:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: -----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====----- (313)558-5024 {14.4} - (313)558-5517 A BBS for text file junkies RPGNet GM File Archive Site .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. Renavated class -- Monk A monk character is in a class by itself. All monks must practice rigorous mental and physical training and discipline to achieve their powers. Therefore they must always be lawful in alignment. A monk who for any reason loses this lawful alignment loses all monk abilities and must begin again as a first level character. To become a monk, a character must be human, have a strength of not less than 13, a minimum dexterity of 16, a constitution of 11 or more, and not less than 15 wisdom (Monks may have the exceptional strength and the additional constitution adjustment of fighters.). If a monk has both dexterity and wisdom in excess of 16, he or she gains the benefit of adding 10% to the experience points awared by the Dungeon Master. Monks Table I: Experience Points and Levels Level XP Needed HP (d8) Title of Level --------------------------------------------------------------- 1 0 1 Novice 2 2,500 2 Initiate 3 5,000 3 Brother 4 10,000 4 Disciple 5 22,000 5 Immaculate 6 40,000 6 Master 7 70,000 7 Master of Dragons 8 125,000 8 Master of the South Wind 9 225,000 9 Master of the West Wind 10 425,000 10 Master of the North Wind 11 675,000 11 Master of the East Wind 12 950,000 12 Grand Master 13 1,250,000 12+3 Grand Master (13th level) 14 1,550,000 12+6 Grand Master (14th level) 300,000 experience points per level for each additional level above the 14th. Monks gain 3 h.p. per level after the 12th. Monks Table II: Monks Ability Table Open Hand~~ Weapon Attacks Open Hand Special Equivalent~~~ Level AC~ Move per Round Damage Abilities of Hand --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 8 15" 2 1d4 - - 2 7 16" 2 1d6 - silver 3 5 17" 2 1d6 A silver 4 3 18" 2 1d6+1 B +1 5 1 19" 2 1d6+1 C +1 6 0 20" 5/2 2d4 D +2 7 -1 21" 5/2 2d4+1 E +2 8 -2 22" 5/2 2d6 F +2 9 -2 23" 5/2 3d4 G +2 10 -3 24" 5/2 2d6+1 H +3 11 -3 25" 3 3d4+1 I +3 12 -3 26" 3 4d4 J +3 13 -4 27" 3 4d4+1 K +3 14 -4 28" 7/2 5d4 - +4 15 -4 29" 7/2 6d4 - +4 16 -4 30" 4 5d6 - +4 17~~~~ -5 32" 4 8d4 - +5 ~Dexterity adjustments also apply. ~~Open hand attacks includes hands and feet. ~~~Against creatures hit only by magical weapons (ie. lycanthropes). ~~~~No furthur AC, Move, or attacks occur after level 17. Notes Regarding Special Abilities: Each special ability is designated by a capital letter. A.At level 3, a superior sense of balance is learned. A bonus of +20% (+4 saves) vs. factors that would throw a monk off balance (ie. dex checks vs. falling off a cliff or better AC vs. being thrown by another monk). B.At 4th level, the monk may begin studies of the anatomy of other species, at the rate of 1 attempt per 2 levels (ie. another species at levels 6, 8, etc). The anatomies of standard races can be learned automatically (ie. dwarves, elves, gnomes, hal-elves, halflings, and half-orcs). Chance for learning the anatomies of other species depends on their frequency. The base chance for common monsters is 80%, 70% for uncommon, 45% for rare, 5% for very rare, and -10% for singular entities, plus 1% per point of the monk's wisdom. C.When a monk is brought to 0 hit points, he does not lose consciousness, although he continues to lose 1 hit point a round and is subject to furthur damage. A 5th level monk can continue to act until down to -1 hp. This decreases by 1 per level (-2 at 6th, -3 at 7th, etc) until a minimum of -10 at 14th level. As soon as the monk reaches his minimum, consciousness is lost. As soon as -10 hp is reached, the monk dies. While still conscious, the monk may still attack, run, even drink healing potions or bandage his own wounds so that when he loses consciousness, he will be returned to the hit point total at the time he first bandaged himself, and not lose anymore hit points. However, additional damage (ie. from enemies) must be subtracted from this total. To hit, AC, saves, damage rolls (down to 0), and movement rate all suffer a penalty equal to the monk's hit point total (ie. a 14th level monk at -4 hp gets a -4 penalty on everything). This power results from the almost super-human endurance that the monk has learned against pain and shock. D.Self-induced catalepsy to appear dead by lowering body temperature and heart rate for a number of turns equal to twice his level (ie. 12 turns at 6th). In addition, multiple attacks vs. slow moving (ie. armor-clad) foes. At 6th level, 1 bonus attack per round vs. those with 6" movement. 2 attacks vs. 3" movement at 7th level. 3 attacks vs. 1" or immobile at 8th. A direct result of the incredible speed of the monk, both in running and with open-"hand" attacks. E.Ability to heal damage on own body, 1d4 +1 hit points a day. 1d4 +2 hp at 8th level, 1d4 +3 hp at 9th, etc. Or heal half that amount on someone else (round up). Also, when dodging, 1/2 damage if save is failed (ie. vs. fireball); does not work vs. ie. petrification. F.Sixth sense fighting. Even when other 5 senses fail (ie. deaf and blind), can still continue combat, but must parry. Parry is at -2, but may follow up with no penalty to hit. G.18% resistance to ESP, psionics, and other mind affecting spells (ie. those where wisdom affects saves). Resistance increases 7% per level thereafter, until a maximum of 95% at 20th level. Saving throws apply if resistance fails. H.In the follow-up disarm after a parry, ability to smash weapon. Must roll (bonuses apply) 5 over the minimum number needed to disarm. Magical weapons are allowed saving throws vs. crushing blow, with each plus counting as a save bonus (ie. a sword +1 saves at +1). I.Diseases and poisons do not take affect less than 12 hours after exposure. Before that time, the monk may meditate one hour to cure his disease, or two hours to cure all poisons. Through meditation, able to survive extreme temperatures (not fireballs, etc; only desert or arctic like condidtions), hunger, thirst, or lack of air of a number of days equal to twice the monk's level. Can only walk or swim slowly during this time. Exertion (ie. running or combat) has a 10% cumulative chance, per round of continuous exertion, of causing loss of consciousness for one hour (but will survive if no creature attacks or the like). J.A 12th level monk is allowed one roll on the Table of Psionic Disciplines - Minor Devotions. This ability is performed at the monk's current level, with 20 pseudo-psionic strength points usable only for this ability. K.Through uninterrupted meditation for an hour, the monk will achieve ethereality for a number of turns equal to his level. During this time, he may act freely (ie. pass through walls, exit the dungeon, leave jail cells and chains). He may then find a safe location to materialize, which he may do by himself or when the ethereal duration ends. Note, all the monk's possessions, however, do not become ethereal, so the monk must retrieve them when he is solid. Armor: none. Shield: none. Weapons: bo sticks, club, crossbow, dagger, hand axe, javelin, jo stick, pole arms, scimitar, spear, staff. Oil: no. Poison: ? Monks are masters of unarmed combat. Centuries of knowledge have passed from teacher to student, from across the realms, modified and combined, until the monk has become the greatest mind trained in the art of battle. Most monks shun weapons as the last resort of the weak. In melee, often the first action the monk takes is to disarm his opponent. Monks are well trained in the art of self-defense. Many of their attacks are more effective when their opponents initiate the blow, for the monk is able to redirect the force of impact and use an opponent's weight against itself. Monks are practised in a variety of attack methods. Before the start of each round, the monk must decide upon his actions: parry, disarm, throw, dodge, or attack normally. Monks gain a bonus on parrying, disarming, or throwing charging opponents and lunging weapons/attacks (ie. spears and rattlesnake bite attacks). This bonus is +1 per four levels of experience (ie. +2 at fifth level) up to a maximum of +4 at level 13. This is accomplished by exploiting the momentum of the attacker as the monk redirects it. A major OFFENSIVE action is the monk's parry, which may be performed as many times a round as the monk has attacks, but must be stopped as soon as the monk follows up. To parry an attack, the monk must roll to hit his attacker. If the parry is successful, the monk may immediately follow up in the same round with one disarm, throw, or attack attempt. The second attack form of the monk is the disarm, which may be attempted as many times a round as the monk has attacks (as with parry and throw, see below). Thus the monk may disarm more than one adjacent opponent a round. Monks must roll to hit their opponents, adding to the roll their reaction/attacking adjustment due to dexterity. Success means that the weapon has landed 1d10 feet in a random direction. The throw may be attempted many times a round, but after the first successful throw, no more attempts can be made (thus, the monk cannot throw more than one opponent a round). The monk must roll to hit the opponent. Success means that the opponent has lost its balance and has fallen. Immense or strange creatures (ie. red dragons or gelatinous cubes/will-o-wisps) of course cannot be thrown. The maximum size affected is 6'4" +4" per level and 300 lbs +100 lbs per level, up to a maximum of 12' and 2000 lbs at 17th level. Quadrupeds and giant arthropods (plus other many-legged creatures) are difficult to unbalance, thus the monk is at -4 to hit, but is at +2 against flying (with wings, not just hovering like the djinn) creatures. Neither the monk nor the victim may act for the rest of the round after a throw. The victim must spend the next round regaining its footing (winging?). Unless it is part of a parry, the throw allows the victim +2 to hit, if it is able to attack before the throw or if the monk failed to throw, due to the fact that the monk is no longer trying to avoid the opponent. Dodging is a defensive action in which the monk attempts to use feints, tumbles, and rolls to completely avoid contact with all attackers. Monks get an AC bonus of +1 per two levels, up to a maximum of +8 at level 15. During this round, all damage from weapons, not spells, which allow the dexterity defensive adjustment in saves, are at -1 per die, to a minimum of 1 each. When dodging, the monk will sustain no damage if a save if made. The monk may disengage and break off from melee during this time without incurring the free attack routine from opponents. Movement is at normal walking pace. During this time, the monk exposes little of his vital areas to attack and many blows glance off. Due to their study of the human anatomy, monks gain +1/2 per level bonus on damage in open hand battle against other humans (round up). At higher levels, monks may learn the anatomies of other species (note, dragons are not one species; a color/metal/gem/etc must be specified). Armor of chain mail and better, however, prevents use of this knowledge, because pressure points and vulnerable areas (such as the temple, kidney, groin, solar plexus, armpit, etc) are covered up. Normal open hand attacks have affects of their own. An opponent is stunned by a monk for 1d4 rounds if the score of the monk's "to hit" roll exceeds the minimum number required for a hit by 5 or more and the monk knows the anamony of the oppoent. This roll must be natural (ie. not affected by strength or striking from behind). Monks can only stun opponents that they can normally throw. Once stunned, the victim has a 1% chance per level of the monk of having broken a bone (ie. an arm, leg, wrist, but not neck; roll randomly). The rear kill attack can be performed only when the victim is completely unaware of the whereabouts of the monk. The victim must be relatively montionless (ie. not running or engaged in melee). The monk must approach undetected from behind, suddenly grab the victim's head (roll to hit, +4 because of surprise), and wrench it quickly to snap the neck. Damage done is 10%, +3% per level of the monk, of the victim's present hit point total, up to a maximum of 70% at 20th level. Damage inflicted is not less than the maximum damage the monk can do with one successful open hand attack, counting all bonuses (ie. a 1st level monk will inflict a minimum of 4 hp of damage). The victim cannot be over 5/4 the height of the monk. This attack affects only creatures with a spinal cord and neck (or equivalent) that can be broken (Cf. Vorpal Weapon). Monks have the following abilities which they perform at identical level of experience to that of a thief: move silently, hide in shadows, climb walls. Because of intense mental training and mastery, the monk has developed an extremely acute mind and a sort of sixth sense. The Sense Movement abiltiy is identical to that of the thief's Hear Noise ability in percentage per level. The monk must spend one round in intense concentration. Success indicates that the monk has detected movement beyond a portal, around a corner, or within a room. Only its general direction can be known. This ability even allows detection of invisible creatures, but not ethereal or out of phase ones. Due to their intense mental discipline, psionic monks gain a 10% bonus to their defensive points, while non-psionic monks gain a +4 save vs. psionic blast attacks. At 4th level, a monk can fall up to 20' if he or she is within 1' of a wall. At 6th level, 30' within 4' of a wall. At 13th level, any distance within 8'. The monk must have an opportunity to periodically make contact with the wall to slow the fall. Any surface (wall, tree, cliff, etc) may be used. (Note, if a 13th level monk falls 5 miles, the last mile of which is near a wall, he or she falls the equivalent of ONLY 4 miles.) Monks can also perform vertical leaps of half their movement rate in feet, without injury (ie. a 1st level monk can leap 7'6" straight up). They can also make forward leaps equal to their movement in feet (ie. 15' at level 1). Monks save on the thieves table and attack on the cleric table. They may use all magic items usable by thieves. In all other respects (whatever is left), they are treated as a subclass of fighters. Monks never attract followers. Although they are trained to be specialists in combat, monks are different from other fighters because they favor unarmed battle. Thus, when they use weapons in melee, monks lose many abilities: parry, disarm, throw, dodge, stun, bonus damage due to knowledge, rear kill, multiple attacks per round, and bonus attacks vs. slow opponents. If, because of encumbrance, a monk cannot move at his full rate, the leaping, bonus attacks vs. slow opponents, and dodging ablilities are lost. Note: When fighting a monk of higher level, certain penalties occur. Parry and throw are at -2 to hit. The bonus dodging AC is cut by half (round up). Stunning requires a roll of 7 over the minimum to hit. Starting gold: 5d4 gp. Initial weapon proficiencies: 1. Non-proficiency penalty: -3. Added proficiency in weapons per level: 1/3 levels. :.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.: -----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====----- (313)558-5024 {14.4} - (313)558-5517 A BBS for text file junkies RPGNet GM File Archive Site .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1992 20:22:00 CST From: "DON'T CALL ME TINY. - SULU, ST:TSFS" Subject: AD&D LIST: my shot at a 2nd ed. monk Here's another version of a 2nd edition monk. I felt the one posted a few days back was not sufficiently different from 1st ed to notice. Hopefully I've kept the class' flavor and charm while making the rules simpler and more codified into 2nd ed. format. Enjoy! MONK MINIMUM SCORES: Strength 15, Wisdom 15, Dex 15, Con 11 RACES: Human, Half Elf (max level 10) ALIGNMENT RESTRICTIONS: must be Lawful (Good, neutral, or evil) When creating a monk it is almost impossible to roll one up using the 3d6 method, and is equally difficult using other methods. Monks are extremely rare and should not be common place, especially in a gajan campaign. Although the monk has very high ability scores, they do have weaknesses. First the monk my never wear armor of any type (except bracers, rings of protection and magical cloaks). Hit points are now rolled with a 2d6 at first level and 1d6 for each and every level there after up to 10th. See Table 1 (below). Table 1: Experience and HP table. Psionics XP Level: HD (d6) Title: Dis/Sci/Dev/DefM 0- 1 2 Novice 0 0 0 0 1,500- 2 3 Initiate of the Rudiments 1 0 1 1 3,000- 3 4 Initiate of the Elements 1 0 2 1 6,000- 4 5 Initiate of the Principles 2 1 3 1 12,000- 5 6 Brother 2 1 4 2 25,000- 6 7 Disciple 2 1 5 2 40,000- 7 8 Disciple of Secrets 2 2 6 2 70,000- 8 9 Disciple of Mysteries 2 2 7 2 110,000- 9 10 Immaculate 2 2 8 3 160,000- 10 11 Master (3) 2 2 9 3 220,000- 11 11+1 Superior Master (3) 2 3 10 3 400,000- 12 11+2 Master of Dragons (3) 2 3 11 4 650,000- 13 11+3 Master of the North Wind (1) 2 3 12 4 900,000- 14 11+4 Master of the West Wind (1) 2 4 13 4 1,150,000- 15 11+5 Master of the South Wind (1) 2 4 14 4 1,400,000- 16 11+6 Master of the East Wind (1) 2 4 15 5 1,650,000- 17 11+7 Master of Winter (1) 2 4 16 5 1,900,000- 18 11+8 Master of Autumn (1) 2 5 17 5 2,200,000- 19 11+9 Master of Summer (1) 2 5 18 5 2,500,000- 20 11+10 Master of Spring (1) 2 5 19 5 2,800,000- 21 11+11 Grand Master of Flowers (1) 2 6 20 5 +300,000 +1 +1 hp Grand Master of Flowers (RET) *A number in parenteses denotes the number of this rank in a guild, see below **(RET) In LG guilds the Grand Master of Flowers remains as a figurehead, but is no longer a leader of the guild. A Grand Master of Flowers reigns for one year in a LG guild then retires. In LN and LE guilds The Grand Master of Flowers may reign until overthrown (see below) or until retirement. In any guild their may only be a certain number of members in a given rank. When a character obtains the experience necessary to obtain the tenth level (Master), he gains the abilites thereoff but must defeat one of the members of that rank within two months. If he loses the challange, he also loses enough experience to drop him one level, or when challenge for the position of superior master and higher, a loss substantiates the loss of 100,000 exp, and the loss of all new abilities. (example, Ti Lin gets 1,900,050 exp, enough to move up to the level of Master of Autumn. She must find the current master [whose location is always known] and defeat him in hand to hand, unarmed combat. She lost and therefore losses all of the skill of a Master of Autumn. She cannot fight the current master again until she gains enough exp). All chalenge in LG and LN monestaries are not to the death, but usually until a certain condition is met, usually until blood is shed (usually 1/4 of a persons hit points). In LE monestaries, the challenge is always to the death. Proficiencies are the same as a thief, as are saving throws. They may select nonweapon proficiencies from the General, Rogue, and Psionicist groups. Monks automatically have one bonus weapon proficiency (which must be used for martial arts) (see Table 2) and one special maneuver (if the Oriental Adventure martial art sustem is used--it does not cost a slot)--they may also specialize in an unarmed combat style (probably martial arts) if the OA system is not used. Monks may use any martial art weapon, pole arms, staffs, quarterstaffs, short sword, long sword, dagger, bo stick, jo stick, but at higher levels monks are more potent with unarmed attacks. >>At level 12, the monk's hands and feet are +1 weapons when determining what can be hit. At 18th level, they are +2 weapons and at 21 level, they are +3 weapons.<< Concerning this, look up the rules about high HD monsters hitting other monsters only hit by magical weapons and apply these rules to humans and demi-humans, as well, when they are fighting without a weapon. When fighting size L and larger creatures, unarmed damage is halved. Table 2: Monks Ability Table. Movements three times as fast as anyone else is capable of? I admit "masters of mind and body" may train and be able to run fast, but not that fast. Five attacks per round doing damage that good? You hack at somebody with a big sword and it doesn't do that much, and they get to do it five times compared to a specialized fighters 5/2? NOT! Unarmed Level: Movement: # Att damage: Special Abilities: 1 12" 1 1d4 A 2 12" 1 1d6 B 3 12" 1 1d6+1 C 4 13" 1 1d6+1 D 5 13" 3/2 2d4 E 6 13" 3/2 2d4+1 F 7 14" 3/2 2d4+1 G 8 14" 3/2 2d6 H 9 14" 2 3d4 I 10 15" 2 3d4 J 11 15" 2 3d4+1 K 12 15" 2 4d4 L 13 16" 5/2 4d4 M 14 16" 5/2 4d4+1 N 15 16" 5/2 5d4 O 16 17" 5/2 4d6 P 17 17" 3 4d6 Q 18 17" 3 6d4 R 19 18" 3 5d6 S 20 18" 3 8d4 T 21 18" 3 6d6 U +1 18"* 3* 10d4* V *--these never improve from now on SPECIAL ABILITIES I was thinking, since monks get so many special abilities relating to psionics (since they ARE masters of mind and body), heck, let's just give them some minor psionic powers. They gain sciences and devotions and defense modes just like psionicists, but at a slower rate. They may take any they please (from the disciplines of Psychometabolism and Telepathy--if they run out of devotions to choose from, the DM may wish to open up Psychokinesis or Psychoportation to them) when given the opportunity, unless their choice is dictated by the below (they must take the power said below at the level that power is gained). A: The ability to feign death, as the spell once per day per level. B: Must take psionic ability Mind Bar. C: Speak with animals as the spell once per week per level. D: Must take psionic ability Cell Adjustment. Also +2 to saves vs. natural diseases and haste and slow spells. E: Must take psionic ability Body Equilibrium. F: Must take psionic ability Empathy. G: Must take psionic ability Invisibility. H: +1 to save vs. breath weapons. I: +1 to saves vs. spells of the enchantment/charm school or Charm sphere. J: Retarded aging, as a phylactery of long years. +1 to save vs. poison. K: Must take psionic ability Body Control. L: Quivering Palm-(a favorite of players) this is the ability for a monk, on a successful hit to set up a deadly vibration within a living creature unless a saving throw vs death magic is made. On a failed roll the hit creature will die. This ability may be attempted once per week. A successful hit is required to set up the vibrations. M: +1 to save vs. paralyzation and poison. (Total of +2 vs. poison) N: Speak with plants as the druid spell, once per day per every three levels. O: Activating Mind Bar never fails except on a roll of 20. P: +1 to save vs. petrification and polymorph. Q: +1 to save vs. death magic. R: +1 to save vs. rods, staves, and wands. S: A premonition of death or serious harm occurs to the monk 1-4 rounds before the harmful event. 90% of the time. T: The psionic abilities Tower of Iron Will and Intellect Fortress have a power score equal to the monk's WIS and have twice the listed range. U: +1 to save vs. spells. V: Infravision at will A monk has the thief skill Move Silently, Find (but not remove) traps, hiding in shadows, hearing noise, and climbing walls. The monk uses the base theives ability scores but starts with 25 discretionary points and 10 additional points per level. Penalties: The monk class also has downfalls. The first is the lack of the ability to wear armor. The second is the number of weapons usable. Monks must also maintain a lawful alignment and MUST NOT stray from it. Penalties usually amount to banishment from the order. Monkish orders also follow taboos which are determined by the DM. Below is a list of common taboos, and more may be found in the Oriental Adventures Handbook. Must not eat meat Must fast during certain periods Must always wear a certain color Honesty Must eat fish Must never build fire (I don't know where this one came from?) Silence etc. One final note, monks may only keep enough money to maintain simple standard such as food, clothing, and shelter (and not castles either!) Monks may keep only 4 magic items, one of which must be a weapon. And one must be a miscellaneous magic item, potion, scroll, or ring. Monks can use magic items limited to theives and those items available to everyone. Monks get fairly decent hit dice (better than thieves, except at very high levels when the 2/level final passes up that extra hit die they got). They get an awesome number of barehanded attacks/round and do awesome damage that way. Their weapon selection is at least as good as a clerics, and they get psionic powers AND thieving abilities, plus a whole lot of little bonuses on the side. I'd say this is a very powerful class yet, even though I've toned it down some and tried to make the rules more compatible with 2nd ed. The penalty of not wearing armor is not a big deal, for most campaigns eventually come across something for those wizards to have, so what's hard about finding one more for the monk? And besides, thieves are only going to have an AC only two better, most likely. Maybe monks must use all their high scores in things other than CON, but since I've removed the restriction about not applying DEX bonus (who's good idea was that, anyway?) Give monks all the bonuses applicable due to high ability scores--why *shouldn't* they get them? One thing that was missed is starting cash. How about 5d6 gold? CREDITS:Gary Gygax,Philip Meyers,Robert Layten,Scott Weeks(Invey),Tim Larson ---===<<>>===--- ---===<<>>===--- ---===<<>>===---