The monastic orders are many and their particular abilities and skills may vary but they tend to have some uniform traits that point to a common path at least for part of their separate spiritual journeys. These are found on the Class Ability Table below. The other primary skills of the Monk are their amazing physical and spiritual expressions and these are listed on the Monk Skill Tables. All Monks must be of Lawful Alignment as they must swear to obey their Order. The life of the Monk is marked by a great deal of material denial as they look to maintain their focus on the spiritual awakening they know is waiting at the end of their journey. The primary attributes for this class are Wisdom, Dexterity, and Constitution.
Class Abilities:
Level | Title | Attribute | Class Ability Table |
1 – 4 | Brother / Sister | Wis: 12
Dex: 12 Con: 12 |
Physical Prowess: The Monk is already a master of many physical skills. He is able to fall up to 20’ without taking damage and can enter a cataleptic state simulating death for a number of days equal to his level + Constitution. While in this state the Monk heals at twice the standard rate for his resting conditions. Monks can opt to dodge non-magikal missiles (arrows, bolts, bullets, thrown daggers, thrown javelins, thrown spears, etc.) that would normally hit them can be dodged or knocked aside by a successful save vs. breath weapon. |
5 – 8 | Trappist | Wis: 13
Dex: 13 Con: 13 |
Spiritual Health: The Monk is able to Heal for 2-12 +2 per level points of damage on himself. This healing is considered to be of Serious level for determination of curing below 0 HP. Furthermore, if the Monk should drop below 0 HP he automatically becomes Stable. |
9 –12 | Monk | Wis: 14
Dex: 14 Con: 14 |
Mind over Body: The Monk can adjust his body’s equilibrium to correspond with any solid or liquid he stands on. Thus, he can walk on water, quicksand, or even a spider’s web without sinking or breaking through (this effect does not confer any resistance to particularly sticky webs). The Monk may move at his normal speed, but cannot run (×4 speeds) on an infirm surface without sinking or breaking through. If the Monk falls from any height while using this power, damage from the impact is halved. |
13 – | Master | Wis: 15
Dex: 15 Con: 15 |
Cosmic Talisman: The Cosmic Talisman is an ability or power that is granted to the Master Monk and is often specific to the Path of their Order. Examples include: Shape Changing, Chaos Bane, and The Emerald Fist. |
Special Advantages:
Monasticism
— The brotherhood or order to which a Monk belongs has generations of secrets and rites which the Monk learns as he progresses through the levels of experience. He gains the benefit of learning new skills each level that will allow him to walk his path with humility, dedication, and expertise. Among these skills are also the uses of sacred Talismans that allow the Monk to perform a number of unique feats as listed on the Monk Skills Table below.
— The Monk receives regular training in the use of his hands and feet as weapons of deadly force. Along with standard training in throws, kicks, and punches, are several mystic techniques in doing damage and resisting it as listed on the Martial Arts Table below.
Non-Weapon Proficiencies:
The Monk learns a series of skills as they train at the monastery.
-Education 3
-Light Sleeping
-Die Hard
-Blind-Fighting
-Alertness
-Foraging
-Ambidextrous
Martial Arts:
The Monk in many ways represents the purest warrior in the game as he is trained to treat his body as a living weapon and its own fortress. So it is that he masters several forms of martial attacks and defense maneuvers that increase his Armour Class, improve his Base Movement, and that permit him to use his arms and feet to do Damage. Furthermore, each level he learns ancient techniques to unleash the cosmic power within him, Martial Talismans if you will, that empower him to go beyond the limits of normal men. The Monk is permitted to replace Open Hand attacks with a weapon attack, as his legs and feet are included in these.
Martial Arts Table
Level of Monk | Martial Arts Skills | |||||
AC | Movement | Attacks | Damage | Critical Maneuver | Martial Talismans | |
1 | 7 | 15” | 3/2 | 2-7 | Immune to Fear | |
2 | 6 | 15” | 3/2 | 2-7 | Mind Mask | |
3 | 5 | 16” | 3/2 | 3-9 | Immune to Disease | |
4 | 5 | 17” | 2/1 | 3-9 | Immune to Poison | |
5 | 4 | 18” | 2/1 | 2-12 | Disarm Opponent | |
6 | 4 | 19” | 2/1 | 2-12 | Hit +1 | |
7 | 3 | 20” | 5/2 | 3-12 | Agitation | |
8 | 3 | 21” | 5/2 | 3-12 | Dodge Magik | |
9 | 2 | 22” | 5/2 | 4-16 | Hit +2 | |
10 | 2 | 23” | 3/1 | 4-16 | Self-Shift | |
11 | 1 | 24” | 3/1 | 4-18 | Body Control | |
12 | 1 | 25” | 3/1 | 4-18 | Hit +3 | |
13 | 0 | 26” | 4/1 | 5-20 | Open Hand |
Monastic Training:
The Monk continually trains in various disciplines while walking the sacred path to enlightenment. In the course of this training he learns the ability to tap into the Cosmos as he hones his physical and spiritual self to its highest potential. Because of the intense physical training that a Monk undergoes he is able to perform several feats that are similar in nature to Rogues. These are the abilities of Move Silently, Hiding in Shadow, Hear Noise, and Climbing Walls. Unlike most Rogue classes, the Monk’s education is more structured and therefore he advances along predetermined percentages. The following table lists the skills the Monk learns.
Monk Skills Table:
Level | Move Silently | Hide in Shadows | Hear Noise | Climb Walls |
1 | 15% | 10% | 10% | 60% |
2 | 20% | 15% | 10% | 65% |
3 | 25% | 20% | 15% | 70% |
4 | 30% | 25% | 15% | 73% |
5 | 35% | 30% | 20% | 75% |
6 | 40% | 35% | 20% | 80% |
7 | 45% | 40% | 25% | 83% |
8 | 50% | 45% | 25% | 85% |
9 | 55% | 50% | 30% | 90% |
10 | 60% | 55% | 30% | 93% |
11 | 65% | 60% | 35% | 95% |
12 | 70% | 65% | 35% | 95% |
13 | 75% | 70% | 40% | 95% |
14 | 80% | 75% | 40% | 95% |
15 | 85% | 80% | 50% | 95% |
Becoming a Monk:
The training of a Monk most often begins early in his life with his entrance into the monastery and taking on the habit of the novitiate. After serving several years in the Monastery, the Monk will be accepted as a full member or brother. The Monk agrees to surrender all material possessions to the Order where it may be used in the best fashion. Most Monks are permitted to retain some small amount of goods and personal effects but never wealth of any consequence. Also, the Monk takes sacred vows to adhere to the particular rules of an Order and should a Monk fail in this, he will be reviewed and may be disrobed. If this should happen the Monk loses all Talismanic abilities and must begin a new career. The character must have a minimum of 12 Dexterity, 12 Wisdom, and 12 Constitution.
Advancing as a Monk:
Monks spend their lives in a constant state of training their minds, bodies, and spirits so that they might achieve a great unified conscious revelation or enlightenment. In order to insure they remain steadfast to the path they must return to an abbey of their Order each level for a period no less than (30) thirty days for proper instruction. A Monk that fails to do so may continue to act at their level of expertise but gains no benefits of advancing to a new level.
Martial Talismans Revealed:
Martial Talismans represent a thread of the cosmic power into which the Monk has gained access. It is a part of the cosmic power that runs through and resides in each living being. The Monk has learned particular techniques that manifest as personal Talismans. These Talismans are often specific to a particular Order of Monks but many are quite similar given the similarity in training.
When a Monk uses a Talisman or its ability is activated there is usually a faint halo of light that emanates from the body of the Monk; the more powerful the Talisman in use the brighter the halo. Most of these Talismans do not require conscious activation but regardless of whether they do or not, activating them counts as a Free Action unless otherwise noted in the description of the Talisman. Each morning a Monk must spend a period of 1 Turn per Title in meditation so that the whole of his Life Force is focused and he can maintain his Talismans. If he is unable to do this then he cannot center himself properly for the day and loses any Martial Talismans until such time as he is able to meet this requirement.
Talisman Descriptions:
Experience Table:
Experience | Level | Hit Dice (d10) |
0 | 1 | 1 |
3,000 | 2 | 2 |
6,000 | 3 | 3 |
11,000 | 4 | 4 |
22,000 | 5 | 5 |
44,000 | 6 | 6 |
80,000 | 7 | 7 |
130,000 | 8 | 8 |
210,000 | 9 | 9 |
260,000 | 10 | 10 |
320,000 | 11 | 11 |
395,000 | 12 | 12 |
515,000 | 13 | 13 |