Fallen Monk

In many monasteries, tales are whispered of fellow disciples who renounced their quest for personal perfection in favor of more earthly desires. These warriors, it is said, disowned their kinship with other monks, as well as the ideals they once shared with them, choosing instead a path toward material gain, martial prowess, or even both. These are the fallen monks.

Fallen monks regard the idea of personal enlightenment almost as a joke, having become disillusioned or corrupted in such a way that no teaching or calm introspection could repair. Instead of searching for true inner perfection, the fallen monk shifts his training toward martial aspects, having become more enamored of personal power and abilities that seem more tangible—the benefits of stubborn determination and harsh combat training. In essence, instead of looking inward, the fallen monk looks outward, seeking to manipulate himself and his world in a way that he can better understand.

Like normal monks, fallen monks train in monasteries together, but this training is centered only on the art of combat and killing. At all hours of the day, the monks practice their skills at battle and murder, stopping only to eat, sleep, or interact with the outside community as they see fit. Fallen monks treat one another as blood brothers, forming clans. The leader of a clan is often chosen by rite of combat, which is usually initiated without warning and is sometimes fatal. The most evil fallen monks often have no such rites at all, attacking perceived rivals whenever it seems convenient to do so.

The wayward monks treat the surrounding countryside more as a fiefdom than anything else, providing military support to the kingdoms they live in, often while demanding tribute for their services from surrounding villages. Most lack the wisdom necessary to make good peace-time advisors, and are often so unruly that the kingdom they serve keeps them at arm’s length whenever possible, as they are hardly any more organized than barbarians. Some do make excellent battlefield tacticians, however.

Monks and fallen monks are almost always hostile towards one another, sometimes to the point of attacking each other on sight, depending on the two rival schools’ history. Not all fallen monk clans are friendly with each other, either, especially evil clans. Some fallen monks believe in an apocalyptic prophecy that calls for all other “rival” clans and monks to be annihilated, proving the surviving clan’s worth to some unknown power. Almost all fallen monks resist the idea of servitude to another, sticking together mainly for mutual benefit, rather than loyal adherence to a hierarchy.

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral, True Neutral, Chaotic Evil, or Neutral Evil.

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

Str: Climb, Jump, Swim

Dex: Balance, Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Tumble

Con: Concentration

Int: Craft

Wis: Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spot

Cha: Bluff, Disguise, Intimidate

Skill Points at 1^st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	Unarmed Damage	Speed Bonus
1^st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Unarmed Strike, Bonus Feat, Wayward Might	1d6	+0 ft.
2^nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Bonus Feat, Evasion	1d6	+0 ft.
3^rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Sneak Attack +1d6	1d6	+0 ft.
4^th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Power Strike (Magic), Improved Wayward Might	1d8	+0 ft.
5^th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Bonus Feat	1d8	+0 ft.
6^th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+2	Dogged Might	1d8	+0 ft.
7^th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+2	Sneak Attack +2d6	1d8	+10 ft.
8^th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+2	Bold Fury 1/Day (DR 1/-)	1d10	+10 ft.
9^th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3	Bonus Feat, Improved Evasion	1d10	+10 ft.
10^th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3	Power Strike (Chaotic)	1d10	+10 ft.
11^th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+3	Sneak Attack +3d6	1d10	+10 ft.
12^th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+4	Bold Fury (2/-)	2d6	+20 ft.
13^th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+4	Bonus Feat	2d6	+20 ft.
14^th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+4	Bold Fury 2/Day (3/-)	2d6	+20 ft.
15^th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+5	Sneak Attack +4d6	2d6	+20 ft.
16^th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+5	Power Strike (Adamantine)	2d8	+20 ft.
17^th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+5	Bonus Feat	2d8	+20 ft.
18^th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+6	Bold Fury (4/-)	2d8	+30 ft.
19^th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+6	Sneak Attack +5d6	2d8	+30 ft.
20^th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+6	Improved Bold Fury, Bold Fury 3/Day (5/-)	2d10	+30 ft.

Class Restrictions: Fallen monks cannot multiclass as any other core class, save for fighter or rogue, which are closely related in skills and abilities. Monks that wish to become fallen monks can trade in monk levels for fallen monk levels (restructuring saves, class abilities, and the necessary statistics thereby), but a fallen monk can never become a monk again, if it ever was one.

A fallen monk that joins a restricted class, or that becomes lawful or good, cannot ever again increase her Fallen Monk level.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Fallen monks are proficient with the same weapons as normal monks. They are not proficient with armor, and lose their speed bonus if they wear any, as well as several other abilities, as noted below.

Unarmed Strike: Fallen monks are highly trained in fighting unarmed, giving them considerable advantages when doing so. At 1^st level, a fallen monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A fallen monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a fallen monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a fallen monk striking unarmed. A fallen monk may apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Usually a fallen monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A fallen monk’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons (such as Magic Fang and Magic Weapon).

A fallen monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the table.

Bonus Feats: A fallen monk selects her bonus feats from the fighter’s bonus feat list.

Wayward Might (Ex): At 1^st level, a fallen monk adds her charisma bonus to her attack rolls. This bonus is treated as a morale effect. The Wayward Might bonus applies to AC even against touch attacks or when the fallen monk is flat-footed. She loses the AC bonus if she is immobilized, helpless, is wearing armor, or is carrying a medium or heavy load.

Improved Wayward Might (Ex): At 4^th level, a fallen monk’s wayward might bonus also applies to AC as a morale bonus.

Evasion (Ex): At 2^nd level, the fallen monk gains Evasion. This ability does not function if she is wearing armor.

Sneak Attack (Ex): At 3^rd level, the monk gains a sneak attack, as a rogue. The fallen monk cannot make sneak attacks while wearing armor.

Dogged Might (Ex): At 6^th level, a fallen monk becomes immune to fear, as well as negative and suppressive morale effects.

Power Strike (Su): At 4^th level, a fallen monk’s unarmed attacks are empowered with her own self-determination and force of will. Her unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 10^th, her unarmed attacks are treated as chaotic weapons, and at 16^th level, they are treated as adamantine.

Bold Fury (Ex): Starting at 8^th level, a fallen monk can tap into inner reserves of willpower to shrug off damage and harmful effects. As a free action, she can initiate her bold fury ability. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + her charisma modifier. During this time, the fallen monk gains the listed damage reduction, and a bonus to saving throws equal to that damage reduction. Unlike normal damage reduction, this power applies to energy effects, though it is never counted against the same attack more than once. The fallen monk can use her bold fury a number of times per day, as indicated. The bonuses from bold fury are morale-based.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9^th level, the fallen monk gains Improved Evasion.

Improved Bold Fury (Ex): At 20^th level, the fallen monk’s bold fury becomes much more powerful. The fallen monk gains a +4 bonus to Dexterity during her bold fury, and each time the fury is called upon, it lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the fallen monk’s Cha modifier, rather than 3. Furthermore, during bold fury, the monk gains a +2 morale bonus to all melee damage rolls.

Feats

Enhanced Fury [General]

Prerequisites: Bold Fury class ability.

Benefit: The potency of the character’s Bold Fury ability is increased by 2. For instance, a character who receives DR 3/- and a +3 save bonus from bold fury has those bonuses increased to DR 5/- and +5, respectively.

Extra Fury [General]

Prerequisites: Bold Fury class ability.

Benefit: The character may use his Bold Fury ability an additional two times per day.

Epic Fallen Monk

Level	Special
21^st	Bonus Feat
22^nd
23^rd	Sneak Attack +6d6
24^th	Bold Fury 6/-
25^th	Bonus Feat
26^th
27^th	Sneak Attack +7d6
28^th	Bold Fury 7/-
29^th	Bonus Feat
30^th
31^st	Sneak Attack +8d6
32^nd	Bold Fury 8/-
33^rd	Bonus Feat
34^th
35^th	Sneak Attack +9d6
36^th	Bold Fury 9/-
37^th	Bonus Feat
38^th
39^th	Sneak Attack +10d6
40^th	Bold Fury 10/-

Epic Fallen Monk Bonus Feats: Anarchic Strike, Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Dire Charge, Energy Resistance, Epic Fury, Epic Leadership, Epic Power Strike, Epic Prowess, Epic Toughness, Epic Weapon Focus, Fast Healing, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Whirlwind Attack, Legendary Wrestler, Spellcasting Harrier, Superior Initiative.

Anarchic Strike [Epic]

Prerequisites: Cha 19, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Strike (Chaotic).

Benefit: Your unarmed strike is treated as a chaotic weapon (it deals +2d6 points of damage against creatures of lawful alignment). This ability doesn’t stack with similar abilities.

Epic Power Strike [Epic]

Prerequisites: Dex 21, Cha 27, Anarchic Strike, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Bold Fury.

Benefit: Your unarmed strikes are infused with the ultimate chaotic power. When you strike a lawful target, this power erupts forth and deals +3d6 points of bonus chaotic damage to the target, an the target gains one negative level (Fortitude DC 10 + half your level + Cha modifier to negate).

Epic Fury [Epic]

Prerequisites: Cha 21, Improved Bold Fury.

During the character’s Bold Fury, his Dexterity bonus is increased to +6, and the damage bonus is increased to +4.