Corite Harmonicist (Monk)
It’s Corite Week here at Necromancers of the Northwest, and we’re celebrating the new crystalline race that we introduced in yesterday’s Exotic Encounters. Sure, you could make a corite using any old class, but why not try an archetype specifically designed for them? Conveniently, I have just such a thing right here.
New Monk Archetype
Corite Harmonicist
Sonic vibrations are very important to members of the corite race: to the corite, sound is both a deadly weapon, and a means of communication, in ways that other races still don’t fully understand. Some corites set out to master the power of harmonic frequency, starting within themselves. These corites focus on the harmonic arts in much the same way that a human monk might focus on martial arts, and they are known as corite harmonicists.
The following archetype is only available to monks of the corite race.
Harmonic Resonance (Ex): As long as a corite harmonicist is unarmored, he gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to his Wisdom bonus (as normal for deflection bonuses, this applies to his CMD as well). At 4th level, and every four levels thereafter, this deflection bonus increases by +1 (to a maximum equal to his Wisdom bonus + 5 at 20th level).
Unlike a normal monk’s AC bonus, this bonus applies even if the corite harmonicist is immobilized or helpless, and even if he carries a medium or heavy load, but not if he wears any armor or wields a shield.
This ability modifies the AC bonus class feature.
Sonic Strike (Su): Beginning at 1st level, a corite harmonicist can deliver a sonic strike as a full-round action. If he does, he may make a single melee attack at his full base attack bonus. If the attack hits, it deals an additional amount of sonic damage equal to his unarmed strike damage. At 6th level, this bonus damage increases to twice his unarmed strike damage. At 11th level, it increases further to be equal to three times his unarmed strike damage, and at 16th level, it increases to be equal to four times his unarmed strike damage. When calculating the bonus sonic damage applied in this way, only the corite harmonicist’s base unarmed damage is counted: any bonuses due to a high Strength score, amulet of mighty fists, or other sources do not apply. The corite harmonicist cannot use this ability in conjunction with damage-increasing feats, such as Vital Strike, nor is this bonus damage multiplied in the result of a critical hit.
This ability replaces the flurry of blows class feature.
Ki Pool (Su): When he gains a ki pool at 4th level, a corite harmonicist cannot spend points from his ki pool to make additional attacks when making a flurry of blows attack, increase his speed, or gain a dodge bonus to AC. Instead, by spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a corite harmonicist can do any of the following:
- Infuse a held weapon (or his own unarmed strike) with sonic energy, causing it to deal an additional amount of sonic damage equal to his unarmed strike damage on the first successful hit made with it this round (this stacks with the sonic strike class feature).
Increase his racial damage reduction by an amount equal to his Wisdom modifier for 1 round.
Increase the deflection bonus to AC granted by this class by +4 for 1 round.
This ability modifies the ki pool class feature.
Intense Glow (Sp): Beginning at 5th level, a corite harmonicist gains better control of his inner light. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, the corite harmonicist can affect himself as though with the spell daylight, except that it is treated as though its spell level were equal to 1/2 his monk level (rounded down) for the purposes of determining which darkness spells can counter or dispel it. The caster level for this effect is equal to the corite harmonicist’s monk level.
This ability replaces the high jump class feature.
Ranged Pulse (Su): Beginning at 5th level, a corite harmonicist can deliver a sonic pulse at a range. Doing so is a full-round action and requires that the corite harmonicist make a ranged attack, which has a maximum range of 60 feet. If the attack hits, it deals an amount of sonic damage equal to the bonus damage granted by the corite harmonicist’s sonic strike class feature.
This ability replaces the purity of body class feature.
Widened Pulse (Su): Beginning at 11th level, by spending 2 ki points, as a full-round action, a corite harmonicist can direct a wave of sonic energy from his body. The corite harmonicist may choose whether this takes the form of a 20-f00t-radius burst, a 30-foot cone, or a 60-foot line. Each other creature in the area suffers an amount of sonic damage equal to the bonus damage granted by the corite harmonicist’s sonic strike class feature. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the corite harmonicist’s monk level + the corite harmonicist’s Wisdom modifier) halves this damage.
This ability replaces the diamond body class feature.
Synchronous Step (Sp): At 12th level, a corite harmonicist can match his own harmonic resonations (or those of a touched creature) with those of objects in order to pass through them, or temporarily create openings in them. By spending 2 points from his ki pool as a standard action, he can replicate the effects of earthglideARG or passwall.
This ability replaces the abundant step class feature.