D&D 5E Being strong and skilled is a magic of its own or, how I learned to stop worrying and love anime fightin' magic

[Cap'n Kobold]

Orientalism is is the issue. To my thinking Martial Power is Qi, one is just in a different language same thing. And the distinction between Knight/Samurai has the same issue. Every martial character is using it subconsciously... the Martial Artist is more aware, not necessarily different. Qi points should be identical to superiority dice.

I would suggest that the Monk is closer to the Paladin in that sense: a warrior attributed magical powers through their spiritual development. The paladin was generally attributed their powers through their faith and purity. The monk similarly so although through a filter of buddism rather than christianity. Add another filter of the time over which the stories developed. Then add a third filter of western orientalism to the monk and you start to get the two D&D classes.

 

[Cap'n Kobold]

They gave it electricity and then power of plotted the other guy into escape.

It was a comic as well as a movie. The power is electricity, though as you said it seems to have other properties, also through the power of plot. Electricity, though, it is. That means it moves with the speed of electricity, or should if plot doesn't get in the way.

We know that it wasn't conventional electricity: it advances visibly along the lasso, doesn't ignite or flash burn everything in the vicinity as an object hot enough to cut steel and produce light in that spectrum would, and dissipates fast enough to safely touch the lasso within seconds of it being charged.
Therefore it is 'magic' electricity and has the properties that the filmwriters decided it should have. Not liking what happened in the film, or thinking that it shouldn't have happened in the film does not change what actually happened in the film.

 

[Maxperson]

We know that it wasn't conventional electricity: it advances visibly along the lasso, doesn't ignite or flash burn everything in the vicinity as an object hot enough to cut steel and produce light in that spectrum would, and dissipates fast enough to safely touch the lasso within seconds of it being charged.
Therefore it is 'magic' electricity and has the properties that the filmwriters decided it should have. Not liking what happened in the film, or thinking that it shouldn't have happened in the film does not change what actually happened in the film.

In D&D magic electricity moves too fast to dodge. The save represents getting out of the way of the electricity before it gets there. Seeing where the wizard is pointing and moving before he's done. Unless it kills you, in which case you got hit directly.

 

[Garthanos]

I would suggest that the Monk is closer to the Paladin in that sense: a warrior attributed magical powers through their spiritual development. The paladin was generally attributed their powers through their faith and purity.

But the monk is definitely about perfection by active development -> perfection of self physically and mentally .... its definitely not faith, it is inner capability pushed to extremes not an outer power granting of boons. What you are doing is a bit like claiming a warlock is like a psion, ie not really and philosophically no, and how they gain the power are adverse. The D&D monk gains his power as all martial artists do with training and discipline.

 

[Garthanos]

In D&D magic electricity moves too fast to dodge. The save represents getting out of the way of the electricity before it gets there. Seeing where the wizard is pointing and moving before he's done.

Sounds like guns... hmmm.

 

[Garthanos]

I think that to a lesser extent, it is more present in wuxia stories. It was mentioned to me once that mythological and certain comic book heroes were special because they were born that way (Hercules and Superman, for example) or due to a single one-off event (Achilles gets dipped in the Styx, David Banner gets pelted by gamma rays). However, wuxia heroes had to seek out masters of martial arts or knowledge set down in manuals and train and practice in order to acquire their special techniques. I'm no expert, but it does align with what I know of both genres.

While it could be argued that wuxia heroes are powered by supernatural ki and are not purely martial, I think I would prefer a D&D that is built around the idea that a normal humanoid could train hard enough to reach the power level of Hercules or the Hulk.

Why not both... Cu Chulainn sought out masters to develop and learn his feats AND he was also considered of divine heritage. He was a prodigy while learning a bit like going from level 1 to 20 in a year or 2.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I blame bad movie plot actually. Bad movie plot doesn't change it into some other energy type, though.

But the point still stands. It's moving slowly. We can see it moving slowly. That is a function of the device, not the person you're calling a cartoon, that the 'unrealistic' element is occurring.

 

[Minigiant]

Why not both... Cu Chulainn sought out masters to develop and learn his feats AND he was also considered of divine heritage. He was a prodigy while learning a bit like going from level 1 to 20 in a year or 2.

Now tht we might hve leveled feats, I hope for post level 10 feats that "reveal you were a demigod the whole time" or "have been exposed to so much magic, you are a mutant".

Though I am still in favor of an outright Demigod class where you get outright superpowers that levelup. Myth and Legend are filled with chosen ones, demigods,and special bloodlines but D&D falls over itself to not let you play them.

 

[The-Magic-Sword]

I think that to a lesser extent, it is more present in wuxia stories. It was mentioned to me once that mythological and certain comic book heroes were special because they were born that way (Hercules and Superman, for example) or due to a single one-off event (Achilles gets dipped in the Styx, David Banner gets pelted by gamma rays). However, wuxia heroes had to seek out masters of martial arts or knowledge set down in manuals and train and practice in order to acquire their special techniques. I'm no expert, but it does align with what I know of both genres.

While it could be argued that wuxia heroes are powered by supernatural ki and are not purely martial, I think I would prefer a D&D that is built around the idea that a normal humanoid could train hard enough to reach the power level of Hercules or the Hulk.

Specifically, in a setting where ki exists (acknowledged or otherwise) there's no real reason the martial tradition of fighters / rogues etc, wouldnt draw on it especially at the higher end. Its just the energy of the body in that context, and part of the world's natural laws, achievable through training.

 

[Garthanos]

Now tht we might hve leveled feats, I hope for post level 10 feats that "reveal you were a demigod the whole time" or "have been exposed to so much magic, you are a mutant".

Though I am still in favor of an outright Demigod class where you get outright superpowers that levelup. Myth and Legend are filled with chosen ones, demigods,and special bloodlines but D&D falls over itself to not let you play them.

Greek demigods were generally raised by their mortal parent as a human, this growing into and discovering your heritage is an out right standard demigod story.