Monster Hunters - New Template Idea: Monk

[oneofmanynameless]

I'm running a fairly standard monster hunter's campaign. One of my players recently lost their character and is thinking of making a new one. His idea is a little abnormal for the Genre, but I like it and I want to humor him.. even make it potentially available as a template in future games.

The idea is basically The Kung Fu Master, The Monk, etc. A fighter who uses Chi abilities to do amazing feats. We looked at using the Warrior at first and it was too weapon dependent and didn't leave a lot of room for TBM skills or other "chi" powers. We considered a modified Psi or Experiment, but while some of the Psi abilities and many of the Experiment abilities fit the rest of the template didn't feel right.

I ended up deciding that I should probably try to create a new template to fit the roll and I'd love any help anyone can give on the subject. Here is my thoughts so far:

Attributes: unsure of where to set these. high physical stuff is obviously necessary, but I don't want them to match the warrior on this level. They should make up the difference with chi abilities.
Secondary Characteristics: same boat as attributes, although FP should be very high for this character.
Advantages: advantages for monster hunter templates seem to be split generally into a few categories:

1. Automatic Advantages: Combat Reflexes, Luck, and TBM are obvious must haves (plus the 15 points for a motivational lens). The biggest question here is whether TBM should include the Wuxia extra options or not. And if it does, should I charge more for them? This is a balance question: one character having those options in a game where nobody else has them can make that character WAY stronger, so CAN it be balanced if it is also costing more points? or should it be avoided entirely?
2. Chi Power Advantages: Should I just make all the TBM skills available and alot points for them? Or should I create a list of advantages you can purchase with the chi power modifier? Imbuements work really well for cinematic martial art "secret styles" "secret moves", but it's a whole set of mechanics that aren't normal... I COULD use Imbuements and TBM skills as the templates things, of course. And that might work. Advice? Thoughts?
3. Other Advantages: For this stuff I was going to use the Monk from Dungeon Fantasy, and the monk and assassin templates (including their cinematic lenses) from Martial Arts as inspiration.

Disadvantages: I was mostly going to use the Dungeon Fantasy monk, and the monk and assassin templates from Martial arts as inspiration.
Note: two major martial arts tropes are the "Blind Martial Artist" and the "Old Martial Artist". "Old Martial Artist" can be easily done with disadvantages such as reduced HT, ST, size, or just Odious Personal Habit (Cantankerous Old Person) and Pitiable. "Blind Martial Artists" are never truly blind (or if they are they don't belong on a monster hunt!) and usually have either vibration sense or para-radar (sensing others presence through projected chi... or maybe just feeling their disturbances in the ambient chi field that flows through and binds together the universe!) Should this be a "special ability" that you pay for as a package out of your powers points?
Wildcard Skills: Fist! is a must have, of course, probably with 48 points in it. But I was also thinking of maybe making Move! available? Maybe do 36 points in Fist! 12 points in Move! and 12 points in one of those of your choice (or maybe just leave it at 36 points in Fist! and 12 in Move! and leave the rest for techniques, TBM skills, and [if applicable] imbuements?) I guess I'm wondering how many overall points should be devoted to this part of the character template?
Primary Skills: Probably lift some of these from the Monk (dungeon fantasy), and the Monk and Assassin (Martial Arts). I was also thinking of setting aside some of the characters points to invest in signature techniques of your characters style. I guess I'm wondering how many overall points should be devoted to this part of the character template?
Secondary Skills: Probably lift some of these from the Monk (dungeon fantasy), and the Monk and Assassin (Martial Arts), with a handful set aside for Know Thy Enemy (I'd probably add a few more options based on Eastern myths) I guess I'm wondering how many overall points should be devoted to this part of the character template?
Background Skills: Probably lift some of these from the Monk (dungeon fantasy), and the Monk and Assassin (Martial Arts). I guess I'm wondering how many overall points should be devoted to this part of the character template?

Ninja's, Shaolin Monks, Ancient Martial Arts Masters, and any other sort of master of Kung Fu and Chi powers is what I'm aiming for. Any and all help or advice is welcome. I'm especially concerned about balancing point allocations, whether I should use wuxia rules or not, and whether I should use imbuements or powers or some combination.

[Randyman]

Alternatively, take the Sifu template from Supers and adjust. Fist! is definitely a must. Move! might trespass on some Sleuth builds.

One key issue to bear in mind is that of an unarmed combatant against an opponent with Injury Tolerance. Chi-based Imbuements on their unarmed attacks is an obvious way to address this issue.

[starslayer]

A monk/ninja is pretty much guaranteed to be a 'hybrid, but with limitations' class, so allowing it to bridge some niche protection may be required.

As I can see it- A martial artist monster hunter would be a hybrid of:
1. Sluth/warrior (has access to ancient lore, a second sense of 'knowing' and combat skills; but has a problem with armour, weapons, and high technology that severely limit how far the hybrid will pass into other niches).

2. Warrior/witch (can use elaborate prayers, meditation and chants to perform supernatural feats with enough time, or chi powers if in a pinch to deliver combat effectiveness rather then an elaborate collection of high powered charms like the witch has).

That's not to say that such a hybrid tramples too much on the warrior/sluth/witch niches- The warrior's focus on weapons and ability to use ranged combat will make it clearly 'different' then the monk/ninja, working better against different sorts of foes, but the monk's 'dual class' nature will allow it to exploit useful synergy. The Witch/Sluth will outdo the monk in raw potency in its own niche, but be less solo effective in combat.

[MechaMage]

For chi abilities, the simplest thing to do seems to be slapping the chi modifier on Bioenhancement abilities- some are inappropriate, but many can easily be reflavoured. Adrenal Muscle Trigger becomes willingly inducing hysteric strength, opening chakra gates, etc.

Essentially, if trying to build a monk, I would start from the Experiment, and maybe reference the Crusader template for appropriate disadvantages.

[Dwarf99]

Originally Posted by Randyman

Alternatively, take the Sifu template from Supers and adjust.

More specificially, I'd reduce DX to 15 for a reduction of 40 points, Drop ETS for a reduction of 45 and spend 25 points instead of 30 in discretionary advantages from the Sifu.

[lachimba]

I dont think this is a new template.

Its a warrior, psi or Crusader with some variations.


Ive made a Yogi who fights while astrally projected using the Psi template.

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by Dwarf99

More specificially, I'd reduce DX to 15 for a reduction of 40 points, Drop ETS for a reduction of 45 and spend 25 points instead of 30 in discretionary advantages from the Sifu.

Not sure if I'd drop ETS. Right now, that's an "exclusive" for the Experiment template; on the one hand it doesn't unbalance stock MH, on the other hand... other than absolute, immutable niche protection, I see no downside to the Sifu keeping it.

I would definitely rebuild skills around Fist!, though, for the sweet Wildcard points.

[mehrkat]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Thaumatology Chinese Elemental Powers as a source of neato abilities.

If I were to want to add an over the top oriental master template for Monster Hunters it would likely be based around this.

[Kalzazz]

I would totally allow the Unarmed Master power up from Pyramid

[PK]

Originally Posted by mehrkat

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Thaumatology Chinese Elemental Powers as a source of neato abilities.

If I were to want to add an over the top oriental master template for Monster Hunters it would likely be based around this.

Man, this is making me wish that I'd had the same idea and created a new MH champion (the "xia") that mixed martial arts and versatile elemental abilities. I could have included it in the article "Elemental Xia Champions vs. the Shenguai" in Pyramid #3/70: Fourth Edition Festival. That would have been awesome.

Actually, heck with it. Let's fix this.

<casts RPM spell to alter time retroactively>

There, now Warehouse 23 thinks that I did do all that. You're welcome.

:)