my monk wants a wondrous flute

[ohako]

a) she's a monk, and has Stunning Fist
b) for backstory reasons, is good at playing the flute
c) wants a magic flute

She doesn't want to

a) give people vulnerability to sonic damage
b) summon rats
c) be slightly less crappy at dispelling magic

I was thinking of some sort of flute that lets the user spend ki to activate an effect like the Touch of Serenity feat.

Maybe something like

Flute of Serenity
1. Make a DC 15 Perform (wind) check
2. Spend a point of ki (or a hit of Stunning Fist)
3. Affect one target within 30 ft. with Touch of Serenity (as the feat)
4. Usable continuously, boosting the Perform DC by +1, until you fail the check or run out of ki. 1/day

what would you change/what would this cost?

or another try

Flute of Really Serenity
1. Make a DC 25 Perform (wind) check
2. Spend 3 points of ki
3. Affect everyone (allies included) within 30 ft. with Touch of Serenity (as the feat)
4. Usable continuously, boosting the Perform DC by +1, until you fail the check or run out of ki. 1/day

what would you change/what would this cost/combining both powers on the same flute (hit 1 enemy with it, or hit everyone with it, your choice)?

[Black Powder Chocobo]

Me... I'd have it effect one target, but use Ki Points, Arcane Pool Points, or Channel Energy uses to enhance the its properties. But I'm a guy who likes stuff whose properties aren't flat. I'd also remove the Perform check to use, perhaps just require the user to have ranks in Perform (wind) instead.

Also, just because I'll be soon learning the form soon... the flute should be usable as a weapon, perhaps the same statistics as a tonfa.

Sounds like a potentially cool idea for an item.

Personally, I'd work on a write up and see if you can make it awesome for RPG SuperStar at the end of the year, but that's me :)

[blahpers]

Quote:

b) summon rats

Damn, there went my idea.

[ohako]

Okay, a vote for single target.

Since the effect is like using a monk style (but at range and with no attack roll), I think a ki point is a likely resource to expend (instead of a 'use of Stunning Fist', which is less well-defined than ki).

The ability to bliss someone out is a really nasty one, because it can take an enemy totally out of the fight...the downside is that the monk has to keep playing in order to keep them down.

the power to prevent action is a good one, and without a spell should require some sort of escape hatch (see hold person). So, it's either a continuously harder Perform (wind) check (which some other magic flutes use) or a flat hold person-style save against the DC again the next round. Not sure which one I'd pick...

Since it costs a ki to use (or a ki a round to use), and the effect could last multiple rounds, I'd say it's got a resource drain built in. So, how about 'you can't use the flute on the same target more than once in a 24-hour period' (ie the hex cutoff).

In effect, it's 'spend a ki to get a hex effect'

Ah, the monk of the lotus's Touch of Serenity effect can last more than 1 round, but grants a save every round. So...

Flute of Serenity, mk2
A user who plays the flute (as a standard action), spends 1 point of ki, and makes a Perform (wind) DC 15 check can target one enemy within 30 ft. That enemy must make a Will saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 character level + Wis mod [this is weird for a magic item, but not weird for a feat]) or be unable to make any attacks or cast any spells for 1 round.

There we go. You can use Touch of Serenity at range, but
1. you could still fail the Perform check (like an attack roll)
2. the bad guy could save (just like the feat)
3. you're spending a more precious resource (ki instead of 'feat # attempts')
4. A real monk of the lotus can use the rest of a flurry full attack to smash face anyway.

What's the price of the mk2, you think?

[aetherwisp]

Magical Marketplace has the Discordant Piccolo. You could try that, or create a similar item using it as a baseline.

[LazarX]

Is your monk by any chance being played by the ghost of Patrick Troughton?

[Seriphim84]

Does she want to use this in combat? If it was me, I would want a cool item that I could use in situations that I am not already doing something. using a flute to remove someone from combat instead of just beating them silly and stunning them too seems like an item I would never use.

Maybe the flute works in other situations that a monk traditionally isn't as useful:

Example:
Flute of Harmony:
Caster Level 7, Spells: Honeyed Tongue, Creator must be Bard
This simple wooden flute puts the mind at ease.
Anyone who plays this flute can use Perform (wind) to preform diplomacy and handle animal checks, as the Bard's Versatile Performance Ability.

or

Flute of the Peace
Caster Level: 13, Spells: Hymn of Peace
This majestic golden flute is often used at summits of hostile nations to ensure peace during talks.
Once per day the bearing may play this flute, making a DC 25 Perform Wind check every round to keep the effect going. All creatures within 40ft that can hear the peaceful tunes must make a will save (DC 25) in order to take a hostile or destructive action or cast spells. Other actions are unaffected by this tune.

[ohako]

aetherwisp wrote:

Magical Marketplace has the Discordant Piccolo. You could try that, or create a similar item using it as a baseline.

That is very close. Just replace sickened/nauseated with dazed/dazzled and I'm pretty much all set. Nifty.