The last two campaigns I have run I have had some eastern flavor present and have had players want to be both a samurai and a monk. I found that for the samurai what the character actually wanted was more a badass killing machine than an honorable warrior so I had him play a fighter and call himself a ronin however for the monk I ran into the same problem as always monks just aren't as cool in play as they are on paper.
So here is what I propose for the next time someone want's to run a monk and I would very much like opinions.
Homebrew Monk by Bardarok
Armor: monks are proficient with light armor yet all but the lightest armors interfere with their abilities. However any light armor with an armor check penalty of zero (such as a ceremonial robe, masterwork studded leather, or mithril chain shirt) can be worn with no penalty E.G. flurry of blows, extra movement, wisdom to AC, etc all still work. Yes a fighter multiclass with armor training could wear all the way up to mithril breastplate (or more likely a Do-maru) as long as the total armor check penalty was zero, mithril full plate or kabuto armor would be medium armor so even if armor check penalty gets to zero it would not work. Shields still mess everything up so don't even think about it.
Flurry of Blows: This no longer functions as two weapon fighting, instead whenever the monk makes a full attack he may choose to take a -2 penalty to all attacks made and gain an extra attack at his highest base attack bonus (BAB), this attack must be made with a monk weapon or an unarmed strike (note the normal attacks can be made with any weapon). At 8th level he can make an additional unarmed attack at his full BAB -5, and at 15th yet another at his full BAB -10. If used with the two weapon fighting feat all the flurry bonus attacks must be unarmed attacks and the penalties stack. A monk still treats his monk BAB as equal to his monk level when flurrying.
Example a 20th level monk who we shall call Raphael has the normal, improved, and greater two weapon fighting feats. Wielding a sai in each hand he decides to flurry and use two weapon fighting. He gets –2 to all attacks for two weapon fighting and -2 to all attacks for flurrying taking only has BAB and those penalties into account he gets +16/+11/+6/+1 with his main hand sai, +16/+11/+6 with his off-hand sai, and +16/+11/+6 unarmed attacks. Yes that’s ten attacks but he is a level 20 so why the balls not. He is also a turtle.
"He is also a turtle." (This homebrew brought to you by: Old Spice Body Wash.)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles more than Old Spice since I am talking about armed and armored monks. But maybe I should homebrew a monk on a horse... You could have a flurry of hooves!
Aren't sohei already monks on horses? :P
Aren't sohei already monks on horses? :P
and light armored...and weapon users.
The sohei's ability to use armor is not declared unless you assume proficient with light armor means all abilities function in light armor. Additionally the expanded weapons are limited. I think this homebrew works more generally without specializing in horseback riding.
The sohei's ability to use armor is not declared unless you assume proficient with light armor means all abilities function in light armor. Additionally the expanded weapons are limited. I think this homebrew works more generally without specializing in horseback riding.
the only thing he loses is an ac bonus, and ive never actually seen a mounted sohei. Also i can see flurrying with a falchion to potentially abusive.
The sohei's ability to use armor is not declared unless you assume proficient with light armor means all abilities function in light armor. Additionally the expanded weapons are limited. I think this homebrew works more generally without specializing in horseback riding.the only thing he loses is an ac bonus, and ive never actually seen a mounted sohei. Also i can see flurrying with a falchion to potentially abusive.
nm i misread monk weapon as any weapon. Still the dip potential is strong.
Still the dip potential is strong.
I know that and I actually want to encourage monk dipping a little bit. Though unless the character came from the monastery it won't be a simply task to start taking monk levels. The idea is that many warriors may have spent some time in a monastery and incorporated martial arts into their fighting style. This makes for a potential monk warrior hybrid. I have had multiple players want the flavor of the monk but also want to be combat effective.
...Brawler maybe?
Still the dip potential is strong.I know that and I actually want to encourage monk dipping a little bit. Though unless the character came from the monastery it won't be a simply task to start taking monk levels. The idea is that many warriors may have spent some time in a monastery and incorporated martial arts into their fighting style. This makes for a potential monk warrior hybrid. I have had multiple players want the flavor of the monk but also want to be combat effective.
ok then, if i may offer a few suggestions.
1.Eliminate the hit penalty in flurry of blows.2.Move ki pool to second level.
3. Make ki strike act like an effective enhancement bonus.
4.Allow enhancement bonuses on clothing.
This stuff combined with your rewrite should help.
christos gurd thanks for the suggestions. It seems that my interpretation of the sohei class is very different from what other people have interpreted is there an erattaum that clarifies things?