Shintao Monk enhancements (history)

Overview
''These monks pursue harmony and balance in their lives. With training they can assist and even help to heal the party, and are masters of unarmed combat''



Shintao Monk I

 * Usage: Passive


 * Cost: 4 action points


 * Progression: 16 action points


 * Requires One of: Cleave, Combat Expertise, Die Hard, Discipline, Luck of Heroes, Precision, Resilience, Self Sufficient


 * Requires All of: Monk Improved Recovery I, Stunning Fist, Path of Harmonious Balance: Fists of Light


 * Available to Monk class level 6


 * You guide others on the path of enlightenment, leading by example. You gain the ability to expend ki to smite 'tainted' creatures. (Aberrations, extraplanar creatures that are not Lawful Outsiders, and undead.) You gain +2 to Diplomacy, Heal, and Intimidate, and a permanent Protection from Tainted Creatures effect. (Warding against mental domination and granting a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus to saves against attacks from extraplanar creatures, aberrations, and undead). Your unarmed attacks now bypass Byeshk damage reduction.


 * This enhancement automatically grants the following:



Shintao Monk: Smite Tainted Creature

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 15 Ki


 * You have the ability to expend ki to deal devastating blows in melee against tainted creatures. You gain twice your Wisdom modifier to your attack roll and a damage bonus based on your monk level. A tainted target will be locked in a tomb of jade on vorpal attacks (Attack roll of 20 followed by critical confirmation.) on a failed Will save. (DC = 10 + Wisdom Modifier + your monk level.) Extraplanar Aberrations, or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid their fate. This ability counts as a Light move. (Cooldown reduced to 15 seconds.)


 * Cooldown reduced to 15 seconds.


 * The Smite Tainted Creature ability replaces the Smite Evil ability. As well, Protection from Evil is replaced by a permanent Protection from Tainted Creatures ability, which increases by level.



Shintao Monk II

 * Usage: Passive


 * Cost: 2 action points


 * Progression: 42 action points


 * Requires One of: Monk Improved Recovery III, Rise of the Phoenix


 * Requires All of: Shintao Monk I


 * Available to Monk class level 12


 * Invaders from other realities have learned to fear your prowess. You gain an additional +2 to Diplomacy, Heal, and Intimidate, and the ability to expend ki to dismiss outsiders, or to strike 'tainted' creatures (Aberrations, extraplanar creatures that are not classified as 'Lawful Outsiders', and undead.) with an attack that increases their vulnerability to physical damage. Your Protection from Tainted Creatures bonuses increase to +4, and your unarmed attacks now bypass Cold Iron damage reduction.


 * This enhancement automatically grants the following:



Shintao Monk: Dismissing Strike

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 25 Ki


 * You perform a melee attack that attempts to force an extra planar enemy back to its proper plane. A successful Will save negates this effect. (DC = 10 + Wisdom Modifier + your Monk level.) This ability counts as a Light move.



Shintao Monk: Jade Strike

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 10 Ki


 * You perform a melee attack that is anathema to tainted creatures, that increases their physical damage vulnerability by 10% and reduces their fortification by 25%. A successful Will save negates this effect. (DC = 10 + Wisdom Modifier + your monk level.) This ability only functions on aberrations, extraplanar creatures that are not classified as 'Lawful Outsiders', and undead, and counts as a Light move. Creatures that are both extraplanar and either aberrations or undead receive double this effect. On critical hits, a tainted target will be locked in a tomb of jade on a failed Will save. (DC = 10 + Wisdom Modifier + your monk level.) Extraplanar Aberrations or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid their fate.



Shintao Monk III

 * Usage: Passive


 * Cost: 2 action points


 * Requires One of: Master of Thunder, Master of Stone, Master of Bonfires, Master of the Sea.


 * Requires All of: Shintao Monk II


 * Available to Monk class level 18.


 * You have reached the heights of enlightenment, and are a defender of the natural world. You gain an additional +2 to Diplomacy, Heal, and Intimidate, and the ability to expend ki to stun opponents at range or lock 'tainted' creatures (Aberrations, extraplanar creatures that are not classified as 'Lawful Outsiders', and undead.) in a tomb of jade. Your Protection from Tainted Creatures bonuses increase to +6, and your unarmed attacks now bypass Silver damage reduction.



Shintao Monk: Kukan-Do

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 25 Ki


 * You lock gazes with an enemy, stunning them for a short period of time on a failed Will save. (DC = 10 + Charisma Modifier + your monk level.) Any effects that modify your Stunning Blow or Stunning Fist DC's also affect this ability. Sightless creatures are unaffected by this ability.



Shintao Monk: Tomb of Jade

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 25 Ki


 * You perform an attack that encases a tainted target in a tomb of jade on a failed Will save. (DC = 10 + Wisdom Modifier + your monk level.) Extraplanar Aberrations, or Undead must succeed at two consecutive Will saves to avoid their fate. This ability counts as a Light move.

Removed Abilities
With the revamping to the Prestige Enhancement line, the following abilities have been removed or replaced by the ones mentioned above. Both belonged to the first line of enhancement of Shintao Monk.



Shintao Monk: Protection From Evil

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 5 Ki


 * At your touch a magical barrier is created that wards a target from attack by evil creatures granting a +2 deflection bonus to AC and +2 resistance bonus to saves against attacks from evil creatures. The target is also warded from magical mental control and compulsions. This ability counts as a light move.



Shintao Monk: Smite Evil

 * Usage: Active
 * Cost: 15 Ki


 * To deal devastating blows in melee against evil creatures. You gain twice your wisdom modifier to your attack roll and a damage bonus based on your monk level. This ability counts as a light move.