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KillaKPaz
2010-07-19, 02:58 AM
Hello all, first post.

A friend of mine is rolling up a character, and he likes the idea of the Monk class, we are somewhat inexperienced with D&D and don't really know what to do when it comes to combining and balancing classes. The Psionic Warrior is the intended class to merge the Monk class with. Basically, we took the psychic warrior, and removed his armor and weapon proficiencies, gave him the Monk's bas save growth, and the flurry of blows special ability at character creation He's also getting the Wisdom ability modifier added to his AC as a monk would too. We're starting our campaign at lv. 1, so we have some time to figure out what comes next. He is a human monk, so right away he took Improved Unarmed Strike, Psionic Fist, and Stunning Fist as first level feats. Like I said, the main point behind this forum is to give this character a little more balance. Was just wondering if anyone had any basic ideas of have tried this one before.

I have the Expanded Psionics Handbook, Players Handbook, Players Handbook II, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual to reference if need be.

Appreciate any comments.
-KPaz

Frog Dragon
2010-07-19, 03:23 AM
Well. First off, he can't take stunning fist yet. The monk just gets it as a bonus feat at an early point, but the prerequisites prevent you from taking it at level 1.
If he has no weapon proficiencies, I'd give Imp. Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. In addition, if I were to do this, I would drop the monk saves, and use PsyWar saves and give it the monk unarmed damage progression as well.
Also. The obligatory. If you don't like the monk for balance reasons, have you considered the unarmed swordsage? Nevermind. Sources allowed.
Edit: So in your idea.
Losses
-Proficiencies
Gains
-Saves
-Flurry
-Wis to AC

Seems somewhat unbalanced. I'd drop the bonus feat progression as well to 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20

KillaKPaz
2010-07-19, 03:55 AM
well basically all we want is a monk style character that can manifest psionic powers. taking the psychic warrior and building him like a monk almost makes more sense. The Stunning fist at lv. 1 was not making or breaking the deal. I want him to have the psychic warrior's bonus feats, and a few of the monk's special class abilities. I can see why I'd keep the psychic warrior's base growth for saves, and I like the idea of Imp Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

Frog Dragon
2010-07-19, 04:03 AM
Well, losing the proficiencies and gaining Wis to AC, monk unarmed progression and IMP unarmed strike would probably be about what your looking for. It's reasonably balanced as well.

zugschef
2010-07-19, 09:25 AM
this can be done very elegantly with two feats: monastic training and tashalatora. monastic training can be taken as a monk bonus feat and lets the monk designate a class with which he can from now on freely multiclass. the tashalatora feat allows a monk to stack the levels of a psionic class designated with monastic training with his monk levels for monk abilities (including flurry).

great feat selection. this actually makes monks very competent melee characters. look up the monk's handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=64ie8sb0c9g2fh7nndieve0f56&topic=1015.0) for more info.

Frog Dragon
2010-07-19, 09:40 AM
Yeah, but those aren't in their sources.

zugschef
2010-07-19, 10:48 AM
Yeah, but those aren't in their sources.
true, but i guess there's no need to homebrew something when there's actually a _viable_ official way to do it.

KillaKPaz
2010-07-19, 11:27 PM
zugchef - what are your sources?

zugschef
2010-07-20, 05:41 AM
zugchef - what are your sources?
eberron campaign setting (monastic training) and secrets of sarlona (tashalatora).

Eldan
2010-07-20, 06:37 AM
I would recommend taking the Fist of Zuoken (that was the non-generic name, right?) Prestige class, actually. It's basically a monk with psionic powers.

Prime32
2010-07-20, 07:33 AM
I would recommend taking the Fist of Zuoken (that was the non-generic name, right?) Prestige class, actually. It's basically a monk with psionic powers.Far inferior to Tashalatora though. Monastic Training, btw, just removes the monk's multiclassing restriction, which hardly anyone uses anyway (and there is very little reason to go back to monk after you've picked up evasion anyway).

IIRC Tashalatora stacks flurry, AC and unarmed damage. So you take two levels of monk, the rest in psychic warrior and keep progressing those.

You could replace the monk's 2nd-level bonus feat with Tashalatora and give him the Psionic subtype at 1st-level - that should be pretty seamless. Just remember to learn the hustle power so you can move and flurry in the same turn.

zugschef
2010-07-20, 11:38 AM
Monastic Training, btw, just removes the monk's multiclassing restriction, which hardly anyone uses anyway (and there is very little reason to go back to monk after you've picked up evasion anyway).
it's an prerequisite for tashalatora nevertheless.

Andion Isurand
2010-07-21, 02:54 AM
If you'd rather go Monk/Psion, I would recommend the Ascetic Psion feat (Secrets of Sarlona, pg. 115).

become psionically focus as a standard action without provoking AoOs
may use Int instead of Wis for AC
levels in both classes stack to determine AC
free multiclassing between them

but you would need the Narrow Mind feat to qualify

TheVileVillain
2010-07-21, 07:45 AM
I would just allow him to multi-class Monk/Psychic Warrior and come up with a new "Ascetic" gestalt feat like the ones in the Complete Adventurer.

Suggestion:
Pyschic Ascetic
Prerequisites: Able to use second level Psychic Warrior Powers, Unarmed Strike 1d6 (1d4 if small, 1d8 if large), Evasion.
Benefit:Your Psychic Warrior and Monk levels stack for determining Power Points and Unarmed Strike damage.\
Special: You may multi-class freely between Monk and Psychic Warrior.

glennfrogknight
2010-07-21, 10:10 AM
Have him be straight Psychic Warrior and give him a variant that makes his unarmed damage better at the cost of losing armor/weapon profs, similar to Swordsage's variant. If you wouldn't allow that, have him take the Superior Unarmed Strike from Tome of Battle.

KillaKPaz
2010-09-24, 10:56 PM
is there a feat that allows you to add your wisdom modifier to your AC? Similar to the monk class feature?