Ideas for a Ghoul Monk Cleric NPC

[Dannyalcatraz]

The next thing I'd do is change his class from Cleric/Monk to Shaman (OA, with 3.5 update from Dragon #318)/Monk or mixing Monk with one of the Incarnum or Psionic classes.

After playing 3.5 out of the SRD for so long I have not got used to the idea that if I want to play with more abilities I need to actually buy some books. I am getting used to the idea since 4E isn't online and I had to go to Barnes and Noble to see the rules for a familiar. Anyway, I don't know what a shaman does (sounds like it has spells) so I can't tell whether this is looking into. I did bootleg Dragon 318 but you can't tell from that.

The OA Shaman is, mechanically speaking, a Monk/Cleric hybrid of sorts.

1) It has IUC standard, like a Monk, but unlike that class, it does not scale up automatically (until the update in Dragon #318) and there is no language allowing them to treat their unarmed strikes as natural and/or manufactured weapons. Its Unarmed strikes should stack with the Monk.

2) It has clerical spells, starting with 2 Domains, and eventually gaining a 3rd, and is a full caster. Their spell and available Domains list varies a little from the cleric, but given the lack of support to OA, I wouldn't be averse to augmenting that list with stuff from the Cleric.

3) It can only use light armor and a few weapons. It does not have FoB or any of the nifty powers the Monk has.

4) The flavor of their divine magic is more animist. They talk to spirits...and if memory serves, can Turn them as well. I don't recall if they can Turn non-spirit undead.

Thematically, the Shaman has an overall flavor that matches well with the Monk and Indian culture a little better than the standard Cleric.