Monks and Weapons

[DangerDwarf]

Monks are the single most tweaked class by me in my years of gaming. Other than Greyhawk, every other campaign setting I find myself tweaking them to make them better fit.

From lodges of nordic type warriors who practice a smashmouth style of hand to hand to crazed cultists who use their bodies as weapons, I've made minor adjustments time and time again to make them fit my settings without doing a major re-write to the class.

Their hand to hand attacks, I've never viewed as a single attack, a single punch or kick. With narrative description of combat in my games, a single monk attack is generally described by a combination of knees, fists, kicks, whatever.

What I'm currently looking at is what about monks making a series of strikes while holding a weapon in hand. A monk holding a dagger, titling their wrist down and holding the blade along the underside of their arm and using it to slash an opponents as they deliver a sweeping elbow.

So, I'm looking at adding a bonus to damage for monks utilizing weapons in their attacks. Nothing big, just a 'yeah its there" type thing. I want to assign each weapon a damage modifier to hand to hand.

So, a monk utilizing a dagger in his unarmed strike would gain a +1 to damage. Perhaps a monk making a combo strike while utilizing a hand axe would get a +2 to damage.

Of course, magical weapons could lend their properties, such a flaming, etc to the attack.

So, anyone utilized such a thing in their game? Would the little bit of extra damage unbalance the class any?

[Treebore]

DangerDwarf wrote:
Monks are the single most tweaked class by me in my years of gaming. Other than Greyhawk, every other campaign setting I find myself tweaking them to make them better fit.

From lodges of nordic type warriors who practice a smashmouth style of hand to hand to crazed cultists who use their bodies as weapons, I've made minor adjustments time and time again to make them fit my settings without doing a major re-write to the class.

Their hand to hand attacks, I've never viewed as a single attack, a single punch or kick. With narrative description of combat in my games, a single monk attack is generally described by a combination of knees, fists, kicks, whatever.

What I'm currently looking at is what about monks making a series of strikes while holding a weapon in hand. A monk holding a dagger, titling their wrist down and holding the blade along the underside of their arm and using it to slash an opponents as they deliver a sweeping elbow.

So, I'm looking at adding a bonus to damage for monks utilizing weapons in their attacks. Nothing big, just a 'yeah its there" type thing. I want to assign each weapon a damage modifier to hand to hand.

So, a monk utilizing a dagger in his unarmed strike would gain a +1 to damage. Perhaps a monk making a combo strike while utilizing a hand axe would get a +2 to damage.

Of course, magical weapons could lend their properties, such a flaming, etc to the attack.

So, anyone utilized such a thing in their game? Would the little bit of extra damage unbalance the class any?

No, I haven't done that. I just require them to attack with the weapon, not have it add to their "unarmed" attack damage. Interesting idea, though.

[DangerDwarf]

What initially made me consider the idea was brass knuckles. If a regular guy could use brass knuckles to increase his non-lethal damage with a punch, what would the effects be if a monk was wearing brass knuckles while laying the smack down?

Or what about a monk who's style focuses on hard elbows and knees? What would the effect be if he wore spiked knee pads? Or what if a monk who liked to headbutt opponents up close wore a studded mask? The monk who carries his staff with him uses it to brace his arm as he throws a forearm strike?

In my line of work, fights are part of the job and over the years I know I've utilized objects to give an "unarmed" strike a little extra oomph.

So now I'm looking at ways to give unarmed combat that little extra flair I guess. A way to make both the unarmed and armed components of a monk's fighting style compliment eachother.

[StealthSuitStanley]

DangerDwarf wrote:
In my line of work, fights are part of the job and over the years I know I've utilized objects to give an "unarmed" strike a little extra oomph.

What the heck do you do??? Ultimate Fighting?
_________________
later

SSS

----------------------------

"Size matters not."

-Yoda, Jedi Master

[DangerDwarf]

StealthSuitStanley wrote:
What the heck do you do??? Ultimate Fighting?

*chuckles*

I work in corrections. I'm a Lt. on one of the largest prisons in the U.S. so riots, assaults and general mayhem are part of the occasional excitement.

[Lurker]

Quote:
In my line of work, fights are part of the job and over the years I know I've utilized objects to give an "unarmed" strike a little extra oomph.

I agree. I've had a little field combatives training to so have never liked the "a monk hits harder with an empty fist than when using a weapon" mind set. It is amazing how much more hurt comes from a little surefire than just a fist, even in pads.......

Quote:
Monks are the single most tweaked class by me in my years of gaming. Other than Greyhawk, every other campaign setting I find myself tweaking them to make them better fit.

From lodges of Nordic type warriors who practice a smashmouth style of hand to hand

Same here. I'll use the monk as is if playing a Silk Road or OE style game, but for my normal game Lots of changes. In the old D&D I'd made a Greco/Roman wrestler and a bare knuckles fighter/brawler. I also like the Idea of Midnight's defender and will (God willing & if the creeks don't rise, & If I find the time) convert it to C&C down the road.
_________________
"And so I am become a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows!" - Mark Twain

Forgive all spelling errors.

Knight Errant & Humble C&C Society Contributor
C&C Society

[Nelzie]

I work monks from a different angle, at least in the Western Lands of my game world, Hakur.

The Monks are part of the Church of the Pantheon, like Clerics, Druids and the Expositors (NPC Priest class). Like the other "divine" classes, monks also utilize power from the divine, only not in the form of casting spells, pushing back undead or what-have-you.

Anyway, here's a blurb about them from my website:

About the Western Lands of Hakur Order of Monks wrote:
"The Brotherhood" has its founding roots in the 3rd Age of Man. The order of monks is also part of the Church of the Pantheon, in a manner similar to how Druids are part of the Church.

Like Clerics and Druids, these monks channel divine energy. Only, instead of casting spells, the monks focus this energy inward and use it to harden their bodies, quicken their pace of healing and give themselves tremendous bursts of speed and energy, allowing an unarmed monk to become as potent a force as a heavily amored Knight is.

Of course, the order is not about marshal ability. They are pacifists to a strong degree, wishing to bring no harm to anyone they meet, save for the forces of evil in the form of the humanoid races that worship and are controlled by the Dark Gods, as well as undead. For all other foes, a monk would rather subdue or otherwise render an opponent incapable of continuing the fight far short of ending the foe's life.

The monks believe in fairness, compromise and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, when possible and will always attempt to bring a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence. There are near legendary tales of a monk who spent almost a full hour dodging and blocking blows in an attempt to reach a peaceful solution. When it proved fruitless, the monk in these tales simply changed his stance and ended the conflict with a fury of blows within a moment.

It is rumored that the Brotherhood consists of several thousand monks across the Western Lands of Hakur. The truth is, nobody really knows for sure how many monks there are, as only a few monks are seen walking the roads of the lands, bringing their message of peace and pacifism.

This basically explains how a monk actually can cause equal to greater damage with a bare hand than with using a weapon. It's "Magic", which fits perfectly fine in a fantasy world filled with magic.
_________________
Earned the following:

50 Useless Trivia Points from Serleran