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Certain monastic orders bestow supernatural or spell-like powers on their members by inscribing magic tattoos on their skin. These tattooed monks shave their heads, speak in cryptic riddles and maxims, and—in many cases—travel the countryside furthering their quest for enlightenment by facing and conquering temptation.

Requirements

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tattooed monks gain no additional weapon or armor proficiency. They suffer the same penalties for wearing armor that monks do.

Monk Abilities: A tattooed monk has the unarmed damage, AC bonus, and speed of a monk with as many levels as his tattooed monk levels plus his monk levels (if any).

Add the tattooed monk's base attack bonus derived from monk levels to that derived from tattooed monk levels and consult the following table:

Tattoo (Su): Tattooed monks gain their powers from the magic tattoos that eventually grow to cover their bodies. A 1st-level tattooed monk has one tattoo and gains another tattoo every two levels, to a maximum of five. The tattooed monk can choose his tattoos from the following list. Note that some tattoos have minimum level requirements.

All tattoos are magical, and the abilities they bestow are supernatural. A tattooed monk in an antimagic field loses all benefits of his tattoos. Unless the effect of a tattoo is continuous, activating a tattoo is a move-equivalent action that can be combined with a regular move and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Arrowroot: The tattooed monk can heal wounds in another character by touch. Each day he can cure a total number of hit points equal to his Wisdom bonus times his level. The tattooed monk cannot heal himself, but he may divide the curing among multiple recipients, and he doesn't have to use it all at once.

Bamboo: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Constitution score. This ability lasts for 1 round per level.

Bat: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Dexterity score. This ability lasts for 1 round per level.

Bellflower: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can add his Charisma modifier as an enhancement bonus to any of his ability scores (including Charisma). This lasts for 1 round per level.

Butterfly: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can add the number of tattoos he possesses as an enhancement bonus to his Wisdom score. This ability lasts for 1 round per level.

Centipede: Once per week, the tattooed monk can shadow walk. This ability allows the tattooed monk to cross great distances, but he must end his journey on the Material Plane (in Rokugan, this means he cannot enter the Shadowlands). Minimum Level: 5th.

Chameleon: The tattooed monk can use alter self once per day per tattoo he possesses to take on the appearance of any other human he has encountered. The duration of this ability is one hour per level.

Cloud: Once per day, the tattooed monk can commune with greater spirit as the spell (described in Chapter 7). With each use of the ability, the tattooed monk can ask no more than one question per level. Minimum Level: 5th.

Crab: The tattooed monk gains damage reduction equal to 2 per tattoo he possesses. This damage reduction is negated by a weapon with a magical enhancement bonus equal to or better than the tattooed monk's Constitution bonus (if any), by magical attacks, or by energy attacks. Damage reduction can reduce damage to 0 but not below 0. (That is, the tattooed monk cannot actually gain hit points in this manner.)

Crane: The tattooed monk gains a gradual immunity to bodily decay. When the tattooed monk first gains this tattoo, he gains immunity to nonmagical diseases. When he gains his next tattoo (whatever it may be), he acquires immunity to poison as well. When he gains his next tattoo, he no longer suffers ability penalties for aging, and cannot be magically aged. (Any aging penalties he may already have suffered remain in place.) Bonuses still accrue, and the tattooed monk still dies of old age when his time is up. Minimum Level: 5th.

Crow: When the tattooed monk calls on the power of this tattoo, he becomes immune to the Shadowlands Taint for one day per tattoo he possesses, and gains a +1 resistance bonus on all Will saving throws for the same duration. After using this ability, the tattooed monk cannot activate the crow tattoo for five more days. Tattooed monks in campaigns other than Rokugan do not use the crow tattoo.

Chrysanthemum: Every hour that the tattooed monk with this tattoo is in sunlight, he heals a number of hit points equal to his level. A daylight spell does not provoke this fast healing; the character must be exposed to the real sun. Minimum Level: 7th.

Dragon: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can use fire breath as the spell (described in Chapter 7). The tattooed monk's caster level is his class level. Minimum Level: 5th.

Dragonfly: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk gains a dodge bonus to his AC equal to the number of tattoos he possesses. This extraordinary ability lasts for 1 round per level.

Falcon: The tattooed monk is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Allies within 10 feet of the tattooed monk gain a morale bonus on their saving throws against fear effects. The bonus equals the tattooed monk's Charisma bonus (if any) plus the number of tattoos he possesses.

Lion: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can smite a foe, gaining a +4 attack bonus and a damage bonus equal to his level on a single melee attack. The tattooed monk must declare the smite before making the attack.

Monkey: The tattooed monk gains a +1 competence bonus per tattoo he possesses on all Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Open Lock, Pick Pocket, and Tumble checks.

Moon, Crescent: In Rokugan, only kikage zumi (monks of the Hitomi school) can choose this tattoo. Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can use ethereal jaunt as a spell-like ability. Minimum Level: 7th.

Moon, Full: In Rokugan, only kikage zumi (monks of the Hitomi school) can choose this tattoo. Once per night per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can gain a +2 luck bonus on a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check, as he calls on the full power of Hitomi, the moon. This ability cannot be used during daylight hours.

Mountain: The tattooed monk can take on the immovability of the mountain, gaining phenomenal durability though he cannot move from the spot where he stands. He gains a +4 bonus to his Constitution and Wisdom scores. The increase in Constitution increases the tattooed monk's hit points by 2 points per level, but these hit points go away when the power's duration expires. These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are. While using this ability, the tattooed monk cannot use any skills based on Dexterity, including Balance and Tumble. He is immune to bull rush and trip attacks. This immovable state lasts 1 round per level. The tattooed monk may use this ability once per day per tattoo he possesses.

Nightingale: The tattooed monk can cure his own wounds. He can cure up to twice his level in hit points each day, and he can spread this healing out among several uses.

Ocean: The tattooed monk with an ocean tattoo never needs to eat, sleep, or drink. Minimum Level: 9th.

Phoenix: The tattooed monk gains spell resistance equal to his class level + 15. In order to affect the tattooed monk with a spell, a spellcaster must roll the tattooed monk's spell resistance or higher on 1d20 + the spellcaster's level. Minimum Level: 7th.

Pine: The tattooed monk gains the benefits of the Endurance and Remain Conscious feats.

Scorpion: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can force an opponent attacking him to use her lowest ability score modifier instead of her Strength or Dexterity score modifier when making her attack roll.

Spider: The tattooed monk's touch (or unarmed attack) delivers a contact poison. The poison's save DC is equal to 10 + the tattooed monk's class level + his Constitution modifier. The poison's initial and secondary damage is 1 point of temporary Constitution damage. The tattooed monk can suppress this poison for 1 hour by concentrating for a full round and making a successful Will save (DC 20). Minimum Level: 3rd.

Sun: In Rokugan, only ise zumi (monks of the Togashi school) can choose this tattoo. Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can gain a +2 luck bonus on a single attack roll, skill check, or ability check, as he calls on the full power of the sun. This ability can only be used during daylight hours.

Tiger: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can fight unarmed with a +1 bonus on all attack rolls and dealing an additional +1d6 points of damage with a successful attack. This burst of martial arts ferocity lasts for 1 round per level.

Tortoise: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can use his level as the number of ranks in a skill he does not possess for the purposes of one skill check, even an exclusive skill for another class. For example, Togashi Mitasu, a 4th-level tattooed monk with two tattoos, can make up to two Use Magic Device checks as if he had 4 ranks in that skill. He adds his Charisma modifier to the skill check as usual.

Unicorn: The tattooed monk gains the power of good fortune, which is usable once per day per tattoo he possesses. This ability allows the tattooed monk to reroll one roll that he has just made. The character must take the result of the reroll, even if it's worse than the original roll.

Wasp: Once per day per tattoo he possesses, the tattooed monk can use haste on himself. The haste effect lasts 1 round per level. Minimum Level: 3rd.

White Mask: The tattooed monk is immune to detect thoughts, discern lies, and any attempt to magically discern his alignment. He gains a +10 bonus on all Bluff checks. Minimum Level: 3rd.

Advancement