BisectedBrioche
2008-02-26, 07:36 PM
You may or may not remember that a while ago I posted some advanced improvised weapons (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69350) rules. This class is designed specifically to take advantage of them.
There are some who wish to follow a path in life which leads down a more martial road than others. Of these there are those, a chosen few, who become frustrated by the reliance on weapons of some classes but are unable to achieve the level of self discipline practised by monks. They search for (and find) a compromise. Rather than turn their body into a weapon or carry one around they take whatever they find within their environment and use it to strike their foes. They have no set name but are generally known as armed monks: having chosen an inconsistent style of combat and lifestyle over a life of discipline.
Armed Monk
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Re-enforce Weapon Uses Per Day
1st|+0|+2|+1|+2|Reverence for Monks, Re-enforce weapon, Flurry of Strikes|
1
2nd|+1|+3|+1|+3|Evasion|
1
3rd|+2|+3|+2|+3|Dynamic Mind|
2
4th|+3|+4|+2|+4|Improved Weapon Improvisation|
2
5th|+3|+4|+3|+4|1 Weapon Qualities|
3
6th|+4|+5|+3|+5||
3
7th|+5|+5|+3|+5||
4
8th|+6/+1|+6|+4|+6|2 Weapon Qualities|
4
9th|+6/+1|+6|+4|+6|Improved Evasion|
5
10th|+7/+2|+7|+5|+7|Preserve Weapon|
5
11th|+8/+3|+7|+5|+7|Improved Flurry of Strikes, 3 Weapon Qualities|
6
12th|+9/+4|+8|+6|+8|Diamond Body|
6
13th|+9/+4/|+8|+6|+8||
7
14th|+10/+5|+9|+6|+9|Martial Knowledge, 4 Weapon Qualities|
7
15th|+11/+6/+1|+9|+7|+9|Fragment Strike|
8
16th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+7|+10||
8
17th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+8|+10|5 Weapon Qualities|
9
18th|+13/+8/+3|+11|+8|+11||
9
19th|+14/+9/+4|+11|+8|+11|Silent Strike|
10
20th|+15/+10/+5|+12|+9|+12|6 Weapon Qualities|
10
[/table]
Alignment: Any, although most lawful would-be armed monks normally become monks
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Use Rope (Int), 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: (5 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier
A armed monk is proficent with all simple weapons and 6 martial or exoctic weapons of their choice.
Reverence for Monks (Su) Despite their lack of discipline a armed monk tries to emulate some skills of actual monks. They have access to the Slow fall and Ki Strike (the effects are applied to whatever they wield as a weapon) abilities of a monk 4 levels lower than them.
Re-enforce weapon (Su) A number of times per day (see table) a armed monk may prevent their weapon from taking damage when they strike an enemy.
Flurry of Strikes (Ex) A armed monk using an improvised weapon may deliver an extra attack with it. The extra attack requires an extra roll for damage to the weapon at a -4 penalty to avoid damage. The extra attack must have uses for re-enforce weapon used separately. The weapon takes no damage until all attacks have been made.
Improved Flurry of Strikes (Ex) At 11th level the armed monk may make another attack per strike, this uses the same roll and re-enforce weapon use as the first extra attack.
Evasion (Ex) At 2nd level or higher if a armed monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a armed monk is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless armed monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Dynamic Mind (Ex) A armed monk has a rapid and complicated train of thought. This grants them a +2 bonus against enchantment effects.
Improved Weapon Improvisation The armed monk gains the effects of the What-You-Want Weapon Improvisation or the As-Is Weapon Improvisation feats even if they do not meet the prerequisites.
Weapon Qualities Starting at level 5 and every 3 levels thereafter the armed monk may choose to add one of these qualities to anything they wield as a weapon as long as it is not a weapon constructed by someone else (non-weapon objects do not count as a constructed weapon);
Durable (Ex) The weapon gains +2 to rolls to avoid being destroyed after striking an enemy.
Heterogeneous damage (Su) Compound weapons take the HP and hardness of the strongest object in their construction rather than the weakest.
Ghosttouch (Su) The weapon is treated as having the Ghostouch special quality. The armed monk must be at least level 10 before they take this enhancement.
Deadly Shards (Su) If the weapon breaks then the monk may cause the shards to strike the target or another creature within the same or an adjacent square. This deals 1d6 damage plus the modifier for the weapon's physical hardness. This effect still works if the weapon was smashed deliberately.
Weapon Bond (Su) After making a successful sunder attempt the armed monk may choose to break their weapon against their target's weapon. This immediately sunders their target's weapon.
Trip The monk may make a trip attempt with their weapon, if they themselves are tripped they may stay upright by dropping the weapon.
Preserve Weapon (Su) An improvised weapon wielded by armed monk is not affected by sunder attempts.
Diamond Body (Su) The armed monk gains immunity to all poisons.
Martial Knowledge (Ex) The armed monk gains damage reduction 5/- against unarmed attacks and any weapons he's proficient with. The first 5 points of damage from any other weapon are non-lethal.
Fragment Strike (Su) Once a week a armed monk wielding a weapon capable of dealing piercing or slashing damage may (on a successful strike) break it and leave a fragment in the target. The fragment is lodged so that it cannot be removed without harming the victim (1d12 con drain or 2d12 damage for creatures with no con score). At any time within a number of days equal to the armed monk's levels in armed monk the armed monk may will the fragment to burst into pieces regardless of distance as long as both them and the victim are on the same plane. The victim must make a fortitude save with a dc of 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier or die immediately. If they pass the save then they are no longer subject to the effects of that strike, although another armed monk (or the same) may hit them with another. Creatures with no visible anatomy instead take 1d20 damage from the burst.
Silent Strike (Su) For a number of rounds per day equal to their level, as a free action the armed monk may become invisible and also gain +20 to move silently checks. They may use this ability more than once as long as the total amount of time spent invisible does not exceed their maximum use per day. Upon attacking a creature the effect immediately ends (the monk may restart the effect the following round). Alternatively they can become ethereal as a monk would with their Empty Body ability however this uses their time twice as quickly.
Backgrounds
Armed monks typically have some sort of interaction with more conventional monks. Despite their name they need not be chaotic (in fact most tend to be neutral in respect to armed and law) however lawful would-be armed monks tend to become monks. Lawful armed monks are not unheard of though, as monk training requires a lot of dedication which is not necessarily present in everyone lawful or not. Most armed monks tend to be human due to their adaptability. Other races may also take the class, particularly in less civilised areas where weapons are harder to come by and the life of the monk too harsh.
Relationship with other classes
Armed monks tend to have some degree of respect for their more conventional "colleagues", although this may not be mutual as monks can consider them undisciplined or as "risk takers" due to their reliance on inconsistent weapons for combat. Similarly melee classes such as barbarians and fighters may respect their combat skills or frown upon their risky choice of weapon. Rogues (and other classes which live on their wits) tend to appreciate their adaptability and wizards (and other studious classes) their more cerebral approach to combat.
There are some who wish to follow a path in life which leads down a more martial road than others. Of these there are those, a chosen few, who become frustrated by the reliance on weapons of some classes but are unable to achieve the level of self discipline practised by monks. They search for (and find) a compromise. Rather than turn their body into a weapon or carry one around they take whatever they find within their environment and use it to strike their foes. They have no set name but are generally known as armed monks: having chosen an inconsistent style of combat and lifestyle over a life of discipline.
Armed Monk
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Re-enforce Weapon Uses Per Day
1st|+0|+2|+1|+2|Reverence for Monks, Re-enforce weapon, Flurry of Strikes|
1
2nd|+1|+3|+1|+3|Evasion|
1
3rd|+2|+3|+2|+3|Dynamic Mind|
2
4th|+3|+4|+2|+4|Improved Weapon Improvisation|
2
5th|+3|+4|+3|+4|1 Weapon Qualities|
3
6th|+4|+5|+3|+5||
3
7th|+5|+5|+3|+5||
4
8th|+6/+1|+6|+4|+6|2 Weapon Qualities|
4
9th|+6/+1|+6|+4|+6|Improved Evasion|
5
10th|+7/+2|+7|+5|+7|Preserve Weapon|
5
11th|+8/+3|+7|+5|+7|Improved Flurry of Strikes, 3 Weapon Qualities|
6
12th|+9/+4|+8|+6|+8|Diamond Body|
6
13th|+9/+4/|+8|+6|+8||
7
14th|+10/+5|+9|+6|+9|Martial Knowledge, 4 Weapon Qualities|
7
15th|+11/+6/+1|+9|+7|+9|Fragment Strike|
8
16th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+7|+10||
8
17th|+12/+7/+2|+10|+8|+10|5 Weapon Qualities|
9
18th|+13/+8/+3|+11|+8|+11||
9
19th|+14/+9/+4|+11|+8|+11|Silent Strike|
10
20th|+15/+10/+5|+12|+9|+12|6 Weapon Qualities|
10
[/table]
Alignment: Any, although most lawful would-be armed monks normally become monks
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Use Rope (Int), 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: (5 + Int modifier) × 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 5 + Int modifier
A armed monk is proficent with all simple weapons and 6 martial or exoctic weapons of their choice.
Reverence for Monks (Su) Despite their lack of discipline a armed monk tries to emulate some skills of actual monks. They have access to the Slow fall and Ki Strike (the effects are applied to whatever they wield as a weapon) abilities of a monk 4 levels lower than them.
Re-enforce weapon (Su) A number of times per day (see table) a armed monk may prevent their weapon from taking damage when they strike an enemy.
Flurry of Strikes (Ex) A armed monk using an improvised weapon may deliver an extra attack with it. The extra attack requires an extra roll for damage to the weapon at a -4 penalty to avoid damage. The extra attack must have uses for re-enforce weapon used separately. The weapon takes no damage until all attacks have been made.
Improved Flurry of Strikes (Ex) At 11th level the armed monk may make another attack per strike, this uses the same roll and re-enforce weapon use as the first extra attack.
Evasion (Ex) At 2nd level or higher if a armed monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, they instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a armed monk is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless armed monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
Dynamic Mind (Ex) A armed monk has a rapid and complicated train of thought. This grants them a +2 bonus against enchantment effects.
Improved Weapon Improvisation The armed monk gains the effects of the What-You-Want Weapon Improvisation or the As-Is Weapon Improvisation feats even if they do not meet the prerequisites.
Weapon Qualities Starting at level 5 and every 3 levels thereafter the armed monk may choose to add one of these qualities to anything they wield as a weapon as long as it is not a weapon constructed by someone else (non-weapon objects do not count as a constructed weapon);
Durable (Ex) The weapon gains +2 to rolls to avoid being destroyed after striking an enemy.
Heterogeneous damage (Su) Compound weapons take the HP and hardness of the strongest object in their construction rather than the weakest.
Ghosttouch (Su) The weapon is treated as having the Ghostouch special quality. The armed monk must be at least level 10 before they take this enhancement.
Deadly Shards (Su) If the weapon breaks then the monk may cause the shards to strike the target or another creature within the same or an adjacent square. This deals 1d6 damage plus the modifier for the weapon's physical hardness. This effect still works if the weapon was smashed deliberately.
Weapon Bond (Su) After making a successful sunder attempt the armed monk may choose to break their weapon against their target's weapon. This immediately sunders their target's weapon.
Trip The monk may make a trip attempt with their weapon, if they themselves are tripped they may stay upright by dropping the weapon.
Preserve Weapon (Su) An improvised weapon wielded by armed monk is not affected by sunder attempts.
Diamond Body (Su) The armed monk gains immunity to all poisons.
Martial Knowledge (Ex) The armed monk gains damage reduction 5/- against unarmed attacks and any weapons he's proficient with. The first 5 points of damage from any other weapon are non-lethal.
Fragment Strike (Su) Once a week a armed monk wielding a weapon capable of dealing piercing or slashing damage may (on a successful strike) break it and leave a fragment in the target. The fragment is lodged so that it cannot be removed without harming the victim (1d12 con drain or 2d12 damage for creatures with no con score). At any time within a number of days equal to the armed monk's levels in armed monk the armed monk may will the fragment to burst into pieces regardless of distance as long as both them and the victim are on the same plane. The victim must make a fortitude save with a dc of 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier or die immediately. If they pass the save then they are no longer subject to the effects of that strike, although another armed monk (or the same) may hit them with another. Creatures with no visible anatomy instead take 1d20 damage from the burst.
Silent Strike (Su) For a number of rounds per day equal to their level, as a free action the armed monk may become invisible and also gain +20 to move silently checks. They may use this ability more than once as long as the total amount of time spent invisible does not exceed their maximum use per day. Upon attacking a creature the effect immediately ends (the monk may restart the effect the following round). Alternatively they can become ethereal as a monk would with their Empty Body ability however this uses their time twice as quickly.
Backgrounds
Armed monks typically have some sort of interaction with more conventional monks. Despite their name they need not be chaotic (in fact most tend to be neutral in respect to armed and law) however lawful would-be armed monks tend to become monks. Lawful armed monks are not unheard of though, as monk training requires a lot of dedication which is not necessarily present in everyone lawful or not. Most armed monks tend to be human due to their adaptability. Other races may also take the class, particularly in less civilised areas where weapons are harder to come by and the life of the monk too harsh.
Relationship with other classes
Armed monks tend to have some degree of respect for their more conventional "colleagues", although this may not be mutual as monks can consider them undisciplined or as "risk takers" due to their reliance on inconsistent weapons for combat. Similarly melee classes such as barbarians and fighters may respect their combat skills or frown upon their risky choice of weapon. Rogues (and other classes which live on their wits) tend to appreciate their adaptability and wizards (and other studious classes) their more cerebral approach to combat.