Revision as of 21:15, 22 September 2018

The path of the monk is odd and diverse. It is filled with daily training, strict adherence to form and hours of meditation to hardening one's body and mind in ways never thought possible without magic. Some monks seek to harden themselves, using pure strength and endurance, to build and perfect their bodies, while other Monks seek to have bodies that flow like water and arms that strike like snakes. Each path is effective in its own way, and most monks respect the paths of others, knowing that they can not master every style. There are countless philosophies and individual methods on this road, but the the common feature between them all, are to join mind and body in order to endure.

The abilities of the monk were first discovered by the churches of Fraeyal and Memnos in Halmoria, by sects of their followers seeking to ascend in the arts of combat through rigorous training, endurance tests and long mediation. Today, the art of the monk has evolved into countless different philosophies on life, training and the proper use of these.

Monks constantly strive for the next level of their own personal endurance, strength and understanding, and find it difficult to stay in a single place. They are known to seek ancient scripts depicting knowledge of their select styles, or even seeking new impressions that may lead to the development of new styles. They tend to travel with few possessions, thinking their bodies, a set of clothes, and a few personal items are all that is needed.

All monks learn to use only very simple weapons along with every part of their body as deadly tools in their art. They display many powers which could be considered magical, especially as they begin to ascend to the highest levels of their martial art. The source of their power is unknown to most, but is commonly referred to as Flow.

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Hit Die: d8

Base Attack Bonus: Medium

High Saves: All

Weapon Proficiencies: Monks are proficient with certain basic peasant weapons and some special weapons that are part of monk training. The weapons with which a monk is proficient are club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, kama, quarterstaff, shuriken and sling.

Armor Proficiencies: Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields - in fact, many of the monk's special powers require unfettered movement. When wearing armor, or using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.

Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier per level, x4 at first level.

Class Skills: Acrobatics, Diplomacy, Parry, Escape Artist, Perception, Sense Motive, Knowledge Arcana, Knowledge Religion, and Perform.

AC Bonus: A monk has a sixth sense that lets her avoid even unanticipated attacks. At 1st level, when unarmored, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th and +4 at 20th level). She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, or when she carries a shield.
Note that the Wisdom bonus to AC that Monks normally receive is now capped by the PC's Monk level, identical to how the Intelligence bonus to AC from Duelist and Invisible Blade works.

Flurry of Blows: When unarmored a monk may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, she may make one extra attack in a round at her highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each subsequent attack made that round. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1 and at 9th level it disappears. When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, quarterstaff, and shuriken).

Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

Evasion: A monk of 2nd level or higher can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If she makes a successful Reflex savings throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon's fiery breath or a fireball) she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor.

Shuriken Specialization: At 2nd level, a monk gains a +2 bonus to all damage rolls made with shuriken, on a successful hit, as the Weapon Specialization feat. At 8th level, this bonus increases to +4, as the Greater Weapon Specialization feat.

Fast Movement: At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to her speed. A monk in armor (even in light armor) loses this extra speed.

Still Mind: A monk of 3rd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment.

Ki Strike: At 4th level, a monks unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Her unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. Ki strike improves with the character's monk level, becoming lawful for purposes of damage reduction at level 10 and adamantine for purposes of damage reduction at level 16.

Purity of Body: At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases.

Improved Knockdown: At 6th level, a monk gains improved knockdown, even if not meeting the prerequisites.

Wholeness of Body: At 7th level or higher, a monk can heal her own wounds. She can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to twice her current monk level each day.

Improved Evasion: At 9th level a monk's evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks such as a dragon's breath weapon or a fireball, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save.

Diamond Body: At 11th level a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.

Abundant Step: At 12th level or higher, a monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door, once per day.

Diamond Soul: At 13th level, a monk gains spell resistance equal to his monk level + 10.

Quivering Palm: Starting at 15th level, a monk can set up fatal vibrations within the body of another creature once per day. Unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the monk's level + the monk's Wis modifier), it dies.

Tongue of Sun and Moon: A monk of 17th level or higher can speak with any living creature.

Empty Body: At 19th level a monk gains the ability to fade from sight twice per day. The monk gains a 50% concealment bonus for a number of rounds equal to his class level.

Perfect Self: At 20th level a monk has tuned her body with skill and quasi-magical abilities to the point that she becomes a magical creature. The monk gains damage reduction 10/magic, which allows her to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a non-magical weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction.