Making a slayer into a monk

How feasible do you think this would be (particularly if one were to pitch it as an article to Dragon)?

New slayer mode. You lose proficiency in military weapons, but your unarmed strikes are +3 proficiency and d8 damage. You can use ki foci. You add your focus's enhancement bonus to grab attempts too.

You can keep armor proficiency, but if you're wearing cloth or no armor, you get a +2 bonus to AC. (Some brawlers would want to wear scale, and what's the harm in that?)

Add Acrobatics as a class skill.

Instead of the 'add your Dex bonus to attacks' most slayers get, you get flurry of blows.

Add some new stance options. Most of these would be mobility based, to recreate the 'full discipline' movement options.

Keep power strike as is.

At 7th level, instead of axe, heavy blade, or staff, you can choose an unarmed strike option. If you power strike unarmed, . . . what? Should you grab the enemy? Doesn't really fit a 'mobile warrior' idea.


I'm just pondering. Would you be interested in a build like this?
I think you're putting too much thought into changing the mechanics, when you could use the existing mechanics to your advantage.

Give the slayer a new Weapon Specialization group. Instead of greatsword/greataxe, make something like "Unarmed Combatant", so that when the slayer uses Power Strike with an unarmed strike, he gets some nice effect (like dazed + prone). You could even include a later option where the character can choose to apply the Power Strike damage to a different adjacent creature, mimicking the "Flurry of Blows".

The slayer already has reasons to go light armor if his Dex is high enough. Make a couple of new Utility powers that mimic monk-type mobility, and you should be good to go. If someone wants to make a Str-based, armored monk, let 'em (this would be a good way to mimic a samurai, perhaps). If they prefer the unarmored variant, they'll just take Melee Training (Dex) and focus on Dex alone.

BUT, if you were to pitch this to Dragon, you need more than mechanics. You need a good story hook for these unarmed slayers to be added to the core world. Maybe they're Kord devotees, or maybe they're a rare type of slayer dedicated to Ioun?
 
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I worked on it lasrt night, and I think I have something I am going to let my players play with...

[sblock=homebrew]
Emonk
CLASS TRAITS
Role: Striker.
Power Source: Martial.
Key Abilities: Dexterity; Wisdom

Armor Proficiencies: Cloth, leather.
Weapon Proficiencies: Club, dagger, monk unarmed strike, quarterstaff, shuriken, sling, spear.
Implement: Ki Focus
Bonus to Defense: +1 Fortitude +1 Reflex +1 Will.

Hit Points at 1st Level: 12+ Constitution Score.
Hit Points per Level Gained: 5
Healing Surges per Day: 6+ Constitution Modifier.

Trained Skills: From the class skills list below, choose 4 trained skills at 1st level.
Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Dungeoneering (Wis), Insight (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Streetwise (Cha), Thievery (Dex).

UNARMED COMBATANT
You can make unarmed attacks with much greater effectiveness than most combatants can. When you make a weapon attack such as a melee basic attack, you can use the monk unarmed strike, which is a weapon in the unarmed weapon group.
There are 2 weapons of this type.
Kick +2 prof 1d10 high crit
Punch +3 prof 1d6 off hand
You gain two of the following powers of your choice.
Acrobat's Trick
For a brief moment, you move along a wall. The momentum you build translates into a more powerful attack.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed -2. During this move, you have a climb speed equal to your speed -2. You also gain a +2 power bonus to your next damage roll with a basic attack during this turn.
Level 11: +4 power bonus.
Level 21: +6 power bonus.

Ambush Trick
You dodge and weave, making a feint that causes your foe to turn and lose track of you.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed. Until the end of your turn, you gain combat advantage against enemies that are within 5 squares of you when you attack and that have none of their allies adjacent to them.

Escape Artist's Trick
You slip forward to engage your enemy, then spring back and out of its grasp after delivering an attack.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You shift up to 2 squares. Once at the end of this turn, you can shift 2 squares as a free action.

Feinting Trick
You slash in one direction, but quickly change the angle of your attack. While your foe reacts to your first move, your true attack slips past its defenses.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed. You gain a power bonus to the next damage roll you make this turn with a basic attack for which you do not have combat advantage. The power bonus equals your Charisma modifier.

Sneak's Trick
You fade into the shadows, moving with such precision that you can hide in even the barest scrap of cover.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed -2. At the end of this move, you can make a Stealth check to hide if you have any cover or concealment.

Tactical Trick
Your quick assessment of the battlefield shows you both where to step and which enemies are too distracted to defend themselves properly.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You move up to your speed, and you do not provoke opportunity attacks when leaving squares adjacent to your allies. Until the end of your turn, you have combat advantage against enemies that have at least one of your allies adjacent to them.

Thug's Trick
With your enemy hemmed in, you keep your blade ready to punish it for any move it makes.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You can shift 1 square. Until the end of your next turn, enemies you flank provoke opportunity attacks from you if they shift.

Tumbling Trick
You dodge between your foes, slashing to the right and left with such speed that one attack leads into another.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You shift up to 3 squares. The next time you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack this turn, you also deal damage equal to your Strength modifier to a different enemy, which must be adjacent to you.

Unbalancing Trick
You dodge low as you approach an enemy, protecting yourself from attack and setting up a strike to the knee or lower leg.
At-Will Martial
Move Action Personal
Effect: You shift up to 2 squares. The next time you hit an enemy with a melee basic attack this turn, you can knock it prone.

SNEAK ATTACK
When you make an attack with a light blade, a hand crossbow, a shortbow, or a sling and hit an enemy granting combat advantage to you, that enemy takes extra damage based on your level (see the Sneak Attack table). You can deal this extra damage only once per turn.

SNEAK ATTACK
Level Extra Damage
1–10 1d6
11–20 2d6
21–30 3d6


WEAPON FINESSE
When you make a melee basic attack, you can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack roll and the damage roll. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with off hand weapons.

Level 1:
HEROIC SLAYER
You gain a bonus to the damage rolls of weapon attacks. The bonus equals your Wisdom modifier.

POWER STRIKE
You gain the power strike power.
Power Strike
By pushing yourself beyond your normal limits, you unleash your full wrath against a foe.
Encounter Martial, Weapon
No Action Special
Trigger: You hit an enemy with a basic attack using a weapon.
Target: The enemy you hit
Effect: The target takes 1[W] extra damage from the triggering attack.
Level 17: 2[W] extra damage.
Level 27: 3[W] extra damage.
Level 3:
LEVEL 3 IMPROVED POWER STRIKE
You gain one more use of power strike per encounter, but you can still use it only once per turn.
Level 4:
Combat Style
Once per encounter you can assume a combat style, allowing you to fight like natures creatures you emulate. Regardless of how many different Styles you know, you can use only one such ability per encounter. The special ability or power you invoke works just like your other powers.
Choose 1 Stlye:
Bear Style
You stand toe to toe with your enemies to exchange blows
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the Bear Style. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* You gain Resist Weapon and Force of half your level.
* If you are adjacent to only 1 enemy that enemy grants combat advantage to you.
* You gain a +1d8 power bonus to the damage rolls.


Dancing Serpent Style
You move like a snake, darting here and there, never remaining within reach of your foe.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the aspect of the dancing serpent. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* You can take a free action at the end of each of your turns to shift 1 square.
* When you make a basic attack against an enemy that has none of its allies adjacent to it, you gain a +1 power bonus to the attack roll and damage roll.
Level 11: The bonus to the damage roll increases to +2.
Level 21: The bonus to the damage roll increases to +3.

Shark Style
As you take on the aspect of the shark, the scent of blood drives you into a vicious frenzy.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the aspect of the hungry shark. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* When you make a basic attack against a bloodied enemy, you gain a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.
* You can take a move action to shift up to 3 squares to a square adjacent to a bloodied enemy.
* You gain a +5 power bonus to Athletics checks made to swim.

Jumping Spider Style
Like a spider, you lie in ambush and wait until your foe comes near before launching your attack.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the aspect of the lurking spider. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* You gain a +2 power bonus to Stealth checks.
* You gain a +5 power bonus to Athletics checks made to jump.
* You gain a +2 power bonus to the damage rolls of charge attacks.
Level 11: The bonus to damage rolls increases to +3.
Level 21: The bonus to damage rolls increases to +4.

Pack Wolf Style
You fight as a member of the pack, turning your allies’ positions to your advantage.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the pack wolf. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* You do not provoke opportunity attacks when leaving squares adjacent to your allies.
* When you make a basic attack against an enemy adjacent to two or more of your allies, you gain a +1 power bonus to the attack roll. You also gain a power bonus to the damage roll against that enemy. The bonus equals the number of your allies adjacent to the enemy.
Level 11: The bonus to damage rolls increases to 1 + the number of adjacent allies.
Level 21: The bonus to damage rolls increases to 2 + the number of adjacent allies.

Hunting Cat Style
You fight with the courage of a lion, taking on a larger foe without a sliver of doubt or fear.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance, the aspect of the regal lion. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* When you make a basic attack against an enemy that is Large or larger, you gain a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.
* You gain a +2 power bonus to all defenses against such enemies.

Soaring Hawk Style
You move through the battle like a hawk, carefully waiting for the best moment to strike, rising above all barriers that might restrict you.
Encounter Martial, Stance
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You assume a stance of the soaring hawk. Until the stance ends, you gain the following benefits.
* You gain a +2 power bonus to speed.
* You ignore the penalty to attack rolls imposed by partial cover and partial concealment, and you take no worse than a -2 penalty to attack rolls against targets that have superior cover or total concealment.
* You gain a +2 power bonus to Perception checks.

Level 7:
LEVEL 7 EXTRA style or trick of your choice
Flurry of Blows
You gain one of the following benefits of your choice.

Circle Kick
When you use power strike with a unarmed kick, you can knock the target prone or push 1.

Quick Jab
When you use power strike with a unarmed punch, all enemies adjacent to you other than the target of power strike suffer damage equal to your wisdom modifier.
Level 9:
LEVEL 9
QUICKNESS OF THOUGHT
You gain a +2 bonus to speed.
IMPROVED FINESSE
The bonus to damage rolls granted by your Weapon Finesse class feature increases to +3.

COMBAT READINESS
You gain a +2 bonus to initiative.

Level 13:
LEVEL 13 IMPROVED POWER STRIKE
You gain one more use of power strike per encounter, but you can still use it only once per turn.
Level 15:
PARAGON FINESSE
The bonus to damage rolls granted by your Weapon Finesse class feature increases to +4.

Level 17:
LEVEL 17 EXTRA style or trick of your choice


Level 19:
EVASIVE Power Attack
After you use Power Strike, you can immediately shift up to 3 squares as a free action.

Level 25:
EPIC FINESSE
The bonus to damage rolls granted by your Weapon Finesse class feature increases to +5.
Level 26:
EXTRA style or trick of your choice


[/sblock]
 

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