Monk (Alt)

For other uses, see Monk (disambiguation). For the alternative Monk Class from the Spells & Magic, see Monk.

**Monk** (Scarlet Brotherhood Version)
Class Group:	Priest
Source:	Scarlet Brotherhood: Monk (SB)
Ability Score Requirements:	Strength 9, Dexterity 13, Wisdom 9
Prime Requisite:	Wisdom
Races Allowed:	Human
Alignment Allowed:	Lawful Evil

Monk (Scarlet Brotherhood)
LVL	XP needed	Hit Dice (d8)	THAC0	AC Bonus	Abilities	Move	Unarmed Attacks	Unarmed Damage
1	0	1	20	+1	Base skills	12	1	1d4
2	1,500	2	20	+2	Killing attack	12	1	1d4
3	3,000	3	20	+2	Resistance to ESP	12	1	1d6
4	6,000	4	18	+3	Fall up to 20' safely	15	3/2	1d6
5	13,000	5	18	+3	Immune to disease, haste and slow	15	3/2	1d6
6	27,500	6	18	+4	Fall up to 30' safely	15	3/2	1d6+1
7	55,000	7	16	+4	Self heal 2 hp/level	18	2	1d6+1
8	110,000	8	16	+5	Fall up to 50' safely, +1 initiative	18	2	1d6+1
9	225,000	9	16	+5	Resistance to charm effects	18	2	1d8
10	450,000	9+2	14	+6	Open hand is +1 magical weapon	21	5/2	1d8
11	675,000	9+4	14	+6	Immune to poison	21	5/2	1d8
12	900,000	9+6	14	+7	+2 to initiative rolls	21	5/2	1d8+1
13	1,125,000	9+8	12	+7	Quivering Palm	24	3	1d8+1
14	1,350,000	9+10	12	+8	Always gets a saving throw	24	3	1d8+1
15	1,575,000	9+12	12	+8	Premonition of death or harm	24	3	1d10
16	1,800,000	9+14	10	+9	—	27	7/2	1d10
17	2,025,000	9+16	10	+9	Open hand is +2 magical weapon	27	7/2	1d10
18	2,250,000	9+18	10	+10	—	27	7/2	1d12
19	2,475,000	9+20	8	+10	Astral projection (monk only)	30	4	1d12
20	2,700,000	9+22	8	+10	—	30	4	1d12

Class Features[]

Hit Points[]

Hit Dice (levels 1-10): 1d8 + "HP Adjustment" (See Constitution table) per level
Hit Dice (levels 10+): +2 HP per level
Multi-Class/Dual-Class: HP acquisition is adjusted if Multi-Class or Dual-Class

Starting Equipment[]

3d6 × 10 gp (to be used to buy equipment)
- Can use their initial funds only to purchase equipment and goods.
- Only keep at most 2 or 3 gold of starting money, rest is given back to superiors
- Monks cannot lend any of their initial funds to other characters.
Monks may keep only enough treasure to support themself in a modest manner.
- All excess must be donated to the temple or another worthy cause.
- This money can never be given to another player character or NPC controlled by a player.

Equipment[]

Armor: None
- As monks level, their natural AC will improve.
Weapons: Simple weapons, daggers, hand axes, clubs, staves, spears, javelins and polearms (Crossbows if Suel)
- Monks adept at unarmed combat. See below.
Magic Items: They can use a fair number of magical items, as allowed by the Rogue classes.
- Can own no more than five magic items

Proficiencies[]

Non-Weapon Proficiencies[]

Starts with 4 Non-Weapon Proficiencies
Gains a Non-Weapon Proficiency every multiple of 3 levels (level 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18...)
Can chose a Nonweapon Proficiency at normal cost in the General, Rogue and Warrior categories.
Can chose a Nonweapon Proficiency at +1 cost from any other category.

Weapon Proficiencies[]

Starts with 2 Weapon Proficiency
Gains a Weapon Proficiency Slot every multiple of 4 levels (level 4, 8, 12, 16, 20...)
-3 Penalty to Attack Roll if using Non-Proficient Weapon

Player's Option: Combat & Tactics

Attacks of opportunity: Can make one attack of opportunity plus one per five levels.
Monks gain bonus Weapon Proficiency slots that can be spent on Unarmed Combat only. See Unarmed Combat section below.
Fighting Styles: Single Weapon, Two-handed Weapon, Weapon and Shield, Unarmed, Missile/Thrown Weapons

Fighting Style Specialization (Player's Option: Combat & Tactics)[]

Priests know the "Single Weapon", "Two-handed Weapon", "Weapon and Shield", "Unarmed", "Missile/Thrown Weapons" fighting styles. They may learn another fighting style for 1 weapon slot.

A priest may specialize in a Fighting Style they already know, for the cost of 1 weapon slot. They can only specialize in one.

List of Fighting Style Specializations:

Spellcasting[]

This version of the Monk has no access to spellcasting.

They cannot turn undead.

Movement[]

Monks can move faster than a normal human due to their training and heightened body awareness; their movement rate increases as they gain levels.

Unarmed Combat[]

All monks begin with the ability to do lethal damage with their hands and feet as if they were carrying weapons. This "open hand" ability begins modestly but eventually allows the monk to strike several times per round in combat and inflict wounds equal to those from the most dangerous weapons; these multiple attacks cannot be accelerated through the use of magic such as haste.
Their ability to evade and to fortify their flesh against blows also gives them a bonus to their armor class, which increases by level.
While they prefer open-hand attacks to weapons, monks retain their awareness of anatomy and are able to cause extra damage when they use weapons against living creatures, equal to the monk's level divided by 2, rounded up. This extra damage only applies against creatures with familiar anatomies (musculature, skeletal system, joints, etc.), so this ability cannot be used against amorphous creatures such as slimes, gaseous life forms and so forth.
Once per day per level, a monk may attempt to stun an opponent with an open-hand attack. The monk declares the intent to stun and rolls to hit; if the attack hits, the target must roll a saving throw vs. paralyzation or be stunned (unable to attack and losing all Dexterity adjustments) for one round.
A monk may deflect an incoming fired or hurled missile (arrow, bolt, dagger, and so on) by forsaking any other action and making a save vs. petrification.
If a monk is attacked by an effect that requires a saving throw, a successful saving throw vs. the attack results in the monk taking no damage, even if the attack was a fireball, for example.

Thief Skills[]

Table: Monk's Thief Skill Base Scores
Climb Walls	50%
Find (but not Remove) Traps	5%
Hear Noise	10%
Hide in Shadows	5%
Move Silently	5%

To determine the initial value of each skill, start with the base scores listed on "Table: Monk's Thief Skill Base Scores" above.

Adjust by Race - See PHB Table 27 or Racial Page
Adjust by Dexterity - See PHB Table 28
Armor Worn - See PHB Table 29
- Bracers of Defense or a cloak do not count towards armor

At first level, Monks get 35 percentage points to distribute
- No more than 30 percentage points of this can be assigned in a single skill.
At level up they gain 15 percentage points to distribute.
No skill can be raised above 95 percent, including all adjustments.
Thief skills are subject to modifiers for situation and armor.

Certain races have low dexterity that will put a skill below 0% at level 1. These skills cannot be used until the percentage is raised to at least 1%.

Thief Skills are explained on this page: Thief Skill Explanations (PHB)

Monk Skills[]

At 2nd level, a monk gains the ability to kill opponents with a successful open hand attack. The attack must stun the target, who then must make a saving throw vs. paralyzation at +4 or die.
At 3rd level, a monk can resist ESP or other thought-reading attempts by making a save vs. death magic at +2.
A 4th-level monk is able to safely fall up to 20' as long as they are within 1' of a wall. This ability assumes the monk can make periodic contact with the wall to slow the fall. A tree or similar solid object counts as a wall for this purpose.
At 5th level, a monk becomes immune to all diseases, as well as haste and slow spells.
At 6th level, the distance a monk can fall without harm increases to 30' as long as they are within 4' of a wall.
A 7th-level monk gains the ability to momentarily accelerate the healing process of the body, repairing 2 points of damage suffered by the monk per level once a day.
An 8th-level monk may fall up to 50' safely if within 6' of a wall. Called Master of Dragons, the monk's initiative rolls are improved by 1.
A 9th-level monk is unaffected by charm-type spells and effects if they makes a successful saving throw vs. wand; if this resistance roll fails, normal saves (if any) apply to resist the effect. Monks of 9th level are called Masters of the North Wind.
At 10th level, the monk's hands and feet are considered +1 weapons for the purposes of striking creatures that can only be hit by magic weapons. A monk of this rank is called Master of the East Wind.
At 11th level, monks become immune to all poisons and assume the title Master of the South Wind.
At 12th level, a monk's initiative bonus increases to 2. Monks of this rank are called Master of the West Wind.
A 13th-level monk achieves the title Master of Winter and gains the ability to make an attack called the "quivering palm," which creates disharmonic vibrations in a target creature's body and may cause death if the monk so wishes. Use of the quivering palm is as follows:
- It may be attempted once per week, and must be announced before making an "open hand" attack.
- It only affects man-sized or smaller creatures that can be affected by the monk's stun attack, and only if the monk is of higher level (or hit dice) than the target creature.
- If the attack hits, it causes normal damage. The monk may slay the target with the vibrations at any time within the time limit of one day per level of the monk; the target gets a save vs. death magic to avoid the effect.
A monk of 14th level gains the title Master of Autumn and always gets a saving throw vs. magical attacks, even when none is normally allowed.
A 15th level monk is called Master of Summer and gains a limited precognitive ability; there is a 90% chance that a premonition of death or serious harm warns the monk 1-4 turns before the event occurs.
A 16th-level monk is called Master of Spring and their hands and feet are considered +2 weapons for the purposes of striking creatures that can only be hit by magical weapons;
A 17th-level monk is able to leave their body and project themself into the astral plane (as an astral spell); they may do this once per week, remaining away for any length of time, although the physical body still needs nourishment and will starve if not cared for. The monk that attains this rank is called Grand Master of Flowers.

Monk Hierarchy[]

The Scarlet Brotherhood enforces a strict hierarchy within its ranks of monks. Only the most skilled monks may achieve the highest levels, the weaker ones being prevented from rising by trials of ritual combat.

There are only three monks of 13th level (Master of Winter), and only one of each level above that.

Until 8 years ago there were fewer monks of higher levels (three Masters of Dragons and one Master of each level above that), but Korenth Zan chose to relax this restriction, seeing the need for a greater number of powerful monks in the coming years.

When a monk reaches level 13 or higher, they must issue a challenge within one month to a monk of the same level, assuming that there is no open position at that level. If the challenged monk refuses to abdicate their rank, the two choose a time and place for their duel. The monks may fight with any weapons or special abilities available to them. Victory conditions for the battle are determined beforehand, with most battles being to unconsciousness or a certain number of hits. Cruel or vengeful defending monks of rank often insist on battle to the death.

The loser in the struggle - assuming they survive — drops to the lowest number of experience points necessary for their previous experience level and cannot challenge again for one year. The winner gains or retains the title of that level and all its associated abilities.

A monk is not required to challenge if they are not interested in the title or abilities of the new level. However, the monk is unable to gain experience points unless they involve themselves in the challenge process.

Strongholds & Followers[]

Not described by the primary text.

Saving Throws[]

Monk Saving Throws
	Attack to be Saved Against
Experience Level	Paralyzation, Poison, or Death Magic	Rod, Staff, or Wand	Petrification or Polymorph*	Breath Weapon**	Spell***
1-3	10	14	13	16	15
4-6	9	13	12	15	14
7-9	7	11	10	13	12
10-12	6	10	9	12	11
13-15	5	9	8	11	10
16-18	4	8	7	10	9
19+	2	6	5	8	7

*Excluding polymorph wand attacks.

**Excluding those that cause petrification or polymorph.

***Excluding those for which another saving throw type is specified, such as death, petrification, polymorph, etc.

Level 1 Character[]

Starting HP: 1d8 HP
Starting funds: 3d6 × 10 gp (have to spent or give up all except 2-3 gp)
4 Nonweapon Proficiencies Slots
2 Weapon Proficiency Slots
Can use Language Slots from Intelligence for Nonweapon Proficiencies Slots
Can spend 35 percentage points in their rogue abilities (max spend 30 per skill)

Leveling up[]

At level up:

Roll 1d8 HP (unless level 10 or higher, then add 2 HP instead)
Check "Monk Saving Throws" above to see if your saving throws change.
Distribute 15 percentage points to Rogue Abilities (max spend 15 per skill)
1 Weapon Proficiency Slot gained at level 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 (every multiple of 3)
1 Nonweapon Proficiency Slot gained at level 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 (every multiple of 4)
Check top table to see if THAC0 updates or you unlock a new Monk Skill.

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Crusader · Monk · Monk (Alt) · Shaman Templar