Monk

Warrior Monks combine martial training with mental exercise, honing body and soul. They serve as a monastery's protector and guide pilgrims on their journeys. Some take a more active role in the world, entrusted with a sacred mission or sent forth to test themselves in the world of man. Often thoughtful, educated, humble and composed, these holy warriors are well received and respected throughout Impiltur.

Bound by strict oaths, Monks tend to avoid weapons and armour and fight with simple tools or nothing at all instead. Through their rigorous training they become capable of amazing feats, and while they may struggle against a fully equipped warrior they are more than capable of besting anyone else.

Monks must have a deity that corresponds with their alignment or is one step removed.

Properties

• Alignment Restrictions: Any Lawful.
• Hit Die: d8.
• AB Progression: Medium +1.
• Primary Save: All.
• Skill Points: 5 + Int Modifier.
• Class Skills: Balance, Diplomacy, Heal, Knowledge, Parry, Perception, Sense Motive, Stealth.
• Proficiencies: Weapon Handling, Weapon Proficiency (Monk)
• Ex-Monks: A Monk who is no longer lawful cannot gain levels.

Progression

As Monks grow in level, they also gain extra damage on unarmed attacks, extra unarmed or kama attacks per round and a bonus to their AC. Wearing armour or using a shield negates many of the monk's abilities.

The table may not be currently accurate for AB.

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP Range		Unarmed AB	Flurry of Blows AB	Unarmed Damage		AC Bonus	Speed Bonus	Spell Resistance	Wholeness of Body
		Fort	Ref	Will						Large/Medium	Small				HP
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Armour of Silks, Flurry of Blows, Improved Unarmed Strike, Stunning Fist	8±CON Modifier		+1	-1/-1	1d6	1d4	-	-	-	-
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Cleave, Still Mind, Weapon Finesse	16±CON Modifier		+2	+0/+0	1d6	1d4	-	-	-	-
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3	Fleet of Foot, Ki Focus, Meditation, Uncanny Dodge I	24±CON Modifier		+3	+1/+1	1d6	1d4	-	+10%	-	-
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Diamond Soul, Ki Strike +1, Monastic Art	32±CON Modifier		+4/+1	+2/-1/+2	1d8	1d6	-	+10%	+14	-
5th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Evasion, Greater Meditation	40±CON Modifier		+4/+1	+2/-1/+2	1d8	1d6	+1	+10%	+15	-
6th	+5	+5	+5	+5	Heightened Ki Focus, Wholeness of Body	48±CON Modifier		+5/+2	+3/+0/+3	1d8	1d6	+1	+20%	+16	6 x WIS Modifier
7th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Conduit of Faith, Improved Monastic Art	56±CON Modifier		+6/+3	+4/+1/+4	1d8	1d6	+1	+20%	+17	7 x WIS Modifier
8th	+7/+2	+6	+6	+6	Empty Body, Ki Strike +2	64±CON Modifier		+7/+4/+1	+5/+2/-1/+5	1d10	1d8	+1	+20%	+18	8 x WIS Modifier

Feats

• Armour of Silks - Monks add their Wisdom modifier to their Armor Class.
• Flurry of Blows - Monks receive an extra attack per round when fighting with unarmed attacks or a kama. However, all attacks in that round suffer a -2 attack penalty.
• Stunning Fist - A character with this feat can attempt a disabling strike. If successful, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the attacker's level + the attacker's Wisdom modifier) or be held for three rounds. This can be used once per day per level of the monk.
• Still Mind - The monk gains a +2 competence bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells.
• Fleet of Foot - Monks move 10% more quickly than other classes, and this ability improves to 20% at level 6.
• Ki Focus - The monk can choose one of four powers: A Special Ability granting 2 temporary HP for 1 round in exchange for a 10% miss chance on attacks , Elemental DR 10/- (40 points total), Uncanny Dodge III or Skill Focus: Balance. The choice takes effect after they rest and can so be changed daily.
• Meditation - WIS times/day, the Monk can meditate for 2 turns to switch between the Luck of Heroes, Greater Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes or Iron Will feat.
• Uncanny Dodge - The character retains his Dex bonus to AC, even if caught flat-footed or attacked by a hidden or invisible creature.
• Diamond Soul - The monk gains spell resistance equal to their class level + 10.
• Ki Strike - The monk's unarmed attack cannot be blunted by damage reduction x/+1. At level 8, damage reduction x/+2 is also bypassed.
• Monastic Art - The monk can choose a combat feat: Improved Parry, Disarm, Knockdown, Expertise, Power Attack, Great Cleave, Blind Fight, Rapid Shot or Ambidexterity. The choice takes effect after they rest and can so be changed daily.
• Evasion - Whenever a Reflex save is allowed for half damage, the character instead takes no damage if he succeeds at the save.
• Greater Meditation - Meditation also grants the monk the ability to cast Resistance on themselves at will, disease immunity, Deflect Arrows or a 2-round Special Ability granting +3 Stealth while immobile, depending on the active saving throw feat.
• Heightened Ki Focus - The chosen Ki Focus power gains an upgrade: either granting 1+WIS temporary HP instead of 2, 15/- (90) elemental DR instead of 10/- (40), Mobility in addition to Uncanny Dodge III or Greater Skill Focus: Balance respectively.
• Wholeness of Body - The monk may sacrifice a Stunning Fist use to heal themselves for monk level x WIS modifier HP. This can not heal the monk beyond 50% of their maximum HP.
• Conduit of Faith - Choose a damage type. All attacks with monk weapons and gauntlets deal +d2 damage of this type (this decision cannot be changed once made).
• Improved Monastic Art - The Monastic Art feats also include Skill Focus: Parry (Greater if SF:P is a general feat already), Improved Disarm, Improved Knockdown, Improved Expertise, Improved Power Attack, Whirlwind Attack, Called Shot, Weapon Specialization: Shuriken or Improved Two Weapon Fighting, respectively.
• Empty Body - The monk may sacrifice a Stunning Fist use to gain Concealment 30% and the ability to move through creatures for 1 turn.

Prestige Routes

This assumes the character has only a single class to meet the requirements and is non-human before taking the prestige class (PrC). Human characters will have greater flexibility in regards to feat progression due to the extra feat granted at character creation by their racial bonus, Quick to Master. Some class routes to prestige may also favour multi-classing in order to more effectively meet pre-requisites or to better synergise the character's skill set to suit the PrC, however caution is advised as most PrCs have strict skill requirements (meeting the unmodified rank, not a modified rank) and the wrong combination of classes (due to cross-classing of skills) may result in further delaying and reducing the levels of a prestige class obtainable or render it entirely unobtainable for the character.

Prestige Class	Minimum Monk Class Level	Maximum Prestige Class Level	Skill	Skill	Skill	Feat	Feat
Assassin	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Stealth at 4th Level	4 ranks in Sense Motive at 1st Level	-	Blind Fight at 1st Level or 3rd Level	-
Blackguard	6th Level	2nd Level	4 ranks in Intimidate at 5th Level	-	-	Cleave Automatically granted at 2nd Level	Great Cleave at 3rd Level
Breach Guard	4th Level	4th Level	-	-	-	Toughness at 1st or 3rd Level	-
Harper Scout	5th Level	3rd Level	8 ranks in Diplomacy at 5th Level	4 ranks in Perform at 5th Level	-	Iron Will at 1st Level or 3rd Level	-
Shadowdancer	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Stealth at 4th Level	7 ranks in Balance at 4th Level	-	Mobility at 1st or 3rd Level	-
Skincarver	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Knowledge (Arcana) at 4th Level	-	-	Artist at 1st Level	-
Wild Shot	4th Level	4th Level	7 ranks in Perception at 4th Level	-	-	Point Blank Shot at 1st Level	Rapid Shot 3rd Level or utilise the Angered Hive combat style from the Monastic Art feat gained at level 4.
Witch Hunter	5th Level	3rd Level	7 ranks in Perception at 4th Level	4 ranks in Set Trap at 5th Level	3 ranks in Spellcraft at 3rd Level	Arcane Defense at 3rd Level	-

Notes

Monks start with +1 base attack, but still skip a point every 4 levels after that.

Their Unarmed damage follows standard progression, increasing at level 1, 4 and 8, as does their bonus AC, granting +1 from level 5 onwards.

Monk are not able to take Cleave during character creation as they receive the feat during level progression.