Radiant Wave Monk (3.5e Prestige Class)

Summary::Monks who focus on their inner ki, allowing them to shoot blasts of energy, fly, and perform other supernatural feats. Length::10 Minimum Level::6 Base Attack Bonus Progression::Good Fortitude Save Progression::Good Reflex Save Progression::Good Will Save Progression::Good Class Ability::Other Class Ability Progression::Other

Radiant Wave Monk
"Hero to some, nightmare to you!"

For most, the body is a weak puppet of meat and bone, but for those who meditate and unlock the body's inner secrets they know that it contains a great and mysterious energy known as ki. Ki shows up often, in the tricks of ninjas, the extraordinary feats of martial artists, and even sometimes in the maneuvers of weapon users. Everyone has ki, but few can use it to such a degree as the school of monks of the radiant wave. They teach that the ki is light and force, a physical energy which can manifest itself in many ways, and loosed upon the world to reshape it to their will. Usually through big explosions. There are a lot of big explosions.

Radiant wave monks are ranged volley attackers who become very dangerous to deal with. They do not enter melee as often as their normal monk kin, granting them a messure of safety as they blast away.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Radiant Wave Monk.

 : The radiant wave monk gains a hover speed (perfect) equal to their land speed. In addition, they no longer take damage from falls. The ki radiating off their body supports them, like riding a cushion of air.

 : At the radiant wave monk's choosing, they can coat their unarmed strikes in ki. Their unarmed strikes can now hit ghosts as if they were force damage (though DR still applies as normal). Any effect which applies to their ki blasts (such as Hammerblast) also applies to their force punches. Lastly, they may enhance their unarmed strikes (and subsequently their ki blasts) as if they were manufactured weapons.

 : The radiant wave monk can fire out blasts of ki as an attack action, as they are effectively ranged unarmed strikes (and thus any abilities with unarmed strike, such as flurry of blows, applies). They may use either their Strength or their Dexterity for attack and damage, and have a range increment of 10 ft per class level. Treat them as projectiles for the purposes of interactions with feats and abilities. Though ki blast is supernatural, the ranged attack itself provokes attacks of opportunity.

At 3rd level, they can choose to take a standard action to fire their ki in a 30 ft cone or a 60 ft line, dealing 1d6 points of force damage per HD they possess, with a Reflex save for half damage. The DC is either Strength, Dexterity, or Wisdom based. As area of effects and not ranged projectile attacks, they do not provoke.

At 5th level, ki blasts ranged attacks no longer provoke attacks of opportunity.

At 7th level, the ki blast gains two more area of effect shapes. They deal 1d6 force damage per level in a 20 ft radius burst out to Long range, with a Reflex save for half. Alternatively they can deal 1d4 force damage per level in a 15 ft cone, with no save. Finally their cone and line shapes become a 60 ft cone and 120 ft line respectively.

Finally at 9th level they gain the ability to supercharge their ki blasts. By focusing for 1 round before using a ki blast, all the damage is tripled for their next attack and the range is doubled. They can focus for multiple rounds, increasing the multiplier by two steps each time to a maximum of 3 rounds (or x7 damage). Supercharging provokes attacks of opportunity.

It does not grant new features you do not have, but pre-existing features (such as flurry of blows, speed bonus, and unarmed strike damage) are advanced. Curiously, radiant wave monks synergize with psionics well. They count their class level to determine manifester level (but not powers known) for any psionic ability.

 : The radiant wave monk pulls and pushes ki out of their body all the time, and has learned how to transfer energy to and from others. They may transfer any amount of hp (up until they hit 1 hp) to another willing target with a touch, or a willing target may transfer their health to the radiant wave monk with the touch. This transfer of energy can only be done between willing targets, but otherwise does not have a daily use. The transfer can only bring either of the targets to 1 hp, no less.

 : At 2nd level, the radiant wave monk can push off their own ki to project themselves through the air. They gain a fly speed equal to their land speed (perfect maneuverability).

 : The 2nd level radiant wave monk can learn to suppress their flow of ki and subsequently hide their strength. They may fall under the effect of nondetection as a free action on their turn, with a caster level equal to their character level.

 : The 3rd level radiant wave monk gains evasion, like a rogue. If they already have evasion, they instead gain improved evasion.

' PS undefined:''' At 3rd level, the radiant wave monk may charge up their ki in an impressive display of light and energy, granting them a boost in power. As a standard action they may gain a enhancement bonus equal to twice their class level on the next attack roll, saving throw, Str or Dex based skill check, or ability check they make, or to all damage rolls, until the end of their next turn. They can try to charge up as a swift action, but in this case the bonus is half their class level instead of double, and it only lasts until the beginning of their next turn. This is a psi-like ability, as of the radiant wave monk gains the Psionic subtype if they didn't possess one before.

 : The 4th level radiant wave monk gains Deflect Arrows as a bonus feat. If they already have the feat (or later gain the feat) they can deflect unusually large projectiles and siege weapons.

 : As a move action the 4th level radiant wave monk can shed a layer of ki, and in doing so shed off afflictions which assail them. By expending a stunning fist attempt they can cure themselves of blindness, confusion, dazzling, deafening, exhaustion, fatigue, nausea, negative levels, shaken, sickening, or staggering. It also cures the body of any disease or poison currently affecting them, though it may not heal any ability damage which the effect has already caused.

They may use bull rush attempts at range with their ki blast. On a critical threat, they get a bull rush attempt as a free action, and if the critical threat is confirmed the bull rush can push them twice as far as normal (minimum 10 ft, even if the bull rush fails). They may choose to use their Strength or Dexterity for their bull rush attempts.

If the target is bull rushed and hits an obstruction such as a wall or floor, they take damage as if they had fallen the entire distance they were bull rushed and must make a Reflex save (DC equal to 10 + 1/2 HD + Str or Dex modifier) or fall prone.

The radiant wave monk ignores a number of points of hardness or DR equal to their class level.

 : At 6th level the radiant wave monk's ability to deflect projectiles improves. They may now deflect rays and magical or supernatural ranged touch attacks as if they were projectiles.

 : The 7th level radiant wave monk gains spell resistance equal to 10 + their HD. They can toggle their spell resistance on or off as a non-action.

 : At 8th level, a radiant wave monk can transform themselves into pure ki, moving at luminal speeds. They can teleport at will (self only) by expending a stunning fist attempt. Even when not using attempts, they move very fast in normal movement. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity for movement. The latter is not a teleportation effect and thus cannot pass through any area the monk would not be able to move through normally.

 : The 10th level radiant wave monk knows the flow of ki so well they can stop its motion with a series of precise strikes, inflicting various afflictions on their opponent. They must announce their intent before making the attack roll, and it cannot affect creatures immune to critical hits. If the radiant wave monk strikes successfully and deals damage, the five point ki palm succeeds. It's duration is unlimited until discharged as a free action. The saving throw for all abilities is a DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Str, Dex, or Wis modifier Fortitude save, save negates.

Bleed Out Ki: The target bleeds out 20% of their maximum hp each round over the course of 5 rounds.

Disrupt Focus: The target automatically fails any action which requires concentration (such as spellcasting). The effect lasts 1 minute/level, but you can end it early as a free action. It may also be removed by anything which removes bestow curse.

Distort Ki: The target takes a -6 penalty on one ability score of your choice. The effect is permanent, but may be ended as a free action on your part or removed by anything which removes bestow curse.

Freeze Ki:The target becomes paralyzed for 24 hours. You can end it early as a free action.

Snuff Life: The target must succeed on the saving throw or die.

You may use this ability once per encounter, and a creature which saves is immune for 24 hours. You may only have one creature under the effects of an unactivated five point ki palm at one time, if you use it again the previous one is lifted. This doesn't apply to creatures who have already failed their save and the five point ki palm discharged. This counts as Quivering Palm for the effects of things which interact with it.

If they ever die, they form a ki ghost 1 minute later. They appear as a hazy hologram which isn't really there. They are effectively a sentient major image fixed in their appearance, unable to affect the world or be affected. Dispel magic suppresses them for 1d4 rounds, and antimagic field suppresses them as long as they exist in the field. A mage's disjunction can dispel them forever. They cannot pass through solid matter, but otherwise can move, speak, and take purely mental actions which only effect themselves. They can persist as a ki ghost forever, but typically use the ability to help ensure their own revival.



The epic Radiant Wave Monk gains a bonus feat (selected from the list of epic Radiant Wave Monk feats) every odd level.

Epic Radiant Wave Monk Bonus Feat List: Any fighter bonus feat or monk bonus feat. For monk bonus feats, they may ignore pre-requisites.

Playing a Radiant Wave Monk
Combat: You are a blaster by any other name. You fly over your opponent and strike them down with a flurry of ki. Even if they get in melee, you're still a monk. Wait, that's not a compelling argument... ah, right, you're still a melee fighter. And you're probably better than the monk is at this point.

Advancement: Any monk friendly class works, but even archery themed classes may function with this.

Resources: Radiant wave monks usually come in twos, a master and an apprentice. That way the master can die dramatically, propelling the apprentice to become a hero.

Radiant Wave Monks in the World
"Isn't that the name of a Hawaiian king?"

NPC Reactions: With all the fancy lasers being tossed about, a radiant wave monk may be confused for some kind of wizard of warlock. Silly commoners.

Radiant Wave Monk Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge Psionics can research Radiant Wave Monks to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Radiant Wave Monks in the Game
Sample Encounter: The world only has one year to prepare before two powerful alien radiant wave monks arrive to steal the McGuffians, or destroy the planet in the process!