Monk In The Dungeon (3.5e Class)

Monk

<-general description->.

Making a Monk

<-Strong points and weak points, and effectiveness with party members.->.

Abilities: <-description of most important attributes for this class->.

Races: <-description of relative likelihood of various races to join this class->.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Starting Gold: <-starting gold; YdZ->×10 gp (<-average starting gold. This calculated by multiplying the number of die rolls by the die size plus one and multiplying the result by 5 [Y × (Z + 1) × 5].-> gp).

Starting Age: Complex.

Table: The Monk

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus	Unarmed Damage1	AC Bonus	Unarmored Speed Bonus	Ki Points/Day	Maximum Ki Techniques Level Known
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+0	+2	+2	+2	Bonus feat, Flurry of blows, Ki techniques Unarmed strike, Zen armor	–2/–2	1d6	+1	+0 ft.	25	Base
2nd	+1	+3	+3	+3	Bonus feat, Evasion, Wrestling sensei	–1/–1	1d6	+1	+0 ft.	30	Base
3rd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Fast movement, Ki strike (magic)	+0/+0	1d6	+1	+10 ft.	35	Base
4th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Quiet mind, Slow fall 20 ft.	+1/+1	1d8	+1	+10 ft.	40	Base
5th	+3	+4	+4	+4	Purity of body	+2/+2	1d8	+2	+10 ft.	45	Advanced
6th	+4	+5	+5	+5	Ki senses, Slow fall 30 ft.	+3/+3	1d8	+2	+20 ft.	50	Advanced
7th	+5	+5	+5	+5	Bonus feat, Wholeness of body	+4/+4	1d8	+2	+20 ft.	55	Advanced
8th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Ki strike (alignment), Slow fall 40 ft.	+5/+5/+0	1d10	+2	+20 ft.	60	Advanced
9th	+6/+1	+6	+6	+6	Improved evasion, Leap of the Heavens	+6/+6/+1	1d10	+2	+30 ft.	65	Advanced
10th	+7/+2	+7	+7	+7	Extended perception, Slow fall 50 ft.	+7/+7/+2	1d10	+3	+30 ft.	70	Advanced
11th	+8/+3	+7	+7	+7	Diamond body, Greater flurry, Tongue of the sun and moon	+8/+8/+8/+3	1d10	+3	+30 ft.	75	Advanced
12th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Bonus feat, Mettle, Slow fall 60 ft.	+9/+9/+9/+4	2d6	+3	+40 ft.	80	Advanced
13th	+9/+4	+8	+8	+8	Ki strike (adamantine), Perfect soul	+9/+9/+9/+4	2d6	+3	+40 ft.	85	Advanced
14th	+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Astral transition, Slow fall 70 ft.	+10/+10/+10/+5	2d6	+3	+40 ft.	90	Advanced
15th	+11/+6/+1	+9	+9	+9	Quivering palm	+11/+11/+11/+6/+1	2d6	+4	+50 ft.	100	Master
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+10	Slow fall 80 ft., Timeless body	+12/+12/+12/+7/+2	2d8	+4	+50 ft.	110	Master
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+10	Bonus feat	+12/+12/+12/+7/+2	2d8	+4	+50 ft.	120	Master
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+11	Slow fall 90 ft., Soul mirror	+13/+13/+13/+8/+3	2d8	+4	+60 ft.	130	Master
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+11	Empty mind	+14/+14/+14/+9/+4	2d8	+4	+60 ft.	140	Master
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+12	Perfect self, Sixth sense, Slow fall any distance	+15/+15/+15/+10/+5	2d10	+5	+60 ft.	150	Master
The value shown is for Medium monks. See Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size for monks of all sizes.
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex), Use Rope (Dex).

Class Features

<-fluff about class features->. All of the following are class features of the monk.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, sling, and their unarmed strike. Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.

Ki Points/Day: A monk has a pool of daily ki points as shown on the table above.

A monk must sleep 8 hours and meditate 1 hour to regain all of its ki points everyday.

In addition to those, a monk gains extra ki points per day equal to its Wisdom modifier x its AC bonus, as shown on the table above. A monk uses its ki points for ki techniques and other abilities, such as additional uses of the Stunning Fist feat (a monk may spend 3 ki points to gain another use of Stunning Fist or analogue features or effects or use 1 point to increase the save DC for the Stunning Fist, or similar feature, by 1 and up to +3).

A monk may regain lost ki points by meditating or doing exercises for one hour uninterrupted: it must make a Concentration, or Autohypnosis (if it has power points, in alternative), check to obtain ki points equal to its result, up to its maximum ki points per level (exceeding ki points don't accumulate). The DC for the check is 20 + the monk level. A failed check doesn't grant any ki points. When it reaches the maximum ki points it may restore, a monk can't regain again ki points until the next day.

Ki Techniques: Ki techniques are movements, both physical and mental, that let a ki user channel its internal force, called ki or chi or qi, to produce various effects. A monk is a master of these techniques and uses ki points to activate them. They are usually swift, free or immediate actions that briefly empower the user or reproduce magical effects. Ki techniques exist in three categories: Base, Advanced and Master.

A monk of 1st level may use only Base techniques, from 5th level it may use Base and Advanced techniques and from 15th level it may use Base, Advanced and Master techniques. Unless otherwise stated, a ki technique counts as an extraordinary ability and it's not subject to spell resistance or antimagic fields (unless the ki technique is supernatural).

Ki techniques that cost less than a standard action don't provoke attacks of opportunity. A monk using a ki technique while under a condition that may force a caster to make a Concentration check must make one as well. If the DC is not fixated calculate it as follows: for Base techniques it's 15 + ki points spent, for Advanced techniques it's 20 + ki points spent and for Master techniques it's 25 + ki points spent. A monk may use ki techniques defensively with a Concentration check, with the same DCs above. If the check succeeds the monk doesn't provoke attack of opportunity. If the monk suffers damage while using ki techniques it adds the damage to the DC for the Concentration check.

A ki technique has a caster level equal to the monk class level, if relevant. DCs for ki techniques are as follows: for Base techniques it's 10 + Wisdom modifier, for Advanced techniques it's 15 + Wisdom modifier and for Master techniques it's 20 + Wisdom modifier. A monk adds half of its level in non-monk classes to determine caster level, level of techniques known and maximum ki points it may spend per round. Classes that give monk progression are added fully.

The following list contains ki techniques that all monks know and can use. They are called common techniques. A monk may use all of them plus the ones it gets from its specific school:

Base techniques

• Ki defense: as an immediate action a monk may gain a +1 to its Zen Armor's bonus to AC or to saving throws by spending 1 ki point, even before it knows the result of an attack or of a failed save.

For every 3 additional points it may increase the bonus by 1. This bonus lasts one round and may not surpass a +5.

• Levity: as an immediate action a monk may reduce its fall by 10 feet (3 meters), spending 1 ki point. For every additional point spent it reduces the fall by another 10 feet (3 meters).

By spending 4 points it may stand or move on the surface of water or similar frail objects. These effects last 1 round but the monk may spend points every round to continue them.

• Agility: as a free action a monk may gain a +2 bonus to Balance, Climb, Jump, Swim and Tumble checks, all together, for one round.

For every additional point it spends it may increase the bonus by 2, up to a maximum of +10.

• Rapidity: as free action a monk may increase all its movement speed by +10 feet (3 meters) for one round, spending 1 ki point.

It may increase this bonus by +10 feet (3 meters) for any extra ki point it spends, up to a maximum bonus equal to its land speed (even if enhanced by magic or its class feature Fast movement).

Advanced

• Potency: with a swift action a monk may gain a +2 bonus to any of its abilities for one minute, by spending 4 ki points.

Every 4 additional ki points spent grant the monk another +2 to that or another ability, up to a maximum of +6 per ability.

• Freedom: by spending 5 ki points a monk may replicate, as a swift action, the freedom of movement spell, for one round.

• Assault: as a swift action and spending 5 points, a monk may make a full attack at the end of a charge. It may not use a flurry of blows.

• Levitation as a free action a monk may walk on air as per the spell air walk, except it may move at full speed, even upward.

It must spend 3 points to do so and the effect lasts one round but every round a monk may spend another 3 points to walk again on air.

Master

• Might: as a free action a monk may spend 1 ki point to inflict 1 extra damage with a single attack.

It may spend 1 or more additional ki points to increase the damage of the same number.

• Divine sight: as a standard action a monk may replicate the spell true seeing for one minute per monk level. It costs 10 ki points.

• Dimensional step: as a move action a monk may replicate the spell dimensional door by spending 10 ki points. Caster level is monk level.

By spending 15 ki points the monk may replicate the teleport spell as a full-round action. Caster level is monk level.

• Spirit: with a standard action and spending 15 ki points a monk may become ethereal for 1 round per monk level.

Bonus feat: At 1st, 2nd and every 5 level after that (7th, 12th and 17th level) a monk gains a feat for free. The feat must be from the following list:

Improved Grapple, Stunning Fist, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip (a monk needs not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them), any feat that has Improved Unarmed Strike or Stunning Fist as a prerequisite or that modifies or improves ki points or ki techniques.

Flurry of blows (Ex): When unarmored, a monk may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, it may make one extra attack in a round at its highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a -2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round.

The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus column on Table: The Monk. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the monk might make before its next action. When a monk reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to -1, and at 9th level it disappears. A monk must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows.

When using flurry of blows, a monk may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special monk weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). It may attack with unarmed strikes and special monk weapons interchangeably as desired. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a monk applies its Strength bonus (not Str bonus x 1-1/2 or x 1/2) to its damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether it wields a weapon in one or both hands. The monk can't use any weapon other than a special monk weapon as part of a flurry of blows.

In the case of the quarterstaff, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the quarterstaff requires two hands to use, a monk may still intersperse unarmed strikes with quarterstaff strikes, assuming that it has enough attacks in its flurry of blows routine to do so.

When a monk reaches 11th level, its flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack it gets from flurry of blows, it gets a second extra attack at its full base attack bonus.

Unarmed strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

A monk's attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with its hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply its full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all its unarmed strikes.

Usually a monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but it can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on its attack roll. It has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A monk's unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A monk also deals more damage with its unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Monk. The unarmed damage on Table: The Monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with its unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size.

Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size

Level	Fine	Diminutive	Tiny	Small	Medium	Large	Huge	Gargantuan	Colossal
1st–3rd	1	1d2	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	2d6	3d6	4d6
4th–7th	1d2	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	2d6	3d6	4d6	6d6
8th–11th	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d8	3d8	4d8	6d8
12th–15th	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d6	3d6	4d6	6d6	8d6
16th–19th	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d6	2d8	3d8	4d8	6d8	8d8
20th	1d8	1d10	2d6	2d8	2d10	4d8	6d8	8d8	12d8

Zen armor (Ex): A monk, when unarmored, adds its Wisdom modifier (minimum 0) to its AC. In addition a 1st level monk gains a +1 deviation bonus to its AC.

This bonus increases by 1 every five monk level (+2 at 5th level, +3 at 10th level, +4 ath 15th level and +5 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. It loses the Wisdodm bonus when it is immobilized, when it wears any armor and when it carries a shield. It loses all of the bonuses when it carries a medium or heavy load or it's helpless or unconscious.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher if a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, it instead takes no damage.

Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion. A monk that has already the evasion feature it gains instead the improved evasion feature.

Wrestling sensei (Ex): Starting from 2nd level, a monk may add its class level to grapple, disarm, bull rush, trip, feint, sunder and ovverun checks instead of its attack bonus. This feature works when the monk takes these actions as well as when it's subjected to them. Any prestige class that improves monk abilities, it improves this feature as well.

Fast movement (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to its speed, as shown on Table: The Monk. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed. A monk may add half of its class level to Jump, Climb, Swim and Tumble checks.

Ki strike (Su): At 3rd level, a monk's unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Its unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. Ki strike improves with the character's monk level.

At 8th level, its unarmed attacks are also aligned with its alignment (ex.: a lawful good monk has a lawful and good unarmed strike). If it has a neutral component the monk must choose to align its unarmed strike to one extreme on its neutral axis. The choice is permanent unless the monk changes alignment.

At 13th level, its unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

Quiet mind (Ex): From 4th level a monk adds its class level to saving throws against spells and effects from the enchantment and illusion school. This feature substitutes Still mind for all purposes.

Slow fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm's reach of a wall (or anything similar for this purpose) can use it to slow its descent. When first using this ability, it takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is.

The monk's ability to slow its fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with its monk level until at 20th level it can use a nearby wall to slow its descent and fall any distance without harm.

Purity of body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases.

Ki senses (Ex): At 6th level a monk adds its Wisdom modifier to initiative rolls, in addition to any other bonus.

Wholeness of body (Ex): At 7th level or higher, a monk can heal its own wounds or those of others. It can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to its current monk level x its Wisdom modifier each day, and it can spread this healing out among several uses. Healing others requires a touch.

Improved evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk's evasion ability improves. It still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth it takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. A monk that already has this feature gains a +4 to Reflex saves.

Leap of the Heavens (Ex): From 9th level a monk max height for a high jump is not limited anymore by its height.

Extended perception (Ex): From 10th level a monk gains blindsense in 30 feet (9 meters).

Diamond body (Su): At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.

Tongue of the Sun and of the Moon (Ex): A monk of 11th level or higher can speak with any living creature.

Mettle (Ex): A monk of 12th can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. If it makes a successful Will or Fortitude save against an attack that normally would have a lesser effect on a successful save (such as any spell with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), it instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping monk does not gain the benefit of mettle.

Perfect soul (Ex): At 13th level, a monk gains spell resistance equal to its current monk level + 10. In order to affect the monk with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the monk's spell resistance.

Astral transition (Su): Starting at 14th level a monk may use, twice per day, the spell plane shift as a spell-like ability with caster level equal to its class level. To do so it must meditate for 10 minutes. For any other person it brings along the time increases by 10 minutes and each target must pass a 20 Will save to be affected.

Quivering palm (Su): Starting at 15th level, a monk can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the monk so desires. It can use this quivering palm attack once a day, and it must announce its intent before making its attack roll.

Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected.

Otherwise, if the monk strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter the monk can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to her monk level. To make such an attempt, the monk merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the monk's level + the monk's Wisdom modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time.

Timeless body (Ex): Upon attaining 16th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to its ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that it has already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when its time is up.

Soul mirror (Ex): From 18th level any spell or magical effect that the monk resists, as a consequence of its spell resistance, is reflected back to the caster that is normally subjected to its effect, if possibile.

Empty mind (Su): At 19th level a monk is permanently under the effect of a mind blank.

Perfect self: At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. It is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects (though beneficial effects for its previous type still apply).

Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/lawful, which allows it to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonlawful weapon or spell or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if it were a member of its previous creature type.

Sixth sense (Ex): At 20th level a monk gains blindsight in 30 feet (9 meters). This substitutes the blindsense ability from Extended Perception.

<-extraordinary class feature-> (Ex): <-class feature game rule information->

<-psi-like class feature-> (Ps): <-class feature game rule information->

<-spell-like class feature-> (Sp): <-class feature game rule information->

<-supernatural class feature-> (Su): <-class feature game rule information->

<-class feature->: <-class feature game rule information->

<-subclass feature -> <-"(Ex)", "(Su)", "(Sp)", or "(Ps)" if applicable.->: <-subclass feature game rule information->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat as necessary.->

Alternate Class Features

• Sublime Fist

• Zen Soul

Ex-Monks

<-Describe what happens when a character violates the alignment restrictions of any other class restrictions. If there are no behavior or alignment restrictions delete this section->.

Epic Monk

Table: The Epic <-class name->

Hit Die: d<-Die size for Hit Die->

Level	Special
21st	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
22nd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
23rd	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
24th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
25th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
26th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
27th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
28th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
29th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
30th	<-any improvements to class features gained at this level, including any bonus feats->
<-number of skill points-> + Int modifier skill points per level.

<-existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-another existing class feature->: <-how this class feature increases or accumulates at epic levels->

<-Lather, rinse...->

<-... repeat.->

Bonus Feats: The epic <-class name-> gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic <-class name-> bonus feats) every <-number of feats per level-> levels after 20th.

Epic <-class name-> Bonus Feat List: <-list of bonus epic feats->.

<-Sample race of your choice-> <-class name-> Starting Package

Weapons: <-Weapon selection for starting at 1st level with this class.->.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: <-1st-level feat selection->.

Bonus Feats: <-1st-level feat bonus feats due to class or sample race. remove this section if this sample doesn't get any bonus feats at 1st level. ->.

Gear: <-Starting armor and other equipment outside of weapons.->.

Gold: <-Starting gold using this package.->.

Campaign Information

Playing a <-class name->

Religion: <-description of how this class typically (but no exclusively) approaches religion including likely portfolios it would worship->.

Other Classes: <-How this class typically interacts with other classes and how characters of this class interact with characters of other classes->.

Combat: <-Typical role in combat->.

Advancement: <-Typical advancement options for characters with this class. Include desirable multiclass options->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the World

“	<-Some quote from a character of this class->	”
—<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

Daily Life: <-day in the life of a character of this class->.

Notables: <-notable NPCs of this class->.

Organizations: <-info on what, where, when, and how characters of this class congregate and assemble->.

NPC Reactions: <-How NPCs react to PCs of this class->.

<-class name-> Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
5	<-common knowledge->.
10	<-not so common knowledge->.
15	<-rare information->.
20	<-very rare information->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

Adaptation: <-Possible variant conceptions of this class.->.

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

EL : <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes