Monk
Monk
Monks are specially trained cult members who believe that the true path to fulfilling the dogma of their religion is by making themselves into a temporal representation of their belief system. Obviously, this has different meanings depending on whether the monk is a worshipper of a LAW, NEUTRAL or CHAOS deity. Only the worshippers of the LAWful deities Tehne, Aerea or Cirin, the adherents of the NEUTRAL religions Gessar, Crimson, and the Amazon aspect of Ehestra, and cultist of Ver'l and Sarnethra may be monks.
All monks have the following restrictions in common:
- May not wear any armor with a protective value better than standard leather armor.
- May not use a shield of any type.
- Will not ride a mount for standard mobility. In dire circumstances a monk may use a mount and, when injured, the monk can be transported on a mount.
- Tithe 50% of earnings to the temple.
All monks have the following benefits in common:
- Using his bare hands, a monk can deflect non-siege missiles fired at the monk or someone within three feet of the monk. The monk must forgo any attack to do this, but the intention does not have to be stated in pre-melee declaration phase; it must be made before any attack by the monk has been made. To succeed in deflecting a projectile, the monk must roll less than Agility on 4d6.
- Two missiles may be deflected at 1st Level with 1 additional for each subsequent level. When guarding another from missile fire, the monk may deflect half his normal number of missiles rounded down.
- If the monk has multiple attacks per melee, they can deflect AND attack. But deflection always has to be the first action.
- Against magical missiles or area of effect spells, a monk takes ½ damage if they fail to save and ¼ damage if they save and succeed in rolling less than their Agility on 4d6.
- Monks get +3 to run and roll to improve their run each time they increase in level.
- When fighting unarmed, a monk rolling 5 greater than the needed roll to hit will stun an opponent (no more than four feet taller) if the opponent fails to save versus Resistance.
- If within 2 feet of a wall, a monk may break his fall safely from a height 20' + 10'/level after first. The monk must save versus Agility on 4d6 to succeed.
NOTE: A monk does not receive this skill if his Dex/Str average is less than 12.
- Initiate monks get +1 to any roll to improve fitness.
- A monk can hold his breath for 1 minute per level.
- When attacking empty handed a Monk can have more than the normal number of multiple attacks. Monks calculate the number of attacks up to a 25 initiative roll (15 for all other characters) and at -5, not -10, e.g., if a monk rolls a 21 initiative, he can attack at 21, 16, 11, 6, and 1.
- A monk does killing damage with an open-hand attack: 1st and 2nd level 1d4, 3rd and 4th level 1d6, 5th and 6th level 1d8, 7th or higher level (no cestus use allowed).
- Monks surprise on d8.
- When fighting unarmed, the monk's armor class decreases by one until 5th level.
- May swap 1 specialized skill for 1 FSAM. Deduct points for increase of level.
- Starting at 3rd level, because of their control over their body, a monk can close vessels in a bleeding wound for 20 minutes per point 4 points of wisdom +20 additional minutes for every level after 3rd.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Unless a monk uses unarmed fighting at LEAST half the time in hand-to-hand combat, the monk DOES NOT receive the armor class improvement or multiple attacks bonus per melee.
LAWful Monks:
Restrictions:
- No use poison or acid.
- No spells or magic items of a chaotic nature (illusion, Darkwalk, FlameBlade, Multimissile, etc.)
- No smoking, alcohol or mind altering substances.
- May not travel with a monk of a CHAOS religion.
Benefits:
- Three thief Skills—Climb Walls, Contort, Move Silently, and Acrobaticsnote.
- Acrobatics gets dex benefits.
- +1 on saving throws per 2 levels against attacks with a chaotic base (illusion, poison, fear, confusion).
- At 3rd level or higher, a monk can ingest a poison and if he survives salivate small quantities of antidote.
NEUTRAL Monks:
Restrictions:
- No smoking or alcohol.
- Must carefully balance LAWful and chaotic influence in his personality.
Benefits:
- Three thief Skills—Hear Noise, Remove Trap, and Ventriloquism and Acrobaticsnote.
- +1 on saving throws per 3 levels against attacks with a chaotic base (illusion, poison, fear, and confusion) and a LAWful base (spiritual hammer, control).
CHAOS Monks:
Restrictions:
- May use no spell or item with a LAWful based magic (spiritual hammer, control spells, BladeSharp, Accuracy, Protect)
- May not travel with monks of a LAWful religion.
Benefits:
- Three thief Skills—Slight of Hand, Disguise, Hide in Shadows and Acrobaticsnote.
- +1 on saving throws per 2 levels against attacks with a LAWful base (spiritual hammer, control).
Note: For Monks skills, at first level a Monk may allocate 40% points among his skills; at 2-6, 40% points; >6th level 27%.
Level Advancement
When your monk gains a level, pick the appropriate tab to see what bonuses are received
page revision: 22, last edited: 23 Mar 2025 15:56
