Arcane Fist (Magus/Monk)

Arcane fists are specialized magi who eschew manufactured arms and armor in favor of getting up and close and personal with their enemies—and then darting away, unscathed. Their bodies are their weapons and armor, and magic flows through them. (Original Concept by Flak)

Primary: Magus.

Secondary: Monk.

Alignment: Any lawful.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: Arcane fists may select three monk skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal magus class skills. The arcane fist gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 2 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Arcane fists are proficient with the brass knuckles*, cestus*, club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shortspear, short sword, shuriken, siangham, sling, spear, and temple sword*. Arcane fists are not proficient with any armor or shields. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an arcane fist wearing armor or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. In addition, when wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, an arcane fist loses his AC bonus, as well as his fast movement. (*Advanced Player’s Guide)

Diminished Spellcasting: The arcane fist gains one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, he may cast spells of that level only if his Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level. He otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a magus of equal level.

Martial Sage: All magus abilities dependent upon Intelligence instead depend upon Wisdom. This includes his spells per day, spell DCs, arcane pool size, etc. In addition, the arcane fist can prepare one fewer spell per spell level per day, and gains only 1 free spell in his spellbook at each level after first instead of 2. He can still add spells to his spellbook as normal. The arcane fist is treated as a monk for the purposes of determining the effects and uses per day of feats like Stunning Fist.

Arcane Defense: At 1st level, when wearing no armor and not using a shield, an arcane fist gains a +3 armor bonus to his AC. This bonus increases by +1 at 4th level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, an arcane fist gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for an arcane fist striking unarmed. An arcane fist may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

Usually an arcane fist’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

An arcane fist’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons. An arcane fist also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, with his damage scaling as he levels up, as shown on the table below.

Spellfist (Su): At 2nd level, whenever an arcane fist casts a spell with a range of "touch" from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through his fist as part of a melee attack. Instead of a free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, the arcane fist can make a free melee attack with his fist (with base attack equal to his arcane fist level) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the arcane fist makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This ability replaces spellstrike.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, an arcane fist gains a +10 foot enhancement bonus to his land speed. This bonus increases by +10 at 6th level, and every third level thereafter. An arcane fist in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Arcane Ki (Su): At 4th level, the arcane fist treats his arcane pool as a ki pool, and can spend points from it to activate any ki power he knows. He can still use it for everything for which he could use his arcane pool. If the arcane fist possesses levels in another class that grants points to a ki or arcane pool, arcane fist levels stack with the levels of that class to determine the total number of "arcane ki" points in the combined pool, but only one ability score modifier is added to the total. The choice of which score to use is made when the second class ability is gained, and once made, the choice is set. The arcane fist can use "arcane ki" points from this pool to power the abilities of every class he possesses that grants a ki or arcane pool.

As long as the arcane fist has at least 1 point in his arcane ki pool, he can make a ki strike, as a monk. At 4th level, his ki strikes are magic weapons. At 7th level, his ki strikes are cold iron/silver weapons. At 10th level, his ki strikes are lawful weapons. At 16th level, his ki strikes are adamantine weapons. By spending 1 point from his arcane ki pool, an arcane fist can increase his speed by 20 feet for a round or give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round. This is a swift action.

Bonus Feat: As normal for a magus, except that at 5th level, the arcane fist adds the 1st-level monk bonus feat list, along with Stunning Fist, to his options. At 11th level, the arcane fist adds the 6th-level monk bonus feat list to his options. At 17th level, the arcane fist adds the 10th-level monk bonus feat list to his options. He need not meet the prerequisites for any of these feats to select them.

High Jump (Ex): At 5th level, the arcane fist receives high jump, which functions exactly like the monk ability of the same name. This ability replaces knowledge pool.

Ki Power (Su): At 6th level, an arcane fist may select a ki power from the 4th–level list of qingong monk ki powers (see Ultimate Magic) in place of a magus arcana. He may select additional ki powers from each subsequent list or those of a lower level each time he gains a magus arcana. Thus, at 9th level, he may select a ki power from the 6th–level list or lower, the 8th–level list or lower at 12th level, the 10th-level list or lower at 15th level, and the 12th-level list or lower at 18th level. Ki powers selected in this manner use the arcane fist's level to determine their effects.

Purity of Body (Ex): At 7th level, the arcane fist receives purity of body, which functions exactly like the monk ability of the same name. This ability replaces medium armor.

Sudden Spellfist (Ex): At 10th level, the arcane fist may combine his spellfist ability with a charge or spring attack action. He may not use spellfist when charging if he does not have a full-round action to use on his charge. This ability replaces fighter training.

Diamond Body (Ex): At 11th level, the arcane fist receives diamond body, which functions exactly like the monk ability of the same name. This ability replaces improved spell recall.

Deadly Spellfist (Su): At 13th level, whenever an arcane fist strikes an opponent with his spellfist, he can choose for the spell to deal damage as if it were modified by the Maximize Spell feat a number of times per day equal to his Wisdom modifier. This does not increase the casting time or the level of the spell. This ability replaces heavy armor.

Timeless Body (Ex): At 19th level, the arcane fist receives timeless body, which functions exactly like the monk ability of the same name. This ability replaces greater spell access.

Magus Arcana: The following magus arcana complement the arcane fist multiclass archetype: arcane accuracy*, close range*, critical strike*, hasted assault*, maneuver mastery*, pool strike*, reflection*, and spell shield*. (*Ultimate Magic)

Table: Arcane Fist