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I've been pretty vocal about hating the Monk for quite some time, and about the fact that a fighter can be a superior (if unsatisfying due to the light damage their strikes inflict) unarmed combatant because of their sheer number of feats. Having stopped by the boards last night I found a lot of discussion about the new Gish class (sorry guys, I'm not going to call it a Magus) and it reminded me that there have been all sorts of new classes put out. This is NOT a problem in my mind. Those who don't like adding new core classes are welcome to their opinions but for those of us who crave variety having more options sanctioned by the creators of the game is simply fantastic. My only issue is that it seems like magic always gets more love than martial classes. SO. Since I'm tired of waiting for someone else to "fix" the Monk. (And I hear tell that some people actually want the whole "mystic" flavor attached to it) I decided to make my own core class - one which is about kicking the snot out of people instead of falling really far.
The problem I've run into is one of imagination. I have a couple of unique class features that I really like: Stances, Styles, Techniques, and Combination Attacks. I need help with variety though, my imagination is a bit tapped out so suggestions for new things to add to those sections would be welcome. Also, I'm uncertain about power level because I've never homebrewed something to this extent, and certainly not for PF. So a lot of the numerical effects were drawn directly out of BS, although I tried to keep things tame.
Anyway, what follows is my (currently incomplete, give me a hand) Martial Artist class. This is, in my mind, a replacement for monk although the two are vastly different and could probably both exist in the same campaign with a minimum of fuss. (Essentially the Martial Artist is Bruce Lee, while the existing Monk would be... some asian guy who gets knocked around a lot by fighters, I guess.)
Feel free to offer suggestions. Please try to be constructive. I'll do my best to be thick-skinned if you'll do your best to be kind.
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Martial Artist
Flavor text goes here.
Alignment
Any.
Hit Die
d10.
Starting Wealth
Don’t care.
Class Skills
The Martial Artist's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Ranks Per Level
4 + Int modifier.
Table: Martial Artist
Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special
1st +1 +2 +2 +0 Unarmed Strike, Armor Restriction, Combination Attack, AC Bonus, Unarmed 1d6, Unarmed Combat, Style
2nd +2 +3 +3 +0 Technique
3rd +3 +3 +3 +1 Combination Attack
4th +4 +4 +4 +1 Stance, Unarmed 1d8
5th +5 +4 +4 +1 Combination Attack
6th +6/+1 +5 +5 +2 Kata
7th +7/+2 +5 +5 +2 Combination Attack
8th +8/+3 +6 +6 +2 Stance, Technique, Unarmed 1d10
9th +9/+4 +6 +6 +3 Combination Attack
10th +10/+5 +7 +7 +3 Mastery
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +7 +3 Combination Attack
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +8 +4 Stance, Improved Kata, Unarmed 2d6
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +8 +4 Combination Attack
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +9 +4 Technique
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +9 +5 Combination Attack
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +10 +5 Stance, Unarmed 2d8
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +10 +5 Combination Attack
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +11 +6 Superior Kata
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +11 +6 Combination Attack
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +12 +6 Stance, Technique, Grandmastery, Unarmed 2d10
Class Features
The following are class features of the Martial Artist.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A Martial Artist is proficient with all simple weapons and gains no armor proficiencies.
AC Bonus (Ex)
A Martial Artist trains without armor, relying on his skill to protect him from harm. Martial Artists gain a bonus to AC equal to ¼ their class level (rounded down) plus the dominant ability modifier of their chosen style. This bonus cannot be less than 0, even if the Martial Artist has a low ability score. This AC Bonus is lost if the Martial Artist wears any armor or wields a weapon.
Unarmed Strike
At 1st level, an unarmed specialist gains Unarmed Strike, as per the Monk class ability. Unlike the Monk class ability, this ability also allows the Martial Artist to replace their strength bonus to unarmed damage with that of their style's dominant ability score.
Stances (Ex)
At 1st level, 4th level and every four levels thereafter (1st, 4th , 8th , 12th , etc.), a Martial Artist gains a new stance picked from those available to him, with additional stances added to this list as the Martial Artist advances in level. Stances typically provide both a bonus and a penalty. Martial Artists may benefit from only one stance at a time. Entering or leaving a stances is a free action but a Martial Artist may only activate one stance per round.
Unarmed Combat
A Martial Artist may qualify for feats that are restricted by Fighter class levels (i.e., Weapon Specialization, Greater Weapon Focus) at the same level that Fighters would be eligible, but may only select these feats for his unarmed strikes. (Credit for this idea goes to Philetus and his Unarmed Specialist)
Armor Restriction
An unarmed specialist loses the ability to use Martial Artist class abilities, including AC bonus, while wearing armor; even if he is proficient with the use of that armor.
Style (Ex)
Every Martial Artist has a core fighting style that helps to determine their available Techniques, Stances, and Combination Attacks. This style is chosen at first level and cannot be changed afterward.
Combination Attack (Ex)
At every odd-numbered level (1st, 3rd, etc.) a Martial Artist may choose to learn a new combination attack from those available to him. These combination attacks may be used in place of any standard attack with two limitations - A particular combination attack can only be used once per round unless otherwise noted in the attack’s description. Combination attacks can be mixed freely with normal armed or unarmed attacks, but only during a full attack: combination attacks cannot be used as a standard action. Some combination attacks are marked as “finishers” these especially powerful combination attacks may only be used as the last attack in a full attack action and only if they were preceded exclusively by other combination attacks. Martial Artists may choose to replace a known combination attack with another that they qualify for any time they gain a new combination attack, however they may only retrain one attack at any given level.
Techniques (Ex)
Techniques are powerful and unique abilities that Martial Artists perfect via rigorous training. A Martial Artist may activate a technique as a swift action and may use only one technique at a time, even if they are somehow able to use more than one swift action in a single round. Martial Artists gain techniques at 2nd level and every six levels thereafter. (8th, 14th, 20th).
Kata (Ex)
At 6th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks he may make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This attack must also be a combination attack.
Mastery (Ex)
At 10th level, a Martial Artist may choose one stance in which he has trained. All beneficial numerical effects of this stance are doubled while penalties remain the same.
Improved Kata (Ex)
At 12th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add two additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. These extra attacks are made at the Martial Artist’s highest base attack bonus and must be combination attacks.
Superior Kata (Ex)
At 18th level, if a Martial Artist makes a full attack action using only combination attacks (as per the Kata ability) he may add three additional strikes instead of the one provided by Kata. These extra attacks are made at the Martial Artist’s highest base attack bonus and must be combination attacks.
Grandmastery (Ex)
At 20th level a Martial Artist may choose to benefit from the effects of any two stances at the same time, their bonuses stack. In addition, the Martial Artist no longer suffers the penalties associated with any stance he knows.
Style List
Blinding Speed: A Martial Artist who utilizes Blinding Speed is an agile combatant who employs their amazing dexterity in order to avoid attacks and place precision counterstrikes. +1 competence bonus to AC and +10 feet of movement. (Dex)
Mighty Blows: Able to destroy castle walls with a single strike, Martial Artists of this style favor offense over defense and can choose some of the most vicious combination attacks. +1 competence bonus to hit with Unarmed strikes and may reroll 1s on Unarmed Strike damage. The Martial Artist may only reroll any given damage die once, even if the second roll results in a 1. (Str)
Wise Warrior: Specializing in spotting weak points in an enemy’s defense, the Wise Warrior achieves victory through keen senses and absolute timing. May ignore DR of equal or less than ¼ of their Martial Artist level (rounded down), minimum 1. (Wis)
Kung Fu Genius: Brilliant tacticians and natural combatants, the Kung Fu Genius can formulate a plan of attack in the time it takes most men to blink, earning them the respect of their peers. +1 initiative and +4 to all social interactions (Bluff, Diplomacy, etc.) with martial classes. (ie: d10 HD) (Int)
Undying Champion: Having trained in esoteric methods of weathering pain and mitigating damage, the Undying Champion can resist the mightiest of blows. Gain DR equal to ¼ class level (rounded down), minimum 1. (Con)
Stance List
Patient Scorpion Stance: access to precise combos, techniques
Hunting Hawk Stance: access to aerial/high ground combos/techs
Agile Lemur Stance: access to evasive combos/techs
Endless Assault Stance: access to rapid-fire combos/techs?
Combination Attack List
Jab: bonus to hit, penalty to damage
Spinning Strike: power attackish, penalty to ac
Peircing Strike: bypass ac/dr?
Hurricane Attack: attack several adjacent enemies
Punishing Blow: attack bonus on weapon that hit you
Technique List
Iron Shirt: dr or ac?
Godhand: huge damage
Adamantine Fist: ignore hardness/construct DR, extra damage to them
Keen Senses: Improved Uncanny Dodge?
Power Kiai: stun/nauseate short range
Light Body: Run up walls, across fluids, etc.
Faceless Opponent: become unidentifiable
Snatch Weapon: free disarms
Silent Fist: d6 sneak, multiple times, stacks