Monks - PHB vs OA?

[Sulimo]

I'm wondering, is there any differences between the monks presented in Oriental Adventures compared to the PHB? If so, are they stronger/weaker?

Also, was the translation of L5R to d20 a good one? did most of the coolness of the system survive intact? comparing it to say Deadlands...which lost alot of its feel in the translation process.

 

[0-hr]

OA monks are a little different. They get Knowledge(Religion) as a class skill. They have a longer weapon list. And they can swap out Stunning Fist, Deflect Arrows, and Improved Trip for any martial arts feat.

The expanded options make them more powerful.

 

[Sulimo]

OA monks are a little different. They get Knowledge(Religion) as a class skill. They have a longer weapon list. And they can swap out Stunning Fist, Deflect Arrows, and Improved Trip for any martial arts feat.

The expanded options make them more powerful.

Oh right. Does OA have a system of Martial Arts styles like the 1e OA had?

I guess it could be done with a series of PrCs.

 

[Crothian]

The expanded options make them more powerful.

Not by much, the versatility is actually nice as all monks now won't look the same. However, I highly suggest Quintessential Monk for all your Monk needs and options.

 

[Crothian]

Oh right. Does OA have a system of Martial Arts styles like the 1e OA had?

Ya, you have a bunch of prerequites and then you get another single ability. WEll, so they are not like the first edition ones, but they ar ethere.

 

[hong]

Oh right. Does OA have a system of Martial Arts styles like the 1e OA had?

It does, but it's very abstract. Basically if you take a specified collection of feats and skills, you get a "freebie", which represents mastery of the given style. Have a look at the martial artist stuff on my D&D page for examples of this.

I guess it could be done with a series of PrCs.

You can do that, too. In fact, I think using mastery as a precursor to a prestige class wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[mooby]

Sounds like the OA monks are pretty kewl. As a fan of the class, I guess I'll have to pick that book up too.

 

[Sulimo]

Sounds like the OA monks are pretty kewl. As a fan of the class, I guess I'll have to pick that book up too.

Yeah. Thats my feeling too. the Quint Monk sounds like it might be worth a look too.

Have Monks been expanded via the L5R d20 books? I see there are Ninja & Samurai sourcebooks

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

Have Monks been expanded via the L5R d20 books? I see there are Ninja & Samurai sourcebooks

Yes.

There are good bits for monks (paticularly AEG's Inkyo monk class) in the main d20 Rokugan book and in Magic of Rokugan.

Mostly in terms of feats and such.

A good purchase, IMO.

Patrick Younts

PS: Watch out for the Quint. Monk. It was written entirely on table napkins during an alcohol soaked bender that stretched across three states and culminated in fisticuffs between the pope and the Dahli Lama and the arrest of Tom Brokaw and 14 Hell's Angels. The book has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats and, if ground into a fine paste and fed to a monkey with a typewriter, will result in the eventual typing of the complete written works of William Shakespeare, as translated into Swahili.







































PPS: I should know, having written the book.

 

[mooby]

Are OA Monks more powerful than PHB Monks?

Do they have 'alternate' abilities, or just 'added' abilities?

I'm not a power-gamer, but I can deal without purchasing OA if the monks in it have some advantages and drawbacks when compared to PHB monks, but if OA Monks have added abilities, I don't want to feel like I'm being 'jippied,' so to say.