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View Full Version : [DnD 4E] Pugilist (Monk) (PEACH)



Nu
2011-03-20, 04:45 AM
Homebrewer's Notes: Another new build. Let's see how this turns out. In the meantime, feel free to blast it and tell me how terrible or unbalanced it is. Suggestions on where to take it from here are also appreciated!

MONK

Martial and Psionic Striker: Through a mixture of martial training and psionic discipline, a pugilist has perfected the art of close-quarters combat with minimal armor or weaponry. Skill and power are key to your success on and off the battlefield.

Why This Is The Class For You: You want to play a marital warrior who substitutes psionic discipline for heavy armor and brutish weaponry.

PUGILIST
Key Abilities: Dexterity, Constitution

Class Traits
Hit Points: You start with hit points equal to 12 + your Constitution score. You gain 5 hit points each time you gain a level.
Bonus to Defenses: +1 to Fortitude, +1 to Reflex, +1 to Will
Healing Surges per Day: 7 + your Constitution modifier
Armor Proficiencies: Cloth
Weapon Proficiencies: Club, dagger, unarmed attack, quarterstaff, shuriken, sling
Implement Proficiencies: Ki foci, weapons with which you have proficiency
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Diplomacy (Cha), Endurance (Con), Heal (Wis), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Thievery (Dex)
Trained Skills: Four from the list of class skills

HEROIC PUGILIST

PUGILIST HEROIC TIER
{table=head]
Total XP |
Level |
Feats Known |
Class Features and Powers


0 |
1 |
1 |
Monastic tradition
Weapon finesse
Unarmed combatant
Unarmored defense
Flurry of blows
Power strike
Full disciplines
Discipline focus


1000 |
2 |
+1 |
Skill power
Utility power


2,250 |
3 |
- |
Improved power strike


3,750 |
4 |
+1 |
Ability score increase
Slow fall


5,500 |
5 |
- |
Advanced tradition
Daily power


7,500 |
6 |
+1 |
Utility power


10,000 |
7 |
- |
Extra full discipline
Fast movement


13,000 |
8 |
+1 |
Ability score increase
Skill mastery


16,500 |
9 |
- |
Daily power
Iron body


20,500 |
10 |
+1 |
Utility power
[/table]

Level 1: Monastic Tradition
A pugilist may appear to be little more than a bare-handed brute, but your mind is actually your greatest weapon. You have developed a martial fighting style that you will refine and perfect over the course of your adventuring career.
You choose one of the following traditions and receive the associated benefits.

Grappling Tradition
Benefit: You gain the following benefits.
You gain the Improved Grab feat (Player's Handbook 2) as a bonus feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
You can use the grab power to target creatures of any size, and can use your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier for the attack roll. In addition, your grab attack deals damage equal to your Dexterity modifier on a hit.

Hand-to-Hand Tradition
Benefit: You gain the following benefits.
You gain a +2 bonus to weapon damage rolls when you wield a weapon in the unarmed weapon group.
When you wield a weapon in the unarmed weapon group, that weapon gains the defensive property as long as you have a free hand.

Staff Combat Tradition
Benefit: You gain the following benefits.
You gain the Staff Fighting feat (Dragon Magazine Annual 2009, Dragon 368) as a bonus feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.
You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made using a staff.

Level 1: Weapon Finesse
Benefit: When you make a melee basic attack, you can use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier for the attack roll and the damage roll.

Level 1: Unarmed Combatant
Benefit: Two of your fists permanently transform into more powerful weapons. Both of your fists must be transform into the same weapon. Select one from the list below. No matter how many how many hands you have, you are only considered to be wielding two such fists.
You can make weapon attacks with these fists, using its proficiency bonus and the appropriate damage die. Your fists share the enhancement bonus, critical hit effect, properties, and powers of any ki focus you are attuned to, but cannot be made into magical weapons.
In order to make an attack with these fists, it must not be holding or wielding anything in that hand. For example, if you are holding a staff in one hand and have your other hand free, you can attack only with the fist not holding the staff. Empty-handed, you can use either fist (or both fists, if the power allows you to attack with both your main-hand and off-hand weapon).
For all features and other game elements, your fists count as unarmed attacks, and you are proficient with them. Even when wielding these weapons, your hands are considered free.

Iron Fist
Though your hand appears normal, it hits with all the force of a mighty dwarven hammer.
Weapon Category: One-handed simple melee weapon
Weapon Group: Unarmed
Weapon Properties: Brutal 1, off-hand
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Damage: 1d12

Subtle Fist
Through dexterity and focus, you have transformed your fist into a deadly weapon without adding any additional strength behind the attack.
Weapon Category: One-handed simple melee weapon
Weapon Group: Unarmed
Weapon Properties: Off-hand
Proficiency Bonus: +3
Damage: 1d10

Level 1: Unarmored Defense
Benefit: When you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a +2 bonus to AC.

Level 1: Flurry of Blows
Though each monastic style has a different method, all monks can unleash a flurry of extra attacks when striking. As a pugilist, yours is particuarly brutal.
Note that the pugilist's flurry of blows requires you to wield a different weapon than the one used for the triggering attack. This means if you make a melee basic attack with your main weapon, you can use your off-hand weapon for the Flurry of Blows. If you have a kick attack or another unarmed attack, you may use that as well.
Benefit: You gain the pugilist's flurry of blows power.

Pugilist's Flurry of Blows (Monk Utility)
Even as you savagely pound on an enemy with your fist, you follow with a swift kick, elbow strike, or headbutt against the same or a different foe.
At-Will ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Free Action (Special) (Melee 1)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with an attack
Requirement: You must be wielding a weapon you didn't use for the triggering attack.
Target: One creature
Level 16: One or two creatures; you must use a different weapon for each target
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] damage, or 2[W] damage if the target was not a target of the triggering attack.
Effect: The target takes damage equal to your Constitution modifier (2 + your Constitution modifier at the 11th level, and 4 + your Constitution modifier at the 21st level).
Special: You can use this power only once per round.

Level 1: Power Strike
Benefit: You gain the power strike power.

Power Strike (Monk Attack)
By pushing yourself beyond your normal limits, you unleash your full wrath against a foe.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
No Action (Special)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon.
Target: The enemy you hit
Effect: The target takes 1[W] extra damage from the triggering attack.
Level 17: 2[W] extra damage.
Level 27: 3[W] extra damage.

Level 1: Full Disciplines
Your disciplines rely on your physical training, mental focus, and mastery of psionic magic to function.
A power with the full discipline keyword gives you at least two actions to choose from, usually an attack technique and a movement technique. Attack techniques usually require a standard action, and movement techniques are options for your move actions. For a monk, a full discipline power represents a fighting style, a unique combination of a move and an attack.
See the appendix of the Player's Handbook 3 for more information on full discipline powers.
Benefit: You gain two of the following powers of your choice.

Discipline of the Desert Wind (Monk Attack 1)
You leave a strong gust in your wake as you surge forward, and you strike with such force that a searing wind blasts enemies in front of you.
At-Will ✦ Fire, Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Close blast 2)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon against each enemy you can see in the blast, ignoring your weapon's normal range. Attacks made using this power deal fire damage in addition to any other damage types they deal.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You are no longer marked, and are immune to defender aura until the end of your turn. You move your speed + 2.

Discipline of the Devoted Spirit (Monk Attack 1)
You recover a bit of your own vitality with a focused attack, then make a swift retreat to recover your senses.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, you gain temporary hit points equal to 5 + one-half your level.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You shift up to one-half your speed and must end your movement in a space adjacent to no enemies. You can then make a saving throw.

Discipline of the Diamond Mind (Monk Attack 1)
You engage the target in a battle of wits, and you slowly fade from your enemy's sight.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. This attack is made against the creature's Will defense instead of its AC. If the attack hits, you are invisible to the target until the start of your next turn.
Movement Technique
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: You shift 1 square or move 3 squares.

Discipline of the Iron Heart (Monk Attack 1)
You smash an enemy, then back away and wait for your enemy to come to you, with a second attack just waiting for them.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, until the start of your next turn, as a free action, you can deal damage equal to your Dexterity modifier to any enemy that enters a square adjacent to you.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You shift 1 square and gain a +1 power bonus to all defenses until the start of your next turn.

Discipline of the Setting Sun (Monk Attack 1)
The setting sun discipline is about turning your foe's aggression against them. You use this style to get in close, and leverage your enemy's power to your advantage.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, you grab the target. The grab ends automatically at the end of your next turn.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You move 2 squares. For each square you move, you slide a creature grabbed by you 1 square to a square adjacent to you. The creature remains grabbed, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks from the grabbed creature for this movement.

Discipline of the Shadow Hand (Monk Attack 1)
You strike with shadowy power that carries you through your enemy's space, leaving them dazed and confused.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, the target grants combat advantage and can't take opportunity actions until the end of your next turn.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You move your speed. You can move through enemy spaces as part of this movement.

Discipline of the Stone Dragon (Monk Attack 1)
With a solid punch, you flip the enemy into your space, flat on its back, and then tumble into the space it just occupied.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, the target falls prone.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Melee 1)
Target: One ally or prone enemy
Effect: You swap places with the target.

Discipline of the Tiger Claw (Monk Attack 1)
This discipline allows you to become as the tiger, slinking accross the battlefield and raking enemies on all sides.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Close burst 1)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon against each enemy you can see in the burst.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You shift 2 squares.

Discipline of the White Raven (Monk Attack 1)
You soar through the air like a bird, just before you strike hard enough to send your foe reeling backward.
At-Will ✦ Full Discipline, Psionic, Radiant, Weapon
Attack Technique
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You make a melee basic attack with a weapon. Attacks made using this power deal radiant damage in addition to any other damage types they deal. If the attack hits, you can push the target 1 square.
Movement Technique
Move Action (Personal)
Effect: You make an Athletics check to jump with a +5 power bonus. You are considered to have a running start, and the distance of the jump isn't limited by your speed.

Level 1: Discipline Focus
By focusing your psionic powers, you can augment the skills of yourself and your allies.
Benefit: You gain two of the following powers of your choice.

Acrobatic Leap (Monk Utility)
You bound forward with acrobatic grace.
Encounter ✦ Psionic
Free Action (Personal)
Trigger: You make a high jump or long jump.
Effect: You can use an Acrobatics check instead of an Athletics check for the jump. Any bonuses or penalties that would normally apply to Athletics instead apply to Acrobatics for this jump.

Fast Hands (Monk Utility)
With a single, swift motion, you store an item in your pack and retrieve another.
Encounter ✦ Psionic
Free Action (Personal)
Effect: You can choose to either stow an item, retrieve an item, or stow an item and retrieve a different item.

Lightfoot (Monk Utility)
Even enemies listening intently are unable to detect your soft steps.
Encounter ✦ Psionic
Free Action (Personal)
Trigger: You walk or shift while hidden.
Effect: When you end this movement, you can make a Stealth check to remain hidden from creatures with a +5 power bonus, and you don't take a penalty to Stealth for moving more than 2 squares. In addition, you can't be detected via tremorsense until the end of your next turn.

Force Pull (Monk Utility)
After attuning yourself to an object, it is easy to will it back into your grasp.
Encounter ✦ Psionic
No Action (Personal)
Trigger: You must use this power at the end of a rest.
Effect: Choose an object weighing no more than 20 pounds that you have had in your possession for the rest. Until the next time you take a rest, once per round, you can pull that object to your hand as a free action as long as it is not being restrained by anything and is within 5 squares.

Psionic Sense (Monk Utility)
Beings not of this plane are some what... disturbing to you. You need to study them more closely to be certain as to whether or not they can be trusted.
Encounter ✦ Psionic
No Action (Personal)
Trigger: You make a knowledge check concerning a creature with the aberrant, fey, immortal, or shadow origins.
Effect: You gain a +5 bonus to the triggering skill check.

Level 2: Skill Power
Benefit: You gain the Skill Power feat as a bonus feat (Player's Handbook 3). When you reach the 6th, 10th, and 16th levels, you can replace the skill power granted by this feat with a different one.

Level 2: Utility Power
Benefit: You gain a monk utility power of your choice.

Level 3: Improved Power Strike
Benefit: You gain one more use of power strike per encounter, but you can use it only once per turn.

Level 4: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Level 4: Slow Fall
Benefit: You reduce the amount of falling damage you take by 5 + one-half your level. If the falling damage is reduced to 0, you land standing.

Level 5: Advanced Tradition
Through constanct practice and refinement of your technique, you ascend to a higher rank within your tradition's order.
Benefit: You gain one of the following benefits of your choice.

Powerful Fist
Benefit: When you use power strike or counterstrike with your unarmed attack, you push the target 1 square and the target is slowed and cannot charge until the next of your next turn.

Quarterstaff Trip
Benefit: When you use power strike or counterstrike with a staff, you can knock target prone.

Viselike Grab
Benefit: When you use power strike or counterstrike against an enemy grabbed by you, the target is restrained until it is no longer grabbed by you.

Level 5: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice.

Avalanche of Fists (Monk Attack 5)
While in this stance, you are as an unstable mountain--just waiting to unleash a deadly rain of blows on an unsuspecting opponent who approaches.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: Whenever an enemy willingly enters a square adjacent to you, you can deal 1[W] damage to that enemy as an opportunity action.

Grizzly Fate (Monk Attack 5)
As you grapple with your foe, you pummel it as would a ferocious dire bear, raking its claws across the the exposed back of its prey.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: At the end of each of your turns, each enemy grabbed by you takes 2d8 + your Constitution modifier damage.

Tiger Claw Blitz (Monk Attack 5)
You surge across the battlefield, striking each enemy you pass by. When you reach your destination, you make a full, sweeping blow.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Standard Action (Personal)
Effect: You shift your speed + 2. The first time you move adjacent to a given enemy during this movement, you can make a melee basic attack with a weapon against that enemy. At the end of this movement, you can make a melee basic attack with a weapon against each enemy adjacent to you. If you miss an enemy with a basic attack you make as part of using this power, you can use your Flurry of Blows against that enemy as if this power didn't target it.

Level 6: Utility Power
Benefit: You gain a monk utility power of your choice.

Level 7: Extra Full Discipline
Benefit: You gain one additional 1st-level at-will full discipline power.

Level 7: Fast Movement
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to speed.

Level 8: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Level 8: Skill Mastery
Benefit: You gain an additional trained skill from the pugilist class list. Also, during a skill challenge, whenever you roll a natural 20 on a skill check that would contribute one or more successes to the skill challenge, that check automatically succeeds and counts as one additional success.

Level 9: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice.

Awaken the Dragon (Monk Attack 9)
Something awakens inside you when you are wounded, and you draw upon your inner reserves of strength to pull you through this dire situation.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Immediate Reaction (Personal)
Trigger: An enemy's attack bloodies you.
Effect: Until the end of the encounter, you gain a bonus to damage rolls equal to your Constitution modifier against the enemy that bloodied you. You can shift your speed to a square adjacent to the enemy that bloodied you make a melee basic attack with a weapon against that enemy as a free action. If the attack hits, you gain 15 temporary hit points.

Stunning Blow (Monk Attack 9)
You focus psionic power into your strike, which then knocks your enemy senseless.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
No Action (Personal)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with a melee basic attack using a weapon.
Target: The enemy you hit
Effect: The target takes 1[W] extra damage from the triggering attack, and the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. If you use your Flurry of Blows power with the triggering attack, each enemy you hit with your Flurry of Blows power is dazed until the end of your next turn.

White Raven Focus (Monk Attack 9)
With your mind devoid of distractions, you bring your foe into perfect clarity before you strike.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls until the end of your next turn, and you can deal 1[W] damage to an enemy you hit with a melee basic attack this turn.
Sustain Minor: The bonus to attack rolls persists, and you can deal 1[W] damage to an enemy you hit with a melee basic attack this turn.

Level 9: Iron Body
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus to saving throws and resist poison equal to 5 + one-half your level. In addition, the AC bonus granted by your Unarmored Defense class feature increases to +3.

Level 10: Utility Power
Benefit: You gain a monk utility power of your choice.

Nu
2011-03-20, 04:46 AM
PARAGON PUGILIST
As your physical and psionic training improves, you become an even fiercer warrior. Your limbs move too fast for your foes' eyes to follow, and your blows strike with all the force of a maul.

PARAGON PATH: BLACK BELT
Benefit: You can choose any paragon path available to you, and one specifically designed for the pugilist is Black Belt.
Prerequisites: You must be a pugilist to take the Black Belt paragon path.

PUGILIST PARAGON TIER
{table=head]
Total XP |
Level |
Feats Known |
Class Features and Powers


26,000 |
11 |
+1 |
Ability score increase
Counterstrike
Pugilist's action [black belt]
Inner focus [black belt]


32,000 |
12 |
+1 |
Chakra [black belt]


39,000 |
13 |
- |
Improved power strike


47,000 |
14 |
+1 |
Ability score increase


57,000 |
15 |
- |
Daily power
Paragon tradition


69,000 |
16 |
+1 |
Kick attack [black belt]
Utility power


83,000 |
17 |
- |
Extra full discipline


99,000 |
18 |
+1 |
Ability score increase


119,000 |
19 |
- |
Daily power
Diamond soul


143,000 |
20 |
+1 |
One hundred fists [black belt][/table]

Level 11: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Each of your ability scores increases by 1.

Level 11: Pugilist's Action
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: Whenever you use your action point to take an extra action, if you use that action to make an attack, you can use your Flurry of Blows power on that attack, even if you've already used it this round.

Level 11: Inner Focus
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls with your Flurry of Blows power. In addition, when you use your Flurry of Blows power, the target grants combat advantage to you until the end of your next turn.

Level 11: Counterstrike
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: You gain the counterstrike power.

Counterstrike (Back Belt Attack 11)
You deftly block and counter an enemy attack.
Encounter ✦ Martial, Weapon
Immediate Interrupt (Melee 1)
Trigger: An enemy hits you with a melee or close attack.
Target: The enemy that hits you
Effect: Make a melee basic attack against the target. If the attack hits, the triggering attack misses you instead. Otherwise, reduce the damage the attack deals to you by 5 + your Constitution modifier.

Level 12: Chakra
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: You gain the chakra power.

Chakra (Black Belt Utility 12)
Your psionic discipline shows you how to cleanse your ki of impurities.
Encounter ✦ Healing, Psionic
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: You use your second wind, and you gain a bonus to saving throws equal to your Constitution modifier until the end of your turn. If you were bloodied before using your second wind, the defense bonus granted by it is equal to your Constitution modifier instead of +2, and you can make a saving throw.

Level 13: Improved Power Strike
Benefit: You gain one more use of power strike per encounter, but you can use it only once per turn.

Level 14: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

[B]Level 15: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice. This power replaces one of your existing monk daily attack powers.

Adamantine Fists (Monk Attack 15)
Your fists harden and become as strong as the most resilient metals of the material plane.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: Whenever you hit an enemy with your Iron Fist weapon, the attack that hits deals 1[W] extra damage. When you use your Flurry of Blows power, the target cannot shift until the end of your next turn.

Counterstance (Monk Attack 15)
You crouch as you battle, feigning an opening, but defly countering any incoming blows.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: When an enemy adjacent to you makes an attack that includes you as a target, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an opportunity action.

Open Weakness (Monk Attack 15)
With a twisting punch, you expose an opening in the target's defenses and deflty reduce another's capability to attack.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: Whenever you hit an enemy with your Subtle Fist weapon, the enemy you takes a -2 penalty to all defenses until the end of your next turn. When you use your Flurry of Blows power, the target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.

Level 15: Paragon Tradition
Benefit: You gain one of the following powers of your choice.

Quivering Palm (Monk Utility)
You are clever and skilled enough with your fist to find even the most subtle weak points in a foe, and strike at them expertly.
Encounter ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Free Action (Special)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with your Subtle Fist.
Target: The enemy you hit
Effect: The target is dazed and weakened until the end of your next turn.

Rupturing Steel Fist (Monk Utility)
You are less interested in striking at an enemy's weak point than you are in creating a weak point in the enemy.
Encounter ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Free Action (Special)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with your Iron Fist.
Target: The enemy you hit
Effect: The target takes ongoing damage (save ends) equal to the amount of [W] damage dealt by the triggering attack.

Sweeping Staff (Monk Utility)
You strike with your staff, then sweep it in a large arc, tripping your enemies and leaving them exposed to further attacks.
Encounter ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Free Action (Close burst 1)
Trigger: You hit an enemy with your staff.
Target: Each enemy you can see in burst
Effect: You push the target 1 square and knock it prone. The target is vulnerable 5 to all damage until the end of your next turn.

Level 16: Kick Attack
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: You gain the foot strike power, and you can use your feet to deliver a powerful kick attack. No matter how many feet you have, you are always considered to be wielding only one kick attack.
You can make weapon attacks with this kick attack, using its proficiency bonus and the appropriate damage die. Your kick attack shares the enhancement bonus, critical hit effect, properties, and powers of any ki focus you are attuned to, but cannot be made into a magical weapon.
Your hands need not be free to use your kick attack. For all features and other game elements, your kick attack counts as an unarmed attack, and you are proficient with it. Even when wielding this weapon, your hands are considered free.

Kick Attack
You can leverage extra power behind a fierce kick.
Weapon Category: One-handed simple melee weapon
Weapon Group: Unarmed
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Damage: 1d8

Foot Strike (Black Belt Attack)
Your follow a blow from your weapon with a powerful kick.
At-Will ✦ Martial, Weapon
Minor Action (Special) (Melee weapon)
Requirement: You must be wielding your kick attack. In addition, you must have hit at least one enemy with a melee basic attack during this turn.
Target: One creature
Attack: Dexterity + 2 vs. AC
Hit: 1[W] damage. If you target an enemy that you did not yet target with an attack this turn, this attack deals extra damage equal to your Dexterity modifier.
Level 26: 2[W] damage.
Special: You can use this power only once per round.

Level 16: Utility Power
Benefit: You gain a monk utility power of your choice.

Level 17: Extra Full Discipline
Benefit: You gain one additional 1st-level at-will full discipline power.

Level 18: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Level 19: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice. This power replaces one of your existing monk daily attack powers.

Footwork (Monk Attack 19)
With such agile feet, you can strike at any time with a swift kick to the jaw.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: Once per round on your turn, you can make a melee basic attack using your Kick Attack weapon as a minor action.

Inescapable Grapple (Monk Attack 19)
Your psionic strength completely overpowers your opponent even as you grapple with it.
Daily ✦ Psionic
No Action (Personal)
Trigger: You grab a creature.
Target: The enemy you grab
Effect: The target takes a -4 penalty to escape the grab. Until the end of the encounter, whenever a creature grabbed by you is hit by an attack that deals damage, the creature takes damage equal to your Constitution modifier.

Withering Strike (Monk Attack 19)
With one well-placed strike, your enemy is rendered almost completely unable to do harm to you and your allies.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Standard Action (Personal)
Effect: Make a melee basic attack with a weapon. If the attack hits, it deals 2[W] extra damage and the target of the attack is dazed and weakened (save ends both). If the attack misses, you don't use this power, and gain an additional standard action this turn, which you must use immediately. You can't use withering strike until you take a short rest.

Level 19: Diamond Soul
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Will. You also gain immunity to diseases of your level or lower.

Level 20: One Hundred Fists
Black belt paragon path feature
Benefit: You gain the one hundred fists power.

One Hundred Fists (Black Belt Attack 20)
You unleash a stream of powerful blows, and you do not relent until your enemies collapse.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Reliable, Weapon
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Requirement: You must be wielding at least two melee weapons.
Effect: Make a melee basic attack using each weapon you are wielding against one enemy. You can then shift 1 square and repeat this process against an enemy you have not yet used this effect against.

Nu
2011-03-20, 04:49 AM
EPIC PUGILIST
You don't seem like anything out of the ordinary. You might walk around in simple robes, and sit in silent meditation, strangely still and quiet. No one would suspect that you are amongst the world's most capable martial warriors, and that your fists shatter steel and snap bones like twigs.
When your pugilist reaches the 21st level, you can select an epic destiny that you qualify for. This epic destiny represents the grand finale of your adventuring career. Like your paragon path, it grants a set of related features and powers.

PUGILIST EPIC TIER
{table=head]
Total XP |
Level |
Feats Known |
Class Features and Powers


175,000 |
21 |
+1 |
Ability score increase
Epic destiny feature


210,000 |
22 |
+1 |
Utility power


255,000 |
23 |
- |
Epic tradition


310,000 |
24 |
+1 |
Ability score increase
Epic destiny feature


375,000 |
25 |
- |
Daily power


450,000 |
26 |
+1 |
Epic destiny power


550,000 |
27 |
- |
Abundant step


675,000 |
28 |
+1 |
Ability score increase


825,000 |
29 |
- |
Daily power
Perfect self


1,000,000 |
30 |
+1 |
Epic destiny feature[/table]

Level 21: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Each of your ability scores increases by 1.

Level 21: Epic Destiny Feature
Benefit: You gain a feature associated with your epic destiny.

Level 22: Utility Power
Benefit: You gain a monk utility power of your choice.

Level 23: Epic Tradition
Benefit: You gain one of the following benefits of your choice.

Perfect Defense
Benefit: When you use your Flurry of Blows power using a staff, you gain a +5 bonus to all defenses against each target until the end of your next turn.

Unerring Flurry
Benefit: When you use your Flurry of Blows power using a weapon from the unarmed weapon group, you can roll twice for the attack roll and use either result.

Level 24: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Level 24: Epic Destiny Feature
Benefit: You gain a feature associated with your epic destiny.

Level 25: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice. This power replaces one of your existing monk daily attack powers.

Dragon Kick (Monk Attack 25)
With a temendous leap, you deliver an extraordinarily powerful kick that knocks your enemy senseless.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Reliable, Weapon
Standard Action (Close burst 10)
Requirement: You must be wielding your Kick Attack.
Target: One creature
Effect: You jump your speed into a square adjacent to the target, and make a melee basic attack against it. This movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks. For each square you jump as part of this movement, the attack at the end of the charge deals 1[W] extra damage (up to 6[W]). In addition, if the attack hits, the target is stunned until the end of your next turn, and until the end of the encounter, whenever you hit the target with your Kick Attack, you can knock it prone.

Titanic Flurry (Monk Attack 25)
You no longer give your enemies even the slightest chance to react to your barrage of attacks.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Reliable, Weapon
Standard Action (Melee weapon)
Effect: You can make five melee basic attacks with a weapon. Whenever you hit an enemy with an attack using this power, each other enemy you have hit with an attack using this power takes 2[W] extra damage.

Level 26: Epic Destiny Power
Benefit: You gain a power associated with your epic destiny.

Level 27: Abundant Step
Benefit: You gain a teleport speed of one-half your move speed as an additional movement mode.

Level 28: Ability Score Increase
Benefit: Your increase two ability scores of your choice by 1.

Level 29: Daily Power
Benefit: You gain a monk daily attack power of your choice. This power replaces one of your existing monk daily attack powers.

Ultimate Flurry Stance (Monk Attack 29)
You have mastered your flurry of blows. You no longer hold back when unleashing your full power while in this stance.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Stance
Minor Action (Personal)
Effect: You can use your Flurry of Blows power as many times as it triggers per round, but only once per attack power.

Triple Kick (Monk Attack 29)
You smack an enemy with a devastating kick, and immediately follow by flipping over and kicking a different enemy. But just to make sure the first enemy doesn't forget you, you follow it up with a third kick aimed at your first target.
Daily ✦ Psionic, Weapon
Standard Action (Special)
Requirement: You must be wielding your Kick Attack.
Effect: Roll 3 d20s. If you don't like any of the d20 results, you can choose to rewind your turn to before you used this power, and choose a different standard action to use. You don't expend the use of this power, but you cannot use it again until you take a short rest.
Otherwise, you charge a creature in range. You can then shift 2 squares and charge the same creature or a different creature. Then, you can shift 2 squares and make a third charge attack against the same creature or a different creature. You don't provoke opportunity attacks for movement made while charging as part of this power. You can use any of the d20 results for any of these attack rolls, but you can only use a given result once. Each of these attacks deals 2[W] extra damage.
If you hit once with an attack made using this power, each creature you hit with an attack made using this power falls prone. If you hit twice with attacks made using this power, each creature you hit with an attack made using this power is dazed and slowed (save ends both). If you hit three times with attacks made using this power, each creature you hit with an attack made using this power is stunned until the end of your next turn.

Level 29: Perfect Self
Benefit: You gain resist 5 to all damage, and you no longer age. You are considered an immortal creature for purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.

Level 30: Epic Destiny Feature
Benefit: You gain a feature associated with your epic destiny.

PUGILIST OPTIONS
As a monk who specializes in weapon attacks, you have a number of unique options availible to you. Even those who do not follow your monastic traditions may find some of these options useful.

FEATS

Comet Throw

Prerequisites: Monk, Grappling Tradition class feature
Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a grab attack or a power that allows you to grab a creature, you also knock that creature prone.

Grappler's Guard

Prerequisites: Monk, Grappling Tradition class feature
Benefit: You gain a +1 shield bonus to AC and Reflex when you are grabbing a creature or have a free hand.

Superior Leverage

Prerequisites: Monk, Grappling Tradition class feature
Benefit: Whenever an enemy grabbed by your attempts to escape your grab, you choose whether it targets Fortitude or Reflex, regardless of what skill it uses for its escape attempt.

Pinning Maneuver

Prerequisites: Dex 17, monk
Benefit: A prone target you are grabbing can't stand until you end the grab or until it escapes.

Unarmed Attack Mastery

Prerequisites: 21st level, Dex 19; and Str 19 or Con 19
Benefit: When you make a weapon attack with a weapon from the unarmed weapon group, you can score a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20.

ITEMS

Kung Fu Shoes (Level 16 Common)
These old foot wrappings were blessed by a martial master, who wielded a ki energy like no other.
Item Slot: Feet (45,000 gp)
Special: You can use the enchant magical item ritual to upgrade this item to wulong shoes, which costs the difference in price in reagents.
Property: If you have the Kick Attack class feature, the damage die of your kick attack increases to 1d10. Otherwise, you can use your feet as the following weapon. You are proficient with this weapon, and you can wield it even if your hands are not free.
Power (At-Will): Minor Action. Stand from prone.

Kick Attack (Kung Fu Shoes)
Weapon Category: One-handed simple melee weapon
Weapon Group: Unarmed
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Damage: 1d6

Wulong Shoes (Level 26 Uncommon)
These dull-looking cloth shoes house intensely focused ki power, which transforms your feet into lethal weapons.
Item Slot: Feet (1,250,000 gp)
Property: If you have the Kick Attack class feature, the damage die of your kick attack increases to 1d12. Otherwise, you can use your feet as the following weapon. You are proficient with this weapon, and you can wield it even if your hands are not free.
Power (At-Will): Minor Action. Stand from prone.
Power (Encounter): Minor Action. Make a melee basic attack using your kick attack.

Kick Attack (Wulong Shoes)
Weapon Category: One-handed simple melee weapon
Weapon Group: Unarmed
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Damage: 1d8

vasharanpaladin
2011-03-20, 10:11 PM
Any particular reason why this striker has defender HPs? :smallsmile:

Nu
2011-03-20, 10:18 PM
Any particular reason why this striker has defender HPs? :smallsmile:

It's not without precedent to give a class more HP than is standard for its given role (see druid, warden, barbarian, avenger). And I've always seen the monk has a high-HP character (must be Final Fantasy's influence), so that would be the reason.

vasharanpaladin
2011-03-20, 10:22 PM
It's not without precedent to give a class more HP than is standard for its given role (see druid, warden, barbarian, avenger). And I've always seen the monk has a high-HP character (must be Final Fantasy's influence), so that would be the reason.

No it is not without precedent, but I guess the problem is I don't see the monk as high-HP. But carry on anyway, I'm still reading the rest. :smallbiggrin:

Surrealistik
2011-03-20, 11:05 PM
Needs grab and 'counter attack' focused traditions, powers and features.

Also I hate the name 'Pugilist'; can we go with something better like Ascetic?

Nu
2011-03-20, 11:24 PM
No it is not without precedent, but I guess the problem is I don't see the monk as high-HP. But carry on anyway, I'm still reading the rest. :smallbiggrin:

I could see reducing the HP to around the same value as the Avenger.


Needs grab and 'counter attack' focused traditions, powers and features.

Also I hate the name 'Pugilist'; can we go with something better like Ascetic?

To me, 'pugilist' fits best with a bare-fisted fighter. I feel this is a more combat-oriented version of the standard monk, hence the addition of the martial power source. If I was concentrating more on the psionic aspect of the class, I'd probably go with something like ascetic. With that said, it's certainly possible I could change the Wisdom rider stat to something else and leave the Wisdom rider for another build that could be called 'ascetic.'

Surrealistik
2011-03-20, 11:32 PM
Make it Martialist, anything but Pugilist, it just sounds so crude and barbaric, and completely without finesse.

Also like Vash, I don't see it as a high HP class; as with the Monk, you should focus on bolstering its defenses over its HP.

Mando Knight
2011-03-21, 07:25 PM
It's not without precedent to give a class more HP than is standard for its given role (see druid, warden, barbarian, avenger). And I've always seen the monk has a high-HP character (must be Final Fantasy's influence), so that would be the reason.

On the other hand, all Essentials classes have the same HP as their non-Essentials versions (the Slayer Fighter has Defender HP despite being a Striker). The original Monk has the typical 12/5/7 HP.

Nu
2011-03-22, 06:11 AM
The following updates have been made:

For now, the class will remain the pugilist. However, the rider has been changed to Constitution (at much pain to me, as most of the best utilities use the monk's Wisdom modifier--I'll have to make some of my own).
HP reduced to be equal to the Avenger's. I feel that a class basically forced into melee should be more durable, as I've heard many stores of the melee rogue attracting a bit too much attention and being turned into paste. The monk doesn't have the rogue's hiding shenanigans or the option of staying at range, so adding a bit of extra durability should help him survive if he's going to be in melee in cloth armor. Of course, having Constitution as a rider may help too.
Added a grappling tradition, and discipline of the setting sun changed to involve grabbing the target of a MBA.
The traditions now get additional benefits at level 7. Counterstrike uses Constitution modifier.
Discipline focuses altered to be more distinct from wilderness knacks and cantrips. They mostly revolve around giving bonuses to certain skills in certain situations.

vasharanpaladin
2011-03-22, 03:22 PM
We've yet to see that sort of problem with our monk, though. That 12/5/7 setup is fine for HPs, because strikers aren't supposed to be that self-sufficient (*coughrangercough*), and besides that, the monk's defenses are high enough that more trouble should be had actually hitting her than with the damage that comes from it.

Plus, y'know, that whole parent class dealy that was brought up earlier. :smallwink:

Mando Knight
2011-03-23, 10:15 PM
And there's even a feat that they made specifically for characters that have issues with staying alive. It's called "Toughness."

Nu
2011-03-24, 09:47 PM
All right, due to popular demand, I've lowered the HP to the value for the base monk. Its survivability will have to rely on having Constitution for a rider, and other defensive bonuses.

I just didn't want to post to bump this again until I had more to offer and I do now: the paragon pugilist is now ready for critique, along with the black belt paragon path.

Nu
2011-03-28, 05:04 PM
Decided that "no daily attack powers" was not the route I wanted the class to take after all. Added daily attack powers back in from level 5 onwards, but sticking to the theme of working mostly with basic attacks. Rearranged where some features showed up in the leveling, and turned counterstrike into an alternative to power strike. Furthermore, now the advanced tradition features work with both power/counterstrike.

Also, clarified with how the fists work with, say, thri-keen.

Nu
2011-04-01, 05:15 PM
Design philosophy slightly changed. Now emphasizes, to an extend, attacking with multiple weapons. May adjust more powers to this philosophy later. Note that for these purposes, your main weapon and off-hand weapon are considered different weapons, for example, even if they are different copies of the same weapon (so both ends of a double weapon are considered different weapons, as are each of your fists granted by Unarmed Combatant).

Since the shadow hand discipline was redundant with the new Flurry of Blows, it was revised.

Shadow_Elf
2011-04-01, 05:47 PM
I haven't given it an in-depth analysis yet, but these are the things that initially stick out to me:

The two varieties of Unarmed Strike you provide are too good. The original PH3 Monk Unarmed Strike was already considered a very nice weapon, primarily because of its high damage die and great synergy with off-hand related support. Your unarmed attacks are even better, which is too much. For example, I could multiclass Fighter with the Pugilist and take Shocktrooper no problem, for +DEX to damage 1/round and to have an off-hand Mordenkrad of a fist. Now, a lot of classes already multiclass Shocktrooper because the benefits are great, but they are obscene on the Pugilist.

Secondly, between Dazing Fist, Quarterstaff Trip and Viselike Grab, Dazing Fist is far and away the best of the three. Especially because your versions of monk unarmed attacks are way better that a staff and because the grab mechanics of the game are generally rather weak, but even with unarmed attacks toned down as I suggested, the Dazing Fist would be by far the best still.

I may have time later to do a more in-depth look at the class, but I am not as intimately familiar with balancing of Essentials as I am with Core-style classes.

Nu
2011-04-01, 06:48 PM
I haven't given it an in-depth analysis yet, but these are the things that initially stick out to me:

The two varieties of Unarmed Strike you provide are too good. The original PH3 Monk Unarmed Strike was already considered a very nice weapon, primarily because of its high damage die and great synergy with off-hand related support. Your unarmed attacks are even better, which is too much. For example, I could multiclass Fighter with the Pugilist and take Shocktrooper no problem, for +DEX to damage 1/round and to have an off-hand Mordenkrad of a fist. Now, a lot of classes already multiclass Shocktrooper because the benefits are great, but they are obscene on the Pugilist.

Secondly, between Dazing Fist, Quarterstaff Trip and Viselike Grab, Dazing Fist is far and away the best of the three. Especially because your versions of monk unarmed attacks are way better that a staff and because the grab mechanics of the game are generally rather weak, but even with unarmed attacks toned down as I suggested, the Dazing Fist would be by far the best still.

I may have time later to do a more in-depth look at the class, but I am not as intimately familiar with balancing of Essentials as I am with Core-style classes.

I've never really ever actually heard of a monk using its monk unarmed strike. You can spend a feat to make it as good as a bastard sword, which is pretty much the same as subtle fist as-is. Rather, I based them on the pact weapons the hexblade innately obtains (with the understanding that the Infernal Pact weapon is generally considered inferior, which is why I added brutal 1 to at least make it somewhat attractive as an option). I admit the synergy with Shock Trooper wasn't something I considered and may deserve further consideration.

Now that you mention it, dazing fist is probably way too good compared to the other options and I'll be looking to balance that. I don't think the staff option is completely overshadowed, however, as the staff is effectively a +3 weapon in the hands of a pugilist and tends to lend itself to a more defensive playstyle (Staff Expertise for reach, Hafted Defense for improved AC/Reflex, plus access to generally better enchantments than a ki focus).

If I was to really get serious about including this in a game, however, I'd probably have to homebrew some feats that mirror the Brawler line in order to make grappling more attractive.

Nu
2011-04-02, 11:50 AM
Tentative version of the epic pugilist up. Gonna probably add some more thematic and useful features in there later, and open to any suggestions for those.

Shadow_Elf
2011-04-02, 11:54 AM
Okay, I am now taking a more in-depth view of the Heroic Pugilist.
Monastic Traditions:
Here, again, the unarmed combatant one is by far the best. Unarmed Attack has +1 damage die size over staff, at least, and it gets an extra feat (because you gave it defensive here, which is basically what Staff Fighting does, and the +1 to attack with staves was necessary just to make them usable). Both are better than grab, though. I would leave grab the way it is, maybe add that you deal Dexterity modifier damage with a successful grab, leave staff the way it is, and (once you have lowered the damage on unarmed attacks) give the unarmed tradition a worse bonus feat, or maybe even no bonus feat at all.

Weapon Finesse
I would drop the damage bonus. Thieves get the damage bonus because they don't get at-will powers or build features to boost damage like a normal rogue does (i.e. Brutal Scoundrel, Sly Flourish, Piercing Strike, etc). In this case, you have given monks their flurry of blows, their at-will powers AND, on top of that, a passive damage bonus.

Flurry of Blows
Any particular reason this version of Flurry of Blows is so intensely better than any of the Core-style monks' flurry of blows powers? I don't understand why it has to be more than twice as good as any of the other ones. Before I pass judgment, though, I would ask for an explanation of why it is so radically different?

Power Strike
Okay, this is pretty standard for martial and semi-martial classes.

Full Disciplines
I may go through all of these later, but that's a lot of powers and I am not inclined right now to go through cross-referencing them with Thief Tricks and Core-Monk Full Disciplines to gauge balance.

Discipline Focuses
These are some fun-looking powers, and I suppose they are meant to be a parallel to Wilderness Knacks? However, I notice a number of move actions; you already get a host of move actions from your Full Disciplines, though. I would recommend making them less action-dependent and convert them to riders you can apply to other actions in some cases. That may be just me, but I think that having more than 3 different ways to use a move action at level 1 that aren't "Walk" "Run" and "Shift" is maybe giving the player too many things to keep in play.

Level 9 Dailies
The second and third ones are leaps and bounds ahead of the first one, IMHO. I'm also no certain that the third one is balanced - minor action melee basic attacks at-will until the end of the encounter is a pretty obscene boost to your DPR. Consider revising that.

Anything I did not mention is, in my opinion, alright and doesn't need much changing, although I am not saying that anything I didn't mention is definitely 100% okay, they're just not big issues.

Nu
2011-04-02, 12:20 PM
Thanks for very much for the feedback. I'll go through it point-by-point and give my responses.


Monastic Traditions:
This is probably true. I would consider dropping the unarmed style's bonus feat and simply adding a +2 damage bonus.


Weapon Finesse
Fair enough. The thief got a passive damage boost on top of their striker-damage-feature, and the executioner got a different kind of bonus tacked on, so I felt it fair to give the pugilist one as well. However, the scout received no such bonus with off-hand strike and power strike, so perhaps it would be appropriate that the pugilist did not as well.


Flurry of Blows
It was designed to be a cross between the monk's flurry of blows and the scout's off-hand strike. I wanted to give the pugilist a distinctly martial, weapon-user flavor, as while I like the core monk it doesn't really feel like it "uses" its weapons to me. Sure, flavor-wise its supposed to, but the rules rarely took the weapons into account and I wanted the pugilist to be different in that regard.


Full Disciplines
A few of them are based on the core monk disciplines, just redesigned to use a melee basic attack instead of an implement attack, and maybe a changed damage type. With that said, the setting sun discipline was instead more based on the Fighter's grappling strike, and a few are more unique.


Discipline Focuses
I think the only one that's actually a move action is Lightfoot, and it was mostly intended for "out of combat" sneaking (most of the powers were intended more for out-of-combat situations than in-combat situations, like the Wilderness Knacks of the scout/hunter/sentinel, but closer in design actually to the Psion's features, as I wanted them to have a distinctly psionic feel). I could redesign Lightfoot to trigger on a move instead of being a move in and of itself, however.


Level 9 Dailies
Fair enough, it's probably too early for a minor action attack every round. Though I thought the out-of-turn trigger and damage boost to the first power would be beneficial, I could try to bring these three powers more in line with each other.


Anything I did not mention is, in my opinion, alright and doesn't need much changing, although I am not saying that anything I didn't mention is definitely 100% okay, they're just not big issues.
Your feedback is much appreciated, and I'll continue to tinker with and revise the class.

Nu
2011-04-03, 11:30 AM
Epic pugilist revised with new features, slightly adjusted powers, and now: feats and items!