Adept of Ninety-Nine Names (a Tier 4 Monk-ish class)

[ChudoJogurt]

I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.

Fluff:
Adepts of the Ninety-Nine Names are monks who seek not the Way of Detachment, but understanding of the magical energies. They meditate deeply upon the Ninety-Nine secret Names of the world, and through that attain deep harmony with the currents of magic, tapping into it to permanently enhance their bodies and spirits.
This is a short, simple (mostly NPC) class of mystical Monks with a very slight Arabic bent. They are intended to be a Tier 4 NPC class who can nope a lot of attacks, provide some basic variability of abilities and look cool.
They should be easy enough to make, and probably boring to play, but are generally somewhat underpowered.

Base Stats
Alignment: Any lawful. Adept that ceases to be Lawful cannot gain new levels, and loses the ability to use 'Meditation' class features. Only the most disciplined and strict minds can attain the necessary self-detachment.
HD: d8
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient with monk weapons and no armor.
Skill Points at Each Level 4 + Int modifier.
Jump/Climb/Swim, Spot/Listen, Sense Motive, Move Silently, Hide, Knowledge (arcane), Concentrate, Tumble, Escape Artist

Spoiler: TABLE

Show

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Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
1st	0	2	2	2	Immersive Meditation, Bonus Feat	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	1	3	3	3	Hardened Skin, Still Mind	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	2	3	3	3		1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	3	4	4	4	Mettle	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	3	4	4	4		1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	4	5	5	5	Enduring Meditation	2	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	5	5	5	5		2	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
8th	6	6	6	6	Meditation of Simple Realignment	2	2	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
9th	6	6	6	6		2	2	1	1	1	-	-	-	-
10th	7	7	7	7	Meditation of Cosmic Unity	2	2	2	1	1	-	-	-	-
11	8	7	7	7		3	2	2	1	1	1	-	-	-
12	9	8	8	8	Restorative Meditation	3	2	2	2	1	1	-	-	-
13	9	8	8	8		3	3	2	2	1	1	1	-	-
14	10	9	9	9	Meditation of the Void	3	3	2	2	2	1	1	-	-
15	11	9	9	9		3	3	3	2	2	1	1	1	-
16	12	10	10	10	Meditation of Deep Realignment	3	3	3	2	2	2	1	1	-
17	12	10	10	10		3	3	3	3	2	2	2	1	1
18	13	11	11	11	Rewrite the Essential Nature	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	1	1
19	14	11	11	11		4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	1
20	15	12	12	12	Way of Phoenix	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2

"

• Name I
• Mage Armor
• Comprehend Languages
• Animalistic Power
• Beast Claws
• Nerveskitter
• Endure Elements
• Eyes of the Avoral
• Critical Strike
• Wieldskill
• Conviction
• Aid

• Name II
• Fox's Cunning
• Owl's Wisdom
• Eagle's Splendor
• Primal Hunter
• Heart of Air
• Feather Fall
• Levitate
• Resist Energy
• Heroics
• Spider Climb
• Fell the Greatest Foe

• Name III
• Fist of Stone
• Magic Fang (greater)
• Primal Instinct
• Fly
• Heart of Water
• Spellcaster's Bane
• Dragon's Breath
• Deeper Darkvision
• Dragonskin
• Nondetection
• Tongues

• Name IV
• Primal Senses
• Heart of Earth
• Unicorn Blood
• Stoneskin
• Resistance (greater)
• Dampen Magic
• Blindisght (greater)
• Sustain
• Greater Mighty Wallop
• Flight of the Dragon
• Shadow form

• Name V
• Primal Speed
• Heart of Fire
• Adamantine Wings
• Blessed Sight
• Iron Bones
• Cloudwalkers
• Eyes of Oracle
• Mantle of the Icy Soul
• Energy Immunity
• Mantle of fiery spirit
• Draconic Might

• Name VI
• Haste
• Voice of the Dragon
• Metal Skin
• Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser
• Arcane Sight, Greater
• Speak with Anything
• Mind of the Labyrithin

• Name VII
• Unicorn Heart
• Death Ward
• Dragonsight
• Dimensional Jumper
• Celestial Blood
• True Seeing
• Foresight

• Name VIII
• Sheltered Vitality
• Sirine's Grace
• Ironguard
• Plant Body
• Shield of Lathander
• Globe of Invulnerability
• Stone Body
• Mind Blank

• Name IX
• Freedom of Movement
• Monstrous Regeneration
• Dragonform

Abilities:
Bonus Feat: Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack or Improved Grapple. You can take them even if you don't meet the prerequisites.

Meditation:
Adepts of the Ninety-Nine Names master a special meditative state that aligns them deeply with the flow of the magic energies through the universe. Not just the threads upon which the magicians pull, but the whole mighty stream of cosmic energies that permeates everything, and how it envelops and permeates their bodies and souls.

Entering a Meditation:
If an Adept is not disturbed, they can enter meditation freely, as long as they have at least three rounds to take a position, close their eyes and control their breathing. If they are in a situation where concentrating is hard due to distractions, they need to roll a Concentration check with a DC as if they would have been casting the spell equal to the level where they get the ability/2 (so 1st level for Deep Meditation, 3rd level for Enduring Meditation, etc).
While meditating, the adept, can't do anything else and is purposefully shutting their senses to the outside world. They cannot see anything and take Listen checks at -20 "
The meditative state allows adept to use the following abilities:

• Immersive Meditation
  While in this state, the Adept sets his inner eye on the flow of magic nearby. They can Identify objects that they touch with a 15-minute meditation, and they can cast Detect Magic at will in that state.
• Enduring Meditation:
  In that state, the Adept is no longer concerned with the base needs of their body. While so meditating, they only need 1/10th of the food and water, and experience no discomfort from extreme weather, and does not need to sleep, though it does not replace sleep -- just delays the need for it. While in that state she no longer ages.
• Meditation of Simple Realignment
  While in this state, the Adept concentrates on the magical and mundane workings of her body, righting things that are wrong and expelling alien energies and substances.
  If they are under an effect of a spell, supernatural or mundane ability that would allow a Fortitude or Will saving throw, they may roll Concentration against the DC of the original saving throw, and if successful, the spell is resolved as due to successful saving throw.
• Meditation of Cosmic Unity
  The threads of magic pierce the entire world, its past, its present and its future. By contemplating this cosmic weave of magical energy, the adept gains an insight - as if by using a Commune spell.
  The question should be in regards to something at least vaguely magic related -- presence of artifcats of mystical potency, nature or thoughts of spellcasters, presence or absence of magic beasts, dragons outsiders and aberrations, outcomes of magical quests etc.
• Restorative Meditation
  The Adept in that state uses magical energies to heal herself. She after entering the state of meditation she heals 5 hit points per round, up to Con*class level rounds/day
• Meditation of the Void
  The adept enters a state of meditation so deep, that for all intents and purposes his own self ceases to exist. In that state any Divination magic or remote viewing abilities fail to find them, or work on them, as if he is affected by Nondetection and Mind Blank spells. The spells already in effect are supressed, not dispelled.
  The benefits of that state persist even after the meditation is over, lasting additional hour for each ten minutes the Adept has spent meditating, or until the adept next sleeps, whichever is earlier.
• Meditation of Deep Realignment
  The Adept may dispel any spells, spell-like or supernatural effects upon her body by successfully making a Concentration check against DC of 15+caster level of the initial cause of the effect. This can only be done once per day for every 2 class levels she has. This allows to counter even the effects that would not usually be subject to Dispel Magic, such as Bestow Curse effects.

Manifesting a Name: (Su)
The core of Adept's Ability is their ability to manifest a name, making their flesh and sould an embodiment of a magical principle, and reforging their body in cosmic energies.
When levelling up, the adept gains a new Name or Names according to the table, chosen from the Adept spell-list.
The Adept must have a Constitution score of at least 10+level of the Name for his body to be able to endure that much energy.
The Adept gains all the benefits of the spell, as if cast on himself with the following exceptions:
The effects of the Name are permanent -- they cannot be dispelled or removed short of losing Adept levels. They can be suppressed by Antimagic field or temprorarily supressed by Dispel Magic, like a magic item would.
If the spell has a trigger that would discharge it, it cannot be used. If it has any choice (e.g. Resist Energy) the choice is made when Name is learned. If spell allows various modes, additional actions etc that would change the effects, those actions are not allowed. The spell only affects the character, even if description would indicate otherwise.
If a spell grants temporary hit points,they are treated as an increase to maximum total hitpoints. If it requires a roll, that roll is Maximized.
Level-dependent numbers are updated at level-up.

Hardened Skin
The adept gains 1/2 of their Con modifier as Natural Armor. They also gain Monk's unarmed damage progression.

Rewriting the Essential Nature:
The Adept is so permeated with the magical energy that it changes him on a fundamental level.
All the Name effects are now (Ex) effects, and therefore not subject to being supressed by an Antimagic field, Dispel magic, or any other effect that would negate magic.

Way of the Phoenix
In a week-long trance, the adept slowly severs her connection with the mundane world and aligns herself with the pure flow of magic, drawing more and more energy into herself until she bursts with magic flames, and makes a Concentration check with DC equal to 15.
The flames do not harm the adept, but they wash away any ailments, impurities, effects other than her class features and the Names inscribed upon her, even effects that are result of instantaneous magic items such as Manual of Bodily Health. All the magical connections are also broken - atunnements, attachments of cursed objects, and the character is considered to be an entirely new, separate person from her pre-rite self for all magical intents and purposes (e.g. such as 'being familiar' for the purpose of divination)
She may also change a single Name she has upon her body, of any level that she can cast for a different Name of the same level.
If she wishes she can also burn away the burden of the excess years, restoring herself to rougly middle of her Adult age, removing all the associated penalties, but keeping all the bonuses. Everytime she so does, the DC for Concentration check of the Rite of the Phoenix increases by 5.This effect is not erased by the Way of the Phoenix rite, and she does not accumulate new bonuses for going through the aging stages she has already been to once.

[JoshuaZ]

I like this a lot.

I'm confused by one bit: one cannot use Names which have discharges, so how does Ancestral Knowledge work for this class?

[ChudoJogurt]

Whoops, you're right.
Switched it to Wieldskill

[Maat Mons]

Can a Name be selected more than once? For example, could an Adept who has selected Resist Energy (Fire) late also select Resist Energy (Cold)?

What happens if an Adept learns a new Name that renders a Name they already have obsolete? For example, suppose an Adept who already has Resist Energy (Fire) wants to learn Energy Immunity (Fire), as a sort of upgrade?

[ChudoJogurt]

>Can a Name be selected more than once? For example, could an Adept who has selected Resist Energy (Fire) late also select Resist Energy (Cold)?
I don't see why not.

>What happens if an Adept learns a new Name that renders a Name they already have obsolete? For example, suppose an Adept who already has Resist Energy (Fire) wants to learn Energy Immunity (Fire), as a sort of upgrade?

No take-backsies.
The names overlap intentionally, so I think if an adept wants to be able to fly and see without a need for light, they have a fair choice between taking Fly and Blindsight vs Deeper Darkvision and Draconic Flight. If they really want a more powerful version of the Name, they are welcome to take it, but they get no refunds.
Until you reach level 20 and can change some of the Names through the Way of Phoenix, at least.

[rel]

Some suggestions for modifications:
Text says 'Rewriting the Essential Name', table says 'Rewriting the Essential Nature'
In the list of class skills jump, climb, and swim are separated by slashes instead of commas, and the skills aren't presented alphabetically.
There appear to be no limits on restorative mediation, which I approve of.
Also there appears to be nothing stopping the Adept from dipping fighter (or taking a feat) and showing up in full plate, packing steel. Again, I approve but might not be intended.
Mettle but no evasion is an interesting choice, consider adding Prescient Sense from Divine Oracle.
A lot of the abilities show up laughably late, but that's normal for monks. Some such as Meditation of the Void actually seem to appear at a reasonable time - an odd discrepancy.
Wholeness of Body seems like an odd choice, given restorative mediation comes online a few levels later anyway, consider replacing with something more interesting. Perhaps an expansion to the power of the meditation of simple realignment.
Still mind doesn't appear to add anything, but then it never does. The Steadfast Determination feat will provide an actually functional boost to will saves, and adds to the classes Con focus.
feels like enduring mediation should provide some ability to reduce the need for sleep given the other features.
Might be worth adding a few of the more social skills like bluff or perform so the adept can more convincingly spew vaguely spiritual mumbo jumbo and similar platitudes.
Given how late Deep Realignment and Way of the Phoenix come online they could probably be less restricted.

[ChudoJogurt]

Very good catches! Thank you!.
Fixed typos. Added clearer wordings and fixed the redundancy of Wholeness of Body (not super-happy with that ability, open to suggestions).
Which abilities do you believe show up laughably late?

[rel]

So features that I thought arrived too late were:

At least some of the spells. I must confess I haven't looked through the list exhaustively, but Freedom of Movement at 9 and Haste at 6 struck me as egregious.


And all the meditations, with the exceptions of Meditation of the Void and possibly Meditation of Cosmic Unity.

Meditation of Void has an explicit flaw and works on self only. But it's free to set up if you have some time and it shows up 1 level earlier than the mindblank spell.

Meditation of cosmic unity shows up one level later than the spell, and it's restricted.
(Exactly how restrictive depends a lot on the setting, in high magic settings like FR you probably won't see any difference, you just go from targeting the mook standing behind the heavily warded person you want to learn about to targeting the mooks' magic sword.)
It's free and unlimited, but I've never actually noticed the costs of using commune since it usually happens during downtime and gives you enough questions per cast to not need spamming.
Like I said, maybe.

All the others are limited in significant ways and trivially replicated by spells and items long before they come online.
Which makes an NPC Name Adept come across as weak and incompetent. Less Ben Kenobi and more Yogurt.

[ChudoJogurt]

I would think that there is a difference between being able to cast Haste on and having a Permanent Haste on a character, or a Fist of Stone on a wizard chassis vs Fist of Stone on a Monk Chasis.
Thats why round/level and Personal spells come online noticeably later.

Sure you can probably get an equivalent BAB/Spell/HP levels if you take prestige classes and do some optimisation, but I dont think that should be the point of balance. They are also not meant to compete with reasonably synergized group of adventurers.
Equally a wizard can cast Stoneskin on the barbarian, with a resulting benefit of both Stoneskin and more powerful chassis, but I dont think it makes sense for a single class character to be balanced around the same powerlevel as a synergized party of adventurers that discards action economy and lives on a 15-minute adventure day.

[ChudoJogurt]

THe bigger problem is that this build can take (or more likely just nope out of) a lot of damage/effects, but it is terrible at dealing it.
The only route I found is Fist of Stone -> GMW
There's surprisingly little combat enhancers amont the spells, at least of the type that make sense when Permanencied.