Monk

Dotted across the landscape are elven monasteries -- small, walled cloisters inhabited by monks.  These monks pursue personal perfection through action and martial training, as well as contemplation.  They train themselves to be versatile warriors skilled at fighting without weapons or armor.  Monasteries headed by good masters serve as protectors of the people.  Ready for battle even when barefoot and dressed in peasant clothes, monks are able to travel unnoticed among the populace, catching bandits, warlords, and corrupt nobles unawares.  By contrast, monasteries headed by evil masters rule surrounding lands through fear, as an evil warlord's castle might.  Evil monks make ideal spies, infiltrators, and assassins.

     The individual monk, however, is unlikely to care passionately about championing commoners or amassing wealth.  She cares for the perfection of her art and, thereby, her personal perfection.  Her goal is to achieve a state that is, frankly, beyond the mortal realm.

     Adventures: Monks approach adventures as if they were personal tests.  While not prone to showing off, monks are willing to try their skills against whatever obstacles confront them.  Monks are not greedy for material wealth, but they eagerly seek that which can help them perfect their art.

     Characteristics: The key feature of the monk is her ability to fight unarmed and unarmored.  Thanks to her rigorous training, she can strike as hard as if she were armed and strike faster than a heavily armored warrior.

     Though monks don't cast spells, they have a magic of their own.  They can channel ki more efficiently than the samurai, which allows them to perform amazing feats.

     As the monk gains experience and power, her mundane and ki-oriented abilities grow, giving her more and more power over herself and, sometimes, others.

     Alignment: A monk's training requires strict discipline.  Only those who are lawful at heart are capable of undertaking it.

     Religion: Monks are highly spiritual individuals, but they are not especially religious.  They acknowledge and recognized the importance of the gods, they prefer to focus on material concerns, perfecting their own mind and bodies, and seeking universal enlightenment.  Through this process, they believe this will bring them closer to the divine.

     Background: A monk typically trains in a monastery.  Most monks were children when they joined the monastery, sent to live with the monks when their parents died, when there wasn't enough food in the family to keep them, or in return for some kindness that the monastery had performed for the family.  Life in the monestary is so focused that by the time a monk sets off on her own, she feels little connection to her former family or village.

     Each monastery is dedicated to the study of a particular martial arts style.  These styles are typically Empty Hand, Mighty Works, Foot and Fist, The Gentle Way, and Meditation of War (see Oriental Adventures for a description of each martial style).

     Races: Among the monastic orders the most common race to be found are the elves.  They established most of the monasteries that dot the landscape and with rare exceptions the master of each monastery.  Others that are common among the monks are the hengeyokai and the spirit folk.  The vanara make excellent monks when they choose to follow the path, however as a race they are too chaotic and free spirited to follow the strict lifestyle of the monk.  Nezumi are almost never monks, their society does not have monks.  The tengu have their own monasteries and martial arts styles that mirror the more common ones, much like the samurai.

     Unlike most of the eastern classes (samurai, shugenja, wu jen, etc.), the monk is the most wide spread.  The monastic orders are open to everyone in the Known World, they do not have the xenophobia inherent to the elves.  Within a monastery one could find, in addition to elves, humans, minotaurs, and even the half-elves -- the monks do not follow the rigid cast system of the empire.

     The orcs of the Horde have warriors that train to hone their bodies into perfect weapons.  These warriors are monks as well, allowing the likes of the orcs themselves, half-orcs, ogrillons and orogs into their ranks.

     Other Classes: Monks are sometimes distant from others because they have little in common with the motivations and skills of members of other classes.  Monks recognize, however, that they work well with the support of others, and they prove themselves reliable companions.

Game Rule Information

Monks have the following game statistics.

     Abilities: Of all the ability scores, Wisdom is the most important for the monk.  It affects their Armor Class, their attack rolls, and many of their class skills.  Also important to the monk is Strength and Dexterity, Strength will affect the damage of their melee attacks as well as affecting their Jump skill, a skill important to the monk class.  Dexterity adds to the monk's armor class and affects her Evasion ability.

Alignment: Any lawful

Hit Die: d8

Class Skills

The monk's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (Int, Religion), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis),  Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Points at 1st-Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the monk.

     Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks are proficient with all simple weapons.  Among these weapons, there are a handful that can be used in combination with a monk's martial arts training.  These so-called monk weapons are: bo staff (quarterstaff), bokken (club), butterfly sword, chain, dao (scimitar), hook sword, jian (rapier), jitte, kama, kusari-gama, lajatang, nekode, nunchaku, ratling tail spikes, sai, siangham, three-section staff, tonfa, and war fan.  These monk weapons can be used in conjunction with the monk's flurry of blows attack bonus in addition to his improved damage modifier.

     Monks are not proficient with armor or shields of any kind, but they are highly trained at dodging blows, and they develop a "sixth sense" that lets them avoid even unanticipated attacks.  A monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to AC, in addition to her normal Dexterity modifier, and her AC improves as she gains levels.  (Only add this extra AC bonus if the total of the monk's Wisdom modifier and the number in the "AC Bonus" column below is a positive number).  The Wisdom bonus and the AC bonus represent a preternatural awareness of danger, and a monk does not lose either even in situations when she loses her Dexterity modifier due to being unprepared, ambushed, stunned, and so on.  (Monks do lose this AC bonus when immobilized.)

     Many of a monk's special abilities can only be used when wearing no armor, even light armor will make it impossible for the monk to use her most powerful abilities.  Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.  Also, Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried.

     Improved Unarmed Strike:  At first level the monk gains the feat Improved Unarmed Strike.  A monk's training takes this a step further and not only allows the monk to inflict lethal damage  but also changes the monk's unarmed attack damage from 1d3 to 1d4 (small monks inflict 1d3 base damage and large monks inflict 1d6 base damage).

     A monk's attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet.  There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed.

     A monk fighting with a one-handed weapon can make an unarmed strike as an off-hand attack, but she suffers the standard penalties for two-weapon fighting.  Likewise, a monk with a weapon (other than weapons that can be used with flurry of blows) in her off hand gets an extra attack with that weapon but suffers the usual penalties for two-weapon fighting and can't strike strike with flurry of blows.

     Flurry of Blows: The 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, but this attack and each other attack made that round suffers a -2 penalty apiece (see the table below).  the monk must use the full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.  A monk may also use flurry of blows if armed with specific weapons (as listed above).  If armed with one such weapon, she makes the extra attack either with that weapon or unarmed.  If armed with two such weapons, she uses one for the regular attack (or attacks) and the other for the extra attack.  In either case, her damage bonus on an attack with her off-hand is not reduced.  The flurry of blows ability can only be used when wearing no armor at all and lightly encumbered.

     Improved Damage: As part of her martial arts training, a monk learns how to inflict additional damage with her attacks.  The amount of damage that can be added is determined by the monk's level (see below).  This additional damage is inflicted because of the monk's knowledge of where to strike an opponent to inflict the most amount of damage.  This additional damage is added after weapon damage is determined and is not multiplied for critical hits.  Also, this additional damage cannot be added to creatures that are immune to critical hits such as the undead, oozes, constructs and the like.

     Usually, a monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal subdual damage instead, with no penalty on her attack roll.  She has the same choice to deal normal or subdual damage while grappling (page 137 of the Player's Handbook).

     A monk's intuition serves her in combat as well as defense.  A monk may choose to use her Wisdom bonus on her attack rolls (but not damage) instead of her Strength bonus.

     Evasion (Ex): A monk can avoid even magical damage and unusual attacks with great agility.  If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon's fiery breath or a fireball), the monk instead takes no damage.  Evasion can only be used if the monk is wearing Light armor or no armor at all.

     Martial Arts: As the monk advances in levels, her martial prowess continues to advance as well.  As part of her marital arts training she can take any one of the following feats of abilities each time she gains a new martial arts as determined by her level.

     Martial Arts Feat: Upon achieving a martial arts ability, the monk may choose one of the following martial arts feat as a bonus feat: Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Defensive Throw*, Dodge (Karmic Strike*, Mobility, Spring Attack), Eagle Claw Attack*, Expertise (Defensive Strike*, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Superior Expertise*, Whirlwind Attack), Falling Star Strike*, Fists of Iron*, Freezing the Lifeblood*, Grappling Block*, Great Throw*, Improved Critical (unarmed strike or any monk weapon), Improved Initiative, Improved Grapple* (Choke Hold*, Earth's Embrace*), Ki Shout* (Great Ki Shout*), Pain Touch*, Power Attack (Cleave, Flying Kick*, Great Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Roundabout Kick*), Prone Attack*, Run, Stunning Fist, Unbalancing Strike*, Weapon Finesse (unarmed strike or any monk weapon that qualifies), and Weapon Focus (unarmed strike or any monk weapon).

*: See Oriental Adventures.

     Weapon Proficiency: In addition to unarmed combat, weapons training is part of a monk's martial training.  When the monk is able to choose a martial arts ability, she may take any of the following weapon proficiencies: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (chain, hook sword, kusari-gama, ratling tail spikes, three-section staff, war fan) or Martial Weapon Proficiency (butterfly sword, dao [scimitar], jian [rapier], lajatang).

     At 9th-level the monk may start using his Martial Arts abilities to learn one of the following special abilities instead of a martial arts feat or weapon proficiency.

     Abundant Step (Sp): A monk can slip magically between spaces, as per the dimensional door spell, once per day.  This spell-like ability, and the monk's effective casting level is equal to her monk level.  Unlike the spell, the monk cannot take other creatures with her.  She can only use this ability while wearing no armor at all and lightly encumbered.

     Fist of the North Star (Su): A monk can use this attack once per day and must declare her use of it before an attack roll is made.  This attack can only be performed with an unarmed strike, and if successful the monk inflicts additional damage with her attack, +1 point of damage for every monk level.  With this attack the monk may also ignore the DR of inanimate object such as a door, structure, or the like.

     Improved Evasion (Ex): 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 or a fireball, but henceforth she only takes half-damage on a failed save.  A monk can only use this ability when wearing light armor or no armor at all.

     Quivering Palm (Su): A monk can use the quivering palm technique to set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can then be fatal if the monk so desires.  She can use this quivering palm technique once per week, and she must announce her intent before making her attack roll.  The quivering palm can only be used with an unarmed strike.  Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected.  The monk must be of higher level than the target (or have more levels than the target's number of Hit Dice).  If the monk strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds.  Thereafter the monk can choose to try to slay the victims at any time within one day per monk level.  The monk merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + one-half the monk's level [rounded down] + Wisdom modifier), it dies.  If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack (but may be affected by another one at a later time).

     Slow Fall (Ex or Su): At 3rd-level, a monk within arms reach of a wall or similar structure can use it to start to slow her descent.  The monks takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is.  Her ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective height of the fall when next to a wall) improves with her level.  Upon attaining 11th-level, the monk may fall any distance and not take damage as long as she is within arms reach of a wall or similar structure.  At 15th-level, the monk's ability becomes supernatural and she learns how to float on the air, allowing her to control her descent and soften her landing whether she is within arms reach of a wall or not.  The monk can now free fall from any height, anywhere, and take no damage.  This ability can only be used if the monk is wearing no armor at all or lightly encumbered.

     Ki Strike (Su): At 4th-level, the monk learns to focus her ki to strike a creature as if she were wielding a weapon with a +1 enchantment.  This allows the monk to ignore the damage reduction of any creature that can only be struck by +1 or better weapons.  This ability can only be used with unarmed strikes and cannot be channeled through the monk's weapons.  The type of creature a monk may strike increases with the monk's level (see the table below).

     Tongue of the Moon (Su): At 4th-level, the monk gains the ability to talk to animals as if under the permanent affect of a speak with animals spell.

     Leap of the Clouds (Ex): At 5th-level, the monk's jumping distance (vertical or horizontal) is not limited according to her height.  The monk may also take a 10 on Jump checks even when under duress.  A monk may not use leap of the clouds when wearing armor of any kind.  (A successful Jump check can extend the monk's slow fall distance by 10 feet, see the Jump skill entry in the Player's Handbook).  The monk can only use this ability when wearing no armor at all or lightly encumbered.

     Wholeness of Body (Su): At 7th-level, the monk gains control of her body and develops immunity to all types of disease, except for magical ones such as mummy rot and lycanthropy.  Further, the monk gains the ability to heal her wounds.  She can cure up to twice her monk level in hit points each day, and she can spread this healing out among several uses.

     Tongue of the Sun (Su): At 8th-level, the monk gains the ability to talk to plants as if she were under the constant influence of a speak with plants spell.

     Still Mind (Ex): At 9th-level, the monk has honed her mental faculties to resist mental attacks.  This gives her a +2 bonus to Will saves, this bonus goes up to +4 vs any kind of Enchantment or Charm attacks.

     Leap of the Heavens (Ex): At 10th-level, the monk gains a +10 training bonus to her Jump skill checks.  Further, she may now take a 20 on Jump skill checks even when under duress, when she would not normally be able to take a 20.  The monk can only use this ability when wearing no armor at all or lightly encumbered.

     Timeless Body (Su): At 18th-level, the 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.  Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when her time is up.

     Perfect Self (Su): At 20th-level, the monk achieves the state of perfect self.  Upon achieving this state, the monk's body transcends it's limitations and becomes a supernatural being.  The following changes takes place in the monk:

• The monk's type changes to Outsider (including darkvision to 60ft, or +30ft if the character already has darkvision), however unlike Outsiders the monk can be brought back from the dead normally.
• Immunity to all natural, non-magical poisons.
• Damage reduction of 10/+1
• Spell resistance 10 + monk level +Wis modifier

     In the Player's Handbook and the Oriental Adventures source book there are numerous weapons that are labeled as Exotic simple because they have an oriental origin.  However there is nothing more exotic about a kama as there is a sickle, nothing more exotic about nunchaku than a flail, in fact many of the weapons that have been labeled exotic actually started as farming implements and were re-purposed by the peasantry to use as weapons.  Here is a list of some weapons that have been reclassified, not just for the monk but for all the other classes as well.

     Simple Weapons: blowgun, greater blowgun, jitte, kama, kukri, nekode, nunchaku, sai, siangham, shikomi-zue, shuriken, tonfa

     Martial Weapons: butteryfly sword, chakram, lajatang, nagamaki, naginata, ninja-to, sasumata, wakazashi

     Exotic Weapons: chain, chijiiki,fukimi-bari, hook sword, katana, kau sin ke, kawanaga, kusari-gama, ratling tail spikes, sang kauw, sodegarami, three-section staff

Multiclassing

     The path of the monk demands adherence and dedication, it does not leave much room to pursue other interests.  Because of this, the samurai face multiclassing restrictions similar to the paladin and cavalier.  If the monk ever takes a level in another class (or raises a level in another class if already multiclassed) he can never raise his monk class level again.  The monk may retain all his benefits and abilities already gained, however he cannot gain any new ones.

     Like the paladin and cavalier, there are exceptions to the monk's multiclass restriction; the samurai.  Many samurai have taken up martial studies in addition to their sword school.  Also, samurai who live long enough to be retired from their lord's service, often seek solace in their old age and seek a life of tranquility and meditation.  Hence, the monk is a perfect fit for some samurai.