Kellus
2009-05-25, 03:28 PM
The Xiake
This is actually a really interesting class that I found in the bowels of my computer from about a year ago. I touched it up and figured I’d post it since I never seem to have put it up when I finished it. As far as I can tell, it’s a sort of revamp on the monk where it filches cool stuff from incarnum and makes it into a really cool spiritual warrior. I have more comments on it, but I’ll wait ‘til a few people reply first before I say anything else.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Storn/MartialDloRes.jpg
A lizardfolk xiake practices a special combat technique.
A xiake is a mystic warrior that strives for personal perfection in every aspect. Stout of mind and strong of body, he achieves perfect inner balance. By channeling the power of the spirit, known as qi, he is able to achieve many achievements that might seem overtly magical to the untrained eye, but are merely logical consequences of his perfect self-control.
Adventures: A xiake adventures to test his combat prowess and his steel resolve. By gaining experience in the real world outside of the traditional monastery, a xiake can use his spiritual powers to help the less fortunate and the less skilled. Often a xiake hopes to inspire others to follow his lead in delving into their inner nature.
Alignment: Although xiakes can be of any nature, it is unusual to find evil or chaotic individuals that are willing to devote their lives to introspection. Lawful xiakes usually pursue this course purely for the perfect self-control it offers. Good xiakes make use of their mystic powers to help the needy. Chaotic xiakes are often anarchists who hope to replace the current order with a new way of life based on their discoveries. Evil xiakes hope to find ways to abuse the spiritual powers of qi and cause pain and suffering with them.
Religion: A xiake may be of any denomination, or he might worship all gods equally, or he might worship no gods. A lack of worship does not neccessarily indicate a lack of piety, but merely the assumption that the gods might do what they will, but it has no bearing on the xiake. The mightiest and most prideful xiakes often seek ascendancy themselves. These are nearly always ill-fated attempts when the xiake discovers that he is not as strong in spirit as he thought.
Background: Most xiakes come from a monastery, since that’s where most of the xiake training occurs. Indivdual xiakes may have learned some or all of the skills from a friend or mentor that received training at one point. Alternatively, although it is a relatively rare discipline, some beings might stumble onto the art of qi in their own seperate introspection.
Race: Many races with inclinations to become normal monks often find the same urge to conquer the spirit. In particular, githzerai and githyanki are common xiakes, as well as naturally introspective races such as elves.
Other Classes: Xiakes get along well with other classes that focus on enhancing one’s own skills. They admire the skill of fighters, knights, barbarians and monks. They often find paladins and clerics interesting, but don’t neccessarily agree with the moral implications of such classes. Flashy and showy characters such as bards and rogues usually don’t get along well with xiakes, who pride themselves in modesty self-control, and understatement. Most xiakes detest arcanists for the way in which they manipulate reality. Arcane power slows the passage of qi and violates the sanctity of nature. In the same vein, they get along well with druids and spirit shamans who work with the natural world instead of in opposition to it.
Role: A xiake’s role is generally that of a melee combattant. With special xiake combat techniques they can pursue a wide variety of combat options. Depending on how they invest their qi, they can gain access to a number of spiritual powers that work something like magic.
Game Rule Information
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int
Table: The Xiake
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Qi Power
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Qi receptacle (body and instrument), xiake technique|
2
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Xiake technique|
4
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Qi receptacle|
6
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Xiake technique|
8
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Qi receptacle|
10
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Xiake technique|
12
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Qi receptacle|
14
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Xiake technique|
16
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Qi receptacle|
18
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Xiake technique|
20
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Qi receptacle|
22
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Xiake technique|
24
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Qi receptacle|
26
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Xiake technique|
28
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Qi receptacle|
30
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Xiake technique|
32
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Qi receptacle|
34
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Xiake technique|
36
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Qi grand master|
38
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Xia grand master|
40
[/table]
Class Skills: The xiake’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).
All of the following are class features of the xiake.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A xiake is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A xiake is not proficient with armour or shields of any kind.
Qi Receptacle (Su): A xiake posesses the power of qi, an inner force which he derives great strength from. As a swift action, a xiake may reallocate his qi power into any combination of receptacles that he has access to. A xiake begins with two receptacles open to him: the body and the instrument. Every 2 levels thereafter (except 19th), a xiake may select one additional receptacle.
A xiake may only invest an amount of qi equal to 1/2 his class level (minimum 1 point) into any one receptacle. His base pool of qi is presented on Table: The Xiake. Every receptacle aside from the instrument occupies the magic item slot of the same name when there is qi bound in it.
When reading the receptacle effects, whenever you see [Qi], it represents the amount of qi invested in the receptacle.
Any spell-based ability referenced in a receptacle’s entry is actually a supernatural ability that replicates a spell. Thus, it isn’t subject to dispelling or detection like a spell.
Xiake Technique (Ex): The xiake knows many impressive techniques to fight. Those without basis in the supernatural fall roughly into this category of xiake techniques. At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter (except 20th), the xiake may select another xiake technique.
Qi Grand Master (Su): Beginning at 19th level, a xiake may activate two simultaneous functions of any receptacle he invests qi in so long as they do not counter each other. Each function is activated by the same investiture of qi; that is, the xiake does not need to spend twice as much qi as normal to gain both effects.
For example, Hwang the xiake decides to invest 6 points of qi in his hands receptacle. He chooses to use this ability to activate both the initiative bonus and trapfinding ability normally granted by the hands. By only spending 6 points of qi, he gains a +6 insight bonus on initiative as well as trap sense +6.
Xia Grand Master (Ex): At 20th level, the xiake has improved his self to the point where he is no longer considered human. He becomes effectively immortal, unable to die of old age; nor does he take aging penalties. His type becomes Outsider, and he gains damage reduction 10/epic. Unlike other outsiders, a xiake may be raised from the dead like a being of his previous creature type.
A Note on the Xiake and Prestige Classes: Although the xiake does not posess many of the same class features as a monk, he can still progress in many of the same venues. Whenever he takes a level in a prestige class that explicity stacks with monk class levels to determine unarmed strike damage, he instead increases his qi power and qi threshold for investiture (1/2 his class level). He does not unlock any new qi receptacles, nor does he learn any new xiake techniques.
This is actually a really interesting class that I found in the bowels of my computer from about a year ago. I touched it up and figured I’d post it since I never seem to have put it up when I finished it. As far as I can tell, it’s a sort of revamp on the monk where it filches cool stuff from incarnum and makes it into a really cool spiritual warrior. I have more comments on it, but I’ll wait ‘til a few people reply first before I say anything else.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y35/Storn/MartialDloRes.jpg
A lizardfolk xiake practices a special combat technique.
A xiake is a mystic warrior that strives for personal perfection in every aspect. Stout of mind and strong of body, he achieves perfect inner balance. By channeling the power of the spirit, known as qi, he is able to achieve many achievements that might seem overtly magical to the untrained eye, but are merely logical consequences of his perfect self-control.
Adventures: A xiake adventures to test his combat prowess and his steel resolve. By gaining experience in the real world outside of the traditional monastery, a xiake can use his spiritual powers to help the less fortunate and the less skilled. Often a xiake hopes to inspire others to follow his lead in delving into their inner nature.
Alignment: Although xiakes can be of any nature, it is unusual to find evil or chaotic individuals that are willing to devote their lives to introspection. Lawful xiakes usually pursue this course purely for the perfect self-control it offers. Good xiakes make use of their mystic powers to help the needy. Chaotic xiakes are often anarchists who hope to replace the current order with a new way of life based on their discoveries. Evil xiakes hope to find ways to abuse the spiritual powers of qi and cause pain and suffering with them.
Religion: A xiake may be of any denomination, or he might worship all gods equally, or he might worship no gods. A lack of worship does not neccessarily indicate a lack of piety, but merely the assumption that the gods might do what they will, but it has no bearing on the xiake. The mightiest and most prideful xiakes often seek ascendancy themselves. These are nearly always ill-fated attempts when the xiake discovers that he is not as strong in spirit as he thought.
Background: Most xiakes come from a monastery, since that’s where most of the xiake training occurs. Indivdual xiakes may have learned some or all of the skills from a friend or mentor that received training at one point. Alternatively, although it is a relatively rare discipline, some beings might stumble onto the art of qi in their own seperate introspection.
Race: Many races with inclinations to become normal monks often find the same urge to conquer the spirit. In particular, githzerai and githyanki are common xiakes, as well as naturally introspective races such as elves.
Other Classes: Xiakes get along well with other classes that focus on enhancing one’s own skills. They admire the skill of fighters, knights, barbarians and monks. They often find paladins and clerics interesting, but don’t neccessarily agree with the moral implications of such classes. Flashy and showy characters such as bards and rogues usually don’t get along well with xiakes, who pride themselves in modesty self-control, and understatement. Most xiakes detest arcanists for the way in which they manipulate reality. Arcane power slows the passage of qi and violates the sanctity of nature. In the same vein, they get along well with druids and spirit shamans who work with the natural world instead of in opposition to it.
Role: A xiake’s role is generally that of a melee combattant. With special xiake combat techniques they can pursue a wide variety of combat options. Depending on how they invest their qi, they can gain access to a number of spiritual powers that work something like magic.
Game Rule Information
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d10.
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int) x 4
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int
Table: The Xiake
{table="head"]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
Qi Power
1st|+1|+2|+2|+2|Qi receptacle (body and instrument), xiake technique|
2
2nd|+2|+3|+3|+3|Xiake technique|
4
3rd|+3|+3|+3|+3|Qi receptacle|
6
4th|+4|+4|+4|+4|Xiake technique|
8
5th|+5|+4|+4|+4|Qi receptacle|
10
6th|+6/+1|+5|+5|+5|Xiake technique|
12
7th|+7/+2|+5|+5|+5|Qi receptacle|
14
8th|+8/+3|+6|+6|+6|Xiake technique|
16
9th|+9/+4|+6|+6|+6|Qi receptacle|
18
10th|+10/+5|+7|+7|+7|Xiake technique|
20
11th|+11/+6/+1|+7|+7|+7|Qi receptacle|
22
12th|+12/+7/+2|+8|+8|+8|Xiake technique|
24
13th|+13/+8/+3|+8|+8|+8|Qi receptacle|
26
14th|+14/+9/+4|+9|+9|+9|Xiake technique|
28
15th|+15/+10/+5|+9|+9|+9|Qi receptacle|
30
16th|+16/+11/+6/+1|+10|+10|+10|Xiake technique|
32
17th|+17/+12/+7/+2|+10|+10|+10|Qi receptacle|
34
18th|+18/+13/+8/+3|+11|+11|+11|Xiake technique|
36
19th|+19/+14/+9/+4|+11|+11|+11|Qi grand master|
38
20th|+20/+15/+10/+5|+12|+12|+12|Xia grand master|
40
[/table]
Class Skills: The xiake’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Sense Motive (Cha), Spot (Wis), and Swim (Str).
All of the following are class features of the xiake.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: A xiake is proficient with all simple and martial weapons. A xiake is not proficient with armour or shields of any kind.
Qi Receptacle (Su): A xiake posesses the power of qi, an inner force which he derives great strength from. As a swift action, a xiake may reallocate his qi power into any combination of receptacles that he has access to. A xiake begins with two receptacles open to him: the body and the instrument. Every 2 levels thereafter (except 19th), a xiake may select one additional receptacle.
A xiake may only invest an amount of qi equal to 1/2 his class level (minimum 1 point) into any one receptacle. His base pool of qi is presented on Table: The Xiake. Every receptacle aside from the instrument occupies the magic item slot of the same name when there is qi bound in it.
When reading the receptacle effects, whenever you see [Qi], it represents the amount of qi invested in the receptacle.
Any spell-based ability referenced in a receptacle’s entry is actually a supernatural ability that replicates a spell. Thus, it isn’t subject to dispelling or detection like a spell.
Xiake Technique (Ex): The xiake knows many impressive techniques to fight. Those without basis in the supernatural fall roughly into this category of xiake techniques. At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 2 levels thereafter (except 20th), the xiake may select another xiake technique.
Qi Grand Master (Su): Beginning at 19th level, a xiake may activate two simultaneous functions of any receptacle he invests qi in so long as they do not counter each other. Each function is activated by the same investiture of qi; that is, the xiake does not need to spend twice as much qi as normal to gain both effects.
For example, Hwang the xiake decides to invest 6 points of qi in his hands receptacle. He chooses to use this ability to activate both the initiative bonus and trapfinding ability normally granted by the hands. By only spending 6 points of qi, he gains a +6 insight bonus on initiative as well as trap sense +6.
Xia Grand Master (Ex): At 20th level, the xiake has improved his self to the point where he is no longer considered human. He becomes effectively immortal, unable to die of old age; nor does he take aging penalties. His type becomes Outsider, and he gains damage reduction 10/epic. Unlike other outsiders, a xiake may be raised from the dead like a being of his previous creature type.
A Note on the Xiake and Prestige Classes: Although the xiake does not posess many of the same class features as a monk, he can still progress in many of the same venues. Whenever he takes a level in a prestige class that explicity stacks with monk class levels to determine unarmed strike damage, he instead increases his qi power and qi threshold for investiture (1/2 his class level). He does not unlock any new qi receptacles, nor does he learn any new xiake techniques.