3. Monk Class Guide

Monk Class Guide


  • Monk Class Guide

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    Introduction
    So you want to play a monk? Full of RP potential, they are the most awkward and conflicting class to explain. They must be lawful, due to the order and discipline within their lives. Yet, they do not always necessarily uphold the law of the land. They come from Orders like paladins, yet are rarely in such a structure as to accept the top down commands inherent within the militaristic paladin orders. They are fighters, yet if you put a weapon in their hand they suffer penalties, and if you put them in armor (even a base AC 1 clothing) they lose bonuses to their AC. They have no one stat that screams "This is my class" such as INT for wizards, CHA for sorcerers, WIS for clerics, or STR for Fighters, or even CON for Barbarians.

    And what exactly is this Chi that allows them to do near mystical things? Monks always seem to come across as some kind of blend of Ninja/Jedi/Guru tossed in to DnD as alternate choice to those who thought a Fighter was to boring to choose. That being said…

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    A monk is no more then what they are. They are dedication, they are focus, they are training. They are everything you could be, if you just realized that you are not what you carry, not what you wield, not who you pray to, but are instead yourself. It is this knowledge of self that guides their every motion, that guides their every act, that guides how they react to every act against them. They see in the outside world a reflection of self (indeed many a monk would argue that the outside world is little more then self, a lesson spun in their own mind), and to a monk self is the center of the universe, as well as the universe itself...

    To be cheesy.. a quote from the Matrix.
    "Do not try and bend the spoon. That is impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth."
    "What truth?"
    "There is no spoon."
    "There is no spoon?"
    "Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself."

    Which goes in to Chi. Chi is little more then focus and understanding. It is mind over matter, an understanding of yourself and your immediate environment. More then anything a monk understands that the world has rules, and their lawful nature is a reflection of living within these rules. If a body is in motion, it tends to stay in motion... especially if pulled in that direction with a tripping foot placed at the ankles. These are basic rules. However, rules can be bent. Just because falling off a cliff usually means a quick plummet to death does not mean it has to. A monk knows that contact with a wall can slow the falling, and would use any contact available to best effect. Just because normally a rock crushes the head, doesn't mean that a head can't crush a rock if proper focus, proper placement of the rock, and proper application of force is applied.

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    Archetypes
    I normally dislike listing concept builds like this, but with a monk it's almost necessary to get an understanding of why your PC would even want to venture in to a land like Narfell.

    Penitent: This type of monk undertakes a quest or other activity outside their monastery to compensate for some fault or flaw. The shortcoming can be real or imagined, and its significance varies with the nature of the teachings the monk pursues. Sometimes the penitant joins an adventuring company in order to learn a particular lesson about themselves or the world at large.

    Zen Master: This variety of monk adventures primarily because she believes that a vital part of her attemps to achieve her ultimate goals of physical and spiritual perfection lie in the challenges faced by such groups. Adventuring is but an opportunity to hone and perfect the martial skill under duress.

    Spiritual Advisor: Spiritual Advisors usually join adventuring companies because they believe strongly that one or more of its members benefit significantly from their presence. Perhaps the monk is charged with mentoring a member of the party who may be a prospective candidate for becoming a monk, or has taken on an individual with promise to teach them the benefits of a monk's life.

    Spiritual Enforcer: This type of monk joins parties on a temporary basis. They have been charged (by their monastery or by conscience) to share in the party mission because it supports their organization's goals or ethos. Monks of this sort are usually single-minded in the pursuit of their goal.

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    Faith and the Monk
    Monks peculiar obsession with perfection of self does NOT preclude faith in a higher power. Instead they work hand in hand based on what a monk has come to on their understanding of truth. The Order of the Yellow Rose (Monk order of Ilmater) for instance would likely explain that they prefer not to use weapons because weapons cause suffering. Suffering causes distraction from the path of accepting, learning, and perfecting self. They would see it as a necessary duty to apply their talents to stop suffering in the world to prevent such from ruining others opportunities to see that truth is self, and self is all that is needed. Ilmater is but an example at this point, and recognized more as something other then mortal and so above and outside the reach of normal mortals, and is to be admired, revered, prayed to, even if not worshipped with the utter devotion of a cleric. A cleric would see everything they have, are, and can do as themselves but a tool in the hand of Ilmater. A monk sees everything they have, are, and can do as a benefit to Ilmater, but without the lack of control of the tool to the deity.

    A monk of Loviatar will strive for the same thing as the Ilmater monk, control, understanding and perfection of self. However, they would see pain as the path. Pain being an emotion and feeling that can be understood, controlled and rose above. It is everything that tells you you are alive, and but one step on the path of perfection of self. The deity again becomes only an example, something that is to be admired, revered or even prayed to, but again the control and purpose is in the hands of the monk.

    A monk is no more then what they are. They are dedication, they are focus, they are training. They are truth as they perceive it, not a puppet to the power of another being.

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    Handy Links:
    Narfell does not allow monks to multiclass freely. Please read the multiclassing link below.

    Narfell Monk Override
    NWN Wiki Link
    PnP Monk Abilities
    Multiclassing
    Monastic Orders
    Multiclassing Rules

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    Known Issues

    Deflect Arrows
    Circle Kick

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    Build Tips:

    • Unlike PnP, you will never have all the necessary access to items, feats, and abilities that are so needed to make a monk the powerhouse they can be. That doesn't make them gimp, that just means they are working with a handicap from the beginning. Always remember this.

    • There is no ONE stat that makes a monk awesome. Instead, there are multiple stats that need to work hand in hand. STR, DEX, CON, and WIS.

    • WIS is added to the DC of your Stunning Fists, and your WIS modifier will be added to your AC as long as you are in base AC 0 clothing.

    • STR effects your AB as well as bonus damage.

    • DEX modifier is added to your AC, effects your Deflect Arrows and is useful in a number of other ways.

    • CON effects your HP. HP. HP.

    • There are only two generally accepted builds for monks that historically have worked in Narfell. The STR based, and the DEX based. STR based is off the idea that if I hit it first, with a lot of damage, I can kill it before it kills me. DEX based is off the idea that if you finesse you can hit as often as anyone else (even more with Flurry of Blows) and can keep a decent AC and Stealth score (think Ninja).

    • The two generally accepted builds are not the only builds. Do not limit yourself to those.

    • In combat Monks are all about CONTROL. You MUST control the situation. You are given feats to do this. Open with Stunning Fist, or Knockdown. Do not get hit, you just don't have the AC or HP to take too many hits. If you are that determined to be a "tank" monk, remember that the general rule of thumb is to tank = expertise/improved expertise. Monks CAN do this (unarmed or with a kama) contrary to popular opinion, but the hit to AB is over what you will recover. Also keep in mind that Monk Speed is one of the most overlooked methods of control as well. You can easily outrun almost any creature that is in the module. Leading something away from others and sprinting back to safety, or even getting out of combat and returning back are always an option for you with your increased speed.

    • Take appropriate skills and feats to what your combat concept will be. You want to be in the middle of things? Use Cleave/Great Cleave, Knockdown/Improved Knockdown, take Circle Kick too. Get yourself the best gloves you can. You want to be a sneaky monk? Build up your H/MS and open with disablers, Stunning Fist, Knockdown. Build up your tumble (remember that for every 5 points in tumble, you will get +1 AC).

    • Go out and find a book of Zen quotes. The ones that are about one or two sentences. Toss those out every now and then, whether the situation seems worth it or not.

    • One of the Narfell overrides allows for the addition of the Uncanny Dodge feat after so many levels. Make sure you pull this override and unzip it correctly in to your overrides folder. The override can be found here: http://www.narfell.us/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=46554