Salomon is flexible in his development. He starts out as melee DPS with healing capability and support for social interactions.
Depending on the needs of the party, he can either focus more strongly into being tanky, further increase his respectable damage output, or become a primary healer.
Flexibility is the name of the game, with the Yamabushi Ki Pool doubling as Spell Points, and well filled due to the tradition - when necessary he could heal the party even if not going for that role as primary, or add even more damage to his attacks.
Alteration gives him early Pounce, Flurry of Blows, Ki-based extra attacks and Jabbing Style further increase that damage output, which only gets better as he levels...and becomes downright nasty if he is teamed up with a disabler once he picks up Medusa's Wrath(or if he flying-kicks a flatfooted enemy at start of combat). Punishing Kick and Stunning Fist come around at the Teen Levels, but will be powerful(and often-useable) disablers nevertheless that don't reduce damage output, while the addition of elbow smash and defensive spin style strikes will add more versatility there, too(adding to defense, or even more damage, with flying kick already providing mobility)
Skillswise, he is taking advantage of the Monks Class Skills and Wisdom-Focus, keeping Perception and Sense Motive maxed. At the beginning of the game, he has some basic ability in Stealth(shadowing suspects/investigating), acrobatics(parcour, chasing), and intimidation(of suspects, or criminals). His background Skills support both his research into Mantras(Perform Oratory), as well as his experience in what he is doing(Profession Police Officer).
Later on, Divination Sphere will add further utility(such as detecting Secrets or Tremorsense), Abundant Step further increase mobility, Ki Leech make his Ki last even longer, Blood Crow Strike give him a ranged attack option(especially with a Ring of Ki Mastery), while things like Barkskin or Precognicient Protection/Smite will continue to scale to fix weaknesses(such as early AC) or further steady strenghts(hit rate).
All that said, he's less of a "classic monk" and more of a "sophisticated brawler". He is too firmly grounded in the real world to get lost in ideals. He trusts the teachings of his uncle, and the power of "centering" himself, pressure points, and mantra's. But he sees these as a kind of art/science.
His style of dealing with opposition could be described as "survive the first blow, then make sure there is no second blow, and interrogate when the other party wakes up".
Note: I also wanted his unarmed strikes to be somewhat refluffed into "hitting harder" because he's an Oread, basically stone-fist/foot/head-slamming despite looking human...rather than because he has fancy martial arts moves - it's one reason I wanted the planetouched over e.g. dwarves, aasimar, dual-talent human etc...
Background:
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Childhood and Youth
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Salomon grew up in the Port town of Shale.
His was a classic family, loving parents, Brent, his older brother by 5 years, and Scarlet, his younger sister by 2. Growing up, he expected to find work in Shale, eventually marry his childhood sweetheart and first girlfriend, Marie, settle down and have children of his own. School was unremarkable, and he had a good relation with his family, often finding himself spending time with his sister(who was Marie's best friend, as it were).
When Brent, his older brother, came of age, he left the family to start his own life. He had found work down at the dockyards as a shipbuilder, and soon after married his long-term-girlfriend.
Both Salomon and Scarlet, his sister, would visit him often. When they needed some time away from their parents, someone to talk with, or simply because they missed him. Often, they went together, but sometimes, they would visit alone.
One evening, when Scarlet had visited Brent, she did not return home. Worried, in the middle of the night, Salomon's family, his brother, and numerous neighbours started looking for her. In the early morning hours, her body was found near the docks, at the backside of a warehouse, hidden from plain view by some crates. When he arrived there, Salomon saw his sister. Her ripped clothes barely covering her, the lifeless eyes that used to shine like gems when she smiled, a pool of dried blood where her throat was slit. This view, which would haunt him for years to come, and the realization of her death traumatized Salomon deeply. Of course, all his family was shocked, but Salomon was even less able to handle the situation than the others. His mother was crushed, and her way of mourning was focused outward. His father became cold and silent, having lost all faith in other people. Brent felt guilty, not having accompanied his teenage sister back home in the evening, and avoided his family. Salomon felt...lost. He focused his grief inward, growing more silent until he stopped talking altogether.
His parents did not have the strenght to support him, to look after his needs in this difficult time, busy with handling their own lifes turned upside down. But they did have the wisdom of getting someone to help:
They arranged for Salomon to be taken in by one of his uncles.
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Young adult
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It was a brother of his mother, an uncle Salomon had only seen 2 or 3 times in his life. He picked him up mere weeks after Scarlet's death, and travelled with Salomon to his own place of residence, a remote village at the foot of a mountain range.
At first, he attempted to talk with Salomon, but when he received no answer, he soon fell silent, too. During the days of travel, their communication consisted of Salomons uncle offering food, or wordlessly suggesting rest. He did not ignore his nephew, he was attentive, trying to read him, and waiting until Salomon was ready to open up.
After an eventless, and wordless, journey, they arrived at the little village which would be home to both of them for a few years. It served mostly as a connection between a mining town further up the mountain and the rest of the world, transporting ores down from the mountain and onwards, and providing food and tools for the miners, with farming, hunting and lumbering being the primary industries.
At first, Salomon remained silent, and cared little about his change of surroundings. But then, he found that the different atmosphere changed him, too.
After a few days, he would join his uncle in the chores he did, helping him chop wood, fetching water, or hauling goods. A few more days later, Salomon started to talk again. Slowly. And his uncle broke his silence, too. And Salmon learned something about him: His uncle was a man of simple needs, but wise.
He did not push his Nephew, rather letting him open up at his own pace. When Salomon talked, he was there to listen, and to answer. When he needed time for himself, his uncle was still there, minding his own business but always paying attention.
The cottage they lived in was without many luxuries, and there was little to do other than talk, contemplate, or work. And all that, Salomon did. And he talked, and contemplated more. To his surprise, he found that such helped him find inner peace, to come to terms with what happened. Opening up to his uncle, and finding that he cared, deeply, helped his mind to move on and look for a new purpose in life. A slow process, certainly, but one he progressed on steadily, over the months.
He learned about his uncle, as well, who had lost a wife of his own, many years ago, and never remarried. He never found another woman he loved as much, and never had children. As such, he was happy to help his sister in her time of need, taking custody over his nephew for as long as he was needed.
Salomon learned yet more from his uncled. About harmony, and about how perfection must always come from within, and about how perfection is never a stagnant concept, but an unachievable goal one must strife to accomplish. The nature of perfection was change, and the wisdom to know change. That was the secret of his uncles stoic happyness, who found that simplicity allowed him to work towards that goal in ways that were not clouding his judgement, which allowed him to enter a perpetual state of calmness.
Salomon felt that he was not yet able to make THIS wisdom his own. His mind was not ready to settle down just after becoming an adult. He would need to life a live himself, find truths himself, and possibly, in many years, revisit the wisdoms his uncle had passed on to him, and see if he was ready yet to understand them.
When he had decided to move out and face life on his own again, his uncle wished him well. No elaborate farewell was needed. It was a natural understanding between them that this was what Salomon needed next, and that all was well between them.
Salomon returned to Shale, to face his demons there. His parents had moved to the capital, unable to stay in Shale any longer after their daughters death, and his brother had divorced, and joined the Navy, working as technician aboard a military ship and all but breaking off contact with his family.
Salomon went to the docks, to where it happened. Then he visited his sisters grave, he cried, and the next morning, he was ready to make his own destiny and let her rest.
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Flint and regular Police Force
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Flint was rapidly expanding at this time, and he decided to head there to find a new center point for his life. Rather than looking for work in Flints factories or other industries, he signed up with the police force.
If asked, he would probably state that he felt a calling to the noble purpose of fighting crime and protecting upstanding citizens. Honestly, he choose this path in honor of his sister, to try and make a difference...in his eyes, if he managed to save even a single person, and their familes, from the same pain that he and his family had to endure, it was worth it.. .
His style of doing police work was quite straightforward if a bit unorthodox. He got along well with colleagues(and it's here that he got nicknamed 'Shale' by his co-workers, who already had a Salomon among their ranks), did his work, didn't cut any corners, and delivered results.
After work, he would often spend time playing cards or going for drinks with Colleagues(cops stick together...), but even if he drunk himself into a stupor the night before, he would turn up in time for duty every day.
With sheer determination, he solved a good number of cases, and when criminals were apprehended, his quick and powerful strikes quickly ended any resistance non-lethally.
He was an exemplary police officer when in duty, and after a few years of service, he was already assigned a small district to oversee as captain. A stepping stone, on his career ladder, and everything seemed to work out for Salomon.
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The RHC
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About six months after his promotion, news reached him that his father had been killed when he resisted being arrested on charges of treason, conspiracy with foreign powers, and smuggling.
Salomon, who had an outstanding record so far, requested a transfer to the RHC. He had little contact with his brother or parents in the past few years, but he intended to prove his fathers innocence, to clear his name so he would not be remembered as a dangerous criminal. He spent over a year going through paperwork, doing inquiries and further investigations into the case, before he learned that his father WAS guilty, without a doubt. There was more to it, though, and Salomon opted to set things right, bring down the whole organization behind it, to atone for the sins of his father, because it was the right thing to do, and to find out the REAL reasons for his fathers death.
Description&Personality:
Salomon is broadly build, an imposing figure, tall and somewhat muscular. His skin has an oily sheen to it, putting even more emphasis on his well-trained body by adding a subtle depth-effect. That slight sheen, only really noticeable in bright light, was part of his heritage, and it's nature was a crystallization in his skin that reflected some of the light. Another gift of his long-passed great-grandfather, who was a Sorcerer of the Deep Earths, was the nature of his physique itself. Salomon is, quite literally, rock-hard, with the crystallization continuing below his skin and forming into a sort of subdermal second skin made of a thin sheet of rock. Consisting of innumerable small plates, it was flexible enough to be un-noticeable in everyday interactions. But if one tried to hit Salomon, or worse, if HE tried to hit someone, it became quite noticeable.
Unfortunately, this "tensing up" on sudden movements or impacts also makes fast running difficult for Salomon, but he works hard to overcome that.
Unlike a lot of the other officers, he let his brownish hair with slight coppery accents grow long, wearing it open, only trimming his beard.
He usually wears lose clothing, and as little as socially necessary if given the choice, but does not breach protocol during duty and wears his full uniform no matter how hot the weather becomes.
But honestly, it's probably easier to take a good look at his picture.
Or even simply at his portrait
Oh, and he doesn't look so pissed because he will be involved in a bar brawl, he looks so pissed because instead of relaxing, he'll be doing paperwork, despite just having had a shift.
He's friendly and easygoing, trusting his instincts and persistance to see him through if things go wrong. He has only one recorded "black spot" in his file, when an angry father was beating his teenage daughter bloody, on the open street, and Salomon used "excessive force" to stop the assault. His superior had visited the man in the hospital when he woke up after a few weeks, and no charges have been pressed.
Not having much contact with his mother or brother, nor other nearby relatives, Salomon mostly focused his social contacts on the RHC, spending time with others of his department in his sparetime. Not feeling quite capable of maintaining a fulfilling relationship, he spends a good portion of his salary on brothel visits(which, incidentally, also proved to be a good source of information...if one is visiting a girl quite regulary, she's rather willing to help out with questions she may have overheard the answers for), and the remainder of his disposable income on drinks, and gambling. He is somewhat of a functional workaholic, spending most of his day working or training, then gives in to hedonism as a sort of counterbalance.
Daily Abilities:
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Spheres
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General Drawbacks:
Emotional Casting(less of "needs emotion", but rather "needs calm mind")
Skilled Casting(Perform(Oratory) (Chant centering Mantras)
Verbal Vasting (Part of Skilled Casting, really...just means he can't whisper them to himself.)
Somatic Casting(x2) (Because doing some Kata's while chanting is great)
=> no boons...1 extra SP/Level
Defense
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AC 15 10+1(Dex)+3(Monk)+1(Natural), ACP = 0 //+2 racial vs rays hp 11 =10(Class)+1(Con)
Fort 3 , Ref 3 , Will 3
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Offense
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Speed 20 ft MELEE Unarmed Strike(Flurry of Blows) +4/+4 1d6+3(20/x2) MELEE Heavy Baton(refluffed Sansetsukon, Flurry) +4/+4 1d10+4(19-20/x2) (blocking, disarm, (monk))
RANGED
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Statistics
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Str 17, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 18
Feats: Traits:
=====Racial Qualities===== Crystalline Form: Oreads with this trait gain a +2 racial bonus to AC against rays thanks to their reflective crystalline skin. In addition, once per day, they can deflect a single ray attack targeted at them as if they were using the Deflect Arrows feat. This racial trait replaces earth affinity.
Granite Skin: Rocky growths cover the skin of oreads with this racial trait. They gain a +1 racial bonus to natural armor. This racial trait replaces energy resistance.
Mountain-Born: Oreads are drawn to mountains and other high places, and after many generations they've grown well suited to their environment. Oreads with this racial trait gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to cross narrow ledges and on saves against altitude fatigue and sickness. This racial trait replaces the spell-like ability racial trait.
Mostly Human: A few oreads have appearances much closer to those of their human ancestors; in fact, they may not even realize their true race. Such geniekin appear to be human, save perhaps minor features like unusual eye color, and they count as humanoid (human) as well as outsider (native) for all purposes (such as humanoid-affecting spells such as charm person or enlarge person). These geniekin do not automatically gain their associated elemental language (but may select it as a bonus language if their Intelligence is high enough). This ability alters the geniekin's type, subtype, and languages.
8 GP Heavy Baton(Sansetsukon)
10 GP 2xBlue Book(Slate, Flint)
10 GP Portrait Book
15 GP Manacles, Common
8 GP Kit, Monk's(includes a backpack, a belt pouch, a blanket, rope, soap, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin)
2 GP Playing Cards, Set
3 GP Lawyer, Competent, 1 day(favor)
Subtotal: 56 GP/60 GP total.
4 GP in mixed coinage.
Free Gold Ring
Free Mage Cuffs
Total: 60 GP/60 GP total.
=====Traits=====
Drawbacks(for flavor, as such, slightly altered):
Overprotective In your youth, you saw a younger friend or loved one suffer a grievous injury or die, and you blamed yourself for not having been there to help, even if there was nothing you could have done.
Effect: If one of your allies should fall unconscious from hit point damage, you take a –2 penalty on attack rolls and skill checks as long as you are farther than 10 feet away from your fallen ally, unless they are not threatened by an enemy and you attack the person who last caused hit point damage to them.
Hedonistic Pleasure and comfort is a necessary counterpoint to keep you functioning in your life.
Effect(s): Whenever you spend a day without spending an hour on entertainment or pleasure, attempt a DC 20 Will save at the end of that day. If you fail, you begin the next day grumpy(causing you to take a -2 penalty on all social interactions for four hours)
Haunting Regret When you were young, a relative with whom you had a great relationship died a violent death. Now, you are pondering about the event at inconvenient times, distracting you with regret for being unable to help.
Effect: You take a –2 penalty on saving throws against the distraction ability of swarms and mind-affecting effects with the "emotion" descriptor.
=====Attributes=====:
STR 17=15(Buy)+2(Race)
DEX 12=12(Buy)
CON 12=12(Buy)
INT 12=12(Buy)
WIS 16=14(Buy)+2(Race)
CHA 10=12(Buy)-2(Race)
Class Abilities
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AC Bonus: When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and 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, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
These bonuses to AC 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 carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.
Flurry of Blows: At 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When making a flurry of blows, the monk can make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This additional attack stacks with the bonus attacks from haste and other similar effects. When using this ability, the monk can make these attacks with any combination of his unarmed strikes and weapons that have the monk special weapon quality. He takes no penalty for using multiple weapons when making a flurry of blows, but he does not gain any additional attacks beyond what's already granted by the flurry for doing so. (He can still gain additional attacks from a high base attack bonus, from this ability, and from haste and similar effects).
At 11th level, a monk can make an additional attack at his highest base attack bonus whenever he makes a flurry of blows. This stacks with the first attack from this ability and additional attacks from haste and similar effects.
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks can be with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk can make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk can apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. A monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, although he can choose to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty on his attack roll. He can make this choice while grappling as well.
A monk's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
Casting: At first level a yamabushi may combine spheres and talents to create magical effects. A yamabushi is considered a Low-Caster and uses Wisdom as her casting ability modifier. (Note: All casters gain 2 bonus talents (which may also be used to select spheres) and may select a casting tradition the first time they gain the casting class feature.)
This replaces the stunning fist class feature.
Spell Pool: A yamabushi at first level gains a small reservoir of energy she can call on to create truly wondrous effects, called a spell pool. This pool contains a number of spell points equal to her class level + her casting ability modifier (minimum: 1).
In addition, her spell pools may be spent as if they were ki points for all ki powers and class features, including the standard benefits usually available through a ki pool such as making extra attacks or improving one’s AC. This pool replenishes once per day after roughly 8 hours of rest.
This replaces the ki pool gained at 3rd level.
Woodsman: Yamabushi, in their search of enlightenment, often begin their study in the wilderness, sometimes never even leaving the harsh solitary lifestyle. At first level, a yamabushi gains the Nature sphere as a bonus sphere (If you already have the Nature sphere from another source, you may instead gain an additional talent from that sphere instead).
This replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.
Evasion: At 2nd level, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk succeeds at a 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 light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Fast Movement: At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: Monk Unchained. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.
Still Mind (Ex): At 4th level, a monk gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.
Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk's evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on successful Reflex saving throws against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on failed saves. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex): At 13th level, a monk can understand and speak with any living creature, as if under a permanent tongues effect.
Timeless Body (Ex): At 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up.
Flawless Mind: At 19th level, a monk gains total control over his mental faculties. Whenever he attempts a Will save, he can roll twice and take the better result. If he fails a Will saving throw against a spell or effect that has a duration longer than 1 hour, the monk can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each hour to end the effect.
Natural Self: At 20th level, a yamabushi is treated as a fey rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the yamabushi’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. He also gains DR 10/cold iron. Finally, the yamabushi gains the ability to enter a state of perfect calm. During this time, the yamabushi can take no actions, but he does regain spell points at the rate of 1 point per hour spent at calm. He cannot use this ability to gain an amount of spell points in excess of his maximum. This replaces perfect self gained at 20th.
Perfect Self(via Quingong): At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than a humanoid (or whatever his original creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. 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. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type. Finally, the monk gains the ability to enter a state of perfect calm. During this time, the monk can take no actions, but he does regain ki at the rate of 1 point per 10 minutes spent at calm. He cannot use this ability to gain an amount of ki in excess of his maximum.
=> Perfect Natural Self...Fey+Outsider, DR 10/chaotic and cold iron, able to be resurrected, medidate for 1 ki/10 minutes(or 1 SP/hour)
