Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Brian Drozd 06-25-05, 04:17 AM	I am trying to make a monk fighting style, but am stumped about the 6th-level feat and bonus ability. The campaign uses gestalt rules, and one of the ideas is a monastary where everyone is a soulknife - monk gestalt. Correspondingly, I want to give them their own style. The first level feat is 'Armed Monk (mind blade),' with 'Armed Monk' being a generic variant of the 'Double Steel Strike', 'Serpent Strike', and 'Whirling Steel Strike' feats from the Eberron Campaign Setting. The first level skill bonus goes to Concentration. The second level feat is 'Armed Deflect Arrows (mind blade)' from the Netbook of Feats (http://www.datadeco.com/nbofeats/). I'm having trouble deciding which feat to give for the sixth level feat and the bonus ability. My current idea for a bonus ability is allowing a soulknife/monk of this style to gain psionic focus without provoking an attack of opportunity. Is this too powerful? Not powerful enough? The alternate I thought of was a modification of the Soulknife's Shape Mindblade ability that let the monk shape his mindblade as a greatsword rather than a bastard sword, but greatswords and monks don't, in my opinion, go together that well (whereas, with katanas being a masterwork bastard sword, bastard swords would fit better with monk fighting styles). Anyone have any alternate ideas? If I go with that bonus ability, should the 6th-level bonus feat be Mobility or Psionic Meditation? Alternatively, I was thinking of either Two-Weapon Fighting or Exotic Weapon Proficiency - Bastard Swords to take full advantage of the Soulknife's Shape Mindblade ability.
nyluenatha 07-21-05, 10:19 AM	I really love the idea of the monk fighting styles...it's a really great way for the monk's to become a little bit more unique in my opinion. I'd say that for a 6th-level bonus feat, you should go with Psionic Meditation or Exotic Weapon Proficiency - bastard sword. I'd lean more towards Psionic Meditation, just because it seems likely that you'd want that feat earlier in your character's career, since he'd already be using the mind blade for a bit. As far as the bonus ability, I think something relating to achieving psionic focus would work. It seems to make sense with the flavor of what you're trying to accomplish with this style. I don't think its too overpowered though. Hope this opinion helps!