Custom Pathfinder Archetype: Brewmaster Monk

Brewmaster (monk archetype)

Brewmaster is the spec I play as my main in world of Warcraft, so I love this class. I tried to do it justice, which is sort of difficult. I originally incorporated a stagger mechanic, but it ended up being far, FAR too complicated, so I decided to go with stagger and purifying brew, which you can find in the brews section. In order to balance the loss of fury of blows, I boosted their raw unarmed damage. It may seem like a lot, but they attack far less. 

Alignment: Any lawful.

Hit die: d8.

Skill points: 4+int.

Class skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Craft, Escape artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (history, religion), Perception, Perform, Profession, Ride, Sense motive, Stealth, Swim.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Movement Bonus	Unarmed damage
1	0	2	2	2	Quick draw, brews, Unarmed strike, blackout strike	+0 ft.	1d6
2	1	3	3	3	Bonus Feat, Evasion, Heavy fists	+0 ft.	1d8
3	2	3	3	3	Maneuver training, Brews	+0 ft.	1d8
4	3	4	4	4	Brewmaster's Ki (magic), slow fall 20 ft., Elusive brawler	+10 ft.	1d8
5	3	4	4	4	High jump, Purity of body, Brews	+10 ft.	1d10
6	4	5	5	5	Slow fall 30 ft., uncanny dodge	+10 ft.	1d10
7	5	5	5	5	Brewmaster's ki (cold iron/silver), Brews	+10 ft.	1d10
8	6/1	6	6	6	Slow fall 40 ft., invigoration	+20 ft.	2d6
9	6/1	6	6	6	Improved evasion, Brews	+20 ft.	2d6
10	7/2	7	7	7	Bonus feat, Brewmaster's ki (lawful), Slow fall 50 ft.	+20 ft.	2d6
11	8/3	7	7	7	Diamond body, Brews	+20 ft.	2d8
12	9/4	8	8	8	Abundant step, Slow fall 60 ft.	+30 ft.	2d8
13	9/4	8	8	8	Brews, improved uncanny dodge	+30 ft.	2d8
14	10/5	9	9	9	Slow fall 70 ft.	+30 ft.	2d10
15	11/6/1	9	9	9	Brews	+30 ft.	2d10
16	12/7/2	10	10	10	Brewmaster's ki (adamantine), slow fall 80 ft.	+40 ft.	2d10
17	13/8/3	10	10	10	Timeless body, tongue of the sun and moon, Brews	+40 ft.	3d8
18	13/8/3	11	11	11	Bonus feat, slow fall 90 ft.	+40 ft.	3d8
19	14/8/4	11	11	11	Empty body, Brews	+40 ft.	3d8
20	15/10/5	12	12	12	Perfect self, slow fall any distance	+50 ft.	5d6

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks are proficient with the club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shortspear, short sword, shuriken, siangham, sling, and spear. Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields. When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, the monk loses their AC bonus, as well as their fast movement ability.

Armor class (Ex): A monk against insight AC equal to their wisdom modifier. This bonus also applies to their touch AC and CMD.

Quick draw (Ex): The brewmaster gains the quick draw feat. This feat also applies to potions, brews, and other drinks.

Unarmed Strike (Ex): At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

Usually a monk'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.

A monk'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.

A monk also deals more damage with his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown above on Table: Monk. The unarmed damage values listed on Table: Monk is for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with his unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see Small or Large Monk Unarmed Damage on the table on the paizo website, linked above.

Blackout strike (Ex): The brewmaster smashes their enemy with fist or staff. This ability acts as the stunning fist feat, but applies to all bludgeoning monk weapons as well. At 8^th level, the enemy is knocked unconscious for 1 round if they fail the fortitude save. At 16^th level, they’re knocked unconscious for 1d4 + a number of rounds equal to the monk’s strength modifier (minimum 1). This ability can be used a number of times per day equal to their level + wisdom modifier. This replaces stunning fist.

Brews (Su): At the beginning of the day, the brewmaster creates magical brews that enhance their own abilities. A brewmaster learns how to craft two brews at first level, and adds another to their collection of potential brews every two levels thereafter. The brewmaster creates a number of brews at the start of the day equal to ½ their level plus their wisdom modifier.

At first level, drinking a brew is a move action. At tenth level, it is a swift action. Two brews cannot be consumed in the same round. However, a potion and a brew can.

Ironskin brew: Drinking an ironskin brew gives the brewmaster a +1 enhancement bonus to their natural armor for a number of minutes equal to their level. This bonus increases by +2 at 4^th level and every 3 levels thereafter, to a maximum of +8 at 19^th level.

Fortifying brew: Drinking this brew is difficult and vast, making it a full-round action. For the next number of rounds equal to the monk’s level, they gain 1 DR/-, +1 to their base natural armor, +1 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls. These bonuses increase by 1 for every 5 monk levels they possess. This brew requires 7^th level, and takes 2 brew uses to craft. If a non-brewmaster drinks this brew, they are stunned for 1d4 rounds (fort negates) and are sickened for 1d4 hours (no save), and do not gain the bonuses the brew provides.

Stagger and purifying brew: By drinking this two-chamber brew, they bend time itself, delaying all the damage they take for one round. Until their next turn, they take no damage – but take it in one hit at the end of their next turn. If they drink the second chamber the following turn, they can remove half the damage they are about to take at the end of their turn. They cannot extend damage more than one turn.

Spirit brew: Drinking this brew strengthens the mind and body of the brewmaster, granting them a +1 insight bonus to their saving throws for one minute per level they possess. This bonus increases by 1 for every five levels the brewmaster possesses.

Black-ox brew: Drinking this brew bolsters the users power, granting them a +2 enhancement bonus to their strength score. This bonus increases by +2 for every 5 levels the monk possesses for a number of minutes equal to the monk’s level.

Quick-strike brew: This brew quickens the monk’s reactions and strikes, granting them a +1 insight bonus to their attack rolls, and granting them an additional attack at their highest base attack bonus during a full attack action. This bonus increases by +1 for every five levels the monk possesses, and lasts a number of minutes equal to the monk’s level. This bonus attack does not stack with the haste spell, or similar effects.

Tigerseye brew: Drinking this brew gives the user a keen eye, granting them double the critical strike range on any attack they take for a number of minutes equal to their level. This does not stack with keen or improved critical, or other effects that increase critical threat range.

Elemental brew: Drinking this brew gives the user resist fire, cold, electricity, and acid 3 for a number of minutes equal to the monk’s level. At 8^th level, this increases to 6. At 16^th level, this increases to 10. At 20^th level, this increases to 20. The brewmaster can instead create a brew specific to one energy type at double the resistance. At 20^th level, it provides an immunity to the energy type chosen.

Healing elixir: This brew heals the brewmaster for a number of hit points equal to their level plus their wisdom modifier. This can be given to someone else at full healing.

Quickstep brew: Drinking this brew increases movement speed by 30 ft. (morale bonus) for 1 minute per level of the monk. This bonus increases by 10 ft. for every 5 levels the monk possesses.

Resistance brew: At 11th level, drinking this brew gives the monk 11+CL spell resistance for 1 minute per level of the monk.

This ability replaces flurry of blows, still mind, wholeness of body, and diamond soul.

Heavy fists: At 2^nd level, their slow, hard-hitting style improves their unarmed damage past that of their other adversaries. Their unarmed damage increases at 3^rd, 6^th, 10^th, 13^th, 17^th, and 20^th level.

Bonus Feat: At 2nd, 10th, and 18th level, a brewmaster monk may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Catch Off-Guard, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Scorpion Style, and Throw Anything. At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Gorgon's Fist, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Mobility, Improved Critical, Medusa's Wrath, Snatch Arrows, and Spring Attack. A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Maneuver Training (Ex): At 3rd level, a monk uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.

Brewmaster’s Ki (Su): At fourth level, the brewmaster gains access to a number of abilities from their ki, focusing on their specialties rather than the typical monk ways. At 4th level, their unarmed strikes are considered magic. At 7th, they are considered cold iron and silver. At 10th level, they are considered lawful. At 16th level, they are considered adamantine. they can spend a ki point to make an extra attack, increase their dodge AC by 4 for 1 round, or improve their movement speed by 30 ft. for one round. Using ki is a swift action.

The monk gains a number or drunken ki equal to their wisdom modifier. Whenever a brewmaster drinks one of their brews, they regain 1 ki point.

4th level:

Keg smash: By using 1 ki point, the monk throws a keg (viable with quick draw), dealing the monk’s unarmed damage to an enemy within 20 ft. This is a splash weapon, but only splashes the alcohol on those surrounding the target space. A successful reflex save avoids the alcohol. If the keg surpasses touch AC, but not overall AC, the keg smashes and the alcohol still splashes, but no damage is dealt.

Breath of fire: With the brews they drink, their breath becomes dangerous. Using a flick of flame and 1 ki point, the brewmaster can breathe fire on their enemies in a 20 ft. cone, dealing 2d6 damage, plus 1d6 per two levels following fourth. If the enemy was damaged by keg smash in the last 3 rounds, they take a -2 penalty to their save, the damage dice increases to d8, and they take 1d8 damage for the next four rounds or until they take a full-round action to put the flame out. When the flame goes out, the alcohol is gone, as well.

Ki sight: At 4^th level, as long as the monk has one ki point in the pool, they maintain a strong sense of focus. They gain a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls, and perception checks. This bonus increases by +1 at 8^th, 12^th, 16^th, and 20^th level.

7th:

Elusive Dance: As long as the brewmaster has at least 1 ki point, they gain +1 dodge AC for 1d4 rounds after drinking a brew. This bonus increases by 1 at 8^th and 16^th level.

Ring of Peace: By using 1 ki point, the monk sets a mystical shield with a 10 ft. radius on an area within 30 ft. of them. This pending a will save, enemies within are shoved out adjacent to the shield, and any who wish to enter/leave must make a will save or be pushed back. This lasts a number of rounds equal to the monk’s wisdom modifier.

High tolerance: If the monk has at least 1 ki point in their pool, they gain a +1 bonus to their base natural armor, and 2 DR/-. This damage reduction increases by 1 at 10^th, 13^th, 16^th, and 19^th level. If they are below 50% health, they may roll two d20s and take the highest result on one roll per round, and gain half their wisdom modifier as additional DR/-. This must be chosen before the roll is made. If they are at 1 health or lower, they may roll twice and take the higher result on any roll, and gain their entire wisdom modifier as DR/-

Gift of the ox:  The monk can spend 1 ki point to gain the gift of the ox as a standard action. For the next round, any time the monk takes hit point damage, they release an orb of pure ki energy randomly placed in a 5 foot space adjacent to the them. The orb can only be seen and absorbed by the brewmaster. When the brewmaster passes through the orb, they heal for 1d6 hit points plus 1 per level.

10th:

Blackout combo: At 10^th level, the brewmaster is empowered by their blackout strikes, strengthening their abilities. By spending 1 ki point as they use a blackout strike, they empower the next ability used within a number of rounds equal to their wisdom modifier.

Keg smash: Throw distance increases by 10 ft. and damage increases by one step.

Normal attack: damage dealt counts as vital strike, or one feat higher than one they possess.

Breath of fire: Reflex DC increases by 2.

Ironskin brew: Gain +2 to all damage rolls for the duration. +4 at level 15 and +6 at 20.

Quickstep brew: Grants you 1 stack of elusive brawler immediately, and allows regular attacks to gain the one stack of elusive brawler per round for the duration in addition to ki abilities and blackout strike.

Quick-strike brew: increases movement speed by 15 ft. for the duration. This does not stack with quickstep brew.

Black-ox brew: Increases melee attack damage by 1 size category for the duration.

Elemental Brew: The user’s weapon attacks gain random enchantment of frost, flaming, shock, or corrosive for one round. (1d4, 1=frost, 2=flaming, 3=shock, 4=corrosive)

Healing elixir: grants the monk a new save against a random condition affecting them.

Tigerseye brew: the critical multiplier of the first critical hit is increased by 1.

Spirit brew: If the user fails a fear save during the duration, they are shaken—if they would normally be frightened or panicked. In addition, if the user is subject to a domination spell or effect (dominate person, suggestion, command, or other effects) they gain a +2 additional bonus to the saving throw.

Dampen harm: Increase the duration to 2 rounds.

Ring of peace: Enemies who are shoved out of the area must make a reflex save or fall prone.

Gift of the ox: Increase the healing of the orbs generated to 1d8+1 per level.

Dampen harm: The monk can spend 1 ki point as a move action to take 50% damage from all sources for one round.

ki spirit: As long the brewmaster has one ki point in their pool, they gain a +1 insight bonus to their saving throws.

16^th level: Invoke ancient: Once per day, the brewmaster may channel one of the ancient spirits as a full-round action. This action spends 3 ki points.

Xu’en, the white tiger: For a number of rounds equal to the brewmaster’s wisdom modifier, their unarmed attacks may deal damage as piercing, bludgeoning, or slashing, and gain the shocking burst enchantment. In addition, their unarmed attacks have a base critical threat range of 19-20. This electricity damage pierces 20 resistance, and treats immunity as resist 10. In addition, for the duration the brewmaster gains +1 to their dodge AC, reflex saves, attack rolls, CMB checks, and gains one additional attack at their highest base attack bonus when making a full attack.

Niuzao, the black ox: The brewmaster smashes their fists upon the ground, dealing a mighty blow. Enemies within a 10 ft.-radius of the brewmaster takes their unarmed damage (rolled once), and are subject to a bull-rush attempt. The brewmaster rolls once against the CMD of all targets. On a successful attempt, enemies are shoved adjacent to the affected area, plus an additional 5 ft. for every 5 the brewmaster overcomes the CMD, and are knocked prone. The brewmaster deals damage one category higher, and gains a +4 bonus to the bull rush attempt. This does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if they do not have the improved bull rush feat. A successful reflex save halves the damage, but not the prone condition or bull rush attempt.

Yu’lon, the Jade serpent: Jade winds whirl around the brewmaster for a number of rounds equal to their level, dealing 1d6 + their level in damage as slashing, magic, and lawful. The brewmaster gains healing for 50% of the damage done. A successful reflex save halves the damage.

Chi-ji, the red crane: The spirit of the red crane soars throughout the battlefield in a 60 ft. radius around them, granting fast healing to all allies equal to the brewmaster’s wisdom modifier for a number of rounds equal to the same.

This ability modifies the monk’s ki pool ability, and replaces the bonus feats gained at 1st, 6^th, and 14^th level.

Elusive brawler: At 4th level, whenever the brewmaster is struck by an attack that they are aware of or use an attack action, or a ki ability, they focus and fight harder. Each time they are hit or use a ki/attack, their dodge AC increases by 1. The bonus is lost once an enemy misses an attack they are aware of. This bonus has a maximum of half the brewmaster’s monk level. At 8^th level, each elusive brawler gain increases the monk’s dodge AC by 2 (or 1, if the maximum bonus is an odd number). This rate increases to +3 at 16th level. This AC bonus resets after one minute of not being attacked.

This ability replaces the AC bonus.

Slow Fall (Ex): At 4th level or higher, a monk within arm's reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent. When first gaining this ability, he takes damage as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. The monk's ability to slow his fall (that is, to reduce the effective distance of the fall when next to a wall) improves with his monk level until at 20th level he can use a nearby wall to slow his descent and fall any distance without harm.

High Jump (Ex): At 5th level, a monk adds his level to all Acrobatics checks made to jump, both for vertical jumps and horizontal jumps. In addition, he always counts as having a running start when making jump checks using Acrobatics. By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk gains a +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks made to jump for 1 round.

Purity of Body (Ex): At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Uncanny dodge (Ex): At 6th level, the brewmaster gains the uncanny dodge ability; they can not be caught flat-footed.

Invigoration (Ex): At 8^th level, Whenever the brewmaster drinks one of their mystical brews, they grant themselves hit points equal to their level. If they drink a brew at maximum hit points, they gain these as temporary hit points. These cannot go above their maximum level.

Improved Evasion (Ex): At 9th level, a monk's evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Diamond Body (Su): At 11th level, a monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.

Abundant Step (Su): At 12th level or higher, a monk can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 2 points from his ki pool. His caster level for this effect is equal to his monk level. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability.

Improved uncanny dodge (Ex): At 13th level, the brewmaster gains the improved uncanny dodge ability; they can not be flanked.

Timeless Body (Ex): At 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex): A monk of 17th level or higher can speak with any living creature.

Empty Body (Su): At 19th level, a monk gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points from his ki pool. This ability only affects the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.

Perfect Self: At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk's creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/chaotic, which allows him to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonchaotic weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn't have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type.

Brewmaster Feats

Light brewing: The character may create 2 additional brews at the start of the day.

Extra brew: Learn how to craft one additional type of brew.