Monk Paragon Path: Drunken Master

[bryanlo]

This is very much a work in progress, and I'm very unfamiliar with designing powers. To give some background, I have a PC who is a monk, however he's left the monastery and given up the ascetic life and living life to the hilt - basically drinking and wenching to his heart's content. I was thinking I'd like to give that a twist and has his former sifu (master) teach him how to harness this revelry into a a martial art form.

Inspiration for this is mainly drawn from the seminal kungfu film, Drunken Master 2. The hallmarks if the fighting style are:-

• Lotsa drinking (require alcohol)
• Swaying like drunken teetering - this puts opponents off balance
• Inability to feel pain

So I was wondering, how would I put this into a Paragon Path, any suggestions?

So far I've only come up with

• Utility Power: Drunken Style, Keyword: Stance. After assuming this stance you get (either DR or Temp hitpoints?)
• Action Point: Spending an action point your drunken fighting style leaves your opponent so bewildered at your next move that he grants your CA.

Would love to hear your input!

 

[Kzach]

I like the idea of a utility power stance. I'd recommend something like a +2 AC bonus whilst the stance is active but have some sort of penalty associated with it like the fighter utility that gives a +2 AC bonus but they're slowed whilst it's active. Not sure what the penalty would be though.

Class abilities could be along the lines of imbibing alcohol essentially equals some sort of potion but carries with it a cumulative penalty to attack. For instance, you swig a jug of moonshine and gain the benefit of a potion of your choice equal to your level or lower but you suffer a -1 penalty to attacks for the rest of the combat.

Although, that doesn't quite jibe with 4e's "don't give penalties" mantra. Hmm, I'll think on it some more and post later.

 

[Mentat55]

Don't movies often depict drunken boxing masters effectively fighting when prone? Some sort of ability that allows the character to move at normal speed or shift while prone, or fight without penalty (or perhaps even a bonus) while prone might be cool.

 

[Keenberg]

Alternative action point option:
Drunken Stagger: When you use and action point to make an attack while in the Drunken Style stance, you may shift 1 square as a free action.

Elaborating on Mentat's idea:
Fainting Feint
You feign passing out to manuever around your foes attacks.
Immediate reaction: When targeted by ranged attack, you may fall prone as a free action. After the attack has been made, you may stand as a free action. You may use this power a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier each encounter.

Eh?

 

[Alisair Longreach]

There is 3E prestige class for Monks with the title Drunken Master.

It had some funny abilities like Drink Like a Demon and For Medicinal Purposes.

For Medicinal Purposes Drunken Master Utility 12
"You take a swig of your bottle and feel refreshed"
Encounter * Healing
Minor Action Personal
Effect: Spend a healing surge

 

[Keenberg]

There is 3E prestige class for Monks with the title Drunken Master.

It had some funny abilities like Drink Like a Demon and For Medicinal Purposes.

For Medicinal Purposes Drunken Master Utility 12
"You take a swig of your bottle and feel refreshed"
Encounter * Healing
Minor Action Personal
Effect: Spend a healing surge

Not very useful considering Internal Power (Monk Utility 10), and I can't find any precedent for the monk getting an Encounter power which heals, only dailies. But there are a couple encounter powers that act on saving throws.


For Medicinal Purposes Drunken Master Utility 12
"You take a swig of your bottle and feel refreshed"
Encounter * Healing
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You may make a number of saving throws equal to your strength modifier against each condition afflicting you, and gain a bonus to these saving throws equal to your strength modifier.[/QUOTE]

I think it even makes a little better sense with the name, too... it is very much like Meditative Solace, except it is a one-time shot at throwing off multiple conditions.

 

[bryanlo]

Alternative action point option:
Drunken Stagger: When you use and action point to make an attack while in the Drunken Style stance, you may shift 1 square as a free action.

Elaborating on Mentat's idea:
Fainting Feint
You feign passing out to manuever around your foes attacks.
Immediate reaction: When targeted by ranged attack, you may fall prone as a free action. After the attack has been made, you may stand as a free action. You may use this power a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier each encounter.

Eh?

I like the name Druken Stagger, but shifting 1 square as a free action seem underpowered. I like it by it's own merit as it fits into the monks mobility, but I think needs something else. Compare it to Ghostwalker:

Ghostwalker's Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to make an attack, any enemy granting combat advantage to you that is hit by that attack is weakened until the end of your next turn.

Perhaps take your free action shift, and use my idea of disorientating the enemy so gives them a -4 to single target?

 

[Keenberg]

I like the name Druken Stagger, but shifting 1 square as a free action seem underpowered. I like it by it's own merit as it fits into the monks mobility, but I think needs something else. Compare it to Ghostwalker:

Ghostwalker's Action (11th level): When you spend an action point to make an attack, any enemy granting combat advantage to you that is hit by that attack is weakened until the end of your next turn.

Perhaps take your free action shift, and use my idea of disorientating the enemy so gives them a -4 to single target?

I was thinking the same thing after looking over the monk powers, there are some that let you shift your speed! Granted,, they are given at higher levels... Your idea sounds good, as for mine, what about just changing "shift 1" to "shift up to three squares?" This way you can roll around the enemy and get behind him, or beat feet and get to another enemy.

 

[Kzach]

It also needs a fire-breathing ability.

 

[Keenberg]

^----This!

Something where he takes a big mouthful of sake, and uses his psychic powers to set it aflame as he spews it out.