Monks

[Polaris]

Monks seek to understand timeless and eternal principles, the abstract ideals behind everything.

Deities are incarnations of those abstract ideals, and thus worthy of devotion and contemplation. But it is the ideals that matter, not their personifications. Justice matters, and Tyr matters only as an incarnation of that infinite, eternal principle. It's worth noting that while most monastic orders are nominally devoted to a deity, in some cases, it's not clear whether the identity of the deity really matters, as with the Order of the Long Death, or whether the deity actually exists at all, as with the Old Order.

It's also worth noting that the powers that monks obtain seem to come, not as gifts of the gods, but from within, from their own profound self-discipline and preternatural identification with their ideals.

Monks seek to overcome the limitations of their own identity, and become living incarnations of the eternal principles they believe in. In so doing, the mortal world of history and conflict trouble them less and less. They come to be in the world, but not of the world. They wander, seeking tests to refine and prove themselves. A monk fights a dragon, not because it's a test of his courage, but because it's a test of how his devotion to the principle of Courage. The dragon doesn't matter much, in itself.

The most wise and powerful of monks cease to be entirely mortal. They become "outsiders," literally dwelling in the world, but no longer part of the world.

Monks get along well with clerics who value the same ideals they do. But they find the absorption of clerics in worldly, temporal matters to be distracting. Druids, monks scarcely understand at all. Druids are entirely wrapped up in a chaotic, transient world, and ignore the abstract ideals that matter more than life. Druids and monks can pass each other by without even seeing each other, so to speak.

Monks may now choose to learn a martial art style from the crafting menu.

Choosing a style applies a minor passive bonus to reflect his training in a particular way, but the major differences appear when the monk channels ki through his body, giving him several unique abilities depending on his training.

How does it work?

Each style requires the monk to "train" in a specific way; Typically by imposing certain skill, level, stat and feat requirements. The Ki abilities are tiered according to the number of these "prerequisite" training levels the monk has achieved.

For example, if a style has 5 levels of bonuses to confer, such as +1 AB, +1 damage, +1 DEX, etc, and requires weapon finesse, 14 DEX, Stealthy feat, etc. then fulfilling any one of the feat / stat requirements will provide you +1 AB, fulfilling any two will provide +1 AB, +1 damage, and so on, until you fulfil all the requirements and gain mastery over a style.

In other words, the requirements may be fulfilled in any order. The number of requirements fulfilled dictates the tier at which you will receive your style's bonuses. However, your "devotion" to a style (which is counted by the number of prerequisites fulfilled) is also capped by your monk levels.

All bonuses are incremental.

It is possible to multiclass through styles and retain the style benefits. However, the Channel Ki ability works only if Monk levels are greater than or equal to all other multiclass levels combined.

How to use it?

The .channelki command will activate various Ki abilities for a monk, depending on the style he has chosen. The command depends on the number of remaining Stunning Fist uses.

Base duration: 7 rounds.

The duration can be extended by modified abilities, depending on the style.

Equipping / Unequipping anything after activating your Ki abilities will remove the bonuses instantly.

Not fulfilling the criteria to channel your Ki (not holding a correct weapon required by a style for example) will fail to activate the channel Ki ability, but will not decrement a stunning fist use.

Of course, wearing armor violates your oaths, and will not allow you to channel ki.

General Style:

If you do not pick a style, then channeling Ki will give you these benefits, which are from a more generalized style taught by the majority of the monasteries in Faerun.

Spell Resistance 5 + monk level
10% + half your monk level rounded down to concealment
1/- DR for physical damage

Lasts for 7 rounds + the monk's wisdom modifier.

Contents

Way of the Asp
Way of the Iron Robe
Way of the Heavenly Fist
Way of the Bear

[Polaris]

Way of the Asp

History:

Snake styles of martial arts are quite common throughout the Realms, but none is considered as terrifying as the asp style. Monks in distant Unthar studied a fluid style of martial arts, one that mimicked the movement of cobras and other venomous snakes during the Orcgate Wars.

Desperate for any advantage during the conflicts, they made contact with a cult of a dark goddess led by the terrifying Yuan-ti. They underwent unspeakable rituals in dark caverns, but when they emerged, their style had been mastered. The began using the kama rather than fighting unarmed, and had learned to channel the venom that now flowed through their own bodies through these weapons, literally striking as do the asps.

The style has spread since then, and is pursued by many evil monks, especially those who prefer assassination or striking from darkness, but to this day it is still most commonly followed by followers of Tiamat and descendants of those first Untharic monks.

Requirements:
1 - Dexterity 15
2 - Intelligence 14
3 - Ambidexterity
4 - Two-weapon Fighting
5 - Weapon Finesse
6 - 9 ranks in Hide
7 - 10 ranks in Move Silently

Channel Ki:

1. Immunity: Poison
2. +1 Dex
3. +1 AB, +1 AC
4. +1 Dex
5. +1 AB, +1 AC
6. +1 Dex, 1 extra attack per round
7. • 1d4 Acid Damage
     *Note: Every stat and penalty here stacks with itself.

Special:

• The monk must be dual wielding Kamas to channel the Ki abilities.
• The Channel duration is extended by the monk's modified intelligence.

[Polaris]

Way of the Iron Robe

History:

The origins of this ancient style remain shrouded in mystery, and is widely disputed by scholars across the realms.

The Order of the Broken ones states that it developed with St. Aryn, who underwent horrific tortures at the hands of a high Priestess of Loviatar for disrupting her profane rituals. Ilmater visited him during his ordeals, instructing him how he could ward his body with the strength of his faith. Upon his escape, he took on several disciples to pass on Ilmater's words.

Eastern scholars dismiss the theory, pointing to old records showing that Bane had instructed Loviatar to pass on the secrets of Ki to her Pains, that they might serve as crucibles for his own monastic orders to test themselves against, growing stronger in the process.

The Tempans maintain that the style has no grandoise divine origins, but is simply a compilation of the knowledge attained by the three Grandmasters of a lost monastic order who had dedicated themselves to the principles of war. Their search for the Book of the Triune continues to this day.

Whatever be its origins, the Way of the Iron Robe involves monks training to suppress their natural instincts for defense, instead channeling their pain to draw on Ki, which would ward their bodies completely against attacks and close off their pressure points.

Requirements:
1 - Constitution 15
2 - Wisdom 14
3 - Iron Will
4 - Toughness
5 - 9 ranks in Concentration
6 - 10 ranks in Discipline
7 - Follower of a deity involving Durability/endurance/toughness/enduring hardships*

*as defined by the various monasteries that teach this style.
Eldath, Ilmater, Loviatar, Helm, Hoar, Tempus, Grumbar, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Gorm Gulthyn, Luthic, Zerthimon, Gaerdal Ironhand

Channel Ki:

1. 8% Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning immunity
2. 8% Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning immunity
3. 8% Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning immunity
4. 8% Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning immunity
5. 8% Slashing, Piercing, Bludgeoning immunity
6. Immunity: Knockdown
7. Immunity: Critical Hits
   *Note: Every stat and penalty here stacks with itself.

Special:

• The monk must be wielding a monk weapon (or be unarmed) to channel the Ki abilities.
• The Channel duration is extended by the monk's modified constitution.

[Polaris]

Way of the Heavenly Fist

History:

A martial arts form that originated in Monastery of the Yellow Rose, developed by the great healer of Ilmater, Canterbury, who was a sworn pacifist until a coven of vampires attacked the Monastery. Canterbury lost several good friends that day and began training in the martial arts, until one night, a wandering acolyte of Ilmater spent an evening at the temple and asked to train with Canterbury.

For the next four nights and three days, without rest, the two dueled in a style that might be considered purely an art form were it not so deadly. Whereas users of more common martial arts attack with kicks and punches, the two used attacks with light jabs of the fingers, the flick of a wrist, or the brush of an open palm. Rather than relying on strength, Canterbury's understanding of pressure points, the location of internal organs, and his own faith gave his form an incredible power.

At the fourth dawn, with many in the monastery now watching in amazement, Canterbury simply stopped and fell to his knees before the wandering acolyte, recognizing at last that an avatar of Ilmater stood before him; and in that moment of pure enlightenment his eyes began to blaze with a holy fire and the youth simply vanished, leaving behind a single white lotus blossom.

The Blossom has never withered since, and is placed in the middle of a lake near the Yellow Rose. Many followers of monastic traditions make pilgrimages to the sacred lake, to marvel at Canterbury's attainment of self perfection.

Requirements:
1 - Wisdom 15
2 - Charisma 14
3 - Strong Soul
4 - 10 ranks in Heal
5 - Turn Undead
6 - Extra Turn Undead
7 - Follower of a deity who's followers actively opposes evil, and/or undead as a dogmatic agenda*

*as defined by the various monasteries that teach this style.
Lathander, Tyr, Torm, Ilmater, Jergal, Kossuth, Tempus, Moradin, Urogalan

Channel Ki:

1. +1 ab vs Undead, +1 ac vs Undead, +1d4 divine damage vs Undead
2. +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma
3. +1 ab vs Evil, +1 ac vs Evil, +1d4 divine damage vs Evil
4. +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma
5. +1 ab, +1 ac, +1d4 divine damage
6. Heal yourself and allies for hitpoints equal to twice your monk level when activated. +1 Wisdom, +1 Charisma
7. Glowing white eyes, Immunity: Negative Level / Ability Drain
   *Note: Every stat and penalty here stacks with itself(Even if the sheet may not show it accurately).

Special:

• Monks must be unarmed and unarmored to Channel Ki.
• Turn undead will also factor in monk levels as if they were paladin or cleric levels.
• The Channel duration is extended by the monk's modified wisdom.

[Polaris]

Way of the Bear

History:

Conjecture has it that this style actually originated with orc worshipers of Bahgtru, but it is most widely spread by a monastery run by a half-orc monk. Precious little is known of the true development of this style, and the Grandmaster of the Bear is unwilling to share his knowledge of it. He wanders the realms when he can to this day, testing his prowess against practitioners of other monastic styles.

Bear style is much slower than most martial arts, relying on powerful blows rather than speed or agility. Such force is put into these strikes that it is often easy to side-step despite the lack of emphasis put on foot movement and dodging. However, the sheer ferocity of the style assures that once a blow has landed, the fight is nearly over.

Requirements:
1 - Strength 15
2 - Constitution 14
3 - Power Attack
4 - Toughness
5 - Great Fortitude
6 - 10 Discipline
7 - Must follow a deity that promotes Physical Strength, Offense, or Destruction*

*as defined by the various monasteries that teach this style.
Tempus, Lathander, Torm, Hoar, Talos, Malar, Loviatar, Bane, Gruumsh, Bahgtru, Ilneval, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Urdlen, Ulutiu

Channel Ki:

1. +1d4 damage, -1 AB, +5 Temp HP
2. +1 Str, +1 Con, +5 Temp HP
3. +1d4 damage, -1 AB, +5 Temp HP
4. +1d4 damage, +1 Str, +1 Con, +5 Temp HP
5. +1d4 damage, -1 AB, +5 Temp HP
6. +1 Str, +1 Con, +5 Temp HP
7. +1d4 damage, -1 AB, +5 Temp HP
   *Note: Every stat and penalty here stacks with itself(Even if the sheet may not show it accurately).

Special:

• The monk must be unarmed to channel ki.
• The damage and AB decrease from each level overrides the previous one, while temporary HP and ability bonuses stack.
• The Channel duration is extended by the monk's modified strength.

[Strife and Discord]

Way of the Tranquil Storm (Way of the Cunning Bo)

History:
The Githzerai founder of the tranquil storm style Rurinzeg believed that the word "monk" was a synonym of peace of mind, understanding, harmony, and intelligence. But above all of a great responsibility towards the unenlightened, helping them find their way, and understanding their suffering. It is for this reason that when practitioners of the Tranquil Storm needed to stop violence, or were forced to fight, they avoided using weapons that could easily kill people and favored the staff.

Rurinzeg's school of thought was that to overcome personal weakness, one had to understand it, and master controlling it. Applying this philosophy to ones self meant self control, but applying this mastery onto others allowed a practitioner to bring an opponents weakness to light and take them down with it. To bring an opponents weakness to light and subdue them with it was also a means to teach them why this weakness needed to be remedied, while also destroying their will to fight by defeating them with a handicap, all in one battle. This was Rurinzeg's vision.

The artform was freely taught to any whom would learn it regardless of their race, but later adaptations of the form were developed by less pacifistic orders into a sister style named "The way of the cunning bo". This style weaponized the mindset of abusing people's weaknesses in battle. While it still utilized the less deadly staff and relied heavily on subdoing ones opponent, it introduced many techniques revolving around trickery, deception and provocation to bring out the worst in a person and then destroy them with it. The way of the cunning bo was devised with the intent of destroying a persons psyche rather than teaching them how to improve it, boasting several orders among Jergalites and Maskarrans among other faiths.

Requirements:
1 - Intelligence 15
2 - Wisdom 14
3 - Called Shot
4 - Disarm
5 - 4 ranks in Bluff
6 - 5 ranks in Taunt
7 - Pureclass Monk

Channel Ki:

1. Controlled Strikes: (Adds, Int modifier to AB, while no longer applying Str modifier to damage while channeling)
2. Misleading Stance I, Pole Vault I, +2 Taunt
3. Perplexing Taunt: (AoE taunt check, opposed by enemy concentration or discipline check for ab penalty and spell failure %)
4. Misleading Stance II, Pole Vault II, +2 Taunt
5. Adept of the Staff: (Extra attack per round when channeling)
6. Misleading Stance III, Pole Vault III, +2 Taunt
7. Smoke and Mirrors: (Turn invisible for one round when channeling)
   *Note: Every stat bonus here stacks with itself.

Special:

• The monk must be wielding a quarterstaff to channel the Ki abilities.
• The Channel duration is extended by the monk's modified intelligence.

Abilities:

• Controlled Strikes: Controlled Strikes will add the monks intelligence modifier on-top of its strength modifier for purposes of determining attack bonuses, the monk will no longer apply its strength modifier to damage while receiving these bonuses however.

• Pole Vault I, II and III: The monk receives a cumulative 5% bonus to move speed if its base Dexterity score is equal to or higher than 12, 14, and 16 respectively, for a total of 15% bonus move speed with Pole Vault III at 16 base dexterity. This bonus however only lasts for the first 6 seconds of the monks channel.

• Misleading Stance: The monk receives a cumulative 10% concealment bonus if its base Charisma score is equal to or higher than 12, 14, and 16 respectively, for a total of 30% concealment bonus with Misleading Stance III at 16 base Charisma. This bonus lasts the entirety of the channel duration.

• Perplexing Taunt: When the monk channels ki, it makes an aoe taunt check which affects all hostile enemies within a huge radius around the monk. Enemies must make a concentration or discipline check (whichever is highest for them), opposed by the monks taunt roll, if they fail this check by more than 10 points, they receive a -1 ab penalty and 10% spell failure for the duration of the monks channel. If the enemy fails by 20 points or more, the penalties double for -2 ab penalty and 20% spell failure. Hostile enemies receive no penalties otherwise. (Example: If the monk rolls 1d20+taunt and gets a 30, enemies must roll a 19 or less in order to be affected by Perplexing Taunt).

• Adept of the Staff: The monk gets one extra attack per round when fighting while channeling.

• Smoke and mirrors: When channeling, the monk will turn invisible for the first 6 seconds of the channels duration, when the invisibility wears off however, the monk will be forced out of stealth if it was stealthing.

Disclaimer:
When channeling, due to nwn game limitations, the damage penalty that appears on your character sheet to represent Controlled Strikes strength to damage penalty, will often display 10 digits higher than normal if your strength modifier is higher than 3, this is normal.

[Strife and Discord]

@Hominid:

Deity Restrictions on multiclassed monks have been removed.

Any monk can now freely multiclass to any alignment-compatible class.

Note:

• Paladin/Monks will still need to follow the guidelines for Paladins.

• Druid/Monk is not allowed due to ideological incompatibilities.

• Barbarian and Bard do not work due to alignment restrictions.

• Cleric/Monks need a deity.

On Roleplaying Monks:

Monks are not simply brawlers who beat something with their fists/Kamas. They have firm beliefs, traditions, Philosophies they will not deviate from. Philosophies can be many and various but they are what define Monks and how they progress in the world.

Monk players are encouraged to send in a Plot Ticket with: Monk Philosophy: in the title, and explain in the ticket about your Monk Philosophy.

[Strife and Discord]

Updated.

[Mr.Moloch]

Updated again.