This cllass combines the best of the oriental combat techniques with a few basic thieving skills.  The rigors of the class require that the character be lawful, but monks may be good or evil, or neutral in regard to good and evil.  Half of all monks are good, and only three in twenty are evil, but the player character is not bound to this; however, if the character's alignment ever ceases to be lawful, he loses his status as a monk, along with all of his related abilities, and continues his life as a first level character in another class.  (MyWorld rules would strip the character of the monk "special abilities", but not the ordinary thief skills or the martial arts abilities.)  Requirements for the class are stiff--15 strength, 15 wisdom, 15 dexterity, and 11 constitution, with no score below 6 but comeliness.  They begin with 2d4 hit points, and add d4 per level through level 17, the highest level of advancement permitted.

  Although the character is attached to a monastery, he is not a cleric sub-class, and cannot perform either rituals or spells.  He is dedicated to achieving perfection in mind and spirit and body.  He is required to have proficiency in religion and caligraphy.  (Recognizing that calligraphy requires two slots, MyWorld and this material have increased the number of proficiencies by one to allow the character to begin with calligraphy.  Other referees may prefer to require only one slot in calligraphy, and should consider what the character is able to do with a single slot.)

  Monks have an armor class based on their skill and training.  They are not permitted to wear armor of any kind, and they do not gain an armor class adjustment for their dexterity, and they do not gain a to hit or damage adjustment for strength.  They do gain the to hit adjustment for dexterity, and may use the dexterity bonus to improve their saving throws where appropriate.  They cannot carry a shield, and may not use flaming oil.  Under the oriental rules, the character uses the better of the style armor class or the armor class shown on the chart below.  (MyWorld rules recognize that the selection of a martial arts style is based in part on the balance of AC, attacks, and damage; therefore, it is suggested that the martial arts AC style adjustment be treated as a bonus to the monk AC, so that those characters who chose soft styles, sacrificing improved attacks and damage for improved defense, will not lose the benefit of the bargain as they advance in levels.)

  Monks attack and save on the same tables as thieves.  When using weapons, the monk gains a half point of damage per level on every successful attack, up to eight and a half points at the maximum level 17.  Oriental rules eliminated the half points, rounding all such damage down to the whole point.

  The monk also increases his attacks per round as he increases in level.  Under the original rules, the monk was the only character class which could do real damage (as opposed to stunning or subduing damage) with his bare hands.  At level one, the character could do d3 damage on one attack per round; by level seventeen, this would have increased to 8d4 damage four times per round.  However, under the oriental rules this is changed significantly.

  Oriental rules expanded this to require that the character begin with proficiency in any one martial arts style, and two of that style's special maneuvers.  This is assumed to be the style of his monastery, studied by all of the monks in his order.  The rules suggest that the player and referee should create this style based on the martial arts rules; however, DM's may wish to maintain a list of available styles from which players may choose.

  Under the original rules, the monk also had a chance to stun or kill an opponent on any successful attack.  At any level, if the monk's attack roll exceeds the required number by five or more (for example, a roll of 15 when a 10 is needed), the opponent is stunned--dazed and unable to take any action--for d6 rounds.  The chance to kill only applies if the attack roll is a successful stun, and is equal to the armor class of the opponent as a percentage; it is improved 1% per level over 7 when the monk reaches level 8.

  All monks have the martial arts skill missile deflection.  Under the original rules, this was achieved by permitting the character to make a saving throw (vs. petrification) for each normal missile (from bullets to spears) hurled at the character of which he is aware; for any such missile for which the save is successful, the missile is successfully dodged, blocked, or deflected.  Under the oriental rules, this is replaced by the missile deflection martial arts maneuver, which works much the same way, except that the save is against paralyzation.  (This is treated as a class ability under the rules, but for convenience is added to the list of proficiencies on this web site.  The proficiencies count of this material is increased to include an extra slot for that purpose.)

  On any successful save against any attack form which does damage counted in hit points (e.g., not those which paralyze, petrify, or kill outright), the monk takes no damage, even if the attack form would normally do half damage to those who successfully save.  Under oriental rules, this is given as a ki power, limited to once per day per level of the monk, and specifically to magical attack forms; but the monk may decide whether to use the power after all rolls-including the saving throw and damage dice--have been made.  Under the original rules, once the monk reaches level 9, he will take only half damage on any such attack even when he fails his save.  This is considered an improvement of the ki power in the oriental rules; the monk must use the power in order to take half damage on a failed save.

  Although at first level a monk has the ordinary (1/3) chance of surprise, at level 2 this improves to 32%, and it continues to improve by 2% per level, to 2% at level 17.

  The monk has many of the skills of the thief, at the same probability for the same level.  The skills shared include opening locks, finding and removing traps, moving silently, hiding in shadows, hearing noise, and climbing walls.  A monk who falls but is near a wall or other surface can slow his fall such that he will take no damage.  This ability begins at level 4, at which point he can fall 20' if within 1' of a wall.  This improves again at level 6 and again at level 13, at which point he can fall any distance if within 8' of the surface.

  Monks also walk very rapidly; at higher levels, they move faster than many mounted knights.  His armor class also improves with level.

  The abilities on this advancement table reflect the original rules; oriental variants are given below:

  In the oriental variant, a few of these values are adjusted for consistency with the martial arts rules.

  The damage bonuses indicated are in dice and points.  As each martial arts style has a damage die associated with it, the indication of "+1d" means that that die is rolled an additional time for any attack.

  Beginning at level 3, Monks may speak with animals as druids or shukenja.  For these clerics, this is a spell; it is not a spell for monks, and so it is up to the referee to determine the frequency and duration of such an ability for the monk.

  At level 4, they can mask their minds to block ESP (mind reading), reducing the chance of success to 30%, and by an additional 2% per level above that.

  At level 5, the character is immune to disease, and to haste and slow magic.

  At level 6, he can appear dead, lowering his pulse and body temperature.  This state can be maintained for twenty minutes per level.  It is stated in the oriental rules that the monk is unaware of his surroundings while in this state, and so must declare the duration for which he will maintain it when he enters that state (i.e., he can't wake himself when someone arrives).

  At level 7, self-healing at the rate of d4+1 hit points once per day is learned.  This increases by one point per level above 7.

  The monk may speak with plants as a druid or shukenja at level 8.  For clerics, this is also a spell, and the referee should determine the frequency and duration of this ability, as it is not a spell for monks.

  Starting at level 9, the monk is 50% resistant to many types of charm and enchantment spells.  This improves by 5% per level above that.  This resistance is in addition to any saving throw.

  Telepathic and mind blast psionic attacks made against a monk of level 10 is treated as if the target had an 18 intelligence.

  The monk is immune to all forms of poison at level 11, and to geas and quest spells at level 12.

  At level 13, the character gains a special attack form.  The original rules created a very powerful "quivering palm" attack, eliminated by the oriental rules.  The referee should consider carefully how he will handle this.  Under oriental rules, the player character is permitted to select any martial arts maneuver to include in his martial arts abilities, without reference to its normal inclusion in the style.  (The rules are vague on this point.  It is the interpretation in MyWorld that this selection is made individually by each monk character, and thus different monks in the same order may have different special attacks; other DM's may prefer to assume that the monastery teaches a specific maneuver which the character will learn, but that the player is permitted to decide what maneuver that is.  The distinction is significant, as the monk will have to make and defend challenges from members of his order as he advances, and the DM will need to know whether the opponents have the same maneuver or another.)

  The monk is limited in which weapons he can use.  Since there are two distinct lists of weapons, it is suggested that the player refer to the monks weapons page.

  Monks are ascetics, and may not retain any excessive treasure.  They may own up to two magic weapons and three other magic items.  The original rules suggested that the character could retain sufficient money for his modest needs and the support of his henchmen, but had to donate everything else to charity (and out of the game).  The magic items may include any magical weapon which could be used by the monk were it not magical (unless the weapon is incompatible due to connection with a specific class or alignment), any rings, and any item useable by a thief, but no others.

  The oriental rules clarify these restrictions, and make them more severe.  The character may not keep more money than necessary for food and clothing for the next few days.  He may not own a horse, although he may ride a horse belonging to someone else.  He may not own land or property; when he reaches the level at which he may establish a monastery, it is deemed to belong to the order, not to him.  Items in the oriental rule book can only be used by monks if so indicated with the item.  Furthermore, monks do not discard or trade useable items for better items, but instead keep an item until it is used up or destroyed.

  Oriental rules also have no connections to family.  The DM may wish to create family for his own purposes, but the character has no interest in his ancestry or birthrights, and gains no bonus to honor for such things.  It is assumed that the character has been given a new name by his monastery, and has forsaken the name of his family.  He does not keep a record of honor points.

  The monk must abide by a moral code which puts loyalty to the order above all else.  Although evil actions are not intrinsically forbidden (there are evil monks), orders of superiors must be carried out, and oaths must be kept.  Violation of the codes of the order may result in the monk being banished from the monastery for up to several months.  During this time, the character may not adventure, but must undergo various rituals and severe self-denial to atone for his error--and a period of purification and reflection at the monastery is a vital part of character advancement.

  These characters may not have even short-term employees until level 6.  At that point, they may hire assistants for a single adventure only, and may have not more than 2 henchmen who are fighters (not sub-classes), thieves, or assassins.  Oriental rules limit the selection of henchmen to shukenja, bushi, and ninja (presumably bushi/ninja).  He may add one henchman per level until the maximum allowed for his charisma is reached.  (It is the MyWorld assumption that the Grand Master of Flowers may have as many henchmen as his charisma allows.)  This is distinct from followers.

  Beginning at level 8, the number of monks is limited.  Under the original rules, there were only three level 8 characters, and only one at any level above that, and the character ready to advance to the next level had to defeat in single combat the (usually non-player) character holding that position in order to advance.  The combat had to be weaponless and without magic items; it need not be to the death, but to an agreed end.  The loser is reduced to the lowest number of experience points for the level below.  The monk knows where to find the one he must challenge.

  Oriental rules have reduced this restriction.  There are many monastic orders in the oriental world, each with its own monks.  The limited number of upper level monks is specifically connected to each monastery--that is, there will be three level 8 monks at each monastery, and one at each level above that.  The character must defeat one of the monks at his monastery without any unnecessary delay.  The duel is strictly between these two, and must be fought honorably and in the martial arts style of the order.  The duel is usually fought to the first stun.

  At level 8, the character may choose to live on the monastery grounds at the expense of the monastery (deemed to be a prime beneficiary of the donations of all of those lower level monks).  However, followers are gained upon creating a monastery or similar building of his own.  He may acquire this property from the monk he defeated, or build his own; he is permitted to accumulate up to 250,000 gold pieces (or an appropriate amount in oriental currency) for this purpose, and may also accumulate the treasure necessary to maintain it thereafter.  He may not begin to amass such funds prior to attaining this level, and the buildings and grounds are the property of the order.  He is assumed to undertake many administrative duties which will use up much of his time.  He will begin with d4+1 first level monks, and gain another d2 per level, all the same alignment as the character; if the character changes alignment, they will leave, but he will continue to gain new ones in the new alignment..  These advance in levels, but leave service upon attaining level 7.  The character need not provide anything for these followers.  The original rules declare that these followers are as loyal as any other henchmen; the oriental rules describes them as "fanatically loyal".

  Occidental humans may be monks under the original rules.  Under the oriental rules, oriental humans and spirit folk may be monks.

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