Ghost Monk (3.5e Prestige Class)

Ghost Monk

"Again!"

The call roared across the training hall, to be answered by a flurry of shouts. Twenty four students continued their training, which had begun some time that morning, before the sun rose. An experienced monk, Marak, new to the school, sat next to the teacher, watching the monks train.

"That's odd," Marak remarked, watching the trainees.

"What?" asked the teacher, turning to follow Marak's eyes.

"None of their attacks are hitting."

"No, indeed they are not."

Marak looked at the teacher strangely. "Then how do they train?"

"They are. You will find they are quite capable in battle."

Marak laughed. This he would have to see, and he told the teacher as much.

"Alright," the old man said. "Glen!"

A young man, who could not have been older than Marak's oldest son, stepped forward. His cut-marked face told Marak that he had just barely begun shaving, and Marak felt a pang of guilt. Was he being asked to beat on a child?

"Glen, this man here, Marak, was interested in sparring. Just a friendly one, to see how far you have progressed."

Glen, who clearly had been listening to the earlier conversation, bowed to Marak, and took a fighting position. He bent his knees, setting his feet in a 'T'-stance. His hands rose up, but Marak saw they would not be able to stop a heavy blow. Marak took advantage of this, and threw a lightning fast swing at the boy, following up with a round kick, aiming to catch the boy in his heavly padded chest.

He was therefore very suprised, as Glen stepped into his punch, moving right out of its path, and with seemingly no effort, reaching out and grasping Marak's ankle, and driving it down, forcing the older monk into an immoble position, held in place at the ankle.

"Enough!" the teacher said, placing his hand on Glen's shoulder. "You see, my friend Marak, we do not take pride in the number of hits we can take.

We take pride in the number that glide right past us."

Prerequisites

Skills: Sense Motive (Wis) 6 Ranks, Balance (Dex) 3 Ranks, Tumble (Dex) 4 Ranks

Feats:Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Grapple

Table: The Ghost Monk

Hit Die: d6

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+0	+2	+0	Rolling fall, Ghost Step
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+0	Joint Lock, Take Down
3rd	+2	+1	+3	+1	Acrobatic Fighting
4th	+2	+1	+4	+1	Run, Weapon Taking
5th	+3	+1	+4	+1
6th	+3	+2	+5	+2
7th	+4	+2	+5	+2
8th	+4	+2	+6	+2	Hip Throw, Uncanny Dodge
9th	+5	+3	+6	+3	Pressure strikes
10th	+5	+3	+7	+3	Death Glare, Step Through, Lightning Move
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex)

Class Abilites

Monk Armor: Ghost Monks, like all monks, gain their Wisdom bonus to their AC when unarmored. They also gain +1 to AC every two levels. This does not stack when multi-classing with a monk.

Fighting Style:When a ghost monk is using any of their abilities, their fighting style is such that strength is of no object. Thus, when performing a grapple check against an enemy, negate Strength bonuses, as well as size bonuses.

Unarmed Strike: Fist damage for Ghost Monks increase as though they were monks of the same level.

Weaponless Combat: None of the Ghost monk's offensive skills work while the monk is armed, and none of her defensive skills work while he is armored. So, while a monk wearing chain mail can perform a take down, and a monk with a sword can still roll, a monk with a sword cannot perform locks, and a armor wearing monk will fall on his arse if he attempts to roll. Skills that are considered offensives are marked with an (o), while defensive skills will be marked with a (d). Skills not marked can be used at all times.

Unarmored Speed Bonus: Monks are able to increase their base speed when unarmored, as if they were gaining levels as a normal monk. So, when a level 11 monk who has a speed bonus of +30 when unarmored takes a level in Ghost Monk, they are treated as if they took a level in monk, increasing the speed from +30 to +40.

Ki Strike: Monks are able to continue channeling their inner magic, increasing their Ki as if they were leveling as a normal monk.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the Ghost Monk:

Rolling Fall (d): The first thing any Ghost Monk learns in training is how to fall. This gives the monk one automatic rank in tumble and acrobatics per level. Once the monk reaches level four, the monk becomes proficent enough at rolling that he can regain his feet from a prone position as a free action.

Ghost Step (d): This move, a trademark of the Ghost Monks, is as simple as it is effective. While other monks would block a blow, Ghost Monks dodge, with such speed and grace that it seems like an attacker is 'Swinging at a ghost'. Ghost step gives the monk a bonus equal to his class level for AC and for reflex saves, in addition to any other modifiers.

Joint Lock (o): Another trademark of the Ghost Monks, their training allows them to exploit the weaknesses and range of motion for any creature with a skeletal system. This could also include creatures with exoskeletons.

If the ghost monk ever attempts to pin an opponent, add the ghost monk's class level to the roll. If the opponent attempt to break the lock, the monk may add his level to the roll to prevent this.

Take Down (o): This is another trade mark move, that knocks the opponent off his feet. To Take Down an opponent, successfully enter a grapple. Then make an opposed strength test, substituting the monk's wisdom for strength. Size modifiers have no effect in this test, the Monk is counted as being medium sized. If the monk succeeds, the opponent in knocked prone, and takes damage as though the monk had punched them.

Acrobatic Fighting: By the third level, the Monk has begun to learn to integrate what he has learned into ordinary fighting. Now he can perform Take Downs or Joint Locks when being attacked. To represent this, a Ghost Monk, while fighting defensively, can enter into grapple with the opponent that attacked him if the opponent's attack missed. When performing a Take Down or Joint Lock in response to an attack, the monk may add his class level to the rolls. This bonus is lost if the monk is attacking.

Run While Ghost Monks often find themselves in the middle of combat, they may find themselves outnumbered and forced to retreat. As such, Ghost Monks obtain the Run feat, for times when the thin line between bravery and stupidity become obvious.

Weapon Taking (o): When using the acrobatic fighting ability, the monk may instead choose to disarm his opponent. He gains the Improved Disarm feat

Hip Throw (o): A Monk of the 8th level can opt, instead of doing damage with his throw, to add a +3 to his grab and hold roll.

Uncanny Dodge: After a certain amount of time, Ghost monks become so used to dodging that their bodies will respond even when they are not aware of any attacks. This is represented by the ghost monk gaining the Uncanny Dodge feat.

Pressure strikes (o): A monk of the 9th level may subtract a point of damage to add a point of difficulty in his grapple tests. Joint Locked individuals now have a -2 modifier for them to break the grapple.

Death Glare: A monk of the tenth level, while not seeming strong, radiates an aura of skill, which makes opponents think twice about attacking. A monk may use Death Glare at any opponent in view, causing the creature attacking the Ghost monk to take a will save as though the monk was affected with Sanctuary. If the Ghost monk is caught by suprise, this protection is negated.

Step Through (d):The Monk at the tenth level gains the Mobility feat.

Lightning move: A Ghost Monk may use Lightning move twice per day, allowing them to act first in a combat situation, regardless of initative. If an opponent is attacked, the opponents defense rolls takes a -2 modifier

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