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View Full Version : The Xiake: Qi Unleashed [3.5 Base Class, PEACH]



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.

Kellus
2009-05-25, 03:29 PM
Qi Receptacles

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.

A xiake may not use an ability granted by a receptacle to qualify for a prestige class, feat, or similar venue.

The Arms: The xiake may invest qi in his arms to gain great strength and abilities relating to might. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Insight bonus of [Qi] on grapple checks.
• Insight bonus of [Qi] on Strength-based skill checks.
• Ability to ignore hardness less than 20 when sundering.
• Load limits are increased by [Qi] x 20 lb.

The Body: The xiake may invest qi in his body to gain great powers of defense. A xiake gains this receptacle automatically at 1st level. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in. A xiake only gains this benefit when not wearing armour of any kind.

• Insight bonus to AC equal to Wisdom modifier + [Qi].
• Insight bonus to saving throws equal to Wisdom modifier.
• Spell resistance equal to Wisdom modifier + 2[Qi].

The Face: The xiake may invest qi in his face to gain abilities relating to perception and sense. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Blindsense to [Qi] x 5ft.
• Darkvision to [Qi] x 20ft.
• Scent ability.
• See invisibility effect.

The Feet: The xiake may invest qi in his feet to gain abilities relating to supernatural movement. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Insight bonus to land speed equal to [Qi] x 5ft.
• Insight bonus of [Qi] on one of the following skill checks (chosen when invested): Climb, Jump, Swim.
• Spider climb effect.
• Water walk effect.
• Fly speed equal to land speed (good maneuverability). Note: to use this ability, the xiake must invest at least 3 points of qi into his feet.

The Hands: The xiake may invest qi in his hands to gain abilities related to stealth and manual dexterity. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Trapfinding ability and trap sense +[Qi].
• Insight bonus on initiative equal to [Qi].
• Insight bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks equal to [Qi].

The Head: The xiake may invest qi in his head to gain abilities relating to mental might. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Ability to make any skill check untrained.
• Insight bonus of [Qi] on Knowledge checks.
• Power resistance equal to Wisdom modifier + 2[Qi].

The Instrument: The xiake may invest qi in an external instrument to fight with. A xiake gains this receptacle automatically at 1st level. This instrument can be any item he carries, be it manufactured or improvised; it can even be a natural weapon he already posesses. This does not grant proficiency or skill with the weapon; this falls into a xiake technique. The receptacle of the instrument merely holds the xiake’s qi to allow great strikes with the weapon.

• Every time he allocates qi into this receptacle, one weapon he is holding gains an enhancement bonus equal to [Qi]. He may trade this enhancement bonus for weapon special abilities, as normal, when allocating qi. A weapon must always have a +1 enhancement bonus in addition to any special abilities. If the weapon is already enchanted, this ability has no effect. A weapon cannot exceed a straight +5 enhancement bonus. If the bonus exceeds +5, the xiake must select weapon enchantments to grant it instead.

If the xiake is holding more than one weapon, he may allocate qi into multiple weapons. Each weapon requires the normal amount of qi to enchant in this way.

The Shoulders: The xiake may invest qi in his shoulders to gain abilities relating to overtly magical effects, such as teleportation and transformation. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Gain the ability to teleport [Qi] x 5ft. as a move action, as the spell dimension door.
• Increase one size category per 3 qi invested.
• Decrease one size category per 3 qi invested.

The Throat: The xiake may invest qi in his throat to gain abilities relating to speech and ingested poison. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• An additional number of languages known equal to [Qi].
• Immunity to silence effects.
• A breath weapon he posesses deals additional damage per die equal to 1/2 [Qi].
• Immunity to ingested poisons.

The Torso: The xiake may invest qi in his torso to gain abilities relating to accelerated healing and recovery from afflictions. Every time he allocates qi, he may choose one of the following abilities to invest it in.

• Immunity to disease (even supernatural diseases, like mummy rot).
• Fast healing equal to 1/2 [Qi] (minimum 1).
• Feather fall effect.
• A pool of health equal to [Qi] x his Wisdom modifier. He may transfer health from this pool as a standard action into himself or another being he is touching. This ability always heals, even if used on the undead. He may only allocate qi into this function three times per day.

Kellus
2009-05-25, 03:30 PM
Xiake Techniques

Adaptive Blow: Attacks that the xiake makes using natural weapons and monk special weapons automatically adapt to overcome damage reduction after they have been used once against an opponent with damage reduction that affects them. Weapons may only be adapted to one type of damage reduction at a time.

Assault of Dust: The xiake may deal nonlethal damage in place of lethal damage with natural weapons and monk special weapons at no penalty.

Avalanche of Blows: As a move action, the xiake may ready an assault. The next time before the beginning of his next turn that he makes an attack of opportunity, he may instead make a full attack pattern against the target. This counts as a single attack of opportunity for the purposes of feats such as Combat Reflexes. This ability may be selected multiple times. Each time it is selected, the xiake may ready one additional assault with the same move action. For example, if he has selected this technique twice, then the next two attacks of opportunity he makes before his next turn may be made as full attack patterns. A xiake must be unarmed or wielding a special monk weapon in order to use this technique.

Decisive Strike: The xiake may make a single melee attack whenever he would make a melee attack pattern using a natural weapon or a monk special weapon. The attack gains a bonus on the attack roll equal to +1 for every attack that would normally have been made in the attack pattern (not including flurry of blows). If the attack hits, it deals double damage and if it threatens a critical hit, is automatically confirmed.

Diverse Training: A xiake is treated as having the following class features for the purposes of qualifying for prestige classes, feats, and similar venues when his character level is high enough: evasion (2nd), ki strike (magic) (4th), purity of body (5th), slow fall (4th), still mind (3rd) and unarmed strike (1st). This technique does not actually grant any of these abilities, but merely lets you qualify for feats, prestige classes, and other such venues as if you posessed them. If you gain the ability from another class, the purpose of this technique becomes moot.

Elusive Assault: The xiake may move at half speed in order to avoid provoking attacks of opportunity for moving through threatened squares. This ability may be taken twice; if it is taken again, the xiake never provokes attacks of opportunity for moving through threatened squares.

Exotic Arsenal: The xiake gains proficiency with all monk special weapons, and can use them in the same special ways as a monk.

Flurry of Blows: Whenever the xiake makes a melee attack pattern using a natural weapon or a monk special weapon, he may add in one additional attack with such a weapon. All attacks in the pattern take a -2 penalty on the attack roll. This ability may be selected multiple times; each time, the xiake gains one additional attack that he may add to an attack pattern, and the penalty to each attack made in the pattern worsens by 2. This ability does not stack with any other effect that grants additional attacks, such as haste.

Instant Charge: The xiake may charge as a standard action instead of a full-round action. This ability may be selected more than once. If it is selected a second time, the xiake may move normally during the charge, instead of following a straight line. If it is selected a third time, the xiake may make a full attack pattern at the end of the charge instead of a single attack.

Mobile Attack: The xiake may sacrifice his standard action to make an attack with a natural weapon or monk special weapon at any point during a move action without ending the move action. He provokes attacks of opportunity as normal for this move action. This ability may be taken multiple times; each time it is selected, the xiake may make 1 additional attack during a move action, up to a maximum of his normal maximum number of attacks in a full attack.

Never Unarmed: The xiake gains the ability to use improvised weapons with no penalty. In addition, he gains a natural slam attack. This slam deals 1d6 damage for a Medium xiake; it increases or decreases in damage as normal for a differently-sized xiake.

Pressure Point: The xiake may forgo dealing damage on an attack when using a natural weapon or a monk special weapon to cripple his target. If the attack is successful, the target must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the xiake’s level + the xiake’s Wisdom modifier) or take 1d4 points of Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution damage, as chosen by the xiake. This ability may be selected more than once; each time, the damage die increases by one stage, to a maximum of a d12. Opponents immune to critical hits or sneak attacks are immune to this damage.

Quivering Palm: In lieu of a full attack pattern, a xiake may make a single melee attack with a -10 penalty. If the attack is successful, the target must make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the xiake’s level + the xiake’s Wisdom modifier) or die. Opponents immune to critical hits or sneak attacks are immune to this effect. This ability may not be used in conjunction with decisive strike. The xiake may choose to render the target unconscious instead of dead.

Savvy Strike: The xiake gains an additional +2 bonus on attack rolls made against a flanked opponent. Any opponent he attacks with a natural weapon or a monk special weapon is treated as flanked for his allies until the beginning of his next turn.

Stunning Strike: You gain the Stunning Fist feat, and your xiake levels count as monk levels to determine the number of times per day you can use it. You can also use this feat in conjunction with a special monk weapon as long as you have invested qi in it.

Kellus
2009-05-25, 10:48 PM
Hurr... No comments? Criticisms?

Pramxnim
2009-05-25, 11:29 PM
I'm commenting! Patience, Iago :smallsmile:

For classes like this, people often balk at the amount of text, and they are sometimes too reluctant to comment. That said, let's see what I've got for you:

This is yet another take at the monk, martial artist extraordinaire. I know many people have proposed fixes before, so maybe that's why people are a bit cool towards monk "fixes", even though yours is just a new look on a base concept. I can certainly roll with that, since I had a similar idea not long ago that evolved into something quite monstrous (in length, check my sig).

The Qi Receptacles are a mighty cool concept, based upon Magic of Incarnum (which I unfortunately know nothing of), though I think there are some kinks in the execution.

I like it that you can switch the amount of Qi you have invested as a swift action, but that can cause combat to slow down as the player figures out where to put it all.

When Qi is invested in a position, you are considered to have that magic item slot occupied. This really interferes with a character who wants to use magic items. Why penalize them for using a class feature that's not very strong to begin with?

Both Spell Resistance and Power Resistance are extremely weak, especially considering you NEED to invest at least 2 Qi at all times in Body to boost your low defenses due to not having armour or shields, your SR will be at most Wis mod + 16, which is even weaker than a normal monk's 10 + Level. I suggest something more akin to Class Level + 2[Qi], with a cap of 35 (which seems reasonable enough). That way, you can get away with investing fewer Qi into the ability and still get a good amount at high levels (where you get Qi Grand Master).

Now, as for Xiake Techniques:

Adaptive Blow seems weird in referencing monk special weapons. If you've given the class proficiency with all simple and martial weapons, why not have adaptive blow affect those as well? It's a powerful ability, and shouldn't be limited to a monk's meagre weapon choice (which also means your players will have to look them up while playing this class).

Avalanche of Blows is really good when combined with the shoulder receptacle and enlarge person, but it also requires tactical maneuvering. Good way to promote smart fighting. While we're at it, does the shoulder receptacle increase your weapon and equipment size as well? If not, its power would be reduced quite a bit.

Decisive Strike is based on the PHB II Monk ACF and is still weak despite the minor boost you gave it. You excluded Flurry from its text, so the most it'll get is a +4 bonus, making it strictly worse than Flurry. That said... Flurry of Blows is not that hot either. You sacrifice 2 AB for every additional attack? That is a bit much, don't you think? It's worse than haste, and I don't see why people would pick it over haste, since the Xiake is still MAD like the monk.

Diverse Training is a nice way to qualify for monk-specific prestige classes w/o actually becoming a monk. One can make a 1 lvl-dip into this class for Fochlucan Lyrist. Just saying.

Exotic Arsenal is... I think it's better to just give them those proficiencies automatically.

Elusive Assault is quite formidable. A nice boost for a not-so-powerful class.

Instant Charge is good as well. Though I don't like the multiple investiture to get Pounce. Maybe put Pounce into a separate technique and put a level limit on it.

Mobile Attack is good at first glance. But the heavy investiture into it is a strong deterrent.

Pressure Point and Quivering Palm are nice, but Fortitude saves are also the strongest ones in the game. Players will be hard pressed to follow this route, as it's a powerful tool with a high risk factor. It can either end the fight or do nothing. That said, players can just repeatedly use the
ability until an opponent fails its saving throw :P


OVERALL

In terms of power, I don't think the class has risen above Monk level. It might even be worse in the damage dealing department (not getting Unarmed Strike damage hurts, although you do get access to enhancement bonuses without much investment).

As written, the class is still fairly MAD and lends itself naturally to Vow of Poverty (As Qi investiture prevents the use of magical items), which is also a weak feat in the end, and feels like shoehorning a character into a path most would not consider.

The Xiake Techniques vary wildly in power and usefulness, though it helps that they cater to different styles of play. I know it's very difficult to balance multiple abilities, and I've mentioned what I think need more work on.

I think the class needs a slight boost in power. Maybe a few feats geared towards helping it expand its Qi pool or provide more techniques to use. Definitely consider having Wisdom affect your Ki pool, much like a Ninja (though the Xiake's Qi pool is much more extensive than a Ninja's, the latter can potentially have more Qi at lower levels thanks to a high Wis).