Help me build an Amish monk

[BobSutan]

I've never really agreed with the monk class as written as it never really gelled well with the European medieval motif of the game. So instead of being the stereotypical Eastern monk the game seems to have presented the core class as, I'm going to make him an Amish far boy. His adventuring career is his Rumspringa. Because he's supremely naive about the world outside his little village he doesn't know that the life of an adventurer isn't what regular peasants live like. What I have in mind is basically playing him like Ismael from Kingpin and one of the other characters in the group will play a role similar to Woody Harrelson's character corralling him along keeping him on mission instead of wandering off in wonderment of something that most people consider to be mundane. Doubly so if we play a high magic campaign like Eberron.

All that being said, what suggestions do you guys have for feat assignments, weapon substitutions (eg sickle instead of kama), and so on?

[super dark33]

first, he need all the farm skills (profession:milking/makeing butter/whatever)
he wont use weapons or have any profinecy with any (even a club!)
feats sould be focus skill and thing like that, he will be LG, and will have to roll a will save (dc 16) in order to not run in fear from monsters and dangerous things

this mostly. because hes a PEASENT,

[Urpriest]

The whole concept of Amish doesn't really make sense in a medieval setting...naive farm boy works, sure, but Amish implies a world where technology is limited and rare.

I'm not entirely sure why you want to use the Monk for this, as kung fu isn't very farmboy-ish. I'd be more likely to go for Ranger or Rogue, really.

[BobSutan]

first, he need all the farm skills (profession:milking/makeing butter/whatever)
he wont use weapons or have any profinecy with any (even a club!)
feats sould be focus skill and thing like that, he will be LG, and will have to roll a will save (dc 16) in order to not run in fear from monsters and dangerous things

this mostly. because hes a PEASENT,

Hmm... sounds like we'd need to look into traits and that variant system of taking negatives that gives feats in return.

[Keld Denar]

Something about turning the other cheek doesn't work well with a violent hobo who routinely beats people up and takes their stuff.

On the other side, you have a cool theme song:

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain, I take a look at my wife, and realize she's very plain.
But that's just perfect for an Amish like me, you know I shun fancy things like electricity.
...
I never wear buttons but I got a cool hat, and all my homies agree, I really look good in black, fool.
...
I'm the pious guy the other Amish wanna be like, on me knees day and night, scorin points for the afterlife!

[BobSutan]

Something about turning the other cheek doesn't work well with a violent hobo who routinely beats people up and takes their stuff.

On the other side, you have a cool theme song:

As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain, I take a look at my wife, and realize she's very plain.
But that's just perfect for an Amish like me, you know I shun fancy things like electricity.
...
I never wear buttons but I got a cool hat, and all my homies agree, I really look good in black, fool.
...
I'm the pious guy the other Amish wanna be like, on me knees day and night, scorin points for the afterlife!

NICE! Gotta love Weird Al :smallbiggrin:

[Loren]

the Amish are passifists, so the whole waging peace thing from BoED seems desirable (would also contribute is you're going for a Western monk feel too).

bady "yar, stand and deliver"
amish "you don't want to do this"
bady "why? because your tougher than you look?"
amish "no, because my daddy said stealing is a sin. We should work to feed ourselves and our families, not take from other families"
bady "... you're right, oh how I've wasted my life. I'm a father too, I can't take from someone else's son, oh what would my children think if they saw me"
amish "my also said to give to those that ask, so do you still want my money"
bady "no kid, you keep it"

Not very, D&D, but if you're looking for something that breaks the mold, this is it.

[Greenish]

amish "my also said to give to those that ask, so do you still want my money"The highwayman already asked!

[BobSutan]

the Amish are passifists, so the whole waging peace thing from BoED seems desirable (would also contribute is you're going for a Western monk feel too).

bady "yar, stand and deliver"
amish "you don't want to do this"
bady "why? because your tougher than you look?"
amish "no, because my daddy said stealing is a sin. We should work to feed ourselves and our families, not take from other families"
bady "... you're right, oh how I've wasted my life. I'm a father too, I can't take from someone else's son, oh what would my children think if they saw me"
amish "my also said to give to those that ask, so do you still want my money"
bady "no kid, you keep it"

Not very, D&D, but if you're looking for something that breaks the mold, this is it.

Interesting concept, although not sure if I'd go that route. His family was trained to fight as they were the clan's protectors, the peacekeepers. I could see being able to talk down bad guys though as being a preferred method though. I'll keep that in mind.

[Yuki Akuma]

An Amish character would be a Commoner. Maybe an Expert. Their culture stresses humbleness, after all.

They certainly wouldn't be trained martial artists.

[Piedmon_Sama]

I would just like to point out that since they were originally a wheat threshing tool improvised as a weapon, there is no reason this guy couldn't have a pair of sweet nunchuks.

[grimbold]

The whole concept of Amish doesn't really make sense in a medieval setting...naive farm boy works, sure, but Amish implies a world where technology is limited and rare.

I'm not entirely sure why you want to use the Monk for this, as kung fu isn't very farmboy-ish. I'd be more likely to go for Ranger or Rogue, really.

exactly
alsoa medieval amishguy is redundant

[The Glyphstone]

exactly
alsoa medieval amishguy is redundant

Literally, yes. If you re-interpret 'Amish' in the context of 'community that is deliberately "technologically impaired" (in Weird Al's words)', then I suppose a 'medieval Amish society' would be, like, highly religious cavemen or something, being even further suppressed/limited in terms of technological advancement than the medieval standard. I dunno.

[Urpriest]

Literally, yes. If you re-interpret 'Amish' in the context of 'community that is deliberately "technologically impaired" (in Weird Al's words)', then I suppose a 'medieval Amish society' would be, like, highly religious cavemen or something, being even further suppressed/limited in terms of technological advancement than the medieval standard. I dunno.

Oooh! He should play a Troglodyte! Their very name means Medieval Amish!

[Hawk7915]

I'll assume you want the flavor of an "Amish" character (the naive outsider from a simpler place that shuns technology and/or magic) rather than a literally Amish character who doesn't make a lot of sense in conjunction with either the Monk class or D&D and general.

First of all, consider the Swordsage rather than the Monk, it's so much better, Monk is awful, etc. Now that that's out of the way...

- I agree with most posters that a "pacifist" monk seems more appropriate. I'd utilize stunning fist, nonlethal damage, and some of the variants (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les) that seem to encourage a monk that's more super tough or peaceful instead of quick and aggressive.

- Your character has a pretty intense personal code; you could roleplay it but you might as well get bonuses from the "Vow of X" line from Book of Exalted Cheese Deeds. All of them are arguably appropriate.

- Speaking of BoED, "Intuitive Attack" might be appropriate for your character.

- As you mentioned, ask your DM if you can sub in "farm weapons" for normal monk weapons. Although honestly I think this character should focus on nonviolence, defense, and unarmed (or quarterstaff-fueled) stunning attacks.

- Your wisdom will probably be pretty good, so make sure to load up on Flaws and Traits that lower your Sense Motive and Will save, to really play up the naive farm boy thing.

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: This thread is a bit too religious. Thread locked.