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goken04
2006-02-19, 05:13 AM
Long time lurker, first time poster. I cooked up this base class as basically a monk variant for my RL campaign. I wanted a flashier monk for the Oriental Adventure quest I'm putting my PCs on.

I increased the HD to a d10 and gave them a Fighter BAB. As a trade off, I severely nerfed the monk's saves (The Student of the Turtle Master has a good Reflex save and that's it). I also took away all weapon proficiencies, obviously complicating things for the character. Hopefully that average of 1 more HP/level will help that out.

The other major changes I made were removing the Stunning Attack, Deflect Arrows, Still Mind, Purity of body, Ki Strike, Diamond Body, Diamond Soul, Timeless body, Tongue otSaM, and Empty Body class features. They were replace (fairly, I think) with Combat Intuition, Mirror Image, Ki-Blast Wave, Ki-Jump, Perfect Combat Intuition, and Ki-Flight abilities.

Let me know what's nerfed and what's overpowered. Also, I was thinking of making all his abilities based on Charisma instead of Wisdom, to go along with the flashier, fancier, "force of personality" flavor of the class, let me know what you think.

Also, this is all based off of 3.0 monk, because we all still play 3.0.

Student of the Turtle Master
· Alignment: Any good.
· Hit Die: d10
· Class Skills: The Student of the Turtle Master's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
· Skills: 4+Int Mod
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Students of the Turtle Master are proficient with no weapons, but rely solely on their body as their weapons. They spend their training under direction of the Turtle Master wearing nothing but a Koppa Shell tied to their back (in order to add weight) and forsaking all weapons. They are proficient with no armor or shields.

A Student of the Turtle Master adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to AC, in addition to her normal Dexterity modifier, and her AC improves as she gains levels. (Only add this extra AC bonus if the total of the Student of the Turtle Master's Wisdom modifier and the number in the "AC Bonus" column is a positive number.) The Wisdom bonus and the AC bonus represent a preternatural awareness of danger, and a Student of the Turtle Master does not lose either even in situations when he or she loses her Dexterity modifier due to being unprepared, ambushed, stunned, and so on. (Students of the Turtle Master do lose these AC bonuses when immobilized.)

When wearing armor, a Student of the Turtle Master loses her AC bonus for Wisdom, AC bonus for class and level, favorable multiple unarmed attacks per round, and heightened movement. Furthermore, her special abilities all face the arcane spell failure chance that the armor type normally imposes.

The Student of the Turtle Master
Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special
1 +1 +0 +2 +0 Unarmed Strike, evasion
2 +2 +0 +3 +0 Combat Intuition
3 +3 +1 +3 +1
4 +4 +1 +4 +1 Slow fall (20 ft.), Mirror Image
5 +5 +1 +4 +1
6 +6/+1 +2 +5 +2 Slow fall (30 ft.)
7 +7/+2 +2 +5 +2 Wholeness of body, Leap of the clouds
8 +8/+3 +2 +6 +2 Slow fall (50 ft.), Ki-Blast Wave (3/Day)
9 +9/+4 +3 +6 +3 Improved evasion
10 +10/+5 +3 +7 +3
11 +11/+6/+1 +3 +7 +3 Ki Jump
12 +12/+7/+2 +4 +8 +4 Abundant step, Ki-Blast Wave (6/Day)
13 +13/+8/+3 +4 +8 +4
14 +14/+9/+4 +4 +9 +4 Perfect Combat Intuition
15 +15/+10/+5 +5 +9 +5 Quivering palm
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +5 +10 +5 Ki-Blast Wave (9/Day)
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +5 +10 +5
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +6 +11 +6 Slow fall (any distance)
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +6 +11 +6 Ki-Flight
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +6 +12 +6 Perfect self, Ki-Blast Wave (15/Day)
More Student of the Turtle Master Abilities
Level Unarmed Attack Bonus Unarmed Damage* AC Bonus Unarmored Speed**
1 +0 1d6 +0 30 ft.
2 +1 1d6 +0 30 ft.
3 +2 1d6 +0 40 ft.
4 +3 1d8 +0 40 ft.
5 +3 1d8 +1 40 ft.
6 +4/+1 1d8 +1 50 ft.
7 +5/+2 1d8 +1 50 ft.
8 +6/+3 1d10 +1 50 ft.
9 +6/+3 1d10 +1 60 ft.
10 +7/+4/+1 1d10 +2 60 ft.
11 +8/+5/+2 1d10 +2 60 ft.
12 +9/+6/+3 1d12 +2 70 ft.
13 +9/+6/+3 1d12 +2 70 ft.
14 +10/+7/+4/+1 1d12 +2 70 ft.
15 +11/+8/+5/+2 1d12 +3 80 ft.
16 +12/+9/+6/+3 1d20 +3 80 ft.
17 +12/+9/+6/+3 1d20 +3 80 ft.
18 +13/+10/+7/+4/+1 1d20 +3 90 ft.
19 +14/+11/+8/+5/+2 1d20 +3 90 ft.
20 +15/+12/+9/+6/+3 1d20 +4 90 ft.
*Small Students of the Turtle Master deal less damage.
**Small and dwarven Students of the Turtle Master are slower.

· Unarmed Strike: A Student of the Turtle Master fighting unarmed gains the benefits of the Improved Unarmed Strike feat and thus does not provoke attacks of opportunity from armed opponents that she attacks. Making an off-hand attack makes no sense for a Student of the Turtle Master striking unarmed. A Student of the Turtle Master fighting with a one-handed weapon can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack, but she suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting (and non-proficiency with the weapon).

· Flurry of Blows: The Student of the Turtle Master may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack, but this attack and each other attack made that round suffer a -2 penalty apiece. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it affects attacks of opportunity the Student of the Turtle Master might make before her next action. The Student of the Turtle Master must use the full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows. Usually, a Student of the Turtle Master's unarmed strikes deal normal damage rather than subdual damage. However, she can choose to deal her damage as subdual damage when grappling.

· Evasion: If a Student of the Turtle Master makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, the Student of the Turtle Master instead takes no damage. Evasion can only be used if the Student of the Turtle Master is wearing light armor or no armor. It is an extraordinary ability.

· Combat Intuition: As a free action you can use your Sense Motive to asses the challenge presented by a single opponent in relation to your own level/HD within 30 feet. Combat Intuition grants you a +6 bonus to Sense Motive checks used for this purpose. You can gain the following information:

Opponent’s CR Assess Opponent Result
4 or more less than your level/HD A pushover
1,2, or 3 less than your level/HD Easy
Equal to your level/HD A fair fight
1,2, or 3 more than your level/HD A tough challenge
4 or more more than your level/HD A dire threat

If you exceed opponent’s bluff check, you can tell he is within two adjacent results (E.G. “Easy” or “A fair fight”). If your SM exceeds your opponent’s bluff check by 10 or more, you can pinpoint his place on the table. If you fail the bluff, you learn no information.

· Fast Movement: At 3rd level and higher, a Student of the Turtle Master moves faster than normal. A Student of the Turtle Master in armor (even light armor) or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed. A dwarf or a Small Student of the Turtle Master moves more slowly than a Medium-size Student of the Turtle Master. From 9th level on, the Student of the Turtle Master's running ability is actually a supernatural ability.

· Mirror Image: A Student of the Turtle Master can move so fast in such a short time that she can create Mirror Images as a supernatural ability as a standard action, creating a number of duplicates equal to her Wisdom modifier (up to a maximum of 8). The duplicates last a number of rounds equal to her Student of the Turtle Master class levels. As long as the duration lasts, the Student of the Turtle Master can increase the number of Mirror Images by 2 as a move action, as long as the number of duplicates never exceed the maximum of 8. All duplicates still disappear at the end of the duration compared to when the ability was first used. She can use this ability a number of times per day equal to one-half her class level.

· Slow Fall: At 4th level, the Student of the Turtle Master takes damage as if a fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. At 18th level, the Student of the Turtle Master can use a nearby wall to slow her descent and fall any distance without harm.

· Wholeness of Body: At 7th level, a Student of the Turtle Master can cure her own wounds. She can cure up to twice her current level in hit points each day, and she can spread this healing out among several uses. Wholeness of body is a supernatural ability.

· Leap of the Clouds: At 7th level or higher, a Student of the Turtle Master's jumping distance (vertical or horizontal) is not limited according to her height.

· Ki-Blast Wave: As a full attack action a Student of the Turtle Master can manifest her ki as a single energy beam, culminating in a powerful explosion. A Ki-Blast Wave is a burst of ki that detonates with a cacophonous roar and deals 1d6 points of damage for every 2 levels of Student of the Turtle Master (4d6 at level 8, 5d6 at level 10, etc) + Wis mod to all creatures within a 20 ft radius area of where it detonates. Unattended objects also take this damage. The explosion creates almost no pressure. The character determines the range (distance and height) at which the Ki-Blast Wave bursts. A glowing blue beam (about 1 ft in diameter) streaks from the character’s hands and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range (chosen by the Student of the Turtle Master, up to 400 feet), blossoms into the Ki-Blast at that point (an early impact results in an early detonation). If the character attempts to send the beam through a narrow passage, such as through an open window, the character must "hit" the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the beam strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely. The Ki-Blast Wave damages objects in the area, if the damage caused to an interposing barrier shatters or breaks through it, the Ki-Blast Wave may continue beyond the barrier if the area permits; otherwise it stops at the barrier. Any character within the target area can make a Reflex save (DC 10+1/2 class level+Wis Mod) to take half damage. At 8th level, she can use the Ki-Blast Wave 3/Day, but the number of times per day increases every four levels (6/Day at level 12, 9/Day at level 16, and 15/Day at level 20)

· Improved Evasion: At 9th level, a Student of the Turtle Master only takes half damage on a failed save.

· Ki Jump: Once a day, she can focus the power of her ki to make an extra powerful jump. She can use the spell Jump as a spell-like abilitiy. The power lasts for a number of minutes equal to her wisdom modifier.

· Abundant Step: At 12th level, a Student of the Turtle Master can slip magically between spaces, as per the spell dimension door, once per day. This is a spell-like ability, and the Student of the Turtle Master's effective casting level is one-half her actual level (rounded down).

· Perfect Combat Intuition: As a standard action, a Student of the Turtle Master can identify the precise HD of every opponent within 60 feet and their location as a supernatural ability, even if he cannot see them. He need not make a sense motive check (although he can still use Combat Intuition as a free action)

· Quivering Palm: Starting at 15th level, a Student of the Turtle Master can use the quivering palm. The Student of the Turtle Master can use the quivering palm attack once a week, and she must announce her intent before making her attack roll. Creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. The Student of the Turtle Master must be of higher level than the target (or have more levels than the target's number of Hit Dice). If the Student of the Turtle Master strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter the Student of the Turtle Master can choose to try to slay the victim at any later time within 1 day per level of the Student of the Turtle Master. The Student of the Turtle Master merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + one-half the Student of the Turtle Master's level + Wisdom modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack (but may be affected by another one at a later time). Quivering palm is a supernatural ability.

· Ki-Flight: A Student of the Turtle Master can focus her ki in order to propel herself through the air. She can fly as per the spell “Fly” a number of rounds per day equal to her class levels. She can spread the flight out over multiple uses as long as her number of rounds airborne never exceeds her class level.

· Perfect Self: At 20th level, a Student of the Turtle Master is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid. Additionally, the Student of the Turtle Master gains damage reduction 20/+1.

· Ex-Students of the Turtle Master: A Student of the Turtle Master who becomes non-good cannot gain new levels as a Student of the Turtle Master but retain all Student of the Turtle Master abilities.

Edit: Paragraphs! And changed Mirror Image.

Darkie
2006-02-19, 05:38 AM
I can't really comment, as that's based on 3.0 and the 3.5 monk is way different, but that Mirror Image thing is off...

Exactly how does it work? I mean, 1d4+Wis is... ok, I suppose. I'm assuming the cap of 8 images max remains, but the spell (well, the 3.5 version here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/mirrorImage.htm)) is 1d4 +1 per 3 levels of the caster, which means it maxes out at caster level 18 for 1d4+6 images, capping it at 8 regardless.

This means that if a monk has a +3 or a +4 wis mod, he has 1d4+3 or 1d4+4 mirror images, about equal to a level 9 or 12 wiz/sorc casting it.

Then there's the question about duration - is it still 1 min/lvl? That would be overpowered.

Instead, I say have it be a number of images equal to his wisdom mod, usuable for a number of rounds per day equal to his class level, broken up as desired.

So a level 4 monk with a +4 wisdom modifier can, for 4 rounds each day, spout off 4 images.

And of course, the MAX amount of images is 8, so a level 20 with a huge Wis score gets 8 images for 20 rounds.

And give the ability to use up a round as a move action to increase the amount of images around.

So, say a level 10 monk with a +4 mod. 4 images, 10 rounds

Round 1: Use a standard action to get 4 images. (9 rounds left, 4 images)
He then loses 2 for whatever reason. (CL5 magic missile.)
Round 2: Use standard action for whatever (fight?). Use a move action to get another 4 images. (7 rounds left. One from keeping up the 2 images left over originally, and one to get 4 more images. 6 images.)
Say he isn't attacked this time.
Round 3: Full attack on a target. (6 rounds left, 6 images.)

If he doesn't refresh his images, he'll have 5 rounds left on round 4, 4 on 5, 3 on 6, 2 on 7, 1 on 8, and 0 on 9, meaning they flicker out right before his turn on Round 10. Total duration of 9 rounds.


The reason "adding" images is a move action is because if it was a standard action, it would be more cost-effective in terms of the rounds remaining to drop the original images and restart it.

I think that balances it rather well... as well as making it nifty, and in keeping with the flavour. As the monk's wisdom increases, he's able to make more images. As he increases in experience, he can keep this up longer.

Edit: Oh, and maximum images up at any one time is still capped at 8. Although that may not be necessary, since if they really want to spend the time to crank out tons of images that can all be wiped out with a AoE spell, that's up to them :P

Arakune
2006-02-19, 06:57 AM
you are watching too much dragon ball to make that similar ^^

Imrix.
2006-02-19, 10:45 AM
Am I the only one who came into this thread expecting a class based around monks taught by turtles?

In terms of actually helping... Paragraphs are your friend *Nods sagely*.

BardicLasher
2006-02-19, 10:46 AM
Am I the only one who came into this thread expecting a class based around monks taught by turtles?

In terms of actually helping... Paragraphs are your friend *Nods sagely*.


Maybe, maybe not. I recognized "Turtle Master" to mean "Master Roshi" so I was expecting ki blasts.

Scorpina
2006-02-19, 10:50 AM
Am I the only one who came into this thread expecting a class based around monks taught by turtles?

Martial Arts Turtles conjoured images of sewers, pizza and the names of Italian artists for me...

Yuki Akuma
2006-02-19, 10:58 AM
Yes, but those turtles are ninja.

I'm ashamed to admit that I immediately got "Master Roshi". Although that might be because of the OP's username.

Goken: Anime and d20 do not mix. BESM d20 should prove this, if anything.

BardicLasher
2006-02-19, 11:02 AM
This should really be a prestige class. I can see Goku and Krillin and all the others having been at least 5th level monks before they started training with Roshi.

MrMark
2006-02-19, 11:02 AM
I expected to see a monk trained for defense.

OzymandiasVolt
2006-02-19, 11:33 AM
I expected to see another Dragonball class/PrC, because I'm a pessimist.

...and I was right.

Now I'm sad. : (

goken04
2006-02-19, 01:12 PM
Jeff: Great advice, thanks. I'll make those changes.

Everyone else: Obviously you all know where I got my inspiration, and I wasn't trying to hide it. But I didn't create so I could make a couple of Goku clones. My PCs are going to be in a combat tournament where a number of monks will be competing along with all the PCs. I thought it'd be nice to throw in a significantly different monk and I wanted to see if a Dragon Ball (because, obviously, it's not DBZ) monk could be made and balanced in the game, since all of the abilities I wanted to add were already part of the game mechanics (Mirror Image, Jump spell, Fireball, Fly, Combat Intuition feat) and some were already monk abilities (Abundant step, slow fall, evasion, and increased speed).

I considered making it a PrC, but, frankly, I didn't want to add that many class abilities and also wanted to remove some of the Monk abilities that didn't fit with the flavor.

I think it would be cool to make all of their class abilities that are based on Wisdom based on Charisma instead, and I think it would make sense in-game either way, but the only detraction regarding doing that would be the class wouldn't qualify for the majority of monk feats, since they all require such high Wisdom that this class wouldn't need.

Also, Yuki, my username is just a coincidence. I got it from the fact that my name is Ken. Haha.

P.S. Sorry about the original lack of paragraphs, it didn't transfer from Word very well.

Spuddly
2006-02-19, 02:00 PM
That ki attack should have a charging time of 1d4 episodes.

;D

goken04
2006-02-25, 01:45 PM
Actually, I considered requiring an X number of rounds charging time with a Concentration check required if you take damage (although probably a set DC, not 10+damge dealt.... he's not a spellcaster and he shouldn't have to put all his skill points into concentration) because I wasn't sure if Fireball was too powerful as a class feature. I think I took away enough other class abilities to balance it, but I'm not sure. What do you guys think?

Umbral_Arcanist
2006-02-25, 03:36 PM
One minor thing is that one your table for unarmed attack bonus the BAB is not the same as the BAB table..... Which means that giving him full BAB is useless with unarmed strikes, which i think is a typo....... interesting class, don't know much about DBZ, so can't help you in keeping to that. I wa expecting a defense focused monk though....