Noh-li (Monk)

Posted by EarthDragon on 23rd December 2016.

Dotted across the landscape are monasteries—small, walled cloisters inhabited by noh-li who pursue personal perfection through action as well as contemplation. They train themselves to be versatile warriors skilled at fighting without weapons or armour. The inhabitants of monasteries headed by good masters serve as protectors of the people. Ready for battle even when barefoot and dressed in peasant clothes, noh-li can travel unnoticed among the populace, catching bandits, warlords, and corrupt nobles unawares. In contrast, the residents of monasteries headed by evil masters rule the surrounding lands through fear, as an evil warlord and his entourage might. Evil noh-li make ideal spies, infiltrators, and assassins. The individual noh-li is unlikely to care passionately about championing commoners or amassing wealth. They care primarily for the perfection of their art and, thereby, personal perfection. Their goal is to achieve a state that is beyond the mortal realm. The key feature of the noh-li is their ability to fight unarmed and unarmoured. Thanks to their rigorous training, they can strike as hard as if they were armed and strike faster than a warrior with a sword. Though a noh-li casts no spells, they have a magic of their own. They channel a subtle energy, called ki, which allows them to perform amazing feats. The noh-li’s best-known feat is their ability to stun an opponent with an unarmed blow. A noh-li also has a preternatural awareness that allows them to dodge an attack even if they are not consciously aware of it. As the noh-li gains experience and power, their mundane and ki-oriented abilities grow, giving them more and more power over themselves and, sometimes, over others.

  Adventures

A noh-li approaches an adventure as if it were a personal test. While not prone to showing off, noh-li are willing to try their skills against whatever obstacles confront them. They are not greedy for material wealth, but they eagerly seek that which can help them perfect their art.

  Alignment

A noh-li’s training requires strict discipline. Only those who are lawful at heart are capable of undertaking it.

  Background

A noh-li typically trains in a monastery. Most noh-li were children when they joined the monastery, sent to live there when their parents died, when there wasn’t enough food to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monastery had performed for the family. Life in the monastery is so focused that by the time a noh-li sets off on their own, they feel little connection to their former family or village. In larger cities, master noh-li have set up noh-li schools to teach their arts to those who are interested and worthy. The noh-li who study at these academies often see their rural cousins from the monasteries as backward. A noh-li may feel a deep connection to their monastery or school, to the noh-li who taught them, to the lineage into which they were trained, or to all of these. Some noh-li, however, have no sense of connection other than to their own path of personal development. Noh-li recognize each other as a select group set apart from the rest of the populace. They may feel kinship, but they also love to compete with each other to see whose ki is strongest.

  Role

The noh-li functions best as an opportunistic combatant, using their speed to get into and out of combat quickly rather than engaging in prolonged melees. They also make excellent scouts, particularly if they focus their skill selection on stealth.

  Game Rule Information

  Abilities

Wisdom powers the noh-li’s special offensive and defensive capabilities. Dexterity provides the unarmoured noh-li with a better defence and with bonuses to some class skills. Strength helps a noh-li’s unarmed combat ability.

  Alignment

Any lawful.

  Vitality Points

d8.

  Class Skills

The noh-li’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are 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), and Tumble (Dex).

  Skill Points at 1st Level

(4 + Int modifier) x 4.

  Skill Points at Each Additional Level

4 + Int modifier

  Class Features

All of the following are class features of the noh-li.

  Weapon and Armour Proficiency

Noh-li are proficient with certain basic peasant weapons and some special weapons that are part of noh-li training. The weapons with which a noh-li is proficient are club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, hand-axe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, and sling. Noh-li are not proficient with any armour or shields—in fact, many of the noh-li’s special powers require unfettered movement. When wearing armour, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a noh-li loses their AC bonus, as well as their fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.

  AC Bonus (Ex)

A noh-li is highly trained at dodging blows, and has a sixth sense that lets them avoid even unanticipated attacks. When unarmoured and unencumbered, the noh-li adds their Wisdom bonus (if any) to their AC. In addition, a noh-li gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five noh-li 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 noh-li is flat-footed. The noh-li loses these bonuses when immobilized or helpless, when wearing any armour, when carrying a shield, or when carrying a medium or heavy load.

  Flurry of Blows (Ex)

When unarmoured, a noh-li may strike with a flurry of blows at the expense of accuracy. When doing so, the noh-li may make one extra attack in a round at their highest base attack bonus, but this attack takes a –2 penalty, as does each other attack made that round. The resulting modified base attack bonuses are shown in the Flurry of Blows Attack Bonus column on the table below. This penalty applies for 1 round, so it also affects attacks of opportunity the noh-li might make before their next action. When a noh-li reaches 5th level, the penalty lessens to –1, and at 9th level it disappears. A noh-li must use a full attack action to strike with a flurry of blows. When using flurry of blows, a noh-li may attack only with unarmed strikes or with special noh-li weapons (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham). The noh-li may attack with unarmed strikes and special noh-li weapons interchangeably as desired. For example, at 6th level, a noh-li could make one attack with their unarmed strike at an attack bonus of +3 and one attack with a special noh-li weapon at an attack bonus of +3. When using weapons as part of a flurry of blows, a noh-li applies their Strength bonus (not Str bonus × 1-1/2 or × 1/2) to their damage rolls for all successful attacks, whether they wield a weapon in one or both hands. The noh-li can’t use any weapon other than a special noh-li weapon as part of a flurry of blows. In the case of the quarterstaff, each end counts as a separate weapon for the purpose of using the flurry of blows ability. Even though the quarterstaff requires two hands to use, a noh-li may still intersperse unarmed strikes with quarterstaff strikes, assuming that they have enough attacks in their flurry of blows routine to do so. For example, an 8th-level noh-li could make two attacks with the quarterstaff (one with each end) at a +5 attack bonus and one with an unarmed strike at a +0 attack bonus, or they could attack with one end of the quarterstaff and one unarmed strike each at a +5 attack bonus, and with the other end of the quarterstaff at a +0 attack bonus, or they could attack with one end of the quarterstaff and one unarmed strike at a +5 attack bonus each, and with the other end of the quarterstaff at a +0 attack bonus. They cannot, however, wield any other weapon at the same time that they use a quarterstaff. When a noh-li reaches 11th level, their flurry of blows ability improves. In addition to the standard single extra attack they get from flurry of blows, they get a second extra attack at their full base attack bonus.

  Unarmed Strike

Noh-li are highly trained in fighting unarmed, giving them considerable advantages when doing so. At 1st level, a noh-li gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A noh-li’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a noh-li may even make unarmed strikes with their hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a noh-li striking unarmed. A noh-li may thus apply their full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all their unarmed strikes. Usually a noh-li’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but they can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on their attack roll. They have the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling. A noh-li’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 (such as the magic fang and magic weapon spells). A noh-li also deals more damage with their unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the main table below. The unarmed damage listed is for Medium noh-li. A Small noh-li deals less damage than the amount given there with their unarmed attacks, while a Large noh-li deals more damage; see the secondary table below.

  Bonus Feat

At 1st level, a noh-li may select either Improved Grapple or Stunning Fist as a bonus feat. At 2nd level, they may select either Combat Reflexes or Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. At 6th level, they may select either Improved Disarm or Improved Trip as a bonus feat. A noh-li need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

  Evasion (Ex)

A noh-li of 2nd level or higher can avoid even magical and unusual attacks with great agility. If tey makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save (such as a red dragon’s fiery breath or a fireball), they instead take no damage. Evasion can be used only if a noh-li is wearing light armour or no armour. A helpless noh-li (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of evasion.

  Fast Movement (Ex)

At 3rd level, a noh-li gains an enhancement bonus to their speed, as shown on the table below. A noh-li in armour (even light armour) or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

  Still Mind (Ex)

A noh-li of 3rd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects from the school of enchantment, since their meditation and training improve their resistance to mind-affecting attacks.

  Ki Strike (Su)

At 4th level, a noh-li’s unarmed attacks are empowered with ki. Their unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. Ki strike improves with the character’s noh-li level. At 10th level, their unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 16th level, their unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

  Slow Fall (Ex)

At 4th level or higher, a noh-li within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow their descent. When first using this ability, they take damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The noh-li’s ability to slow their fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with their noh-li level until at 20th level they can use a nearby wall to slow their descent and fall any distance without harm. See the table below for details.

  Purity of Body (Ex)

At 5th level, a noh-li gains control over their body’s immune system. They gain immunity to all diseases except for supernatural and magical diseases (such as mummy rot and lycanthropy).

  Wholeness of Body (Su)

At 7th level or higher, a noh-li can heal their own wounds. They can heal either a number of vitality points equal to twice their current no-li level each day, or a number of wound points of damage equal to their current noh-li level each day. They can spread this healing out among several uses, provided that the total amount healed does not exceed either twice their current noh-li level in vitality points or their current noh-li level in wound points, or some combination of equal value.

  Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 9th level, a noh-li’s evasion ability improves. They still take no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks such as a dragon’s breath weapon or a fireball, but henceforth they take only half damage on a failed save. A helpless noh-li (such as one who is unconscious or paralysed) does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

  Diamond Body (Su)

At 11th level, a noh-li is in such firm control of their own metabolism that they gain immunity to poisons of all kinds.

  Abundant Step (Su)

At 12th level or higher, a noh-li can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door, once per day. Their caster level for this effect is one-half their noh-li level (rounded down).

  Diamond Soul (Ex)

At 13th level, a noh-li gains spell resistance equal to their current noh-li level + 10. In order to affect the noh-li with a spell, a spell-caster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the noh-li’s spell resistance.

  Quivering Palm (Su)

Starting at 15th level, a noh-li can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the noh-li so desires. They can use this quivering palm attack once a week, and they must announce their intent before making their attack roll. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the noh-li strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter the noh-li can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to their noh-li level. To make such an attempt, the noh-li merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the noh-li’s level + the noh-li’s Wis modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time.

  Timeless Body (Ex)

Upon attaining 17th level, a noh-li no longer takes penalties to their ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that they have already taken, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the noh-li still dies of old age when their time is up.

  Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex)

A noh-li of 17th level or higher can speak with any living creature.

  Empty Body (Su)

At 19th level, a noh-li gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 round per noh-li level per day, as though using the spell etherealness. They may go ethereal on a number of different occasions during any single day, as long as the total number of rounds spent in an ethereal state does not exceed their noh-li level.

  Perfect Self

At 20th level, a noh-li has tuned their body with skill and quasi-magical abilities to the point that they become a magical creature. They are forevermore treated as an outsider (an extra-planar creature) rather than as a humanoid for the purpose of spells and magical effects. For instance, charm person does not affect them. Additionally, the noh-li gains damage reduction 10/magic, which allows them to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a non-magical weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the noh-li can still be brought back from the dead as if they were a member of their previous creature type.

  Ex-Members

A noh-li who becomes non-lawful cannot gain new levels as a noh-li but retains all noh-li abilities. Like a member of any other class, a noh-li may be a multiclass character, but multiclass noh-li face a special restriction. A noh-li who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her noh-li level, though they retain all their noh-li abilities.

* Base attack bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

** Save bonuses are handled differently for epic characters.

*** Other noh-li abilities are handled differently at epic levels.