Love the video as always. Your cheese grater builds are always a delight to visualize ^_^

[@kwingofcrows869]

I play in a West Marches server with high access to magic items and it would be really cool to see a build video that is optimized with magic items! Love seeing your vids as always ❤

Well, take the best martial build from colbys dpr table and add magic items to those calculations. Magic items scale great for martial, and not all that great for spell casters.

[@HighPhoenix1754]

I knew the moment I saw the thumbnail, the title, and that grin that this was gonna be a good time. Let's goooo

[@Sentinel851]

I really like running this as the "Bonk Master General". using the Druidic Warrior for Shillelagh means we're a d8 off wisdom for the whole game, (and GM permission for having it always active) and Magic Stone as a ranged bludgeoning option, so at level 4, we can take Crusher (Con), and then our magic stones and shillelaghs can both trigger crusher move, and we can use PAM (Vuman/Cuslin) to make a bonus action attack reliably, as well as a fun safety tool, because if they've used up their movement, we push them further back and they might be stuck. after level 5, 3 levels in battle master fighter keeps us competitive and tricksy, and after that, we pick up straight monk.

[@mattdahm4289]

Thanks Colby! 🐉❤️

[@ColinKillick]

This sounds like an amazing build that I'd want to play. Two small thoughts: 1) The other option for the fighting style is Druidic Warrior, and that might be worth it to grab Thorn Whip. Since all the forced movement here is relying on hitting a creature with a melee attack, it would be worth it to have a ranged option to grab a character who decides to just stand still in the spikes and yank them out. 2) At some point in this character's career, it would make sense to grab Ensnaring Strike as a backup control option. It's normally not that great a spell, but because stunned creatures auto-fail dex saves, you can use it the turn after stunning them in order to waste yet another of their turns.

[@merlannin2108]

I love the new creative builds you make. I've been getting less interested in 5e as opposed to p2e, but these are still very fun.

[@dierrunner9406]

32:25 You could argue/flavor your reasoning that swarm movement comes second is that insects (especially bees and ants) find their targets or are controlled by pheromones emitted by other members of the colony or the queen. And you place this scent on the enemies after you punch them. So the force of your punch would take affect before your insect swarm perceives this signal to move the enemy.

[@darrenromanko2414]

Much love. Great build.

[@423RedWolf]

Always love a cheese grater build! Might be interesting to see a video or even just a spreadsheet that compares only forced movement builds. Compare all the spike growth/moonbeam/cloud of daggers/etc builds only to each other.

[@alexgarrett4673]

Funnily enough I've been working on a similar swarmkeeper build for my next character, but without the Monk levels (just swarmkeeper + battle master) using shillelagh + PAM to get the bonus action attack whilst allowing me to be more SAD. Less focused on using spike growth every combat and more treating it as one tool in a toolbox. This video definitely gave me some good ideas to incorporate though - in particular, I hadn't fully clocked the potential of using pushing attack + gathered swarm forced movement on the same attack to yo-yo someone back and forth through spike growth. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@starlitelemming6929]

Maths suggestion: Look up "sensitivity analysis" and "perturbation analysis." These kinds of techniques can be used to get an idea of the direction something changes as you tweak a variable, and by roughly how much.

[@eleishar18]

Martial Cheese Grater :D Idea for a trap strategy: Party behind enemies, You with Spike Growth in front of them. They have to either go through your allies, or through thornes. But if they go through thornes, You can just push them back ;)

[@RaethFennec]

Stunning Strike is an excellent opportunity for staples like Mind Sliver and Silvery Barbs to set up a combo build like this. Then you drop your stun and go to town. I'd love to see a little section for builds like this that give advice on how to help teammates synergize with it or vice versa!

[@randomize.4]

hooray new video! I was waiting for a notification :) also this video is an instructional guide to playing pinball with the enemy.

[@Cassapphic]

This build feels like hitting a fighting game corner combo.

[@zacharylowery5139]

Literally have been debating this style build for my next campaign

[@GentleBreeze-72]

I love the "my body is the only strength" of the Open hand. Proceeds to go with a longsword anyway because it's cooler.

[@nunyeh]

Oh my god this is (more or less) the build I am currently playing. My character is only lvl 4, not optimised as much and flavoured a bit differently, but yeah. They're currently a harengon Astral Self Monk (3) / Ranger (1), going for Swarmkeeper next. Talked to my DM, she allowed me to flavour my Swarmkeeper Features as more Astral Self stuff, so like extra temporary astral arms and things like that. Going for a bit of Wis-based Grappling right now, and it's a lot of fun~

[@teawings4391]

Aw man, I thought when he said brewing monastic temple we would have finally gotten a drunken master monk Time to count the days

[@DnDDeepDive]

I actually used Drunken Master in the Flurry of Darkness build... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWrPaohubraCodE

[@robbiesrevelations3096]

Here's a challenge. Build a character that can hit for all damage types reliably. Obviously the weapon damage can be somewhat interchangeable

[@bobjones5417]

Excellent build! I suddenly have an urge to watch a Paul Rudd interview, though.

[@richardkraus1305]

Really really really really fun build!!! Love Swarmkeepers and this is the funniest pushing build ever! What would happen if, for your last three levels (18-20) you went back to ranger and took the crusher feat? Round up your con from resilient and a little more pushing. Do you think that would affect the spreadsheets?

[@elderking2549]

So this is a beekeeper focused on throwing things and enemies around? A yeetkeeper if you will? I love the idea

[@joncauchi59]

I am in a campaign where we were all asked to have at least 4 levels in monk(monk 6 Ranger 4). My kensai gloom stalker, with the sharpshooter feat they don't miss and have many ways of getting by in melee, oh and the damage is oh so nice. You should try that build!

[@jonathanhaynes9914]

Thanks Colby

[@JamesTaylor-oh1sd]

For some reason I thought we would be doing some thrown weapon fighting when I clicked on the video. No clue where I got that idea...

[@dylanmiller9162]

Lmfao the Paul Rudd Mac and Me clip is so so good

[@biodude15]

Honestly, the average AC scales from 15 to 18 from CRs 5 to 15, though there is quite the spread as 50% fall within 2 AC of the average by CR, though slows down to 19.5 around CR 20 Avg str saves on the other hand range from +3 to +5 over the same CRs, with the middle 50% fall within less than 2 points of average, while the middle 50% only touches a +10 at CR 20. What does this mean? Strength saves are actually quite low for monsters, and honestly with 3 saves called for per turn, it is so much more reliable than 1 or 2 con saves per turn, especially at higher levels (+3 at 5th but +7 around 15th, and even +13 avg at 20) Just keep in mind the beholder with a +0 is the same CR as a storm giant with a +9

[@joshbastian9983]

Would love to see you optimize a grung based on their natural poisoning ability. Feel like it could be fun but challenging since the DC doesnt seem to change!

[@justlittleoldme4589]

Just started the video , dont yet know what it's gonna be about , but the way you described the build , made me think of one of those ye olde christian monks making mead and living in peace with nature lol

[@oziancitizen]

So just a thought of spreadsheets and the number: Have you considered doing a tally of all the classes across all your builds to see what appears the most? Perhaps also arranged by level dip, like a Warlock LV1 or a Fighter LV2 dip might be more common than the Monk class all up.

[@firesflame221]

Hey, so video idea. Somthing I’ve been working on is doing an artillerist single target sustained damage build using Hex via spell wrought tattoo infusions. As well as using spells like Scorching Ray, to get max damage from it . And in late levels, tanking thief plus using spell- storing items feature( which specifically says they aren’t casting the spell.) to get a bonus action lvl 2 scorching ray in addition to the scorching ray you have buring you normal spell slots, ontop of double arcane cannon once you run out of spell slots, sadly that won’t be online till level 18, but the damage should still be good at 17 getting up to 8 spell attacks in a round, rivaling double casts of EB, and a minimum of 4 a minimum if we skip the thief dip and go full artificer

[@1Ring42]

Love to see martial control. ETA speaking of sheepdog I think echo knight would also be great at herding enemies, or at least using the echo for increased area denial.

[@brilbin]

You threw me for a loop! I have a drunken master monk/ranger dip multiclass and I thought you were going to go drunken master when you teased the mead!

[@rokisha5150]

Small thing to point out here, if you want to go to a 1d8 weapon you can always go with the Yklwa, it's a 1d8 simple weapon meaning no need to actually wait until monk 2, it can even be thrown even though the range isn't the greatest.

[@nicholass5621]

What is an yklwa

[@rokisha5150]

@@nicholass5621 a simple melee weapon that does 1d8 piercing, costs 1 gp, weighs 3 pounds and has thrown (10/30 ft.). As for what it is here is the info for the Item specifically. "A yklwa (pronounced YICK-ul-wah) is a simple melee weapon that is the traditional weapon of Chultan warriors. A yklwa consists of a 3-foot wooden shaft with a steel or stone blade up to 18 inches long. Although it has the thrown weapon property, the yklwa is not well balanced for throwing."

[@hadeszero4526]

I LOVE GRATING CHEESE!😂 Thanks Colby!

[@kody_dryden-conway]

I actually play a dwarven swarmkeeper who makes Mead and keeps bees lol one of my favorite characters

[@dienezdarcprowlyr9406]

A great martial alternative to my favorite build. Cheese graters of the world untite!!!

[@tobybrierley5884]

For immersion, play this chraracter with a gruff British accent. "I'm the Beekeeper", then proceed to hit enemies flying in all directions.

[@coffeeproblems5780]

I love a good monk build 😊

[@paulnewsham8210]

Here's one you've never thought of, maybe. Though you probably have. A Hireling build. Like a glamour bard or something. An ex millitary healer/drummer boy turned wandering merchant. Rides that bangs a drum as a focus, rides a cart and uses paid hirelings to protect it. As he travels about selling stuff. How nasty can you buff and utilize a guard/soldier/veteran/noble statblock? Its never gonna be the best at anything. Except using skilled hirelings, maybe. Fun though.

[@DnDDeepDive]

On the to do list!

[@ElykTsorb]

I've contemplated a Swarm Ranger and a Monk before. Never bothered with the forced movement aspect, mostly as I find pushing and pulling things across spikes to not be all that satisfying, but also because this is a lot of investment for a strategy that would probably work better with other classes. Additionally my primary concern would be that a lot of your damage output relies on Spike Growth being up and your Con isn't all that high to mitigate concentration checks.

[@ChThuter]

Reading the title I thought you had found some obscure way to make a throwing weapon monk work... Still somewhat miffed that apparently the best way to deal damage in 5E is the same as in 4E: Stack forced movement and move into and out of damaging zones. Interesting build though :)

[@ChryssaBL]

There most definitely is such a thing as too much forced movement. I have expertise in athletic, a belt of fire giant strength and a pegasus. My allies are a monk/druid and an evocation wizard. I can fly 180ft over spike growth inside sickening radiance with a plus 19 to my grapple checks while I could be using bane just to be sure. As we aren't surprising our DM I'm genuinely nervous about the monsters that are going to try and counter this.

[@benin8or]

I love Randall's artwork but I am disappointed that this week's build doesn't have a BEE-BEARD! Especially since it's a dwarf!

[@timothyparsons5558]

I think it would be reasonable to call this a nova build, especially because it seems like it will likely be challenging to use these tactics more then once per combat, if at all. I'd be very interested to see how it would place on your nova damage rankings, especially if you'd built it with that in mind. Awesome video, as always.

[@jeremynadaskay7872]

I played a swarmkeeper warforged whose hive lived inside him. Goodberry was honeycomb he pulled out of his chest. Originally it was supposed to be a bumch of raccoons but the DM nixed that idea.

[@ThatGuy182545]

Inconceivable!

[@ltrigga219]

Holy sh*tballs, a clip of Mac and Me!! 😂🤣

[@jasondanielrath7544]

The yklwa is a d8 one handed simple weapon. Often forgotten about but should be a monks best friend

[@johannesstephanusroos4969]

Which book is that in?

[@sintanan469]

​@@johannesstephanusroos4969 Tomb of Annihilation. The yklwa is a weapon created by the natives of Chult. As a regional weapon it is highly likely to be seen as an exotic piece of equipment and not always available. It's basically everything a war pick is but better.

[@RichardGrantMuir78]

Love this build! But if you have a 15 Dex & Wis and a 14 con, how exactly are you multiclassing into fighter, which requires a 13 str?

[@coffeeproblems5780]

Feel like it's been a while since we've had a good tank. Are my spidey senses tingling?

[@targetdreamer257]

What a build focused on the spell Tiny Servant? Tinies have a better AC the zomberts and Skells plus the to comparable damage. I think, according to RAW, that you could give them ONE order at the start of the day, "Attack hostile creatures", and they would do that when ever you come across any of those hostiles. It lasts longer then Animate Objects, any of the Conjure spells, and the Summon spells. Like at the start of the day you have all your Tinies, silver coins, hang on and ride you like a mount and they would deploy attacking with no other bonus action need all day.

[@rlcbofficial871]

My deepest condolences on your viewing of the live action atla… idk I haven’t finished it but thus far my heart is broken.

[@eldoriath1]

Sad songs are best songs!

[@DasMaggie]

damn im early. decided to finally get my membership in, love your videos. (they are a treat for oneshots, always a fun time lol) keep up the good work. (:

[@DnDDeepDive]

Thanks and welcome!

[@eduardoarancibia169]

By now, you should have a website sponsor you to store all your builds.

[@DavidSmith-jj7ll]

Now I'm imagining Colby showing up in Kelly's mirror and telling him "I am your Broëmænce Partnær, Kelly McLaughlin," in Brennan Lee Mulligan's terrifying Peter Lorre voice.

[@Fafnirod123]

1:00:02 that plant really snuck up on you, didn’t it? 😂

[@Tanthalasa83]

Hope we soon get to see the d4 build of the serpent monk from dungeon dudes…

[@thundyrcat]

At first I was angry...grrrrr...Ranger for 5 levels...pbbbbbttt....then I was intrigued...and then you got all monk damagey...OH MY GOSH! YES! YES! YES! (I know damagey isn't a word...I am a writing teacher, but it works!)(Side note, I hate Ki points!)

[@flamefyr]

The one take away from this build I take is If you combine Arcane Trickster with Swarmkeeper, you have a hand of invisible bees, and that's just a fun idea

[@jonmacbuff2268]

Please make a melee armor buster build! Goal: to beat all of those super-high-AC builds out there with melee attacks. I hate missing my attacks. My first thoughts are forge cleric for the +1 and bless, then go monk for focused aim, barbarian for reckless attack, devotion paladin for sacred weapon, etc…

[@TCuddles]

Yo that kid flying off the cliff? What in the f was that?! 😂😂

[@GentleBreeze-72]

I only watched 17 seconds and with the intro you bought me. Im all ears daddy

[@matthewhelmers1426]

Have you done an Elven Accuracy stun lock build?

[@trevorm492]

You had me at cockroaches. How about frogs, and using a whip as a finesse weapon with reach. I feel it would pair well with spike growth. (Frogs because thematically the whip would be tongue like)

[@Deadlystrike25]

Can you please make an Echo Knight Fighter Build for substained damage. I am curious what you can came up with.

[@brian6488]

😂🤣the Paul Rudd Conan clip.

[@grantstratton2239]

Question for Kolby: How did the math work out against higher-AC creatures if you assume the first open hand attack is a shove to prone for advantage rather than a push?

[@Taosage]

Love to see a horizon walker monk combo

[@bora7494]

I would be interested in a build that focuses on fire breathing as an attack like a mini dragon.

[@DnDDeepDive]

Maybe check the “Enter the Dragon” vid if you haven’t seen it…

[@trentmcnabb3470]

What about Telekinetic Feat for when you run out of Ki points?

[@JMSginoclave]

Beekeeping? Grating cheese? I'M IN

[@iAmEnenra]

Currently playing a 10th Level monk using the new playtest rules, and with the new grappler feat. Last combat the Druid and I absolutely destroyed an enemy spell caster as I used 150 feet of my movement to cheese grater him after grappling him the previous round. Needless to say, our DM is likely to give more Misty steps to enemies 😂.

[@Johnny5isstillalive]

DC for saving throws starts at 8, where attack rolls has a d20 average of 10. Enemy should fail a DC13 as often as you hit a AC15

[@nathankloetstra5416]

Why do you not use the sentinel feat with this style character? It seems appropriate as you knock them back and forth to get that reaction attack, but as I am relatively new to 5th edition I might have missed something.

[@DnDDeepDive]

Sentinel reduces speed to 0 when you get an opportunity attack. Are you thinking of Polearm Master?

[@nathankloetstra5416]

@@DnDDeepDive does it only remain for your turn or till your next turn? I was thinking for this build making them stuck after moving them back and forth so they can move or if you wait till they come out to try to get you and potentially put knock them back in and stop them? I am probably missing something.

[@DnDDeepDive]

Well, we're not getting an opportunity attack against them reliably to make them stuck in the first place I don't think. Opportunity attacks don't happen off of forced movement - only if the enemy uses *their* movement to get away from us :). @@nathankloetstra5416

[@nathankloetstra5416]

@@DnDDeepDive thank you for taking the time to explain. Blessings and have a great day. Thank you for your time and all you do!

[@20storiesunder]

Love the post one dnd thoughts.

[@jorisboonekamp9038]

For the purpose of optimization it´s true that I don´t see any way to combine the two amazing cheese graters that you have created. A Mountain Dwarf starting with 1 lvl in Fighter could get high AC because of being able to to choose a STR 8. CON and WIS would be 16s though which is non-optimal however and a 14 in CHA might be acceptable but yield non-optimal Agonizing Blast dmg. This is the only way for enough points to spend on the required 13 DEX for Ranger. Monk would probably make no sense. So it´s possible but it would never result in incredible DPR. I can´t but agree that we have to choose between either of your builds, that are each of stellar quality in their own focus!

[@williambarnes5023]

Monk / Abjurer : Flurry of Nos. Remember, one of the best ways to counterspell is to ready an action to go punch them in the face.