| quest-master |
This is a fix of the Pathfinder monk that I've designed to deal with many of the issues concerning the monk's abilities. Levels marked with an asterisk (*) are where the biggest changes have occurred. I've written some design notes down below the fix.
Comments or playtest results would be much appreciated. Thank you very much
Monk
Same HP, BAB, saves, skill ranks, class skills, armor/weapons
Same flurry of blows, AC bonus, and unarmored speed bonus.
Level
1st*---------------Bonus feat, flurry of blows, unarmed strike
2nd---------------Bonus feat, evasion
3rd---------------Maneuver training, still mind
4th*---------------Ki pool, ki technique, slow fall 20 ft.
5th---------------High jump, purity of body
6th---------------Bonus feat, slow fall 30 ft.
7th---------------Ki technique
8th*---------------Resist energy +5, slow fall 40 ft.
9th---------------Improved evasion
10th---------------Bonus feat, ki technique, slow fall 50 ft.
11th---------------Diamond body
12th*---------------Resist energy +5, slow fall 60 ft.
13th*---------------Ki technique
14th---------------Bonus feat, slow fall 70 ft.
15th*---------------Diamond soul (moved from 13th)
16th*---------------Ki technique, resist energy +5, slow fall 80 ft.
17th---------------Timeless body, tongue of the sun and the moon
18th---------------Bonus feat, slow fall 90 ft.
19th*---------------Ki technique
20th*---------------Perfect self, resist energy +5, slow fall any distance
Flurry of Blows (Ex): ..........When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with light and one-handed melee weapons (except for shields). Flurry of blows may also used with quarterstaff, bastard sword, falchion, greatsword, and two-bladed sword, and when throwing shuriken.
Ki Pool (Su): At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. A monk's ki pool is equal to one half his monk level plus his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike. Ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. If the monk is lawful, chaotic (in the case of ex-monks), good, or evil, the monk's ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to weapons of the same alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
The ki pool is replenished after 8 hours of rest or meditation.
Ki Technique (Su): At 4th level, a monk learns to use a ki technique, a special ability that is powered by ki energy. Using a ki technique, requires the expending one or more points from the monk's ki pool. Using a ki technique is a free action unless otherwise indicated in its description. Only one ki technique can be used per turn.
The monk chooses one of the following ki techniques to learn at 4th level and every 3rd level afterwards. the monk can not learn the same ki technique more than once. Ki point cost for each technique is indicated next to its name.
Thousand Strike (1 point): When making a flurry of blows attack the monk makes an additional attack at his highest attack bonus.
Boost Rush (1 point): The monk increases his speed by 20 feet for 1 round.
Breaking Strike (1 point): The monk's unarmed attack is treated as adamantine for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction for 1 round. The monk also gains a +4 bonus to damage when using the sunder maneuver with his unarmed attack for the duration of this effect.
Swift Dodge (1 point): The monk gains a +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class for 1 round.
Iron Skin (1 point): The monk gains damage reduction 5/adamantine for 1 round.
Hidden Strength (1 point): The monk gains a +4 bonus to Strength for 1 round.
Flaming Strike (1 point): The monk deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage with his unarmed attack for 1 round.
Shocking Strike (1 point): The monk deals an extra 1d6 points of electricity damage with his unarmed attack for 1 round.
Wholeness of Body (2 points): The monk can heal his own wounds as a standard action. He can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to his monk level + his Wisdom modifier.
See the Unseen (2 points): As a swift action, the monk gains special sight as if under the effect of a true seeing spell for 1 minute.
Ki Ball (2 points): As a standard action, the monk can shoot a ball of ki energy from his hands. On a successful ranged touch attack, the ball deals 4d6 + Wisdom modifier points of damage to its target. The ki ball has a range of 120 feet.
Flaming Burst Strike (2 points): Learning this ability requires having the Flaming Strike ki technique. This ability functions like Flaming Strike, except the monk also deals an extra 1d10 points of fire damage on a critical hit with his unarmed attack for 1 round.
Shocking Burst Strike (2 points): Learning this ability requires having the Shocking Strike ki technique. This ability functions like Shocking Strike, except the monk also deals an extra 1d10 points of electricity damage on a critical hit with his unarmed attack for 1 round.
Air Walk (2 points): As a swift action, the monk can use air walk on himself, as the spell. The monk's caster level for this effect is 1/2 his monk level.
At 13th level and higher, the monk can learn the following techniques:
Abundant Step (3 points): The monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action. The monk's caster level for this effect is 1/2 his monk level.
Quivering Palm (3 points): The monk can make a melee touch attack against a creature to inject his ki energy into the body of the creature. This ki energy can produce harmful vibrations to potentially fatal effect. The ki point cost for this ability is spent upon a successful hit. Creatures immune to critical hits can not be affected. Thereafter, the monk is aware of the presence and state of health of the target within 1 mile per monk level. This functions like status (Clr 2) and lasts for a number of days equal to monk level. During this time, the monk can will the target to die (as a free action) and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 monk level + the monk's Wis modifier), the target takes 1d6 points of damage times the monk's class level. A successful save negates this damage. Willing the target to die ends the effect's duration.
Empty Body (3 points): The monk can assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness. Using this ability is a move action.
Explosive Ki Ball (3 points): Learning this ability requires having the Ki Ball ki technique.As a standard action, the monk can shoot a ball of explosive ki energy from his hands. On a successful ranged touch attack, the ball deals 6d6 + Wisdom modifier points of damage to its target and 2d6 + Wisdom modifier points of damage to all adjacent targets. The explosive ki ball has a range of 120 feet.
God Speed (3 points): Learning this ability requires having both the Boost Rush and Swift Dodge ki techniques. The monk becomes hasted as the spell haste for 1 round. If the monk is currently slowed, using this ability instead negates the slowed condition for 1 round.
Immortal Shell (3 points): Learning this ability requires having the Wholeness of Body ki technique. The monk gains fast healing 5 + Wisdom modifier for 1 round per monk level. Using this ability is a standard action.
Million Strike (3 points): Learning this ability requires having the Thousand Strike ki technique. When making a flurry of blows attack, the monk makes two additional attacks at his highest attack bonus.
Diamond Skin (3 points): Learning this ability requires having the Iron Skin ki technique. The monk gains damage reduction 10/adamantine for 1 round.
Holy/Unholy Strike (3 points): The monk deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against evil creatures for 1 round if he is good-aligned. The monk deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against good creatures if he is evil-aligned.
Axiomatic/Anarchic Strike (3 points): The monk deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against chaotic creatures for 1 round if he is lawful-aligned. The monk deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against lawful creatures if he is chaotic-aligned (in the case of an ex-monk that became chaotic).
Resist Energy (Ex): At 8th level and every fourth level afterwards, a monk increases his resilience to a certain type of energy. The monk gains energy resistance 5 of his choice against acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage or increases any natural resistance that he already possesses against acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage by 5.
Note on Flurry of Blows: Expanding the flurry of blows repertoire frees the monk up for different types of monk builds. The new weapons do not include particularly heavy or unwieldy weapons like greataxe for obvious reasons. The monk still has to blow a feat or multi-class for a martial weapon like the greatsword so this should be balanced.
Notes on Ki Pool
-Made ki strike alignment based on the monk's alignment and gave it to monk right from the start of ki pool usage. There's no balance issue since number of "ki techniques" has been reduced to one at 4th level. People worried about neutral monks being weaker than good/evil monks with this should remember spells and effects like holy smite or unholy blight or protection from good/evil aren't as scary to a neutral character.
-Removed "morning" from rest requirements to deter argument because "morning" is relative depending on where you are.
Notes on Ki Technique
-Players can now choose the style of combat they want when using a monk while remaining true to the flavor of the fantasy monk.
-The Flaming Burst and Shocking Burst strike are more useful if combined with a flurry of blows because more attacks means more opportunities to threaten a critical.