Monks of Time and History (3.5e Prestige Class)
The monks of Time and History
Hidden in the ever snow covered mountains sits the most elusive of the worlds monasteries. High above the cities of the world sits a temple to the most basic endurances of nature, that of time itself. It is here where the history monks learn not only spiritual enlightenment and respect, but also control over time itself. It takes many years to become even remotely accomplished in time slicing and it takes a strong soul and even stronger will to complete the harsh training.
The history monks accept only the strongest willed and hardened people. It takes many years of training and while the history monastery warps time it can take a year of normal time to become ordained. Seeking control over time and the ability to see into the future many adventures seek to improve their combat skills. Due to their strict training they are expressly forbidden to use their abilities in anger. Bards and rogues often find their way into the history monks, although their chaotic natures take a while to come round to the training needed. The monk’s ranks are also sometimes filled with rangers who seek a stronger fighting prowess.
Prerequisites:
- Alignment: any non-evil
- Skills: Knowledge (history): 8 ranks, Gather information: 5
- Feats: Combat reflexes, Investigator, Dodge
- Special: Must be trained at the Hidden Monastary by the Monks of Time and History
Class Abilities
Level | Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Special | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | +1 | +0 | +1 | +1 | Mandala sands | |
2 | +2 | +0 | +2 | +2 | Evasion, timeless body | |
3 | +3 | +1 | +2 | +3 | Time slice x2 3/day | |
4 | +4 | +1 | +3 | +4 | Sands of Warning / Steps of the Sweepers | |
5 | +5 | +2 | +4 | +5 | Inner tranquility | |
6 | +6/1 | +3 | +4 | +6 | Time slice x3 3/day | |
7 | +7/+2 | +4 | +5 | +7 | Lunging attack | |
8 | +8/+3 | +4 | +6 | +8 | Improved Sands of Warning / Path of the Sweeper | |
9 | +9/+4 | +5 | +6 | +9 | Time slice x4 3/day | |
10 | +10/+5 | +5 | +7 | +10 | Ritual of aging | |
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level) |
Class Features:
History monks are proficient with all light melee weapons, longbows, shortbows and slings. They are proficient with light armour and shields (except tower).
Mandala sands: Upon leaving the monastery each monk is given a small pouch containing part of the great Mandala. This mystical sand watches over time and to the trained eye can be used to see into the future. Once per day a history monk can use the sands as per a "Divination" spell (70% success +1 per level in history monk and +1 per 2 levels in monk). In order to do this the monk must be able to concentrate for the full 10 minute and have access to a flat area on to which to spread the sands.
Time Slice: Time slicing is the ability to exist in a sliver of time. With this ability a history monk is able to slice his personal time into a smaller amount, effectively allowing him to move faster and do more than a normal being. A monk can only use this ability if wearing light armour and not under a heavy load, and a number of times a day equal to 3 + the Monk's Wisdom modifier
- At the third level this ability is equal to twice speed. In combat the monk may declare a time slice and then proceed to take two rounds of actions in a single round. For the next round after the ability however they count as Fatigued. The Monk also gains a +4 Dexterity bonus to Attacks, AC, Reflex, and Skillchecks. Successive uses of TimeSlice are possible, but a Fatigued TimeSlicer becomes Exhausted for one round AND Fatigued for three rounds thereafter. The danger comes to an Exhausted user, who then must make a Fortitude save [DC 15 + # of successive TimeSlice uses] or take 2 points of Constitution burn that must be restored naturally.
- At sixth level this increases to triple speed, allowing the monk to take three rounds in one go. The Monk's Dexterity bonus also increases from +4 to +6. The fatigued effect then lasts for two rounds, and Fatigued use leads to Exhaustion for 2 rounds and Fatigued for five rounds.
- At ninth level this again increases to four times speed, allowing four turns in on go. The Monk's Dexterity bonus also increases from +6 to +8. The fatigued effect then lasts for three rounds, and Fatigued use leads Exhastion for five rounds and Fatigue for 1 minute.
- NOTE: Negative modifiers on opponents are applied only in reference to the Monk.
Sands of Warning: By casting the sands into the air around them (a move action) the Mandala sands act as an early warning device to incoming attacks, as such they become immune to sneak attacks, critical attacks as well as being immune to flanking. In order to use this effect the monk has to maintain full concentration on the sands and so can not make any movement, this includes 5ft steps. It takes one round for the monk to achieve full concentration on the sands.
- At the 8th level the monk gets more accustomed to the sands and as such he can both use the ability on the round he casts the sands and is able to take 5 ft steps.
Path of the sweeper: A fundamental understanding of of where one is and where one wishes to be can lend some insight on how one can go about getting there. The Monk gains a +2 bonus to his Move Silent, Balance, Tumble, and Jump rolls.
At the 8th level, the Steps follow the Path as this finely honed discipline allows the Monk to remove himself from the timestream to make a normal move action. This removal from the timestream makes the move almost instant and any interaction with the rest of the world impossible, and thus it can ONLY be used for movement. This ability functions like the Teleportation spell, but the range of movement is limited to what the Monk could do in a normal move action, A monk can do this a number of times equal to their wisdom Modifier +1.
Inner tranquility: At the 5th level the history monk’s gains a newfound understanding of the world and his/her place in it. They become immune to all fear effects (magical or otherwise) and gain a +5 bonus on will saves against all other mind effecting spells.
Lunging attack: At level seven history monks automatically gain the lunging attack feat. As a full round action you can make a single strike with a +10 foot to your attack's reach. This benefit applies to both armed and unarmed attacks, including touch attacks to deliver spells.
Ritual of aging: Only a few of the master monks know the true secret to aging and the ways to accelerate and decelerate it. Upon reaching the 10th level the monks may return to the monastery to find out the secrets for themselves. The ritual, once complete has the ability to remove years from a willing subject, physically and mentally returning them to a younger state. They retain their increased mental stats, while also removing any loss of physical ones.
- The ritual is highly complicated and difficult to achieve. It requires a willing subject and six hours of chanting and care for the effects to work. A magical transmutation circle (a pentagon inside a larger circle) must be drawn on the floor and five jewelled eggs (each worth 5,000gp) placed one at each point of the circle. The ceremony also requires three others in order to channel the energies that you unleash. Once the ceremony has begun it must run for the full six hours else the ritual will fail. Also due to the fickle nature of time there is a 10% chance that the ritual will go awry and instead of transferring the years to the wilder world, they are placed upon the monk.
- A successful casting of this ritual will return the target to a physical age roughly 5% of their lifespan beyond maturity. For humans this is about 20 years of age.
- Upon failure, the chaotic energies of time will be discharged into those channeling the power. For each hour completed 2d6 years will be added to all members participating.
Note: If a character already has evasion from a different class then they instead gain the improved version. If they already have the Improved Evasion, this feat defaults to the Dodge tree
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