D&D General Monk: The Past, Present, and Questionable Future of an Iconic Class

[Voadam]

He had all hallmarks of the Eastern Ki monk. They could have been infernal powers , or just Batman powers but they were definitely not anything in the realm of mortal. Comic book, Divine, Infernal, or Alien you take your pick but he was waaaaaay beyond human.

I think Batman, particularly the animated versions, can be a great model, unarmed fighting mastery, tons of dodging and evasion and acrobatic mobility, ninja skills.

 

[nevin]

In that line of thought what if monks are immune or have big bonuses to any spell that is cast at their level or lower. They'd be the antimagic class to deal with pesky clerics and wizards who screw too much with reality

Again watch the sorcerer and the White snake and imagine a 20th level monk just focusing and the wish spell and all it did just goes away because he/she is the guardian of reality.

 

[Raiztt]

And that's just off the top of my head. Thinking back to all the exploitation/low budget kung fu movies movies I've seen, religion is very rarely brought up. It's not even a topic of discussion in many martial artist movies. It may get mentioned in a lot of media. But it's a ridiculously huge stretch to say that the monk is "completely divine". Just because that's your preferred version doesn't mean it's the only interpretation.

This is basically what I'm saying - the 'mystical monk' is a significantly more specific or narrow concept than the other classes - and as you point out the vast majority of pop culture unarmed combatants have zero to do with any religion or philosophy.

 

[nevin]

What? Remo Willams and Bruce Lee have already been mentioned and have no religious aspects at all. Beyond that, here's a list of religion-free (or at least religion-lite) monks:

Jackie Chan
Super Sentai
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Kung Fu Hustle
Hero
Chuck Norris
The Bride (Kill Bill)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Karate Kid

And that's just off the top of my head. Thinking back to all the exploitation/low budget kung fu movies movies I've seen, religion is very rarely brought up. It's not even a topic of discussion in many martial artist movies. It may get mentioned in a lot of media. But it's a ridiculously huge stretch to say that the monk is "completely divine". Just because that's your preferred version doesn't mean it's the only interpretation.



Depends a lot on the adaptation.

Spoiler: Hiding in-line video

but they are based on the very much Eastern idea of those special "hero's" who spend thier life perfecting thier bodies and doing good haveing much power because ............whatever you want to call it..........that makes them superhero's. It's the same template all we are arguing is where it came from.

 

[Deset Gled]

but they are based on the very much Eastern idea of those special "hero's" who spend thier life perfecting thier bodies and doing good haveing much power because ............whatever you want to call it..........that makes them superhero's. It's the same template all we are arguing is where it came from.

There is literally nothing in this statement that I agree with.

 

[Voadam]

In that line of thought what if monks are immune or have big bonuses to any spell that is cast at their level or lower. They'd be the antimagic class to deal with pesky clerics and wizards who screw too much with reality

That was basically their best niche in 3e, all three good saves, evasion, a couple defenses against specific magical attacks, mobility speed to get to the back line mage who without armor or good fort saves was someone they could effectively hit with their middling BAB and get stunning fist to work on.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

He fights with Robin in the Errol Flynn version, and is commended for his combat skill. He kills a dude in Prince of Thieves.

In most versions he can fight, but is far more important for looking after the outlaws spiritual welfare, since they would have believed that not receiving communion damaged their immortal souls. Note, although he is a monk, he is also a priest.

Support + can fight a bit = cleric.

 

[nevin]

Anyone could get the mage in 1e. That was just the monks holdover spot from there. To be fair rogues could sneak up and kill mages as well.

 

[nevin]

In most versions he can fight, but is far more important for looking after the outlaws spiritual welfare, since they would have believed that not receiving communion damaged their immortal souls. Note, although he is a monk, he is also a priest.

Support + can fight a bit = cleric.

Just like the Eastern version who roams around and protects the people. They can marry people, bless them do all the things a priest can do but when necessary they can kick ass. In most myths eastern or western monks are basically like clerics but they dont' cast spells. In a western myth the priest would call on god to smite his enemies and boom. A monk would be the hand of god smiting his enemies. In Eastern myths you don't really have clerics but the monks are the spiritual guardians of the second realm where humans live and they are responsible for protecting humans from all magical issues because magic isn't supposed to exist in the second realm. The first realm where the gods live is full of it. The lower realm where the demons live (more like western fey) is full of it and any who come from either realm without permission from the blessing of the celestial buerucracy are punished and sent back. Monks in most myths are closer to paladins than Priests or Clerics.

 

[AmandaBarbarian]

It's throwing Liu Kang into LotR.

see Ryu fighting alongside D&D fighters, wizards, rogues and whatever

WHAT IF episodes of Goku with Legolas, Conan, Dr. Strange and Jack Sparrow.

all of these sound like GREAT concepts to me...

Maybe I would put Katana AND Liu Kang in LotR, we need more girls and I am a sucker for a good love story that involves people breaking each others bones...wait, not the love story part the lovers shouldn't break each others bones unless they are Klingons, but break OTHER people bones.

Also I am more a Ken gal then Ryu, but either fighting next to a D&D wizard sounds awesome.

The fact that Goku and Dr strange seem to be balanced equals, and legolas conan and jack sparrow feel like they balance with each other I almost feel like Goku is only as odd man out as Dr Strange.