? About Quintessential Monk

[Samothdm]

Has anyone seen this yet? I understand that it was out at GenCon. I'm curious what kind of stuff is contained in it. I have the Q. Rogue so I know generally what the Q-books are like, but I'm interested to see what kind of stuff in different in the monk book.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[Samothdm]

Oh, well. I just saw Matt's post in "d20 Publishers" and he basically ran down everything that's included in the book.

I was hoping for less feats and equipment and more developmental stuff about how a martial-arts style class can really integrate into a western european-style culture.

I've always liked monks as a concept but there has always been a disconnect with me about how/why a martial arts style would have developed in a western european-based setting. No rules or products seem to deal with this.

The Q. Monk seems to be the first book out on the market (okay, second, if you count the .pdf by Chainmail Bikini games) and I thought that there was a real opportunity here to take the lead in posing some ideas for integrating an eastern/asian themed class into a more westernized setting. Instead, we get character concepts to allow us to recreate "Hong Kong cinema" archetypes and PrCs like "Blind Master" and "Iron Legs Kickboxer".

Does anyone know of a product out there that deals with what I'm talking about? Or do I have to try to write it myself?

 

[Neo]

Oh, well. I just saw Matt's post in "d20 Publishers" and he basically ran down everything that's included in the book.

I was hoping for less feats and equipment and more developmental stuff about how a martial-arts style class can really integrate into a western european-style culture.

I've always liked monks as a concept but there has always been a disconnect with me about how/why a martial arts style would have developed in a western european-based setting. No rules or products seem to deal with this.

The Q. Monk seems to be the first book out on the market (okay, second, if you count the .pdf by Chainmail Bikini games) and I thought that there was a real opportunity here to take the lead in posing some ideas for integrating an eastern/asian themed class into a more westernized setting. Instead, we get character concepts to allow us to recreate "Hong Kong cinema" archetypes and PrCs like "Blind Master" and "Iron Legs Kickboxer".

Does anyone know of a product out there that deals with what I'm talking about? Or do I have to try to write it myself?

Hi Samothdm

Well I was one of the playtester of Quintessential Monk, and I have to say I have never really been a big fan of the base class, but this book was inspired, the sheer scope of what it contains is massive, and although it has new feats, it is far more than just feat based as a means of customising a monk, the whole fighting styles provide means of taking the base monk in different directions, replacing certain abilities gained at X level with something else and so on.... for anyone who like monks, martial artists, and all thier kung fu, slate smashing, bone crunching goodness then this really is a book you'll like.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Hey.

I wrote the book, so I'll try and answer some questions.

As to the integration of Eastern into Western, there is a solid element of that included in there.

The Alternative Fighting Schools section includes monk mods to allow you to create both western boxer and wrestler archetypes, with replacement special abilities appropriate to each.

Several of the prestige classes are suitable for western characters as well. The Iron Legs Kickboxer, in particular, is great for a boxer archetype. Just change the name to "Iron Fists Pugilist" and you are good to go.

There are quite a number of feats that are very appropriate for western martial artists.

The character concepts chapter also includes a concept for a western boxer, and many of the others fit as easily into a western setting as they do an eastern one.

There is also a section on tournament rules that includes sections on boxing, greco-wrestling (pankration), and Corno-Breton wrestling.

I'm very concious of the fact that many people have difficulty reconciling the monk into the a "standard" fantasy setting, which is why I included the stuff listed above.

Patrick Y.

 

[Neo]

Hey.

I wrote the book, so I'll try and answer some questions.

Patrick Y.

Hi Patrick

Like I say I was one of the playtesters for this and it changed my opinion of Monks, this really was an inspired work, Kudos to you for it, it was a pleasure to playtest!

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Hi Patrick

Like I say I was one of the playtesters for this and it changed my opinion of Monks, this really was an inspired work, Kudos to you for it, it was a pleasure to playtest!

Thanks.

I count myself lucky to have had the chance to write it.

When I sent the proposal to Mongoose, I was really expecting that the book would already have been snapped up by another writer.

Since I've spent more time and money than I want to remember on HK films, Anime and Shaolin training, I'm incredibly happy to have been able to do the Quint. Monk.

I'm glad you liked the book.

Patrick Y.

 

[Samothdm]

I wrote the book, so I'll try and answer some questions.

Thanks for writing back! I've only been on the forums here for a few months, but having access to publishers, writers, and artists is great.

Anyway, thanks for your response. I will definitely check out the product when it hits my LGS. And, I hope you didn't take my questions as criticism - since I haven't seen the product yet I obviously can't critique or criticize it.

My main question was - what if you want to have an order of regular eastern-style martial artists, but in a western setting. Say, they're doing karate or tae kwan do, or whatever, but they're called something else (western-style names). Why would they be there?

I seem to remember WAY back in the 80s (okay, dating myself here) reading a review of a novel in Dragon that involved an order of monk-martial artists that lived in a standard fantasy medieval city. Can't remember the name of the book and I'm not about to go through every single one of my back issues to figure that out.

Again, thanks for writing back.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Why would they be there?

I know you asked the designer, but I can't help myself:

1) Perhaps the dojo is part of a diplomatic mission to that city. They have children to raise, and brought a monk trainer with them to teach their children the way.

2) If the fantasy trades with the eastern area, then they may have their own district. A china-town like area, and some small dojo's may open that way.

3) An old elf travelled there a long time ago and become enamored with the art. He is attempting to teach his people the art- since the elves will obviously improve upon it.

4) A local crime lord kidnapped the daughter of a monk- and is forcing the monk to train his minions in a fighting style that will allow them to walk around without weapons, but still do their dirty deeds.

FD

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Another reason that the Dojo could be in the western city is perhaps years ago a monk wandered from the eastern cities to see the world. After much adventure and travel settled in the western city and opened a Dojo to train people in his style of fighting.

Just a thought.

 

[DonAdam]

On the question of why monks would be in a "western" setting:

I hate to break this to everybody, but there were no wizards in Western Europe. Not one.

It's a fantasy game. You make up the history of the world.

Unless you're playing an earth simulation, there's no reason a monk couldn't be from those countries.