Hit Die: d8
Requirements
To qualify to become a grappling friar, a character must fulfill all the following criteria.
- Attack Bonus: +5.
- Skills: Balance 5 ranks, Climb 5 ranks, Escape Artist 8 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks, Jump 5 ranks, Tumble 5 ranks.
- Feats: Agile, Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike.
- Special: Must defeat one creature of at least one size category larger in grappling combat.
Class Skills: The grappling friar's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Profession (any) (Wis), Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Intelligence modifier.
| Level | Attack Bonus |
Fort. Save |
Ref. Save |
Will Save |
Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Nimble, unarmed damage 1d6 |
| 2 | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Trip anyone, unarmed damage 1d6 |
| 3 | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Paralysis grip, unarmed damage 1d6 |
| 4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Titanic, unarmed damage 1d8 |
| 5 | +5 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Death Grip, unarmed damage 1d8 |
The Brothers of St. Edfael, informally known as the Brotherhood of Grappling Friars, is a monastic order whose brothers dedicate their lives to physical perfection. They maintain that the body is the temple of the soul, and the health of one reflects the health of the other. For the most part they are a homebound lot: their members often run bathhouses and hospitals; although there is an increasing number of itinerant grappling friars too. These errant monks often take to adventuring, usually with the intention of raising money and support so that one day they may build their own monastery.
Most grappling friars are members of the clergy: monks are by far and away the most common class to take levels in this prestige class, and indeed taking levels of grappling friar does not preclude a monk from gaining other monk levels. A smattering of other classes take holy orders from St. Edfael; usually characters of a martial bent. From this group, fighters are the most common, then rangers, and then barbarians and paladins in equal measure. Few members of these classes choose to take Edfael's vows: they find the Brothers too different or the monastic life too stifling. Grappling friars tend to be humans, although a few half-orcs, dwarves and halflings also don the brown habit of the order, drawn by the opportunities to develop their strength or craftiness.
Grappling friars practice unarmed combat. They maintain that swords, maces and the like, while useful, are mere props that detract from the true purpose of combat: the pitting of one's wits and strength against another.
Class Features
- Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Grappling friars gain no proficiency in weapons or armour.
- Nimble (Ex): A grappling friar retains his Dexterity bonus to AC while grappling.
- Unarmed Damage (Ex): A grappling friar's barehanded attacks can cause serious damage to his foes. If the character has advanced as monk, add his grappling friar levels to his monk levels in order to determine damage dealt.
- Trip Anyone (Ex): A grappling friar is far better at rendering his opponent prone than most other combatants. He can trip creatures of up to two size categories larger or smaller than himself.
- Paralysis Grip (Ex): A grappling friar can render his foe helpless while grappling. The target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + the grappling friar's class level + the grappling friar's Str modifier) or be paralysed for one round per class level.
- Titanic (Ex): A 4th-level grappling friar is far more difficult to wrestle. For the purposes of grappling and being tripped he counts as one size category larger than he is.
- Death Grip (Ex): The apotheosis of the grappling friar's art is his ability to wrestle characters to death. After three rounds of grappling combat he may elect to attempt to kill his foe. The target must make a successful Fortitude save (DC 10 + the grappling friar's class level + the grappling friar's Str modifier) or die. In the event of a successful save, the grappling friar must grapple for a further three rounds if he wishes to make another attempt.