PRIEST-MONK Class

Description:  Monks are priests who belong to cloistered or ascetic monastic 
orders, withdrawing from the everyday affairs of the world around them to 
contemplate their faith.  Monks do not attempt to minister to the masses or 
gather followers for their patron deity, but rather they believe in 
demonstrating the qualities of their faith by example.  A monastery or abbey is 
a place of learning and strength, usually open to any person who requires 
shelter, advice, or assistance.  Some monks choose to leave their abbey and 
travel widely, setting an example to follow among those that the meet and help.  
Monasteries devoted to evil powers are sinister places where knowledge and 
wealth are hoarded for the use of the order but kept from the sight of others.  
Monks train their bodies as well as their minds in order to achieve an intimate 
understanding of their physical limits and how to apply the power of their minds 
through concentration and meditation in order to transcend those limits in many 
ways.  Certain Monkish orders also emphasize habitual fasting and physical labor 
in the course of training aspiring Monks in order to strengthen their bodies and 
give them long-lasting endurance through hardship and privation, but in general 
Monks devote themselves far more deeply to matters of the mind than matters of 
the body.

Monks use the Cleric advancement table and have six-sided hit dice and the THAC0 
and saving throws of rogues.  Monks begin play with 3 weapon and 4 non-weapon 
proficiency slots and gain new weapon proficiency slots every 4 levels and non-
weapon proficiency slots every 3 levels.  Monks must be lawful in alignment, as 
non-lawful characters simply cannot manage the mental and physical discipline 
required of the Monkish orders.  Monks must have a Wisdom score of at least 15 
and Intelligence and Constitution of at least 12.

Weapons & Armor:  Monks may not use any edged weapons, so they may only use 
weapons that are wholly type B or C (not including those few sharp type C 
weapons, such as halberds and two-handed swords).  Monks cannot wear armor or 
use shields.

Special Benefits:  Monks have the same spellcasting abilities as Clerics of 
their faith, including the ability to cast unique spells of their religion.  In 
addition, because of their access to a wide range of information, lore, and 
skills of all genres in their training, Monks have access to all non-weapon 
proficiency lists at no extra cost.  A Monk who reaches 9th level may request 
permission from his or her order to establish a new monastery as an outpost of 
his or her order, retaining sufficient funds to underwrite construction and 
automatically attracting 10 to 40 Monks of lower level (mostly 1st) to staff the 
new monastery, recognizing the PC Monk as the headmaster of the place.  Monks 
also gain the following special abilities:

Concentration:  In combat, a Monk is able to maintain his or her concentration 
and course of action without disruption even when being attacked, as the 
Concentration proficiency, gaining a +1 bonus to this proficiency score for 
every three levels of experience (rounding up).  A Monk's powers of 
concentration apply to magic as well.  A Monk can elect at any time to focus any 
spell that he or she casts, causing it to take effect as if the Monk was two 
levels higher than his or her actual level.  In order to do this, the casting 
time of the spell is increased by one factor of time; e.g., a spell with a 
casting time of 4 would require 4 rounds to cast, while one that normally 
required a turn would require a full hour.  In addition, once per day, a Monk 
can focus the casting of a single spell without requiring the usual extra 
concentration time, causing it to take effect as if the Monk was 1d4+1 levels 
higher than his or her actual level.

In addition to the above benefits of Concentration, the discipline, clarity of 
mind, and strength of will of a Monk of 5th level or above allows him or her to 
'mask the mind' and allows a save vs. spells to block any form of detection, 
scrying, or mind-reading through magical or psionic means; if a save is normally 
allowed, the Monk may attempt two saving throws and select the better result.  A 
Monk's Concentration can also be used as a pseudo-psionic ability to reduce 
their falling speed if nearby to a solid surface.  A Monk of 5th level can fall 
up to 20' without harm if within 1' of a solid surface, as long as he or she can 
make a successful Concentration proficiency check.

A Monk of 9th level can fall up to 30' if within 4' of a solid surface with a 
successful Concentration check, and he or she can also apply his or her powers 
of Concentration to enable him or her to levitate themselves once per week for 
up to 1 hour.  It requires 1 round of concentration and a successful proficiency 
check to begin levitating, but concentration need not be maintained thereafter.  
By mental command, the Monk can move up to 10' up or down per round, and can 
even move 10' horizontally per round by concentrating totally (any distraction 
during such a round will prevent horizontal movement).  Unlike the spell, a 
Monk's levitation is totally stable, providing a fine platform for launching 
missile weapons or casting spells.  The Monk can still be moved about by strong 
winds, however.  This ability may be used once per week, and it ends either at 
the end of the hour or when the caster's foot first touches a level surface 
capable of supporting his or her weight.  The Monk can levitate as much weight 
as he or she can naturally carry.

Finally, a Monk of 13th level or above can fall any distance as long as he or 
she is within 8' of a solid surface with a successful proficiency check.  He or 
she can also separate his or her spirit from his or her body with one round of 
concentration and a successful proficiency check.  While his or her spirit is 
outside of the body, the Monk's body is comatose and very vulnerable to harm.  
This separation can be done once per week for up to 24 hours.  In spirit form, 
the Monk appears as a misty cloud approximating his or her actual shape.  In 
this form, the Monk can move (i.e., fly) at a rate of 24 (Maneuverability Class 
B), but cannot speak, cast spells, attack, or be harmed in any way.  All of his 
or her senses remain intact, however, so attack forms that affect the senses 
will have their normal effects.  A successful dispel magic or similar spell will 
cause the spirit to return to the Monk's body, and the spirit form cannot enter 
an area warded by a protection from evil/good or similar spell, nor any area 
that is proof against entry from astral, ethereal, or teleporting creatures.  If 
a Monk has not returned to his or her body by the time the 24 hour limit is up, 
his or her spirit will be wrenched forcibly back to his or her body, 
necessitating a system shock roll to survive.

Martial Arts:  Monks receive training that enables them to use their bodies as 
living weapons.  This training in Martial Arts allows a Monk to gain two six-
sided hit dice at 1st level.  They also learn train how avoid blows through 
misdirection and positioning and emphasizing quickness, agility, and discipline 
in defending themselves.  Monks eschew armor, as they see the use of such 
ironmongery as crutches for people who are weak of spirit, but their skill in 
evasion improves their frontal AC by 1 for every two levels of experience 
(rounding up, maximum of AC 2 at 15th level).  They can also apply this bonus to 
their saving throws vs. dodgeable attack forms.  Like a character's Dexterity AC 
bonus, a Monk must be aware of an attack to gain this benefit, so attacks from 
surprise do so without taking this bonus into account.

In addition to this defensive skill, Monks are able to apply their skill in 
Martial Arts to attacking in unarmed combat.  First of all, Monks are able to 
disregard the 'weapons in defense' rule when attacking armed opponents using 
Martial Arts.  Conversely, if attacked by an unarmed enemy a Monk is entitled to 
take advantage of the 'weapons in defense' rule as if he or she was armed.  A 
Monk can ordinarily attack only once per round, but he or she can elect to take 
a secondary 'off-hand' attack if desired, with all normal penalties that apply 
for such an action.  With each attack, a Monk can choose to punch for 1d3 points 
of damage (5% chance per point of damage to stun a size M or smaller target for 
1d6 rounds) or to kick for 1d6 points of damage; Strength bonus applies in 
either case.  A Monk can also attempt other special combat maneuvers (e.g., 
Block, Disarm, Parry, Weapon Pin).

For a 1st level Monk, Martial Arts damage is 25% real and 75% temporary, 
regained after a full turn of rest.  A creature more than one size category 
larger than the Monk suffers no damage from Martial Arts attacks.  At 5th level, 
a Monk gains the ability to inflict full lethal damage with unarmed attacks, and 
at 9th level and above a Monk can inflict full damage on a creature of any size 
and can stun a creature of up to size L with a punch.

In addition to this basic skill, Monks can spend weapon proficiency slots in 
order to improve their skill in this form of attack in a manner similar to a 
warrior's Weapon Specialization ability (note that only one slot can be devoted 
to Martial Arts at 1st level).  For every slot devoted to Martial Arts, a Monk 
gains a +1 bonus to hit and damage and a -1 bonus to his or her speed factor 
(minimum of 0), plus an extra half-attack per melee round.

Meditation:  A Monk can meditate in lieu of sleep, allowing them to focus and 
regain their physical and spiritual energies.  Each hour of uninterrupted 
meditation is as restful as two hours of sleep (hence, every 12 hours of 
meditation counts as 24 hours of complete rest, restoring 3 hit points), but the 
Monk remains conscious and aware of his or her surroundings and does not suffer 
any penalties to surprise or initiative dice rolls.  Furthermore, while 
meditating a Monk becomes oblivious to hunger, thirst, and natural extremes of 
heat and cold.  A Monk can meditate for a maximum of two hours per level of 
experience, and at least 24 hours must pass before he or she begins meditating 
again.  

At 5th level, a Monk's meditation improves as he or she gains the ability to 
feign death (self only) once per day for up to 2 turns per level of experience 
in addition to normal meditation.  Regardless of the amount of time spent in 
this cataleptic state, the Monk is so refreshed and re-energized that he or she 
regains 1d4 hit points plus 1 point per level over 5th upon awakening (e.g., 
1d4+2 at 7th, 1d4+3 at 8th).

At 15th level, a Monk's understanding of body processes and the effects of magic 
on the body allows them to hibernate for long periods of time, slowing down his 
or her biological processes (aging at one-tenth the normal rate) and appearing 
dead to a casual observer.  While in this state, the Monk should be treated as 
if under a feign death spell and is completely unconscious, but he or she will 
awaken after a preset period of time or if he or she experiences a significant 
change in his or her environment (e.g., a river valley where he or she is 
hibernating floods, someone strikes him or her with a stick).

Ritual Purification:  Through chanting, meditation, and prayer, Monks are able 
to invoke the power of their deity to cleanse the aura of a person, place, or 
thing.  Ritual Purification requires one hour and has a 5% chance per level of 
the Monk of removing a curse or dispelling possession or charm-type magic, 
including geas and quest.  Because their lifestyle and training include frequent 
self-purification, this ability allows a Monk a 5% per level chance to resist 
curses, possession, or mental control.  Even if this roll fails, a Monk is still 
entitled to any saving throw that might apply.

A modified form of Ritual Purification can be done in a single round, requiring 
a successful Chanting proficiency check.  Success indicates that the Monk has 
purified a 5' radius area against the influence of extraplanar creatures and the 
spirit world, granting a +1 bonus to hit and on saving throws for all creatures 
within the area when fighting undead or extraplanar creatures.  This 
purification persists only as long as the Monk remains within the area of 
effect.

Special Hindrances:  As noted above, Monks do not gain the granted powers 
usually provided for priests of their faith, substituting for them the Monk 
abilities listed above.  Monks are never able to turn or command undead.  As 
noted above, Monks may use only wholly blunt weapons and may not wear armor of 
any sort, though they may use magical protective devices.  

A Monk must spend at least two continuous hours every day in quiet meditation in 
order to keep his or her inner focus.  The particular time of day set aside for 
meditation (e.g., the first two hours after dawn) must be chosen when the 
character is created and can never be changed thereafter.  If a Monk neglects to 
perform this daily meditation, is unable to perform it, or is interrupted more 
than once (or for more than one round), that day's meditation is spoiled and he 
or she effectively loses a level with respect to spellcasting and all class 
abilities.  This penalty applies every time a Monk fails to perform his or her 
meditation, and it is possible for a monk to drop down to a minimum of '0th' 
level, being unable to cast spells or use any class abilities until his or her 
meditation has been performed.  Each day of normal meditation will restore one 
level that has been 'lost' in this way.  Note that a Monk's hit points, saving 
throws, and THAC0 are never affected by this 'level loss'.

In addition to these restrictions, Monks believe in the values of simplicity and 
austerity.  They may keep no more treasure than they can carry, and they never 
retain wealth beyond what is necessary to keep themselves up in a rather spartan 
fashion.  Monks never wear ostentatious clothing or gaudy jewelry, and will seek 
to keep such adornments, if they are worn at all, hidden beneath a plain robe or 
tunic.  Excess monetary treasure (at least 10 percent of monetary treasure in 
any event) that falls to the Monk will be donated to NPC monasteries, libraries, 
academies, or other centers of learning and instruction.  Monks also do not like 
to rely on material possessions, including magical items, and may keep no more 
then ten such items, including potions, scrolls, and any magical candles that 
they may have made.  Excess magic will be donated to centers of research and 
learning.  Also, a Monk begins play quite poor, with only (1d4+1) x 5 g.p., and 
may buy nothing more than he or she can carry.

Finally, the life of a Monk is a life of lonely study and labor, and Monks can 
never attract henchmen or followers into their service, though they may 
establish a monastery, as described above.  

Bonus Proficiencies:  Concentration, Reading/Writing
Required Proficiencies:  Chanting, Religion
Preferred Proficiencies:  Agriculture, Alms, Ancient History, Astrology, 
Artistic Ability, Blind-fighting, Bookbinding, Brewing, Calligraphy, 
Ceremony/Ritual, Contortionist, Ecology, Healing, Herbalism, Language (Modern), 
Language (Ancient), Linguistics, Medicine, Monster Lore, Musical Instrument, 
Numeracy, Numerology, Papermaking, Prophecy, Pottery, Research, Rune Lore, 
Seamstress/Tailor, Singing, Slow Respiration, Spellcraft, Supernumerate, 
Teaching, Weaving, Winemaking