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Well, here we are once again. I believe that this time we have done it, my friends. With this class, I think we have a monk that we can be proud of . . . not over the top, but a capable, solid, class that acts as wonderful skirmisher. It will never be officially adopted, of course, but this is the final version (hopefully) that will be part and parcel of my own game from this day forward. Feel free to use what you want and discard the rest.
Your critiques and comments are welcome, as always, even if you disagree with the concept or the idea that monk needs to be fixed. I would love to hear them, good or ill.
And without further ado, here then is the Once and Future Monk. Enjoy.
For the truly exemplary, martial skill transcends the battlefield: it is a lifestyle, a doctrine, a state of mind. These warrior-artists search out methods of battle beyond swords and shields, finding within themselves weapons that are just as capable of crippling or killing as any blade. These monks (so called since they adhere to strict martial disciplines and ancient philosophies passed down through the generations since the mythical War between Law and Chaos) elevate their bodies to become weapons of war. Monks tread the path of discipline and self-enlightenment, and those with the will to endure that path discover within themselves not what they are, but what they are meant to be.
Role: This version of the monk class is, first and foremost, a skirmisher, a scout, a light fighter who relies on his innate abilities and ki to achieve literally inhuman results. He eschews clumsy armor and random weapons to instead achieve greatness through his own inner will and strength. His endurance and ability to sustain hardship is legendary, rivaled only by the toughest of barbarians and most skilled of rangers. His combat ability with attacks, damage, and maneuvers comes close to equaling more marital classes, yet he is more than merely a fighter. Wise beyond his years, the monk’s senses are keenly honed and he possesses an extensive array of techniques that permit him to accomplish acts that normally can be done only by a practitioner of magic. The varied selection of skills and talents that the monk has at his disposal make a valued member of any adventuring party.
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8.
BAB: Medium
Good Saves: Fort; Reflex; and Will
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex); Climb (Str); Craft (Int); Escape Artist (Dex); Perception (Wis); Perform (Cha); Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex); Sense Motive (Wis); Stealth (Dex); and Swim (Str). See monastic skill training (below) for additional class skills.
Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Ability Score Requirements (Special): To become a monk, a character must have a minimum natural score of 12 in the following abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. Player characters and NPCs cannot select the monk class if they do not meet the minimum ability scores listed previously. The ability scores must be the natural ability score of the character or creature; magical enhancement bonuses to ability scores do not count for this purpose . . . although inherent bonuses do, as well as an increase in an ability score gained through achieving a higher level of experience.
CLASS FEATURES
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A monk is proficient with short swords and all simple weapons, with the exception of the heavy crossbow, heavy mace, long spear, morning star, and spear. Monks are not proficient with any type of armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses his combat intuition, evasion, fast movement, flurry of blows, and improved evasion abilities (see below).
Combat Intuition (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD.
In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, (+2 at 8th level, +3 at 12th level, +4 at 16th level, etc., etc.).
These bonuses to AC (Wisdom and the additional level-based bonus) apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he uses a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
In addition to the benefits listed above, when using unarmed strikes or any of the melee weapons listed in the weapons and armor proficiency section above, a monk modifies his attack and damage rolls with his Wisdom modifier, not his Strength modifier. This modifier to damage is not adjusted for two-handed weapons or off-hand weapons—it always remains equal to the monk’s Wisdom modifier. The monk also uses his Wisdom modifier in place of his Strength modifier when calculated his Combat Maneuver Bonus. He still uses his Strength modifier when calculating his Combat Maneuver Defense, however.
Bonus Feat: At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels gained as a monk thereafter, a monk may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Blind-Fight, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Extra Ki, Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Nimble Moves, Scorpion Style, and Weapon Focus.
At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Acrobatic Steps, Gorgon's Fist, Improved Blind-Fight, Improved Critical, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Ki Stand, Mobility, and Wind Stance.
At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Gliding Steps, Greater Blind-Fight, Greater Disarm, Greater Grapple, Ki Throw, Lightning Stance, Medusa's Wrath, Penetrating Strike, and Spring Attack.
At 14th level, the following feats are added to the list: Critical Focus, Greater Penetrating Strike, Greater Sunder, Greater Trip, Improved Ki Throw, and Whirlwind Attack.
A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them, except as listed below. To select Greater Penetrating Strike, a monk must first have selected Penetrating Strike as a bonus feat. To select any Greater Combat Maneuver Feat, a monk must first have selected the Improved Combat Maneuver Feat for that maneuver.
Fast Movement (Ex/Su): A monk’s speed (in all movement modes which the monk is capable) is faster than the norm for his race by +10 feet. This ability is extraordinary.
Fast movement gained as an extraordinary ability stacks with all other methods of increasing a monk’s speed, including spells such as expeditious retreat and haste.
At 4th level, when a monk gains access to his ki pool (see below), the character can achieve literally superhuman bursts of speed for limited periods of time. As a swift action, a monk can spend 1 point of ki to gain an enhancement bonus to his speed of +20 feet. This speed increase lasts for 1 round per monk class level and is a supernatural ability. At 6th level, and again every two levels gained thereafter, the monk's speed when using this ability increases by an additional +5 feet, to a maximum increase of +60 feet at 20th level.
The bonus speed granted to a monk through spending a point of ki is a supernatural ability.
Fast movement gained as a supernatural ability does not stack with other effects which grant the monk an enhancement bonus to his speed, including magic items such as boots of striding and springing and spells such as haste.
Monastic Skill Training: Different monasteries emphasize different skill sets for the monks that they train. At first level, a monk may choose any three of the following skills: Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (Any) (Int), or Linguistics (Int). These skills become class skills for the monk. Once chosen, these selections are forever after fixed, even if the monk places no skill ranks in the specific skills selected.
Unarmed Strike (Ex): A monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s unarmed attack may be made with his fists, elbows, knees, feet, or even his head. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A monk deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than normal; at 1st level the damage is 1d6. At 8th level, a monk’s unarmed damage increases to 2d6. At 15th level, a monk’s unarmed damage increases to 3d6. The unarmed damage is for Medium monks. Small monks use d4s instead of d6s, while Large monks use d8s instead of d6s. If a monk wears a set of monk’s robes, his unarmed damage increases by +1d6, and gains the AC bonus of a monk five levels above his own; this supersedes the item description in the Core Rulebook.
Stunning Fist (Ex): The monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. At 4th level, and every 4 levels gained as a monk thereafter, the monk gains the ability to apply a new condition to the target of his Stunning Fist. This condition replaces stunning the target for 1 round, and a successful saving throw still negates the effect.
At 4th level, he can choose to make the target fatigued. At 8th level, he can make the target sickened for 1 minute. At 12th level, he can make the target staggered for 1d6+1 rounds. At 16th level, he can permanently blind or deafen the target. At 20th level, he can paralyze the target for 1d6+1 rounds. The monk must choose which condition will apply before the attack roll is made. These effects do not stack with themselves (for example, a creature sickened by Stunning Fist cannot become nauseated if hit by Stunning Fist again), but additional hits do increase the duration.
A monk can select which condition to apply each time he makes a stunning fist attack, limited only by his monk level.
A monk gains one use of this feat for every monk level he possesses, as described in the Stunning Fist feat.
Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing no armor and is not carrying a medium or heavy load. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk gains the ability to make a flurry of blows. When using unarmed strikes, simple melee weapons with which he is proficient, short swords, or darts a monk can make a flurry of blows attack as a part of a full-attack action. When using flurry of blows a monk gains one additional attack at his highest attack bonus, but forfeits his normal iterative attacks. For example, a 3rd level monk using flurry of blows has two attacks (+2/+2). The monk may use any combination of unarmed strikes or weapons with which he is proficient for this additional attack.
At 8th level, the monk gains a second bonus attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. For example, an 8th level monk using flurry of blows has three attacks (+6/+6/+6).
At 13th level, the monk gains a third bonus attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. For example, a 13th level monk using flurry of blows has four attacks (+9/+9/+9/+9).
At 18th level, the monk gains a fourth bonus attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. For example, a 18th level monk using flurry of blows has five attacks (+13/+13/+13/+13/+13).
A monk may freely substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of a flurry of blows. A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.
Flurry of blows cannot be combined with two-weapon fighting (as per the feats) for additional attacks, even if the monk wields two weapons or a double weapon while making a flurry of blows attack.
Maneuver Training (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus and his Combat Maneuver Defense. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.
Still Mind (Ex): A monk of 3rd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects. This bonus increases in value to +4 at 10th level and to +6 at 17th level.
Ki Pool (Su): At 4th level, a monk begins to slowly access his internal ki, a supernatural energy that he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The monk gains a pool of ki points, equal to his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk can invoke any one of the following options: he can gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round; he can gain one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when he uses his flurry of blows ability (see above); or he can gain one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when he charges, uses the Spring Attack feat, or when he moves more than 10’. In addition a monk can spend ki to activate his fast movement ability (see above).
A monk gains additional powers that consume points from his ki pool as he gains levels. The ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.
Ki Strike (Su): At 4th level, a monk can focus his ki into his unarmed strikes, making them the equivalent of enchanted weapons. When first gained, the monk gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls only. At 9th level, and every 5 levels gained thereafter as a monk, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 19th level. This bonus stacks with that from an actual enhancement bonus to the monk’s unarmed strikes (such as that granted by the amulet of mighty fists). A monk gains the benefits of ki strike so long as he has at least one point of ki remaining in his ki pool.
When using ki strike, a monk’s unarmed strikes are considered magic weapons for the purpose of attacking incorporeal creatures and for overcoming damage reduction.
At 10th level, a monk’s unarmed strikes count as lawful-aligned, alchemical silver, and cold irons weapons for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction.
At 16th level, a monk’s unarmed strikes count as adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
When using a ki focus weapon, a monk gains the bonus on attack rolls grant by this ability when using that weapon and can bypass damage reduction as listed above with that weapon, depending on the level of the monk.
Ki strike counts as the fighter class ability weapon training for the purpose of using the magic item gloves of dueling. This supersedes the written text of this item.
Catfall (Su): At 4th level or higher, a monk can fall incredible distances without suffering damage. When falling, a monk always lands on his feet. In addition, he reduces the damage inflicted from a fall by 1d6 per monk level he possesses, to a maximum reduction of 20d6 at 20th level. Unlike magical spells (such as feather fall) with similar effects, a monk is not slowed during his descent, making this ability a favored method for higher level monks to rapidly descend great distances quickly. A monk gains the benefits of this ability so long as he has at least one point of ki remaining in his ki pool.
Agility Training (Ex): At 5th level, a monk adds one-half his level (round down) to all Acrobatics skill checks and to the monk’s choice of either Climb or Swim skill checks. In addition, he always counts as having a running start when making jump checks using Acrobatics. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk can gain an additional +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks for 1 round.
Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases (such as lycanthropy and mummy rot).
Light as a Feather (Su): At 5th level, a monk may spend 1 point of ki to either use levitate or water walk, as per the spells but upon himself only, for a duration of 1 round per class level. When the monk uses light as a feather he may neither run nor may he charge; the monk may only use this ability if he is carrying no more than a light load and if he is not wearing armor or using a shield.
Speak with Animals (Ex): At 6th level, a monk can converse with any creature of the animal type, as per the spell speak with animals. Such conversations are limited by the animal’s intelligence (or lack thereof).
Wholeness of Body (Su): At 7th level or higher, a monk can heal his own wounds as a standard action. He can expend 1 point from his ki pool to heal a number of hit points of damage equal to 2d8 + his monk level + his Wisdom bonus (if any). A monk can instead spend 2 points from his ki pool to use this ability as a move action. If the monk spends 3 points from his ki pool, he may use this ability as a swift action.
A monk may use any combination of this ability in a single round if he wishes. I.e., by spending 6 points from his ki pool, and a standard, move, and swift action, he may heal himself for the listed amount three times in the same round.
Spiritual Endurance (Ex): At 8th level, a monk's training and inner reserves of ki allow him to comfortably exist in environments and conditions that would quickly sap the strength from others. He is considered to be under the influence of an endure elements spell at all times, ignoring the extremes of heat and cold. In addition, he may go for a number of days equal to his monk level without eating or drinking before beginning to suffer adverse effects. He requires only four hours of sleep per night, provided that he also meditates for at least four hours as well. While meditating, a monk remains fully aware of his surroundings and may make Perception checks without penalty.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk’s evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. Improved evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing no armor and is not carrying a medium or heavy load. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Duty Never Tires (Ex): At 10th level, a monk gains Endurance as a bonus feat. Furthermore, by spending 1 ki point as a swift action, he can ignore the effects of fatigue for 10 minutes per monk level. This ability only suppresses the fatigue; it does not remove it.
Diamond Body (Ex): At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
Abundant Step (Su): At 12th level or higher, a monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 2 points from his ki pool. His caster level for this effect is equal to his monk level. Unlike the normal use of dimension door, the monk may take any remaining actions in a round after using this ability. He may take up to one willing creature with him when he uses this ability. For the purpose of feats that require a prerequisite of Dimensional Agility, abundant step satisfies those prerequisites for a monk.
Unfettered Speech (Ex): At 12th level, a monk can converse with any creature of the plant type, as per the spell speak with plants. Such conversations are limited by the plant’s intelligence (or lack thereof). A monk can also converse with any creature of the magical beast type that has an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (for the purpose of this ability, treat magical beasts as though they are animals and refer to the spell speak with animals).
Diamond Soul (Ex): At 13th level, a monk gains spell resistance equal to his current monk level +10. In order to affect the monk with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the monk’s spell resistance. As a free action, no more than once a round, a monk may lower his spell resistance to receive the effects of a spell from his ally. His spell resistance is restored once the spell has been cast. A monk gains the benefits of this ability so long as he has at least one point of ki remaining in his ki pool.
Cloud Step (Su): At 14th level, a monk may spend 2 points from his ki pool to air walk, as per the spell, for a duration of 1 round per 2 class levels (round down). When the monk uses cloud step he may neither run nor may he charge; the monk may only use this ability if he is carrying no more than a light load and if he is not wearing armor or using a shield.
Quivering Palm (Su): Starting at 15th level, a monk can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the monk so desires. He can use this quivering palm attack once per day, and he must announce his intent before making his attack roll. Creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the monk strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter, the monk can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to his monk level. To make such an attempt, the monk merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom modifier) it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target instead takes twice the damage of the monk's unarmed strike (as if the monk had threatened and then confirmed a critical hit) and the quivering palm attack ends; the target may still die if he suffers enough damage from this attack to reduce him to negative hit points equal to his Constitution score. A monk can have no more than one quivering palm in effect at one time. If a monk uses quivering palm while another is still in effect, the previous effect is negated. This ability is a death effect.
At each monk level gained after 15th, the monk gains one additional daily use of this ability, to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level.
Timeless Body (Ex): At 16th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to his ability scores to his physical ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. The initial roll made by the DM for the character’s maximum age (according to race) is discarded, and a new maximum age calculated. The random dice are maximized. For example, a human monk who reaches 16th level will live to a ripe old age of 110 years, while an elf monk could see 750 years. Age bonuses to the monk’s mental ability scores still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up. This ability is not the same as immortality, and the monk can always die before his time due to violence.
Stalwart Soul (Ex): At 17th level, a monk no longer suffers any penalties for being fatigued (he still remains fatigued, however, for purposes of exhaustion). If the monk becomes exhausted, he may spend 2 ki points as a swift action to ignore the effects of exhaustion for 1 minute per monk level. This ability only suppresses the exhaustion; it does not remove it.
Tongues (Ex): At 18th level, a monk can converse with any creature, as per the spell tongues. To communicate, a creature must be within 30 feet of the monk and both the monk and creature must have line-of-sight to each other. Furthermore, the monk is able to commune with stone (as per the druid spell stone tell), however to commune with stone the monk must be touching the stone object.
Empty Body (Su): At 19th level, a monk gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points from his ki pool. This ability only affects the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.
Perfect Self: At 20th level, a monk transcends his mortal limitations. He gains blindsight in a 30-foot radius. He gains immunity versus all hostile mind-affecting spells, spell-like abilities, and other effects (this replaces and does not stack with the still mind ability), as well as being the recipient of constant nondetection and undetectable alignment effects (as per the spells). Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/chaotic, which allows him to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonchaotic weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction.
The few monks who reach this level of achievement often retire from adventuring to explore what they are becoming. Only those with the strongest of ties to their companions and their homelands remain, but even these will eventually simply vanish one night, never to return.
Ex-Monks: A monk who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a monk but retains all monk abilities.
Brawling Armor Property and Bracers of Armor: Brawling may be applied to bracers of armor as well as light armor. This supersedes the text in Ultimate Equipment.
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And here are some of my thoughts on the rationale behind these abilities.
Ability Score Requirements: Lots of folks will not like this, but I think it is a good part of the game to bring back. It keeps people from dipping just to snap a few low-level goodies from the monk and then run back to their normal classes . . . or at least reduces the frequency of such events. Plus it makes thematic sense for a monk, who is trying to acheive physical and spiritual perfection to be above average to your common man across the board.
Combat Intuition: Let's face it; the monk is MAD. This ability allows the monk to focus on two ability scores (Dex and Wis), just as the Paladin concentrates on Str and Cha. Since wearing armor or using a shield results in losing this ability, I don't think it will cause any major problems . . . and even so, if a cleric or druid does pick it up, they are limited to the listed weapons. Feral Combat Training could offset that, but that means a Druid has minimums of 12 in every stat but Charisma, sacrifices a level to nab monk, can't wear armor, use a shield, and spends a feat. And his Wisdom score doesn't change in wild-shape, so he will LOSE the Strength bonus of some of his forms (since there is no 'can use' option here; combat intutition replaces Strength with Wisdom, period).
Bonus Feats: Expanded the list to include things that fit the nature of the monk; also added another 'tier' of new feats at 14th level.
Fast Movement: Should a monk be able to outpace a horse cross-country? I don't think he should. What I have done here is break down the ability and make the monk and the barbarian equally fast in constant movement. On the tactical level, this monk can spend ki to boost his speed still further, for a short period of time. I think it is a good compromise, myself.
Unarmed Strike: Sigh. People complained about the d4s of my previous versions, so here you go. The damage is streamlined and instead of using larger damage dice, I simply add more d6s. Some will like this, some won't. Let me know what you think.
Flurry of Blows: Big changes. Went back to the medium BAB for the monk; none of that virtual stuff. Now, flurry of blows replaces your normal iterative attacks, giving you all of your attacks at the same bonus. Sure, you don't get as many attacks, but all of your attacks are made at the same bonus, giving you a lot more consistency in hitting.
Ki Pool: Cleaned it up a little and added a proviso for spending a point of ki to gain an attack when charging, moving, or using spring attack.
Ki Strike: Now bestows an unnamed stackable bonus on attack rolls only, for unarmed strikes and ki focus weapons only.
Catfall: You all know this one by now and either love it or hate. Hasn't changed.
Agility Training: Took out the +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump. Now it just applies to all Acrobatics checks; now it is worth spending a point of ki on.
Wholeness of Body: Specified that you can spend bukoodles of ki and multiple actions to heal your two or even three times in a single round.
Abundant Step: Made it so it doesn't end your turn. AND it serves as Dimensional Agility for feat prerequisites only.
Diamond Soul: Made it a free action to raise and lower, but no more than once a round.
Quivering Palm: Gave more uses per day at high levels.
MA
Okay, let’s look at some numbers here. We will use a 25-point buy for the monk and a 20-point buy for the fighter, giving the monk a slight edge. Both are human and put their +2 in their prime requisite (Str for fighters, Wis for monks).
Base Stats (Monk): Str 12 (2 pts), Dex 16 (10 pts), Con 12 (2 pts), Wis 16 (10 pts), Int 12 (2 pts), and Cha 9 (-1 pt). The monk winds up with Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Wis 18, Int 12, and Cha 9.
Base States (Fighter): Str 16 (10 points), Dex 14 (5 pts), Con 14 (5 pts), Int 10 (0 pt), Wis 12 (2 pts), and Cha 8 (-2 pt). The fighter ends up with Str 18, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, and Cha 8.
FIRST LEVEL:
Monk.
BAB +0. Unarmed Strike +5 (1d6+4; 20/x2); Quarterstaff +4 (1d6+4; 20/x2); Dagger +4 (1d4+4; 19-20/x2); or Dart +3 (1d4+4; 20/x2; 20’). 10 hp. AC 18. Feats: Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist, Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike). 7 skills at 1 rank each. Fort +3; Ref +5; Will +6. Speed: 40’. CMB +4. CMD 19.
Monk owns a Quarterstaff (0 gp), Dagger (2 gp), 6 Darts (3 gp), with 30 gp left over.
Fighter.
BAB +1. Longsword +6 (1d8+4; 19-20/x2); Dagger +5 (1d4+4; 19-20/x2); Light Mace +5 (1d6+4; 20/x2); Longbow +3 (1d8; 20/x3; 100 ft). 12 hp. AC 19 (melee)/17 (ranged). Feats: Iron Will, Power-Attack, Weapon Focus (Longsword). 4 skills at 1 rank each. Fort +4; Ref +2; Will +3. Speed: 20’. CMB +5. CMD 17.
Fighter owns a Longsword (15 gp), Dagger (2 gp), Light Mace (5 gp), Longbow (75 gp) with 60 arrows (3 gp), Scale Mail (50 gp), Heavy Steel Shield (20 gp), with 5 gp left over.
ANALYSIS:
Fighter has a higher AC in melee, but lower in ranged combat, has 2 more hit points, and does an average of 1 point more damage. Fighter has better attack rolls (by 1). Both are solid 1st level characters.
Be back with the 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level builds.
FIFTH LEVEL:
Monk: 4th level increase in Wis. He winds up with Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Wis 19, Int 12, and Cha 9.
Monk.
BAB +3. Unarmed Strike +9+9 (1d6+5; 20/x2). 36 hp. AC 22. Feats: Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike, Mobility, Stunning Fist, Toughness, Weapon Focus (unarmed strike). 7 skills at 5 ranks each. Fort +6; Ref +8; Will +9. Speed: 40’. Ki pool: 9 points. CMB +7. CMD 20. Ki Strike +1.
Monk owns Boots of Elvenkind (2,500 gp); Bracers of Armor +2 (2,000 gp); Cloak of Resistance +1 (1,000 gp); Handy Haversack (2,000 gp); Ring of Protection +1 (2,000 gp); with 1,000 gp remaining.
Fighter: 4th level increase in Str. He winds up with Str 19, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, and Char 8.
Fighter.
BAB +5. Longsword +12 (1d8+8; 19-20/x2); Dagger +9 (1d4+4; 19-20/x2); Light Mace +9 (1d6+4; 20/x2); Longbow +8 (1d8+4; 20/x3; 110 ft). 46 hp. AC 24 (melee)/20 (ranged). Feats: Improved Iron Will, Iron Will, Power-Attack, Shield Focus, Quickdraw, Weapon Focus (Longsword), Weapon Specialization (Longsword). 4 skills at 5 ranks each. Fort +7; Ref +4; Will +5. Speed: 30’. CMB +9. CMD 21. Weapon Training 1 (Large Blades), Armor Training 1, Bravery +3.
Fighter owns Longsword +1 (2,315 gp), Dagger (2 gp), Light Mace (5 gp), Masterwork Composite Longbow (Str 18) (500 gp), 60 arrows (3 gp), Breastplate +1 (1,350 gp), Heavy Steel Shield +1 (1,150 gp), Cloak of Resistance +1 (1,000 gp), Efficient Quiver (1,800 gp), Ring of Protection +1 (2,000 gp); with 75 gp remaining.
ANALYSIS:
Once again, the fighter has a higher AC in melee, but lower in ranged combat; he has 10 more hit points this time around, and even though the monk can get two attacks, the fighter has an additional +3 to hit and deals an average damage per hit 4 points higher than the monk. If the fighter power attacks, he is still +1 to hit and deals 8 points higher than the monk. The speed difference isn’t quite so great as it was at first level; the fighter’s armor training means he is only 10’ slower than the monk unless the monk spends ki. The monk has higher saves in all but Fort, but there is only a 1 point difference there. Surprisingly, the fighter has a higher CMB and CMD.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A monk is proficient with short swords and all simple weapons, with the exception of the heavy crossbow, heavy mace, long spear, morning star, and spear. Monks are not proficient with any type of armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses his combat intuition, evasion, fast movement, flurry of blows, and improved evasion abilities (see below).
So why does the monk lose the spear, handaxe, shuriken, nunchaku, and the sai?
Also...I thought one of the monks problems was being MAD....why make it a requirement to have at least 12 in almost all attributes? If your playing pfs that kinda screws you over a bit (I know this is homebrew but still I think you are my point) or what if I rolled my attributes and ended up with two 9s.
missed your reasoning on attributes...but still seems a bit to much to me.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A monk is proficient with short swords and all simple weapons, with the exception of the heavy crossbow, heavy mace, long spear, morning star, and spear. Monks are not proficient with any type of armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses his combat intuition, evasion, fast movement, flurry of blows, and improved evasion abilities (see below).So why does the monk lose the spear, handaxe, shuriken, nunchaku, and the sai?
Also...I thought one of the monks problems was being MAD....why make it a requirement to have at least 12 in almost all attributes? If your playing pfs that kinda screws you over a bit (I know this is homebrew but still I think you are my point) or what if I rolled my attributes and ended up with two 9s.
[Ooc]edit[\ooc]missed your reasoning on attributes...but still seems a bit to much to me.
I wanted to keep the d4 and d6 weapons; spear and morningstar are d8. It lost all the 'eastern' themed weapons because those aren't part of the game I run.
Monks are MAD, but there is a difference between having a minimum requirement for a few stats and having to have three different stats as high as you can get them. Standard PF Monks need high Strength (attacks and damage), high Dexterity (AC), and high Wisdom (AC, ki, and save DCs for stunning fist).
If you don't like the attribute requirements, yank 'em. I'm not going to knock on your door and demand the class back, after all. LOL
MA
Ah, OK well the missing weapons makes sense if you don't use them. I do like that you put in shortswords though.
I like the work you did here MA. Did you write this up to use in homebrew, then or is this meant to be possible RAW fixes to the monk?
I like the work you did here MA. Did you write this up to use in homebrew, then or is this meant to be possible RAW fixes to the monk?
HAH! No, my idea of what is wrong with the monk doesn't correspond to what the developers seem to think is wrong with the monk. This is just what I am using now in my game, based upon the great deal of discussion we have been having for the past five months. And it is for anyone who wants to use it as well.
MA
Just wanted to be sure :)
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2010 Top 8
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Ability Score Requirements (Special): To become a monk, a character must have a minimum natural score of 12 in the following abilities: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, and Wisdom. Player characters and NPCs cannot select the monk class if they do not meet the minimum ability scores listed previously. The ability scores must be the natural ability score of the character or creature; magical enhancement bonuses to ability scores do not count for this purpose . . . although inherent bonuses do, as well as an increase in an ability score gained through achieving a higher level of experience.
So what happens when I go to build an NPC monk using the elite array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8)? I'm stuck shoring up that 10 with my racial modifier? Double-suck if I'm making something with a penalty to one of those abilities (Say, snake style Nagaji monks?).
Also, doesn't that pretty much lock the Monk into dumping Cha? What if I want to play a chatty monk? (I like to play face characters).
Its got kinks to work out, Benchak. LOL Which is why I post it . . . to get feedback I didn't think of.
MA
I agree this is a little overpowered. A combat class that revolves around wearing no (or in this case maybe light) armor should not have great AC, unless Dex is pumped to max.
I do like the Combat Intuition class feature, but is a bit much. I think the monk should have to make a choice between the AC bonus or the damage bonus. I think the choice for damage should put Wis or Dex into To-Hit and Damage.
Not really sure about the Speak with Animals...not really meshing with me in terms of image for the monk. Maybe an archetype for this base...but not as part of the base. Same with the plant speaking ability.
Love the Monastic Skill Training idea.
d8 hit dice is still good.
The monk should be forced to choose between concentrating on AC or Damage. Most of the monk concepts I think of are either the type that can take a sword through the guts to close the gap and hit the opponent using their off-balance from the successful strike. Or they are Bruce Lee and can't be hit.
Especially if the monk focuses on the Skills portion, they really shouldn't be combat dogs.
Or they are Bruce Lee and can't be hit.
not arguing your point but want to point out that Mr. bruce lee could dish dish it out pretty impressively too.
Very true he could...but his philosophy was to not be hit as opposed to taking a lot of bruises.