The Wandering Fist
The Wandering Fist
Wandering Fists are unarmored fighters that use movement, breath, and force of will as weapons. Some learn from formal schools, others learn from a single teacher, and more than a few piece their style together from fights they survived. They leap across battlefields, turn missed attacks into counterattacks, strike things well outside the reach of their own arms, and eventually project enough concentrated will to make using a sword seem fairly mundane.
Basic Detail
HD Type: d6
Bonus HP Per HD: 6
Attack Curve: Medium
Magical Prowess: Null
Sub-Type: Specialist
Skill Growth: 8 + Intelligence Modifier (x4 at first level)
Suggested Skills: Acrobatics, Balance, Concentration, Discern Intent, Escape Artist, Heal, Intimidate, Investigate,
Knowledge (Common), Knowledge (History), Listen, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, Spot, and Swim.
Known Skills: 12 + Intelligence Modifier
Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed strikes and two weapons of choice
Armor Proficiency: None
Saves: 2 High and 2 Low; expands to 3 High and 1 Low at 10 HD
Primary Mental Attribute (PMA): Wisdom
Suggested Attribute Distribution: Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 12
Progression
| HD | Perk | Base Attack | High Save | Low Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Unarmed CombatantD, GraceA, QìA, and Improved Defensive FightingF | +0 | +2 | +0 |
| 2 | Qì StrikesA | +1 | +3 | +0 |
| 3 | GrapplerF | +2 | +3 | +1 |
| 4 | Twin TalonA | +3 | +4 | +1 |
| 5 | Speedy (+10 ft.)D and Unarmed Combatant AC +2 | +3 | +4 | +1 |
| 6 | Deadly AssaultA and Battle ProwessF | +4 | +5 | +2 |
| 7 | - | +5 | +5 | +2 |
| 8 | Leaping AssaultA | +6/+1 | +6 | +2 |
| 9 | Long StrikeF | +6/+1 | +6 | +3 |
| 10 | Anima AblationA, Breath WrapA, Resistive Focus (Fortitude)D, and Unarmed Combatant AC +3 | +7/+2 | +7 | +3 |
| 11 | - | +8/+3 | +7 | +3 |
| 12 | Cloud of UncertaintyA, Quick FeetF, and Speedy (+20 ft.) | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 |
| 13 | - | +9/+4 | +8 | +4 |
| 14 | RiposteA | +10/+5 | +9 | +4 |
| 15 | Unarmored DervishD, Deadly Accuracy (Unarmed)F, and Unarmed Combatant AC +4 | +11/+6/+1 | +9 | +5 |
| 16 | Sliding ScourgeA | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 |
| 17 | - | +12/+7/+2 | +10 | +5 |
| 18 | Tincture of VigorA and Rending Critical (Unarmed)F | +13/+8/+3 | +11 | +6 |
| 19 | - | +14/+9/+4 | +11 | +6 |
| 20 | Shadow FadeA, Flip TrickA, Nimble +5D, and Unarmed Combatant AC +5 | +15/+10/+5 | +12 | +6 |
F Feat, A Ability, and D Definition
The Breakdown
The Wandering Fist should make Reflex and Will their high saves. Resistive Focus changes Fortitude to a high save at 10 HD, leaving only Ego as a low save. Keep Acrobatics at the skill point cap for Grace and Leaping Assault. The suggested attributes meet all of the prerequisites already. Attribute increases can go into Wisdom to improve Qì, Anima Ablation, Breath Wrap, Will saves, and eventually Unarmored Dervish.
Unarmed Combatant: Become trained with unarmed strikes and count as armed while using them. A Medium Wandering Fist deals 1d6 lethal or nonlethal damage with a ×3 critical. Also gain a +1 dodge bonus to AC that increases by +1 at 5 HD and every 5 HD thereafter.
Grace: Gain Grace Points that can replace AC with an Acrobatics roll against one attack or reroll a failed Reflex save. At 10 HD, using Grace against an attack also grants defensive-fighting AC against the attacker's remaining attacks that turn.
Qì: Gain Qì Points that can briefly increase movement, ignore difficult terrain, improve a skill check, resist mental effects, or reroll a failed Will save.
Improved Defensive Fighting: At the start of a turn, take up to -5 on attacks and gain an equal dodge bonus to AC for the round.
Qì Strikes: Project force through melee attacks. Spend Qì to gain another 5 ft. of threatened reach or attack as far as 10 ft. beyond normal reach without threatening the extended squares.
Grappler: Initiating a grapple no longer provokes an attack of opportunity. Also gain +4 on every grapple check.
Twin Talon: Spend Grace to make two attacks at the highest attack bonus with a -2 penalty. Damaging hits can inflict a wound; a target that resists is stifled for 1 round instead.
Speedy: Increase every base movement speed by 10 ft. At 12 HD, the increase becomes 20 ft.
Deadly Assault: Spend a full round making every normal attack plus two additional attacks at the highest Base Attack Bonus. This does not stack with Haste's additional attack.
Battle Prowess: Add Dexterity to the number of attacks of opportunity that can be made each round.
Leaping Assault: Spend Grace to leap anywhere within close range without a running start or provoking an attack of opportunity. Land beside a target to make an attack with an additional 3d6 + Strength damage.
Long Strike: Unarmed attacks threaten an additional 5 ft. along the center squares of each cardinal direction.
Anima Ablation: Project Qì through a 30-ft. line dealing both bludgeoning and slashing damage. Failing the Will save also prevents the target from using spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities for up to a number of rounds equal to Wisdom.
Breath Wrap: Spend Qì to add Wisdom to grapple checks for a round or attempt to grapple a creature within 30 ft. by projecting the character's grip through their anima.
Resistive Focus (Fortitude): Permanently change Fortitude from a low save to a high save.
Cloud of Uncertainty: Create a strange mist-like field that allows non-linear movement. Physical attacks can hit multiple selected targets inside the cloud. At 10 HD, incoming attacks also suffer a 50% miss chance.
Quick Feet: Take no damage after succeeding on a Reflex save against an effect that normally deals half damage.
Riposte: Spend Grace when a melee attack misses. Every further melee miss by that attacker during the turn grants a full-bonus counterattack against them while they are flat-footed.
Unarmored Dervish: While unarmored, add Wisdom to AC as an insight bonus, to a maximum of +3.
Deadly Accuracy (Unarmed): Double the critical threat range of unarmed strikes from 20 to 19–20.
Sliding Scourge: Spend Grace to slide through a 20-ft. line and make one attack against every creature beside the path.
Tincture of Vigor: Gain a swift-action combat state that grants +20 ft. movement, +2 dodge AC and Reflex saves, and +2 haste attack and damage for 1 minute.
Rending Critical (Unarmed): Unarmed strikes have a ×3 critical through Unarmed Combatant, so their critical hits deal an additional 2d10 damage.
Shadow Fade: Melt into the floor as a fast-moving shadow. Reappear with an attack that can damage Strength, stun the target, and—with additional effort—damage Dexterity as well.
Flip Trick: Spend Grace to gain +5 dodge AC and Reflex saves for 3 rounds. During this time, the Wandering Fist cannot be flanked, caught flat-footed, or targeted by attacks of opportunity.
Nimble: Gain +5 to Acrobatics and Balance at 20 HD. Defensive fighting grants another +1 dodge AC, and total defense grants another +2 dodge AC.