Man; Mystic
by Jamie BatyRC 195
4th Level Human Monk
Medium-size Humanoid (Human)
Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp)
Initiative: +3 (+3 Dex)
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armour Class: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 Misc), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5
Attack: Unarmed Strike +5 melee (1d8 +2)
Full Attack: Unarmed Strike +5 melee (1d8 +2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks: Flurry of Blows, Ki Strike
Special Qualities: AC Bonus, Armour Restriction, Evasion, Human Traits, Slow Fall, Still Mind, Unarmed Strike
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16 Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +5, Climb +4, Concentration +3, Disable Device +2, Escape Artist +6, Hide +10, Jump +7, Knowledge (Religion) +1, Listen +5, Move Silently +9, Search +2, Spot +5, Tumble +6
Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes (B), Dodge, Improved Unarmed Strike (B), Stunning Fist (B), Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Party (2-8 +1 7th level leader), or Cloister (8-80 + 1-10 7th level leaders and 1 10th level Grand Abbot)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Half Standard
Alignment: Always Lawful, Often neutral
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: -
Mystics are humans who rigorously follow a way of life involving a special discipline of meditation, study and physical training. They live in special building complexes (called cloisters or monasteries) located far from towns and common civilisation. Mystics are most likely to be encountered on a pilgrimage, mission or adventure for their cloister.
Mystics are always Lawful, but depending on the cloisters worldview, maybe good, neutral or evil. Regardless of alignment, they are utterly devoted to their discipline. All their material goods are owned by the cloister as a whole, and are loaned to individual mystics as needed.
Mystics can often be recognised by their robes or other unusual garb, but another distinctive feature is their salute. Upon meeting another creature presumed to be peaceful, the mystic raises a fist, covers it with the other hand, and bows slightly. This symbolises greetings (the bow), readiness to fight if necessary (the fist), but peaceful intentions (the covered fist).
The mystic presented above has base stats of Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 and added its bonus ability point to Dex.
Combat
Most mystics tend to be peaceful and try to avoid unnecessary violence. When forced, mystics usually fight unarmed although they are proficient with club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, siangham, and sling. They are not proficient with any armours or shields.
Armour Restriction: If wearing ANY armour or carrying a shield, a mystic loses his Wisdom bonus to AC, fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.
AC Bonus (Ex): A mystic gains a bonus to his AC equal to his Wisdom bonus (+1 AC with this mystic). In addition, a mystic gains a +1 bonus to AC at 5th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every five monk levels thereafter (+2 at 10th, +3 at 15th, and +4 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. These bonuses are not lost unless the mystic is immobilised or helpless, wearing armour, carrying a shield or carrying a medium/heavy load.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): As a full attack, a mystic may make one extra attack All attacks made in the round suffer a -2 penalty. This ability improves as the mystic gains monk levels, and it may be used while wielding special monk weapons.
Evasion (Ex): On a successful Reflex save against a magical attack, a mystic takes no damage.
Fast Movement (Ex): This mystic's speed increases 10 ft/round (limited by armour and encumbrance). This ability improves as the mystic's monk levels increase.
Still Mind (Ex): A mystic has a +2 to save against Enchantment spells and effects.
Ki Strike (Su): A mystic's unarmed attacks are treated as magic weapons. Ki strike improves with the mystic's monk level. At 10th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction. At 16th level, her unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of dealing damage to creatures with damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
Slow Fall (Ex): As long as a wall is within arm's reach, a mystic takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The mystic's ability to slow her fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with her monk level until at 20th level she can use a nearby wall to slow her descent and fall any distance without harm.
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a mystic gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A mystic's attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a mystic may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a mystic striking unarmed. A mystic may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.
Usually a mystic's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
A mystic's unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would; please see the monk class information in the SRD.
Organisation
All mystics are monks. They rarely take levels in any other class. Leaders may specialise in a monk-only prestige class if it reflects the philosophy of his order. Most mystics appear in similar clothing and equipment, so it is often difficult to distinguish the leaders from the normal mystics.
Mystic cloisters are excellent places to seek knowledge of all types. Many also open their doors to those seeking martial training and enlightenment- as long as abode by the strict code the mystics follow.