Velocity Master (Monk/Magus)

The monk’s search for self–perfection takes many forms. For some, this implies a desire to become living embodiments of speed, like lightning on the battlefield, striking at enemies before they can react or see the attack coming. These individuals sacrifice physical strength and endurance and renounce their oath of self–discipline to tap into arcane magic and enhance their mobility with all existing means. It is these who become velocity masters. (Original Concept by Bardess)

Primary Class: Monk.

Secondary Class: Magus.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The velocity master selects three magus skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal monk class skills, one of which must be Spellcraft (Int). The velocity master gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 4 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The velocity master is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus the kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, siangham, and temple sword. A velocity master is also proficient with light armor. She can use spell-related ki powers while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. When wearing medium armor, light armor, armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a velocity master loses his AC bonus, as well as his fast movement and flurry of blows abilities. Like any other arcane spellcaster, a velocity master wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or using a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell-related ki power in question has a somatic component. A multiclass velocity masterstill incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Arcane Ki Pool (Su): At 1st level, a the velocity master gains a reservoir of mystical arcane energy that he can draw upon to fuel his ki powers, enhance his weapon or unarmed attacks, and use spell-like abilities. This arcane ki pool has a number of points equal to 1/2 his velocity master level (minimum 1) + his Wisdom modifier.

By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a velocity master can do one of the following:

• Make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack, or

• Increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round, or

• Give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.

Each of these powers is activated as a swift action.

At 1st level, a velocity master can expend 1 point from his arcane ki pool as a swift action to grant his unarmed strikes or any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: dancing, flaming, flaming burst, frost, icy burst, keen, shock, shocking burst, speed, or vorpal.

Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the arcane pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the velocity master uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the velocity master.

A velocity master can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends. The arcane ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive. This ability modifies ki pool.

This ability replaces stunning fist and ki pool.

Arcane Ki Powers: At the indicated levels, a velocity master chooses an arcane ki power. Arcane ki powers are abilities that draw on the power of a velocity master’s arcane ki, enhancing his mobility and physical prowess. At 16th level or higher, a velocity master may select the following new ability as a ki power.

High Speed Attack (Su): A velocity master can grab and drag an opponent with himself at high speed, disorienting and dazing him or her. When the velocity master successfully uses the grapple maneuver on an opponent, he can attempt to move himself and the opponent at full speed in his next turn. The target takes 2 point of damage per velocity master level and is rendered unconscious for 1 round per velocity master level by the stress of the sprint unless it makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the monk's level + the monk's Wis modifier). If the save is successful, the target’s merely stunned for the same time.

Arcane ki powers are divided into five categories: feats, magus abilities, magus arcana, monk abilities, and spells.

Feats: These arcane ki powers duplicate the effects of specific feats. A velocity master does not need to qualify for a feat to select it as an arcane ki power. For example, a velocity master can select Spring Attack as an arcane ki power even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites for selecting Spring Attack as a feat. Activating one of these arcane ki powers is a free action on the velocity master’s turn; until the start of her next turn, the velocity master is treated as if she had that feat. Some of these arcane ki powers that duplicate feats may also be activated as an immediate action; these powers are noted in the arcane ki powers list.

Magus Abilities: This category contains one arcane ki power: arcane movement. The ability works using the velocity master’s level as his magus level.

Magus Arcana: These arcane ki powers duplicate the effects of some magus arcana. If an arcana has a prerequisite, the velocity master doesn’t need to meet it, but he must be of the required level to choose a specific arcana as an arcane ki power. The abilities work using the velocity master’s level as his magus level.

Monk Abilities: Some arcane ki powers are standard monk abilities. Even if a velocity master selects a different ki power in place of a standard monk ability, she can select that monk ability later as one of her arcane ki powers.

Spells: These arcane ki powers duplicate the effects of a spell, and are spell-like abilities. A velocity master’s class level is the caster level for these spell-like abilities, and she uses Wisdom to determine her concentration check bonus.

Requirements: All arcane ki powers have a minimum velocity master level requirement to select them. A velocity master who does not meet this requirement cannot select that arcane ki power.

Activation: Most arcane ki powers require the velocity master to spend arcane ki points; the exact amount is listed after the arcane ki power. Arcane ki powers that cost 0 arcane ki do not require the velocity master to have any arcane ki points in her arcane ki pool to use the ability.

1st Level

Arcane accuracy (magus arcana, 1 ki point)

Deny Death (feat, 0 ki points)

Expeditious retreat (spell, 1 ki point)

Ki Stand (feat, 0 ki points)

Lightning finish (monk of the seven winds archetype ability, 0 ki points)

Redirection (flowing monk archetype ability, 0 ki points)

Stunning fist (standard monk ability, level 1, 0 ki points)

Windy escape (spell, 1 ki point)

4th Level

Acrobatic Steps (feat, 1 ki point)

Bladed dash (spell, 2 ki points)

Cat’s grace (spell, 2 ki points)

Disorienting Maneuver (feat, 2 ki points)

Effortless armor (spell, 2 ki points)

Feather step (spell, self only, 1 ki point)

Flowing dodge (flowing monk archetype ability, 0 ki points)

Ki arrow (spell, 1 ki point)

Maneuver training (standard monk ability, level 3, 0 ki points)

Quick Draw (feat, 1 ki point)

Slow fall (standard monk ability, level 4, 0 ki points)

Still mind (standard monk ability, level 3, 0 ki points)

True strike (spell, self only, 1 ki point)

6th Level

Arcane movement (spell dancer magus archetype ability, 1 ki point)

Disengaging Feint (feat, 3 ki points)

High jump (standard monk ability, level 5, 1 ki point)

Landing Roll (feat, 3 ki points)

Purity of body (standard monk ability, level 5, 2 ki points)

Sidestep (feat, 1 ki point)

Snatch Arrows (feat, 1 ki point)

Spring Attack (feat, 1 ki point)

8th Level

Blink (spell, 3 ki points)

Burst of speed (spell, 3 ki points)

Channel vigor (spell, 3 ki points)

Elusive target (flowing monk archetype ability, 2 ki points)

Gliding Steps (1 ki point)

Haste (spell, self only, 3 ki points)

Quick Reposition (feat, 4 ki points)

Spider Step (feat, 1 ki point)

Whirlwind Attack (feat, 2 ki points)

Wholeness of body (standard monk ability, level 7, 2 ki points)

10th Level

Accurate strike (magus arcana, 2 ki points)

Greater Bull Rush (feat, 2 ki points)

Hasted assault (magus arcana, 2 ki points)

Leaping Shot (feat, 5 ki points)

Lunge (feat, 1 ki point)

Prescient defense (magus arcana, 2 ki points)

Shadow step (spell, 1 ki point)

Step Up and Strike (feat, 2 ki points)

Wind Stance (feat, 2 ki points)

12th Level

Abundant step (standard monk ability, level 12, 2 ki points)

Cartwheel Dodge (feat, 2 ki points)

Diamond body (standard monk ability, level 11, 0 ki points)

Greater arcane redoubt (magus arcana, 3 ki points)

Ki Throw (feat, 2 ki points)

Shadow walk (spell, 3 ki points)

14th Level

Cloud Step (3 ki points)

Dimensional Agility (1 ki point)

Greater bladed dash (spell, 5 ki points)

Improved Ki Throw (2 ki points)

Slow time (monk of the four winds archetype ability, 6 ki points)

16th Level

Borrowed time (spell), 6 ki points

Dimensional Assault (2 ki points)

High speed attack (new, 2 ki points)

Lightning Stance (3 ki points)

Quivering palm (standard monk ability, level 15, 0 ki points)

Volley spell (flowing monk ability, ki points cost variable)

18th Level

Dimensional Dervish (3 ki points)

Dimensional Maneuvers (4 ki points)

Dimensional Savant (4 ki points)

Empty body (standard monk ability, level 19, 3 ki points)

Timeless body (standard monk ability, level 17, 0 ki points)

Tongue of the sun and the moon (standard monk ability, level 17, 0 ki points)

The saving throw against a velocity master’s ki power, if any, is equal to 10 + 1/2 the velocity master’s level + the velocity master’s Wisdom bonus. This ability replaces all bonus feats, still mind, slow fall, maneuver training, high jump, purity of body, abundant step, quivering palm, timeless body, and tongue of the sun and the moon.

Mystic Knowledge Pool (Su): At 7th level, when a velocity master replenishes his arcane ki pool spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more arcane ki points, up to his Wisdom bonus. He can choose any combination of arcane ki powers up to that cost, and treat them as if they were on his list of possessed arcane ki powers for that day. He loses these temporary arcane ki powers the next time he replenishes his arcane ki pool. This replaces wholeness of body.

Unstoppable Body (Su): At 11th level, a velocity master gains immunity to slowing effects of all kinds. This replaces diamond body.

Unconquerable Body (Su): At 15th level, all effects from any source that enhance a velocity master’s movement stack. This replaces diamond soul.

Greater Arcane Ki Pool (Su): At 19th level, the velocity master’s arcane ki pool is now equal to his velocity master level + his Wisdom modifier. This ability replaces empty body.

Time Warp (Su): At 20th level, the velocity master achieves the quintessence of movement. He gains a +2 bonus on Dexterity and can always move up to his speed in a round as an immediate in addition to any other movement. In addition, the velocity master can cast time stop as a spell–like ability, spending all his remaining arcane ki points (minimum 10 points).

Table: Velocity Master