Legends: Monks
DRAFT

Abstract

The "Monk class" is like the other professions or classes in game: Seer, Shaman, Gem Monk, Necromancer, Will. The mechanics herein are motivated by both other gaming systems and by historical notes. We anticipate that Monks will be roleplayed in two disciplines: warrior and scholar/philosopher. In any case, advancement in mechanics will be limited by a hierarchy of learning; access to the next hierarchy will require an IG interaction to occur, possibly of some considerable length.

Roleplaying Notes

Chad has a long list of stuff that motivates how one roleplays a monk.

Restrictions

1. Cannot wear armor.
2. Cannot use ranged attacks.
3. Vow of poverity. This directly implies that the ownership/use of magic items is prohibited, although the possession of one or two potions is allowed.

Mechanics

Notes:

Available spells: silence, sleep, root, death -- all weapon-delivered.

This is what I sent them, without any of the ideas that we discussed
tossed in yet.  I expect to try to incorporate the things we talked
about sometime this week.

Note that this particular set was slanted somewhat towards my
particular background; the Shintao have a strong leaning towards
`warrior' in youth, and shifting towards shaman and sage as they get
older.

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 Jian Eisai: Martial Arts of the Shintao

  Concept: path for Legends version of monk.  Martial arts, meditation,
  and contemplation lead to kata and kiho (spell-like abilities that
  come from enlightenment and focusing of inner power).  Legends
  typically uses `Quests' for special abilities; Monks (in my view) are
  basically always on some form of spiritual quest.

 Restrictions:

  Shintao brothers and sisters are ascetics by nature, and even
  traveling brothers do not hoard or collect riches.  Gifts honorably
  given are honorably received, although they are typically quietly and
  politely discouraged.  A monk receiving a gift is likely to suggest
  subtly that it might be better given to the nearby community, and if
  the attempt at redirection fails, is often likely to accept it as
  steward of a gift to the community.

  Jian Eisai techniques, especially higher kiho, emphasize free
  flowing, supple movements that are usually incompatible with armor.
  Students are not actually barred from wearing armor, and many
  low-level initiates do.  Very quickly, however, armor will begin to
  interfere with the kiho.  Since many students find that divesting
  themselves of the armor is a moving personal gesture of
  enlightenment, the practice of wearing armor as an initiate is not
  discouraged.  At intermediate and higher levels, however, most
  practitioners avoid armor except in unusual circumstances (such as
  formal duels and certain ceremonies).

 Abilities:

  My rough idea was something along the lines of what I've heard of
  Will; people learn and practice katas to gain points to spend on a
  growing tree.  It could just as well be handled by character points,
  but I think the idea of practicing katas is important.  For Jian
  Eisai (you won't hurt my feelings if you don't like my names, of
  course), I'd want kata practice to be combined with koans, balancing
  the physical and mental aspects.

  Based on this, I've thrown together a (very) rough lists of possible
  abilities varying from `not as good as a something you can normally
  get for a single character point' to `clearly Quest material'; these
  are just rough ideas that seem to be in keeping with the character
  concept of monk (so I'll do them the `old fashioned' way if
  necessary).  I've tried to come up with `genre' names for most of
  them.  I want make it clear that this is just a list of ideas that I
  came up with.  I could easily be misrepresenting the relationships
  between all of these.

			  parry _maim_
			  parry _disarm_
			  parry _crushing blow_
			  _parry_
   Body Hardening         ghost _armor_/_vitality_
   Moment of Insight      _Bones_
   Lightest Touch         cast _sleep_ via _subdue_ method 
			  resist _disarm_      
   Gifted Touch           _Healing_
   Gifted Tongue          _Speak With Dead_
   Masterful Avoidance    parry slay
   Dim-Mak Death Touch    ability to cast _Death_ through weapon
   Turtle Virtue          resist _Subdue_
   Fastness of Body       resist _Poison_
   Fastness of Spirit     resist _Death_
   Fastness of Self       _Spell Shield_
   Gift of Self           _Restore Spirit_+own instant death

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I: Novitiate
    Reqs: Okia (2), 3 Sage (3)
    In addition: 2 Weapons (3) or Seer (3)
    Skills: Ghost Armor (regens overnight), Toughness (2)

II: Strengthening the Body
    Reqs: Toughness plus 3 Parries or Sage
    Skills: Healing, Speak with Dead

III: Strengthening the Will
    Reqs: 3 Sage
    Skills: Slay

IV: Channeling the Will
    Reqs: 3 Sage
    Skills: Parry Slay

V: Mastery of Self: To get each one is a quest.  Once you have one, you can
buy more.
    Reqs: 3 Sage 
    Skills: Death, Oracle, Spell Shield

All Resists (Subdue, Posion, Death) plus Gift of Self are Quest-only.