Monk variant, balanced off warlock

[starwed]

I came up with the idea for this class a few weeks ago: a monk which gained psi-like abilities (called techniques) in the way a warlock gains invocations. I've seen variant monks which gain psionic powers, but the invocation-like method seems a bit simpler and more satisfying.

They get the same progression that warlocks get. The monks physical attacks, after all, tend to deal less damage than the warlocks blast, are harder to hit with, and require the monk to be in melee. The upside is that they're normal attacks, and so can be used with feats and special combat tactics.

This probably makes this variant monk more powerful than the standard one, but it seems on equal footing to the warlock. The main balance concern I have is that the abilities granted might synergise better than the warlock's.

In the post below I detail the class more fully, so please give feedback. Only a few of the techniques are listed in the post, but the full class details can be seen in the attached PDF.

 

[starwed]

Class Details

This version of the monk (called the "Mantra Monk" until I can think of a better name) is based upon the warlock, getting psi-like abilities instead of invocations, some of which duplicate regular monk abilities. Instead of the eldritch blast with its essences and blast shapes, the class grants increased unarmed damage and special strikes.

Because it grants psi-like abilities, taking a level in this class grants the psionic type. Some of the monk's techniques can be augmented by expending psionic focus on use. The monk's manifester level is equal to her class level.

The Mantra Monk keeps the following monk class abilities:

• 3/4 BAB and good Will/Reflex saves. {But not good Fort saves.}
• Weapon and armor proficiency as the monk.
• Unarmed strike as a monk, including increased damage. {Add: Ignore hardness less than monk level when attacking objects.}
• Ki strike (magic) at 4th level, and Ki strike (lawful) at 10th. {Although magic->psionic.}
• Timeless body at 17th level
• 4 skill points/level, with the same class skills. {Adding only Autohypnosis and Knowledge(Psionics).}
• Wisdom bonus to AC while unarmored. {But not the +1/5 levels bonus.}

They lose all other abilities of the monk, such as flurry, still mind, enhanced speed, etc. However, many of these abilities can be duplicated by selecting the appropriate techniques.

Techniques are roughly equivalent to a Warlocks invocations, in that they can be used at will as many times as desired. A monk gains techniques at the same rate as a warlock gains invocations. There are three types of techniques a monk can learn:

• Styles: Fighting stances which grant virtual bonus feats.
• Strikes: Attacks, or modifications to attacks, analogous to a warlock's blasts or essences.
• Mantras: Special psi-like abilities which function like a warlock's other invocations.

Styles
Styles are derived from the monk variant in Unerathed Arcana, except that the mantra monk can know multiple styles and switch between them. Switching styles takes normally a move action, but a monk can also switch styles any time she regains psionic focus.
The monk gets one style for free, at 1st level. Additional styles can be gained in place of a technique. (1 style in place of a least tech, or two instead of a lesser tech.)

While employing a certain style, the monk gains all abilities granted at her level and below. These abilities are staggered through a few extra levels, compared to those in UA. This table shows the granted abilities of the Cobra stance at various levels.

[u][b]Level[/b][/u]   [u][b]Cobra Style[/b][/u]
1st:    Dodge
3rd:    +1 to Tumble
5th:    Mobility
7th:    +2 to Tumble
9th:    Spring Attack

Strikes
Strikes modify a monks attacks, but can only be used with unarmed strikes. Those which add special properties to attacks are mostly swift actions to use. All can be augmented by expending psionic focus. Below are some sample strikes, with the augmentation shown in curly brackets.
Waking
Flurry of Blows: Get an extra attack, but all are at -2 to hit. { No penalty to hit.}
Deliberate Strike: As a full round action, make an attack at -2 which deals double damage. { Use as a standard action}
Awakened
Elemental Strikes: Swift: all attacks until the end of your turn deal elemental damage. { Gain the appropriate elemental burst ability.}
Knockback Strike: Swift: You knock an enemy backwards, and they land prone. { Effects all attacks}
Ascendant
Wounding Strike: Swift: Deal two points of physical ability damage with an attack. { Damage each physical ability score. }
Perfect
Unbounded Assault: As a full round action, make continuing strikes at a cumulative -3 penalty until you miss or choose to stop.{ penalty drops to -2}

Mantras
Mantras are psi-like abilities. You can augment mantra's by expending psionic focus.
Waking
Mighty Exhalation: Use gust of wind at will, with duration of concentration plus one round.
Anchored Soul: Use know direction and location at will, and gain immunity to hostile teleporation effects.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon: Use tongues, psionic, duration 24 hours.
Speed of the Wind: Gain a +10 enhancement bonus to speed, plus an additional +10 for every 3 levels. {Retain Dex bonus while running.}
Awakened
Abundant step: Use dimension door at will.(short range).
Mind over Body: You no longer need to breathe or sleep, and can add your wisdom bonus to all Fortitude saves.
Voice of Reason: Use command and calm emotions at will, and add your wisdom bonus to Diplomacy checks.
Ascendant
Harmony of motion: Continual freedom of movement.
Roots of Eternity: Use immovability at will.
Diamond Soul: Gain power resistance equal to 10 plus your class level. {+3 PR}
Perfect
Empty Body: Become ethereal at will. {activate as a move action}
Still Mind: Continual, personal mind blank
Perfect Defense: A +4 bonus to AC and DR 5/-. (DR stacks with others of the same type)
Perfect Offense: A +3 bonus to all attack rolls, and your attacks pierce any DR. {ignore miss chances}

 

[Ry]

Cool monk variant. Some of the abilities seem like they're not so monklike, though. What about some hold breath / don't eat / see through illusions / poison immunity kind of stuff?

 

[Nyeshet]

If they use psi-like abilities, shouldn't they be able to take psionic feats? Up the Walls seems appropriate, as do a few others. Perhaps their bonus feats can be drawn from the psionic feat list as well as the fighter list (or are they open bonus feats, such that a cleric / monk could take a turning feat?). Or perhaps you could use psionic feats as inspiration for more invocation equivalent abilities, using the level one could likely gain one at as an indication of which of the four degrees (least, lesser, etc) to which it should belong?

Otherwise, quite nice. It needs more invocations to help diversify it, but I think this is one of the better ideas I've seen so far on how to better fix / re-design the monk class.

 

[starwed]

Cool monk variant. Some of the abilities seem like they're not so monklike, though. What about some hold breath / don't eat / see through illusions / poison immunity kind of stuff?

Except for the see through illusions ability, already got them. (And an anti illusion ability is a good idea. edit: Reading about real mantras, I see that "delivering the mind from illusion" is their fundamental purpose. ^_^) I thought posting a huge list of all of them would be a bit hard to read, though. ^_^

If they use psi-like abilities, shouldn't they be able to take psionic feats? Up the Walls seems appropriate, as do a few others.

I meant to explicitly mention this, and forgot. Being able to use psi-like abilities automatically qualifies you for psionic feats... but making it a class feature makes it a lot clearer. (Also, because they have a manifester level, they can even get a psicrystal if they want one.)

Otherwise, quite nice. It needs more invocations to help diversify it

I have as many prepared as are available to a Warlock, so I'll post the full list soon. The ability to wall walk is one of them.

 

[FrostedMini1337]

I feel the need to speak up here: I love this sort of thing. A lot of times we run in to crap that doesn't work/fit for a build and when we want to change the class somoene will have a fit.(Why can monk slowfall? He's never been in a building higher than 2 stories...) I wish every class was like this.

Keep the free thinking alive!

 

[starwed]

I attached a pdf of the mantras I've come up with. If you look at it, please call out anything that seems overpowered, underpowered, or just stupid.

And please share if you've got an idea for a good monk-like power that's missing. ^_^ Keep in mind that this list doesn't include any of the special strikes the monk will get.

 

[Nyeshet]

Very nice.

A few minor suggestions, as requested:

1) What mantra would a monk use to leap to the top of a two-three story building? It would likely be a Waking or Awakened ability, I would think. Perhaps just a bonus to their Jump skill equal to twice their class level?

2) I may have missed it, but is slow fall on this list? Perhaps in the greater form of Feather Fall at will or constant (ie: does not need to be along side a verticle surface for it to work)?

3) Is there a means for the Monk to gain some elemental resistance? I refer to perhaps gaining Fire resistance 5 (or even equal to half monk level perhaps) as I can recall legends of monks walking over scalding surfaces, jumping or even walking through flames in a burning building, or lifting scortching hot items with little damage (if any) to their flesh. This would likely be an Awakened or Ascendent ability, dependent on its degree of protection.

4) Could a monk perhaps gain Flight as a Perfect ability?

5) Some monk styles focus on phenomenal strikes that can shatter wood, etc. Why not an invocation that allows the monk to ignore item hardness?

Anyway, keep up the excellent work.

 

[starwed]

5) Some monk styles focus on phenomenal strikes that can shatter wood, etc. Why not an invocation that allows the monk to ignore item hardness?

D'oh, this was actually meant to be a class feature, added to the unarmed strike ability, but I forgot. It'll work a bit like Ki Strike (Adamantine), except for bypassing damage reduction. A monk can ignore hardness less than their class level when making unarmed strikes.

All the suggestions you make sound good. The only one I'm not sure about is flight, (which would probably be an Awakened ability, since Warlocks get it at the equivalent level.) It's not overpowered, though, so it might as well be added. And elemental resistance could be added as a class feature, like the warlock's, but it'll probably make a better mantra.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Interesting experiment. Here is a suggestion for the highest levels of a monk-option, maybe instead of perfect self. Astral projection (Su): After the monk spends 30 minutes meditating, she can expend her psionic focus and astrally project herself, plus one additional willing creature touched per three levels. The effect is like the astral projection spell.