Ep 73: Hey Hey We're the Monks
Apr 18, 2016 10:41:50 GMT
dm_mainprize, joatmoniac, and 1 more like this
Post by retsamnoegnud on Apr 18, 2016 10:41:50 GMT
Sorry if I'm breaking etiquette/protocol, but I had a bunch of stuff to say about this episode and didn't really want to wait.
I've loved the monk class ever since I discovered them. Something about the "never unarmed" hero appeals to me not only mechanically but thematically, and I love creating and playing monks. This episode does a great job of breaking down the rules and history of monks in D&D, as well as discussing the specific paths. I won't try to add to that, because I don't feel I could improve on it. There is one thing, though, that I wish had come up, and that's what I'd like to talk about here:
Monks are the most narrowly interpreted character class that I see. Barbarians are often from barbaric tribes, but could also be from "civilization," only with anger problems. Wizards typically learn through years of study, but sometimes they just stumbled on an arcane tome, or were taught in secret. But monks are pretty much universally treated as "You come from a monastery; you learned martial arts; now, you're an adventurer." What's more, there are three archetypical monks I tend to see.
1) Stranger from a Strange Land: You are from far away (whatever your setting's equivalent of the far east is) or an isolated monastery whose only cultural influences are from far away. You probably look like a buddhist monk.
2) One of many in an Eastern Setting Game: Your campaign is based on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
3) European Prodigy: You are Tom Cruise from Last Samurai. Your teacher is either 1 or 2, but you're a white guy who inexplicably ascends the ranks to be the greatest monk of all. (In more comedic games, you're Chris Farley from Beverly Hills Ninja.)
While there is nothing wrong with 1 or 2, and even 3 can be fine, in moderation, I want more variety. I am constantly reskinning monks to have different concepts. Often, the background is the best way to decide the flavor of your monk. Typically, you would assume that Ki is a purely mechanical resource that doesn't affect your game with these options.
Outlander: Your monk is basically Mowgli from the Jungle Book. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was raised by wolves." Your character's acrobatics and acuity with unarmed fighting come from years spent in the wilds. Works best with Way of the Open Palm, though you could explain Way of Shadow by having him learn stalking/hiding from predators in the wild.
Noble: Your monk is from a society where going around armed and armored is unfashionable, and so learned to fight without using weapons. Options include Arya Stark-inspired "dancing lessons" or being trained by your family's spy-master/assassin to keep yourself safe.
Charlatan: Your monk is a con-man, grifting and slipping from place-to-place. You cheat, maybe even steal, but you're not a murderer, so you learned to fight barehanded and focus on ducking, dodging, and getting the heck outta dodge without needing to actually wield a weapon. This character would also likely end up with a "no killing" rule, but less out of respect for life as fear of punishment and a weak stomach.
And so on. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say this is the only way to play a monk - classic Buddhist monastery style is fun and I've run a couple, but I hate how restricted people feel about what a monk ought to be, so I want to encourage broader interpretation of the class.
I've loved the monk class ever since I discovered them. Something about the "never unarmed" hero appeals to me not only mechanically but thematically, and I love creating and playing monks. This episode does a great job of breaking down the rules and history of monks in D&D, as well as discussing the specific paths. I won't try to add to that, because I don't feel I could improve on it. There is one thing, though, that I wish had come up, and that's what I'd like to talk about here:
Monks are the most narrowly interpreted character class that I see. Barbarians are often from barbaric tribes, but could also be from "civilization," only with anger problems. Wizards typically learn through years of study, but sometimes they just stumbled on an arcane tome, or were taught in secret. But monks are pretty much universally treated as "You come from a monastery; you learned martial arts; now, you're an adventurer." What's more, there are three archetypical monks I tend to see.
1) Stranger from a Strange Land: You are from far away (whatever your setting's equivalent of the far east is) or an isolated monastery whose only cultural influences are from far away. You probably look like a buddhist monk.
2) One of many in an Eastern Setting Game: Your campaign is based on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
3) European Prodigy: You are Tom Cruise from Last Samurai. Your teacher is either 1 or 2, but you're a white guy who inexplicably ascends the ranks to be the greatest monk of all. (In more comedic games, you're Chris Farley from Beverly Hills Ninja.)
While there is nothing wrong with 1 or 2, and even 3 can be fine, in moderation, I want more variety. I am constantly reskinning monks to have different concepts. Often, the background is the best way to decide the flavor of your monk. Typically, you would assume that Ki is a purely mechanical resource that doesn't affect your game with these options.
Outlander: Your monk is basically Mowgli from the Jungle Book. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was raised by wolves." Your character's acrobatics and acuity with unarmed fighting come from years spent in the wilds. Works best with Way of the Open Palm, though you could explain Way of Shadow by having him learn stalking/hiding from predators in the wild.
Noble: Your monk is from a society where going around armed and armored is unfashionable, and so learned to fight without using weapons. Options include Arya Stark-inspired "dancing lessons" or being trained by your family's spy-master/assassin to keep yourself safe.
Charlatan: Your monk is a con-man, grifting and slipping from place-to-place. You cheat, maybe even steal, but you're not a murderer, so you learned to fight barehanded and focus on ducking, dodging, and getting the heck outta dodge without needing to actually wield a weapon. This character would also likely end up with a "no killing" rule, but less out of respect for life as fear of punishment and a weak stomach.
And so on. Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to say this is the only way to play a monk - classic Buddhist monastery style is fun and I've run a couple, but I hate how restricted people feel about what a monk ought to be, so I want to encourage broader interpretation of the class.