I'm likely reinventing the wheel here, but whatever, this is one of the characters that will go the Metal Earth sup (the first full draft of which is actually nearing completion). the inspiration from this comes from a forum post I read somewhere the other day about how one could use magic user spells to replicate a thief. Well, for a variety of reasons, I thought that was a bad idea, however, the core concept behind it struck me as really neato. At the same time I was thinking of how to implement Magic in my upcoming campaign. I've been all over the road with this in the last few incarnations of the game and I'm trying to find a permanent solution. This class, the Sorcerer class and the Witch class,  both of which I'll post later this week, may fix this problem and also fill the void left by the removal of the Cleric from the setting and the rules.

The spells listed are mostly from B/X (my new infatuation) and S&W WB. I'm going to make up about 20 more and awesome all the names to make them more monkish.

Anyway, here it is:

 

The Monk

Monks are highly trained and disciplined members of the pseudo-religious order The Marked. As a Monk completes stages of his training, he is marked with magical brands known as sigils. With proper mediation of an hour or more a day, the Monk can charge these sigils with energy drawn from his own life force. A charged sigil may be activated later by a series of body movements, known as a form. Each sigil has its own spell-like effect.

Racial restrictions: living beings only (i.e, no constructs or undead).

HD: 1d8

Saving Throw: As Cleric.
Combat as Fighter

Monks with a 13 or greater wisdom receive a 5% bonus to, those with a 16+ DEX receive a 10% bonus to XP.

AC= 9- ½ level round down descending + Dexterity bonus; 10 + ½  level round down +Dexterity bonus ascending.

At first level a Monk can attack unarmed for 1d6 lethal damage.

At 4th level the Monk’s unarmed attacks can hit creatures vulnerable to silver and magic only.

At 5th level the Monk may use melee weapons.

At 6th level the monk may use missile weapons.

At 7th level the Monk gains the ability to use some of his spells on others.


 

First level Monk spells
Heal Minor Wounds
Protection from Chaos
Detect Magic
Purify food/drink
Invisibility
Light
Resist Heat/Cold

Second level Monk Spells
Awareness
Continual Light
Detect
Chaos
Detect Invisible
Find Traps
Knock
Levitate
Silence
Speak With Animals

Third level Monk Spells
Dark Vision
Protection From Normal Missiles
Protection from Chaos 10’ radius
Rope (like web, but with a rope)
Water Breathing
Fourth level Monk Spells
Heal Major Wound
Fly
Neutralize Poison
Plant Growth
Polymorph Self
Speak With Plants

Fifth Level Monk Spells
Astral Projection
Brand

Looks OK, though I kind of love the original monk myself.

A couple of minor nitpicks:

*looks like they get L3 and L4 spells at the same level?
*The xp bonus is +5% for 13 Wis, +10% for 16 Dex ?
I might be tempted to put an ability at L3, or otherwise move stuff around to avoid "dead levels" (something new and exciting every level).

Mods: could you change the title of this thread to  "[B/X LL]Metal Earth character classes" please?


Note there are a couple of new spells in here I need to write up, and I need to go back and fix the names so they tie back to one version of the game, but you'll get the idea I'm sure.

The Necromancer

Necromancers wield magic they draw from the necrosphere, the ancient Earth’s spirit world, which is infused with the ghostly energy of eons of the dead.

Race: Living beings

Save: as cleric

Combat: As cleric

AC= 10+1/3 lvl+ dex mod. (round down)

Weapons and armor:  Any

In order to work their magic Necromancer must have a focus made from the remains of a dead creature. Such object may include a skull, or a staff made of bones, soft tissue foci are rare but not unknown; however, such foci must be shielded from decay by embalming, mummification or some other method.

Blood Magic:  Once a day, a Necromancer may inflict a minor wound upon himself in order to gain an additional spell of one level below the highest level spell they can cast. This maybe done a maximum of three days in a row.

Turn undead as cleric

Potions: Necromancers of 6th level and above may brew potions.

XP to gain second level  1500.

Spell List

First Level Necromancer Spells

Detect Chaos/law

Detect Magci

Cure Minor wound

Light/Dark

Protection from Chaos

Puridfy food and drink

Animal companion

Remove fear

Second Level Necromancer Spells

Bless curse

Hold person

Cure major wound

phantasmal force

Ghost Spear

Third level Necromancer spells

Cure/cause disease

Locate object

Remove curse

Wizard’s eye

Effigy of agony

Fourth level Necromancer spells

Fly

Protection form Law chaos 10’ radius

Sticks to snakes wall of fire and Ice (Ghost Wall)

Create water

Fifth level Necromancer spells

Animate Dead Commune

Contact other plain control weather the wailing dread dispel chaos/law

Insect plague

Quest

Raise dead

Quote from: Aos;517440The Monk

Monks are highly trained and disciplined members of the pseudo-religious order The Marked. As a Monk completes stages of his training, he is marked with magical brands known as sigils. With proper mediation of an hour or more a day, the Monk can charge these sigils with energy drawn from his own life force. A charged sigil may be activated later by a series of body movements, known as a form. Each sigil has its own spell-like effect.

Racial restrictions: living beings only (i.e, no constructs or undead).

HD: 1d8

Saving Throw: As Cleric.
Combat as Fighter

Monks with a 13 or greater wisdom receive a 5% bonus to, those with a 16+ DEX receive a 10% bonus to XP.

AC= 9- ½ level round down descending + Dexterity bonus; 10 + ½  level round down +Dexterity bonus ascending.

At first level a Monk can attack unarmed for 1d6 lethal damage.

At 4th level the Monk's unarmed attacks can hit creatures vulnerable to silver and magic only.

At 5th level the Monk may use melee weapons.

At 6th level the monk may use missile weapons.

At 7th level the Monk gains the ability to use some of his spells on others.


 

First level Monk spells
Heal Minor Wounds
Protection from Chaos
Detect Magic
Purify food/drink
Invisibility
Light
Resist Heat/Cold

Second level Monk Spells
Awareness
Continual Light
Detect
Chaos
Detect Invisible
Find Traps
Knock
Levitate
Silence
Speak With Animals

Third level Monk Spells
Dark Vision
Protection From Normal Missiles
Protection from Chaos 10' radius
Rope (like web, but with a rope)
Water Breathing
Fourth level Monk Spells
Heal Major Wound
Fly
Neutralize Poison
Plant Growth
Polymorph Self
Speak With Plants

Fifth Level Monk Spells
Astral Projection
Brand

I like the sigils concept, and the racial restriction.  I'm a little unclear about the 7th ability gained.  Does that mean up to that point that the monk's spells are cast as self-only, despite the spell's normal description?  Also, is the monk's caster level always equal to its class level?

Quote from: Drohem;555065I like the sigils concept, and the racial restriction.  I'm a little unclear about the 7th ability gained.  Does that mean up to that point that the monk's spells are cast as self-only, despite the spell's normal description?  Also, is the monk's caster level always equal to its class level?

Yes and yes (although we're going to playtest this class very soon and we may change both answers).

Cool, sounds fun.

Actually I'm looking at it now and i see a problem. With the sigles being as they are it would mean that the monk wouldn't get to change out his spells after making an initial selection.
I think however maybe there could be a ritual or something that couid change the spells. Something to think on.

Yeah, that would be a good way to go.  The sigils are able to morph and change due to the ritual focus and will of the monk.  You could also postulate that the original sigils drawn on the monk were made with Chi-infused ink which would allow them to morph when the monk undergoes the arduous ritual to change his sigils.

Another possibility is to offer the ritual to change his sigils at certain level breaks; like say, every 3rd level or something.

I like all of those. I also like the idea that it would be a pain in the ass. However, i'll have to think about the latter point as the player who wants to try the monk out is a pain in my ass, so I might be subconsciously seeking retaliation.