Monk

For the truly exemplary, martial skill transcends the battlefield—it is a lifestyle, a doctrine, a state of mind. These warrior-artists search out methods of battle beyond swords and shields, finding weapons within themselves just as capable of crippling or killing as any blade. These monks (so called since they adhere to ancient philosophies and strict martial disciplines) elevate their bodies to become weapons of war, from battleminded ascetics to self-taught brawlers. Monks tread the path of discipline, and those with the will to endure that path discover within themselves not what they are, but what they are meant to be.

<php>echo “<b>Hit Dice:</b>”;</php> d8
<php>echo “<b>Alignment:</b>”;</php> Any lawful
<php>echo “<b>Armor Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> None
<php>echo “<b>Weapon Proficiencies:</b>”;</php> Cestus, claw, club, dagger, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, siangham, shuriken, and three-section staff
<php>echo “<b>Skill Points/Level:</b>”;</php> 4 + Int
<php>echo “<b>Class Skills:</b>”;</php> Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Cosmology (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Trade (Int)

<php>echo “<b>AC Bonus (Ex):</b>”;</php> When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his CMD. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

<php>echo “<b>Martial Arts (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling. A monk’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.A monk also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the above table. The unarmed damage values listed on the table are for medium monks. A small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with his unarmed attacks, while a large monk deals more damage; see small or large monk unarmed damage on the table given below.

<php>echo “<b>Flurry of Blows (Ex):</b>”;</php> Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so he may make one additional attack using any combination of unarmed strikes or attacks with a weapon from the martial arts group (cestus, claw, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham) as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).
At 6th level, the monk can make two additional attacks when he uses flurry of blows, as if using Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).
At 11th level, the monk can make three additional attacks using flurry of blows, as if using Greater Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).
At 16th level, the monk can make four additional attacks using flurry of blows, as if using Superior Two-Weapon Fighting (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat).A monk applies his full Strength bonus to his damage rolls for all successful attacks made with flurry of blows, whether the attacks are made with an off-hand or with a weapon wielded in both hands.
A monk may substitute disarm, sunder, and trip combat maneuvers for unarmed attacks as part of a flurry of blows. A monk cannot use any weapon other than an unarmed strike or a martial arts weapon as part of a flurry of blows. A monk with natural weapons cannot use such weapons as part of a flurry of blows, nor can he make natural attacks in addition to his flurry of blows attacks.

<php>echo “<b>Ki (Su):</b>”;</php> At 1st level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk’s ki pool is equal to half his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. A monk may spend his ki to use the following abilities:

<php>echo “<b>Stunning Fist (Su):</b>”;</php> By spending one ki point as a free action, the monk can stun his foe with his next unarmed attack. If the attack hits and successfully deals damage, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your monk level + your Wis modifier) or be stunned for one round.

<php>echo “<b>Leap of the Clouds (Su):</b>”;</php> By spending one ki point as a free action, the monk gains a +20 bonus on Athletics checks made to jump for 1 round.

<php>echo “<b>Evasion (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 2nd level, the monk gains the ability to avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he 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.

<php>echo “<b>Bonus Feat:</b>”;</php> At 2nd level and every four levels thereafter, the monk gains a bonus combat, ki, or maneuver feat. A monk must meet the prerequisites before taking the feat.

<php>echo “<b>Fast Movement (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on the table above. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

<php>echo “<b>Still Mind (Ex):</b>”;</php> A monk of 3rd level or higher gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

<php>echo “<b>Ki Strike (Su):</b>”;</php> At 4th level and every four levels after, a monk gains a +1 enhancement bonus to his unarmed attacks, to a maximum of +5 at 16th level. Additionally, at 8th level a monk’s unarmed attacks are treated as lawful for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction, and at 16th level a monk’s unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. If a monk’s ki points fall to 0, he loses the all benefits of ki strike until he regains at least 1 ki point.

<php>echo “<b>Slow Fall (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 4th level, a monk within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were half of its actual distance.

<php>echo “<b>Wholeness of Body (Su):</b>”;</php> At 5th level, a monk can heal his own wounds as a standard action. The monk must choose the amount of ki points he wants to spend upon using this ability. The monk heals a number of hit points equal to his monk level × the amount of ki spent.

<php>echo “<b>Purity of Body (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 7th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

<php>echo “<b>Improved Evasion (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 9th level, a monk’s evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

<php>echo “<b>Abundant Step (Su):</b>”;</php> At 10th level, a monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action that costs 2 ki points. His caster level for this effect is equal to his monk level. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability.

<php>echo “<b>Diamond Body (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.

<php>echo “<b>Diamond Soul (Su):</b>”;</php> At 13th level, a monk gains spell resistance equal to his current monk level + 10.

<php>echo “<b>Quivering Palm (Su):</b>”;</php> Starting at 15th level, a monk can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the monk so desires. He must spend 4 ki points to use this ability, and must announce his intent before making his attack roll. Creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the monk strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter, the monk can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to his monk level. To make such an attempt, the monk merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time. A monk can have no more than 1 quivering palm in effect at one time. If a monk uses quivering palm while another is still in effect, the previous effect is negated.

<php>echo “<b>Timeless Body (Ex):</b>”;</php> At 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up.

<php>echo “<b>Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex):</b>”;</php> A monk of 19th level can speak with any living creature.

<php>echo “<b>Empty Body (Su):</b>”;</php> At 20th level, a monk gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 ki points. This ability only affects the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.

<php>echo “<b>Perfect Self:</b>”;</php> At 20th level, a monk transcends his mortal form. He 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/chaotic, which allows him to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonchaotic 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 he were a member of his previous creature type.