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Quellian-dyrae
2007-05-23, 02:25 AM
So I hear that the monk is among the weakest of classes. Maybe this'll help:


Monk

HD: d8.
SP: 4.
Skills: Balance, Climb, Concentration, Craft, Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Listen, Move Silently, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble.
Profs: Simple Weapons, Monk Weapons, No Armor.

Monk
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|
+1|
+0|
+2|
+2|Monk Abilities, Flurry (-2)

2nd|
+2|
+0|
+3|
+3|Evasion, Ki Strike +1, Soft Fall

3rd|
+3|
+1|
+3|
+3|Ki Burst

4th|
+4|
+1|
+4|
+4|Flurry (-1), Iron Fist, Ki Strike +2

5th|
+5|
+1|
+4|
+4|Land Stride

6th|
+6|
+2|
+5|
+5|Ki Strike +3, Uncanny Dodge

7th|
+7|
+2|
+5|
+5|Sea Stride

8th|
+8|
+2|
+6|
+6|Flurry (-0), Internal Strength, Ki Strike +4

9th|
+9|
+3|
+6|
+6|Critical Strike

10th|
+10|
+3|
+7|
+7|Ki Strike +5, Wind Stride

11th|
+11|
+3|
+7|
+7|Improved Ki Burst

12th|
+12|
+4|
+8|
+8|Greater Flurry, Ki Strike +6

13th|
+13|
+4|
+8|
+8|-

14th|
+14|
+4|
+9|
+9|Astral Stride, Ki Strike +7

15th|
+15|
+5|
+9|
+9|Improved Internal Strength

16th|
+16|
+5|
+10|
+10|Incrementing Flurry, Ki Strike +8

17th|
+17|
+5|
+10|
+10|Improved Critical Strike

18th|
+18|
+6|
+11|
+11|Ether Stride, Ki Strike +9

19th|
+19|
+6|
+11|
+11|Greater Ki Burst

20th|
+20|
+6|
+12|
+12|Greater Incrementing Flurry, Ki Strike +10[/table]

Monk Abilities (Ex): This variant monk uses the same rules for unarmed fighting, unarmored speed, and unarmored AC as the normal monk.

Flurry (Ex): A monk can make a flurry of blows, exchanging a -2 penalty on all attack rolls for an additional attack. The penalty lowers to -1 at 4th level and disappears at 8th level. At 12th level, the monk can make a third attack. At 16th level, the attack penalty for its iterative attacks (and other attacks at a an iterative penalty, such as from two weapon fighting) becomes -4 per attack (so it attacks at +16/+16/+16/+12/+8/+4 rather than +16/+16/+16/+11/+6/+1). At 20th level, it only takes a -3 penalty on its iterative attacks.

Evasion (Ex): The monk gains evasion at 2nd level, provided it is unarmored and unencumbered.

Ki Strike (Su): A monk can channel its Ki energy to duplicate magical effects on its unarmed strikes. Activating its Ki energy in this fashion requires eight hours of meditation and the dedication of some of the monk’s life force to the cause of maintaining the effect (represented by an XP expenditure).

Upon completing the meditation and expending the XP, the monk’s unarmed strikes function as a magic weapon with a total effective enhancement bonus as given on the table. This applies to all of the monk’s unarmed strikes. The monk can change the distribution of the bonus (for instance, from a +3 flaming unarmed strike to a +1 unarmed strike of speed) with another eight hours of meditation. No additional XP is required to change the effects, but the monk may only do so once per week.

The monk’s Ki strike does not stack with other effects that provide magic weapon enhancements (such as an amulet of mighty fists) unless those effects would normally stack with enhancements already on an item (as with Greater Magic Weapon).

The first +1 must be an actual enhancement bonus. Beyond that, and the monk may apply enhancement bonuses or special abilities as desired, although the actual enhancement bonus cannot go above +5.

The total XP cost for each point of the bonus is as follows. A monk with a lesser bonus needs only pay the difference:

+1: 200 XP.
+2: 800 XP.
+3: 1,800 XP.
+4: 3,200 XP.
+5: 5,000 XP.
+6: 7,200 XP.
+7: 9,800 XP.
+8: 12,800 XP.
+9: 16,200 XP.
+10: 20,000 XP.

Soft Fall (Su): A monk of 2nd level or higher can activate a feather fall effect (self only) at will, as long as it is unarmored and unencumbered.

Ki Burst (Su): Beginning at third level, the monk can take a standard action to make a single, Ki-empowered attack. If the attack hits it deals damage normally, but also causes an additional special effect chosen from the list below. The monk can use a Ki burst up to once per day per class level, and a miss ruins the attempt. The save DCs (when required) are 10 + ½ monk level + Wis modifier.

A monk with the spring attack feat can use Ki burst in conjunction with it.

A monk may never cause more than one Ki burst effect per round.

Burst: The monk’s Ki energy bursts out into a 10’ radius centered on the struck foe. All within this radius except for the monk take damage equal to the target. A successful Reflex save halves this damage. The original target of the attack does not sustain damage twice.

Body Wither: The target sustains an amount of Strength or Dexterity damage equal to the monk’s Wisdom modifier, or half that much Constitution damage. A Fortitude save negates the effect.

Daze: The target must make a Will save or be dazed for 1 round.

Impact: The target takes double damage from the attack.

Launch: The target must make a Fortitude save or be launched back 5’ per 5 points of damage dealt (halve the distance for each size category larger than the monk, double for each category smaller, and round down to the nearest 5’ increment). If it fails this save, it must succeed a Reflex save or fall prone.

Nauseate: The target must make a Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d3 rounds.

Stun: The target must make a Fortitude save or be stunned for one round.

Iron Fist (Ex): Beginning at 4th level, the monk’s attacks ignore one point of DR or hardness per two class levels.

Land Stride (Ex): A 5th level monk has mastered techniques of movement and balance that allow it to ignore the effects of difficult terrain. This ability only works when the monk is unarmored and unencumbered.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex): A 6th level monk gains uncanny dodge. This ability only works when the monk is unarmored and unencumbered.

Sea Stride (Su): A monk of at least 7th level can buoy itself with its Ki. It functions as if under the constant effects of a water walk spell. This ability only works while the monk is unarmored and unencumbered.

Internal Strength (Ex): A monk of 8th level or higher acts as one size category larger for purposes of size-based checks (such as grapples, trips, and so on). It also treats its unarmed strikes as one-handed weapons, rather than light weapons. This does not change its attack rolls, damage, AC, natural armor, or ability scores. The monk does not apply these effects when the effects of greater size or weapon size would be detrimental to it. At 15th level, the monk acts as two size categories larger and treats its unarmed strikes as two-handed weapons (this increases its bonus damage for strength and power attack).

Critical Strike (Ex): Starting at 9th level, a monk’s unarmed strike has a critical entry of either 19-20/X2 or 20/X3, whichever the monk prefers (once chosen, this cannot be changed). At 17th level it becomes either 18-20/X2 or 20/X4. This is an adjustment to the base critical, so critical-modifying effects do apply. If the base critical is not normally 20/X2, the monk can use either this improved critical or the base critical, as it prefers.

Wind Stride (Su): A 10th level monk’s Ki is powerful enough to lift it above the ground. The monk functions as if under the continual effect of an air walk spell. This ability only works while the monk is unarmored and unencumbered.

Improved Ki Burst (Su): Beginning at 11th level, the monk can add the following options to its Ki burst ability, but using these options cost two daily uses rather than one:

Burst, Improved: The monk’s shockwave now affects a 20’ radius, and the initial target of the attack sustains burst damage in addition to normal damage (it receives a Reflex save).

Confuse: The target becomes confused for one minute per monk level if it fails a Will save.

Impact, Improved: The target takes triple damage from the attack.

Knockout: The target must roll a Fortitude save or be reduced to -1 hit points, rendered immediately unconscious (but stable).

Mind Wither: The target sustains an amount of Int, Wis, or Cha damage equal to the monk’s Wisdom modifier. A successful Will save negates the effect.

Paralyze: The target is paralyzed for one minute per monk level unless it succeeds a Fortitude save.

Astral Stride (Su): A 14th level monk can shunt its Ki energy through the astral plane, its body dematerializing to follow along. The monk gains the ability to teleport up to 200 feet per class level per day. Teleporting in this manner is a swift action. The monk may only teleport when unarmored and unencumbered.

Ether Stride (Su): An 18th level monk can become ethereal by shunting its Ki energy into the ethereal plane, its body dematerializing to follow along. Becoming ethereal is a swift action. Unlike other characters, the monk moves at its normal speed on the ethereal plane (whether becoming ethereal through this ability or some other effect). The monk can be ethereal for a total of up to one round per class level per day. This ability only works while the monk is unarmored and unencumbered.

Greater Ki Burst (Su): A 19th level monk adds the following options to its Ki burst ability, but using these options costs three daily uses:

Burst, Greater: The monk’s shockwave now affects a 30’ radius, and the initial target does not get a save against the extra damage.

Impact, Greater: The target takes quadruple damage from the attack.

Soul Wither: The target sustains one negative level per two points of the monk’s Wisdom modifier. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect. The negative levels vanish after one hour per class level and do not have a chance of permanently draining a level.

Slay: The target dies instantly if it fails a Fortitude save.


Variant—Resilient Monk

The resilient monk represents a monk who relies on endurance and absorbing damage with its Ki, rather than speed and agility. The resilient monk has high Fortitude saves rather than Reflex saves. It has 2 skill points per level and does not have Balance, Jump, Hide, Move Silently, or Tumble as class skills. It rolls a d12 HD. The resilient monk loses the following class features: Unarmored speed bonus, unarmored AC bonus (including Wisdom to AC), Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Soft Fall, Land Stride, Sea Stride, Wind Stride, Astral Stride, Ether Stride. It gains the following:

Natural Armor (Ex): The resilient monk channels its Ki as an internal shield against blows, toughening its flesh and bones. The monk has an improvement to its natural armor bonus equal to its Wisdom modifier. This bonus increases by 1 per five class levels. This is an actual improvement, not an enhancement bonus.

Mettle (Ex): Gained at level 2.

Damage Reduction (Ex): The resilient monk gains Damage Reduction 1/- at level 3. This increases by 1 at every third level (2/- at 6th, 3/- at 9th, and so on).

Resilient Defense (Ex): Whenever the resilient monk of at least 5th level fights defensively, uses combat expertise, or takes a total defense action, it adds half the AC bonus gained to its DR.

Eldritch Expertise (Ex): Starting at 7th level, whenever the resilient monk fights defensively, uses combat expertise, or takes a total defense action, it adds half the AC bonus gained to its saving throws.

Fortification (Ex): Starting at 10th level, the resilient monk has a 25% chance to ignore critical hits and sneak attacks. This becomes 50% at 14th level and 100% at 19th level.

Resilient Monk
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special

1st|
+1|
+2|
+0|
+2|Unarmed Damage, Natural Armor, Flurry (-2)

2nd|
+2|
+3|
+0|
+3|Ki Strike +1, Mettle

3rd|
+3|
+3|
+1|
+3|DR 1/-, Ki Burst

4th|
+4|
+4|
+1|
+4|Flurry (-1), Iron Fist, Ki Strike +2

5th|
+5|
+4|
+1|
+4|Resilient Defense

6th|
+6|
+5|
+2|
+5|DR 2/-, Ki Strike +3

7th|
+7|
+5|
+2|
+5|Eldritch Expertise

8th|
+8|
+6|
+2|
+6|Flurry (-0), Internal Strength, Ki Strike +4

9th|
+9|
+6|
+3|
+6|Critical Strike, DR 3/-

10th|
+10|
+7|
+3|
+7|Fortification, Ki Strike +5

11th|
+11|
+7|
+3|
+7|Improved Ki Burst

12th|
+12|
+8|
+4|
+8|DR 4/-, Greater Flurry, Ki Strike +6

13th|
+13|
+8|
+4|
+8|-

14th|
+14|
+9|
+4|
+9|Improved Fortification, Ki Strike +7

15th|
+15|
+9|
+5|
+9|DR 5/-, Improved Internal Strength

16th|
+16|
+10|
+5|
+10|Incrementing Flurry, Ki Strike +8

17th|
+17|
+10|
+5|
+10|Improved Critical Strike

18th|
+18|
+11|
+6|
+11|DR 6/-, Ki Strike +9

19th|
+19|
+11|
+6|
+11|Greater Fortification, Greater Ki Burst

20th|
+20|
+12|
+6|
+12|Greater Incrementing Flurry, Ki Strike +10[/table]

Matthew
2007-05-24, 08:33 PM
This is interesting and all, but it seems almost like a build there are so many Class Features. I don't see why you would reduce the Monk's Fortitude Save either.

Quellian-dyrae
2007-05-24, 11:32 PM
Yeah, I probably could just make some of them feats and be done with it. And the low Fort save was part of the disparity between the base class and the resilient monk variant.