Jormengand
2015-08-02, 05:11 PM
The Ascetic
http://orig01.deviantart.net/a3a4/f/2014/147/7/1/cm___kusarigama_s_kunoichi_by_kachima-d7jyl66.jpgCM : kusarigama's Kunoichi by kachima
"Chi is not some special quality of the soul. It is simply the conviction and strength of will to do what must be done. Tell me, did you ever see a man struck by lightning go flying off into the distance? And did you ever wonder why it doesn't do the same to anything else? It is not the lightning that moves us. It is the power of our own bodies. It is, if you like, our chi: that strange, mysterious force that keeps us going long after we ought to fail."
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Flurry of Blows attack bonus
Unarmed Damage
AC bonus
Unarmoured Speed Bonus
Overcome Wounds
1st
+1
+2
+2
+2
Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Shrug Off, Righteous Desperation, Mind over Matter, Tricks
+1/+1
1d6
5
+10 ft
0
2nd
+2
+3
+3
+3
And I Believe (1), Evasion
+2/+2
1d6
5
+10 ft
0
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Silent Mind
+3/+3
1d6
5
+20 ft
0
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
And I Believe (3)
+4/+4
1d8
5
+20 ft
0
5th
+5
+4
+4
+4
Force of Will, Slow Fall Any Distance
+5/+5
1d8
5
+30 ft
0
6th
+6/+1
+5
+5
+5
And I Believe (6), Overcome Wounds
+6/+6/+1/+1
1d8
6
+30 ft
1
7th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+5
Perfection of Body
+7/+7/+2/+2
1d8
6
+40 ft
1
8th
+8/+3
+6
+6
+6
And I Believe (8)
+8/+8/+3/+3
1d10
6
+40 ft
2
9th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+6
Improved Evasion
+9/+9/+4/+4
1d10
6
+50 ft
2
10th
+10/+5
+7
+7
+7
And I Believe (12)
+10/+10/+5/+5
1d10
6
+50 ft
3
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+7
+7
Halting Rebuke
+11/+11/+6/+6/+1/+1
1d10
7
+60 ft
3
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+8
+8
And I Believe (15)
+12/+12/+7/+7/+2/+2
2d6
7
+60 ft
4
13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+8
+8
Dim Mak
+13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3
2d6
7
+70 ft
4
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+9
+9
And I Believe (19)
+14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4
2d6
7
+70 ft
5
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+9
+9
Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon
+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5
2d6
7
+80 ft
5
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+10
+10
And I Believe (23)
+16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6/+1/+1
2d8
8
+80 ft
6
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+10
Resilient Form
+17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+7/+2/+2
2d8
8
+90 ft
6
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+11
And I Believe (27)
+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3
2d8
8
+90 ft
7
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+11
Denial of Death
+19/+19/+14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4
2d8
8
+100 ft
7
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+12
A Paragon of my Kind, And I Believe (32)
+20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5
2d10
8
+100 ft
8
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d12
Class Skills:
All skills except for Truespeak (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha) and Use Psionic Device (Cha) are class skills of the ascetic.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ascetic.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
The Ascetic is proficient in all types of weapon but no type of armour or shield.
AC Bonus, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Evasion, Slow Fall, Improved Evasion, Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex)
All of these abilities work just like the monk abilities of the same name, except as given on Table: The Ascetic and also that the ascetic also attains all of the monk's bonus feats at first level (If this matters, it's considered part of the ascetic's unarmed strike ability).
Ascetic levels and monk levels stack to determine a character's effective monk level. Ascetic levels are treated as monk levels, not as nonmonk levels, when determining Stunning Fist attempts that can be performed each day.
Tricks (Ex)
At each level, an ascetic gains ascetic tricks. The ascetic gains 1 ascetic trick per level up to and including fifth, two per level for the next five, and so forth. Ascetic tricks are detailed in their own section.
Shrug Off
Ascetics can Shrug Off abilities which would hinder, incapacitate or even kill lesser beings. Shrugging Off an ability does not take an action any more than choosing a target to attack does; it is simply a thing that one does, or one does not.
An ascetic who Shrugs Off an effect ignores it. It does not affect the ascetic at all, even if it affects an area (irrespective of, for example, whether or not the ascetic enters, leaves, and then re-enters an area). However, it still affects other people: the effect is still there, unlike with more magical means of removing an effect such as Dispel Magic or Iron Heart Surge. The source of the effect may still be there, even if the effect itself isn't (for example, a windstorm is still there even if the ascetic isn't checked by it, and will automatically check the ascetic again next round). Similarly, an ascetic can't Shrug Off death by hit point damage, as the ascetic would simply die again immedately. This makes the many effects on the table below unlikely at best to come up but they are included for completeness.
The ascetic may Shrug Off an effect in progress, or even one which hasn't taken effect yet (for example, an ascetic could Shrug Off a spell's effect upon being struck by it, ignoring it, even if that ascetic wasn't aware of the spell until it dealt its effects). Ascetics incapable of experiencing the world, such as those who are Dead, Petrified or Unconscious, can't Shrug Off effects. Those who are merely distracted, incapable of acting, or suffering sensory impairment (such as those who are Fascinated, Stunned or simultaneously Blinded and Deafened) can still Shrug Off further effects.
However, Shrugging Off an effect costs hit points. These hit points are dependent on the severity of the effect being Shrugged Off. Further, if the effect is permanent (except for spell effects and effects which are always or usually permanent), triple the number of hit points needed to remove it. An ascetic can't Shrug Off an effect if doing so would kill the ascetic. Use the following table to determine the hit point cost:
Effect
Cost
Ability Damaged
5/point
Ability Drained/Burned
15/point
Blinded
10
Blown Away*
20
Checked
10
Confused
10
Dazed
10
Dazzled
2
Dead*
50
Deafened
10
Disabled
20
Dying
30
Energy Drained
10/level
Entangled
10
Grappling*
5
Knocked Down*
15
Paralysed
20
Petrified
30
Pinned*
5
Prone*
5
Spell Lv 0**
3
Spell Lv 1**
6
Spell Lv 2**
13
Spell Lv 3**
21
Spell Lv 4**
30
Spell Lv 5**
40
Spell Lv 6**
51
Spell Lv 7**
63
Spell Lv 8**
76
Spell Lv 9**
90
Spell Level 10th**
100
Spell Level 11th***
111
Spell Level 12th***
123
Spell Level 13th***
136
Stable
20
Staggered
20
Stunned*
20
Unconscious
As stable/dying
*These effects can only be Shrugged Off before they take effect, due to one of three reasons: One, that they less are conditions and more cause them, two, that once the ability takes hold the ascetic won't be able to Shrug them Off, or three, because simply being hard enough to prevent yourself falling down is one thing; being hard enough to go from being on the ground to on your feet in no time at all is another.
**This also covers (Sp) and (Ps) abilities, powers, and martial maneuvers.
***As **, and also these abilities tend not to exist, but a few classes such as the Worldspeaker have them. To find any spell level higher than 13th, add the new spell level to the previous number (for example, the 13th level value is calculated by adding 13 to the 12th level value).
Mind over Matter
An ascetic is good at resisting attacks. Once per round, an ascetic can, while expending no more time, effort or actions than a normal save, make a will save to negate an attack or spell, even after the result of that attack or spell has been determined. If the save is successful, the attack or spell is negated in its entirety.
Spells, powers, spell-like abilities and psi-like abilities have a set formula to determine the DC of the saving throw (even if the spell itself doesn't allow a saving throw, or has the Irresistible Spell metamagic applied to remove the saving throw) and most other attacks have attack rolls, whose result the ascetic uses as the save DC.
Righteous Desperation (Ex)
http://pre03.deviantart.net/f487/th/pre/f/2009/153/e/d/in_the_mind_by_hieyizar.jpg
In the mind by Hieyizar
"The first rule of unarmed combat: Don't be unarmed."
Ascetics are masters of improvisation, of getting by, of making do with what they have, and this stems from their conviction, their vow never to use magic. Such is the way of the ascetic.
An ascetic who looks about for an improvised weapon to use can as a standard action take a search check whose DC is equal to the price of the item in gold pieces. Passing this check means the Ascetic finds (and can pick up as part of the check) an improvised weapon of the type for which the ascetic is looking. Ascetics never take a penalty for wielding an improvised weapon, although the improvised weapons found in this way are usually fragile, and break within a number of uses equal to 10, plus the number by which the search check DC was beaten. Ascetics wielding improvised weapons deal damage equal to the item's damage, or the ascetic's unarmed strike damage, whichever is higher. In some cases, such as a d12 weapon in the hands of a 12th-level ascetic, neither is inherently more favourable: the ascetic chooses before making each attack.
Ascetics might easily not be able to find anything they can fashion into a weapon of the correct type, but unless they are in a barren plain they can probably find something vaguely weapon-shaped.
Similarly, an ascetic can find objects which function as tools, shields, and so forth in a similar manner. Again, they will break after the same number of uses as the weapon might and the ascetic gets no penalty for using them.
Further, an ascetic is immune to fear, sickness and tiredness effects (such as shaken, frightened, terrified, cowering, sickened, nauseated, fatigued and exhausted).
However, the ascetic's guile and wit, their devotion and their motivation, all stem from the meaningfulness of the vow: the ascetic cannot deliberately and knowingly use magic, psionics, martial strikes or stances, supernatural abilities, or magic or psionic items. They cannot accept direct magical or psionic aid to their person (Fireballing their foes doesn't count), and must take any save against that aid that is given to them. They are encouraged to shun those who repeatedly give them unwanted aid of this nature, and preferably all magic, but this is not actually required and ascetics don't bear any particular enmity towards spellcasters, psionicists or initiators.
An ascetic who breaks this vow feels mentally shattered by the transgression, and loses the conviction that fuels ascetic abilities (other than class skills, proficiency, and hit dice). These other abilities are regained at a rate of one level per day by adventuring normally as a glorified warrior ("Normally" is subjective, but no attempt should be made to avoid combat beyond the usual measure). For example, an eighth-level ascetic who breaks the vow can use a single ascetic trick after one day of adventuring, and seven after six days of adventuring. These days don't need to be consecutive. New ascetic tricks can be selected in this way, though it would have been faster to relearn them normally!
A creature who gets the vow from somewhere else other than a class loses all class abilities if they break the vow, and needs to recover them in the same way. Creatures such as factotums who steal the ability are only affected by breaking the vow for the duration of the ability that copies it.
And I Believe (Ex)
The power of belief is a strong thing. From 2nd level, the ascetic gains a pool of belief points - only one to start, up to 32 at 20th level) each round. A belief point can be spent without an action to add 1 to any roll you make, or increase one of your static defences, such as armour class, spell resistance, energy resistance (even if you don't have any energy resistance, or any of that type) or DR/- (even if you don't have any DR or don't have any DR/-), for the duration of one roll. If your opponent is rolling directly against you, but you don't have an applicable static defence or opposed roll, you can increase the DC instead (such as if someone's trying to steal from you with a sleight of hand check, which has a flat DC).
It should be noted that any expenditure of belief points is unless stated otherwise a free action, and can usually be done when it isn't your turn if necessary (if you want to use it when it's not your turn, you probably can). Belief points are refreshed at the start of each of your turns.
Silent Mind (Ex)
From third level, ascetics are simply immune to all enchantment and illusion spells, and telepathy powers.
Overcome Wounds (Ex)
An ascetic of at least 6th level is very hard to kill, and no wound inflicted on them hinders them long. They gain fast healing as given on Table: The Ascetic.
Perfection of Body (Ex)
From seventh level, an ascetic ignores the effects of any poison or disease inflicted upon them.
Halting Rebuke (Ex)
From eleventh level, an ascetic acquires immunity to magic.
Dim Mak (Ex)
"Dim Mak" or "Death Touch" is one of the most sought-after martial arts techniques ever to come to be. While the attack is supposedly powered by the victim's ki being crushed, in reality it is simply psychological that the creature seizes up, usually as a result of a heart attack. An ascetic can perform Dim Mak instead of any unarmed attack. Dim Mak is a touch attack, but deals no damage if it hits. Instead, the target is slain if they fail a will save (DC 10 + half the ascetic's level + the ascetic's wisdom modifier). However, no matter how many attacks the ascetic may be entitled to, only a single save must be taken against Dim Mak each round by each creature - the ascetic may however use it on multiple creatures to activate its affects multiple times.
Resilient Form (Ex)
From seventeenth level, the ascetic's ability to resist damage is legendary. An ascetic who takes damage is entitled to a will save each time. The will save has no difficulty class, but instead the damage is reduced by the result of the will save.
With the DM's agreement, if this starts getting annoying after a while, you can agree always to take 10 on the will save.
Denial of Death (Ex)
From nineteenth level, ascetics can carry on fighting long after another creature would die, with only their force of will keeping them alive. An ascetic who would fall unconscious, whether dying or stable, doesn't. An ascetic who would die stays alive for a number of rounds equal to the ascetic's wisdom score, before finally collapsing unless the source of the ascetic's death is removed (if the death effect is instantaneous, this is not possible).
A Paragon of My Kind (Ex)
At twentieth level, an ascetic takes on the Paragon Creature template. It does not gain the template's spell-like abilities. This means, all told, that it acquires maximised hit points, plus 240 more hit points (+12 per level after 20th), triple speed, +12 insight +12 luck +5 natural armour to AC, +25 luck to attack, +20 luck to damage, +13 insight to special attacks, resistance 10 to fire and cold, DR 10/epic, Fast Healing increased to 20, epic natural attacks, +10 insight to saving throws, +15 racial to ability scores, +10 competence to skills and one bonus feat.
Learning Ascetic Tricks
http://img01.deviantart.net/a26c/i/2008/271/5/5/meditation_by_goro79.jpg
Meditation by goro79
"My dreams are a pillar upon which worlds are built."
Learning an ascetic trick works essentially exactly the same as learning a feat; indeed, they work in nearly the exact same way as feats, they just can't be taken as actual feats. You learn them when you gain the relevant level, and then retain them for use later.
The main difference is that it's a lot easier for an ascetic to pick up new tricks. Indeed, once per day an ascetic can simply pick up a trick that is useful in the current situation. However, it must choose and discard a previous ascetic trick to do this. An ascetic can do this once more per day for each five levels after first: at high levels, an ascetic can near-constantly be learning on-the-spot to handle almost anything as and when it comes up.
Most ascetic tricks can only be taken once.
http://orig01.deviantart.net/a3a4/f/2014/147/7/1/cm___kusarigama_s_kunoichi_by_kachima-d7jyl66.jpgCM : kusarigama's Kunoichi by kachima
"Chi is not some special quality of the soul. It is simply the conviction and strength of will to do what must be done. Tell me, did you ever see a man struck by lightning go flying off into the distance? And did you ever wonder why it doesn't do the same to anything else? It is not the lightning that moves us. It is the power of our own bodies. It is, if you like, our chi: that strange, mysterious force that keeps us going long after we ought to fail."
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special
Flurry of Blows attack bonus
Unarmed Damage
AC bonus
Unarmoured Speed Bonus
Overcome Wounds
1st
+1
+2
+2
+2
Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Shrug Off, Righteous Desperation, Mind over Matter, Tricks
+1/+1
1d6
5
+10 ft
0
2nd
+2
+3
+3
+3
And I Believe (1), Evasion
+2/+2
1d6
5
+10 ft
0
3rd
+3
+3
+3
+3
Silent Mind
+3/+3
1d6
5
+20 ft
0
4th
+4
+4
+4
+4
And I Believe (3)
+4/+4
1d8
5
+20 ft
0
5th
+5
+4
+4
+4
Force of Will, Slow Fall Any Distance
+5/+5
1d8
5
+30 ft
0
6th
+6/+1
+5
+5
+5
And I Believe (6), Overcome Wounds
+6/+6/+1/+1
1d8
6
+30 ft
1
7th
+7/+2
+5
+5
+5
Perfection of Body
+7/+7/+2/+2
1d8
6
+40 ft
1
8th
+8/+3
+6
+6
+6
And I Believe (8)
+8/+8/+3/+3
1d10
6
+40 ft
2
9th
+9/+4
+6
+6
+6
Improved Evasion
+9/+9/+4/+4
1d10
6
+50 ft
2
10th
+10/+5
+7
+7
+7
And I Believe (12)
+10/+10/+5/+5
1d10
6
+50 ft
3
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+7
+7
Halting Rebuke
+11/+11/+6/+6/+1/+1
1d10
7
+60 ft
3
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+8
+8
And I Believe (15)
+12/+12/+7/+7/+2/+2
2d6
7
+60 ft
4
13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+8
+8
Dim Mak
+13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3
2d6
7
+70 ft
4
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+9
+9
And I Believe (19)
+14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4
2d6
7
+70 ft
5
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+9
+9
Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon
+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5
2d6
7
+80 ft
5
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+10
+10
And I Believe (23)
+16/+16/+11/+11/+6/+6/+1/+1
2d8
8
+80 ft
6
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+10
Resilient Form
+17/+17/+12/+12/+7/+7/+2/+2
2d8
8
+90 ft
6
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+11
+11
And I Believe (27)
+18/+18/+13/+13/+8/+8/+3/+3
2d8
8
+90 ft
7
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+11
Denial of Death
+19/+19/+14/+14/+9/+9/+4/+4
2d8
8
+100 ft
7
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+12
A Paragon of my Kind, And I Believe (32)
+20/+20/+15/+15/+10/+10/+5/+5
2d10
8
+100 ft
8
Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d12
Class Skills:
All skills except for Truespeak (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha) and Use Psionic Device (Cha) are class skills of the ascetic.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (6 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 6 + Int modifier
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the ascetic.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency
The Ascetic is proficient in all types of weapon but no type of armour or shield.
AC Bonus, Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Evasion, Slow Fall, Improved Evasion, Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex)
All of these abilities work just like the monk abilities of the same name, except as given on Table: The Ascetic and also that the ascetic also attains all of the monk's bonus feats at first level (If this matters, it's considered part of the ascetic's unarmed strike ability).
Ascetic levels and monk levels stack to determine a character's effective monk level. Ascetic levels are treated as monk levels, not as nonmonk levels, when determining Stunning Fist attempts that can be performed each day.
Tricks (Ex)
At each level, an ascetic gains ascetic tricks. The ascetic gains 1 ascetic trick per level up to and including fifth, two per level for the next five, and so forth. Ascetic tricks are detailed in their own section.
Shrug Off
Ascetics can Shrug Off abilities which would hinder, incapacitate or even kill lesser beings. Shrugging Off an ability does not take an action any more than choosing a target to attack does; it is simply a thing that one does, or one does not.
An ascetic who Shrugs Off an effect ignores it. It does not affect the ascetic at all, even if it affects an area (irrespective of, for example, whether or not the ascetic enters, leaves, and then re-enters an area). However, it still affects other people: the effect is still there, unlike with more magical means of removing an effect such as Dispel Magic or Iron Heart Surge. The source of the effect may still be there, even if the effect itself isn't (for example, a windstorm is still there even if the ascetic isn't checked by it, and will automatically check the ascetic again next round). Similarly, an ascetic can't Shrug Off death by hit point damage, as the ascetic would simply die again immedately. This makes the many effects on the table below unlikely at best to come up but they are included for completeness.
The ascetic may Shrug Off an effect in progress, or even one which hasn't taken effect yet (for example, an ascetic could Shrug Off a spell's effect upon being struck by it, ignoring it, even if that ascetic wasn't aware of the spell until it dealt its effects). Ascetics incapable of experiencing the world, such as those who are Dead, Petrified or Unconscious, can't Shrug Off effects. Those who are merely distracted, incapable of acting, or suffering sensory impairment (such as those who are Fascinated, Stunned or simultaneously Blinded and Deafened) can still Shrug Off further effects.
However, Shrugging Off an effect costs hit points. These hit points are dependent on the severity of the effect being Shrugged Off. Further, if the effect is permanent (except for spell effects and effects which are always or usually permanent), triple the number of hit points needed to remove it. An ascetic can't Shrug Off an effect if doing so would kill the ascetic. Use the following table to determine the hit point cost:
Effect
Cost
Ability Damaged
5/point
Ability Drained/Burned
15/point
Blinded
10
Blown Away*
20
Checked
10
Confused
10
Dazed
10
Dazzled
2
Dead*
50
Deafened
10
Disabled
20
Dying
30
Energy Drained
10/level
Entangled
10
Grappling*
5
Knocked Down*
15
Paralysed
20
Petrified
30
Pinned*
5
Prone*
5
Spell Lv 0**
3
Spell Lv 1**
6
Spell Lv 2**
13
Spell Lv 3**
21
Spell Lv 4**
30
Spell Lv 5**
40
Spell Lv 6**
51
Spell Lv 7**
63
Spell Lv 8**
76
Spell Lv 9**
90
Spell Level 10th**
100
Spell Level 11th***
111
Spell Level 12th***
123
Spell Level 13th***
136
Stable
20
Staggered
20
Stunned*
20
Unconscious
As stable/dying
*These effects can only be Shrugged Off before they take effect, due to one of three reasons: One, that they less are conditions and more cause them, two, that once the ability takes hold the ascetic won't be able to Shrug them Off, or three, because simply being hard enough to prevent yourself falling down is one thing; being hard enough to go from being on the ground to on your feet in no time at all is another.
**This also covers (Sp) and (Ps) abilities, powers, and martial maneuvers.
***As **, and also these abilities tend not to exist, but a few classes such as the Worldspeaker have them. To find any spell level higher than 13th, add the new spell level to the previous number (for example, the 13th level value is calculated by adding 13 to the 12th level value).
Mind over Matter
An ascetic is good at resisting attacks. Once per round, an ascetic can, while expending no more time, effort or actions than a normal save, make a will save to negate an attack or spell, even after the result of that attack or spell has been determined. If the save is successful, the attack or spell is negated in its entirety.
Spells, powers, spell-like abilities and psi-like abilities have a set formula to determine the DC of the saving throw (even if the spell itself doesn't allow a saving throw, or has the Irresistible Spell metamagic applied to remove the saving throw) and most other attacks have attack rolls, whose result the ascetic uses as the save DC.
Righteous Desperation (Ex)
http://pre03.deviantart.net/f487/th/pre/f/2009/153/e/d/in_the_mind_by_hieyizar.jpg
In the mind by Hieyizar
"The first rule of unarmed combat: Don't be unarmed."
Ascetics are masters of improvisation, of getting by, of making do with what they have, and this stems from their conviction, their vow never to use magic. Such is the way of the ascetic.
An ascetic who looks about for an improvised weapon to use can as a standard action take a search check whose DC is equal to the price of the item in gold pieces. Passing this check means the Ascetic finds (and can pick up as part of the check) an improvised weapon of the type for which the ascetic is looking. Ascetics never take a penalty for wielding an improvised weapon, although the improvised weapons found in this way are usually fragile, and break within a number of uses equal to 10, plus the number by which the search check DC was beaten. Ascetics wielding improvised weapons deal damage equal to the item's damage, or the ascetic's unarmed strike damage, whichever is higher. In some cases, such as a d12 weapon in the hands of a 12th-level ascetic, neither is inherently more favourable: the ascetic chooses before making each attack.
Ascetics might easily not be able to find anything they can fashion into a weapon of the correct type, but unless they are in a barren plain they can probably find something vaguely weapon-shaped.
Similarly, an ascetic can find objects which function as tools, shields, and so forth in a similar manner. Again, they will break after the same number of uses as the weapon might and the ascetic gets no penalty for using them.
Further, an ascetic is immune to fear, sickness and tiredness effects (such as shaken, frightened, terrified, cowering, sickened, nauseated, fatigued and exhausted).
However, the ascetic's guile and wit, their devotion and their motivation, all stem from the meaningfulness of the vow: the ascetic cannot deliberately and knowingly use magic, psionics, martial strikes or stances, supernatural abilities, or magic or psionic items. They cannot accept direct magical or psionic aid to their person (Fireballing their foes doesn't count), and must take any save against that aid that is given to them. They are encouraged to shun those who repeatedly give them unwanted aid of this nature, and preferably all magic, but this is not actually required and ascetics don't bear any particular enmity towards spellcasters, psionicists or initiators.
An ascetic who breaks this vow feels mentally shattered by the transgression, and loses the conviction that fuels ascetic abilities (other than class skills, proficiency, and hit dice). These other abilities are regained at a rate of one level per day by adventuring normally as a glorified warrior ("Normally" is subjective, but no attempt should be made to avoid combat beyond the usual measure). For example, an eighth-level ascetic who breaks the vow can use a single ascetic trick after one day of adventuring, and seven after six days of adventuring. These days don't need to be consecutive. New ascetic tricks can be selected in this way, though it would have been faster to relearn them normally!
A creature who gets the vow from somewhere else other than a class loses all class abilities if they break the vow, and needs to recover them in the same way. Creatures such as factotums who steal the ability are only affected by breaking the vow for the duration of the ability that copies it.
And I Believe (Ex)
The power of belief is a strong thing. From 2nd level, the ascetic gains a pool of belief points - only one to start, up to 32 at 20th level) each round. A belief point can be spent without an action to add 1 to any roll you make, or increase one of your static defences, such as armour class, spell resistance, energy resistance (even if you don't have any energy resistance, or any of that type) or DR/- (even if you don't have any DR or don't have any DR/-), for the duration of one roll. If your opponent is rolling directly against you, but you don't have an applicable static defence or opposed roll, you can increase the DC instead (such as if someone's trying to steal from you with a sleight of hand check, which has a flat DC).
It should be noted that any expenditure of belief points is unless stated otherwise a free action, and can usually be done when it isn't your turn if necessary (if you want to use it when it's not your turn, you probably can). Belief points are refreshed at the start of each of your turns.
Silent Mind (Ex)
From third level, ascetics are simply immune to all enchantment and illusion spells, and telepathy powers.
Overcome Wounds (Ex)
An ascetic of at least 6th level is very hard to kill, and no wound inflicted on them hinders them long. They gain fast healing as given on Table: The Ascetic.
Perfection of Body (Ex)
From seventh level, an ascetic ignores the effects of any poison or disease inflicted upon them.
Halting Rebuke (Ex)
From eleventh level, an ascetic acquires immunity to magic.
Dim Mak (Ex)
"Dim Mak" or "Death Touch" is one of the most sought-after martial arts techniques ever to come to be. While the attack is supposedly powered by the victim's ki being crushed, in reality it is simply psychological that the creature seizes up, usually as a result of a heart attack. An ascetic can perform Dim Mak instead of any unarmed attack. Dim Mak is a touch attack, but deals no damage if it hits. Instead, the target is slain if they fail a will save (DC 10 + half the ascetic's level + the ascetic's wisdom modifier). However, no matter how many attacks the ascetic may be entitled to, only a single save must be taken against Dim Mak each round by each creature - the ascetic may however use it on multiple creatures to activate its affects multiple times.
Resilient Form (Ex)
From seventeenth level, the ascetic's ability to resist damage is legendary. An ascetic who takes damage is entitled to a will save each time. The will save has no difficulty class, but instead the damage is reduced by the result of the will save.
With the DM's agreement, if this starts getting annoying after a while, you can agree always to take 10 on the will save.
Denial of Death (Ex)
From nineteenth level, ascetics can carry on fighting long after another creature would die, with only their force of will keeping them alive. An ascetic who would fall unconscious, whether dying or stable, doesn't. An ascetic who would die stays alive for a number of rounds equal to the ascetic's wisdom score, before finally collapsing unless the source of the ascetic's death is removed (if the death effect is instantaneous, this is not possible).
A Paragon of My Kind (Ex)
At twentieth level, an ascetic takes on the Paragon Creature template. It does not gain the template's spell-like abilities. This means, all told, that it acquires maximised hit points, plus 240 more hit points (+12 per level after 20th), triple speed, +12 insight +12 luck +5 natural armour to AC, +25 luck to attack, +20 luck to damage, +13 insight to special attacks, resistance 10 to fire and cold, DR 10/epic, Fast Healing increased to 20, epic natural attacks, +10 insight to saving throws, +15 racial to ability scores, +10 competence to skills and one bonus feat.
Learning Ascetic Tricks
http://img01.deviantart.net/a26c/i/2008/271/5/5/meditation_by_goro79.jpg
Meditation by goro79
"My dreams are a pillar upon which worlds are built."
Learning an ascetic trick works essentially exactly the same as learning a feat; indeed, they work in nearly the exact same way as feats, they just can't be taken as actual feats. You learn them when you gain the relevant level, and then retain them for use later.
The main difference is that it's a lot easier for an ascetic to pick up new tricks. Indeed, once per day an ascetic can simply pick up a trick that is useful in the current situation. However, it must choose and discard a previous ascetic trick to do this. An ascetic can do this once more per day for each five levels after first: at high levels, an ascetic can near-constantly be learning on-the-spot to handle almost anything as and when it comes up.
Most ascetic tricks can only be taken once.