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Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-16, 05:05 PM
This is not the latest version of this class. Please go to the second page. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35152&page=2#33)

Monk
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8.
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Flurry of Blows|Enhanced Damage|Unarmored AC Bonus|Unarmored Speed Bonus
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Bonus feat, flurry of blows, enhanced strike|-1/-1|1d6|+0|+0 ft.
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Bonus feat, evasion|+0/+0|1d6|+0|+0 ft.
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Still mind|+1/+1|1d6|+0|+10 ft.
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Ki strike (magic), slow fall 20 ft.|+2/+2|1d8|+0|+10 ft.
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Purity of body|+4/+4|1d8|+1|+10 ft.
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Bonus feat, slow fall 30 ft.|+5/+5/+0|1d8|+1|+20 ft.
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Wholeness of body|+6/+6/+1|1d8|+1|+20 ft.
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Air walk, slow fall 40 ft.|+7/+7/+2|1d10|+1|+20 ft.
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Improved evasion|+9/+9/+4|1d10|+1|+30 ft.
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Ki strike (alignment)|+10/+10/+5|1d10|+2|+30 ft.
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Diamond body, greater flurry|+11/+11/+11/+6/+1|1d10|+2|+30 ft.
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Slow fall 60 ft., tongue of sun and moon|+12/+12/+12/+7/+2|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Diamond soul|+13/+13/+13/+8/+3|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Slow fall 70 ft.|+14/+14/+14/+9/+4|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Quivering palm|+15/+15/+15/+10/+5|2d6|+3|+50 ft.
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Ki strike (material), slow fall 80 ft.|+16/+16/+16/+11/+6/+1|2d8|+3|+50 ft.
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Dimension door, timeless body|+17/+17/+17/+12/+7/+2|2d8|+3|+50 ft.
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Slow fall 90 ft.|+18/+18/+18/+13/+8/+3|2d8|+3|+60 ft.
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Empty body|+19/+19/+19/+14/+9/+4|2d8|+3|+60 ft.
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Perfect self, slow fall any distance|+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5|2d10|+4|+60 ft.[/table]
Class Skills: As the standard monk.
Skill points at 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.
Skill points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: As the standard monk.
Bonus Feat: As the standard monk.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): As the standard monk.
Enhanced Strike (Ex): As the standard monk's unarmed strike ability, except that the increased damage applies to special monk weapons and weapons with the ki focus special ability in addition to unarmed strikes.
Evasion (Ex): As the standard monk.
Still Mind (Ex): As the standard monk.
Unarmored Speed Bonus (Ex): As the standard monk.
Unarmored AC Bonus (Ex): As the standard monk.
Slow Fall (Ex): As the standard monk.
Ki Strike (Su): Starting at 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if they were magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. They also gain an effective enhancement bonus equal to half his monk class level. This effective enhancement bonus functions exactly like the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon in all respects. A 4th level monk can treat his fists as +2 weapons, or as +1 weapons with a special ability. Upon gaining this ability, and every other level thereafter, the monk must perform a ritual which involves meditating for 1 hour and the burning of special incense which costs an increasing amount of money, as indicated on the following table. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change the way this effective bonus is distributed, but he must possess special incense appropriate for how much of the bonus he is altering.
{table="head"]Effective Bonus|Incense Cost
+1|1,000 gp
+2|3,000 gp
+3|5,000 gp
+4|7,000 gp
+5|9,000 gp
+6|11,000 gp
+7|13,000 gp
+8|15,000 gp
+9|17,000 gp
+10|19,000 gp[/table]
Example: Kenji is a 3rd level monk. On gaining his 4th level, he must purchase 4,000 gp worth of special incense (1,000 gp for the +1 and 3,000 gp for the incerase to +2) and medtate for an hour, after which his fists become +1 shocking weapons. Later on during his 5th level, Kenji wants to change his fists to be +1 frost weapons instead. He is altering the equivalent of a +1 ability, so he has to buy 1,000 gp worth of incense and meditate for an hour.

Starting at 10th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as lawful-aligned weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Lawful good monks' enhanced strikes are additionally treated as good-aligned, and lawful evil monks' enhanced strikes are treated as evil-aligned.

Starting at 16th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if made out a special material for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change which special material his enhanced strikes are treated as.
Purity of Body (Ex): As the standard monk.
Wholeness of Body (Su): As the standard monk.
Air Walk (Sp): Starting at 8th level, the monk can duplicate the effect of the air walk spell for up to 10 minutes per 2 monk levels per day. He may use this ability multiple times per day as long as the total time spent with this ability active does not exceed 10 minutes per 2 monk levels per day.
Improved Evasion (Ex): As the standard monk.
Diamond Body (Ex): As the standard monk.
Greater Flurry (Ex): As the standard monk.
Tongue of Sun and Moon (Ex): As the standard monk, except gained at 12th level.
Diamond Soul (Ex): At 13th level, monk gains spell resistance equal to his current monk level + 20.
Quivering Palm (Ex): Once per day beginning at 15th level, the monk can make an attack that intantly kills its target. He must declare his intent to use this ability beforehand, and creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this ability. Otherwise, if the monk successfully makes a melee attack and the target takes damage, the target must then make a Fortitude save against DC 10 + the monk's level + Wisdom modifier or die instantly. If the target succeeds on its save, it still takes triple the damage the monk dealt. If the monk acheived a critical hit using this ability, the target takes a -4 penalty on his save and takes quadruple damage on a success.
Dimension Door (Sp): Once per day for every 5 monk levels attained, starting at 17th level, a monk may create a dimension door effect, as the spell. His caster level for this effect is half his monk level.
Timeless Body (Ex): As the standard monk.
Empty Body (Su): As the standard monk.
Perfect Self (Su): As the standard monk.

Quellian-dyrae
2007-02-16, 05:41 PM
I would say that the monk weapons dealing unarmed strike damage is good. The magic weapon for unarmed strike needs some sort of mitigating cost; either a ritual costing an appropriate amount of gold or an XP cost. Otherwise it's like giving the 20th level monk 200,000 extra gold (or 400,000 if they do two weapon fighting--also, minor sidetrack, but there isn't any rule that prohibits two weapon fighting and flurry of blows is there? I keep trying to find one but I can't.) Other than that it's definitely something monks need.

Air walk is cool. I agree that quivering palm needed an increase, or at least being changed to once per day...just to make it a bit more balanced I'd say to make it be a full-round action. That way you won't be doing triple damage plus a full attack action. Other than that it seems like just what the doctor ordered.

Although I personally would love to see monks with a fighter's attack bonus...I don't know that a non-gestalt game can handle that. Maybe for an any-alignment "martial artist" class with monk unarmed fighting abilities but without its supernatural abilities...

The only thing I really can't agree on is the SR change. 10+level was fine; it meant that an even-level caster had about an average chance of beating the monk's SR. 20+level means the monk is all but immune to an even-level caster's magic, sans penetration feats.

jlousivy
2007-02-16, 05:42 PM
so... did you take anything away from the monk? because you just effectively at lvl 20 gave him two free +10 weapons, 4 more uses of dimension door, 10 more SR, airwalk, full bab, increased damage with weapons.....

i agree the monk needs some changes but this seems like there is too much

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-16, 05:51 PM
does the Ki magical(the +1, later +2)ability get better? Because I would let it get better, and cut out the lawfully aligned part. I mean, if you let it get better, there is a enchantment that covers lawfully aligned weapons. Maybe the costs should be XP and Wealth needed tho make the weapon of the same enchantment bonus, and then let the monk shift the encantments around as a 1-hour ritual.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-16, 05:55 PM
In reference to the SR complaint: Assay Spell Resistance, from the Spell Compendium, is a 3rd level spell that gives a +10 on CL checks to overcome SR. There goes the monk's "immunity". And I'm sure there are other ways to get around it.

Re: Dimension Door 4x per day at 20th level still sucks compared to a wizard, who's using teleport or greater teleport and gets to act afterwards.

My revision of Ki strike may well need to be toned down. That's why I posted it.

The ki strike bonus automatically increases with level. At 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are the equivalent of +2 weapons. At 6th, they're +3, etc., etc.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-16, 06:04 PM
Ki Strike (Su): Starting at 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if they were magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. They also gain an effective enhancement bonus equal to half his monk class level. This effective enhancement bonus functions exactly like the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon in all respects. A 4th level monk can treat his fists as +2 weapons, or as +1 weapons with a special ability. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change the way this effective bonus is distributed.


oops. But Xp and wealth charges to the monk to enchant his body would be a good balance mechanic.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-16, 06:26 PM
They would. Suggestions for values?

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-16, 06:33 PM
Maybe the costs should be XP and Wealth needed to make the weapon of the same enchantment bonus. Or the same amount of gold as it takes to buy a weapon of that bonus level. OR the Kensai chart(though that would be broken, because Kensai have a lot of other restrictions.)

Quellian-dyrae
2007-02-16, 06:37 PM
In reference to the SR complaint: Assay Spell Resistance, from the Spell Compendium, is a 3rd level spell that gives a +10 on CL checks to overcome SR. There goes the monk's "immunity". And I'm sure there are other ways to get around it.


Yeah, it's your classic arms race deal. There's a defense against this, so you get a counter defense. I'm not sure I agree that just because there is a counter defense the defense should improve...what would that do to those without the counter defense?

As for the magic unarmed strikes, one good tactic would be to use the same rules as given for a kensai (Complete Warrior page 50-51). Never mind that was suggested and countered. Another suggestion: I had a feat that did the same sort of thing, had it cost 1 XP per 10 gold value of the item.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-16, 07:07 PM
Hmmm... How about this:


Ki Strike (Su): Starting at 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if they were magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. They also gain an effective enhancement bonus equal to half his monk class level. This effective enhancement bonus functions exactly like the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon in all respects. A 4th level monk can treat his fists as +2 weapons, or as +1 weapons with a special ability. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change the way this effective bonus is distributed. Upon gaining this ability, and every other level thereafter, the monk must perform a ritual which involves meditating for 1 hour and the burning of special incense which costs an increasing amount of money, as indicated on the following table.
{table="head"]Effective Bonus|Incense Cost
+1|1,000 gp
+2|4,000 gp
+3|9,000 gp
+4|16,000 gp
+5|25,000 gp
+6|36,000 gp
+7|49,000 gp
+8|64,000 gp
+9|81,000 gp
+10|100,000 gp[/table]
Starting at 10th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as lawful-aligned weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Lawful good monks' enhanced strikes are additionally treated as good-aligned, and lawful evil monks' enhanced strikes are treated as evil-aligned.

Starting at 16th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if made out a special material for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change which special material his enhanced strikes are treated as.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-17, 01:36 PM
Is that too cheap? (bump)

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-17, 01:39 PM
the costs are cumulative, correct? If so, the balance is good, if not, the I would say unbalanced

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-17, 01:46 PM
How are those costs? I changed the table; the prices are still noncumulative.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-17, 01:47 PM
They should be cumulative for the simple reason that otherwise a level 10 monk pays 9000 for his +5 weapon, which would really make the fighter jealous. One could probably raise the later costs to what a normal PC has to pay, because they can switch the enchantments around, which would be very useful in alot of situations.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-17, 02:03 PM
Well, I think you're still looking at the older table, and now I'm thinking that I misunderstood what you meant when you said "cumulative".

Under the old table, a 6th level monk would have to spend 5,000 gold to increase her strikes from a +2 equivalent to a +3 equivalent, having already spent a total of 4,000 gp to acquire the +2 equivalent in the first place.


Ki Strike (Su): Starting at 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if they were magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. They also gain an effective enhancement bonus equal to half his monk class level. This effective enhancement bonus functions exactly like the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon in all respects. A 4th level monk can treat his fists as +2 weapons, or as +1 weapons with a special ability. Upon gaining this ability, and every other level thereafter, the monk must perform a ritual which involves meditating for 1 hour and the burning of special incense which costs an increasing amount of money, as indicated on the following table. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change the way this effective bonus is distributed, but he must possess special incense appropriate for how much of the bonus he is altering.
{table="head"]Effective Bonus|Incense Cost
+1|1,000 gp
+2|3,000 gp
+3|5,000 gp
+4|7,000 gp
+5|9,000 gp
+6|11,000 gp
+7|13,000 gp
+8|15,000 gp
+9|17,000 gp
+10|19,000 gp[/table]
Example: Kenji is a 3rd level monk. On gaining his 4th level, he must purchase 4,000 gp worth of special incense (1,000 gp for the +1 and 3,000 gp for the incerase to +2) and medtate for an hour, after which his fists become +1 shocking weapons. Later on during his 5th level, Kenji wants to change his fists to be +1 frost weapons instead. He is altering the equivalent of a +1 ability, so he has to buy 1,000 gp worth of incense and meditate for an hour.

Starting at 10th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as lawful-aligned weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Lawful good monks' enhanced strikes are additionally treated as good-aligned, and lawful evil monks' enhanced strikes are treated as evil-aligned.

Starting at 16th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if made out a special material for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change which special material his enhanced strikes are treated as.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-17, 02:36 PM
I didn't see the new values, and they are good, and yes, if they function like the old chart they are fine(I was afraid of people starting in higher level campaigns to get really cheap enchantments by bypassing the costs for the first few levels.)

Lord Iames Osari
2007-02-18, 08:16 PM
*looks around, bumps*

Daracaex
2007-02-19, 10:39 AM
Wait, Iames? I thought your avatar was... But wern't you a... Oh whatever.

As much as I love seening the monk with full BAB and such, I don't really see where you removed anything. Are you sure this isn't overpowered? I suppose the costs for bettering his fists help balance things though.

About the SR, why not compromise and give it an SR of 15+class level? That way, it helps to counter that spell and other ways of getting around SR, but won't completely screw up everyone else. I may be wrong on this, though.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-19, 06:51 PM
Really, I don't see the need for the class to be balanced any more than this, I mean I never really found monks to be strong, and this allows them to actually do something to the enemy.


Though one time I made a monk with a homebrew that I was working on(I posted a like to it on your campaign thread,Lord Iames Osari). It was actually very powerful for one reason. If it did unarmed damage against a target, it got that amount of health back the next turn. The race also had a bonus to str and wis at the time.

Caelestion
2007-02-20, 06:09 AM
That would be a problem with the race, more than the monk then. I always try to test new stuff with an unaugmented human or other PHB race!

As regards the monk, why not get them to cough up XP to imbue their body as if they are making an amulet of mighty fists which takes up no slots (double cost)? Monks don't hoard money and I think the idea of them splashing out on tons of incense sounds overly indulgent.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-20, 03:32 PM
Yeah, as I said it was the first playtest, so I was expecting bugs. I also have fixed it for the most part, and it isn't a playable race in my campaign, yet.


On monks, if you charge XP, then you need to cut the cost significantly, and I wouldn't consider the amulet of mighty fists for balance purposes because it costs much more than it is worth. If we go that approach(of costing XP) then I believe that the gold and XP costs should be as if crafting a weapon of the appropriate bonus. That way they aren't set too far back(your method would make the ability pointless until later levels where they could afford it), but the ability still costs something.

Caelestion
2007-02-22, 05:20 AM
Well, you can give them Ki Strike (magic) as normal and then still expect them to cough up experience. I suggested the amulet because then you can still wear a full array of magical items and keep with the "bare hands" theme. Allowing the monk to pay xp for only one weapon without double-slotting it is unfair as the monk will almost certainly be using more than one fist at a time and won't have the weapon available to be stolen or immediately apparent.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-22, 03:08 PM
using both fists doesn't change the number of attacks, technically, the monk could be head butting, kicking,or elbowing. I would have some greater xp cost involved(maybe). Anyways, it should probably take a gold because other abilities either cost little(kensai) but with huge restrictions or require gold and have few restrictions(spells). Also, monks that are adventurers tend to hoard alot of gold in the form of equipment, so spending the money for inner insight doesn't seem to out of place(though really, monks should probably automatically get vow of poverty). The following compares the cost that a monk would incur to enchant his body for the first 5 enchantment bonuses under crafting rules. Note, this is non-cumulative. Personally, I favor full enchantment gp cost, and a double crafting xp cost

Comparing costs 18 32 50

weapon cost amulet costs
1000gp, 80xp 3000gp,240xp
4000gp, 320xp 12000gp,960xp
9000gp, 360xp 27000gp,2160xp
16000gp, 1280xp 48000gp, 3840xp
25000gp, 2000xp 75000gp,6000xp

Caelestion
2007-02-22, 03:40 PM
Well, I would simply go with double xp cost (including the necessary day of meditation per 1000 xp) and leave it at that. I think it fits better with the "flow of spiritual energy" idea.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-22, 03:45 PM
Well, I would simply go with double xp cost (including the necessary day of meditation per 1000 xp) and leave it at that. I think it fits better with the "flow of spiritual energy" idea.

double xp cost would only break 1000 at level 4 and above in that method.

Telonius
2007-02-22, 03:48 PM
Looks good. Real good.

The incense ritual might complicate things for VoP monks, but I could see a DM waiving that. (And I think VoP grants you magic weapon-style boosts anyway).

EDIT: I'm picturing something like a Dune ritual, when the monk uses the incense to gain power. :smallsmile:

Caelestion
2007-02-22, 05:57 PM
double xp cost would only break 1000 at level 4 and above in that method.
I don't see what point you were trying to make.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-22, 09:15 PM
I was just checking that I was using the correct values. Also, that puts it at less than the kensai(I think) so we should up the cost.

Caelestion
2007-02-22, 09:22 PM
So increase the XP to match the Kensai's, treat it as an amulet of mighty fists 1-5 and coupled it with the usual ki strike. With the good BAB, the monk would be a lot better.

MeklorIlavator
2007-02-22, 09:27 PM
My point was that we were outclassing the kensia, and I thought that the kensai had very harsh requirements/restrictions. Therefore, how about 3times XP cost. That would increase it by quite a bit, but isn't to taxing(unless we are talking about XP cost in addition to a GP cost, which would change it quite a bit).

Caelestion
2007-02-27, 07:48 AM
Well, don’t forget that the amulet of might fists is already horrendously expensive and, when you double the price (for an unslotted item), you end up with a huge cost. Also, don’t forget that if the earliest level to develop the ability is when you have WBL of 50% of the item’s cost, you’re already putting a high level requirement on the later bonuses.

AMF +1 x2 = 12,000 gp = 480 xp = 8th
AMF +2 x2 = 48,000 gp = 1,920 xp = 13th
AMF +3 x2 = 108,000 gp = 4,320 xp = 16th
AMF +4 x2 = 192,000 gp = 7,680 xp = 18th
AMF +5 x2 = 300,000 gp = 12,000 xp = 20th

New text for the monk:
Improved ki strike I: At 8th-level, the monk can undergo a period of intensive meditation to permanently empower his unarmed strikes with magical energy. Upon spending 480 xp and one day (eight hours) in solitary meditation (as if crafting a magical item), the monk permanently gains a +1 enhancement bonus to all unarmed strikes. This bonus apples to both attack and damage bonuses and also applies to any natural attacks that the monk possesses.
Improved ki strike II: At 13th-level, the monk can spend 1,920 xp and two days (eight hours per day) to gain a +2 enhancement bonus to all unarmed strikes and natural attacks.
Improved ki strike III: At 16th-level, the monk can spend 4,320 xp and five days (eight hours per day) to gain a +2 enhancement bonus to all unarmed strikes and natural attacks.
Improved ki strike IV: At 18th-level, the monk can spend 7,680 xp and eight days (eight hours per day) to gain a +2 enhancement bonus to all unarmed strikes and natural attacks.
Improved ki strike V: At 20th-level, the monk can spend 12,000 xp and twelve days (eight hours per day) to gain a +2 enhancement bonus to all unarmed strikes and natural attacks.

Indon
2007-02-27, 10:00 AM
My take on this class if I was DM'ing and had a player with it.

Wow, Diamond Soul is really powerful with monk level +20. Why not make it, say, Monk Level +15 and make feats that could increase it? You could give the monk a couple bonus feats later on for such a purpose. (As a DM, I'm not going to give every caster, part-caster, or UMD-er in my campaign Assay Spell Resistance just to keep this monk from waltzing through magically-oriented challenges)

I like Air Walk. Dimension Door, too.

Quivering Palm's DC scales WAY too fast. +1 DC per hit die? I can't think of any character ability whose save DC scales that quickly. Make it add every _other_ monk level and it'll be more reasonable, and you can make increasing the DC further an _option_, obtained, say, with feats (This would be a good opportunity for another one-or-the-other monk skill, between Diamond Soul and Quivering Palm boosting).

I think the incense system with the fists is a bit wacky flavorwise. Monks don't strike me so much as a "spend thousands of GP on being your class" kinda class... but sadly, that's not a problem I can think of a better solution for at the moment. I'd say maybe some kind of magic item restriction on the monk in exchange for the ability, but monks already have a lot of that kind of restriction.

While the good BAB _and_ all good saves seem a bit iffy to me, I see no reason why I wouldn't at least see what they could do with that.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-28, 10:39 AM
Monk
Alignment: Any lawful.
Vitality Die: d8.
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special|Decisive Strike|Flurry of Blows|Enhanced Damage|Unarmored AC Bonus|Unarmored Speed Bonus
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Combat technique, enhanced strike, style training I|-1|-1/-1|1d6|+0|+0 ft.
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Evasion, style training II|+0|+0/+0|1d6|+0|+0 ft.
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Still mind|+1|+1/+1|1d6|+0|+10 ft.
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Ki strike (magic)|+2|+2/+2|1d8|+0|+10 ft.
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Purity of body|+4|+4/+4|1d8|+1|+10 ft.
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Style training III|+5|+5/+5/+0|1d8|+1|+20 ft.
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Uncanny dodge|+6|+6/+6/+1|1d8|+1|+20 ft.
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Air walk| +7|+7/+7/+2|1d10|+1|+20 ft.
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Improved evasion|+9|+9/+9/+4|1d10|+1|+30 ft.
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Ki strike (alignment)|+10|+10/+10/+5|1d10|+2|+30 ft.
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Diamond body|+12|+11/+11/+11/+6/+1|1d10|+2|+30 ft.
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Style training IV|+13|+12/+12/+12/+7/+2|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Diamond soul|+14|+13/+13/+13/+8/+3|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Improved uncanny dodge|+15|+14/+14/+14/+9/+4|2d6|+2|+40 ft.
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Quivering palm|+16|+15/+15/+15/+10/+5|2d6|+3|+50 ft.
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Ki strike (material)|+17|+16/+16/+16/+11/+6/+1|2d8|+3|+50 ft.
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Dimension door, timeless body|+18|+17/+17/+17/+12/+7/+2|2d8|+3|+50 ft.
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Style training V|+19|+18/+18/+18/+13/+8/+3|2d8|+3|+60 ft.
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Empty body|+20|+19/+19/+19/+14/+9/+4|2d8|+3|+60 ft.
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Perfect self|+21|+20/+20/+20/+15/+10/+5|2d10|+4|+60 ft.[/table]

Class Skills
The monk’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 1st Level: (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4.
Skill points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.

Class Features
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 and flurry of blows abilities.
Combat Technique (Ex): At 1st level, a monk learns how to deliver a rapid flurry of blows or a single decisive strike.

When unarmored, a monk who is using the flurry of blows technique may strike with a rapid series of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her 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 Flurry of Blows column on the above table. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the monk might make before her next action. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears. When a monk reaches 11th level, her flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack she gets from flurry of blows, she gets a second extra attack at her full base attack bonus. A monk must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.

When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). She may attack with unarmed strikes and special monk weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies her Strength bonus (not Str bonus × 1˝ or ×˝) to her damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether she wields a weapon in one or both hands. The monk can’t use any weapon other than a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows.

In the case of the quarterstaff, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the quarterstaff requires two hands to use, a monk may still intersperse unarmed strikes with quarterstaff strikes, assuming that she has enough attacks in her flurry of blows routine to do so.

When unarmored, a monk who is using the decisive strike technique may deliver a single powerful blow as a standard action. When doing so, her attack roll is made with a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Decisive Strike column on the above table. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears. At 11th level, a monk gains a +1 bonus on the attack roll of a decisive strike. A monk must use an attack action to perform a decisive strike. If the attack hits, it deals double damage. These modifiers and conditions apply for 1 round and so also affect any attacks of opportunity the monk might make before her next action.

When using a decisive strike, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). The monk can’t use any weapon other than a special monk weapon for a decisive strike.

If a decisive strike is used to deliver a stunning attack or a quivering palm attack, the save DCs to resist those abilities are increased by 2.
Enhanced Strike (Ex): At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Monk. The unarmed damage on the above table is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large Monk Unarmed Damage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/monk.htm#tableSmallorLargeMonkUnarmedDamage).

The increased damage from this ability applies to special monk weapons and weapons with the ki focus special ability in addition to unarmed strikes.
Style Training I: At 1st level, a monk selects a style to learn from Chapter 5 and gains the first-tier skill bonus and bonus feat of that style. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for the feats learned as part of a style.
Unarmored AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher if a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Style Training II: At 2nd level, a monk learns the second-tier bonus feat of the style she selected at 1st level. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for the feats learned as part of a style.
Still Mind (Ex): A monk of 3rd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the enchantment school or the telepathy discipline.
Unarmored Speed Bonus (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to her speed, as shown on the table above. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.
Ki Strike (Su): Starting at 4th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if they were magic weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. If the monk performs a special ritual, they also gain an effective enhancement bonus up to half of his monk class level. This effective enhancement bonus functions exactly like the enhancement bonus of a magical weapon in all respects. A 4th level monk who performs this ritual can treat his fists as +2 weapons, or as +1 weapons with a special ability. Upon gaining this ability, and every other level thereafter, the monk can perform a ritual which involves meditating for 1 hour and the burning of special incense, which costs an increasing amount of money as indicated on the following table, to increase the effctive overall enhancement bonus of his fists. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change the way this effective bonus is distributed, but he must possess special incense appropriate for how much of the bonus he is altering.
{table="head"]Effective Bonus|Incense Cost
+1|2,000 gp
+2|6,000 gp
+3|10,000 gp
+4|14,000 gp
+5|18,000 gp
+6|22,000 gp
+7|26,000 gp
+8|30,000 gp
+9|34,000 gp
+10|38,000 gp[/table]Example: Kenji is a 3rd level monk. On gaining his 4th level, he can purchase 4,000 gp worth of special incense (1,000 gp for the +1 and 3,000 gp for the increase to +2) and meditate for an hour, after which his fists become +1 shocking weapons. Later on during his 5th level, Kenji wants to change his fists to be +1 frost weapons instead. He is altering the equivalent of a +1 ability, so he has to buy 1,000 gp worth of incense and meditate for an hour. This incense is a specially prepared variety, and each batch weighs 1lb., no matter how much it costs.

Starting at 10th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as lawful-aligned weapons for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Lawful good monks' enhanced strikes are additionally treated as good-aligned, and lawful evil monks' enhanced strikes are treated as evil-aligned.

Starting at 16th level, the monk's enhanced strikes are treated as if made out a special material (defaulting to adamantine) for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. A monk can meditate for 1 hour to change which special material his enhanced strikes are treated as.
Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases.
Style Training III: At 6th level, a monk learns the 3rd-tier bonus feat of the style she selected at first level. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for the feats learned as part of a style. If she meets the prerequisites, she also learns the bonus ability.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Beginning at 7th level, a monk retains his Dex 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.
Air Walk (Sp): Starting at 8th level, the monk can duplicate the effect of the air walk spell for up to 10 rounds per day. These rounds need not be successive, and he may use this ability multiple times per day as long as the total time spent with this ability active does not exceed 10 rounds per day.

At 16th level, this ability improves and he can air walk for up to 20 rounds per day.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
Diamond Body (Ex): At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
Style Training IV: At 12th level, a monk continues to study her chosen style, gaining the 4th-tier bonus feat or special ability. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for the feats learned as part of a style.
Diamond Soul (Ex): At 13th level, monk gains spell resistance equal to his monk level x 2.
Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Beginning at 14th level, a monk can no longer be flanked.

This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the character by flanking him, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.

If a monk already has uncanny dodge from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
Quivering Palm (Ex): Once per day beginning at 15th level, the monk can make an attack that instantly kills its target. He must declare his intent to use this ability beforehand, and creatures immune to critical hits are immune to this ability. Otherwise, if the monk successfully makes a melee attack and the target takes damage, the target must then make a Fortitude save against DC 11 + 1/2 the monk's class levels + Wisdom modifier or die instantly. If the target succeeds on its save, it still takes triple the damage the monk dealt. If the monk acheived a critical hit using this ability, the target takes a -4 penalty on his save and takes quadruple damage on a success.
Dimension Door (Sp): Once per day for every 5 monk levels attained, starting at 17th level, a monk may create a dimension door effect, as the spell. His caster level for this effect is half his monk level. By expending two uses of this ability, a monk can activate this ability as a move action and retain the ability to act after using it.
Timeless Body (Ex): Upon attaining 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to her ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that she has already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when her time is up.
Style Training V: At 18th level, a monk learns the 5th-tier bonus feat or special ability of her chosen style. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for the feats learned as part of a style.
Empty Body (Su): At 19th level, a monk gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 round per monk level per day, as though using the spell etherealness. She may go ethereal on a number of different occasions during any single day, as long as the total number of rounds spent in an ethereal state does not exceed her monk level.
Perfect Self (Su): At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. She is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 15/magic and adamantine and chaos which allows her to ignore the first 15 points of damage from any attack made by any weapon that is not magical, adamantine, and chaotic-aligned or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type.
Ex-Monks: A monk who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a monk but retains all monk abilities.

Like a member of any other class, a monk may be a multiclass character, but multiclass monks face a special restriction. A monk who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her monk level, though she retains all her monk abilities.

Styles
Cobra Strike
Monks of the Cobra Strike School specialize in agility and defense. By making herself hard to pin down, the Cobra Strike monk forces the enemy to fight on her terms.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Escape Artist
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Dodge
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Mobility
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Spring Attack
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: The dodge bonus to Armor Class granted by your Dodge feat increases to +2. Prerequisites: Balance 4 ranks, Escape Artist 9 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Bounding Assault
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Rapid Blitz

Denying Stance
The Denying Stance monk seeks to neutralize the opponent's maneuvers, thwarting him at every turn until he becomes so frustrated that he makes a crucial error.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Tumble
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Grapple
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Disarm
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: When fighting defensively or using the Combat Expertise feat, you gain a +2 bonus on grapple checks and disarm attempts. Prerequisites: Tumble 9 ranks, Combat Expertise.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Defensive Strike
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Combat Expertise

Hand and Foot
Students of the Hand and Foot style learn to use their appendages for both offense and defense.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Balance
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Stunning Fist
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Deflect Arrows
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Trip
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: 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. Prerequisites: Balance 9 ranks, Tumble 4 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Extended Stun*
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise

Invisible Eye
Monks of the Invisible Eye rely on their senses, particularly hearing, to aid them in combat.
1st-Level Skill Bonus: Listen
1st-Level Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes
2nd-Level Bonus Feat: Lightning Reflexes
3rd-Level Bonus Feat: Blind-Fight
3rd-Level Bonus Ability: When unarmed and fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using the total defense action, increase the dodge bonus to Armor Class that you gain from using that tactic by 1. Prerequisites: Listen 9 ranks, Agile.
4th-Tier Bonus Ability: You gain blindsight with a range of 5 ft.
5th-Tier Bonus Ability: You gain blindsight with a range of 30 ft.

Kazejutsu, the Way of the Wind
Developed by the elves, kazejutsu's techniques are mostly defensive, but the style has powerful offensive capabilities as well. Monks who practice kazejutsu attempt to emulate the wind, evading an opponent's attacks, always just out of reach, until the proper moment and then delivering a crushing blow, or gradually wearing down an opponent with lesser strikes as the situation demands. Grappling is anathema to kazejutsu, unlike many other martial arts styles. The key to kazejutsu's effectiveness is unhindered mobility.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Jump
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Combat Reflexes
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Defensive Strike
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: When using the Spring Attack feat, you provoke no attacks of opportunity and gain the ability to make a full attack rather than a single attack. All attacks you make while full attacking in a Spring Attack suffer a -2 penalty to attack rolls. This penalty becomes -1 at 10th level, and disappears at 14th level. Prerequisites: Jump 9 ranks, Tumble 9 ranks, Spring Attack.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Bounding Assault
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Rapid Blitz

Mind and Fist
Invented by githzerai, this style can be learned by anyone who has psionic potential (at least 1 power point). Those without psionic potential cannot learn this style.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Autohypnosis
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Psionic Weapon
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Speed of Thought
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Deep Impact
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: You do not lose psionic focus by using Psionic Weapon, Greater Psionic Weapon, or Deep Impact until you successfully strike an opponent. Prerequisites: Autohypnosis 9 ranks, Concentration 9 ranks, Psionic Meditation.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Double Focus*
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Immediate Recovery*

Overwhelming Attack
A monk trained in the Overwhelming Attack style always presses the advantage, preferring a showy display of all-out offense to any form of defense.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Intimidate.
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Power Attack.
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Bull Rush.
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Overrun.
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: If you have used Intimidate to demoralize your opponent at any time within the previous 10 rounds, you gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made to bull rush or overrun that opponent. Prerequisites: Intimidate 4 ranks, Perform (dance) 4 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Shock Trooper
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Leap Attack

Passive Way
The Passive Way focuses on making your opponent overreach himself or underestimate your skill.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Bluff.
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise.
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Trip.
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Feint.
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: You gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made to trip an opponent who is denied his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. Prerequisites: Bluff 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks, Skill Focus (Bluff).
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Defensive Strike
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Combat Expertise

Rushing River
This style was created by humans who dwelled alongside the rivers of the Mehrune Kingdom, who used it to defend themselves against river pirates and monsters. The style focuses on aquatic combat, particularly on forcing land-based opponents into the water and holding them there, where the martial artist has the advantage.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Swim
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Grapple
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Stunning Fist
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Weakening Touch
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed and can hold your breath for a number of rounds equal to 5 times your Constitution score. Also, you gain the benefits of a freedom of movement effect, but only when you are underwater. Prerequisites: Endurance, Skill Focus (Swim), Swim 9 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Freezing The Lifeblood
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Extra Stunning

Sleeping Tiger
The Sleeping Tiger style mixes smooth motions with powerful strikes. It favors a quick, first strike approach, preferably from a position of ambush.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Hide
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Sunder
3rd-Level Bonus Ability: Once per round, when an opponent would be denied his Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, the monk deals an extra 1d6 points of damage with a melee attack made with a light weapon. Any creature immune to sneak attacks is immune to this ability. Prerequisites: Hide 9 ranks, Power Attack.
4th-Tier Bonus Ability: The monk's extra damage increases to 2d6.
5th-Tier Bonus Ability: The monk's extra damage increases to 3d6.

Striking Viper
The Striking Viper school was invented by the yuan-ti, but it has spread from their lands to the rest of the world. The style focuses on stealth, ambush, and the use of the siangham.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Move Silently
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Quick Draw
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Two As One
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Spring Attack
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: You gain the skirmish ability, as per the Scout base class (CAdv). Whenever you move at least ten feet in a round, all your attacks during that round deal an extra 1d6 points of damage, and you receive a +1 competence bonus to AC until the beginning of your next turn. At 12th and 18th monk levels, the extra damage increases by 1d6, and the competence bonus to AC increases by 1. This ability stacks with any skirmish abilities gained from other classes. Prerequisites: Hide 9 ranks, Move Silently 9 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Bounding Assault
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Rapid Blitz

Undying Way
Monks of the Undying Way believe in patience above all else. They work to outlast their opponents by means of superior endurance.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Concentration
1st-Tier Feat: Toughness
2nd-Tier Feat: Endurance
3rd-Tier Feat: Diehard
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: When fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using the total defense action, the monk gains damage reduction 2/-. Prerequisites: Concentration 9 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Toughness
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Greater Resiliency

The Way of Fire
The Way of Fire was created by monks who worshipped Vala and sought to wield the power of Her soulfire. The style was then copied by the followers of Vala's rival, Maleth.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Concentration
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Stunning Fist
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Fiery Fist
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Fiery Ki Defense
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: By spending 3 stun attempts, you can cast burning hands as a spell-like ability. The save DC for this effect is equal to 10 + 1/2 your VD + your Wisdom modifier, and your caster level equals your monk class level. Prerequisite: Concentration 9 ranks.
4th-Tier Bonus Ability: By spending an additional 2 stun attempts, you can apply the effects of the Soulfire Spell* (if good) or Darkfire Spell* (if evil) metamagic feats to your burning hands spell-like ability. If neutral, you may choose which feat's effects to apply when you gain this ability; you may not change that choice later.
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Extra Stunning

The Way of the Giant
This style was developed to counter the advantages that larger opponents have in battle.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Intimidate
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Natural Attack
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Lunging Strike
3rd-Tier Level Bonus Feat: Improved Critical (unarmed strike)
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: Your reach increases and you gain bonuses to bull rush, disarm, overrun, and trip attempts as if you were one size category larger, but only when fighting unarmed. Prerequisites: Intimidate 9 ranks, Power Attack.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Augment Critical (unarmed strike)*
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Awesome Blow

The Way of the Mountain
Invented by the dwarves, the way of the mountain emphasizes patience and endurance, waiting for the perfect moment to end a battle with a single, devastating charge inspired by the avalanche.
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Concentration
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Toughness
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Power Attack
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Bull Rush
3rd-Tier Bonus Ability: When overrunning opponents, you trample them, gaining a free unarmed attack against each trampled opponent. Prerequisites: Concentration 9 ranks, Improved Overrun.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Shock Trooper
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Fleet of Foot

The Way of the Poison Dart Frog
1st-Tier Skill Bonus: Spot
1st-Tier Bonus Feat: Rapid Reload (light crossbow)
2nd-Tier Bonus Feat: Deflect Arrows
3rd-Tier Bonus Feat: Improved Critical (light crossbow)
Bonus Ability: You treat the light crossbow as a special monk weapon. Also, you gain the ability to deflect or catch a number of projectiles per round equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. You can immediately load a light crossbow and fire it when you catch a crossbow bolt. Prerequisites: Spot 9 ranks, Snatch Arrows.
4th-Tier Bonus Feat: Accuracy*
5th-Tier Bonus Feat: Aim*

And the new feats:

Accuracy [General]
The accuracy of your shots is uncanny.
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Dex 15, BAB +8.
Benefit: When wielding a ranged weapon with which you are proficient, you may add your Dexterity modifier to damage.
Special: A fighter may select this feat as a one of his bonus feats.

Aim [General]
When you take the time to aim carefully, you intuitively know when best to release your shot.
Prerequisites: Point Blank Shot, Far Shot, Dex 13, Wis 15.
Benefit: By taking a full-round action to make a single ranged attack, you can add your Wisdom modifier to your ranged attack roll, in addition to your Dexterity modifier.
Special: A fighter can select this feat as one of his bonus feats.

Augment Critical [General]
You swing your weapon with such great force that you deal much more damage when your blows strike true.
Prerequisites: BAB +8, Weapon Focus.
Benefit: Choose a weapon for which you have taken the Weapon Focus feat. When wielding that weapon, its critical multiplier doubles (keep in mind that a doubled doubling is a tripling, and so on).
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take it, choose a new weapon with which you also have the Weapon Focus feat. A fighter may take this as a bonus feat.

Darkfire Spell [Metamagic]
You can call upon Maleth's power and channel His power into your fire-based spells.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast spells from the Fire domain, patron god Maleth, alignment lawful evil, neutral evil, or lawful neutral.
Benefit: A darkfire spell is more potent against creatures resistant to fire. This metamagic feat can only be applied to damage-dealing spells with the Fire descriptor. Spells modified by this feat ignore resistance to fire and immunity to fire for the purpose of dealing damage. Spells modified by this metamagic feat take up a slot one level higher than normal and gain the Evil descriptor, and the flames produced by the modified spell are black.

Double Focus [Psionic]
You can achieve an even deeper psionic focus than normal.
Prerequisites: Concentration 15 ranks, any two other psionic feats.
Benefits: While psionically focused, you can attempt a DC 25 Concentration check in order to gain a second psionic focus. You can expend them one at a time or simultaneously, but if you choose the expend both at once, they must be used for separate abilities rather than the same ability twice.
Normal: You have one psionic focus.

Extend Stun [General]
When you stun opponents, they stay stunned longer.
Prerequisites: BAB +12, Dex 13, Wis 13, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist.
Benefit: On a successful stunning attack, your target is stunned for 2 rounds.
Normal: A successful stunning attack stuns the target for 1 round.

Immediate Recovery [Psionic]
You can recover your center with incredible speed.
Prerequisites: Concentration 18 ranks, Psionic Meditation, one other psionic feat.
Benefit: After you expend your psionic focus for any reason, you can attempt a DC 35 Concentration check to regain your psionic focus as an immediate action.
Normal: Regaining your psionic focus requires a full-round action.

Soulfire Spell [Metamagic]
You can call upon Vala's power and channel Her power into your fire-based spells.
Prerequisites: Ability to cast spells from the Fire domain, patron goddess Vala, alignment lawful good, neutral good, or lawful neutral.
Benefit: A soulfire spell is more potent against creatures resistant to fire. This metamagic feat can only be applied to damage-dealing spells with the Fire descriptor. Spells modified by this feat ignore resistance to fire and immunity to fire for the purpose of dealing damage. Spells modified by this metamagic feat take up a slot one level higher than normal and gain the Good descriptor, and the flames produced by the modified spell are silver.

Fax Celestis
2007-03-28, 11:08 AM
Sweet.

(guess who's back, back again, osari's back, tell a friend).

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-28, 03:36 PM
Indeed, I have returned. So what does everyone think of the new version?

Eighth_Seraph
2007-03-28, 03:56 PM
Melikes. Alot. Only two potential balancing problems: Extend Stun is an "I win" button for a monk with a rogue for backup, especially since there's the "Rinse, repeat" option of doing one stunning attack every turn, including while the opponent is stunned. Also, Kazejutsu's special ability is very, very powerful when compared to the others. A full attack that can only be countered with a charge? Dangerous.

Also, it's great to see you back, Child of Passion.

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-28, 04:16 PM
Extend Stun is powerful, yes, but consider that a monk can't take it until 12th level, and consider what other classes are capable of doing at that level.

Kazejutsu's ability is powerful but keep in mind that since the style doesn;t grant the Spring Attack feat, a monk has to take the Dodge-Mobility-Spring Attack tree with his own feats. IMO, that balances out the power of the special ability.

I might be wrong, of course, but it's up to you to convince me.

And let me say for the record that it's good to be back.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-03-30, 09:50 PM
Nothing like a playtest to try it out, huh? Actually, I had something similar when I was making the Vagrant a while back, called Leopard's Pounce. A simple full attack alongside a charge is basically all, but then a few things came into play: 100 foot base land speed for one, and for another that it was a duel in a completely flat plane with characters starting fifty feet apart. Since that's not going to be a problem, let me tell you what my real concern is.

Unarmed strikes are now quite possibly the best weapons around for monks, since they can be enchanted all the way up to +5 weapons like normal weapons, have very decent damage output and, starting at level eleven, a full attack consisting of three attacks at full BAB. The bonus ability is achieved at level 6, so by level eleven a medium-sized monk will be able to hit an opponent with a full attack with a very powerful weapon and move out of movement range so long as they started the turn no more than twenty-five feet away from their opponent. That's going to screw with the heads of a lot of melee combatants. At higher levels it gets rather extreme, with a 90 foot speed; but there's alot more powerful class features than that by then so I'm not worried.

Bottom line is that Kazejutsu's third tier ability has the potential to be unbalancing at mid-high levels. Perhaps a jump check to see how far can be gone after the attack, calculated as a standing long jump that can't surpass the monk's base land speed.

EDIT: Also, what does the first-tier skill bonus actually consist of? I remember something along the lines of a +3 to a certain skill, is that about right?

Nowhere Girl
2007-03-31, 05:44 PM
Without getting into the other concerns, personally I wouldn't tinker with Diamond Soul, which was fine before the misguided effort to mitigate so-called "neener neener" abilities like spell resistance began, and true "neener neener" abilities like Assay Spell Resistance were introduced. (You spend all of this time working to develop an effective spell resistance, and you think, "Well, I'm not as optimized as Johnny the Seven-Class Cherry-Picking Combination Multiclasser, but at least I have some good defenses against mages!" Except ... neener neener ... you don't.)

So instead of changing Diamond Soul, I would personally just disallow Assay Spell Resistance, which is overpowered and should never have been introduced in the first place. It already existed anyway. It's called "Spell Penetration" and "Greater Spell Penetration." As feats, it's balanced.

(As an aside, after considering the admittedly very brilliant points made about the power of sorcerers and wizards ... especially wizards ... by some people on this forum -- which really did open my eyes to some incredibly unbalanced spells -- I would also change or remove some other "neener neener" spells. For example, I've tentatively decided Forcecage -- and, by extension, Wall of Force -- are more reasonable as "spell resistance: yes," based on the fact that force appears to be a "pure magic" effect rather than a "thing," and basically every other force effect is impacted by spell resistance. I was also thinking that it would be reasonable to allow characters with Evasion a Reflex Save to escape the area effect ... on the grounds that Evasion allows them to fully escape other area effects, such as Fireball, and attacks that would seem to be so fast as to be impossible to dodge, such as Lightning Bolt. Having done that ... perhaps make the material component a focus instead, though.)

Okay ... that aside was getting way off of the subject, but my point is that with respect to spell resistance/defense issues, it's not monks but sorcerers and wizards who are broken. Rather than try to fix monks, building on a neverending back-and-forth arms race (and at the same time leaving other melee classes even farther behind in their spell defense efforts), I would just focus on fixing sorcerers and wizards.

Just my two cents'. :smallsmile:

Eighth_Seraph
2007-03-31, 07:57 PM
Actually, Iames is in the process of a full redux for every base class, if I'm not mistaken; spellcasters included, if I'm not mistaken.

Quick question: can a monk choose to learn decisive strike or flurry of blows or does she know both and can choose to do either at any time?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-03-31, 09:13 PM
The skill bonus is a +2, I usually call it a stye bonus because I can't remember what the official type is.

Alas, I am not in the process of anything so ambitious. After I finish with the bard, I might revisit the fighter as I'm a bit dissatisfied with my first attempt at a Fighter Redux - it was too focused on ray and AoO spells, which tend to be damage-dealing and thus, as we all know, not the tool of the intelligent caster. At any rate, after that I might take a look at the barbarian.

Here's an outline of my goals: Make the monk an effective, contributing member of a 4-person party. Make the bard an effective, contributing member of a four-person party. Make the fighter better able to compete with casters (bards are casters already, and monks have a bunch of special abilities to help them do this).

To answer your question, 8th: currently, a monk learns both and can choose to do either at any time.

Eleven
2007-04-28, 07:51 PM
wow. Im crying from joy. Its going in my campaign.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-04-28, 08:00 PM
Well, as long as the thread lives...
When unarmored, a monk who is using the decisive strike technique may deliver a single powerful blow. When doing so, her attack roll is made with a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. (emphasis mine) This is rather confusing. What kind of action is the attack? Is it a standard action and thus exploitable with haste-like effects or is it a full-round action?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-28, 08:34 PM
Whubba? Posts?

Well, to answer your question, 8th, it's a standard action. But remember that the 3.5 version of haste doesn't grant a second standard action. And please take note of the recent changes for your playtest, unless it's already started.

Eighth_Seraph
2007-04-28, 09:33 PM
Minor setbacks required that the campaign be moved to summer break and that I DM it, but I'm playing my character in a campaign starting this Saturday. I'll let you know how it works out as soon as I know.

Latronis
2007-04-29, 02:45 AM
I have no problems with it, except well Ki-strike needs to become an ability higher then +1 if you keep that ability.

fleet
2007-04-29, 10:25 AM
Sorry if this seems out of the blue but if i was using this in my campain would allowing a monk to apply his unarmed damage to monk weapons be easier and actually make said weapons worth buying? Or is there a balance factor that I am missing?

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-29, 11:10 AM
I have no problems with it, except well Ki-strike needs to become an ability higher then +1 if you keep that ability.

Um... you did read the class description, right? The one higher up on this page?


Sorry if this seems out of the blue but if i was using this in my campain would allowing a monk to apply his unarmed damage to monk weapons be easier and actually make said weapons worth buying? Or is there a balance factor that I am missing?

This version already does apply his unarmed damage to monk weapons.

Amphimir Míriel
2007-04-29, 09:14 PM
Iames, you simply rock...

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-29, 09:36 PM
Um, thank you. I'm glad you like it/me. :smallredface:

Latronis
2007-04-30, 07:08 AM
Um... you did read the class description, right? The one higher up on this page?



This version already does apply his unarmed damage to monk weapons.

I meant the Ki-focus weapon ability not the ki-strike monk ability

though at a 2nd quick glanceover it seems the 2nd version no longer includes nonmonk weapons with ki focus anymore so its kinda moot anyway

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-30, 09:01 AM
Oh, I see what you're saying.

Actually, that part is still in there...

I'm not sure that it needs to go away, or that ki focus needs to be bumped up. Ki focus wasn't all that hot to begin with.