Sohei

Background:

Sohei are warrior monks, religious soldiers who once protected large monasteries.  They were once a militant body who purpose was to defend or wage battle for their representative monastery.  Now they have taken up humanity as their charge and defend it with a zeal some Clan Warriors find inspiring.  After the gods left the Sohei of that time lacked purpose.  They never left behind their military background but with religion gone or fading from Talinar.  Each Clan now has different Sohei Houses.  Some are loyal to their respective clan and some work as mercenaries.  The loss of the gods has allowed the Sohei to ferment into the warriors they were destined to evolve to.

Abilities:

Wisdom determines how powerful a spell a Sohei can cast, how many spells the Sohei can cast per day, and how hard those spells are to resist.  To cast a spell, a Sohei must have a Wisdom score of 10 + the spell's level. A Sohei gets bonus spells based on Wisdom. The Difficulty Class of a saving throw against a Sohei's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the sohei's Wisdom modifier.  A high Constitution improves a Sohei's hit points, and a high wisdom improves the Sohei's saving throws.  Sohei have access to the sohei spell list in the Oriental Adventure Sourcebook.

Hit Dice:

d10

Skills:

Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).

Skill Points per level: (3 + Int modifier)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency:

Sohei are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all armor (but no shields). Note that armor check penalties for armor heavier than leather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble.  Also, Swim checks suffer a -1 penalty for every 5 pounds of armor and equipment carried.

Weapon of Choice

A Sohei gains weapon focus with the weapon of her choice as a bonus feat. 

She also gains either Weapon Finesse or Power Attack as a bonus feat.  This reflects to ability of a Sohei to match her fighting style to her weapon.

Weapon Ki

When wielding her weapon of choice a Sohei is able to channel her ki into her movements and weapon.  This focus grants the sohei a +1 insight bonus to her Armor Class, Attack Roll, and Damage Roll.  This ability last 5 + Wisdom modifier rounds.  At 8^th level this bonus increases to +2 and she gains an extra attack if she uses a full attack action.  At 17^th level this bonus increases to +3 and a sohei learns to maintain her Weapon Ki for the full duration of an encounter.

Worlds Finest

A sohei of either a Clanned house or Mercenary house has taken an oath to protect those under her change and even death must wait if battle calls.

A Sohei gains the Endurance Feat.

A Sohei gains the Die Hard Feat.

Elemental Channeling

A Sohei learns to channel elemental though her body.  This allows her to cast a select few divine spells.  The casting of spells is not limited by memorization or spells known but is limited by the mental strain the Sohei can withstand.  Elemental Channeling is very draining and with over exposure a Sohei can kill herself.  A Sohei's primary ability for elemental channeling is either constitution or charisma chosen at creation.

Effects of Fatigue:

Naturally, fatigued characters face some significant disadvantages, as shown below.  The fatigue from channeling is mental fatigue and cannot be cured by magic.

Lightly fatigued The lightly fatigued character is unable to see well because of mental overexertion. A lightly fatigued Sohei is Dazzled for 1 minute.

Moderately fatigued A moderately fatigued character can neither run nor charge and takes a -2 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the fatigued character to become exhausted. After 10 minutes, moderately fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

Heavily fatigued A heavily fatigued character cannot run or charge and takes a -4 penalty to Strength and Dexterity. Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the heavily fatigued character to become severely fatigued. After 30 minutes of rest, heavily fatigued characters are no longer fatigued.

Severely fatigued A severely fatigued character is exhausted.  She moves at half speed and takes a -6 penalty to Strength and Dexterity.  Doing anything that would normally cause fatigue causes the severely fatigued Sohei to become mortally fatigued.  After 1 hour of complete rest, a severely fatigued character characters are no longer fatigued.

Mortally fatigued Characters are incapable of attacking or effectively defending themselves and collapse into a trembling heap immediately (helpless). The character must attempt a Will Save DC 15 + Spell level; if she fails, the strain proves too much and she perishes.  If she passes, she remains unconscious for 2 hours before awaking severely fatigued.  Obviously, a Sohei should be extremely careful when she begins to feel this tired she can cause her own death if she overdoes it.

Humanities Footstep

As part of her training a Sohei learns to use movement as well as armor to avoid blows.  She gains dodge as a bonus feat.

Reikon Ki Channel

It is not known if the art of Reikou Ki is learned or an innate ability within each sohei.  Yet it is a powerful tool each sohei can wield at a price.  In a time where resources are low and medical care nearly extinct for those of less than royal status.  The ability to heal personal injury is vital to the role of a sohei who does not always have access to such luxury.  A sohei can temporarily sacrifice a portion of her ki to heal her own physical wounds or those of another.  When Reikon Ki is activated a sohei must sacrifice 2 points of constitution (this is ability damage not drain).  She may then heal each person touched for 2 hp per level they possess for every 2 points of constitution damage.  She may touch 1 target including herself for every point of constitution sacrificed.  The activation of this ability creates a leak in the sohei’s ki and this release makes it so the sohei cannot heal the constitution damage for 1 hour after activation of this ability.  (EXA: a sohei who sacrifices 4 constitution may heal up to 4 targets for 4 hp for each level they posses.) (No subject of Reikon Ki can be affected more than once per day with this type of healing)

Weapon Ki II

When wielding her weapon of choice a Sohei is able to channel her ki into her movements and weapon.  This focus grants the sohei a +2 insight bonus to her Armor Class, Attack Roll, and Damage Roll.  This ability last 5 + Wisdom modifier rounds. She now gains an extra attack if she uses a full attack action.

Defending Humanity

A sohei training has shown her the basics of once ancient martial arts styles she can now deflect missile weapons as long as she wields her chosen weapon.  She gains deflect arrows as a bonus feat.

Blind Will

The mind of a sohei is not one to mettle in.  Against enchantment, mind effecting, and compulsion spells a sohei is allowed two saving throws if either passes the spell effect is negated.

Kyousei Ki Channel

This is the next step in Reikon Ki.  This state of ki transfer improved the healing to 4 hp per level of the subject for every 2 constitution sacrificed. A sohei has learned to not only mend physical wounds but though proper channeling of her ki remove the taint of disease and poison from the body of those touched.  Anyone who is under the effect of a poison or disease, magical or natural gains a second saving throw against their affliction with a saving throw bonus equal to the number of constitution sacrificed.

Weapon Ki III

When wielding her weapon of choice a Sohei is able to channel her ki into her movements and weapon.  This focus grants the sohei a +3 insight bonus to her Armor Class, Attack Roll, and Damage Roll.  This ability last 5 + Wisdom modifier rounds. She now gains an extra attack if she uses a full attack action.  A sohei has learned to maintain her Weapon Ki for the full duration of an encounter without limit.

Manmaoru Ki Channel

Reikon was the beginning, Kyousei was the path and Manmaoru is the final step.  With this final process of Ki transfer a sohei can now step into the ki of those she heals.  This state of ki transfer improved the healing to 6 hp per level of the subject for every 2 constitution sacrificed, and increases the poison and disease saving throw to +2 per point of constitution sacrificed.