Monks! Monks for Days!

[Chained Birds]

Greetings,

Currently I'm working on a campaign idea with fun dungeon stuff, but I first want the party to work together on an event to get enough prestige for an adventure's guild to allow them to enter the dungeon once it becomes available. I figure, having an adventure before the big adventure will get the group to learn each others' skills and combat orientation better.

So anyway, my idea is that there is a Shadow Lord (Monk/Ninja), who has been corrupting monk monasteries with the ideas of expanding their powers by overindulgence. Like convincing Drunken Masters to use up all the alcohol they have to discover new techniques and abilities, but causing a lack of Alcohol to sustain them and forcing them to steal beer and drinks from taverns in order to fuel their crazed thirst for power.

Beyond the Drunken Masters, I want to include a bunch of monk schools who have all been somewhat tricked into doing bad stuff for the sake of their martial arts and stuff.

The campaign will have 4-5 level 5 PCs, so I'm looking for cool Monk ideas or Martial Arts-like class combinations to throw at them, along with maybe a few Master-class martial artists (theme not the archetype (though they could be)).

I'll post my current list of Monks in a bit!

Thanks in advance!

Monk Character List
Shadow Lord (Big Bad): Monk (Hungry Ghost) 5 / Ninja 4
- Is addicted to Ki. Wants to break the boundaries of how much Ki he can absorb off others and will do anything to further his whims.
Master Whickett (Good Master): Monk (Hungry Ghost/Sensei) 6
- A Bewildering Koon Human (Racial Heritage feat (Gnome)) who was the former master to the Shadow Lord. Requests for the party to defeat the Shadow Lord so his corruption will stop.
The Wall (Recurring Threat): Monk (Flowing/Sacred Mountain) 5
- A Dwarf who is constantly hired to stand guard at places that interest the Shadow Lord.

[Geddy2112]

A few stereotype monks/martial artists you need are

The wrestling club
Be it masked luchadors, WWE pro circuit, Olympic champions, these are buff monsters who love to grapple. If you are willing to go a bit unusual, look up Gachimuchi/Billy Herrington for some real "interesting" wrestling(you have to google it, it is not really something that I can post here).
Styles:Kraken, Grabbing, Snapping Turtle. Archetypes:Tetori Vows:Vow of Chains

Mind over matter
These are the monks who appear weak on the outside, but their mental abilities bend reality to their liking. Wise sages, they are capable fighters but better at using their ki and energies to fight for them. Their mental discipline manifests in their bodies, making them a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Styles: Crane, Kirin, DragonArchetypes:Ki mystic, Harrow Warden, Flowing Monk, Quinggong monk, Contemplative (Dwarf only), Ironskin (Hobgoblin only), Student of Stone(Oread only). Vows:Vow of Celibacy, Vow of Cleanliness

Weapon Monks
Proficient with their bare hands, these monks choose to enter combat armed. Many practice with all weapons, but some specialize in one. The weapon becomes an extension of their own body, and to master it is to master themselves.
Archetypes:Weapon adept, Sohei, Zen Archer, Hamatulatsu Master, Kata Master, Far Strike Monk

Natural Mystics
These monks live closer and more in one with nature than even other monks. Many are druidlike, and might not even have formal monasteries. Many emulate nature in both combat and self perfection, while some even fight from horseback.
Styles:Any animal style Archetypes:Sohei, Monk of the Four Winds, Master of many styles (animal styles), Contemplative (Dwarf only), Student of Stone (Oread only), Tree Runner (Vanaran only) Vows:Vow of poverty, vow of fasting

Peacenicks
These monks have all but eschewed violence in an attempt to be peaceful, gentle beings. At a minimum nonviolent, but likely pacifist. These monks try to solve problems with words and calming ki, rather than channel it into deadly force(but they can if they must).
Styles: Crane, Snapping Turtle, Cudgeler, ArchonArchetypes:Sensei, Monk of the Lotus, Nimble Guardian (Catfolk Only) Vows: Vow of peace, Vow of Truth

"Wild" monks
They are monks, but many live a less "monklike" life. Nonetheless skilled in martial combat and discipline, these monks believe enlightenment and austerity are opposites, and enjoy a bit more of a "free" life than the traditional monks.
Styles:Monkey style, Tiger, Panther, Wolf, Any Genie style, Boar Archetypes:Drunken Master, Wildcat, Kata Master, Martial Artist, Underfoot adept (Halfling only), Wanderer (Human only)

[danzibr]

What you described as "The Wall" reminded me of something from my childhood.

Once upon a time I made a superhero named The Roadblock. His only power was being very fat. I mean like really, really fat. He would roll/bounce to somewhere that needed blocking, then sit there and block it.

This could totally be an overindulgence-of-food type of guy.

[Elricaltovilla]

You need a dojo destroyer. One of those guys who travels from monastery to monastery beating up students and Masters alike and taking the sign for their dojo/monastery as a sign of his victory and a mark of shame and dishonor for the martial artists from that school. Probably a brawler who works for the BBEG as a setup to allow the BBEG the opportunity to move in and corrupt the school.

[Chained Birds]

A few stereotype monks/martial artists you need are...

I really do enjoy the Style/Archetype comparisons you made for each Stereotype. It has given me quite a few ideas as to what sort of apprentices the party would fight when confronting certain monasteries. And who the Grand Masters of each Dojo / Monastery would be like.

My initial story hook was some hot blooded "Wild Monks" crashing through the Party's tavern as the nice bartender was just about to reward our adventurers with some free beer after [Insert RP Reason Here]. The monks would then swipe all the alcohol in the tavern (Including the large keg; those jerks!) and run away out the windows they crashed in through.

I'm imagining some Monkey Style Martial Artists with Drunken Masters being some of the higher ranked members. Though it is fun just throwing together some "Wild" styles to mix around the types of mooks they would fight.


What you described as "The Wall" reminded me of something from my childhood.

Once upon a time I made a superhero named The Roadblock. His only power was being very fat. I mean like really, really fat. He would roll/bounce to somewhere that needed blocking, then sit there and block it.

This could totally be an overindulgence-of-food type of guy.

Would be funny if the Shadow Lord got The Wall to join him by corrupting him to indulge in foods to make himself more "wall-like". The Shadow Lord then supports his obsession so long as The Wall serves him.


You need a dojo destroyer.

I like this. And seeing as Brawler has been brought up a few times as the "Better Monk", it might make sense that he keeps bashing the regular monks around.
This can also be a fun lead for the party if they decided to hunt him down for some info or just to stop his destruction so the Shadow Lord would have less influence.

[Hrugner]

I'll offer up the banished order, an order of monks with no martial discipline or combat style who overpower more skilled martial artists with pure strength and speed. Their power derives from high stats and unpredictability. Over the years their dedication to broad self improvement allowed them to stay relevant in times of peace and increased their ranks with people in more mundane walks of life. Often treated as criminals by more respected orders, many people have some training through one of their many wandering masters. Their training largely consists of broad physical fitness, sleight of hand and feinting, fighting with improvised weapons as well as pain endurance and long distance running.

A second offering, just steal Frank Herbert's face dancers.

Third, sky hunters. This order focuses on fighting with harpoons using them both as ways to latch on and climb up to flying opponents, rapidly set up trip lines, and use for traveling through the city. They are equally capable when fighting with the harpoon as a spear, harpoon or the rope end as a lasso, whip, garotte or other rope like weapon. They cant to a lesser extent, fight with grapnel hooks and barbed crossbows.