101 Non-Asian Monk Styles
- Thread starter I'm A Banana
- Start date
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
18) Special Forces guys -- sneaky, need no gear, can travel long distances quickly and quietly and be completely lethal without weapons or tools.
A character in Barsoom has a killer combo with Monk/Rogue levels, Unbalancing Strike, Expert Tactician and Improved Grapple. All that combined with a few dice of sneak attack damage and she can really ruin someone's day. Her story is that she's an ex-Green Beret-type who ended up in the secret service, saw something she shouldn't and is now on the run. With all her lethal training. It's a fun character in combat just because it's so different from "pick up sword, hack hack hack" She's got so many options with each attack roll.
But the image is not Asian martial arts so much as nasty hand-to-hand, joint breaks and kidney shots kind of stuff. Commando-style.
A character in Barsoom has a killer combo with Monk/Rogue levels, Unbalancing Strike, Expert Tactician and Improved Grapple. All that combined with a few dice of sneak attack damage and she can really ruin someone's day. Her story is that she's an ex-Green Beret-type who ended up in the secret service, saw something she shouldn't and is now on the run. With all her lethal training. It's a fun character in combat just because it's so different from "pick up sword, hack hack hack" She's got so many options with each attack roll.
But the image is not Asian martial arts so much as nasty hand-to-hand, joint breaks and kidney shots kind of stuff. Commando-style.
The argument that I put forward in another thread is that the European-style fantasy setting doesn't really have a monk class that resembles the D&D monk.
I think this is probably a confusion over what I meant by "European" in flavour. I think I must have a narrower definition than normal. I'm not including in my definition of "European" anything outside of the continent of Europe; thus, I'm not including such places as Alexandria. Thus, I don't fully understand why people would dispute this point by citing asian examples, such as the assassins, athletes of God or thugee.
I do take the point that one can still run a European-style campaign with an oriental-style order of monks easily added on and not lose the European flavour. Thus, I'm all for the addition of an asian-style class grafted onto European society -- creativity is what it's all about, after all, but I don't think this justifies the Monk's inclusion in the core rules.
I'm interested in learning more about other indigenous European matrial arts, about which I know very little. From the savate web-site to which we were referred, I see that it is an 18th century art and thus not immediately compatible with the world of D&D.
I think this is probably a confusion over what I meant by "European" in flavour. I think I must have a narrower definition than normal. I'm not including in my definition of "European" anything outside of the continent of Europe; thus, I'm not including such places as Alexandria. Thus, I don't fully understand why people would dispute this point by citing asian examples, such as the assassins, athletes of God or thugee.
I do take the point that one can still run a European-style campaign with an oriental-style order of monks easily added on and not lose the European flavour. Thus, I'm all for the addition of an asian-style class grafted onto European society -- creativity is what it's all about, after all, but I don't think this justifies the Monk's inclusion in the core rules.
I'm interested in learning more about other indigenous European matrial arts, about which I know very little. From the savate web-site to which we were referred, I see that it is an 18th century art and thus not immediately compatible with the world of D&D.
Last edited:
Monk's don't have to have the asian feel, nor do that have to be skewed in a certain way like this post. Don't get me wrong, I like th post, but in our games, monks are actually monks from mideavil Europe. IE Scribes, and very well trained martially and with the staff as well as some holy and spiritual powers. I think they fit fine in normal games.
~~Brandon
~~Brandon
Oni
First Post
Well Savate is hardly the only european system for unarmed combat. I'll post links to information on other systems.
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Arte del Abbrachiare.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Inn-Play.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Kampfringen.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Worstel-konst.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Arte del Abbrachiare.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Inn-Play.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Kampfringen.htm
http://www.hema.freehomepage.com/Worstel-konst.htm
fusangite: That makes sense. And I think that's what I was going for with the Mountain Men kinda class.
Frankly, a very European tradition that would work well for the monk is the same tradition currently occupied by the bard.
19) Let's say that a group of travelling performers comes to town. In that group, look at Yoleo the Amazing. Yoleo is a master acrobat. He gains the interest of the town by turning cartwheels in the town square and leading people to the performers' wagon. Then, once his stuff is set up, he does amazing feats of balance, walking on thin beams at great heights. A master of the crowd, Yoleo calls out witty remarks to the crowd as he works, and when night arrives, Yoleo takes out a lute and plays songs that leave the listeners in stitches or in tears.
If a town gets ugly, though, or if something sinister threatens the town, Yoleo is more than capable of using the tricks of his trade -- his knowledge of how the body works and the self-preservation instincts of a thousand rowdy fights -- to batter someone down with his bare hands. He doesn't hold with armor or magic, since both of them can fail you.
Yoleo is a straight-class monk. He took ranks in Diplomacy, Balance, Tumble, and Perform, among other skills. Describe his fighting skills as quick and decisive rather than "Master of destructive tornado-force"-ish, and you're good to go.
20) As another possibility, think of the pearl divers of the small, temperate islands. While the town warriors wear thick armor and bash each other with weapons, the SharkMen of the pearl divers are responsible for the safety of those who make their living at the shallow bottom of the ocean. They have learned to fight with their bodies alone, defending themselves from sharks -- or even from more sinister enemies, like lizard men or any variety of intelligent aquatic menace -- with powerful, spearing strikes. Should raiders think to sail in and plunder the city, they will be sorely disappointed, as the SharkMen use their years of training to sneak onto the ships -- or even break them with their powerful attacks.
(Monk, max'd out ranks in Swim, possible feats for Aquatic Combat to lessen the penalties.)
-Tacky
Frankly, a very European tradition that would work well for the monk is the same tradition currently occupied by the bard.
19) Let's say that a group of travelling performers comes to town. In that group, look at Yoleo the Amazing. Yoleo is a master acrobat. He gains the interest of the town by turning cartwheels in the town square and leading people to the performers' wagon. Then, once his stuff is set up, he does amazing feats of balance, walking on thin beams at great heights. A master of the crowd, Yoleo calls out witty remarks to the crowd as he works, and when night arrives, Yoleo takes out a lute and plays songs that leave the listeners in stitches or in tears.
If a town gets ugly, though, or if something sinister threatens the town, Yoleo is more than capable of using the tricks of his trade -- his knowledge of how the body works and the self-preservation instincts of a thousand rowdy fights -- to batter someone down with his bare hands. He doesn't hold with armor or magic, since both of them can fail you.
Yoleo is a straight-class monk. He took ranks in Diplomacy, Balance, Tumble, and Perform, among other skills. Describe his fighting skills as quick and decisive rather than "Master of destructive tornado-force"-ish, and you're good to go.
20) As another possibility, think of the pearl divers of the small, temperate islands. While the town warriors wear thick armor and bash each other with weapons, the SharkMen of the pearl divers are responsible for the safety of those who make their living at the shallow bottom of the ocean. They have learned to fight with their bodies alone, defending themselves from sharks -- or even from more sinister enemies, like lizard men or any variety of intelligent aquatic menace -- with powerful, spearing strikes. Should raiders think to sail in and plunder the city, they will be sorely disappointed, as the SharkMen use their years of training to sneak onto the ships -- or even break them with their powerful attacks.
(Monk, max'd out ranks in Swim, possible feats for Aquatic Combat to lessen the penalties.)
-Tacky
These are from my campaign
The Hala:
Systematic unarmed/armed fighting. Kind of like a mix of combatives, tai chi, krav maga and arnis/escrima --- Very deadly
5 Elements Fighting:
Mostly sword and shield work based around the elemental philosphy that pervades my game world
Baraka Stick Dance:
Flashy unarmed/stick form that is disguised as a dance. A little like Jo-Jitsu and Wu-Shu and Capoeira blended
12 fold path swordmanship:
Kind of like a westernized Kenjutsu or that Heron Mark stuff from Jordans work. The practitioners are known for their excellent swords with the dodecahedral pommel nuts
Baan Speed fighting:
Mostly knife and hand work. Basically hit them fast hard and often. Fast of defense too. The art is very draining though
Now I know no one is wondering but the reason there are so many "light armor" styles is that my game world is hot and armor is rare
The Hala:
Systematic unarmed/armed fighting. Kind of like a mix of combatives, tai chi, krav maga and arnis/escrima --- Very deadly
5 Elements Fighting:
Mostly sword and shield work based around the elemental philosphy that pervades my game world
Baraka Stick Dance:
Flashy unarmed/stick form that is disguised as a dance. A little like Jo-Jitsu and Wu-Shu and Capoeira blended
12 fold path swordmanship:
Kind of like a westernized Kenjutsu or that Heron Mark stuff from Jordans work. The practitioners are known for their excellent swords with the dodecahedral pommel nuts
Baan Speed fighting:
Mostly knife and hand work. Basically hit them fast hard and often. Fast of defense too. The art is very draining though
Now I know no one is wondering but the reason there are so many "light armor" styles is that my game world is hot and armor is rare
Breakstone
First Post
25) Superman: A farm-boy with a mysterious past, this monk is slowly developing his powers. Were did he come from? Why do his unarmed attacks do so much damage? How does he run faster than a speeding cart, jump higher than the castle spires? Is he flying, or slow falling with style?
Similar Threads
