Shaolin Monk (3.5e Class)

Shaolin Monk

Shaolin Monk

Similar to the monk, they are masters of unarmed combat. However, they are less restricted in combat, and they sacrifice their Flurry of Blows for increase mobility. In addition, many train with the Arms of Wushu, a set of special weapons that are difficult to learn, but devastating to use. They are based out of Shaolin temple in China, where they learn their trade.

Making a Shaolin Monk

The monks are very good against multiple foes, and gain abilities allowing them to Trip and Disarm all of their foes. Typically, they work well with people soak up the damage, and let the monk move unhindered.

Abilities: Wisdom is important, because it makes their special abilities more powerful. Dexterity is also very important, because it lets them qualify for all of the bonus feats they get, many of which require a good Dex. Strength and Constitution are both very important for combat effectiveness.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Starting Gold: 1d6×10 gp (35 gp).

Starting Age: Complex

Table: The Shaolin Monk

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Unarmed Damage^1	AC Bonus	Unarmored Speed Bonus
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+2	+2	Unarmed Strike, Dodge	1d6	+0	+0 ft.
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+3	Evasion, Qigong	1d6	+0	+0 ft.
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+3	Bonus Feat, Mobility	1d6	+0	+10 ft.
4th	+4	+4	+4	+4	Still Mind, Slow Fall 20 ft.	1d8	+0	+10 ft.
5th	+5	+4	+4	+4	Spring Attack, Improved Qigong	1d8	+1	+10 ft.
6th	+6/+1	+5	+5	+5	Slow Fall 30 ft., Least Iron Shirt	1d8	+1	+20 ft.
7th	+7/+2	+5	+5	+5	Bonus Feat, Arms of Wushu	1d8	+1	+20 ft.
8th	+8/+3	+6	+6	+6	Slow Fall 40 ft.	1d10	+1	+20 ft.
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+6	Wholeness of Body	1d10	+1	+30 ft.
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+7	Slow Fall 50 ft., Greater Qigong	1d10	+2	+30 ft.
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+7	+7	Lesser Iron Shirt	1d10	+2	+30 ft.
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+8	+8	Bonus Feat, Slow Fall 60 ft., Bounding Assault	2d6	+2	+40 ft.
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+8	+8	Improved Arms of Wushu	2d6	+2	+40 ft.
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+9	Great Iron Shirt, Slow Fall 70 ft.	2d6	+2	+40 ft.
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+9	+9	Diamond Soul, Elite Qigong	2d6	+3	+50 ft.
16th	+16+/+11/+6/+1	+10	+10	+10	Slow Fall 80 ft.	2d8	+3	+50 ft.
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+10	+10	Timeless Body	2d8	+3	+50 ft.
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+11	+11	Slow Fall 90 ft., Rapid Blitz	2d8	+3	+60 ft.
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+11	+11	Greater Arms of Wushu	2d8	+3	+60 ft.
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+12	+12	Slow Fall Any Distance, Perfect Qigong	2d10	+4	+60 ft.
The value shown is for Medium monks. See Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size for monks of all sizes.
Class Skills (4 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex).

Class Features

<-fluff about class features->. All of the following are class features of the <-class name->.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks are proficient with Dao, Qiang, Jian, Gun, Guan dao, Ono, Shuang Gou, Jiujiebian, Tonfa, Teng Pai, Dandao, Sanjiegun, and Liu Xing Chui

Monks are not proficient with any armor.

When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement ability.

AC Bonus (Ex): When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armor, when she carries a shield, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.

Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Usually a 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 monk’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Monk. The unarmed damage on Table: The Monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size.

Table: Monk Unarmed Damage by Size

Level	Fine	Diminutive	Tiny	Small	Medium	Large	Huge	Gargantuan	Colossal
1st–3rd	1	1d2	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	2d6	3d6	4d6
4th–7th	1d2	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	2d6	3d6	4d6	6d6
8th–11th	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d8	3d8	4d8	6d8
12th–15th	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d6	3d6	4d6	6d6	8d6
16th–19th	1d6	1d8	1d10	2d6	2d8	3d8	4d8	6d8	8d8
20th	1d8	1d10	2d6	2d8	2d10	4d8	6d8	8d8	12d8

Dodge: A monk gains Dodge as a bonus feat.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher if a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Qigong (Ex): A 2nd level monk has the ability to focus her qi to protect her body. By taking a Full-Round Action that provokes attacks of opportunity, she may enter qigong meditation, gaining a +1 insight bonus to hit, to damage, and a +1 dodge bonus to AC for a number of rounds equal to one half class level + Wis mod. A monk must make a Concentration check every round, DC (10+total damage taken−Wis mod), to maintain the meditation. Entering a rage or having any conditions such as fear, stunned, exhausted, or anything the DM deems worthy will end the meditation.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level, a monk may select either Improved Grapple or Stunning Fist as a bonus feat. At 7th level, she may select either Combat Reflexes or Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. At 12th level, she may select either Improved Disarm or Improved Trip as a bonus feat. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to her speed, as shown on Table: The Monk. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Mobility: A monk gains Mobility as a bonus feat.

Slow Fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow her descent. When first using this ability, she takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk’s ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with her monk level until at 20th level she can use a nearby wall to slow her descent and fall any distance without harm.

Spring Attack: A monk gains Spring Attack as a bonus feat

Improved Qigong (Ex): While she is in qigong meditation, the monks qi bonuses increase to +2, and she gains uncanny dodge, as the rogue class feature.

Least Iron Shirt (Ex): At level 6, a monk who is in a qigong meditation gains DR 4/adamantine.

Arms of Wushu (Ex): At level 7, a monk begins training with one of the weapons she is proficient with. She chooses one from the following:

• Dao Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Scimitar)

• Qiang Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Spear) as a bonus feat and she may treat the Spear as a double weapon, like a Quarterstaff.

• Jian Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Longsword) as a bonus feat

• Gun Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff) as a bonus feat

• Guan Dao Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Glaive) and Short-Haft as bonus feats.

• Ono Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Battleaxe) as a bonus feat.

• Shuang Gou Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Shuang Gou) as a bonus feat.

• Jiujiebian Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Jiujiebian) as a bonus feat.

• Tonfa Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Tonfa) and Two Weapon Fighting (while using a tonfa) as bonus feats.

• Tengpai he Dandao Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Short Sword) as a bonus feat, and she may wield a Tengpai (masterwork light wooden shield) without loosing her AC bonus or fast movement abilities, as long as she is also wielding a short sword.

• Sanjiegun Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Three-Section Staff) as a bonus feat and may ignore up to 4 points of the enemies AC, to a maximum of their shield bonus.

• Liu Xing Chui Taolu: She gains Weapon Focus (Liu Xing Chui) and either Improved Disarm or Improved Trip as bonus feats.

Wholeness of Body (Su): At 9th level or higher, a monk can heal her own wounds. She can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to twice her current monk level each day, and she can spread this healing out among several uses.

Greater Qigong (Ex): At level 10, a monk can enter a qigong meditation as a standard action that provokes an attack of opportunity. While in a qigong meditation, her qi bonuses increase to +3 and she gains natural armor +1.

Lesser Iron Shirt (Ex): At level 11, the DR from Iron Shirt increases to DR 8/adamantine.

Bounding Assault: A monk gains Bounding Assault^PHB2 as a bonus feat.

Improved Arms of Wushu (Ex): At 13th level, a monk may choose another weapon to train with. She gains the first level abilities for this weapon, and gains the second level in the first weapon she chose. In addition, she gains Combat Expertise as a bonus feat.

• Dao Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Scimitar) (even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites) and Two Weapon Fighting as bonus feats, and may treat the scimitar as a light weapon for the purpose of two weapon fighting. If she already has Two Weapon Fighting, she gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting instead

• Qiang Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Spear) (even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites) and Two Weapon Fighting as bonus feats. If she already has Two Weapon Fighting, she gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting instead

• Jian Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Longsword) and Cleave as bonus feats, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites.

• Gun Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Quarterstaff) (even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites), Two Weapon Fighting, and Quick Staff^CW as bonus feats. If she already has Two Weapon Fighting, she gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting instead

• Guan Dao Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Glaive) (even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites) as a bonus feat, and she may treat the Glaive as a double weapon, like a Quarterstaff, but only while in Short-Haft mode.

• Ono Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Battleaxe) and Cleave as bonus feats, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites.

• Shuang Gou Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Shuang Gou)(even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites) and Two Weapon Fighting and Two Weapon Defense as bonus feats. If she already has Two Weapon Fighting or Two Weapon Defense, she gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting or Two Weapon Defense instead.

• Jiujiebian Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Jiujiebian)(even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites), Two Weapon Fighting and Whirlwind Attack as bonus feats, and she may add her Dexterity mod to her trip attempts instead of Strength when using a Jiujiebian. If she already has Two Weapon Fighting, she gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting instead.

• Tonfa Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Tonfa)(even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites), and Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Two Weapon Defense as bonus feats.

• Tengpai he Dandao Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Short Sword)(even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites), and Improved Shield Bash as bonus feats.

• Sanjiegun Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Three-Section Staff) as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites, and has a chance to hit an extra opponent. When she attacks a foe with a three-section staff (she does not have to hit) she may attack a second opponent at a -2 penalty for damage equal to half of what she would deal to her original target (determine this damage before applying damage reduction). This extra damage is not doubled on a charge, as the original target damage is already doubled.

• Liu Xing Chui Taolu: She gains Weapon Specialization (Liu Xing Chui) as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites, and she may add her Dexterity to her trip or disarm attempts instead of Strength when using a Liu Xing Chui.

Great Iron Shirt (Ex): At level 14, the DR from Iron Shirt increases to DR 12/adamantine. In addition, while not in a qigong meditation, a monk gets DR 4/adamantine.

Diamond Soul (Ex): At 15th level, a monk in qigong meditation gains spell resistance equal to her current monk level + 10. In order to affect the monk with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the monk’s spell resistance.

Elite Qigong (Ex): At level 15, a monks qi bonuses increase to +4, and she gains natural armor +2

Timeless Body (Ex): Upon attaining 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to her ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that she has already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when her time is up.

Rapid Blitz: A monk gains Rapid Blitz^PHB2 as a bonus feat.

Greater Arms of Wushu (Ex): At 19th level, a monk may choose another weapon to train with. She gains the second level of the second weapon she chose and gains the third level in the first weapon she chose.

• Dao Taolu: She gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Whirlwind Attack as bonus feats, and if she hit one foe with both of her scimitars in the same round, she get an immediate disarm attempt.

• Qiang Taolu: She gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Two Weapon Defense as bonus feats. If she hits with a roll of 16 or higher on the spear side, she may make an immediate attack with the butt of the spear, that doesn't count against her attacks for the round, for half damage at her second lowest BAB.

• Jian Taolu: She gains Great Cleave as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites, and if she is in a qigong meditation she may expend it to attack one additional time with a Rapid Blitz at a −5 to hit.

• Gun Taolu: She gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense, and she may attack with the offhand side of the quarterstaff twice when she uses Rapid Blitz, one at a −10 and the other at a −15.

• Guan Dao Taolu: She gains Two Weapon Fighting+Improved Two Weapon Fighting and Whirlwind Attack as bonus feats, and may swich from reach to non-reach as a free action.

• Ono Taolu: She gains Great Cleave as a bonus feat, and if she is in a qigong meditation she may expend it to attack one additional time with a Rapid Blitz at a −5 to hit.

• Shuang Gou Taolu: She gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting+Defense as bonus feats, and if anyone misses against her, she gets an immediate disarm attempt, unless she is flat-footed, immobilized, helpless, wearing any armor, or is carrying a medium or heavy load.

• Jiujiebian Taolu: She gains Improved Two Weapon Fighting while using a jiujiebian as a bonus feat, and if she hits with a roll of 15 or higher, she may make a free trip attempt.

• Tonfa Taolu: She gains Greater Two Weapon Fighting and Improved Two Weapon Defense as bonus feats, and if someone rolls an 8 or less on their attack roll to hit her, she may make an immediate attack with her offhand weapon on that person. She may only do this once per round.

• Tengpai he Dandao Taolu: She gains the ability to knock a foe back 5ft with her shield. If she makes a Spring Attack and hits the foe with her shield, the foe is moved back 5ft.

• Sanjiegun Taolu: She now deals his full damage to her secondary attack target, and takes no penalty on the attack.

• Liu Xing Chui Taolu: She gains Greater Weapon Focus (Liu Xing Chui) as a bonus feat, even if she doesn't meet the prerequisites, and if she misses by less than 2 on an attack, she may make a free trip or disarm attempt against that foe, whichever one she took the feat for at rank one, unless she is wearing any armor or is carrying a medium or heavy load.

Perfect Qigong (Ex): At level 20, a monks qi bonuses increase to +5, and she gains natural armor +3. in addition, she can enter a qigong meditation as a swift action that provokes an attack of opportunity.

Ex-Shaolin Monks

A monk who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a monk but retains all monk abilities.

Like a member of any other class, a monk may be a multiclass character, but multiclass monks face a special restriction. A monk who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her monk level, though she retains all her monk abilities.

Epic Shaolin Monks

Table: The Epic Shaolin Monks

Hit Die: d8

Level	AC Bonus	Unarmored Speed Bonus	Special
21st	+4	+70 ft.
22nd	+4	+70 ft.
23rd	+4	+70 ft.
24th	+4	+80 ft.
25th	+5	+80 ft.	Bonus Feat
26th	+5	+80 ft.
27th	+5	+90 ft.
28th	+5	+90 ft.
29th	+5	+90 ft.
30th	+6	+100 ft.	Bonus Feat
4 + Int modifier skill points per level.

AC Bonus: The Monk’s bonus to Armor Class when unarmored increases by +1 every five levels higher than 20th.

Unarmed Strike: The damage for a Monk’s unarmed strike does not increase after 20th level.

Fast Movement: The epic Monk’s speed when wearing no armor increases by 10 feet every three levels higher than 18th. The unarmored speed of Small and dwarven monks increases by 5 feet instead of 10 feet.

Wholeness of Body (Su): The epic Monk can cure up to twice his or her class level in hit points each day, as normal.

Diamond Soul (Ex): The epic Monk’s spell resistance is equal to his or her class level +10, as normal.

Bonus Feats: The epic Monk gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Monk bonus feats) every five levels higher than 20th.

Epic Shaolin Monk Bonus Feat List: Armor Skin, Blinding Speed, Damage Reduction, Energy Resistance, Epic Prowess, Epic Speed, Epic Toughness, Exceptional Deflection, Fast Healing, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Ki Strike, Improved Spell Resistance, Improved Stunning Fist, Infinite Deflection, Keen Strike, Legendary Climber, Legendary Leaper, Legendary Wrestler, Perfect Two-Weapon Fighting, Reflect Arrows, Righteous Strike, Self-Concealment, Shattering Strike, Vorpal Strike.

Human Shaolin Monk Starting Package

Weapons: None.

Skill Selection: Pick a number of skills equal to 5 + Int modifier.

Skill	Ranks	Ability	Armor Check Penalty
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"->
<-Skill name->	<-4 for class skills and 2 for cross-class skills->	<-Abbreviated key ability->	<-armor check penalty based on starting armor. If inapplicable put "—"-> <-copy and paste the rows as necessary.->

Feat: Blind-Fight.

Bonus Feats: Dodge, Improved Toughness

Gear: None.

Gold: 30.

Playing a Shaolin Monk

Religion: Buddhist, without exception. They are very religious, and believe the qigong helps them reach Nirvana

Other Classes: . They typically interact well with the other "religious" classes.

Combat: Typically, they flit around the field, but always up in front.

Advancement: Rarely multiclass, due to restrictions.

Shaolin Monks in the World

“	<-Some quote from a character of this class->	”
—<-NPC name->, <-race-> <-class->

<-Where characters of this class fit in a d20 world.->

Daily Life: <-day in the life of a character of this class->.

Notables: <-notable NPCs of this class->.

Organizations: <-info on what, where, when, and how characters of this class congregate and assemble->.

NPC Reactions: <-How NPCs react to PCs of this class->.

<-class name-> Lore

Characters with ranks in <-the appropriate skills-> can research <-pluralized class name-> to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

<-the appropriate skills->

DC	Result
5	<-common knowledge->.
10	<-not so common knowledge->.
15	<-rare information->.
20	<-very rare information->.

<-pluralized class name-> in the Game

<-How characters of this class fit in the game (PC and NPC) and what roles they play.->

Adaptation:

Sample Encounter: <-DM placement for NPCs of this class.->.

EL : <-Encounter scenario and character info on sample NPC including stat block. The CR of the NPC is typically the same as the EL for the encounter.->.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Classes → Base Classes