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Thamior
2010-08-15, 05:26 PM
THE ASCETIC MONK

The Ascetic Monk is a class made up of a few other homebrew monk and martial classes combined with my own ideas on creating a very adaptable martial, spiritual class with many relations to real-life martial arts styles and monk practices.

Special Thanks to:
Realms of Chaos and his Ascendant class
Lord Tatarus and his Martial Artist Class
Eighth Seraph and his Monk class

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6+ Intelligence Modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Other Level: 6+ Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills:
Starting Gold: 100 gp

NAME OF CLASS
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Stances Known

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+2|Enhanced Strike, Martial Arts Style, Monk Discipline, AC Bonus, Vow of Self-Sufficiency|
1

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
2

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
2

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
2

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+4|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities, Purity of Body|
3

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+5|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
3

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+5|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities, Uncanny Dodge|
3

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+6|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
3

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
4

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
4

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+7|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities, Diamond Body|
4

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+8|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
4

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+8|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+9|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities, Improved Uncanny Dodge|
5

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+9|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+10|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+10|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+11|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+11|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
5

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+12|Style Abilities, Discipline Abilities|
6[/table]
Class Features:

Enhanced Strike: The - gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat at 1st level, deals 1d4+ full strength modifier damage on unarmed strikes, and gains increased unarmed damage according to chosen Martial Arts Style (light, balanced, or heavy).
Enhanced Strike Damage
{table=head]Level|Light Styles|Balanced Styles|Heavy Styles
1st|
1d4|
1d6|
1d8

2nd|
1d4|
1d6|
1d8

3rd|
1d4|
1d8|
1d8

4th|
1d6|
1d8|
1d10

5th|
1d6|
1d8|
1d10

6th|
1d6|
1d10|
1d10

7th|
1d6|
1d10|
1d10

8th|
1d8|
1d10|
2d6

9th|
1d8|
1d10|
2d6

10th|
1d8|
1d10|
2d6

11th|
1d8|
1d10|
2d6

12th|
1d10|
2d6|
2d8

13th|
1d10|
2d6|
2d8

14th|
1d10|
2d6|
2d8

15th|
1d10|
2d6|
2d8

16th|
2d6|
2d8|
2d10

17th|
2d6|
2d8|
2d10

18th|
2d6|
2d8|
2d10

19th|
2d6|
2d8|
2d10

20th|
4d4|
2d10|
3d8[/table]

Vow of Self-Sufficiency: All - have taken a vow to rely on nothing but their own bodies. As such, an - may possess no magical items or equipment (including symbionts and grafts) on their person at any time.
Having projectiles lodged in your body never breaks your vows and you may lift up items for the purposes of keeping them lifted (such as a portcullis) or to move them aside (such as rubble or boulders but possessing other items or equipment upon your person for even a single round (other than your outfit and meal) results in breaking your vows.
If you break your vow intentionally, you lose all class features other than unarmed strike for 24 hours.

Martial Arts Style: At 1st level and each level afterwards, the - gains one level in a martial arts style (see list below).

Hand and Foot Style
Hand and Foot Style, a Balanced, Agile, Evasive, Strong, Quick style
{table]Level|Special|Defense Bonus
1st|Bonus Feat: Stunning Fist, Foot and Fist training|
+4

2nd|Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise|
+4

3rd|Hand and Foot technique|
+5

4th|Hand and Foot technique|
+5

5th||
+5

6th|Bonus Feat: Improved Trip|
+6

7th|Bouncing Stance|
+6

8th|Hand and Foot technique|
+6

9th||
+7

10th|Combination Focus|
+7

11th||
+7

12th|Bonus Feat: Flying Kick|
+8

13th|Hand and Foot technique|
+8

14th||
+8

15th||
+9

16th|Hand and Foot technique|
+9

17th||
+9

18th|Bonus Feat: Deflect Arrows|
+10

19th|Hand and Foot technique|
+10

20th|Combination Mastery|
+10[/table]

Style Proficiencies: dagger, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, three-section staff

Style Features:

Foot and Fist training: At first level, a monk of the hand and foot learns the founding principle of her art: the differing roles and capabilities of her hands and feet. Whenever making an unarmed strike, you must also specify if you are using your hands or feet (or other body parts, such as elbows and knees, as appropriate). Any unarmed strikes you make with your hands from this point on gain a +1 to attack rolls, plus another +1/four monk levels, and any strikes made with your feet gain a +1 to damage, +1/four monk levels. Unarmed Strikes made with the feet also count as two-handed weapons for the purpose of the Power Attack feat.

Bouncing stance: At seventh level, a monk of the hand and foot gains a greater understanding of what mobility means in combat, and how a balanced, constantly moving stance can serve as a great defensive asset. You gain a +2 bonus on attacks of opportunity made against an opponent attempting to bull rush or trip you, and a +4 bonus on Dexterity or Strength checks to avoid being tripped or bull rushed. Also, you no longer take penalty to armor class when making a charge action.

Combination Focus: The Hand and Foot style places heavy emphasis on combination strikes, and experienced practitioners learn to take greater advantage of this aspect of their art. Whenever you execute more than one attack against an opponent during a single turn, you gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls on unarmed strikes and attacks with style weapons for every previous successful hit in the combination.

Combination Mastery: At 20th level,a monk of the hand and foot gains a +2 on all attack rolls, trip, bull rush, or bluff attempts used in her hand and foot techniques. In addition, the bonus gained from Combination Focus increases to +2 per each successful attack.

Hand and Foot Techniques
Double Roundhouse Kick As a standard action or part of a charge, a monk of the hand and foot may make two attacks at her highest base attack bonus instead of one. However, if either of these attacks fails to hit, you are considered flat-footed until you are hit with a melee attack or until your next turn.
Feint Jab A monk of the hand and foot expands upon the principle of speed over power that dominates the use of her hands. During a full attack, you may make feint jabs as attack actions with your hands (this does not provoke attacks of opportunity), resolving it as a normal feint. However, your opponent is only considered flat-footed against the next attack you use during the same turn as the feint (unlike a normal feint, which can be followed up on your next turn).
Palm Strike Whenever you make a decisive strike with your hands, you may also make a bull rush attempt against your opponent at a -2 penalty (This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, as you are not moving into your opponent’s square) as part of the attack, resolving it as normal. However, you do not have the option to move with your opponent, and it after the initial five feet your opponent is pushed back, your roll must be 10 points higher than your opponent’s in order to push him back an additional 5 feet (rather than 5 points higher, as normal). Stunning attacks made with palm strikes gain an additional +2 to their save DCs.
Push Kick A monk of the hand and foot learns to use her superior leg strength in ways other than direct damage to her opponent. As an attack action, you may make a bull rush attempt against your opponent at a -2 penalty (This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, as you are not moving into your opponent’s square), resolving it as normal. However, you do not have the option to move with your opponent, and it after the initial five feet your opponent is pushed back, your roll must be 10 points higher than your opponent’s in order to push him back an additional 5 feet (rather than 5 points higher, as normal). If a push kick is made as part of a charge, it deals normal unarmed strike damage as well as initiating a bull rush.
Sweep Kick Whenever you successfully hit with a hand technique and then a foot technique during a full attack, you immediately gain a free trip attempt against your opponent, using the foot technique's base attack bonus.
Fade-Away Kick Whenever you use a five-foot step that moves your threatened area away from an opponent, you may immediately make a single foot technique against that opponent at your base attack bonus, as a free action.
Sliding Side Kick You may execute a decisive strike at the end of a charge in lieu of a normal attack. If you choose to do so, however, you may not take any action (including taking attacks of opportunity) until the start of your next turn.

Dragon Scholar Style
Dragon Style, a Light, Evasive, Strong style
{table]Level|Special|Defense Bonus
1st|Bonus Feat: Dodge, Warrior Scholar|
+4

2nd|Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes|
+4

3rd|Flame Form|
+5

4th|Insightful Strike|
+5

5th||
+5

6th|Bonus Feat: Mobility|
+6

7th||
+6

8th|Flame Form|
+6

9th||
+7

10th||
+7

11th||
+7

12th|Bonus Feat: Tactical Reflexes|
+8

13th|Flame Form|
+8

14th||
+8

15th||
+9

16th||
+9

17th|Flame Form|
+9

18th|Bonus Feat: Spring Attack|
+10

19th|Searing Blade|
+10

20th|Master of the Dragon's Flame, Flame Form|
+10[/table]

Style Proficiencies: Dagger, Light Crossbow, Short Sword, Longsword, Scimitar, and Glaive, all light armor and no shields.

Style Features:

Warrior Scholar: A Dragon Scholar holds intelligence everything else, and the style follows from that creed. A Dragon Scholar may use her intelligence instead of wisdom for all class abilities.

Flame Form: A Dragon Scholar is taught the power and precision of fire and uses those teaches to execute unique maneuvers. At 3rd level and then again at 8th, 13th, 17th, and 20th level, a Dragon Scholar gains one of the following maneuvers which can be used as a standard action.

-Lunging Flame A Dragon Scholar can make a single attack with a class weapon or unarmed strike as if it had reach. If the Dragon Scholar uses a glaive with this form, she instead doubles the reach instead. This form may be used to augment any other form unless otherwise noted.

-Dancing Fire The Dragon Scholar uses the erratic movement of fire to confuse her opponent, making him easier to hit. The Dragon Scholar makes a single melee attack against an opponent's flat-footed AC. If the attack hits, the opponent becomes flat-footed until the beginning of the Dragon Scholar's next turn. This form cannot be used with the Lunging Flame form.

-Shower of Sparks A Dragon Scholar may only use this form with a Dagger, Short Sword or unarmed strike. The Dragon Scholar makes numerous, weak hits against an opponent to cause great injury, just as many small sparks do. The Dragon Scholar makes a single melee attack against an opponent. If that attack hits, decrease the attack roll by -2. If the reduced roll still hits the opponent, continue reducing the attack roll until it misses. The opponent takes damage as if hit by one attack but also takes an extra +1d4 damage per extra hit. This form cannot be used with the Lunging Flame form.

-Tongue of Fire A Dragon Scholar embodies the ferocity and power of fire in one single thrust or cut to cause severe damage to her opponent. The Dragon Scholar makes a single attack roll against an opponent. If the attack hits, the opponent is dealt 2 temporary constitution damage. This damage is recovered after a number of rounds equal to the Dragon Scholar's intelligence modifier.

-Dragon's Swath A Dragon Scholar learns to cut is a viscous circular motion, hitting multiple opponents at once. The Dragon Scholar makes a single attack roll to hit every opponent within reach. This form may only be taken at level 8 or higher.

-White Fire Strike A Dragon Scholar learns that the white fire, though only a tiny flame, is the most powerful of all. The Dragon Scholar uses this knowledge to know how to strike true and deal the most damage in many situations. The Dragon Scholar makes a single attack against an opponent, resolve the attack normally except that the weapon damage is maximized. This form may only be taken at level 8 or higher.

-Raging Inferno A Dragon Scholar realizes the danger of a raging fire and uses it power in dire circumstances. A Dragon Scholar gains a bonus to her strength equal to her intelligence modifier for a number of rounds equal to half her class level. After that duration has ended, the Dragon Scholar must make a DC15 fortitude save or become fatigued.

-Fearsome Flames A Dragon Scholar knows the power of fire better than most, and knows the fear it can cause. A Dragon Scholar makes a single attack against an opponent, if the attack hits the Dragon Scholar may then make an intimidate check. All enemies within 30ft of the target must make a will save or become shaken, the opponent hit must make a will save. If the target succeeds he becomes shaken, otherwise he becomes frightened.

Insightful Strike: A Dragon Scholar study a great amount to increase his knowledge of the most vulnerable areas to hit. A Dragon Scholar may add his intelligence modifier to all attack rolls made with class weapons.

Searing Blade: A Dragon Scholar learns who to add the most power to her thrusts and cuts, dealing more damage then normal. A Dragon Scholar may add one and a half her strength modifier when wielding a class weapon in one hand or twice her strength modifier when wielding a non-light weapon in two hands.

Master of the Dragon's Flame: A Dragon Scholar who has mastered her style is a paragon of precise and hard-hitting attacks as well as cunning tactics. A Dragon Scholar learns the final technique of harnessing the great strength of the Dragon as well as its precise aim with its fiery breath to make deadly attacks. A Dragon Scholar may make any one attack that hits a critical hit as if she had rolled a natural 20. If the critical hit is confirmed, resolve the critical hit as normal except increase the multiplier by one step (i.e. a x2 would become a x3). Alternately, the Dragon Scholar can choose to deal 60 damage instead of all the damage that would normally be multiplied (for example, an attack that normally deals 2d10+6 str +3 int +5d6 precise strike would deal 60+5d6 damage). A Dragon Scholar may use this ability thrice per day.

Monk Discipline: At 1st level and each level afterwards, the - gains one level in a monk discipline (see list below).

The Ascetic Way
{table]Level|Special
1st|Perfection of Form

2nd|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension 1st

3rd|Transcend Mortality

4th|Mastery of Self 2, Mystic Ascension 1st

5th|

6th|Mastery of Self 3, Mystic Ascension 2nd

7th|Transcend Mortality 2

8th|Mastery of Self 4, Mystic Ascension 3rd

9th|

10th|Mastery of Self 5, Mystic Ascension 4th

11th|Transcend Mortality 3

12th|Mastery of Self 6, Mystic Ascension 5th

13th|

14th|Mastery of Self 7, Mystic Ascension 6th

15th|Transcend Mortality 4

16th|Mastery of Self 8, Mystic Ascension 7th

17th|

18th|Mastery of Self 9, Mystic Ascension 8th

19th|Transcend Mortality 5

20th|Mastery of Self 10, Final Ascension[/table]

Discipline Features:

Perfection of Form: An Ascendant, through strict discipline and spiritual enlightenment, slowly becomes an idealized version of themselves. At each class level, you may add a +1 bonus to any of your ability scores.

Mastery of Self: An Ascendant possesses the drive and prowess to complete almost any task given to them. Starting at 2nd level, you gain a pool of mastery points equal to your class level at the start of each round. You may spend any number of points to gain an equal bonus to an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. Points left over from one round do not carry over into the next.
Starting at 4th level, you may spend a mastery point as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth a +1 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 6th level, you can spend any number of mastery points as a free action to heal half as many hit points (rounded down).
Starting at 8th level, you may spend two mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +2 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 10th level, you may spend any number of mastery points as a free action to grant yourself a +10 foot bonus to all movement speeds you possess per point spent and to negate one dice of damage taken from falling for each point spent. Lastly, you may move up to 5 feet per point spent without provoking attacks of opportunity.
Starting at 12th level, you may spend three mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +3 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 14th level, you may spend four points as a free action to heal one point of ability damage or to remove the sickened, fatigued, or dazed condition from yourself. Alternately, you may spend a number of points equal to your class level as a free action to remove the heal one point of ability drain or to remove the exhausted, nauseated, or stunned condition from yourself.
Starting at 16th level, you may spend four mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +4 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.
Starting at 18th level, you may spend any number of points to gain a bonus of equal size to any one roll that you make.
Starting at 20th level, you may spend five mastery points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +5 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Mystic Ascension: As an Ascendant grows more powerful, they gain a degree of mystical energy to support them. At each even level, you may choose a single spell to have active upon yourself at all times.
You may only select a spell that possesses a single target or with a range of personal. Furthermore, the Ascendant must be a legal target for that spell and it may not possess any XP cost, Foci, or expensive material components. Lastly, the spell must have a variable duration of at least 1 minute/level or a static duration of at least 1 hour. You may select the spell from any spell list but its spell level may not exceed the maximum spell level given on the table above.
In most cases, the spell functions continuously upon you. If the spell effect is expended or dismissed, it begins again once more 24 hours later. If the spell effect possesses a secondary duration after a specific trigger (such as “Permanent until triggered; then 1 round/level), the secondary duration is unchanged and the spell is considered expended once it ends (though the effect renews 24 hours later).
If a selected spell permits or requires a saving throw, it’s DC is 10 + spell level + your Wisdom modifier. For all purposes, your caster level equals your class level.
Whenever you gain a new ability in this way, you may switch a previous selection with another legal spell effect of the same spell level.

Transcend Mortality: An Ascendant slowly begins to become far more than a mere mortal. Starting at 3rd level, you no longer need to eat or drink to survive. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Starting at 7th level, you no longer need to sleep in order to function properly. Furthermore, you gain DR 5/magic.
Starting at 11th level, you gain immunity to all forms of poison and to all diseases, including supernatural diseases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.
Starting at 15th level, you no longer need to breath in order to function properly. Furthermore, your damage reduction increases to 10/magic.
Starting at 19th level, you cease to age and do not die when your time is up. You still gain mental ability score increases but gain no further physical ability score decreases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons.

Final Ascension: At 20th level, an Ascendant achieves the pinnacle of their power. Your type changes to outsider (do not recalculate skill points). Unlike other outsiders, you can be brought back from the dead as if a member of your previous creature type. Furthermore, you gain a final ability, much like your mystic ascension class feature with one exception. The selected spell may possess a variable duration as short as 1 round/level or a static duration as short as one minute.

AC Bonus: A - gains a bonus to armor class equal to his wisdom modifier. This bonus only applies when unencumbered and meeting style and discipline weapon and armor requirements. This bonus applies to normal AC as well as touch and flat-footed AC.

Style Qualities: A style has one of three qualities (light, balanced, or heavy) that determine unarmed strike damage, and one or more other qualities that provide stances and other abilities.

Base 5 Style Qualities
Quick Styles|Strong Styles|Evasive Styles|Resilient Styles|Agile Styles
{table]Level|Flurry of Blows|Decisive Strike|Unarmored Dodge Bonus|Damage Reduction|Fast Movement
1st|
-1/-1|
-1|
+0||
+0

2nd|
+0/+0|
+0|
+0; Evasion||
+0

3rd|
+1/+1|
+1|
+0||
+10

4th|
+2/+2|
+2|
+1|
DR 1/-|
+10

5th|
+4/+4|
+4|
+1|
DR 1/-|
+10

6th|
+5/+5/+0|
+5|
+1|
DR 1/-|
+20

7th|
+6/+6/+1|
+6|
+1|
DR 1/-|
+20

8th|
+7/+7/+2|
+7|
+2|
DR 2/-|
+20

9th|
+9/+9/+4|
+9|
+2; Improved Evasion|
DR 2/-|
+30

10th|
+10/+10/+5|
+10|
+2|
DR 2/-|
+30

11th|
+11/+11/+6/+6/+1|
+12/+2|
+2|
DR 2/-|
+30

12th|
+12/+12/+7/+7/+2|
+13/+3|
+3|
DR 3/-|
+40

13th|
+13/+13/+8/+8/+3|
+14/+4|
+3|
DR 3/-|
+40

14th|
+14/+14/+9/+9/+4|
+15/+5|
+3|
DR 3/-|
+40

15th|
+15/+15/+10/+10/+5|
+16/+6|
+3|
DR 3/-|
+50

16th|
+16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+1|
+17/+10|
+4|
DR 4/-|
+50

17th|
+17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+2|
+18/+11|
+4|
DR 4/-|
+50

18th|
+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+3|
+19/+12|
+4|
DR 4/-|
+60

19th|
+19/+19/+14/+14/+9/+4|
+20/+13|
+4|
DR 4/-|
+60

20th|
+20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+5|
+21/+14|
+5|
DR 5/-|
+60[/table]

Quality Stances:

Agile Stances:

-Tiger Stance: By distributing your weight evenly on the balls of both feet and leaning your body forward, you gain the ability to execute a deadly combination when charging an opponent. While in the tiger stance, you may do a full-attack at the end of a charge. However, you may not execute a flurry of Blows or Decisive Strike as part of the charge.

-Leaf Stance: Focusing your attention to your defense, you learn to break from an opponent's combination before he can follow up. If an opponent misses you with an attack while you are in the leaf stance , you may move up to 10 feet away as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. You may "reserve" up to your base land speed in movement (by taking a move action and not moving your full speed) during your turn in order to use this this ability several times during a round.


Evasive Stances:

-Fluid Stance: Nothing is more revealing about a foe's combat style than how they miss. By paying careful attention to your foes, you can read their attacks, adapting your defenses appropriately. Whenever an enemy makes a melee attack against you and misses, you may gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC against all melee attacks that enemy makes. This bonus increases by +1 for each additional miss your opponent makes, up to a maximum of 1/4 your class level. You may only have this bonus against one enemy at a time. If you choose to apply it against the attacks of a new enemy, you must give up the bonus to AC against the previous enemy. In addition, you gain a +2 to Reflex saves while in the fluid stance.

-Oaken Roots Stance: You raise up a powerful defense, a fluid, constantly changing stance that lets you adapt to your enemies. You gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC. Each round you remain in this stance, the bonus to AC increases by one, to a maximum of one-quarter your class level, rounded up. While in the Oaken Roots Stance, you may not willingly move from your square except by taken a 5-foot step. If you are unwillingly moved from your square, the bonus to AC from this stance drops back to +1.


Strong Stances:

-Dedicated Offensive Stance: By positioning your hands to a level specifically suited to delivering hard, fast punches, you enter a stance that puts all of your strength and energy into an effective offense. So long as you are in the dedicated offense stance, you gain +1 to attack and damage with unarmed strikes and style weapons per four class levels.

-Penetrating Attack Stance: By positioning your feet so as to swing the weight of your entire body into a strike, you may make powerful strikes more efficiently. When in the Penetrating Attack stance, your unarmed strikes and style weapon are considered two-handed weapons for the purposes of adding your Strength score to damage, as well as the Power Attack feat. In addition, upon entering the stance, you may choose to transfer one point of your Wisdom bonus to AC to all damage rolls with unarmed strikes and style weapons.


Resilient Stances:

-Iron Horse Stance: You bend your knees and sink your weight into your legs, solidly asserting your position. While you remain in the iron horse stance, you gain a bonus of +4 to all Strength or Dexterity checks resist being tripped, bull rushed, grappled, or otherwise moved from your position, but you also suffer a -10 ft. penalty to your base land speed. At 10th level, the bonuses from this stance increase to half your class levels.

-Boulder Stance: You resign yourself to being struck in combat, tensing your muscles and raising your guard. While in the boulder stance, you may transfer as many points of your Wisdom bonus to armor class into your Damage Reduction, gaining DR 1/- for each point transferred.

Purity of Body: At 5th level, a monk gains a +4 to saving throws against disease.

Uncanny Dodge: Beginning at 7th level, a monk studying an style retains his Dexterity bonus to AC even when flat-footed.

If a monk already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

Diamond Body: At 11th level, a monk gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against poisons of all kinds.

Improved Uncanny Dodge: Beginning at 14th level, a monk can no longer be flanked.


Monk Discipline Template
DISCIPLINE NAME
{table]Level|Special
1st|

2nd|

3rd|

4th|

5th|

6th|

7th|

8th|

9th|

10th|

11th|

12th|

13th|

14th|

15th|

16th|

17th|

18th|

19th|

20th|[/table]

Discipline Features:


Martial Arts Style Template
STYLE NAME, a - style
{table]Level|Special|Defense Bonus
1st|Bonus Feat|
+

2nd|Bonus Feat|
+

3rd||
+

4th||
+

5th||
+

6th|Bonus Feat|
+

7th||
+

8th||
+

9th||
+

10th||
+

11th||
+

12th|Bonus Feat|
+

13th||
+

14th||
+

15th||
+

16th||
+

17th||
+

18th|Bonus Feat|
+

19th||
+

20th||
+[/table]

Style Proficiencies:

Style Features:


Style Quality Template
STYLE QUALITY
{table]Level|SPECIAL QUALITY NAME
1st|

2nd|

3rd|

4th|

5th|

6th|

7th|

8th|

9th|

10th|

11th|

12th|

13th|

14th|

15th|

16th|

17th|

18th|

19th|

20th|[/table]

DrWeird
2010-08-15, 06:38 PM
Besides Perfection of Form, it's...well, like most monk classes; it's fine at the lower levels, but when the levels get into the double digits they all tend to begin to wane. In addition, I can't imagine how this would playtest, and can't see it faring well - if not for being too weak, as most monks, then too powerful, by the incredible amalgam of three custom classes. Also, you seem to get a lot of powerful effects and enhancements at a low level.

unosarta
2010-08-15, 08:16 PM
Also, based on RAW, someone could reverse pickpocket this class, and he would loose all class features and abilities. Even if it is for twenty four hours, that is a pretty big penalty. Maybe making the wording a little bit more clear that this only applies if he obtains an item on his person for the express purpose of keeping it?

Thamior
2010-08-15, 09:10 PM
I am still working on adding the Monk disciplines and Martial arts styles, but I changed vow of poverty to include only magic items, as some of the martial arts styles use weapons and light armor, basically I am changing it from not being allowed to have anything to only having what is needed(based on martial arts style).

Thamior
2010-08-15, 09:49 PM
The whole triple advancement shenanigans is a bit complicated, so this is just a second attempt to achieve the same effect another way.

THE ASCETIC MONK

The ascetic monk is a class made up of a few other homebrew monk and martial classes combined with my own ideas on creating a very adaptable martial, spiritual class with many relations to real-life martial arts styles and monk practices.

Special Thanks to:
Realms of Chaos and his Ascendant class
Lord Tatarus and his Martial Artist Class
Eighth Seraph and his Monk class

Hit Die: d8
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Intelligence Modifier) x4
Skill Points at Each Other Level: 6 + Intelligence Modifier
Class Skills:
Starting Gold: 50 gp

NAME OF CLASS
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+2|Enhanced Strike, Martial Arts Style, Perfection of Form, AC Bonus, Vow of Self-Sufficiency, Flurry of Blows

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+3|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+3|Bonus Feat

4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+4|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+4|Purity of Body

6th|
+6/+1|
+5|
+5|
+5|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

7th|
+7/+2|
+5|
+5|
+5|Uncanny Dodge

8th|
+8/+3|
+6|
+6|
+6|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

9th|
+9/+4|
+6|
+6|
+6|Bonus Feat

10th|
+10/+5|
+7|
+7|
+7|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

11th|
+11/+6/+1|
+7|
+7|
+7|Diamond Body

12th|
+12/+7/+2|
+8|
+8|
+8|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

13th|
+13/+8/+3|
+8|
+8|
+8|Bonus Feat

14th|
+14/+9/+4|
+9|
+9|
+9|Improved Uncanny Dodge, Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

15th|
+15/+10/+5|
+9|
+9|
+9|Bonus Feat

16th|
+16/+11/+6/+1|
+10|
+10|
+10|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

17th|
+17/+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+10|
+10|Bonus Feat

18th|
+18/+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+11|
+11|Mastery of Self, Mystic Ascension

19th|
+19/+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+11|
+11|Bonus Feat

20th|
+20/+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+12|
+12|Mastery of Self[/table]
Class Features:
Enhanced Strike: The monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat at 1st level, and gains increased unarmed damage.
Enhanced Strike Damage
{table=head]Level|Unarmed Damage
1st|
1d8

2nd|
1d8

3rd|
1d8

4th|
1d8

5th|
2d6

6th|
2d6

7th|
2d6

8th|
2d6

9th|
3d8

10th|
3d8

11th|
3d8

12th|
3d8

13th|
4d6

14th|
4d6

15th|
4d6

16th|
4d6

17th|
4d8

18th|
4d8

19th|
4d8

20th|
4d8[/table]

Vow of Self-Sufficiency: All monks have taken a vow to rely on nothing but their own bodies. As such, a monk may possess no magical items or equipment (including symbionts and grafts) on their person at any time.
Having projectiles lodged in your body never breaks your vows and you may lift up items for the purposes of keeping them lifted (such as a portcullis) or to move them aside (such as rubble or boulders but possessing other items or equipment upon your person for even a single round (other than your outfit and meal) results in breaking your vows.
If you break your vow intentionally, you lose all class features other than unarmed strike for 24 hours.

Flurry of Blows: A monk knows how to strike with a flurry o blows at the expense of accuracy. When taking an attack or full attack action, you may make an extra attack at your highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the table above. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity you may make before your next action.
At 5th level, the penalty lessens to –1. At 9th level, the penalty disappears. At 13th level, in addition to the standard single extra attack you get from flurry of blows, you get a second extra attack at your full base attack bonus. At 17th level, whenever you make a full attack as a flurry of blows, it only requires a standard action (instead of a full-round action).

Martial Arts Style: At 1st level, a monk gains a martial arts style (see list below).

Hand and Foot Style
Hand and Foot Style
Style Proficiencies: dagger, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, three-section staff
Style Features:
Foot and Fist training: A monk of the hand and foot learns the founding principle of her art: the differing roles and capabilities of her hands and feet. Whenever making an unarmed strike, you must also specify if you are using your hands or feet (or other body parts, such as elbows and knees, as appropriate). Any unarmed strikes you make with your hands from this point on gain a +1 to attack rolls, plus another +1/four monk levels, and any strikes made with your feet gain a +1 to damage, +1/four monk levels. Unarmed Strikes made with the feet also count as two-handed weapons for the purpose of the Power Attack feat.

Bouncing stance: At seventh level, a monk of the hand and foot gains a greater understanding of what mobility means in combat, and how a balanced, constantly moving stance can serve as a great defensive asset. You gain a +2 bonus on attacks of opportunity made against an opponent attempting to bull rush or trip you, and a +4 bonus on Dexterity or Strength checks to avoid being tripped or bull rushed. Also, you no longer take penalty to armor class when making a charge action.

Combination Focus: The Hand and Foot style places heavy emphasis on combination strikes, and experienced practitioners learn to take greater advantage of this aspect of their art. At 10th level, Whenever you execute more than one attack against an opponent during a single turn, you gain a +1 to attack and damage rolls on unarmed strikes and attacks with style weapons for every previous successful hit in the combination.

Combination Mastery: At 20th level,a monk of the hand and foot gains a +2 on all attack rolls, trip, bull rush, or bluff attempts used in her hand and foot techniques. In addition, the bonus gained from Combination Focus increases to +2 per each successful attack.

Hand and Foot Techniques: A monk of the hand and foot gains one hand and foot technique at 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels.
Double Roundhouse Kick As a standard action or part of a charge, a monk of the hand and foot may make two attacks at her highest base attack bonus instead of one. However, if either of these attacks fails to hit, you are considered flat-footed until you are hit with a melee attack or until your next turn.
Feint Jab A monk of the hand and foot expands upon the principle of speed over power that dominates the use of her hands. During a full attack, you may make feint jabs as attack actions with your hands (this does not provoke attacks of opportunity), resolving it as a normal feint. However, your opponent is only considered flat-footed against the next attack you use during the same turn as the feint (unlike a normal feint, which can be followed up on your next turn).
Palm Strike Whenever you make a decisive strike with your hands, you may also make a bull rush attempt against your opponent at a -2 penalty (This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, as you are not moving into your opponent’s square) as part of the attack, resolving it as normal. However, you do not have the option to move with your opponent, and it after the initial five feet your opponent is pushed back, your roll must be 10 points higher than your opponent’s in order to push him back an additional 5 feet (rather than 5 points higher, as normal). Stunning attacks made with palm strikes gain an additional +2 to their save DCs.
Push Kick A monk of the hand and foot learns to use her superior leg strength in ways other than direct damage to her opponent. As an attack action, you may make a bull rush attempt against your opponent at a -2 penalty (This does not provoke an attack of opportunity, as you are not moving into your opponent’s square), resolving it as normal. However, you do not have the option to move with your opponent, and it after the initial five feet your opponent is pushed back, your roll must be 10 points higher than your opponent’s in order to push him back an additional 5 feet (rather than 5 points higher, as normal). If a push kick is made as part of a charge, it deals normal unarmed strike damage as well as initiating a bull rush.
Sweep Kick Whenever you successfully hit with a hand technique and then a foot technique during a full attack, you immediately gain a free trip attempt against your opponent, using the foot technique's base attack bonus.
Fade-Away Kick Whenever you use a five-foot step that moves your threatened area away from an opponent, you may immediately make a single foot technique against that opponent at your base attack bonus, as a free action.
Sliding Side Kick You may execute a decisive strike at the end of a charge in lieu of a normal attack. If you choose to do so, however, you may not take any action (including taking attacks of opportunity) until the start of your next turn.


Perfection of Form: A monk, through strict discipline and spiritual enlightenment, slowly becomes an idealized version of themselves. At each class level, you may add a +1 bonus to any of your ability scores.

Mastery of Self: A monk possesses the drive and prowess to complete almost any task given to them. Starting at 2nd level, you gain a pool of ki points equal to your class level plus your wisdom modifier that regenerate every round. You may spend any number of points to gain an equal bonus to an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check.

Starting at 4th level, you may spend a ki point as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth a +1 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Starting at 6th level, you can spend any number of ki points as a free action to heal half as many hit points (rounded down).

Starting at 8th level, you may spend ki points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +2 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Starting at 10th level, you may spend any number of ki points as a free action to grant yourself a +10 foot bonus to all movement speeds you possess per point spent and to negate one dice of damage taken from falling for each point spent. Lastly, you may move up to 5 feet per point spent without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Starting at 12th level, you may spend three ki points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +3 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Starting at 14th level, you may spend four ki points as a free action to heal one point of ability damage or to remove the sickened, fatigued, or dazed condition from yourself. Alternately, you may spend a number of ki points equal to your class level as a free action to remove the heal one point of ability drain or to remove the exhausted, nauseated, or stunned condition from yourself.

Starting at 16th level, you may spend ki points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +4 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Starting at 18th level, you may spend any number of ki points to gain a bonus of equal size to any one roll that you make.

Starting at 20th level, you may spend five ki points as a free action to grant yourself the benefits of a weapon special ability or armor special ability worth up to a +5 bonus for 1 round. The weapon special ability applies to your unarmed attacks and must be applicable with them. You may only grant yourself a single weapon special ability and a single armor special ability each round in this way.

Mystic Ascension: As an Ascendant grows more powerful, they gain a degree of mystical energy to support them. At each even level, you may choose a single spell to have active upon yourself at all times (1st level at 2 and 4, 2nd level at 6, 3rd at 8, 4th at 10, 5th at 12, 6th at 14, 7th at 16, 8th at 18.
You may only select a spell that possesses a single target or with a range of personal. Furthermore, the Ascendant must be a legal target for that spell and it may not possess any XP cost, Foci, or expensive material components. Lastly, the spell must have a variable duration of at least 1 minute/level or a static duration of at least 1 hour. You may select the spell from any spell list but its spell level may not exceed the maximum spell level given on the table above.
In most cases, the spell functions continuously upon you. If the spell effect is expended or dismissed, it begins again once more 24 hours later. If the spell effect possesses a secondary duration after a specific trigger (such as “Permanent until triggered; then 1 round/level), the secondary duration is unchanged and the spell is considered expended once it ends (though the effect renews 24 hours later).
If a selected spell permits or requires a saving throw, it’s DC is 10 + spell level + your Wisdom modifier. For all purposes, your caster level equals your class level.
Whenever you gain a new ability in this way, you may switch a previous selection with another legal spell effect of the same spell level.

Transcend Mortality: A monk slowly begins to become far more than a mere mortal. Starting at 3rd level, you no longer need to eat or drink to survive. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Starting at 7th level, you no longer need to sleep in order to function properly. Furthermore, you gain DR 5/magic.

Starting at 11th level, you gain immunity to all forms of poison and to all diseases, including supernatural diseases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Starting at 15th level, you no longer need to breath in order to function properly. Furthermore, your damage reduction increases to 10/magic.

Starting at 19th level, you cease to age and do not die when your time is up. You still gain mental ability score increases but gain no further physical ability score decreases. Furthermore, your unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons.

Perfect Self: At 20th level, a monk achieves the pinnacle of their power. Your type changes to outsider (do not recalculate skill points). Unlike other outsiders, you can be brought back from the dead as if a member of your previous creature type. Furthermore, you gain a final ability, much like your mystic ascension class feature with one exception. The selected spell may possess a variable duration as short as 1 round/level or a static duration as short as one minute.[/spoiler]

Realms of Chaos
2010-08-16, 12:14 PM
Yay!

I helped inspire something. :smallsmile:
In any case, the post above has a table that doesn't really match the abilities listed at all (transcend mortality is not listed on the table while bonus feats are not listed in the description, for instance).

Also, I for one think that reverse sleight of hand is a silly thing to worry about for a rather simple reason:
If Vow of Peace characters drink with a filter to avoid killing flies, vow of poverty characters would obviously travel without pockets. Seriously, what would someone do to you without pockets?
Would they shove something in your pants (which instantly falls down your pant-leg)?
Would they balance something on your head (which is very hard to do when you don't want something balanced on your head)?
Seriously, what?!

Temotei
2010-08-16, 12:49 PM
Seriously, what?!

Slip a ring on their finger? Ask them to take off their shoes/boots and replace them with magic shoes/boots that look the same (via illusion?)? Put a magic helmet/hat on them? Cast hold person/hold monster on them and stab them with a magic sword and put sovereign glue where it went in?

I wonder if cutting off their finger/toe and then putting a ring on that finger/toe would break the code. Is the finger/toe still the monk's? Does the enemy have to give the monk their finger/toe back for that to work?

The quickest/cheapest way might be to convince the monk that a feather token is just a feather symbolizing friendship/allies, etc. and you're giving it to them as a symbol of such. Another way would be to put a potion in their cup. They'd have to hold the cup for six seconds, so when they pick it up, distract them. Win.

Yeah, I'm just joking. Still, if you want to remedy the situations above, provide the ability to "sense" magic or magic items within a certain radius. That'll help the monk keep away from such things.

Thamior
2010-08-16, 05:16 PM
and this is why i changed the wording so that you dont take penalty for unintentionally breaking the vow.

Temotei
2010-08-16, 05:45 PM
and this is why i changed the wording so that you dont take penalty for unintentionally breaking the vow.

It's still a shaky wording for when someone switches one of their items out for a magic one. The monk will pick up the magic item thinking it's theirs, but...it isn't. Do they break their vows because they picked up the item of their own will, or do they not because it wasn't their will to pick up an item that was essentially theirs, but magic.

Ah, well. That's hard to fix.

Realms of Chaos
2010-08-16, 07:07 PM
Honestly, I could imagine no conceivable wording that wouldn't let, say, a sovereign glued helmet be used neither against the character by an evil DM nor by the monk's allies as a way to stick the monk with no-penalty items. I can't picture any possible middle ground. :smallconfused:

Temotei
2010-08-16, 07:12 PM
Honestly, I could imagine no conceivable wording that wouldn't let, say, a sovereign glued helmet be used neither against the character by an evil DM nor by the monk's allies as a way to stick the monk with no-penalty items. I can't picture any possible middle ground. :smallconfused:

It's not that. It's that they might lose their class features for a day.

The only abuse with that "ability" I can think of is having the items on/used for over twenty-four hours, after which, you get your features back. There's no rule that you must get rid of the items before you get your class features again.

Thamior
2010-08-16, 09:42 PM
i will now devote my life to making failsafe wording, but honestly, unless your dm just plain sucks, i dont think anyone will run into a problem