Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BluePointSorcerer 10-05-05, 12:51 AM	Bladestar Adept. Masters of the finest blade the Material Plane has to offer. Paragons of perfect awareness. Swordmasters of unparalleled skill. These are the bladestar adepts. A specialist type of monk, the bladestar adept is a paragon of the blade in every sense of the word. In addition to mastering the usual combative discipline and unarmed attacks of the monk, the bladestar adept learns to extend this skill into their use of the katana, eventually coming to wield that blade with such skill that it might as well be considered another form of natural attack. This has obvious and distinct advantages. Firstly, it means that the bladestar adept can opt to deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage with the equivalent of their unarmed attacks. Secondly, it doubles the bladestar adept’s effective threat range without decreasing the base damage dealt. And thirdly, it means that the bladestar adept can completely avoid touching an opponent while dealing all the damage of an unarmed attack. This last is especially useful when fighting creatures such as delvers, who could otherwise damage them every time their unarmed attack hits. In addition to this, bladestar adepts train in Manehall and similar academies; huge, underground, shifting labyrinths that lack the benefit of light and are heavily trapped. As a result, the bladestar adept learns not only to master their katana, but also to master the art of awareness. Over time, the bladestar adept develops not only excellent darkvision, but the ability to finds traps as easily as a rogue and even to sense the approach of invisible and silent opponents. Created by the minotaur monk Delagrond Lightfoot of Manehall, this prestige class is unusual in that it is only open to monks currently undergoing training. In order to qualify for this class at all, a character must have last advanced as a monk, and must be a monk of at least 10th level. Because of this, and because of its near-identical philosophy, monks taking this prestige class are not considered ex-monks, and may simultaneously advance in both classes. A character may still not advance in any other classes while undertaking this prestige class, however, even other prestige classes; like the monk class, the way of the bladestar adept requires complete focus, and can no longer be followed if this focus is ever broken by anything other than further monkish training. Characters that advance in another class other than monk while undertaking this prestige class are no longer able to advance as bladestar adepts or monks but retain all of the class abilities of both classes that they have gained so far. Bladestar adepts have variable relations with members of other classes, with the exact quality of these relations being dependant on their interpretation of the lawful alignment trait. Fanatical bladestar adepts typically despise chaotic characters and bear a great distaste for barbarians and members of any other class that show an obviously undisciplined and nonlawful approach to life. Bladestar adepts of a more open mind, on the other hand, accept that while lawfulness and discipline are right for them, they may not be right for everyone, and as a result may get on well with less disciplined characters (though they are still likely to find the barbarian’s approach to life a little distasteful). Alignment: Any lawful. Skill Points: 4 + Intelligence modifier. Hit Dice: d8. Class Requirements. Class Traits: Ki strike (magic and lawful), must be a monk of at least 10th level, must have last advanced as a monk. Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (katana), Quick Draw, Weapon Focus (katana), Weapon Specialization (katana). Alignment: Any lawful. Special: Must meet a special criterion imposed by the academy or master under which training is sought; this may be practically anything that the DM can imagine, though it must be reasonably possible for a 10th level monk to meet. The special criterion for Manehall, for instance, is a non-evil alignment and the swearing of an oath not to train anyone of evil alignment. Class Traits. CLASS LEVEL BASE ATTACK BONUS FORT REF WILL CLASS ABILITIES 1 +0 +2 +2 +2 Improved unarmed damage, greater flurry of blows, darkvision +60 ft. 2 +1 +3 +3 +3 Unity of fist and blade (katana). 3 +2 +3 +3 +3 Improved spell resistance. 4 +3 +4 +4 +4 Armed deflection (katana), tremorsense +30 ft. 5 +3 +4 +4 +4 Perfect navigator, trapfinding. 6 +4 +5 +5 +5 Iaijutsu (katana). 7 +5 +5 +5 +5 Darkvision +120 ft. 8 +6 +6 +6 +6 Ki focus (katana). 9 +6 +6 +6 +6 Natural cunning. 10 +7 +7 +7 +7 Living extension (katana), tremorsense +60 ft. EPIC - - - - +1 bonus feat every three levels, chosen from the epic bladestar adept’s bonus feat list. Weapon and Armour Proficiency: The bladestar adept gains no additional proficiencies with any weapons, armour or shields. Improved Unarmed Damage (Ex): As a bladestar adept advances in level, they continue their training in unarmed combat; thus, their unarmed damage is equivalent to that dealt by a monk of a level equal to their bladestar adept and monk levels combined. They do not add their levels together for purposes of determining their AC improvements or their speed, and they gain no other monk benefits except where noted below. Greater Flurry of Blows (Ex): At 1st level, the bladestar adept masters the greater flurry of blows monk class feature, if they have not already done so. If they already possess this ability, they gain no additional benefit. Darkvision (Ex): As a result of training in darkness, the bladestar adept finds their ability to see in the dark rapidly improving. At 1st level, the bladestar adept gains darkvision 60 ft., or their existing darkvision improves by 60 ft. At 7th level, this ability improves further, adding an additional 60 ft to the range of their darkvision. Unity of Fist and Blade (Ex): At 2nd level, the bladestar adept becomes so skilled at attacking with the katana that such a weapon deals base damage equal to their unarmed attacks when in their hands. This base damage continues to improve as the damage dealt by the bladestar adept’s unarmed attacks increases, matching it at all times. The damage remains slashing damage, and the threat range and magical qualities of the katana remain unaffected. Improved Spell Resistance (Ex): At 3rd level, the bladestar adept gains spell resistance equal to 13 plus their monk level plus their bladestar adept level. This replaces the monk’s spell resistance class feature, if this is possessed. If other spell resistance is possessed, such as that granted by race or by a magic item, the higher spell resistance always applies. Tremorsense (Ex): At 4th level, the bladestar adept becomes so used to dark, cavernous environments, hidden opponents and silent approaches that they gain tremorsense 30 ft., or their existing tremorsense improves by 30 ft. At 10th level, their tremorsense improves further, adding another 30 ft. to its range. Armed Deflection (Ex): At 4th level, the bladestar adept has become skilled enough to deflect missile attacks with their katana. This ability functions in all other respects like the Deflect Arrows feat, and can serve as a prerequisite for the Infinite Deflection epic feat (though those who do so may still only deflect missile attacks with their katana unless they also possess the Deflect Arrows feat). Perfect Navigator (Ex): As a result of training in the shifting labyrinths of Manehall, at 5th level the bladestar adept gains the ability to always know precisely where they are in relation to their desired location. They can easily make their way through any maze, and gain total immunity to maze spells and effects. Trapfinding (Ex): At 5th level, the bladestar adept’s acquaintance with both magical and mundane traps grants them the ability to find traps with a Search check, as if a rogue. Iaijutsu (Ex): At 6th level, a bladestar adept’s mastery of the katana extends to the art of Iaijutsu: drawing the blade, striking and sheathing the blade in a single stroke. As a result, they can draw and sheath their katana(s) as many times as they have attacks per round (their base number of attacks, not counting bonus attacks from any source), with each drawing and sheathing considered part of a single free action. The bladestar adept is still limited to the usual one free action per round. Ki Focus (Su): At 8th level, the bladestar adept has become so attuned to the use of a katana that they may now treat any katana held as if it were a ki focus weapon. The katana need not be magical for this effect to be applied, though if it is, its other abilities remain unaffected. This ability may be applied to multiple katanas at a time, such as when fighting with a katana in each hand, but applies only so long as the bladestar adept is wielding them. Natural Cunning (Ex): At 9th level, the bladestar adept’s awareness of their surroundings becomes near-total, as a result of their long training in shifting, trapped, cavernous environments. Henceforth, they can never be caught flat-footed, and can only be flanked by a rogue of at least four levels higher than their combined monk and bladestar adept levels. Living Extension (Ex): At 10th level, the bladestar adept’s skill with the katana has reached its pinnacle, and is now so absolute that any attack with it is treated for most purposes like a natural attack. The bladestar adept treats the katana as a light weapon for the purposes of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat chain and the Weapon Finesse feat, and they can never be disarmed of a katana. When attempting to disarm another, however, the weapon retains the bonuses due to a one-handed or two-handed weapon, depending on the manner in which it is being wielded. Bonus Feats: For every three levels beyond 10th level, the bladestar adept gains a bonus feat selected from the epic bladestar adept bonus feat list. They must meet the prerequisites for any bonus feats that they wish to take, as normal. Epic Bladestar Adept Bonus Feat List: Armour Skin, Devastating Critical (katana), Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Weapon Focus (katana), Epic Weapon Specialization (katana), Epic Will, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Great Dexterity, Great Strength, Great Wisdom, Improved Darkvision, Infinite Deflection, Overwhelming Critical (katana), Penetrate Damage Reduction, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Shattering Strike.
MisterH 10-05-05, 02:29 PM	Ok. I like the idea of this class, it has neat flavor. It is also well formatted. However, there are a few issues with the class itself: Prerequisites: A commonly accepted no-no is having levels in a certain class be a Prereq. I understand that you want this to be a monk only class, but you already require Ki Strike(lawful), so odds are that they already have 10 levels in monk. If they do it another way, props to them. Having class levels as prereqs is unneccesarily restrictive. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it impossible to qualify for this class? In order to have it right now, you must have Weapon Spec and 10 level monk as your last level. In order to have Weapon Spec, you much take 4 levels in fighter. So, if you take levels in fighter before you are level 10 monk, you cannot return to the monk class to achieve 10th level. But, it you wait til you're 10th level monk to take some fighter levels, your last level will not have been in monk. So...this class is impossible to qualify for since no Monk prestige class (thusly allowing free multiclassing) grants Weapon Spec either. Greater Flurry: Why not just have their level stack with that of their Monk in order to determine their Flurry abilities? Darkvision: 60 feet right off the bat is a bit much. Why not make it 30 at first and an additional 30 later in the class? Armed Deflection: Most monks are going to have Deflect Arrows already. Why not add that if they do, they can add an additional use per day? Trapfinding: Why is this here? This class is not roguish at all, and monks don't get this ability. Why? Iaijutsu: What purpose does this serve? The ability does nothing. Natural Cunning: Why not just give him Uncanny Dodge? There are already rules for it, and it allows for someone coming into the class with the ability already, and the two stacking. Living Extension: This is a dangerous ability. There is a large distinction between Natural and Manufactured weapons. I would perhaps put some limiting language in the ability. ---------- I hope this was all constructive for you. Again, I really like the idea, you just need to clean it up. Good Luck.