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Prime32
2013-09-19, 01:37 PM
Unearthed Arcana introduced fighting styles for monks (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les), giving alternate bonus feats plus a 6th-level special ability if you meet the prerequisite. Dragon #346 expanded on this with "Sacred Path" fighting styles, each tied to the worship of a specific deity and granting abilities tied to that faith - monks of Heironeous got the ability to flurry with longswords for instance.

Below are some new Sacred Paths in the same vein. For the sake of variety I'm ignoring the monk's normal "must be lawful" alignment restrictions - there's plenty of fighting styles that go with neutral and chaotic deities after all.


Greyhawk

Sacred Path of Bahamut (LG)

The monk followers of Bahamut seek to awaken their latent draconic blood through meditation, becoming more like their master in body and mind.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Diplomacy
1st-Level Feat: DragontouchedDM
2nd-Level Feat: Dragon WingsRotD
6th-Level Feat: Versatile Unarmed StrikePHB2
6th-Level Bonus Ability: Your unarmed strikes and monk weapons deal +1d6 points of cold damage. If you have levels in dragon disciple or dragon devoteeRotD, they stack with monk levels for determining your unarmed strike damage.
Prerequisites: Diplomacy 9 ranks, any Draconic feat

Sacred Path of Boccob (N)

Monks of the Uncaring One focus on exercises that sharpen their minds, and make heavy use of magical equipment.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Spellcraft
1st-Level Feat: Carmendine MonkCoV
2nd-Level Feat: Magical TrainingPGtF
6th-Level Feat: Improved Critical (quarterstaff)
6th-Level Bonus Ability: When wielding a magic staff, your monk levels count as wizard levels for determining its caster level.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 4 ranks, Weapon Focus (quarterstaff)

Sacred Path of Kord (CG)

Kord's monks focus on grappling techniques and raw power. The dream of any aspiring Kordite monk is to outwrestle a dragon.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Balance
1st-Level Feat: Improved Grapple
2nd-Level Feat: Clever WrestlingCW
6th-Level Feat: Power Attack
6th-Level Bonus Ability: You can attempt to grapple targets that could not normally be grappled, including creatures two or more sizes larger than you or under a freedom of movement effect. However, you take a -4 penalty on grapple checks against such targets.
Prerequisites: Balance 9 ranks, Weapon Focus (grapple)

Sacred Path of Vecna (NE)

Monks of Vecna believe that the surest chance of victory comes when you can expose an enemy's weakpoints without revealing your own.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Sense Motive
1st-Level Feat: Vatic GazePHB2
2nd-Level Feat: Tomb-Born FortitudeLM
6th-Level Feat: Knowledge DevotionCC
6th-Level Bonus Ability: With a monk weapon or unarmed strike, you may deliver critical hits and precision damage to creatures normally immune to such effects.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 9 ranks, Sense Motive 9 ranks
Eberron

Sacred Path of The Mockery (NE)

Monks of The Mockery ritually flay the skin from their bodies. Not only does this give them a horrific appearance, it teaches them how to do the same to their enemies.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Intimidate
1st-Level Feat: Stunning Fist
2nd-Level Feat: Flensing StrikeECS
6th-Level Feat: Pain TouchCW
6th-Level Bonus Ability: You may use any kama to deliver Stunning Fist and similar special attacks, as if it had the ki focus property. Increase the save DC of these attacks by +1 when delivered through a kama.
Prerequisites: Intimidate 4 ranks, Two Weapon Fighting

Sacred Path of The Path of Light (LN)

The racial faith of the kalashtar focuses on improving the world through the power of thought, and its monks learn how to meld their skills with psionic power.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Autohypnosis
1st-Level Feat: Wild TalentXPH
2nd-Level Feat: Path of ShadowsRoE
6th-Level Feat: TashalatoraSoS
6th-Level Bonus Ability: You can use hammer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/hammer.htm) as a psi-like ability at will (ML 1st).
Prerequisites: Autohypnosis 4 ranks, Perform (dance) 9 ranks

Sacred Path of The Silver Flame (LG)

Monks of The Silver Flame learn to focus its power through their strikes to burn away evil.

1st-Level Skill Bonus: Spot
1st-Level Feat: Stunning Fist
2nd-Level Feat: Fiery FistPHB2
6th-Level Feat: Sanctify Ki StrikeBoED
6th-Level Bonus Ability: If you expend a use of Stunning Fist as a swift action, you gain the ability to generate fiery silver arrows for 1 round (as a free action equivalent to drawing normal ammo). When you fire one of these arrows from a bow, treat this as if you had fired your unarmed strike itself as an arrow. Your bow's base damage becomes equal to that of your unarmed strike when used in this manner, and any abilities which could affect your unarmed strikes (such as Stunning Fist or an amulet of mighty fists) still do so. The arrows vanish at the end of the round or if you attempt to use them for any other purpose. This is a supernatural ability.
Prerequisites: Spot 9 ranks, Zen ArcheryCW

1

But! There are a ton of gods in D&D, so I'm looking for more. If anyone has ideas for more Sacred Paths, post them here.


Remember, the 6th-level ability should have two prereqs, each in one of the following forms:
9 ranks in a monk class skill
4 ranks in any other skill
A feat with easy prerequisites
One of these prerequisites must be having ranks in the skill you got a bonus to at lv1.