Onigato
2013-08-08, 11:09 AM
I'm creating a prestige class that a monk may like to move into. I've never attempted something like this before and could use some advice on what people think. I'm hoping it is not unbalancing. I know people here in general hate the monk class so if we can simply ignore that there are many other classes that can do a monk's job better.
Anyone have thoughts on improvements/changes/updates and what I might write for the general description of this class? I've listed the abilities and requirements, but am still missing the "introduction paragraph".
Without further ado:
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Zen Master
Requirements: To qualify to become a zen master, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Race: A zen master manipulates the human spirit, and therefore must have human blood.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Concentration 13 , Diplomacy 10 , Knowledge (Religion) 13, Tumble 10
Feats & Ability: Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Stunning Fist, Dodge, Iron Will
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills: The zen master’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the zen master prestige class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A zen master gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Joriki Zen Stance (Ex) (Joriki. Meaning "Power of Mind")
At 1st level, zen masters may focus their mind into this stance once a day for every four class levels. The duration of the zen stance is 5 rounds plus the zen master’s Constitution bonus. A zen master must spend a standard action to activate this ability. At that time he temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, +4 bonus to Wisdom. A zen master may only use extraordinary or supernatural abilities at this time. Their focused concentration does not allow them the luxury of using any spell-like ability or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. A zen master may end this stance prematurely.
Channeled Ki Focus (Su)
At 1st level a zen master learns to channel his Ki while using his stunning fist feat. When declaring the use of a stunning fist charge a zen master receives a +1 circumstance bonus on attacks for that round.
Ki Infused Stunning Fist (Ex)
At 2nd level, a zen master’s Ki increases his stunning fist ability making it more potent. He gains 1 additional daily use of stunning fist and adds +1 to the DC. At 7th level and every 5 levels beyond he gains 1 additional daily use of stunning fist and the DC bonus increases by +2.
Perfect Health (Su)
At 2nd level, a zen master gains a +1 inherent bonus to Constitution. At 6th level he gains an additional +1 inherent bonus to Constitution. At 10th level he gains poison immunity and the inherent bonus to Constitution increases to +3.
Insightful Ki Dodge (Su)
At 3rd level, a zen master may expend one daily use of Ki power (stunning fist) to allow him to almost see an attack before it happens and react accordingly; causing an attack to miss when it might otherwise have hit. He dodges so quickly that his outline blurs granting a 20% concealment bonus against all attacks for 1 round. Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. While the use of see invisibility does not remove this effect, if the attacker is under a true seeing spell they may ignore this concealment bonus.
Ki Strike (Su)
At 4th level, a zen master’s unarmed attacks improve and are treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. If the zen master already has Ki strike (lawful) then he gains Ki Strike (adamantine) instead for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction or hardness. At 9th level, a zen master’s Ki Strike improves to (adamantine). If a zen master already has Ki Strike (adamantine), he gains Ki Strike (Cold Iron) instead for purposes of bypassing damage reduction.
Greater Channeled Ki Focus (Su)
At 5th level a zen master learns to channel his Ki and manipulate it in a new way. A zen master may expend two charges of Ki power (stunning fist) to gain one of the following:
1) Form a solid force barrier made from spiritual energy that adds a +4 AC dodge bonus for one round.
2) Generate a flaming aura around the body that adds 2d6 Fire damage to all attacks made for one round.
3) Gain precognitive knowledge of what might occur; add a +4 insight bonus to all attack rolls for 1 round.
Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, nor does it change the limit of only using 1 stunning fist ability per round.
Spirit of Antar Mouna (Ex) (Antar mouna = Inner stillness and thought observation)
At 7th level a zen master may choose to use this extraordinary ability once a day which allows you to reroll one roll that you have just made and choose the better of the two rolls.
Greater Insightful Ki Dodge (Su)
At 8th level, a zen master gains this ability. It is as insightful Ki dodge, however it provides a 50% concealment bonus.
Critical Foreknowledge (Ex)
At 9th level, a zen master gains a sixth sense on where best to lay a critical blow so that he may add 1/2 his class level as an insight bonus to confirm any critical hit. (This is only on the second roll to confirm a critical hit)
Greater Joriki Zen Stance (Ex) (Joriki. Meaning "Power of Mind")
At 10th level, a zen master's bonus while in this stance increases to +6 Strength, +6 Wisdom. He also attains a higher level of enlightenment that allows him to once again use any spell-like ability or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion while under his zen stance if he makes a successful concentration check. (DC 15 plus the spell level)
New Feat Descriptions:
Joriki Zen Stance Mastery: You have a focused frame of mind and can quickly concentrate in battle.
Prerequisites: Ability to use Joriki Zen Stance.
Benefits: You may now enter the Joriki Zen Stance by using a swift action instead of a standard action and increase the duration by +1 round.
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Anyone have thoughts on improvements/changes/updates and what I might write for the general description of this class? I've listed the abilities and requirements, but am still missing the "introduction paragraph".
Without further ado:
************************************************** ****
Zen Master
Requirements: To qualify to become a zen master, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
Race: A zen master manipulates the human spirit, and therefore must have human blood.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Attack Bonus: +7
Skills: Concentration 13 , Diplomacy 10 , Knowledge (Religion) 13, Tumble 10
Feats & Ability: Improved Unarmed Strike, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike), Stunning Fist, Dodge, Iron Will
Hit Die: d10
Class Skills: The zen master’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.
Class Features: All of the following are class features of the zen master prestige class.
Weapons and Armor Proficiency: A zen master gains no proficiency with any weapon or armor.
Joriki Zen Stance (Ex) (Joriki. Meaning "Power of Mind")
At 1st level, zen masters may focus their mind into this stance once a day for every four class levels. The duration of the zen stance is 5 rounds plus the zen master’s Constitution bonus. A zen master must spend a standard action to activate this ability. At that time he temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, +4 bonus to Wisdom. A zen master may only use extraordinary or supernatural abilities at this time. Their focused concentration does not allow them the luxury of using any spell-like ability or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. A zen master may end this stance prematurely.
Channeled Ki Focus (Su)
At 1st level a zen master learns to channel his Ki while using his stunning fist feat. When declaring the use of a stunning fist charge a zen master receives a +1 circumstance bonus on attacks for that round.
Ki Infused Stunning Fist (Ex)
At 2nd level, a zen master’s Ki increases his stunning fist ability making it more potent. He gains 1 additional daily use of stunning fist and adds +1 to the DC. At 7th level and every 5 levels beyond he gains 1 additional daily use of stunning fist and the DC bonus increases by +2.
Perfect Health (Su)
At 2nd level, a zen master gains a +1 inherent bonus to Constitution. At 6th level he gains an additional +1 inherent bonus to Constitution. At 10th level he gains poison immunity and the inherent bonus to Constitution increases to +3.
Insightful Ki Dodge (Su)
At 3rd level, a zen master may expend one daily use of Ki power (stunning fist) to allow him to almost see an attack before it happens and react accordingly; causing an attack to miss when it might otherwise have hit. He dodges so quickly that his outline blurs granting a 20% concealment bonus against all attacks for 1 round. Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. While the use of see invisibility does not remove this effect, if the attacker is under a true seeing spell they may ignore this concealment bonus.
Ki Strike (Su)
At 4th level, a zen master’s unarmed attacks improve and are treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. If the zen master already has Ki strike (lawful) then he gains Ki Strike (adamantine) instead for the purposes of bypassing damage reduction or hardness. At 9th level, a zen master’s Ki Strike improves to (adamantine). If a zen master already has Ki Strike (adamantine), he gains Ki Strike (Cold Iron) instead for purposes of bypassing damage reduction.
Greater Channeled Ki Focus (Su)
At 5th level a zen master learns to channel his Ki and manipulate it in a new way. A zen master may expend two charges of Ki power (stunning fist) to gain one of the following:
1) Form a solid force barrier made from spiritual energy that adds a +4 AC dodge bonus for one round.
2) Generate a flaming aura around the body that adds 2d6 Fire damage to all attacks made for one round.
3) Gain precognitive knowledge of what might occur; add a +4 insight bonus to all attack rolls for 1 round.
Using this ability is a swift action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity, nor does it change the limit of only using 1 stunning fist ability per round.
Spirit of Antar Mouna (Ex) (Antar mouna = Inner stillness and thought observation)
At 7th level a zen master may choose to use this extraordinary ability once a day which allows you to reroll one roll that you have just made and choose the better of the two rolls.
Greater Insightful Ki Dodge (Su)
At 8th level, a zen master gains this ability. It is as insightful Ki dodge, however it provides a 50% concealment bonus.
Critical Foreknowledge (Ex)
At 9th level, a zen master gains a sixth sense on where best to lay a critical blow so that he may add 1/2 his class level as an insight bonus to confirm any critical hit. (This is only on the second roll to confirm a critical hit)
Greater Joriki Zen Stance (Ex) (Joriki. Meaning "Power of Mind")
At 10th level, a zen master's bonus while in this stance increases to +6 Strength, +6 Wisdom. He also attains a higher level of enlightenment that allows him to once again use any spell-like ability or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion while under his zen stance if he makes a successful concentration check. (DC 15 plus the spell level)
New Feat Descriptions:
Joriki Zen Stance Mastery: You have a focused frame of mind and can quickly concentrate in battle.
Prerequisites: Ability to use Joriki Zen Stance.
Benefits: You may now enter the Joriki Zen Stance by using a swift action instead of a standard action and increase the duration by +1 round.
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