Monks (PC Class)

Monks are one of the more deadly classes in ADnD. This power comes at a price, with high scores required and other limitations discussed later. A monk must have a strength of 15, wisdom of 15, dexterity of 15, and a constitution of 11. Monks gain no bonus experience for high stats, and do not gain any armor class adjustment from their dexterity score.

Monk Statistics
Monks have the saving throws of thieves, but have even more advantages. Non magical missiles that would hit the monk can be deflected with a successful saving throw against petrification. Also, any attack that can be saved against, successful saves completely negate damage against the monk. Unsuccessful saves still reduce damage by 50% but do not in any way negate other effects. A monk who fails his save takes half damage from a fireball, but is still petrified by a basilisk's gaze.

Monks can attack with weapons on the same table as thieves. However, they add one half their level to the damage dealt with the weapon. Monks also have the ability to stun an enemy for 1-6 melee rounds if their adjusted to-hit roll is 5 or more higher than the number required. If the enemy is stunned, then the monk also has a percent chance to kill equal to the armor class of the oponent, modified by the number of monk levels past the 7th. Thus, 1) a hit must be scored, 2) the hit must be a stun, 3) the percentile dice score must be equal to or less than the armor class of the sunned opponent, modified by the monk's levells over 7th, in order to score a kill.

Monks can use certain thief abilities as a thief of equivalent level. These abilities are: Also, monks can resist falling damage depending on their level. This ability completely negates falling damage, but requires the monk to make contact with the wall occasionally during the fall. Monks at 1st level are as likely to be surprised as any other character, 33 1/3%. At 2nd level, this decreases to 32%, and drops 2% every level afterward.
 * 1) Open Locks
 * 2) Find/Remove Traps
 * 3) Move Silently
 * 4) Hide in Shadows
 * 5) Hear Noise
 * 6) Climb Walls
 * At 4th level (Disciple), a monk can fall up to 20' if he or she is within 1' of a wall.
 * At 6th level (Master), a monk can fall up to 30' if he or she is within 4' of a wall.
 * at 13th level (Master of Winter), a monk can fall any distance if he or she is within 8' of a wall.

Special Abilities
Monks gain special abilities at certain levels, as indicated on the previous table. A monk has the ability of its level, and all the levels before it. These abilities are:

A. The ability to speak with animals as druids do, at 3rd level.

B. The ability to mask the mind so that ESP has only a 30% chance of success. This power begins at 4th level, and grows more powerful as the monk levels up. The chance of ESP working on a monk drops by 2% each level.

C. The 5th level monk is immune to diseases, and the effects of haste and slow spells.

D. At 6th level, the monk gains the ability to appear dead. The monk can lower body temperature and heart rate for a number of turns (10-minute periods) equal to twice his level.

E. At level 7, the monk can heal damage on his own person equal to d4+1 hit points once per day. This ability gains +1 per level after the 7th.

F. Monks of the 8th level may speak with plants as druids do.

G. Beguiling, charms, hypnosis ​and suggestion spells only have a 50% chance of affecting the 9th level monk. Resistance increases by 5% per level after the 9th, and if resistance fails, then saving throws may be taken.

H. Telepathic and mind blast attacks upon a 10th level monk are made as if the monk had 18 intelligence, due to their mental discipline.

I. An 11th level monk is immune to poison of any type.

J. Geas and quest spells have no effect on monks level 12 or higher.

K. Monks gain the quivering palm ability, which can only be attempted once per week. The monk must touch the intended victim within three melee rounds of activating the power, or lose it for that week. After that, the command to die must be given by the monk within one day per level of the monk. Otherwise, the vibrations cease on their own and deal no damage. This power cannot affect undead or creatures that can only be hit by magical weapons, and also cannot be used on victims with more hit dice than the monk or more than 200% of the monk's total hit points.

Monk Restrictions
Unfortunately to some, monks are restricted in what they may own. To those who see monks as overpowered, these restrictions are used to balance. Followers: at 8th level, a monk gains followers upon defeating the monk of 8th level the character had to fight. They will gain 2-5 followers of the first level if he or she has a monastery or monastery-like building to use as a headquarters. These monks must be worked up through the levels of experience. The player will gain an extra one or two followers upon each extra level. These followers are as loyal as other henchmen, but will leave the monastery when they reach the 7th level. All followers will be of identical alignment, and will desert if the player changes alignment. Additional followers can still be attained by leveling up. The monastery can be that of the 8th level monk defeated, or can be constructed after attaining the title. In the latter case, the monk may retain up to 250,000 gold pieces to finance the construction of the place. They may also retain sufficient funds to sustain the monastery.
 * 1) Monks may not wear armor, and are limited in weapons to bo sticks, clubs, crossbows, daggers, hand axes, javelins, jo sticks, pole arms, spears, and the staff.
 * 2) Monks may not retain more than a small fraction of whatever wealth they may gain They are limited to two magic weapons, three other magic items, and may only use money to maintain their needs and henchmen. All other money must be donated to religious institutions.
 * 3) Monks may use any magical items used, rings, and any usable only by thieves. No other items may be used by a monk.
 * 4) Monks do not gain bonuses to their "to hit" or damage from strength scores.
 * 5) Before a monk attains the rank of Master, they may have no hirelings. At level 6, a monk may hire persons for, at most, a single adventure. They also acquire up to two henchmen, who may be fighters, thieves, or assassins. With each level above the 6th, a monk may retain one additional henchman, up until his charisma score is reached. At 8th level, monks gain followers, as described below
 * 6) There can only be a limited number of monks above 7th level. There are three 8th level monks, and one of each level above that. When a player character monk gains sufficient experience points to qualify him or her for 8th level, the abilities granted for that level are temporary. The monk must find and defeat in single combat, hand to hand, without weapons or magic items, one of the other 8th level monks - Green, Red, or White. The same must be done at the higher levels. The loser of the combats loses enough esperience to place him or her at the lowest number possible to attain the level just beneath the new level. The monk character will know where to find these masters, and must find them immediately upon leveling or else lose experience equal to having lost the fight.