# Argent Fist <left> Argent Fist is a hybrid class of Paladin and Monk, based on the Prestige class of the same name from 3.5 ## Making an Argent Fist __Alignment:__ Lawful Good <br>__Starting Wealth:__ 1d6 × 10 gp (average 35 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less. <br>__Starting Age:__ As Paladin <br>__Hit Die:__ d10 ## Class Features ### Weapon and Armor Proficiency Argent Fists are proficient with all simple weapons and any weapon with the _monk_ special weapon quality. Argent Fists are proficient with light armor but not with any kind of shield. When wearing medium or heavy armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, an Argent Fist loses her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities. ### Class Skills Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis). ### Unarmed Strike At 1st level, an Argent Fist gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. An Argent Fist’s unarmed attacks can be made with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that an Argent Fist can make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for an Argent Fist striking unarmed. An Argent Fist can apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. An Argent Fist’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, although he can choose to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty on his attack roll. He can make this choice while grappling as well. An Argent Fist’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. The damage dealt by an Argent Fist’s unarmed strike is shown on Table: Argent Fist. When using this ability, the Argent Fist can make these attacks with any combination of his unarmed strikes and weapons that have the _monk_ special weapon quality. He takes no penalty for using multiple weapons when making a flurry of blows, but he does not gain any additional attacks beyond what’s already granted by the flurry for doing so. (He can still gain additional attacks from a high base attack bonus, from this ability, and from haste and similar effects). \columnbreak ### Detect Evil At will, an Argent Fist can use detect evil, as the spell. An Argent Fist can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. While focusing on one individual or object, the Argent Fist does not detect evil in any other object or individual within range. ### Aura of Good The power of an Argent Fist’s aura of good (see the _detect good_ spell) is equal to her Argent Fist level. ### Smite Evil Once per day, an Argent Fist can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the Argent Fist chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the Argent Fist adds her Charisma bonus (minimum 0) to her attack rolls and adds her Argent Fist level to all damage rolls made against the target of her smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the Argent Fist possesses. Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the Argent Fist gains a deflection bonus equal to her Charisma modifier (if any) to her AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the Argent Fist targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect. The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the Argent Fist rests and regains her uses of this ability. An Argent Fist's uses of this ability increase by one at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. ### Stunning Fist At 2nd level, the Argent Fist gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. At 4th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the Argent Fist gains the ability to apply a new condition to the target of his Stunning Fist. This condition replaces stunning the target for 1 round, and a successful saving throw still negates the effect. * 4th: Make the target fatigued. * 8th: Make the target sickened for 1 minute. * 12th: Make the target staggered for 1d6+1 rounds. * 16th: Permanently blind or deafen the target. * 20th: Paralyze the target for 1d6+1 rounds. The Argent Fist must choose which condition will apply before the attack roll is made. These effects do not stack with themselves (a creature fatigued by Stunning Fist does not become exhausted if hit by Stunning Fist again), but additional hits do increase the duration. \pagebreak ### Table: Argent Fist | .Level. | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Features_________________________________________ | Unarmed Damage | Fast Movement | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :--- | :---: | :---: | |1st| +1 | +2 | +2 | +2 | Unarmed Strike, Smite Evil, Aura of Good, Detect Evil|1d4|0 |2nd| +2 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Stunning Fist, Evasion, Lay on Hands|1d4|0 |3rd| +3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | Fast Movement, Ki Strike (magic)|1d4|5 |4th| +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Channel Positive Energy|1d6|5 |5th| +5 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Smite Evil 2/day, Stunning Smite|1d6|5 |6th| +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +5| Style Strike (1/round), Balm of the Silver Flame|1d6|10 |7th| +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +5| Ki Strike (cold iron, silver)|1d6|10 |8th| +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +6| Purity of Body|1d8|10 |9th| +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +6| Smite Evil 3/day|1d8|15 |10th| +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +7| Ki Strike (lawful, good)|1d8|15 |11th| +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +7| Flurry of Blows (bonus attack), Wrath of the Silver Flame|1d8|15 |12th| +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +8| Improved Evasion|1d10|20 |13th| +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +8| Smite Evil 4/day|1d10|20 |14th| +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +9| Style Strike|1d10|20 |15th| +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +9| Tongue of the Sun and Moon|1d10|25 |16th| +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10| +10 | +10| Ki Strike (adamantine)|2d6|25 |17th| +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +10| Smite Evil 5/day|2d6|25 |18th| +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +11| Timeless Body|2d6|30 |19th| +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11| +11| Flawless Mind|2d6|30 |20th| +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +12| Embrace of the Silver Flame|2d8|30 ### Evasion At 2nd level, an Argent Fist can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If an Argent Fist succeeds at a 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 the Argent Fist is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Argent Fist does not gain the benefit of evasion. ### Lay on Hands Beginning at 2nd level, an Argent Fist can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. Each day she can use this ability a number of times equal to 1/2 her Argent Fist level plus her Charisma modifier. With one use of this ability, an Argent Fist can heal 1d6 hit points of damage for every two Argent Fist levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the Argent Fist targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, an Argent Fist only needs one free hand to use this ability. Alternatively, an Argent Fist can use this healing power to deal damage to undead creatures, dealing 1d6 points of damage for every two levels the Argent Fist possesses. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage. \columnbreak <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> ### Fast Movement At 3rd level, an Argent Fist gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: Argent Fist. An Argent Fist in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed. ### Ki Strike At 3rd level, an Argent Fist's ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness. ### Channel Positive Energy At 4th level, the Argent Fist gains the supernatural ability to channel positive energy like a cleric. Using this ability consumes two uses of her lay on hands ability. An Argent Fist uses her level as her effective cleric level when channeling positive energy. This is a Charisma-based ability. \pagebreak ### Stunning Smite (Ex): At 5th level, when an Argent Fist uses Stunning Fist on the target of her Smite, she adds her Charisma bonus to the Stunning Fist DC. ### Style Strike At 6th level, an Argent Fist can learn one type of style strike. Whenever he makes a flurry of blows, he can designate one of his unarmed strikes as a style strike. This attack is resolved as normal, but it has an additional effect depending on the type of strike chosen. At 14th level, an Argent Fist learns an additional type of style strike. He must choose which style strike to apply before the attack roll is made. Style Strikes are listed at the end of this section. ### Balm of the Silver Flame (Su): At 6th level, an Argent Fist can spend one use of Stunning Fist as a swift action to enhance her healing power. Until the end of her turn, any spell or ability she uses that heals hit point damage restores double the normal amount of hit points. ### Purity of Body At 8th level, an Argent Fist gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases. ### Flurry of Blows At 11th level, an Argent Fist can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When making a flurry of blows, the Argent Fist can make one additional attack at his highest base attack bonus. This additional attack stacks with the bonus attacks from haste and other similar effects. ### Wrath of the Silver Flame (Su): At 11th level, an Argent Fist can spend one use of Lay on Hands as a swift action to cause her fists (or any special _monk_ weapons she is holding) to erupt with silver flames. This fire gives off no heat but sheds light as a torch. The silver flames add 2d6 points of damage to any successful attack against a lycanthrope, undead, evil outsider, or evil dragon (merely touching such a creature deals no damage). This damage is considered holy damage and is thus not subject to fire resistance. Once activated, the silver flame burns for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the Argent Fist's Charisma bonus (minimum 0). ### Improved Evasion At 12th level, an Argent Fist’s evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on successful Reflex saving throws against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on failed saves. A helpless Argent Fist does not gain the benefit of improved evasion. ### Tongue of the Sun and Moon At 13th level, an Argent Fist can understand and speak with any living creature, as if under a permanent tongues effect. \columnbreak ### Timeless Body At 17th level, an Argent Fist 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 Argent Fist still dies of old age when his time is up. ### Flawless Mind At 19th level, an Argent Fist gains total control over his mental faculties. Whenever he attempts a Will save, he can roll twice and take the better result. If he fails a Will saving throw against a spell or effect that has a duration longer than 1 hour, the Argent Fist can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each hour to end the effect. ### Embrace of the Silver Flame (Su): At 20th level, once per day as a swift action an Argent Fist may become engulfed in an aura of argent fire that sheds no heat. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to 5 + the Argent Fist's Charisma bonus (minimum 0) and grants all the benefits of Wrath of the Silver Flame as well as the following: * She gains fast healing equal to her Wisdom bonus (minimum 1). * Her movement speed is doubled, and she may move before and after attacking. * She radiates light as if she was the center of a daylight spell. * Any lycanthrope, undead, evil outsider, or evil dragon within the 60-foot radius of the pure divine energy she radiates takes a -2 penalty to AC and also takes 2d6 points of damage each round at the end of her turn. * Any critical threat she scores against a lycanthrope, undead, evil outsider, or evil dragon with an unarmed strike or special _monk_ weapon is automatically confirmed, and this bypasses any immunity to critical hits they might have. ## Ex-Argent Fists Argent Fists must be Lawful Good and follow the Argent Fist's Code of Conduct. If she violates any of these requirements, she becomes an Ex-Argent Fist. Ex-Argent Fists lose all Argent Fist class features and may not gain levels of Argent Fist or Monk or Paladin until she regains the proper alignment (if necessary) and atones for her misdeeds. ## Style Strikes #### Break The Argent Fist combines a writhing twist with a violent strike against a foe that is grappling him. If the Argent Fist’s attack is successful, he can attempt a grapple combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as a free action to escape a grapple, adding the strike’s damage as a bonus on his check. \pagebreak #### Defensive Spin The Argent Fist spins about, confounding his foe. If the attack hits, the Argent Fist gains a +4 dodge bonus to AC against any attacks made by the target of the style strike until the start of his next turn. This bonus does not stack with itself. The Argent Fist must attack with a fist to use this style strike. #### Elbow Smash The Argent Fist follows up a punch with a strike from his elbow. If the attack hits, the Argent Fist can make an additional attack using the same attack bonus as the punch at a –5 penalty. If this second attack hits, it deals damage as normal, but all of the damage is nonlethal. The Argent Fist must attack with a fist to use this style strike. #### Flying Kick The Argent Fist leaps through the air to strike a foe with a kick. Before the attack, the Argent Fist can move a distance equal to his fast movement bonus. This movement is made as part of the Argent Fist’s flurry of blows attack and does not require an additional action. At the end of this movement, the Argent Fist must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement provokes an attack of opportunity as normal. The attack made after the movement must be a kick. #### Foot Stomp The Argent Fist stomps on a foe’s foot, preventing the opponent from escaping. If the attack hits and the Argent Fist ends his turn adjacent to that foe, the foe’s movement is restricted. Until the start of the Argent Fist’s next turn, the target of this attack can move only in such a way that the space it occupies is adjacent to the Argent Fist. Alternatively, it can attempt a combat maneuver check (against the Argent Fist’s CMD) as a standard action to break free. This strike does not work against foes that cannot be tripped. The Argent Fist must attack with a kick to use this style strike. #### Hammerblow The Argent Fist links his hands together, swinging both arms like a club and dealing tremendous damage. If the attack hits, the Argent Fist rolls his unarmed strike damage twice, adding both rolls together before applying Strength and other modifiers to the damage. This bonus damage is not multiplied on a critical hit. The Argent Fist must attack with a fist to use this style strike, but must have both hands free. #### Head-Butt The Argent Fist slams his head into his enemy’s head, leaving his foe reeling. If the attack hits and the foe is of the same size or one size smaller than the Argent Fist, the Argent Fist can make a free combat maneuver check against the target of this strike (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). If the foe is not of the same creature type as the Argent Fist, the Argent Fist takes a –8 penalty on this check. If the check is successful, the target is staggered for 1 round. Creatures without a discernible head are not affected by this style strike (subject to GM discretion). The Argent Fist must attack with a head-butt to use this style strike. \columnbreak #### Knockback Kick The Argent Fist attempts to knock his foe back with a powerful kick. If the attack hits, the Argent Fist can attempt a free combat maneuver check against the foe (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). If the check is successful, the foe is knocked 10 feet directly away from the Argent Fist. This distance increases by 10 feet for every 5 by which the check exceeds the foe’s CMD, to a maximum distance equal to the Argent Fist’s fast movement bonus. This movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The foe stops moving if it strikes another creature, barrier, or otherwise solid object. The creature is not knocked prone by this movement. The Argent Fist must attack with a kick to use this style strike. #### Leg Sweep The Argent Fist attempts to sweep his foe’s leg, knocking the opponent down. If the attack hits, the Argent Fist can make a free trip attempt against the target of this strike (using the base attack bonus of the attack used to hit the foe). This trip attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The Argent Fist must attack with a kick to use this style strike. #### Rabbit Punch The Argent Fist gives a sharp blow to the back of a foe’s head. The critical threat range and critical multiplier of this strike increase by 1, and the Argent Fist gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls to confirm a critical hit with this strike. This increase is not doubled by Improved Critical or similar effects. Creatures without a discernible head are unaffected by this style strike (subject to GM discretion). The Argent Fist must attack with a fist to use this style strike. Source PPC:MAH #### Shattering Punch The Argent Fist delivers a brutal punch that can penetrate defenses. If the attack hits, it bypasses any damage reduction or hardness possessed by the target of that attack. The Argent Fist must attack with a fist to use this style strike. #### Spin Kick The Argent Fist spins about, delivering a kick his foe did not expect. The Argent Fist makes his attack against the foe’s flat-footed AC. Creatures with the uncanny dodge class feature or a similar effect cannot be caught flat-footed by this style strike. The Argent Fist must attack with a kick to use this style strike. #### Throat Crush The Argent Fist gives a sharp blow to a foe’s throat, hampering its ability to speak for 1 round as if it had the caster croak spellblight. Creatures without a discernible throat, or with multiple vocal organs, are unaffected (subject to GM discretion).