Monk

Yes, there are references to various "martial arts" style television shows and video games I have watched and/or enjoy. 

You have spent your whole life in dedicated study, training, and meditation. You have worked hard to train your mind and body. You have finally achieved your goal, mind, body, and soul as one. You have started upon the path that will lead you to perfect your art, to find the next level, and to ascend. You are a Monk, and your martial prowess is dwarfed only by your mental discipline and skill in battle.

Primary Stats: Constitution (Ki abilities), Strength (Physical attacks), Dexterity (Acrobatic abilities)

Bonus to Skill Checks: Acrobatics, Athletics, Concentration, Endurance, Insight, Listen, Perception, Stealth, Survival

Basic Abilities

Opening this talent tree grants you the following powers and abilities.

Unarmed Strike: You need no weapons, though you are perfectly capable of using them. Instead, you choose to make your body your weapon. You use quick strikes with fists, feet, elbows, and knees. You can hit with precision and power, taking a foe out as easily and as masterfully as any other warrior.

Ki Control: You can focus and channel the living energy inside of yourself, and all living things, known as Ki. You can use it to slightly enhance your own abilities, making yourself stronger or faster for a short time, or to heal yourself of minor wounds. You can also use it as a weapon, channeling it into a radiant force that has both a physical punch and leaves foes burning with a pure energy. Such manipulations are difficult at first, and can wear you down quickly, but as you grow in power and ability you will be able to do a great deal more.

Rice Paper Step: You are incredibly agile and silent. You move with an extraordinary grace and speed, and have incredible balance. You almost seem to glide instead of walk.

Mastery: Mastery is a measure of your overall power and ability in a given talent branch. Each rank raises your ability a bit higher, and grants you greater power and access to more abilities further down the line. You must purchase each rank in order. Each rank is explained in detail below.

Rank 1: Your powers are slightly enhanced and using your abilities takes slightly less energy. You find that your balance has improved as well, and you would likely not be moved even by an earthquake. 10 points.  

Rank 2: Your powers are slightly enhanced and using your abilities takes slightly less energy. You find that you are better at channel Ki energy, and you can now draw on the ambient Ki around you more easily to augment your own Ki abilities. 20 points.

Rank 3: Your powers are enhanced and using your abilities takes less energy. Your physical prowess and power has improved greatly and you feel overall a better fighter. You can purchase the cleave ability in one-handed to use with your unarmed strike. If you have already purchased this ability, it now works with your unarmed strike. You gain a +2 to Constitution, Strength, or Dexterity. 30 points.

Rank 4: Your powers are greatly enhanced and using your abilities takes much less energy. You can focus your Ki energy to greatly enhance your abilities for a short time. You also have the ability to enhance others with your Ki in the same fashion. This is very draining, but can be highly effective. 40 points.

Rank 5: Your powers are greatly enhanced and using your abilities takes much less energy. Your physical power is greatly enhanced and you can purchase great cleave from two-handed to use with your unarmed strike, or, if you have already purchased it, you can use it with your unarmed strike. In addition, your balance and acrobatic ability is greatly enhanced and you move with a supernatural grace and agility. It is very difficult to hit you if you are moving. You gain a +3 to Constitution, Strength, or Dexterity. 50 points.

Telekinetic Force: Your mind and body work so well together that you can augment yourself by striking with your mind. This is a strong force, as powerful as your mind allows, and can be used to make Strength checks with your normal strength. It will never be much more than a force, and you will not be writing or performing delicate tasks, but it will allow moving objects, and the like. At Mastery Rank 2 you can fly with this ability. Each Mastery Rank after allows for faster and more controlled flight. 10 points.

Ignore Pain: You can “soak” a certain amount of damage like it never happened. You can do this fairly regularly, but there are limits. A Deadly Damage weapon might only inflict a Double Damage wound. You simply handle damage better than other people, and can go longer with more severe damage, and are harder to damage in general. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Stone Fist: “Angels sang out in immaculate chorus as down from the heavens, descended Chuck Norris, who delivered a kick, which could shatter bones, into the crotch, of Indiana Jones.”

Your unarmed strike is greatly enhanced, allowing you to break stone easily with your bare hands without hurting yourself at all. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Pressure Points: You know the body and its weaknesses very well. You know how to disable someone with well places strikes, and you can easily take the use of an arm, leg, or even completely incapacitate someone with a sharp shot to a pressure point. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Ascended Master: You have finally achieved all you had hoped for and more. You are a Master, and there is little more to learn. You need not even take part in a fight to find victory. All of your powers are greatly enhanced and you can, for a very short time, become invulnerable and inexhaustible. Afterwards you are drained and, if you push yourself too far, may receive some of the damage inflicted on you during the process. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

Dragonrage Path

10 Points.

Opening this branch of Monk grants the following abilities.

Iron Fist: Your unarmed strike is greatly enhanced, allowing you to crack armor and break weapons with your strikes.

Dragonrage Branch Abilities

Stunning Fist: You take careful aim, and with just the right power, you knock your opponent unconscious for a short time, or, at the very least, leave them stunned for a few moments. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Phantom Limbs: You strike a foe with deadly accuracy. They reel with the force of the blow, and his nearby allies are struck by ki force fists that spread out from your attack. Those who survive such an attack will be much more likely to attack you instead of others. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Flurry of Blows: With incredible speed, you unleash a devastating salvo of punches and kicks against a foe. To the rest of the world it seems you simply stepped forward and stepped back from your foe. Their body tells a different story. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Claws of the Tiger: A swift, and vicious attack leaves your foe bleeding badly, their armor damaged. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Spinning Crane Kick: You whirl quickly around, drawing enemies toward you in a vacuum while kicking them in their face. This draws a great deal of attention to you. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Crushing Leap: You jump at your foe, landing hard on their skull. Using both your physical strength and your ki energy, you gain incredible force and crush them violently to the ground. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Impervious: You are all the armor you need. Your body is incredibly tough. It is very difficult to hurt you in the first place, but after that, you can easily “soak” a great deal of damage. This is an improved level of ignore pain. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Force of Silence: A well placed strike silences your foes for a short time, making their spells useless. This doesn’t make them happy, and when they can attack again, they are going to do very bad things to you. This hits more than one target, and would be the equivalent of a close blast 5 in DnD. Its usefulness diminishes each successful time you use it. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Force of the Avalanche: Your attacks now deal a great deal more damage, and when you hit one enemy, it ripples out like an avalanche of pain, hitting a great number of foes. This hits more than one target, and would be the equivalent of a close blast 5 in DnD, and draws agro. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 20 points.

Diamond Fist: You achieve a new level of physical mastery, and your fists are now as hard as diamonds. You crush your foes with devastating attacks that obliterate most armor and shatters weapons. You even have the ability to now punch magic attacks. It will either reduce the damage of the attack, disperse it entirely, or, if you are lucky, it will knock it back at your foes. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Kaioken: Using an ancient technique, you recover quickly from your wounds and gain extra strength and ability for a short time. This comes at a price; at the end you are badly injured and worn out and must rest for at least 6 hours, uninterrupted. However, the benefits can far outweigh the costs. You can use this more than once to enhance your strength and draw greater power and energy, but each time you use it consecutively, it takes a bigger chunk out of you when it ends. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

God Hand: You summon up the power of the God Hand to strike down your foes. This, once more, greatly enhances your unarmed strike, making your unarmed strike as lethal and powerful as the best enchanted blades and weapons. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 30 points.

Breath of Heaven Branch

10 points.

Opening this branch of Monk grants the following abilities.

Healing Ki: You can channel your Ki more efficiently and have learned how to use it for healing purposes. You can heal yourself, or others, and even chain a beam of healing Ki through allies.

Breath of Heaven Branch Abilities

Soulfire Fist: While you are, at heart, a healer, you know that there are occasions when you must fight. To that end, you know a few techniques for such times. Your fist ignites with your ki, burning brightly as you smash your foe in the face, igniting them with radiant flames. 10 points.

Healing Wind: With a moment of concentration, you gather ambient Ki energy around you and turn it into a gentle breeze that washes over your allies, easing their wounds. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Ki Syphon: You drain Ki energy from a foe and use it to heal an ally. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Pressure Points: A few welled timed, well placed attacks leaves your foe unable to move, or if you prefer, unable to use their abilities. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Ki Sphere: You concentrate a bit of ki into a sphere, placing it on the field. If an ally finds it, they will be healed as soothing mists envelope them. If a foe finds it, it will explode violently with radiant ki. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Mist of the Unseen: You cover an ally with concealing mists, healing them while they are in the mists, as well as making them invisible. This lasts for a short time, but can be highly effective. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Shared Soul: Channeling your ki in very careful and precise ways allows your allies to share abilities. You can grant two allies one basic ability the other has for a short time. This is very draining, so you won’t be doing much with it, but it has incredible results. When two allies are connected in this way, if you heal one, the other receives the healing as well. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 25 points.

Crackling Jade Lighting: Pure green lightning forks out of your hands, racing through your foes and igniting them with the pure white flames of ki. Each foe that dies from this adds a bit of ki energy to you, granting you a bit of healing and a bit of energy to attack or heal. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points. 

Repel Harm: You infuse an ally with a bit of ki energy, and for a short time when they are attacked, it is reflected back to their foe instead. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 25 points.

Soothing Mist: You seed the air with Ki energy, bringing forth a healing rain. Your allies find their wounds slowly healing, washing away with the rain, and new resolve building. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 25 points.

Flames of the Sun Dragon: You ignite with brilliant, golden ki that flows out of you in waves. Your allies find their wounds are healed, their abilities enhanced. Your enemies ignite with radiant flames, burning them alive. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 25 points.

Gift of the Golden Dragon: You swell with golden ki energy, and become a living beacon of healing. You grow a size larger and meditate, floating in the air. All allies fight with greater power, accuracy and speed, and cannot take any damage at all. All enemies burn with white fire, though they may still fight. This lasts for a short time before you must return to normal or risk burning the energy yourself. You can take no actions while you are in this state. You are weakened afterwards, but able to continue in battle as you are not entirely exhausted. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

Kudori Branch

10 points.

Opening this branch of Monk grants the following abilities.

Celerity: You can focus your Ki in such a way that it allows you to move with more grace, agility and speed. This is the equivalent of giving yourself bursts of Engine Speed or faster.

Kudori Branch Abilities

Spirit Walk: You can teleport short distances. You need line of sight. You cannot take others with you. Regardless of ability and power, this will never be more than a few yards. Requires 10 points.

Shadow Strike: Your foe attacks, leveling a devastating blow, only to find that they have struck a shadow and you are behind them. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Drunken Master: You weave and bob in unusual ways. You are flexible and fast, and it is very hard to hit you, especially with ranged attacks. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Turn of the Tide: Your enemy leaps in, sword going for your throat, but you bend, grabbing their wrist, and flip them over, landing on top of them and punching them in the face. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points. 

The Fox and the Tortoise: While your enemy does indeed wear impressive armor, you are clever and fast and more than able to sneak an attack into weak spots with ease. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Monkey Plays with Tiger: You dance and weave around your enemy, infuriating them as they attack, and you simply bop them on the head, kick their shins, or otherwise hurt them with attacks, until they are driven quite mad and you put them down with ease. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Biting Winds: Your attacks have a stinging force to them that cuts through one enemy, hitting others. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Arrow Catch: You are so agile and quick that you can snatch arrows out of the air before they hit you. This makes you much more difficult to hit. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

Slash of the Dragon’s Tail: You bend and twirl, arms and legs spinning wildly, and when you come around, you smack your enemy with a dazing strike that sends them flying. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 15 points.

Shadow Strike Barrage: You teleport swiftly all over the battlefield, landing devastating blows on several enemies and leaving them dazed. This takes a great deal of energy, and will tire you, but is highly effective. Requires Shadow Strike or Spirit Walk, Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: You flicker for a moment, as though you are not real while you concentrate on ambient ki. When you open your eyes, you are not alone, and all of you stand tall and ready to fight. This allows you to summon Constitution modifier copies of yourself. They can fight independently and have your power and ability, but you can command them freely and telepathically. They last only a few moments, and using this amount of ki is extremely draining. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

Shun Goku Satsu: You ignite with ki energy and glide up to your foe. When you reach you, him you grab him and the world is blinded by the explosion of ki. When all can see again, your foe lays silently on the ground while you look for your next target. This can be used fairly regularly, but it can also be combined with Shadow Strike Barrage for a devastating effect once per day. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.

 

Golden Ki Branch

10 points.

Opening this branch of Monk grants the following abilities.

Burning Ki: You have mastered channeling your Ki energy to attack your foes. When you use Ki energy in direct energy and force attacks, you have incredible power and can deal extraordinary damage.

Golden Ki Branch Abilities

Unrelenting Barrage: You charge up and unleash a barrage of Ki blasts in a spray, sending deadly bolts of energy at your foes en masse. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 10 points.

Soul Explosion: You burn the Ki within an enemy, causing them to explode violently and burn. Requires Mastery Rank 1and 10 points.

Radiant Soul Chain: You concentrate and send a blast of ki at your enemy. However, when it hits, instead of stopping, you push the attack harder, sending the ki chaining through him and to other enemies. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Soul Armor: You burn with radiant ki, granting greater resistance to damage. When an enemy hits you, even if it is a ranged attack or magic, they will burn with your ki when it strikes, even if it does no damage to you. Requires Mastery Rank 1 and 15 points.

Piercing Ki: A sharp, concentrated ki blast shoots straight through your enemy. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 10 points.

Masenko: You take a moment to draw in a massive charge of ki, then unleash it on your foes in a devastating blast of radiant energy. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 15 points.

White Flame Erruption: You bend down, touching the earth and channeling your ki through it. It travels, gathering more ki as it travels. When it reaches the middle of your foes, the field erupts with radiant white flames, burning through your enemies. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Rapid Fire: You launch several small, sharp orbs of ki at your foes, tearing them to shreds. This can hit multiple targets, or devastate a single target. Requires Mastery Rank 2 and 20 points.

Absorb and Redirect: You now have the ability to absorb many types of energy and redirect it at your foes as ki. You might not always be able to absorb the energy, or you might only absorb part of it, but this power can prove to be very useful. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Secret Ki Bomb: You can slowly draw Ki energy to you while you attack, even if you use some of it in attacks. Once you have enough, you unleash a devastating Ki attack that explodes, devastating your foes and leaving the battlefield ablaze. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Phoenix Crash: You leap into the air, gathering ki as you rise higher and higher. When you have the right vantage point, you unleash a massive torrent of ki in a devastating blast at your foes, leveling the field to ash and cinder. Requires Mastery Rank 3 and 30 points.

Touch of the Flame: You have come so close to perfection, if only you could push for just a bit more… And then it hits you. A blue flame engulfs you and you know all. It’s only a touch of the Flame… but for a moment in time, you Burn. This ability makes you nearly invincible for a short time. All of your powers are greatly augmented and your ki abilities, during this, will not tire you. You are living ki energy and will not run out. When this is over you are exhausted and must rest, and cannot use any ki abilities for at least an hour. Requires Mastery Rank 5 and 50 points.