Building Bhakashal - Classes - The Spartan

Monks in 1e are a mixed bag, they very much feel like they were tacked on to the game and given a potpourri of abilities that didn’t fit in anywhere else. Not a spell caster, thief skills, lousy AC and HP until mid levels (so not a skirmisher), monks were a strange “between” class that was a hard fit at the table.

But the idea of a non-armored fighter who uses martial arts of some kind has a lot of appeal. 

So for Bhakashal monks are now Spartans, and the setting leans into their fighter status. In a world with armor and swords, a martial arts based character needs to be tough. The basic elements are there, they just needed some polishing up, specifically HD, “to hit” tables are changed, and ability score bonuses can be applied to open hand attacks.

The other aspect of monks that Bhakashal leans into is the idea that they train their bodies and their minds, they have what amounts to low level psionic abilities to represent their ability to develop themselves to the peak of physical and mental power. All of the Spartan abilities represent mastery of the body or the mind.

Statistics

Ability Score Minimums - STR 15 WIS 15 DEX 15 CON 11

Weapon Proficiency Profile - Special

Weapons/Armor - No armor, any weapon

XP Progression - As Monk

“To Hit” and Saving Throws - As Mercenary

HD: d8

Abilities

Level	Armor* Class	Move	Open Hand Att/Round	Open Hand  Damage**	Special Abilities
1	10	15”	3/2	d6/2	Jump
2	9	16”	3/2	d4	Climb Walls
3	8	17”	3/2	d6	Blocking Missiles
4	7	18”	3/2	d6+1	Saving Throw Damage Reduction
5	6	19”	3/2	2d4	Speak with Animals
6	5	20”	3/2	d6+2	Feign Death
7	4	21”	2	2d6	Mask the Mind
8	3	22”	2	3d4	Immune to disease and slow
9	2	23”	2	2d6+1	Self Healing
10	1	24”	2	3d4+1	Immunity to Charm/Hypnosis
11	0	25”	2	4d4	Speak with Plants
12	-1	26”	2	4d4+1	Immunity to Paralysis
13	-2	27”	3	5d4	Resistance to Mental Attacks
14	-3	28”	3	4d6	Immunity to Poison
15	-4	29”	3	4d6+1	Mind Blank
16	-5	30”	4	5d6	Steel Skin
17	-6	31”	4	5d6+1	Haste
18	-7	32”	4	8d4	Death Touch

* Spartans get DEX modifiers to AC

** Spartans get STR modifiers to open hand damage

1. Open Hand Attacks - Spartan are masters of martial arts, using a combination of throws, redirections, and blows with the hands, arms, legs and feet. So for example, against armored foes the Spartan might dodge so their foe crashes into a wall, or throw them so they crash into the ground. Spartan open hand attacks get WvrsAC modifiers of -1 M/ +1L / +2N.

2. Weapon Proficiency Profile - Spartans get 1 weapon to start and master a new weapon every 2 levels thereafter. Spartans may stack their proficiency bonus. They have a NPP of -2.

3.  Open Hand Criticals - Spartans get critical hits using open hand attacks when they exceed their required “to hit” by 3 rather than 5.

4. Special Abilities by Level

1st Level - Jump: First level Spartans can jump 10’ forward or 10’ up from a running start. Every level thereafter they add 1’ to their distance. Spartans can jump and land on an opponent, making an open hand attack, if they are successful, their damage is shifted up to the next level (e.g. a first level spartan jumping and attacking a foe does d4 damage). This cannot be done indoors.

2nd Level - Climb Walls - 2nd level Spartan’s can climb walls as a 1st level thief.

3rd Level - Blocking Missiles - Block incoming missiles with a save versus petrification

4th Level - Saving Throw Damage Reduction - A Spartan who fails their save takes 1/2 damage against spells like fireball, a Spartan who makes their save takes no damage.  

5th Level - Speak with Animals as the spell, a form of primitive telepathy

6th Level - Feign Death as the spell

7th Level - Mask the Mind, with a 5% chance per level of resisting ESP

8th Level - Immunity to disease and Slow

9th Level - Self heal 2-8 HP damage at 9th level, + 1 per level after that

10th Level - Immunity to charm/hypnosis

11th Level -  Speak with Plants as the spell

12th Level - Immunity to all forms of Paralysis

13th Level - Resistance to Mental Attacks

14th Level - The Spartan has an effective INT of 18 with respect to psionic attacks

15th Level - Mind Blank as the spell

16th Level - The Spartan can alter the density of their skin, absorbing the 1st 10hp of any attack against them for up to 1 turn per level

17th Level - Haste once per day as the spell

18th Level - Death Touch - When a Spartan rolls a critical any target below their level in level/HD is instantly slain, targets above their level in level/HD get a save versus death

5. Spartans will be associated with a monastery, they will train with higher level Spartans and develop their new powers. There are no costs associated with this training. Spartans may reside at the monastery and receive room and board free of charge.

6. When Spartans hit 7th level, and every level thereafter, they must defeat a Spartan of the next level up in order to advance to the next level. If they do not win the combat they must wait for a month before trying again. 

7. When Spartans hit 8th level, they will attain 2-5 1st level Spartans as followers. These followers will be loyal to the Spartan as long as they are treated well. If the Spartan makes it to 12th level they may start a monastery of their own.

8. Spartans do not accumulate wealth, they will keep enough loot to support themselves, and to purchase weapons/equipment/mounts, etc. Otherwise they eschew wealth, and donate all excess wealth (e.g. their shares of loot from adventuring) to their monastery.

9. Spartans may not use armor (magical or otherwise) or potions of any kind.