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I hate monks
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<blockquote data-quote="jdrakeh" data-source="post: 2808301" data-attributes="member: 13892"><p>I think that is very arguable. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Note that the term 'martial arts' in no way refers exclusively to Eastern unarmed fighting styles, but to <em>all</em> fighting styles (armed as well as unarmed). The open hand strike is commonly associated with Eastern mysticism due to Hollywood's depiciton of the palm strike as a lynchpin of all Eastern fighting styles (whcih it is not), but in AD&D all that it really represents is a simple unarmed strike. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Or the ability of European monks to do the same. Padre Pio, for example, could not only induce a cataleptic state but also (according to eyewitnes accounts) levitate above the ground while meditating. The ability to assert control over one's own body or surroundings through meditation is by no means synonymous with Eastern mysticism.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This ability to communicate with animals is a also a common fixture of European folklore, as well (Merlin, for example, is commonly portrayed as possessing the ability to speak with animals). Again, this thing is by no means exlusive to Eastern mysticism. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That one I <em>do</em> agree with - except that in the AD&D 1e core rules, unless I'm mistaken, the 'quivering palm' only stuns opponents - I don't think that it acquired the instant kill aspect until a re-worked version of the attack appeared in Oriental Adventures. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Really, this is only true if you ignore European folklore and documented history, while fully embracing Hollywood's portrayal of Eastern culture. Fact is, a lot of the AD&D core Monk's abilities are can just as easily be traced to European origins as they can be to Eastern mysticism (as demonstrated above). </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Unless you were a monk during the crusades, in which case some level of martial expertise was desirable, you're correct. But... </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The thing about the Shaolin (the proper spelling) tradition is that historically, despite Hollywood's portrayal, it was originally designed as a kind of moving meditation to keep monks in good physical condition and did not evolve into a true fighting style until many years later when the monks were granted a military status during the Tang Dynasty.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="jdrakeh, post: 2808301, member: 13892"] I think that is very arguable. Note that the term 'martial arts' in no way refers exclusively to Eastern unarmed fighting styles, but to [i]all[/i] fighting styles (armed as well as unarmed). The open hand strike is commonly associated with Eastern mysticism due to Hollywood's depiciton of the palm strike as a lynchpin of all Eastern fighting styles (whcih it is not), but in AD&D all that it really represents is a simple unarmed strike. Or the ability of European monks to do the same. Padre Pio, for example, could not only induce a cataleptic state but also (according to eyewitnes accounts) levitate above the ground while meditating. The ability to assert control over one's own body or surroundings through meditation is by no means synonymous with Eastern mysticism. This ability to communicate with animals is a also a common fixture of European folklore, as well (Merlin, for example, is commonly portrayed as possessing the ability to speak with animals). Again, this thing is by no means exlusive to Eastern mysticism. That one I [i]do[/i] agree with - except that in the AD&D 1e core rules, unless I'm mistaken, the 'quivering palm' only stuns opponents - I don't think that it acquired the instant kill aspect until a re-worked version of the attack appeared in Oriental Adventures. Really, this is only true if you ignore European folklore and documented history, while fully embracing Hollywood's portrayal of Eastern culture. Fact is, a lot of the AD&D core Monk's abilities are can just as easily be traced to European origins as they can be to Eastern mysticism (as demonstrated above). Unless you were a monk during the crusades, in which case some level of martial expertise was desirable, you're correct. But... The thing about the Shaolin (the proper spelling) tradition is that historically, despite Hollywood's portrayal, it was originally designed as a kind of moving meditation to keep monks in good physical condition and did not evolve into a true fighting style until many years later when the monks were granted a military status during the Tang Dynasty. [/QUOTE]
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