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Legoman
2007-01-05, 03:56 PM
We've had a recent rash of monk discussions and changes, and I figured I'd take a crack at the design of one of my own. My goals for the project are outlined below:

1) Match the power level of the Warblade from ToB
2) Create a 'uniqe' feel among other melee classes (Fighters have Combat Technician, Rangers have 'X-Monster' Killers, Paladins are Holy Warriors, Barbarians are Raw Damage Output.... Where does the monk fit in?)
3) Create several modes of training that the monk could study. There are thousands of Martial Arts, the class of 'Martial Artist' should reflect that, even if the changes are more on the side of flavor than crunch.
4) In popular culture, half the fun of being a martial artist is eventually growing old and becoming a wisened sensei, speaking in parables and demanding nearly impossible tasks from his disciples.... only for them to succeed, and come to some shattering realization about the world. A Monk should be able to impart his wisdom and technique to others, as he becomes a master. (Pai Mai: "Punch through this wooden wall.")

Mechanically, the first is the most important - So I'll give a brief overview of the Warblade's abilities, at first, third, fifth, tenth, fifteenth, and twentieth level. Hopefully, in a way that does not violate copyright law. Descriptions in the brackets are samples of the maneuvers available to a warblade at that level.

First: Bonus to (Bad) Reflex save [Minor extra damage at trade/off, DR 5/Adamantium for a round, Bonuses to allies' combat]
Fifth: Bonus to Crit Confirmations, Bonus Feat [Melee into touch, Free Disarm attempt/ Replace AC with attack roll result/ +6 damage, overcome DR, damage + allies adjust position]
Tenth: Bonus Feat, Bonus to Damage, [Double Strike/Ability Damage/Deny AoO/Damage + flat-foot opp.]
Fifteenth: Bonus Feat, Bonus to AoOs, [Gain massive save bonus/quad damage/Melee as line/DR 20/adamantine/ Damage + stun]
Twentieth: Bonus Feat, Two Stances [Melee time stop/ +100 damage/Massive Con Damage/You and allies charge, no AO, +damage, +stun/Dual stances mean immunity to critical hits + DR 5/-, for example.]

As you can see, the maneuvers make and break the class.

Now, we discussed paths, and we can see several 'threads' out of the maneuvers lists: (I'll drop all the 'allies do X' maneuvers, as we're going to be covering that in the 'sensei' section. )

Minor Damage -> Damage, overcomes DR-> Massive Damage.
Minor Stat damage -> Good stat damage -> Crippling stat damage.
Extra attack at trade-off -> Two attacks-> quad attacks -> Time stop (with beating)
Minor, temp Damage Reduction -> good, temp damage reduction -> permanent good damage reduction.

So, there's basically four threads here:

1) Do more damage on single strikes.
2) Do stat damage, that cripples opponent. (Roll this one into the grappling ability)
3) Take extra attacks (getting into the double digits).
4) Become tough as nails.

Now, a Warblade can do all of these, and more. He's a toolbox. The monk's training should be focused, but generally overpowered in his area of expertise. The single strikes thing kind of treads on the Barbarian. So, we'll nix that. We have three options:

1) Tough as nails.
2) Incapacitate opponents.
3) Lots of attacks.

So: the outline for the monk is then, as follows:

{table] Level | BaB | Fort | Reflex | Will | Special Abilities | Unarmed Damage | Unarmored Speed Bonus
1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | White Belt Discipline | 1d6 | +0 ft.
2nd| +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Evasion |1d6 | + 0 ft.
3rd| +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Still Mind | 1d6 | +10 ft.
4th| +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Orange Belt Discipline |1d8| +10 ft.
5th| +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |1d8| +10 ft.
6th| +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |1d8| +20 ft.
7th| +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |1d8| +20 ft.
8th| +8/+3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Green Belt Discipline |1d10| +20 ft.
9th| +9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |1d10| +30 ft.
10th| +10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Improved Evasion |1d10| +30 ft.
11th| +11/+6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |1d10| +30 ft.
12th| +12/+7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Brown Belt Discipline |2d6| +40 ft.
13th| +13/+8/+3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |2d6| +40 ft.
14th| +14/+9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Diamond Body |2d6| +40 ft.
15th| +15/+10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |2d6| +50 ft.
16th| +16/+11/+6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Black Belt Discipline |2d8| +50 ft.
17th| +17/+12/+7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |2d8| +50 ft.
18th| +18/+13/+8/+3 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |2d8| +60 ft.
19th| +19/+14/+9/+4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | |2d8| +60 ft.
20th| +20/+15/+10/+5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Mastery of the Way |2d10| +60 ft.[/table]Class Features:

All of the following are class features of the monk:

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, and sling. Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement.

AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC.

Martial training: Upon taking her first level in the monk class, the monk selects a martial discipline to follow for the rest of her career. The monk's mastery of these abilities grows as she studies the chosen way. The choices are threefold:

Way of the Crashing Water: Just as the endless sea flows with wave after wave, so does the monk crash into her foes again and again. The Way of Crashing Water focuses on an endless, withering, unrelenting series of attacks.
{table]White Belt: |Flurry of Blows(Ex): The monk may make an additional attack per round at her highest base attack bonus. In exchange, she takes a -2 penalty to all attacks she makes during the round.
Orange Belt:| The monk gains the Multi-weapon fighting feat when fighting unarmed. Both legs and both arms count as weapons for the purpose of this feat. She gets a -2 Penalty on her primary attack, and -4 on her 'off-hand' attacks. In addition, the penalty for using a flurry of blows is reduced to -1. Iterative attacks that the monk would gain through a high base attack bonus cannot make use of these extra off-hand attacks. Likewise, the extra attack that she gains through flurry of blows cannot be split into an attack from each limb.
Green Belt:| The monk's off-hand penalties disappear, as well as her penalty for using her flurry of blows ability. Using both of these abilities concurrently results in /-2/-2/-2/-2/-2.
Brown Belt:| The monk's training has enabled her to strike with added celerity. She may apply her multi-attack ability to her first iterative attack. In addition, the monk may take a 5-foot step in between each iterative attack.
Black Belt:| The monk may now apply her multi-attack ability to her second iterative attack. In addition, the monk may take a 5-foot step in between each attack. This replaces the similar ability the monk gained at the brown-belt level. If the monk moves in this manner, she loses her bonus movement for the round, and cannot move a total distance with these free steps greater than her monk bonus movement.
Mastery of the Way:| Tao Lu of Waters (Su): Once per day, the monk may act at such a speed that time itself stands still. For a number of rounds equal to her Wisdom Bonus - 2, She may take a second full-round attack action in a round.[/table]

Way of the Serene Stone: Just as the mountain stands against all who wish to conquer it, so does the monk bear upon herself an unending torrent of punishment, walking away unscathed.
{table]White Belt:| The monk gains the benefit of both the toughness feat, and of the improved toughness feat (Which grants 2 bonus HP each level).
Orange Belt:| The monk gains fast-healing 1. In addition, she gains a +2 bonus on all fortitude saves.
Green Belt:| The monk's fast healing increases to 3. Tao of Stone Pillars(Su):As a swift action a number of times per day equal to her Wisdom modifier, she gains DR 5/Adamantium for 1 round.
Brown Belt:| The monk's fast healing increases to 5. Also, her Tao of Stone ability increases to DR 10/Adamantium.
Black Belt:| The monk's Tao of Stone increases to DR 20/ Adamantium. Also, the number of attacks of opportunity you can provoke in any given round is reduced to one.
Mastery of the Way:| Juru of Diamond Wall(Su): Once per day, for a number of rounds equal to the monk's Wisdom Bonus -2, the monk enters a state of mental and physical toughness and rigidity. While in this state, the monk does not die by being reduced to negative hit points. At the beginning of every one of the monk's rounds, is she is at a negative hit point total, she must make a save versus her total number of negative hit points. If she fails, she instantly loses consciousness, but does not die immediately (though, she probably will once the Juru ends.)[/table]
Way of Scornful Winds: Just as powerful winds sap even the most powerful warrior of his strength, the monk, by her strikes, incapacitates even the mightiest of her foes.

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I'll need some help figuring out the smaller, non-training oriented abilities, as well as some suggestions for the last Way. Dead levels are bad.

Also, I want to do something with the 'wisened sensei' bit. I was thinking about adding in small 'meditations' - basically, her and X allies sacrifice gold and all make Wisdom checks for some effect.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-01-05, 04:17 PM
Well, the styles thing can already be accomplished. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les

I'm not sure how I would enhance the monk. Giving them full BAB might be good, but monks are intended to be the anti-casters of D&D. So maybe give them SR at an earlier level, and have it able to go higher? like, SR 10 + half monk levels.