Fighter/Monk PrC: The Steel Fist

[Quip]

Hello all!

Been busy working on my game system lately, but I had a rather good idea for a prestige class for the 3.5 edition and thought I would share it with the boards. Basically the idea was for a monk who trades in magical abilities and zen-like transcendence to become a simple Beater Of Posterior.

Enjoy!


The Steel Fist

Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8

Prereqs: Weapon Focus (Unarmed), Weapon Specialization (Unarmed), Ki Strike (Magic)

Class Skills
The Fist of Steel’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + Int modifier.

BAB: Best
Fort: Good
Ref: Poor
Will: Poor

1 Unarmed Strike
2 Ki Strike (Cold Iron)
3 AC Bonus +1
4 Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed)
5 Ki Strike (Silver)
6 AC Bonus +1
7 Greater Flurry
8 Ki Strike (Adamantine)
9 AC Bonus +1
10 Greater Weapon Specialization (Unarmed)


Unarmed Strike
The a character who takes levels as a Steel Fist treats those levels as if they were monk levels in regards to his progression of unarmed damage and flurry of blows abilities.


Ki Strike
At 2nd level, a Steel Fist's Ki strike improves so that his unarmed attacks are treated as cold iron weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 5th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as silver weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 8th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.


AC Bonus
At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter the Steel Fist gains an additional point of AC, as per the monks AC bonus.


Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed)
At 4th level the Steel Fist gains Greater Weapon Focus (Unarmed) as a bonus feat, without needing to meet the fighter level prerequisites.


Greater Flurry
At 7th level the Steel Fist's 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.


Greater Weapon Specialization (Unarmed)
At 10th level the Steel Fist gains Greater Weapon Specialization (Unarmed) as a bonus feat, without needing to meet the fighter level prerequisites.

 

[The Little Raven]

A few minor points first...

Weapon Focus should be listed under the requirements, since you need Weapon Focus to get Weapon Specialization.

I'd add Power Attack as a bonus feat at one of the levels, and have your unarmed strike be treated as a two-handed weapon for determining disarm, damage and such (but it can still use Weapon Finesse). This would make it a more effective beater o' arse.

This idea is similar to a prestige class I came up with a while ago called the Warring Fist.

 

[Quip]

Heh, I tend to cut off the assumed requirements, I'll fix that.

The power attack/two handed weapon idea isn't too bad, but I think it would be better off as a feat, it isn't really necessary for this class. I was working on something like that once, I'll see if I can dig it up. Besides, this class should be just as useable for the high dex, low strength type of monk.

I'd like to see that warring fist, do you have a link?


Does anyone see any power level issues with this? A Monk 4/Fighter 4/Steel Fist 10, with the bonus feats, deals 2d6+4 damage which about as good the 2d10 a straight monk would have, while getting attacks at +19/+19/+19/+14/+9/+4.

Another thing, can someone think of a better name for this PrC? "Steel Fist" sounds horibly bland, despite being appropriate for the metal ki strikes. Its all I could think up at the time though.

 

[Anabstercorian]

Meteor Disciple

Meteors are often forceful and composed of many alloys.