PDA

View Full Version : Pathfinder New Monk Archetype - Reincarnated Monk (PEACH)



Levism84
2016-03-27, 02:57 AM
Here is a new monk archetype I have been working on. I liked the reincarnated druid archetype but wanted to see if I could apply it to the monk. This archetype gives the monk a more Buddhist feel in both outlook and how it interacts with the reincarnation mechanic. It could also mesh well with the monk vows (particularly the Vow of Poverty). This archetype was designed to be compatible with monk vows, the standard monk, and the unchained monk. It also meshes well with the Improvisation and Improved Improvisation feats for humans as well as the Reflexive Improvisation alternative racial trait of the half-elf, potentially creating a skill monkey of significant ability.

One possible balancing issue is that the qinggong monk archetype can be used to swap-in restoration as a spell-like ability (using 2 ki points) for any number of monk abilities (diamond body, abundant step, diamond soul, quivering palm, tongue of the sun and moon, or empty body). While this option would only be available starting at 11th level, this would allow a reincarnated qinggong monk to recover from the 2 negative levels imposed by the reincarnate effect over the course of 2 weeks without having to pay any material component cost. I wasn't sure if this would be a mechanical issue. I am not sure if there are any other potential mechanical issues, so I am looking to get some feedback from the playground.

Thank you in advance for your help.

REINCARNATED MONK
A reincarnated monk has awakened to the universal truth that death as an end is an illusion and all living creatures are connected by the eternal cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Through meditation, a reincarnated monk learns to revisit past lives in order to gain insight and wisdom from countless incarnations. He also learns to take a more proactive approach to the process of reincarnation.

Skills
A reincarnated monk gains Diplomacy, all Knowledge skills, and Survival as class skills.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Reincarnated monks are proficient with simple weapons.

This replaces the normal monk weapon proficiencies.

Bonus Feat
At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a reincarnated monk can select a bonus feat. These feats represent an awakening of the reincarnated monk to his past lives. The reincarnated monk can use his Wisdom score in place of his Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score when qualifying for feats with these bonus feats. He must use his actual Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution scores when determining the effects of such feats, as normal. In addition, he can ignore any racial prerequisites for qualifying for feats with these bonus feats. This does not give him the ability to use racial abilities or features he does not normally possess.

This ability replaces the normal monk bonus feats.

Past Lives (Ex)
At 1st level, a reincarnated monk begins to unravel the mysteries of their past lives, drawing upon their previous incarnations to access skills and proficiencies long dormant. A reincarnated monk gains a +1 insight bonus on all skill checks for skills he has no ranks in and can use all skills designated "trained only" untrained. In addition, his nonproficiency penalty with weapons decreases by 2 (to a -2 penalty). At 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the insight bonus on skill checks for skills the reincarnated monk has no ranks in increases by +1. Finally, at 20th level, the reincarnated monk's nonproficiency penalty with weapons decreases by an additional 2 (to a penalty of 0).

This ability replaces stunning fist.

Spurn Death's Touch (Ex)
At 2nd level, a reincarnated monk adds half his class level as a bonus on saving throws against death effects, energy drain, and necromancy effects, and on stabilization checks when dying.

This ability replaces evasion.

Many Lives (Ex)
At 5th level, if a reincarnated monk is killed, he may automatically reincarnate (as the spell) 1 day later. The reincarnated monk appears in a safe location within 1 mile of his previous body. At will for the next 7 days, he can sense the presence of his remains as if using locate object as a spell-like ability. If he is killed during these 7 days, he remains dead and does not reincarnate. The many lives ability does not function if the monk is slain by a death effect. A reincarnated monk cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected, though he can be reincarnated.

If a reincarnated monk has at least 1 point in his ki pool when he dies, he may roll twice on the reincarnate table and choose his preferred result. For every 4 additional points in his ki pool, he may roll an additional time.

This ability replaces purity of body.

Cheat Death (Ex)
At 9th level, a reincarnated monk may reroll a save against a death effect, energy drain, or necromancy effect before the result of the roll is revealed, or reroll a failed stabilization check while dying. He must take the result of the second roll, even if it is worse than the original roll. Using this ability is an immediate action that consumes 1 point from his ki pool.

This ability replaces improved evasion.

A Thousand Lives (Su)
At 17th level, a reincarnated monk gains the ability to change his appearance at will, as if using the alter self spell. When using this ability, he precisely mimics the physical features of any of his previous incarnations, whether through the use of the many lives ability or from past lives prior to him becoming a reincarnated monk. Because of the intimate nature of these forms, a reincarnated monk takes no penalty on Disguise checks for disguising himself as a different gender, as a different race, or as a different age category when using this ability.

This ability replaces timeless body.

Countless Lives (Ex)
At 20th level, when a reincarnated monk uses his many lives ability, he may appear in a place of his choosing within 20 miles of his previous body. The monk must have visited the place in which he returns to life at least once. In addition, he may reincarnate even if he is killed within 7 days of using this ability.

This ability replaces perfect self.

Levism84
2016-03-31, 05:18 PM
I added an additional feature, swapping out the normal monk bonus feats for bonus feats that could ignore racial prerequisites and physical ability score prerequisites. I tied the physical ability score prerequisites to Wisdom due to the reincarnation ability of the monk occasionally messing with physical ability scores. I thought it would be an interesting concept for the reincarnated monk to take feats that normally belong to different races, not only for unique mechanical combinations but for flavor as well. I limited this ability to the bonus feats at 1st, 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th levels because allowing the reincarnated monk complete freedom for all of their feats would have been pushing the limits a bit too much.

Is this latest addition to the reincarnated monk too broken or do you guys think it adds to the flavor of the archetype?