Iconics?
Will they still be statted out like before? Some of those are odd choices.
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Well after another "I just don't like Monks thread", something struck me. Several people don't dislike the class so much as the name. At least 3 posters mentioned an incompatible attitude between Kwi Chang Caine and Friar Tuck. If the Shaolin influence on the Monk CLASS makes the Friar Tuck class unavailable due to nothing more than nomenclature, what's the fix? What does Friar Tuck, as a class entail?
Tuck was clearly able to defend himself in fiction. In the real world the Jesuit Orders were not incapable of combat, at least to likely allegorical stories I encountered years ago. In my personal games I'm more likely to use Monks (the class) as a political or philosophical devotee moreso than a religious order. Thoughts?
So as I wind down Kingmaker I want to revisit The Asylum Stone. I have an idea for a story arc but it involves the Peacock Spirit and a Priest in Stasis that gets reawakened. I'm looking but I'm not finding much and most of my older stuff is in dead tree form only. Is or was the Peacock Spirit an evil deity?
What was the favored weapon? Is it totally dead? For this story the answer would be no. I know it was a mystery cult but the lack of info seems to make this a serious mystery. I'll just make it up if need be but at least 2 of my regulars are becoming Golarionphiles (sp?) and I'd hate to get trumped by superior search Fu.
I've been seeing a bunch of monk rewrites this year. Some good some quite powerful, but most are farther away from the CORE class than I like. This version has been played in home games for some time now. Parts of it actually come from 3.5 games. The changes are subtle but significant, some of these were incorporated for no other reason than to allow my players to tinker with their own archetypes. Here it is Monk 2.75. Alignment: Any lawful Hit Die: d8 Starting Wealth: 1d6 × 10 gp (average 35 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less. Class Skills The monk’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Wis), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str). Skill Ranks Per Level 4 + Int modifier. All of the following are class features of the monk. Weapon Proficiency: Monks are proficient with the brass knuckles*, cestus*, club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, dart, handaxe, javelin, quarterstaff, shortspear, short sword, shuriken, sling, spear and long spear. At first level the monk also gains proficiency with a single weapon with the monk special weapon quality. He gains proficiency with a new weapon with the monk special weapon quality at every second level after 1st. Armor and Shield Proficiency: Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields. AC Bonus (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, 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. He also loses these bonuses if he is under a medium or heavy load. If the monk carries a readied shield or wears armor the armor check penalty of both items is assigned to this bonus. Flurry of Blows (Ex)
At 8th level, the monk can make two additional attacks when he uses flurry of blows, as if using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat). At 15th level, the monk can make three additional attacks using flurry of blows, as if using Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat). A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands. A monk may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of a flurry of blows. A monk cannot use any weapon other than an unarmed strike, a light melee weapon or a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows. A monk with natural weapons can use such weapons as
A monk that wears armor or carries a shield must apply the combined armor check
Unarmed Damage (Ex) At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. 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'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. A monk also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown above on Table: monk. The unarmed damage values listed on Table: monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with his unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large monk Unarmed Damage. Bonus Feat At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Catch Off-Guard, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Scorpion Strike*, and Throw Anything. At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Gorgon’s Fist, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, and Mobility. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Improved Critical, Medusa’s Wrath, Snatch Arrows, and Spring Attack. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them. Stunning Fist (Ex) At 1st level, the monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. At 4th level, and every 4 levels 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 (a creature sickened by Stunning Fist cannot become nauseated if hit by Stunning Fist again), but additional hits do increase the duration. 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 light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion. Fast Movement (Ex) At 3rd level, a monk gains an inherent bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: monk. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed. 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. 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. Ki Pool (Su) At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk's ki pool is equal to 1/2 his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike. At 4th level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Ki strike improves with the character's monk level. At 10th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness. By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a monk can achieve wonderous effects: ~Make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack.
By spending 2 points from his Ki pool he may: ~Make one additional attack at his highest attack rating during any Full Attack Action.
Each of these powers is activated as a swift action. A monk gains additional powers that consume points from his ki pool as he gains levels. The ki pool is replenished at the rate of two points per hour of rest or meditation. Slow Fall (Ex) At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm's reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When first gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk's ability to slow his fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with his monk level until at 20th level he can use a nearby wall to slow his descent and fall any distance without harm. By spending 1 point from his Ki Pool a monk may move across a surface that would not normally support his weight, such as water. He may move no farther than his slow fall distance and he may not stop and remain still a such a surface. If the monk does not reach a stable surface by the end of his turn he will be subject to the surfaces standard effects. This ability does not confer any immunity to damaging effects related to the surfaces composition. High Jump (Ex) At 5th level, a monk adds his level to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, both for vertical jumps and horizontal jumps. 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 gains a +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for 1 round. Purity of Body (Ex) At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases. Wholeness of Body (Su) At 7th level or higher, a monk can heal his own wounds as an immediate action. He can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to his monk level by using 2 points from his ki pool. Alternatively, as a Full Round Action, that provokes an Attack of Opportunity a monk may heal Two times his level of Hit Point damage plus the value of his total available Ki Pool by spending 3 points from his Ki Pool. 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. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. Diamond Body (Su) 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. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability. Unlike the spell Dimension Door, this spell does not necessarily end the monk's turn. 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. This version of Spell Resistance can be lowered or raised as a Free Action. It ceases to function if the monk is rendered unconscious but it remains in place while the monk is sleeping or meditating. 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 + 1/2 the monk's level + the monk's Wis modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time. A monk can have no more than 1 quivering palm in effect at one time. If a monk uses quivering palm while another is still in effect, the previous effect is negated. 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. From this point on, the monk only ages at 1/4 of the usual rate. The monk may choose to die at any time. If he makes this choice it is irreversible as his body ceases to exist and his spirit is untethered. Unlike the standard mortal soul the monk has the ability to pass into the Great Beyond under his own direction and may travel the spiritual planes freely. He may return to the Material Plane 3 times to impart a message from the beyond to any living creature as the Dream Spell. Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex) A monk of 17th level or higher can speak with any living creature. Natural Creatures(plant, animal, vermin) with an intelligence of 5 or lower will always consider the monk as a friendly creature 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 becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's 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 or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type. Thoughts, it still needs to be bullit proofed. |