Sacred Fist and variants thereof

[wingsandsword]

I'm looking for a PrC to flesh out a character concept of a spellcasting monk (an Archivist actually with a couple of monk levels), I was hoping to use a PrC that would have continued spellcasting and monk abilities.

The closest thing is Sacred Fist, but the Code of Conduct prohibiting use of any weapon other than unarmed attacks doesn't really fit with the character concept. Is there another PrC (especially one from an official source) that doesn't have this restriction but has similar abilities? Would it significantly break the class to drop that restriction (i.e. is it a flavor restriction with mechanical impact, like the Paladin and Monk multiclassing restrictions)?

Also, does anybody know of a Arcane caster/monk progression PrC? I haven't been able to find one of those at all.

 

[Dog Moon]

Complete Arcane has Ardent Savant (I think that is what it is called). It is mostly a spellcaster with minor monk progression. It is the best arcane/monk prc that I can think of.

 

[Drowbane]

Complete Arcane has Ardent Savant Enlightened Fist. It is mostly a spellcaster with minor monk progression. It is the best arcane/monk prc that I can think of.

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Dagredhel]

The Enlightened Fist PrC includes specific rules for adapting it for a divine spellcaster instead. The PrC levels improve AC bonus, unarmed damage, unarmored speed bonus, and daily uses of stunning fist. Spellcasting improves at even levels. You get d8 HD and medium BAB progression, and seven special abilities. Not too bad.

If you go that route, several feats will help:

Kung Fu Genius
[General]
(DR319 p71)
Intelligence 13
Must be taken before or
at the same time as
gaining Monk level 1st
Use your Intelligence modifier in place of your Wisdom modifier for all Monk class abilities normally
based on Wisdom.

This one is a must have.

Practiced Spellcaster
[General] (CDiv p82)
(CArc p82)
Spellcraft: 4 ranks Choose one of your spellcasting classes. The spells you cast from this class have +4 Caster level (up to
your number of HD).
This feat helps multiclassed characters.

Superior Unarmed Strike
[General] (ToB p33)
Improved Unarmed Strike
BAB+3
If you are a monk, you instead deal unarmed damage as a monk four levels higher.

Improved Natural Attack
[General]
Natural weapon
BAB +4.
Choose one of the creature’s natural attack forms. The damage for this natural weapon increases by one step, as if the creature’s size had increased by one category: 1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 6d6, 8d6, 12d6.
A weapon or attack that deals 1d10 points of damage increases as follows: 1d10, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 6d8, 8d8, 12d8.
This feat may be taken multiple times, but each time it applies to a different natural attack.

Assuming you start with 2 Monk levels and 3 Archivist levels, adding 10 levels of Enlightened Fist leaves you with 5 levels to cover. Since you seem to envision Archivist as the main class, either Contemplative or Loremaster would do nicely, with their full caster progressions and complimentary abilities.

By 20th level, you'll have 7th level spells and an unenhanced BAB of only +11--- but you'll make up for that with spells. You can squeak out another 2 points of BAB with Monk 4/Archivist 4--- but only at the expense of 7th level spells.

 

[Dog Moon]

Fixed that for ya.

Ah, thanks. Not sure why I had that in my head, but now that you mention the correct name, the one I thought it was just doesn't make any sense. At least I got the right book.

 

[Klaus]

There's also the Ascetic Mage feat from CAdv. Using Cha to add to AC if you have Monk+Sor levels, classes stack for AC bonus and spend spell slot to add to unarmed damage. Add in Force of Personality (Cha to Will saves) and Ascetic Knight (Monk + Paladin) and you can become quite the Cha monkey!

Arcane Strike is also good, since you can channel your arcane might through your fists.

 

[Dagredhel]

By 20th level, you'll have 7th level spells and an unenhanced BAB of only +11--- but you'll make up for that with spells.

Yes, I quoted myself.

Here is the spell:

Divine Power
Evocation
Level: Clr 4, War 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level

Calling upon the divine power of your patron, you imbue yourself with strength and skill in combat. Your base attack bonus becomes equal to your character level (which may give you additional attacks), you gain a +6 enhancement bonus to Strength, and you gain 1 temporary hit point per caster level.

And here is the must-have accessory:

Metamagic Rod - Quicken

The wielder can cast up to three spells per day that are quickened as though using the Quicken Spell feat.

Strong (no school); CL 17th; Craft Rod, 75,500 gp (normal).

All of your memorized spells are combat buffs, touch spells or rays; everything else (healing, utility, etc.) goes on scrolls.