Arcane Monk (3.5e Class)

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STDoc (talk)
Date Created:	Oct 19, 2009
Status:	In construction
Editing:	Please feel free to edit constructively!
Balance:	Rogue

{{#set:Summary=<-Paragraph description of the class-> }}

Arcane Monks

The subtle force that is Ki can be manipulated in a million different ways. Some use it to empower their unarmed strikes, weapons, or to shield their bodies from Poison and Disease. What is almost unheard of, however, is the ability to suffuse one's Innate Magic with ki. Enter the Arcane Monk. His magic comes through strength of body, not strength of mind. Through intense training, he has learned to manipulate his ki to mimic spells of a certain nature. Flashy spells such as a Fireball are beyond his ken, but he has many transmutation and other evocations at his disposal. This Class brings a Much Needed Update to AEG's Magic: Arcane Monk.

Making an Arcane Monk

Abilities: Strength is the most important ability to an Arcane Monk, as it controls his Spellcasting as well as the strength of his unarmed strike.

Races: Of the Common races, Humans are most likely to adopt this class, due to their natural willingness to study new forms of magic. Half-Orcs throw themselves into the martial training with fervor, as most Half-Orcs are faced with steep hurdles to learn magic, they jump at the chance to not just learn a style, but to master it entirely. Wisdom and Dexterity are just as Important to them as normal Monks, and Constitution even moreso, due to their Lower HD.

Alignment: Any non-chaotic.

Starting Gold: 2d4×10 gp

Starting Age: As Wizard.

Table: The Arcane Monk

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Spells per Day/Monk Abilities
		Fort	Ref	Will		0	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	AC Bonus	Unarmed Strike
1st	+0	+0	+2	+2	Flurry of Blows, Unarmed Strike, Monk AC Bonus	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	+0	1d4
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Flurry of Blows, Evasion	3	0	—	—	—	—	—	+0	1d4
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+3	Still Mind	3	1	—	—	—	—	—	+0	1d4
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Ki Strike (Magic), Slow Fall 20ft.	3	2	0	—	—	—	—	+0	1d6
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Purity of Body, Flurry of Spells, Ki Spell Nova 1/day	3	3	1	—	—	—	—	+1	1d6
6th	+4	+2	+5	+5	Slow Fall 30ft.	3	3	2	—	—	—	—	+1	1d6
7th	+5	+2	+5	+5	Ki Strike (Lawful), Leap of the Clouds.	3	3	2	0	—	—	—	+1	1d6
8th	+6/+1	+2	+6	+6	Slow Fall 40ft.	3	3	3	1	—	—	—	+1	1d8
9th	+6/+1	+3	+6	+6	Improved Evasion	3	3	3	2	—	—	—	+1	1d8
10th	+7/+2	+3	+7	+7	Thunderstrike, Ki Strike (Adamantine), Slow Fall 50ft, Ki Spell Nova 2/day	3	3	3	2	0	—	—	+2	1d8
11th	+8/+3	+3	+7	+7	Greater Flurry of Blows.	3	3	3	3	1	—	—	+2	1d10
12th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Slow Fall 60ft.	3	3	3	3	2	-	—	+2	1d10
13th	+9/+4	+4	+8	+8	Diamond Soul	3	3	3	3	2	0	-	+2	1d10
14th	+10/+5	+4	+9	+9	Slow Fall 70ft.	4	3	3	3	3	1	-	+2	1d10
15th	+11/+6/+1	+5	Ki Spell NovaKi Spell Nova 3/day	4	4	3	3	3	2	—	+3	1d10
16th	+12/+7/+2	+5	+10	+10	Slow Fall 80ft.	4	4	4	3	3	2	0	+3	2d6
17th	+12/+7+2	+5	+10	+10	Timeless Body, Tongue of the Sun and Moon	4	4	4	4	3	3	1	+3	2d6
18th	+13/+8/+3	+6	+11	+11	Slow Fall 90ft.	4	4	4	4	4	3	2	+3	2d6
19th	+14/+9/+4	+6	+11	+11	Empty Body	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	+3	2d6
20th	+15/+10/+5	+6	+12	+12	Perfect Self, Slow Fall Any Distance, Ki Spell Nova 4/day	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	+4	2d8
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Arcana, Religion, Alchemy) (Int), Listen (Wis) Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha),

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Arcane Monk.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields.

When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her Flurry of Spells, and flurry of blows abilities.

AC Bonus (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.

Flurry of Blows (Ex): 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 other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus column on Table: The Monk. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the monk might make before her next action. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to –1, and at 9th level it disappears. A monk must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.

When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). She may attack with unarmed strikes and special monk weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies her Strength bonus (not Str bonus × 1-1/2 or ×1/2) to her damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether she wields a weapon in one or both hands. The monk can’t use any weapon other than a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows.

In the case of the quarterstaff, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the quarterstaff requires two hands to use, a monk may still intersperse unarmed strikes with quarterstaff strikes, assuming that she has enough attacks in her flurry of blows routine to do so.

When a monk reaches 11th level, her flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack she gets from flurry of blows, she gets a second extra attack at her full base attack bonus.

Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Deflect Arrows: At 2nd level, the monk gains use of the Deflect Arrows feat, even if he doesn't meet the pre-requisites

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher if a monk 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 a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Still Mind (Ex): 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 (Su): At 4th level, a monk’s 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. At 7th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 10th level, her unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

Slow Fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow her descent. When first using this ability, she takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk’s ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with her monk level until at 20th level she can use a nearby wall to slow her descent and fall any distance without harm.

Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th 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.

Diamond Soul (Ex): At 13th 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.

Timeless Body (Ex): 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.

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

Empty Body (Su): At 19th level, a monk gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 round per monk level per day, as though using the spell etherealness. She may go ethereal on a number of different occasions during any single day, as long as the total number of rounds spent in an ethereal state does not exceed her monk level.

Perfect 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.

Spells: An Arcane Monk's Save DC's and Bonus spells are based off of strength. Arcane Monks know all the spells on the following list:

0— Detect Magic, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Guidance, Resistance, Read Magic, Virtue.

1st— Burning Hands, Chill Touch, Endure Elements, Entropic Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Inflict Light Wounds, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Shield, Shocking Grasp, True Strike.

2nd— Acid Arrow, Aid, Bear's Fortitude, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Death Knell, Ghoul Touch, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Resist Elements.

3rd— Contagion, Haste, Inflict Serious Wounds, Keen Edge, Protection from Elements, Vampiric Touch, Water Walk.

4th— Air Walk, Enervation, Freedom of Movement, Fire Shield, Greater Magic Fang, Improved Invisibility, Inflict Critical Wounds, Poison, Shout, Stoneskin

5th— Dimension Door, Fly, Lightning Bolt, Righteous Might, Slay Living, Telekinesis

6th— Cone of Cold, Harm, Iron Body, Mass Haste, Repulsion, Tenser's Transformation.

<span id="<-extraordinary class feature->"><-extraordinary class feature-> (Ex): <-class feature game rule information->

<span id="<-psi-like class feature->"><-psi-like class feature-> (Ps): <-class feature game rule information->

<span id="<-spell-like class feature->"><-spell-like class feature-> (Sp): <-class feature game rule information->

<span id="<-supernatural class feature->"><-supernatural class feature-> (Su): <-class feature game rule information->

<span id="<-class feature->"><-class feature->: <-class feature game rule information->

<span id="<-subclass feature ->"><-subclass feature -> <-"(Ex)", "(Su)", "(Sp)", or "(Ps)" if applicable.->: <-subclass feature game rule information->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat as necessary.->

Ex-<-pluralized class name->

<-Describe what happens when a character violates the alignment restrictions of any other class restrictions. If there are no behavior or alignment restrictions delete this section->.

Epic <-class name->

<span id="Table: The Epic <-class name->">Table: The Epic <-class name->

Hit Die: d<-Die size for Hit Die->

Level	Special
21st	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
22nd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
23rd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
24th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
25th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
26th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
27th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
28th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
29th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
30th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
<-number of skill points-> + Int modifier skill points per level.

<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->

Bonus Feats : The epic <-class name-> gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic <-class name-> bonus feats) every <-number of feats per level-> levels after 20th.

Epic <-class name-> Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbrieviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If innapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

Campaign Information

Playing a <-class name->

Religion: <-description of how this class typically (but no exclusively) approaches religion including likely portfolios it would worship->.

Other Classes: <-How this class typically interacts with other classes and how characters of this class interact with characters of other classes->.

Combat: <-Typical role in combat->.

Advancement: <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class. Include desirable multiclass options->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the World

“

<-Some quote from a character of this class->

”

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

Daily Life: <-day in the life of a character of this class->.

Notables: <-notable NPCs of this class->.

Organizations: <-info on what, where, when, and how characters of this class congregate and assemble->.

NPC Reactions: <-How NPCs react to PCs of this class->.

<-class name-> Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
5	<-common knowledge->.
10	<-not so common knowledge->.
15	<-rare information->.
20	<-very rare information->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

Adaptation: <-Possible variant conceptions of this class.->.

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

EL : <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

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