Fortuna
2010-01-19, 09:18 PM
"Do not act incautiously when confronting little bald wrinkly smiling men!"
Lu-Tze, a History Monk
Living in a hidden valley of a vast set of mountains, in the area known as Enlightenment country, the History Monks (No Such Monastery, the Men In Saffron ...) are the keepers of History. Their role is to ensure that history follows its correct course, and even to make sure that it exists at all. Times are always getting worse, the monks feel. Again and again some wizard or artificer or mad scientist tinkers with the machinery and shatters the fabric of time and space. The History Monks consider it their duty to put the pieces back together, and to ensure that there are more pieces to follow the present moment.
The monastery was founded by Wen the Eternally Surprised, a monk who understood the true nature of time, and fell in love with the anthropomorphic personification of Time. The History Monks follow the directions in the History Books, huge books in which the entire course of history, including what ought to happen in the future, is written. The History Monks also pull time from places where it's not needed (ex. a classroom of bored pupils) and put it into places where it's needed (ex. a busy factory). The instrument for storing time and paying it out is called a procrastinator. The History Monks also use a mandala (a spread of colored sand) to monitor anomalies in the fabric of time.
Sometimes, the History Monks go rogue. In these cases, if they are not quickly contained, they simply blend back into time, and occasionally teach others not of the order their techniques. This is frowned upon, but tolerated, due to the ancient principle of We Just Don't Have Time/People, which applies even to those who have literally all the time in the world.
Becoming A History Monk
Generally, a character becomes a History Monk either by being taken into the order, by seeking out enlightenment and finding the order instead, or by being trained by a rogue. Very, very rarely, someone will stumble upon the techniques themselves: this usually leads to their being recruited into the order.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
BAB: +7
Saves: Base Fortitude, Will and Reflex +7
Special: Must have an Initiative modifier of +4 or more.
Special: Must be tutored by a History Monk or be a descendant of an anthropomorphic personification.
Hit Dice:d8
Class Skills: A history monk's class skills (and their relevant ability modifiers) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Knowledge (all, taken separately) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points Per Level: 4+Int modifier.
History Monk
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|
1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|Slice Time (move action), Flurry of Blows, AC bonus
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Uncanny Dodge
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Slice-Fight (Deny Dexterity modifier)
4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Slice Time (standard action)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Circular Aging, Improved Uncanny Dodge
6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+5|Slice-Fight (Cause Flat-footedness)
7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+5|Slice Time (full-round action)
8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Stance of the Coyote
9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Slice-Fight (Make touch attacks)
10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+7|Zimmerman's Valley, Deja Fu[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A History Monk gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Slice Time (Ex): A history monk learns to squeeze more use out of a piece of time than other people. A history monk gains an additional action each round. At first level, this is a move action. At fourth, it increases to a standard action. At seventh, it increases again to a full-round action.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): A history monk may use Flurry of Blows as a monk of their class level. History monk levels stack with monk levels for the purposes of determining unarmed strike damage. If the sum of a character's monk and history monk levels exceeds ten, they gain the greater flurry of blows ability if they do not have it already.
AC bonus (Ex): When a history monk is unarmored and unencumbered, they add their Wisdom modifier (minimum 0) to their armor class. History monk levels stack with monk levels for the purposes of determining additional AC boosts.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a history monk retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a history monk already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Slice-Fight (Ex): By slicing time in short bursts, a history monk is able to gain certain advantages over their opponents. At third level, a history monk automatically denies any opponent their Dexterity modifier against his attacks. At sixth level, any opponent hit by the history monk is considered flat-footed for the next round. At ninth level, all melee attacks made by the history monks are touch attacks.
Circular Aging (Ex): A history monk of fifth level or above is able to extend the principles of time-slicing, never aging. Any penalties to the history monk's physical ability scores from aging are removed, and the history monk suffers no ill effects from aging. They will also never die of old age. They still gain bonuses to their mental ability scores.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 5th level and higher, a history monk can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the history monk by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has history monk levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.
Stance of the Coyote (Ex): A history monk of seventh level or above may "freeze" time for themselves and up to their Wisdom modifier of other creatures for 1d4+1 rounds. This may be done up to their Wisdom modifier times per day. While in this state, spellcasting is impossible, as is interaction with those outside this state. All other actions are, however, possible. The history monk must be conscious to maintain this state, and it requires a swift action to enter this state.
Zimmerman's Valley (Ex): A tenth level history monk is capable of truly incredible time-slicing. They may maintain a Stance of the Coyote on themselves indefinitely. However, for every subjective 3 rounds, the history monk must make a DC 30 Will save. If this save is failed, the history monk begins to lose control, and must save every subjective round thereafter. If a second save is failed, the history monk dies instantly.
Deja Fu (Ex): A tenth level history monk may bend time itself to their needs, forming it into a weapon of incredible power. Up to half their Wisdom modifier times per day, the history monk may perform 1d4 ranged touch attacks on any creature which he has line of sight to as a swift action. Each of these attacks deals (Wisdom modifier)d6 damage, and the history monk may move adjacent to the opponent as a move action afterwards.
Lu-Tze, a History Monk
Living in a hidden valley of a vast set of mountains, in the area known as Enlightenment country, the History Monks (No Such Monastery, the Men In Saffron ...) are the keepers of History. Their role is to ensure that history follows its correct course, and even to make sure that it exists at all. Times are always getting worse, the monks feel. Again and again some wizard or artificer or mad scientist tinkers with the machinery and shatters the fabric of time and space. The History Monks consider it their duty to put the pieces back together, and to ensure that there are more pieces to follow the present moment.
The monastery was founded by Wen the Eternally Surprised, a monk who understood the true nature of time, and fell in love with the anthropomorphic personification of Time. The History Monks follow the directions in the History Books, huge books in which the entire course of history, including what ought to happen in the future, is written. The History Monks also pull time from places where it's not needed (ex. a classroom of bored pupils) and put it into places where it's needed (ex. a busy factory). The instrument for storing time and paying it out is called a procrastinator. The History Monks also use a mandala (a spread of colored sand) to monitor anomalies in the fabric of time.
Sometimes, the History Monks go rogue. In these cases, if they are not quickly contained, they simply blend back into time, and occasionally teach others not of the order their techniques. This is frowned upon, but tolerated, due to the ancient principle of We Just Don't Have Time/People, which applies even to those who have literally all the time in the world.
Becoming A History Monk
Generally, a character becomes a History Monk either by being taken into the order, by seeking out enlightenment and finding the order instead, or by being trained by a rogue. Very, very rarely, someone will stumble upon the techniques themselves: this usually leads to their being recruited into the order.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
BAB: +7
Saves: Base Fortitude, Will and Reflex +7
Special: Must have an Initiative modifier of +4 or more.
Special: Must be tutored by a History Monk or be a descendant of an anthropomorphic personification.
Hit Dice:d8
Class Skills: A history monk's class skills (and their relevant ability modifiers) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Concentration (Con), Knowledge (all, taken separately) (Int), Listen (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points Per Level: 4+Int modifier.
History Monk
{table=head]Level|Base Attack<br>Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|
1st|
+0|
+2|
+2|
+2|Slice Time (move action), Flurry of Blows, AC bonus
2nd|
+1|
+3|
+3|
+3|Uncanny Dodge
3rd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Slice-Fight (Deny Dexterity modifier)
4th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Slice Time (standard action)
5th|
+3|
+4|
+4|
+4|Circular Aging, Improved Uncanny Dodge
6th|
+4|
+5|
+5|
+5|Slice-Fight (Cause Flat-footedness)
7th|
+5|
+5|
+5|
+5|Slice Time (full-round action)
8th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Stance of the Coyote
9th|
+6|
+6|
+6|
+6|Slice-Fight (Make touch attacks)
10th|
+7|
+7|
+7|
+7|Zimmerman's Valley, Deja Fu[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A History Monk gains no new weapon or armor proficiencies.
Slice Time (Ex): A history monk learns to squeeze more use out of a piece of time than other people. A history monk gains an additional action each round. At first level, this is a move action. At fourth, it increases to a standard action. At seventh, it increases again to a full-round action.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): A history monk may use Flurry of Blows as a monk of their class level. History monk levels stack with monk levels for the purposes of determining unarmed strike damage. If the sum of a character's monk and history monk levels exceeds ten, they gain the greater flurry of blows ability if they do not have it already.
AC bonus (Ex): When a history monk is unarmored and unencumbered, they add their Wisdom modifier (minimum 0) to their armor class. History monk levels stack with monk levels for the purposes of determining additional AC boosts.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 2nd level, a history monk retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he still loses his Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. If a history monk already has uncanny dodge from a different class, he automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
Slice-Fight (Ex): By slicing time in short bursts, a history monk is able to gain certain advantages over their opponents. At third level, a history monk automatically denies any opponent their Dexterity modifier against his attacks. At sixth level, any opponent hit by the history monk is considered flat-footed for the next round. At ninth level, all melee attacks made by the history monks are touch attacks.
Circular Aging (Ex): A history monk of fifth level or above is able to extend the principles of time-slicing, never aging. Any penalties to the history monk's physical ability scores from aging are removed, and the history monk suffers no ill effects from aging. They will also never die of old age. They still gain bonuses to their mental ability scores.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): At 5th level and higher, a history monk can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the history monk by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target has history monk levels. If a character already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum level a rogue must be to flank the character.
Stance of the Coyote (Ex): A history monk of seventh level or above may "freeze" time for themselves and up to their Wisdom modifier of other creatures for 1d4+1 rounds. This may be done up to their Wisdom modifier times per day. While in this state, spellcasting is impossible, as is interaction with those outside this state. All other actions are, however, possible. The history monk must be conscious to maintain this state, and it requires a swift action to enter this state.
Zimmerman's Valley (Ex): A tenth level history monk is capable of truly incredible time-slicing. They may maintain a Stance of the Coyote on themselves indefinitely. However, for every subjective 3 rounds, the history monk must make a DC 30 Will save. If this save is failed, the history monk begins to lose control, and must save every subjective round thereafter. If a second save is failed, the history monk dies instantly.
Deja Fu (Ex): A tenth level history monk may bend time itself to their needs, forming it into a weapon of incredible power. Up to half their Wisdom modifier times per day, the history monk may perform 1d4 ranged touch attacks on any creature which he has line of sight to as a swift action. Each of these attacks deals (Wisdom modifier)d6 damage, and the history monk may move adjacent to the opponent as a move action afterwards.