Lin Kuei (Apath)

Unofficial rules compendium

This is a work in progress.

Lin Kuei (literally forest demons) are legendary Chinese stealth warriors. In Apath, it is a monk with rogue-like tricks.

Class Abilities

The lin kuei has all the monk's class features except as noted here.

Weapon Proficiency

Lin kuei are proficient with the cestus, club, dagger, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, short sword, shuriken, and temple sword. Many lin kuei take up the study of an exotic weapon to gain maximum benefit from their lethal strikes ability.

Unarmed Strike

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

A lin kuei'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 lin kue's unarmed strike does 1d6 lethal crushing and cutting damage (1d4 for a small lin kuei). A lin kuei can do nonlethal damage with unarmed attack by taking the standard -4 attack penalty to do so.

This is a modification to the monk's unarmed strike ability.

Lethal Strikes

As he advances in level, a lin kuei gains increased damage with melee and thrown attacks. This damage bonus begins at 1d6 at 1st level, and advances by another d6 at level 3 and every third level after level 3, to a maximum of 7d6 at level 18. When the lin kuei strikes an opponent that is unable to use his Dexterity bonus to armor class, he can add the full amount of this to his damage. When striking opponent's in other circumstances, he adds the minimum amount possible, as if all the lethal strike dice came up ones.

This replaces flurry of blows.

Sudden Charge

An opponent is flat-footed against a lin kuei who makes a charge. An opponent with uncanny dodge or who is otherwise immune to being flat-footed is immune to this ability.

This replaces stunning fist. A lin kuei that takes the Stunning Fist feat does not count lin kuei levels as Monk levels for the benefits of the feat.

Deceptive Shuriken (Ex)

When drawing one or more shuriken, a lin kuei can make a Sleight of Hand check against a DC of 10 + an opponent's Perception skill bonus to render that opponent flat-footed against his thrown shuriken this round. An opponent with uncanny dodge or who is otherwise immune to being flat-footed is immune to this ability, and repeated uses against the same opponent suffers a -10 penalty. A lin kuei with this ability can also throw Diminutive objects that are normally harmless (laying cards, pebbles, coins) as if they were shuriken. A lin kuei can pick up such objects as a free action that does not trigger an attack of opportunity.

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, a lin kuei can react to danger before her senses would normally allow her to do so. She cannot be caught flat-footed, nor does she lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if the attacker is invisible. She still loses her Dexterity bonus to AC if immobilized. A lin kuei with this ability can still lose her Dexterity bonus to AC if an opponent successfully uses the feint action against her.

If a lin kuei already possesses uncanny dodge from a different class, she automatically gains improved uncanny dodge instead.

This replaces still mind.

Improved Uncanny Dodge (Ex)

At 17th level, a lin kuei can no longer be flanked. This defense denies a rogue the ability to sneak attack the ninja by flanking her, unless the attacker has at least four more rogue levels than the target does.

If a character already has uncanny dodge from another class, the levels from the classes that grant uncanny dodge stack when determining the minimum rogue level required to flank the character.

This replaces tounge of the sun and moon.

Deceptive Moves

At third level, a lin kuei can feint as a swift action or as a free action combined with a regular move. This replaces maneuver training.

Summary of Changed Class Abilities

These abilities of the original class are lost or modified in this archetype: