Cobra Master

“The speed and precision of a striking cobra is attainable only by a master of discipline.”

Cobra masters are monks who have studied the ways of the cobra, seeking to emulate its speed, lethality, and the psychological effects it has on its prey. Cobra masters must undergo intense physical training to acquire the speed of a cobra, and they must train their minds to achieve the supernatural ability to hypnotize their opponents. A cobra master’s unarmed attacks can inflict terrible damage as he learns to target the vital spots of his enemy’s anatomy, inflicting great pain. Eventually, the cobra master’s incredible mental discipline allows him to control his body to the point where it can actually generate toxins and transfer them to an opponent on contact.

Hit Die: d8

Requirements

To qualify to become a cobra master, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria:

• Level: Monk 6
• Ability Scores: Dex 16, Wis 15
• Skills: Escape Artist 3 ranks, Handle Animal 3 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 2 ranks, Stealth 3 ranks
• Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Stunning Fist
• Special: Must have spent at least one month studying cobras.

Class Skills

The class skills for this class (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (arcane, history, religion) (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier

Table: The Cobra Master

Class Level	BAB	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special
1st	+1	+1	+1	+1	Initiative Bonus +1, Unarmed Damage 1d10
2nd	+2	+1	+1	+1	AC bonus +2, Cobra Strike 1/day, Diamond Body, Bonus monk Feat
3rd	+3	+2	+2	+2	Improved Evasion, Ledge Walker and Rogue Crawl
4th	+3	+2	+2	+2	Painful Strike, Bonus monk Feat
5th	+4	+3	+3	+3	AC bonus +3, Cobra Stance 1/day or 2/week, Ki Strike (lawful), Unarmed Damage 2d6
6th	+5	+3	+3	+3	Poisonous Strike 1/day, Stand Up, Bonus monk Feat
7th	+6	+4	+4	+4	Diamond Soul, Cobra Strike 2/day
8th	+6	+4	+4	+4	Bonus monk Feat, Slow Fall +10 ft.
9th	+7	+5	+5	+5	AC bonus +4, Ki Strike (adamantine), Unarmed Damage 2d8+1
10th	+8	+5	+5	+5	Sneak Attack +1d6, Slow Fall +20 ft., Bonus monk Feat

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the cobra master prestige class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

Cobra masters gain no new weapon or armor proficiencies.

Monk Abilities

The cobra master’s Flurry of Blows, Ki Pool points, and Fast Movement continue to advance with each prestige class level as if he had gained a level in the monk class, unless otherwise noted in the table below. A cobra master’s unarmored speed bonus advances as if he were a monk two levels lower than his combined monk/cobra master levels. He does not gain any of the other monk special abilities, improvements or bonus feats except those described below.

Initiative Bonus (Ex)

At 1st level, the cobra master gains a +2 bonus to initiative. This stacks with the bonus provided by the Improved Initiative feat.

Cobra Strike

At 2nd level, the cobra master can make melee attacks that are so fast the eye cannot follow them and opponents are denied their Dexterity bonus to AC. The cobra master may use this ability once per day at 2nd level and twice per day at 7th level. He must designate one of his melee attacks to be a Cobra Strike before he makes his attack roll and if he misses, that use is lost. Note that if the cobra master has the ability to make sneak attacks from a previous class (or when he reaches level 10 in this prestige class), he may apply sneak attack damage when making a successful Cobra Strike. Cobra Strike may not be used in conjunction with any other special monk melee attack, such as stunning fist, flurry of blows, painful strike, etc.

Diamond Body (Ex)

At 2nd level, the cobra master gains the monk’s Diamond Body ability, making him immune to poison.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 3rd level, the cobra master gains the monk’s Improved Evasion ability.

Ledge Walker and Rogue Crawl

At 3rd level, the cobra master also gains the Ledge Walker and Rogue Crawl rogue talents.

Painful Strike

At 4th level, the cobra master learns to target vital areas of his opponent’s body in order to inflict great pain. To inflict a painful strike, the cobra master foregoes all his normal attacks in order to make a single unarmed melee attack using the full attack option. If he hits, the victim suffers normal damage and must make a Fortitude save (DC 11 + 1 per cobra master level + cobra master’s Wisdom bonus) or suffer a -2 to attack rolls, saves, skill checks and ability checks for 2d4 rounds. The effects of multiple painful strikes on the same target are not cumulative. Constructs, undead, and creatures immune to pain are not affected. This ability may be used at will. Painful Strike may not be used in conjunction with any other special monk melee attack, such as stunning fist, flurry of blows, etc.

Cobra Stance (Su)

At 5th level, the cobra master may forego one of his melee attacks to strike a threatening pose reminiscent of a rearing, swaying cobra. Opponents within 10 feet of the cobra master who can see him must make a Will save (DC 10 + cobra master’s character level + cobra master’s Wisdom bonus) or become shaken for 2d4 rounds. Targets immune to fear are unaffected. The cobra master can use this form of cobra stance once per day. Alternately, the cobra master may use a full round action to use the stance to fascinate a single opponent within 20 feet who can see him. If the opponent fails to save, he becomes fascinated and can do nothing but stare transfixed at the cobra master as long as the cobra master maintains his stance (up to a maximum of 1 round per cobra master level). However, if the target is physically touched, damaged or forced to make a saving throw he immediately snaps out of the trance and may act normally. Similarly, if the cobra master suffers any of these conditions his concentration is broken and the target is freed. The cobra master 36 can use the fascinating form of the stance twice per week.

Ki Strike

At 5th level, the cobra master gains the monk’s ki strike (lawful) ability. This increases to the ki strike (adamantine) ability at 9th level.

Poisonous Strike

At 6th level, once per day the cobra master can make a poisonous strike. Only one of the cobra master’s unarmed attacks can be a poisonous strike and it may not be used in conjunction with any other monk special attack ability (such as stunning attacks, flurry of blows, etc.). The poisonous strike is a touch attack that inflicts contact poison, Fort DC 12 + cobra master’s prestige class level + the cobra master’s Wisdom bonus; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 damage to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (the cobra master must select and announce the type of damage before rolling to hit); cure 2 consecutive saves. In addition, if the target fails the initial save by four or more points, they suffer one of the following random additional effects from respiratory failure due to the cobra master’s poison: 1) blurred vision limited to 50 ft. in daylight, or 25ft. in dim light, 2) fatigue that lasts 2d4 rounds until the victim receives a delay poison or neutralize poison.

Stand Up (Ex)

At 6th level, the cobra master gains the Stand Up rogue talent.

Diamond Soul (Ex)

At 7th level, the cobra master gains the monk’s Diamond Soul ability, making him resistant to spells.

Sneak Attack

At 10th level, the cobra master gains the sneak attack ability identical to a rogue’s. However, he may only use the ability in melee, not for ranged attacks. If the cobra master already had sneak attack from a previous class, the sneak attack damage stacks.