Monks?

As an addendum to my series of posts on my Default D&D world and where various game elements fit, I want to wrap my head around the Monk class.  It is more than just a pugilist class, many of its abilities reference or are dependent on eastern style philosophy.

Despite the fact that D&D generally exists in a medieval European context, the Monk is not friar tuck, but and explicitly Asian themed class.

For a while this was fine as they had not quite elevated to a "core class" in 20th century D&D.  However, the Monk class is now firmly in the canon of D&D, so the class needs to fit holistically in the world.  They can't all be strangers from a far land, can they?

As I see it, that leaves us 2 main options.

1. This bit of Eastern Mysticism "has always" been part of our otherwise European setting, thereby leaving us to come up with some handwavey explanation for why that may be.
2. Re-contextualize the Monk class into something that fits the European milieu. 

I think both approaches could be valid.

Lets explore the first. Some event in the past of our setting gave this bit of eastern flavor.  

 It could be due to divine intervention, a deity looking to preserve a bit of culture, or prescribing this otherwise different way of fighting and thinking about natural law.  This does fit the class, since it does have trappings of philosophy and (nominally) lawful outlook.

It could be due to some diaspora from an eastern themed land.  This creates a few issues.  One, you have committed to having an eastern themed land.  Two, why just the Monk class, and not Samurai, Ninjas, etc.  the second is easy to answer.  Add those in too, maybe not as special classes, but just a flavor option.  The first is common enough in most game worlds, but does open us up to having a real world analog for every culture, and that may be more than we want.

So how about making the Monk class feel more European?  I don't think it takes too much to imagine a Friar Tuck like Monk in his robes being able to handle his own in a fight.  As he gains levels and study infusing his blows with divine might, making use of weapons derived from simple tools.  Whereas the Cleric dons armor and goes out to fight in the name of their god, a Monk protects the flock.  I see three issues,  1. the Church is already pretty full with Clerics, Paladins, maybe Druids as well.  2. While the class pays some lip service to philosophy and the divine, the class abilities just don't align with the way the Divine is handled in other classes.  3. Even if you go to the trouble to reskin all the class abilities, Players are going to either want or presume that eastern flavor anyway.

Whichever route we take it has to accomplish a few things.  Since they are no longer limited to humans, the setup we choose needs to make the role of the class fit the various races/cultures we have established.  It still needs to allow for players to play they class/flavor they want, more or less how they want.  It can't enforce too specific of a niche. A backwoods village needs a way to be a monk without explicitly learning from a monastery or guru.

Taking all of these thoughts, I think I would mix a little bit of the above and do the following:

• There are Orders of Monks who trace their teaching back ages, sometimes along specific teachings and lineages of philosophy. 
  
• Some orders may be absorbed into or an outgrowth of The Church
• They may also be individuals who have taken a personalized path to self improvement
• Some monks also travel the land offering their teachings.
• It is the result of these wandering monks that has led to the spread of the class throughout the realms.
• Monks will often reflect a certain amount of acculturation over time. Those within the church looking more like Friars, or incorporating the dress and affectations of the dominant culture (Dwarven, Hill Folk, etc.)
  
• Monks are often folks who have chosen to find their own path
• They are all marked by a certain attitude of looking inward for answers, and this often separates them from others.

So in my world The Church has a role for Monks (who will likely look like Friars), but there are also independent "monasteries" and wandering teachers and those who have taken an individual contemplative path in life.  These separations are also a good way to explain why they have such oddball weapons compared to the rest of the classes.

Not 100% satisfying, but it does meet my "default world" requirements of having a place for the class without a massive re-write of things, and allowing for the many interpretations of the class over the editions.

As an aside, if Psionics were ever core, I would like to see a mingling of Ki and Psionics.  Perhaps with the Monk being the Paladin to the Psionics' cleric.  As it stands, both classes just stick out.  But Psionics is a whole other kettle of fish.

 

Rogues and Thieves

Rounding out my thoughts on my default D&D world, I want to lay out my thoughts on members of the Rogue/Thief classes (Thieves, Bards, Assassins, etc.)

Lots of folks steal, heck most character's end up being grave robbers, or home invaders (just ask the goblins).  The abilities of the Thieving classes, go beyond mere skullduggery.  The ability to hide among shadows, climb sheer walls, or move in silence requires special training.  While self taught individuals exist, they are clearly someone who has gone to lengths to pick up these shady skills. So, where does a PC learn these things?    

Thieves guilds exist, but only in the largest most fantastic cities do they operate in the "Thieves College" model more prevalent in fantasy stories.  These sorts of guilds come about as a result of the unique conditions found in D&D (true deities, magic, weird beings. etc.).  The more common thieves guilds work more like organized crime families or street gangs, usually depending on the size and interconnectedness of the communities.  In more wild lands, these will take the form of bandit groups or other outlaws.

It is important to note that not every member of these groups are members of the thieving classes, similar to our discussion the Cleric class, and membership to The Church.  These bands of skallywags (perhaps more than any other group) will have members of every class.  Clerics of the god of thieves, or other marginalized faith, warriors  etc.  In these groups, members of the Thieving classes are just one more kind of specialist.  Some will have a knack for stealth, others deception, some are "boxmen" or "second story men".

Bards: My general thought of Bards leans more towards the Jack of All Trades traveler and story teller who picks up random talents in their travels and due to their less than savory lifestyle.  However, the notion of the Bardic College (as opposed to Bard College) is a popular one.  Like many organizations, they will most likely be found in the larger cities, as stand alone institutions or part of a larger institution of higher learning.  The middle ground is Bardic "schools" which are not an institution, but a collection of traditions shared among like minded travelers and performers.

Assassins:  The abilities of the Assassin "class" are typically not available until later levels, and so do not need a default place in the world.  Surely they can be found folded into their own guilds, as part of larger "Thieves" guilds, religious orders, or individuals for hire.  Even when trained from birth, they will likely pass through levels of more mundane class first. 

Warriors

Fighters, what is there to say about their place in a default D&D world, they hit things with weapons.  Warriors and weapons are more common in a fantasy world than in medieval history due to the constant threat of goblins, beasts, and other threats.   Any peasant can quickly find themselves skills in arms and armor without formal martial training.

In our default world, Fighters can be an individual commoner who has had to take up arms against threats, part of an informal town guard, or a soldier with formal training.  The trick is the other warrior classes (Rangers, Barbarians, Paladins, and various sub classes.

Barbarians: The barbarian class is a misnomer, particularly in modern D&D.  The name of the class denotes more a a cultural trapping, but the mechanics of the class reflect a reckless "raging" fighting style.  Members of this class can hale from a distance, rugged land, but they can also be a local with anger issues.

Rangers:  I have discussed some of my perceived issues with the Rangers before.The abilities of the class do denote some additional level of special training or exposure pertaining to the wilderness and the threats therein. There are troupes of Rangers in the more traditional sense, groups of individuals who specifically work to keep the threats of the wildlands from infringing on the bounds of civilization. 

Paladins: Much of what can be said about the Paladin was covered in my discussion of Clerics. They may be thought of as Clerics who know weapons a little better, they may be individual crusaders, or members of some formal organization.  In any even The Church will likely claim them.

Fighters: while lacking many of the class abilities of the above, can also easily be found among their ranks and worthy of the title (even if not members of the class). 

Magic and Warriors: Many classes, particularly in modern D&D have access to spells and magic abilities.  I don't have a specific philosophy when it comes to these matters.  They can be the result of learned study, passed down traditions, self discovery, or some other diegetic source.  It works best for the nature of the modern D&D game to allow players to advance without being anchored to a specific facet of the world.

Wizards and Magic

I was not happy with the original version of this post and have given it a re-write.

We have covered the place of the stock D&D races as well as some of the exotic ones in my default D&D world.  We also covered the place of Clerics and Druids, and what they say about the world as well. This time it is Wizards.  But first I think we need to talk about the nature of magic.

I don't get too in the weeds about what magic is or how it comes to be.  For me it is enough to say it is a fundamental force of the universe the characters inhabit.  As such it is accessible and manipulatable by the beings that occupy that universe.

Magic: Wizards are not the only ones who can use magic and "spell slots" are not the only way to make spells and magic happen.  While Clerics can use magic by virtue of their connection with their deity, Wizards have figured out how to use and shape magic directly.  Spells (as represented by spell slots) are those applications that can be accessed quickly and "easily".  An analogy may be found in fire; it is easier to harness fire with dry leaves than wet wood.  Magic can be accessed via more complicated rituals, some innate quality of a being, or some arrangement with a more powerful being, or even in accidental/uncontrolled ways.

Wizards: In my default world Wizards study esoteric formulae and take an analytical approach to magic.  They fill the role academics and keepers of knowledge in our sort-of medieval world (as opposed to the monks of the religious orders in the real world).

Instead of Abbeys filled with monks scribing knowledge as part of a religious pursuit on knowledge, they do so in the service of a Wizard or group of wizards.  Some may go on to become apprentice wizards, others simply sages, but most will likely stay scribes. While there are strong parallels to academia and research institution, only the largest cities have what one could consider Wizarding societies and schools.  (Though wizard school trope is too powerful to ignore these days).  

Wizards are the renaissance men of their world.  Many will take a position under a wealthy patron in order to further their studies. Instead of plumbing the mysteries of steam power or electricity, they toy with Elementals and charms.  This contributes to the extended medieval period seen in D&D worlds.  They are also the Mad Scientists.  Those who dabble in areas that are too dangerous for cities or polite society.  They will have their towers in far away places and a select few apprentices at their side.

Most characters will likely have learned from a local hedge-wizard.  Someone who could not find patronage, did not care for academia, or simply learned from the previous local wizard.  They are likely mid level at best, and their spells tend towards the basic and practical.

Spellbooks and Such: While the day to day game mechanics don't support the needs for shelves of books, cauldrons,  rituals, and copper tubing; these are the trappings of Wizards trying to unlock new shortcuts to shaping magic, in the form of spells and magic items. All of this study is documented in books.  Magical tomes don't just hold the spell itself, but explain theory, technique, history etc. about the spell.  The Wizard's spellbook is just the cliff notes reminder.  Sort of like how grandma's recipe card often doesn't list all the crucial details and techniques to prepare the food. That is why a Wizard will still have a library of tomes, its like a law reference library.

Other Spellcasters:  Classic D&D often had to sidestep the trope of the literate spellbook-using caster, with Shamen and Witches and the like, in order to allow monstrous magic users.  21st century D&D fully incorporates these "non-academic" spellcasters in the form or Sorcerers, Warlocks, changes to the Bard class and others. Classic spellbook using bards can easily be folded into the above milieu, having picked up a few spells from a hedgewizard or other source. 

Sorcerer's are likely seen as aberrations in all but the most enlightened Wizard communities.  A large enough wizard college may have a program for Sorcerers, sort of an Arcane Liberal Arts degree.

Warlocks are likely looked down on, people who neither earned, nor were born with their power, but instead "bought" it.

Force User Home Brew

 Not much on my mind this past week so how about some Game Content.

This is my rewrite of the Force User classes for the original and revised edition of d20 Star Wars (not the Saga version)

In this version, all Force Users start as force adepts, whether they are Jedi/Padawans or not.  Jedi Classes are now prestige classes.  Why? because it fits my notion of how the world works, and is appropriate for all eras of play.

Force Adept

Force Adept (d8, 6 skill)	Att	Fort (M)	Ref (M)	Will (H)	Def	Rep	Special
1	0	1	1	2	3	0	Primitive Weapons, Simple Weapons; Force Sensitive or Sense
2	1	2	2	3	4	0	Force Training (Choose: Alter, Control, Sense)
3	2	2	2	3	4	0
4	3	2	2	4	4	0	Force Training (Choose: Alter, Control, Sense)
5	3	3	3	4	5	1	Force Weapon +1d6
6	4	3	3	5	5	1
7	5	4	4	5	6	1	Comprehend Speech
8	6	4	4	6	6	1	Force Talisman +2 to Saves vs Force
9	6	4	4	6	6	2
10	7	5	5	7	7	2
11	8	5	5	7	7	2
12	9	6	6	8	8	2
13	9	6	6	8	8	3	Force Weapon +2d6
14	10	6	6	9	8	3
15	11	7	7	9	9	3	Force Talisman +4 to Save vs Force
16	12	7	7	10	9	3
17	12	8	8	10	10	4
18	13	8	8	11	10	4
19	14	8	8	11	10	4
20	15	9	9	12	11	4	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Another or Heal Self)

Jedi Classes

Jedi Consular

Requirements:  BAB+3, Treat Injury 4 Ranks, Force Sensitive, Sense, Exotic Weapon (Lightsaber)

Jedi Consular (d8, 6)	Att	Fort (H)	Ref (M)	Will (H)	Def	Rep	Special
1	0	1	1	1	3	0	Bonus "Knight" Feat
2	1	2	1	2	4	1	Healing
3	2	2	2	2	4	1
4	3	3	2	3	4	1
5	3	3	2	3	5	1	Force Weapon +1d6
6	4	4	3	4	5	2
7	5	4	3	4	6	2	Bonus "Master" Feat
8	6	5	4	5	6	2
9	6	5	4	5	6	2
10	7	6	4	6	7	3	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Another or Heal Self)

Jedi Guardian

Requirements:  BAB+5, Battlemind 4 Ranks, Force Sensitive, Control, Exotic Weapon (Lightsaber)

Jedi Guardian (d10, 4)	Att	Fort (H)	Ref (H)	Will (M)	Def	Rep	Special
1	1	1	1	1	2	0	Bonus "Knight" Feat
2	2	2	2	1	3	1
3	3	2	2	2	3	1	Force Weapon +1d6
4	4	3	3	2	4	1
5	5	3	3	2	4	1	Deflect Blaster Bonus Feat
6	6	4	4	3	5	2
7	7	4	4	3	5	2	Bonus "Master" Feat
8	8	5	5	4	6	2	Force Weapon +2d6
9	9	5	5	4	6	2
10	10	6	6	4	7	3	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Another or Heal Self)

Jedi Master

Requirements:  BAB+10, See Force 6 Ranks, Any Jedi "Master" feat, Must have built a Lightsaber

Jedi Master (d8, 6)	Att	Fort (H)	Ref (M)	Will (H)	Def	Rep	Special
1	1	1	1	1	1	1	Padawan (Follower)
2	2	2	1	2	2	1	Force Weapon +1d6
3	3	2	2	2	2	2	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Another or Heal Self)
4	4	3	2	3	3	2	Force Talisman +2 to Saves vs Force
5	5	3	2	3	3	3	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Anotehr or Heal Self)

 Sith Maurader

 Requirements:  BAB+1, Intimidate 4 Ranks, Force Sensitive, Power Attack, Dark Side Points 4

Sith Maurader (d10, 4)	Att	Fort (H)	Ref (H)	Will (H)	Def	Rep	Special
1	1	1	1	0	1	0	Dark Side Talisman +2
2	2	2	2	1	2	0
3	3	2	2	1	2	1	Force Weapon +1d6
4	4	3	3	1	2	1
5	5	3	3	2	3	2	Darkside Training (Choose: Dark Side Skill Emphasis, Alter, Control, Sense, or "Knight" Feat
6	6	4	4	2	3	2
7	7	4	4	2	4	3	Dark Side Talisman +4
8	8	5	5	3	4	3	Force Weapon +1d6
9	9	5	5	3	4	4
10	10	6	6	3	5	4	Force Secret (+1 Battlemind or Force Defense or Force Strike or Heal Another or Heal Self)