For your amusement . . .
I'm working on a monk that is forbidden from using magic items (or having spells cast upon him). Trying to give him a more monkly feel, which includes not relying on eighteen magic items to do what he needs to do.
The monks in this new class get a Monkly Feat at each level; they start with nothing but Stunning Fist and Evasion -- and no new feat-like abilities (except for some immunities) except those that they choose from the following list.
While some of them are clearly overpowered for any but the non-magical Monk (like Monkly Bounce), a lot of them are a lot of fun. So I thought I'd post them and find out what y'all think!
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Monkly Feats
Adamantine Fist
Things you hit go away.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +11, Crushing Blow, Eagle Claw, Skin of the Dragon
Benefit: You can summon enormous strength into your fists. You ignores the first thirty points of hardness of an object struck, and do six times normal damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 6, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to twice his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
All-Around Senses
You have the uncanny ability to dodge out of the way of otherwise sneaky attacks.
Prerequisites: Evasion, Quick-Footed, 8 ranks in Spot, 8 ranks in Listen.
Benefit: The monk’s senses have been refined to the point where opponents gain no flanking bonus against him, nor do they get sneak-attack damage when flanking (if they normally would).
Blindsight
Your senses have become uber-sharp.
Prerequisites: Quick-Footed, All-Around Senses, Evasion, Wisdom 20+
Benefit: The monk gains the extraordinary ability blindsight with a radius of 10’.
Special: The monk may take this feat multiple times. Each time he takes it after the first, the radius of effect increases by 20’ (but the Wisdom prerequisite increases by 1).
Charge Throw [From “Beyond The Monk”/Oriental Adventures]
You use the power of a charging opponent’s attack against them.
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, Dodge
Benefit: When an opponent charges you, they provoke an attack of opportunity from you that can only be used in an attempt to trip (including use of the Improved Trip feat or Foot Sweep feat). If your trip attack is successful, your opponent ends up prone in the direction of the charge 5’ from you, and his charge attack automatically fails.
As part of the trip, you may try to throw your opponent farther than 5’. Your opponent must make a Reflex save with DC 10 + half your monk level + your Dexterity bonus, and he gets a +4 bonus for each size category he is bigger than you. He is thrown two extra feet for every point by which he fails the save.
Chi Boost
Your inner power is exceptional.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: At each level, the monk’s total chi is increased by 1 + his monk level. For instance, an 11th level monk (regardless of when he actually took the feat) would get 97 chi points instead of 85 chi points.
Special: The monk may take this feat a second time, but only if he is at least 11th level.
Combat Reflexes [as in the PHB]
Crushing Blow
You can hit things really hard.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +3
Benefit: The monk is able to shatter or break hard objects with a blow of his hand. The monk ignores the first five points of hardness of the object struck, and does double damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 2, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
Deflect Arrows [as in the PHB]
Special: If you ready an action to deflect the next ranged attack against you, you gain a +5 bonus to the attempt.
Dodge [as in the PHB]
Eagle Claw
You can hit things really, really hard.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +7, Crushing Blow
Benefit: Through physical exercise and concentration, the monk can summon immense crushing strength into his hand. He can shatter objects (snap spear shafts, crush stones, etc.), crush metal items, and in general hurt things real bad. The monk ignores the first fifteen points of hardness of an object struck, and does triple damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 4, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to one-and-a-half times his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
Feint
You can feint in combat in a way completely different from that of a Rogue with a Potion of Glibness.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus of +1
Benefit: A feint is a trick where the monk begins an attack in one direction and at the last minute changes it to another direction. When done successfully, the opponent is out of position to the new attack and cannot defend as effectively against it. This move is used in lieu of one melee attack; the monk’s target must make a Reflex save (DC10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom bonus). If the target fails his save, all other attacks the monk makes that round are at +3 to hit and +1 to damage. Alternatively, the monk choose to get +4 to hit and +2 to damage with his next attack.
Combo Kickarooni
You have learned to strike multiple opponents from the air.
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce
Benefit: When charging and jumping at least 10’, the monk may try to strike up to three opponents, as long as it would be legal for him to do so as part of his charge. (In other words, the three must be standing next to each other, in a line directly in front of the monk.)
Special: The monk may not combine the effects of this feat with that of Sky Kick.
Foot Sweep [From “Beyond The Monk”]
By crouching low and making a sweeping kick, you can trip opponents effectively.
Prerequisites: None
Benefits: You can declare an attack to be a foot sweep. Your strike is a trip attack that does one-half your normal unarmed strike damage if successful. If the trip attack fails, your opponent cannot attempt to trip you.
Special: If you also have the Cleave feat, and successfully trip one opponent with a Foot Sweep, you may use Foot Sweep against an adjacent opponent. If you have Great Cleave, you may continue to use Foot Sweep against adjacent opponents until you fail to trip one of them.
Improved Deflect Arrows [From “Beyond The Monk”]
You can deflect multiple ranged attacks in a round.
Prerequisite: Deflect Arrows
Benefits: You can use the Deflect Arrows feat to deflect a number of ranged attacks per round equal to 1 plus your Dexterity bonus.
Special: If you ready an action to deflect arrows shot at you, you gain a +5 bonus to all deflect attempts.
Improved Evasion [as in the PHB]
Prerequisite: Base reflex save +6
Improved Trip [as in the PHB]
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +4 (unless the monk has Expertise)
Lightning Fists
Prerequisite: None
Benefit: You get one extra attack a turn, at your highest base attack bonus; this stacks with Flurry of Blows. This attack and all other attacks made this round are at a –4 penalty.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time, the monk gets another extra attack. The penalty increases by –2 for each time the feat is taken after the first. For instance, a 10th level monk may take this feat three times. His initial BAB is +7/+4/+1. If he wishes, he may instead attack seven times, (once using Flurry of Blows, and three times using Lightning Fists), at –1/-3/-5/-7/-9/-11/-13.
Monkly Bounce
You bounce like a monk.
Prerequisites: 8 ranks Tumble, 8 ranks Balance, 8 ranks Jump
Benefit: The monk is able to perform extraordinary feats of springing and leaping by channeling his inner power, mentally making himself as light as a feather. The monk gets a bonus equal to his level to all Balance, Jump and Tumble checks; he may Tumble a distance equal to his movement rate each round, and all Jumps are at double normal distance. The distance of the jumps the monk makes are not limited by his height. The monk may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier when making Climb and Jump checks. Finally, the monk may get to his feet from prone as a free action.
Pain Touch
You have a talent for causing great pain.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5
Benefit: Simply by pressing his finger against specific points of the body, the monk can cause great pain in the victim. The target must be humanoid or giant for this to work. This can be done in lieu of a normal attack. It causes no damage, but if the target fails a Fortitude save (DC15+ the monk’s Wisdom modifier) he will be –2 to hit and his AC will worsen by two. Creatures get +4 to this save for each size category they are above the monk. This effect lasts for d4 rounds. The effect of multiple pain touches are cumulative up to -6 to hit/+6 to AC.
Perfect Reflexes [From “Beyond The Monk”]
Your reactions are unbelievably fast
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, base Reflex save 6+
Benefits: You can still make an additional number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus, but now you can make more than one attack of opportunity per round against a single enemy. You still may only make one attack per provocation.
Quick-Footed
The monk has the uncanny ability to react to danger.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: The monk receives his Dexterity bonus to AC even when he is flat-footed.
Quivering Palm [as in the PHB]
You know, they say this is how Bruce Lee died.
Prerequisites: Pain touch, Base attack bonus +10
Skin of the Dragon
Your great conditioning allows you to start ignoring damage.
Prerequisites: Natural armor bonus +3
Benefit: You gain Damage Reduction X/-, where X is equal to 1 + half your natural armor bonus, rounded down.
Sky Kick
What’s that in the sky? A bird? A plane? No, it’s a boot to the head!
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce, Base attack bonus +3
Benefit: When using the charge action while jumping, you deal an extra d6pts of damage for each 10’ of your jump (max 5d6). You may not use the Body Equilibrium chi ability while making this jump.
Sticky Hands
You have mastered the art of staying close to your opponent. Really, really close.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6, 8 ranks in Tumble
Benefit: A successful attack using this technique (which counts as one combat action) does no damage – but it essentially “sticks” the character to the target unless it makes a Reflex save (DC15 + the monk’s Dexterity modifier). The monk is then considered to be in the target’s square. This proximity means the target’s movements and attacks are, to some degree, automatically predicted, giving the monk a +2 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to hit against that opponent as long as he remains “stuck” to him. The target does not find it easy to escape the monk; any movement he takes, the monk may choose to match if he is able, even though it is not the monk’s turn. This movement is subtracted from the monk’s movement next turn. A retreating target may make a full-round attack on the monk, as the monk is always right next to him; similarly, the monk may make a full-round attack on the target, even though he has moved more than five feet. (Yes, this “breaks” normal combat rules.)
Thunder from the Sky
Your boot to the head comes with a complementary serving of whup-ass.
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce, Sky Kick, Base attack bonus +7
Benefit: If you make a successful Sky Kick that started from at least 20’ away, you may attempt to knock your target backwards. Your target is subject to an immediate stunning attack, and must make a save as usual. If he fails, he is knocked backwards one foot for each point of damage you dealt.
I'm working on a monk that is forbidden from using magic items (or having spells cast upon him). Trying to give him a more monkly feel, which includes not relying on eighteen magic items to do what he needs to do.
The monks in this new class get a Monkly Feat at each level; they start with nothing but Stunning Fist and Evasion -- and no new feat-like abilities (except for some immunities) except those that they choose from the following list.
While some of them are clearly overpowered for any but the non-magical Monk (like Monkly Bounce), a lot of them are a lot of fun. So I thought I'd post them and find out what y'all think!
--------------------------------------
Monkly Feats
Adamantine Fist
Things you hit go away.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +11, Crushing Blow, Eagle Claw, Skin of the Dragon
Benefit: You can summon enormous strength into your fists. You ignores the first thirty points of hardness of an object struck, and do six times normal damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 6, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to twice his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
All-Around Senses
You have the uncanny ability to dodge out of the way of otherwise sneaky attacks.
Prerequisites: Evasion, Quick-Footed, 8 ranks in Spot, 8 ranks in Listen.
Benefit: The monk’s senses have been refined to the point where opponents gain no flanking bonus against him, nor do they get sneak-attack damage when flanking (if they normally would).
Blindsight
Your senses have become uber-sharp.
Prerequisites: Quick-Footed, All-Around Senses, Evasion, Wisdom 20+
Benefit: The monk gains the extraordinary ability blindsight with a radius of 10’.
Special: The monk may take this feat multiple times. Each time he takes it after the first, the radius of effect increases by 20’ (but the Wisdom prerequisite increases by 1).
Charge Throw [From “Beyond The Monk”/Oriental Adventures]
You use the power of a charging opponent’s attack against them.
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, Dodge
Benefit: When an opponent charges you, they provoke an attack of opportunity from you that can only be used in an attempt to trip (including use of the Improved Trip feat or Foot Sweep feat). If your trip attack is successful, your opponent ends up prone in the direction of the charge 5’ from you, and his charge attack automatically fails.
As part of the trip, you may try to throw your opponent farther than 5’. Your opponent must make a Reflex save with DC 10 + half your monk level + your Dexterity bonus, and he gets a +4 bonus for each size category he is bigger than you. He is thrown two extra feet for every point by which he fails the save.
Chi Boost
Your inner power is exceptional.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: At each level, the monk’s total chi is increased by 1 + his monk level. For instance, an 11th level monk (regardless of when he actually took the feat) would get 97 chi points instead of 85 chi points.
Special: The monk may take this feat a second time, but only if he is at least 11th level.
Combat Reflexes [as in the PHB]
Crushing Blow
You can hit things really hard.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +3
Benefit: The monk is able to shatter or break hard objects with a blow of his hand. The monk ignores the first five points of hardness of the object struck, and does double damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 2, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
Deflect Arrows [as in the PHB]
Special: If you ready an action to deflect the next ranged attack against you, you gain a +5 bonus to the attempt.
Dodge [as in the PHB]
Eagle Claw
You can hit things really, really hard.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +7, Crushing Blow
Benefit: Through physical exercise and concentration, the monk can summon immense crushing strength into his hand. He can shatter objects (snap spear shafts, crush stones, etc.), crush metal items, and in general hurt things real bad. The monk ignores the first fifteen points of hardness of an object struck, and does triple damage against inanimate objects. If this technique is used against a living target, the target’s total armor bonus to AC, if any, is reduced by 4, and the monk’s attack causes normal damage plus hp equal to one-and-a-half times his level. This maneuver is a full-round action.
Feint
You can feint in combat in a way completely different from that of a Rogue with a Potion of Glibness.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus of +1
Benefit: A feint is a trick where the monk begins an attack in one direction and at the last minute changes it to another direction. When done successfully, the opponent is out of position to the new attack and cannot defend as effectively against it. This move is used in lieu of one melee attack; the monk’s target must make a Reflex save (DC10 + ½ the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom bonus). If the target fails his save, all other attacks the monk makes that round are at +3 to hit and +1 to damage. Alternatively, the monk choose to get +4 to hit and +2 to damage with his next attack.
Combo Kickarooni
You have learned to strike multiple opponents from the air.
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce
Benefit: When charging and jumping at least 10’, the monk may try to strike up to three opponents, as long as it would be legal for him to do so as part of his charge. (In other words, the three must be standing next to each other, in a line directly in front of the monk.)
Special: The monk may not combine the effects of this feat with that of Sky Kick.
Foot Sweep [From “Beyond The Monk”]
By crouching low and making a sweeping kick, you can trip opponents effectively.
Prerequisites: None
Benefits: You can declare an attack to be a foot sweep. Your strike is a trip attack that does one-half your normal unarmed strike damage if successful. If the trip attack fails, your opponent cannot attempt to trip you.
Special: If you also have the Cleave feat, and successfully trip one opponent with a Foot Sweep, you may use Foot Sweep against an adjacent opponent. If you have Great Cleave, you may continue to use Foot Sweep against adjacent opponents until you fail to trip one of them.
Improved Deflect Arrows [From “Beyond The Monk”]
You can deflect multiple ranged attacks in a round.
Prerequisite: Deflect Arrows
Benefits: You can use the Deflect Arrows feat to deflect a number of ranged attacks per round equal to 1 plus your Dexterity bonus.
Special: If you ready an action to deflect arrows shot at you, you gain a +5 bonus to all deflect attempts.
Improved Evasion [as in the PHB]
Prerequisite: Base reflex save +6
Improved Trip [as in the PHB]
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +4 (unless the monk has Expertise)
Lightning Fists
Prerequisite: None
Benefit: You get one extra attack a turn, at your highest base attack bonus; this stacks with Flurry of Blows. This attack and all other attacks made this round are at a –4 penalty.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time, the monk gets another extra attack. The penalty increases by –2 for each time the feat is taken after the first. For instance, a 10th level monk may take this feat three times. His initial BAB is +7/+4/+1. If he wishes, he may instead attack seven times, (once using Flurry of Blows, and three times using Lightning Fists), at –1/-3/-5/-7/-9/-11/-13.
Monkly Bounce
You bounce like a monk.
Prerequisites: 8 ranks Tumble, 8 ranks Balance, 8 ranks Jump
Benefit: The monk is able to perform extraordinary feats of springing and leaping by channeling his inner power, mentally making himself as light as a feather. The monk gets a bonus equal to his level to all Balance, Jump and Tumble checks; he may Tumble a distance equal to his movement rate each round, and all Jumps are at double normal distance. The distance of the jumps the monk makes are not limited by his height. The monk may use his Dexterity modifier instead of his Strength modifier when making Climb and Jump checks. Finally, the monk may get to his feet from prone as a free action.
Pain Touch
You have a talent for causing great pain.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +5
Benefit: Simply by pressing his finger against specific points of the body, the monk can cause great pain in the victim. The target must be humanoid or giant for this to work. This can be done in lieu of a normal attack. It causes no damage, but if the target fails a Fortitude save (DC15+ the monk’s Wisdom modifier) he will be –2 to hit and his AC will worsen by two. Creatures get +4 to this save for each size category they are above the monk. This effect lasts for d4 rounds. The effect of multiple pain touches are cumulative up to -6 to hit/+6 to AC.
Perfect Reflexes [From “Beyond The Monk”]
Your reactions are unbelievably fast
Prerequisites: Combat Reflexes, base Reflex save 6+
Benefits: You can still make an additional number of attacks of opportunity per round equal to your Dexterity bonus, but now you can make more than one attack of opportunity per round against a single enemy. You still may only make one attack per provocation.
Quick-Footed
The monk has the uncanny ability to react to danger.
Prerequisites: None
Benefit: The monk receives his Dexterity bonus to AC even when he is flat-footed.
Quivering Palm [as in the PHB]
You know, they say this is how Bruce Lee died.
Prerequisites: Pain touch, Base attack bonus +10
Skin of the Dragon
Your great conditioning allows you to start ignoring damage.
Prerequisites: Natural armor bonus +3
Benefit: You gain Damage Reduction X/-, where X is equal to 1 + half your natural armor bonus, rounded down.
Sky Kick
What’s that in the sky? A bird? A plane? No, it’s a boot to the head!
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce, Base attack bonus +3
Benefit: When using the charge action while jumping, you deal an extra d6pts of damage for each 10’ of your jump (max 5d6). You may not use the Body Equilibrium chi ability while making this jump.
Sticky Hands
You have mastered the art of staying close to your opponent. Really, really close.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +6, 8 ranks in Tumble
Benefit: A successful attack using this technique (which counts as one combat action) does no damage – but it essentially “sticks” the character to the target unless it makes a Reflex save (DC15 + the monk’s Dexterity modifier). The monk is then considered to be in the target’s square. This proximity means the target’s movements and attacks are, to some degree, automatically predicted, giving the monk a +2 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to hit against that opponent as long as he remains “stuck” to him. The target does not find it easy to escape the monk; any movement he takes, the monk may choose to match if he is able, even though it is not the monk’s turn. This movement is subtracted from the monk’s movement next turn. A retreating target may make a full-round attack on the monk, as the monk is always right next to him; similarly, the monk may make a full-round attack on the target, even though he has moved more than five feet. (Yes, this “breaks” normal combat rules.)
Thunder from the Sky
Your boot to the head comes with a complementary serving of whup-ass.
Prerequisites: Monkly Bounce, Sky Kick, Base attack bonus +7
Benefit: If you make a successful Sky Kick that started from at least 20’ away, you may attempt to knock your target backwards. Your target is subject to an immediate stunning attack, and must make a save as usual. If he fails, he is knocked backwards one foot for each point of damage you dealt.
