Prestige Classes

TATTOOED MONK

Certain monastic orders bestow supernatural or spell-like powers on their members by inscribing magic tattoos on their skin. These tattooed monks shave their heads, speak in cryptic riddles and maxims, and - in many cases - travel the countryside furthering their quest for enlightenment by facing and conquering temptation. The great majority of tattooed monks begin their careers as monks. A small number of fighters, druids, and even a few clerics adopt the tattooed monk prestige class. In general, tattooed monks are drawn almost exclusively from rural or wild regions, though more “civilized” individuals who gain the favor of the order are sometimes allowed to join. The ranks of the tattooed monks are divided between worldly monks - those who believe that temptation can only be overcome if it is squarely faced - and ascetic monks, who rarely leave their mountaintop retreats. Player character tattooed monks are assumed to fall into the former category, but NPCs can be found in both roles. NPC tattooed monks often fulfill roles as philosophers and mystics, helping others find answers to esoteric questions and solutions to unusual problems.

Hit Die: d8.

Requirements

To qualify to become a tattooed monk, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Base Attack Bonus: +3.

Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks.

Feats: Endurance, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike.

Class Skills

The tattooed monk'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 (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).

Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Table: The Tattooed Monk

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the tattooed monk prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tattooed monks gain no proficiency with any weapon or armor.

Monk Abilities: A tattooed monk’s class levels stack with his monk levels for determining his unarmed damage, AC bonus, and unarmored speed bonus.

Tattoo (Su or Sp): Tattooed monks gain their powers from the magic tattoos that eventually cover their bodies. A 1st-level tattooed monk has one tattoo and gains another tattoo at every odd-numbered level. A tattooed monk can choose his tattoos from among those described below. Note that three of the tattoos (centipede, crescent moon, and phoenix) have minimum class level requirements.

All tattoos are magical, and the abilities they bestow are supernatural (except for the crescent moon). A tattooed monk in an antimagic field loses all benefits of his tattoos. Unless the effect of a tattoo is continuous, activating a tattoo is a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Arrowroot: A character with this tattoo can heal wounds in another character by touch. Each day he can cure a total number of hit points equal to his Wisdom bonus × his class level. A tattooed monk cannot heal himself, but he may divide the curing among multiple recipients, and he doesn’t have to use it all at once.

Bamboo: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Constitution score. This benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

Bat: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Dexterity score. This benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

Bellflower: Once per day per tattoo he possesses a character with this tattoo can add his Charisma modifier as an enhancement bonus to any of his ability scores (including Charisma). This benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

Butterfly: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Wisdom score. This benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

Centipede: Once per week, a character with this tattoo can use a shadow walk effect. This ability allows the tattooed monk to cross great distances, but he must end his journey on the Material Plane. A tattooed monk must be at least 5th level to gain this tattoo.

Chameleon: A character with this tattoo can use an alter self effect once per day per tattoo he possesses. This benefit lasts for 1 hour per class level.

Crab: A character with this tattoo gains damage reduction 2/magic. This damage reduction improves by 2 for each additional tattoo he possesses.

Crane: A character with this tattoo gains a gradual immunity to bodily decay. When a tattooed monk first gains this tattoo, he gains immunity to nonmagical diseases. When he gains his next tattoo (whatever it may be), he acquires immunity to poison as well. When he gains his next tattoo, he no longer takes ability score penalties for aging, and he cannot be magically aged. (Any aging penalties he may already have incurred remain in place.) Bonuses still accrue, and the tattooed monk still dies of old age when his time is up.

Chrysanthemum: Every hour that a character with this tattoo is in direct sunlight, he heals a number of hit points equal to his level. A daylight spell does not provoke this fast healing; the character must be exposed to real sunlight.

Dragon: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can use fire breath as if he had drunk an elixir of fire breath (see page 255 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).

Dragonfly: Once per day, a character with this tattoo gains a dodge bonus to his AC equal to the number of tattoos he possesses. This benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

Falcon: A character with this tattoo is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of his gain a morale bonus on their saving throws against fear effects equal to the tattooed monk’s Charisma bonus (if any) plus the number of tattoos he possesses.

Lion: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can smite a foe, gaining a +4 bonus on the attack roll and a bonus on the damage roll equal to his class level on a single melee attack. The tattooed monk must declare the smite before making the attack. A missed attack uses up the attempt.

Monkey: A character with this tattoo gains a +1 competence bonus per tattoo he possesses on all Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, and Tumble checks.

Moon, Crescent: Once per day, a character with this tattoo can use ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability. A tattooed monk must be at least 9th level to gain this tattoo.

Moon, Full: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can gain a +2 luck bonus on a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check, as he calls on the power of the full moon. This ability cannot be used during daylight hours.

Mountain: A character with this tattoo can activate it to take on the immovability of a mountain for as much as 1 round per class level, gaining phenomenal durability though he cannot move from the spot where he stands. He gains a +4 bonus to his Constitution and Wisdom scores. The increase in Constitution increases the tattooed monk’s hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away when the ability’s duration expires or when the character chooses to end it (a free action). These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While using this ability, the tattooed monk takes a –20 penalty on any Dexterity-based skill checks. He is immune to bull rush and trip attacks. The tattooed monk may use this ability once per day per tattoo he possesses.

Nightingale: A character with this tattoo can heal wounds, either his own or others’. He can heal a number of hit points of damage equal to twice his current class level each day, and he can spread this healing out among several uses.

Ocean: A character with this tattoo never needs to eat, sleep, or drink.

Phoenix: A character with this tattoo gains spell resistance equal to his class level + 15. A tattooed monk must be at least 7th level to gain this tattoo.

Pine: A character with this tattoo gains the Remain Conscious feat.

Scorpion: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can force an opponent attacking him to use his lowest ability score modifier instead of his Strength or Dexterity score modifier when making his attack roll. The character can activate this tattoo on his opponent’s turn, but he must declare it before the success or failure of the attack is determined. The tattooed monk must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed in order to use this ability.

Spider: To use this tattoo, a character must have the Stunning Fist feat. Instead of a stunning fist attack, a character with this tattoo can make an attack that delivers a contact poison. The poison’s save DC is equal to 10 + the tattooed monk’s class level + his Con modifier. The poison’s initial and secondary damage is 2 points of Constitution damage. Using this tattoo counts as one of the character’s stunning fist attacks for that day.

Sun: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can gain a +2 luck bonus on a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check, as he calls on the full power of the sun. This ability can only be used during daylight hours.

Tiger: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can fight unarmed with a +1 bonus on all attack rolls and deal an extra 1d6 points of damage with a successful attack. This burst of martial arts ferocity lasts for 1 round per class level.

Tortoise: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can use his class level as the number of ranks in a skill he does not possess for the purpose of one skill check. For example, a 4th-level tattooed monk with two tattoos can make up to two Use Magic Device checks as if he had 4 ranks in that skill. He adds his Charisma modifier to the skill check as usual.

Unicorn: A character with this tattoo gains the power of good fortune, usable once per day. This ability allows the tattooed monk to reroll one d20 roll that he has just made. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s worse than the original roll. The character must declare the reroll before the result of the original roll has been determined.

Wasp: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, a character with this tattoo can use haste on herself. The benefit lasts for 1 round per class level.

White Mask: A character with this tattoo is immune to detect thoughts, detect lies, and any attempt to magically discern his alignment. He gains a +10 bonus on all Bluff checks.

Multiclass Note: A monk who becomes a tattooed monk may continue advancing as a monk.