Ascetic Priest (Cleric/Monk)

(Original Concept by Papa-DRB)

Primary: Cleric.

Secondary: Monk.

Alignment: An ascetic priest’s alignment must be within one step of her deity's, along either the law/chaos axis or the good/evil axis.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The ascetic priest selects three monk skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal cleric class skills. The ascetic priest gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The ascetic priest is proficient with all simple martial weapons plus the handaxe, kama, nunchaku, sai, short sword, shuriken, siangham, temple sword*, and her deity’s favored weapon. Ascetic priests are not proficient with any armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, an ascetic priest loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement abilities. (*Advanced Player’s Guide)

Diminished Spellcasting: The ascetic priest casts divine spells drawn from the cleric spell list, and gains one fewer spell of each spell level per day. If this reduces the number to 0, she may cast spells of that level only if her Wisdom allows bonus spells of that level. She otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a cleric of equal level.

AC Bonus (Su): At 1st level, when an ascetic priest is unarmored and unencumbered, she adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC and her CMD. In addition, she gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four an ascetic priest levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level. These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the ascetic priest is flat-footed. An ascetic priest loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless, when she is wearing any armor, when she is carrying a shield, or when she is carrying a medium or heavy load. This ability replaces light armor and medium armor proficiency.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): At 1st level, an ascetic priest gains the monk’s unarmed strike ability, except that she deals 1d4 points of damage at 1st level. At 2n level and every four levels thereafter, this damage increases by 1 damage die category (1d6 at 2nd, 1d8 at 6th, 1d10 at 10th, 2d6 at 14th , and 2d8 at 18th level). These unarmed damage values are for a Medium ascetic priest. A Small ascetic priest deals 1 damage die smaller (1d3 at 1st, 1d4 at 2nd, 1d6 at 6th, 1d8 at 10th, 1d10 at 14th, and 2d6 at 18th level), while a Large sorcerer deals 1 damage die category larger (1d6 at 1st, 1d8 at 2nd, 1d10 at 6th, 2d6 at 10th, 2d8 at 14th, and 2d10 at 18th level). In addition, an ascetic priest can make an unarmed strike when wielding any monk weapon or her deity’s favored weapon.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level, an ascetic priest gains the monk’s evasion ability. This ability, fast movement, purity of body, and improved evasion replace domains.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, an ascetic priest's land speed is faster than the norm for her race by +10 feet. This benefit applies only when she is wearing no armor, and not carrying a shield, medium load, or heavy load. Apply this bonus before modifying the ascetic priest's speed because of any load carried or armor worn. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses to the ascetic priest’s land speed.

Divine Strike (Su): At 4th level, an ascetic priest becomes infused with divine power. This divine power allows her unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, her unarmed attacks are also treated as aligned weapons (choose either chaotic, evil, good, or lawful according to her deity’s alignment) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness. This ability, purity of body, and diamond body replace spells lost due to diminished spellcasting.

Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, an ascetic priest gains the monk’s purity of body ability.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, an ascetic priest gains the monk’s improved evasion ability.

Diamond Body (Ex): At 11th level, an ascetic priest gains the monk’s purity of body ability.

Table: Ascetic Priest