D&D3.5: my variant monk

[ed]

given that the responses (http://forum.criticalfumble.net/showthread.php?t=656) thus far seem to indicate that this would be of some interest, i present my variant monk.

ed



game rule information:
alignment: any lawful
hit dice: d8
class skills: balance (dex), climb (str), concentration (con), craft (int), diplomacy (cha), escape artist (dex), heal (wis), hide (dex), jump (str), knowledge (all) (int), listen (wis), move silently (dex), perform (cha), profession (wis), sense motive (wis), sleight of hand (dex), speak language (n/a), spot (wis), swim (str), and tumble (dex).

class features:
all of the following are class features of the monk.

weapon and armor proficiency: monks are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham and sling.
monks are not proficient with any armor or shields.
aura of order (ex): the power of a monk’s aura of law (see the detect law spell) is equal to her monk level. at 11th level, a monk's unarmed attacks are treated as lawful weapons for purposes of overcoming damage resistance. at 14th level, a monk's fists, feet and other unarmed attacks are treated as axiomatic weapons. an axiomatic weapon is lawfully aligned and infused with the power of law. it makes the weapon law-aligned and thus bypasses the corresponding damage reduction. it deals an extra 2d6 points of damage against all of chaotic alignment.
flurry of blows (ex): a monk gains the benefit of the two-weapon fighting feat, regardless of whether he or she meets the prerequisites for that feat but only when using either unarmed attacks or monk weapons. due to extensive practice and training, a monk may use the following weapons along with the flurry of blows class feature: club, dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai and siangham. a monk receives a +2 bonus on such attacks but only when fighting two-handed as described above. at 8th level, a monk gains the benefit of the improved two-weapon fighting feat under the same terms. at 15th level, a monk gains the benefit of the greater two-weapon fighting feat, again under the same terms.
greater grapple (ex): a monk's size is treated as one size class larger than his or her actual size when grappling, so that a gnome or halfling monk is treated as a medium-sized creature, while other pc races are treated as large creatures. at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter (4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th), a monk's size is considered one size category larger again, so that an 8th level gnome or halfling monk is considered large when grappling.
greater unarmed strike (ex): a monk is always treated as armed and thus does not provoke attacks of opportunity when making unarmed attacks. a monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons. in addition, a monk's unarmed attacks inflict lethal damage as a shortsword of the monk's size. beginning at 4th level and every four levels thereafter (8th, 12th, 16th and 20th), the monk's unarmed attack damage improves by one step (e.g., 1d3 becomes 1d4; 1d4 becomes 1d6; 1d6, 1d8; 1d8, 1d10; 1d10, 2d6; 2d6, 2d8 and 2d8, 2d10. at 16th level, her unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
insightful defense (ex): when unarmored and unencumbered, 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).
these bonuses to ac apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. she loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
path of enlightenment (ex): at 2nd level, a monk must select a course of study that he or she will pursue in the quest for self-perfection and select the class feature associated with the desired path. at 3rd, 8th, 17th and 20th levels, a monk may continue along the same path or pursue a different path instead, as different truths become more relevant.

[paths of enlightenment will follow in the next post: it's too long]

meditation (ex): beginning at 3rd level, on a successful concentration check (dc: 15), a monk may spend half the usual amount of time for his or her race in rest but receive the benefits of a full night's rest. this class feature does not affect the ability to regain spell slots. the check must be made at the beginning of any rest period to enter meditation. if interrupted, the monk receives no benefit.
enhance ability (ex): at 4th level, after making a concentration check (dc: 15) as a full-round action, a monk may use his or her wisdom score in place of another ability score for any single attack roll or skill check. the attack roll or skill check must occur within a number of rounds equal to his or her wisdom modifier +1 (min: 1). a monk may do this a number of times per day equal to half his or her monk levels.
uncanny dodge (ex): starting at 4th level, a monk can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. she retains her dexterity bonus to ac (if any) even if she is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. however, she still loses her dexterity bonus to ac if immobilized.
if a monk already has uncanny dodge from a different class she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.
light of foot (ex): at 6th level, a monk receives a bonus to all climb, jump and tumble checks equal to half his or her current monk levels.
enhance ability, improved (ex): as enhance ability, above, but requires a standard action to make the concentration check.
improved uncanny dodge (ex): a monk of 9th level or higher can no longer be flanked.
if a character already has uncanny dodge (see above) from a second class, the character automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead, and the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack to determine the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.
enhance ability, greater (ex): as enhance ability, above, but requires a move action to make the concentration check

[ed]

paths of enlightenment:

body of jade
a well-developed path, this is one of the earliest known to monks and has as its central tenet that to understand oneself, one must remain true to oneself in the face of that which is external.
durability of jade: at 2nd level, a monk receives the endurance feat.
power of jade: at 3rd level, a monk receives the diehard feat but must meet any prerequisites.
jade touch: at 8th level, a monk may treat his or her unarmed attacks as force effects for affecting ethereal creatures or objects.
timelessness of jade: upon attaining 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to her ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. any such penalties that she has already taken, however, remain in place. bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when her time is up.
jade self: at 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. she is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/magic, which allows her to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonmagical weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction. unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if she were a member of her previous creature type.

deny the flesh
the rigorous asceticism and discipline of the monk's life enables a monk to ignore the distractions of the flesh, focusing instead on that which is important.
cleanse the flesh: at 2nd level, as long as a monk abstains from eating the flesh of other creatures or alcohol, he or she may reduce his or her food and water requirements by 5% per current monk level. therefore, a 10th level monk with the cleanse the flesh class feature requires just 50% of the food and water of a creature of his or her size. if this vow is broken, a monk may not access any other monk class features for 24 hours.
purify the flesh: at 3rd level, a monk ignores circumstance penalties affecting his or her attacks, skill checks or saving throws equal to his or her current monk levels.
scorn the flesh: at 8th level, a monk receives a bonus equal to 1/2 his or her monk levels on all saving throws against all diseases that are not supernatural or magical and all poisons.
ignore the flesh: at 17th level, a monk is treated as if under the effect of the freedom of movement spell. treat the caster level as the monk's current class level. if this effect is dispelled, a monk may re-instate it as a free action.
transcend the flesh: at 20th level, a monk gains the ability to become ethereal, as per the ethereal jaunt spell for a number of rounds per day equal to his or her current monk levels. becoming ethereal and becoming material requires a move action.

light foot
this path has many admirers, who respect its principle of avoiding those confrontations it is possible to avoid. not all confrontations should be relished, lest they cause a monk to grow proud in his or her skills.
evasion: at 2nd level and higher, a monk can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. if she makes a successful reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. evasion can be used only if the monk is wearing light armor or no armor. a helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.
speed of the heavens: at 3rd level and at every three levels thereafter, a monk may increase his or her base movement rate by one step, so 15 becomes 20; 20 becomes 30, 30 becomes 40, 40 becomes 50 and thereafter, increase by +10.
improved evasion: at 8th level, a monk's evasion ability improves. she still takes no damage on a successful reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. a helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
thought and motion as one: at 17th level, a monk gains the ability to take an additional move action a number of times per day equal to his or her wisdom modifier +1 (min: 1).
thought and action as one: at 20th level, a monk gains the ability to take an additional standard action a number of times per day equal to his or her wisdom modifier +1 (min: 1).

mind of jade
a path dating back to the earliest days of monastic orders, the mind of jade teaches monks to defend themselves against magic.
jadesight: at 2nd level, a monk gains a bonus on all saving throws against spells or spell-like effects of the illusion school equal to 1/4 his or her monk levels.
clarity of jade: at 3rd level, a monk gains a bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment equal to 1/3 his or her class levels.
tongue of jade: at 8th level, a monk may speak with any living creature capable of communication.
soul of jade: at 17th level, a monk gains spell resistance equal to her current monk level + 10. in order to affect the monk with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the monk's spell resistance.
mind of jade: at 20th level, a monk is always treated as being under the effect of mind blank, as per the spell. treat the caster level as the monk's class level. if this effect is dispelled, a monk may re-instate it as a free action.

third eye
this difficult path is widely considered very demanding, as its philosophy of the ability to transcend the limits of the five senses most mortals possess. by teaching a greater truth, the adherents of this path see through the illusion of the world by being receptive that which is beyond it.
sight's tyranny ends: at 2nd level, a monk receives the blind-fight feat.
pierce the illusion: at 3rd level, a monk receives a reduction to miss chances due to concealment of 5% per monk level.
transcend sight: at 8th level, a monk receives the benefit of the blindsense ability to half visual range for his or her race.
improved transcend sight: at 17th level, a monk receives the benefit of the blindsense ability out to the full normal visual range for his or her species.
greater transcend sight: at 20th level, a monk receives the benefit of true seeing, as per the spell true sight, out to the normal visual range for his or her species. treat the caster level as the monk's current class level. if this effect is dispelled, a monk may re-instate it as a free action.

[Magnus Bergqvist]

This is very nice, and makes the monks a bit more different from each other, with that Path of Enlightenment.

/Magnus

[ed]

magnus: precisely my intention. the core monk sucks ass b/c 1) all monks are de facto identical, and 2) it doesn't represent anywhere near the breadth of stuff that monks supposedly might be capable of doing in all the literature, legend, etc.

my concern however is that it's obviously way too gorrammed long to read.

ed