D100 Workshop: Mountain Temple Monks

Art by www.athelu.com

Monks are one of my top two favorite archetypes in RPGs. It's a pretty tight contest between wizards and monks for me, and as I've written up several wizard cults, I figured it was time to bring in a monk order to the fold.

The Mountain Temple Monk definitely has shades of Shaolin throughout it. Many of the Mysticism powers are rumored to be abilities of the Shaolin, and are featured in many wuxia films. It also (and perhaps even more so) has shades of the AD&D monk (various editions) scattered throughout.

The fact that he needs to defeat a member of the rank they wish to advance is a clear callback to the earliest days of the monk. This restriction on their advancement serves an important purpose: it makes the monk have a diverse skillset as they are unlikely to beat a member of the Master or Sage ranks without being able to call in a number of other skills. While a Master only needs 3 skills at 90% to advance, almost no master only has 3 skills at 90%. Most have a couple more at 90% or better, ensuring they will be difficult opponents indeed.

The additional cost for Mysticism talents also hampers the growth of the monk, forcing them to take away from their Standard skill-heavy required skills and pull points into actually doing monk things. However, this pays off, as they have access many abilities, including 2 new combat style traits.

Chi Push and Dim Mak both overcome deficits unarmed attacks have, in that they are especially low damage. They evoke images of those wuxia films, where opponents are tossed around or damaged through armor. The latter highlights something that I've found with Mythras - it is often better to give armor piercing than to give damage. It allows for lower damage weapons like hands to be effective without making them clearly superior to larger weapons.

Another key thing to note is that all of the monk weapons are simple, often low damage. They don't have to be, but it is suitable to the archetype. See later on in the article for more weapons.

Mythos and History

Historically, people have retreated to meditation, seeking wisdom from nature, asceticism, and physical discipline. Frequently, they meet others who wish to learn from or journey with them on their contemplative travels. These groups form small monasteries, and work together to develop their skills into schools of mystical learning.

Nature

Monks represent peaceful retreat from society but still maintain a connection to nearby towns and villages to provide blessings and protection, and to receive alms. Junior monks often learn humility through begging.

Organization

Most monasteries have a strict hierarchy with a sage as the head of their order. The sage is sometimes the founder of the order, but just as often a first- or second-generation student who has advanced. Many of his duties are delegated out to a small number of masters, and then further down to Disciples who teach new students.

Membership

Standard. In addition, before advancing to the Master or Sage rank, the applicant must defeat a member of the rank to be achieved in an exhibition of single combat. This need not be deadly.

Restrictions

Monks have multiple taboos they must abide by – one against eating meat, another against killing sentients other than in self-defense, and another against theft. Punishment for the taboo normally involves a purification ritual that can be quite physically or emotionally demanding. Treat as an effort in Task Rounds lasting days to weeks.

Monks also have Geasa forbidding them from wearing any armor and as well as a vow of chastity. As these are spiritual restriction over their powers, any violation of Geasa will remove access to Mysticism abilities until atoned for.

Skills

Athletics, Acrobatics, Lore (History or Religion), Insight, Endurance, Evade, Meditation, Mysticism, Willpower, Combat style (club, sling, staff, unarmed; Traits: Daredevil, Do or Die)

Magic and Gifts

Monks learn Mysticism, as well as several combat traits. Any Mysticism ability or Combat Style Trait beyond the student level each requires 5 XP expenditure. Gifts at the Sage rank require 10 XP per gift to learn.

Student - Invoke Arrowcut, Invoke Featherlight, Enhance Movement Rate
Disciple - Invoke Formidable Natural Weapons, Invoke Immunity (Disease and Poison), Invoke Indomitable, Enhance Healing. Disciples may learn the Chi Push trait
Master - Invoke Astral Projection, Invoke Aura of Tranquility. Masters may learn Dim Mak trait
Sage - Access to the Gifts of Abstinence Food, Abstinence Water, and Eternal Life

Chi Push - The monk gains the Bash special effect with his Unarmed strikes using their cult combat style. The distance knocked back is 1/20th of the monk’s Mysticism. As with Bash, this still only works on creatures up to twice the monk’s SIZ, and if the recipient is forced backwards into an obstacle, then they must make a Hard Athletics or Acrobatics skill roll to avoid falling or tripping over.

Dim Mak - Monks gain a new Special Effect called Dim Mak that allows them to penetrate a number of points of worn or natural armor equal to 1/20th their Mysticism skill with their unarmed attacks using their cult combat style. Magic armor protects, but only the amount of the magical bonus.

But What About All Those Cool Weapons

If you want to do something like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, you can't just go without Green Destiny. That wouldn't do. The number of times I've watched someone use a meteor hammer or a rope dart would be shameful to admit it. So, I've put together a set that are appropriate.

Most of these could be dropped into the style fairly easily with little impact. You might offer them up for 3XP and a couple weeks worth of training each.

Weapon	DMG	SIZ	Reach	Combat Effects	Traits	ENC	AP/HP
Three Piece Staff	1d6+1	M	M	Stun Location, Bash	Entrapping, Flexible, Double Ended, Defensive	3	4/8
Deer Horn knives	1d4	S	S	Bleed	Entrapping	-	6/10
Hook Sword	1d6	M	S	Bleed, Impale	Entrapping	1	6/8
Chain Whip	1d6	M	L	Entangle	Flexible	1	8/6
Rope Dart or Meteor Hammer	1d6	M	VL	Entangle, Impale (rope dart only),Stun Location (meteor hammer only)	Entrapping, Flexible, Offensive, Barbed (Rope Dart Only), Double Ended (Meteor Hammer Only)	1	2/8
Dao	1d6+2	M	M	Bleed	-	1	6/10
Jian	1d8	M	M	Bleed, Impale	-	2	6/10
Guai	1d6	M	S	-	Defensive	1	4/4
Taijishan	1d4+1	M	S	Bleed, Stun Location	Ranged Parry, Passive Blocks 2 Locations	1	2/4
Wind and Fire Wheels	1d6	M	S	Bleed	Defensive	1	6/8

Chain Whip

One handed melee weapon

Treat as a Chain (Mythras, p63), with a Reach of L and damage of 1d6 due to heavier links

Dao

Treat as falchion

Deer Horn Knives

One handed melee weapon

Treat as a main gauche. Often used in pairs

Guai

Treat as a Club with the Defensive trait

Hook Sword (fu tao)

One handed melee weapon

Treat as a shortsword, but replace Impale with Entrapping

If using a pair of hook swords, you can attach the two swords together and extend the reach from S to L. The weapons lose the Impale effect and Entrapping trait.

Jian

Treat as a broadsword

Meteor Hammer

Two handed melee weapon

Damage: 1d6

Size: M

Reach: VL

Combat Effects: Entangle, Stun Location

ENC: 1

AP/HP: 2/8

Traits: Entrapping, Flexible, Offensive, Double Ended

This weapon is easily constructed, requiring only a minute and simple materials. Constructed this way, it is subject to the Weapon Malfunction Special Effect on a fumble.

This weapon can be easily converted into a garrotte with a single action. Its damage becomes 1d2, its reach becomes T, and it loses its Flexible and Double Ended properties.

This weapon can shift its reach anywhere from VL to S for 1 AP.

Rope Dart

Two handed melee weapon

Damage: 1d6

Size: M

Reach: VL

Combat Effects: Entangle, Impale (rope dart only)

ENC: 1

AP/HP: 2/8

Traits: Entrapping, Flexible, Offensive, Barbed

This weapon is easily constructed, requiring only a minute and simple materials. Constructed this way, it is subject to the Weapon Malfunction Special Effect on a fumble.

This weapon can be easily converted into a garrotte with a single action. Its damage becomes 1d2, its reach becomes T, and it loses its Flexible and Barbed properties.

This weapon can shift its reach anywhere from VL to S for 1 AP.

Taijishan (war fan, or iron fan)

One handed melee weapon

Treat as a buckler with an AP of 4 and HP of 5. Many taijishan are collapsible and easily concealed (Very Easy conceal roll to hide on your person). Most are very difficult to distinguish from a common fan (Formidable perception at a distance, Standard on close manual inspection), and thus are taken where larger weapons are not allowed.

Three Piece Rod

Two handed Weapon

Damage: 1d6+1
Size: M
Reach: M
Combat Effects: Stun Location, Bash
ENC: 3
AP/HP: 4/8
Traits: Entrapping, Flexible, Double Ended, Defensive