Layo Specific Monk Abilities

[Chrys Ellis]

Since coming back to Layonara, I've noticed several classes have new feats and/or abilities that have been integrated into the world of Layonara.  Two examples are the wizard teleport ability and the paladin's ability to ride a horse.  Naturally, playing a monk, I thought of a couple for that class.

• Sustenance - The monk can slow his metabolism, minimizing the need for food or drink.  This could either eliminate the need for food or drink altogether, and the monk RP's that they only need to eat in town, and minimally, or slow the rate at which a monk needs to eat or drink by a factor based on level (i.e. - normal rate divided by character level, or something). 
  
• Improved Healing - The monk's mastery over his own body systems leads to a limited ability to regenerate tissue.  This would need to be low, so it wouldn't affect combat much, like +1 regeneration.  This would be granted at a pretty high level.
  
• Immunity to Environment - The monk would be unaffected by certain climates, like the cold in the Barbarian Isles.  Not sure how this would be scripted, though.
  

Just a few thoughts.  I'd be interested to hear what people think.

[Leanthar]

Interesting ideas.  The 1st and 3rd would take some pretty involved code changes to be merged in to those two systems.  The 2nd one would take some specific coding but in the long run would probably be easier to do...
  No promises though.

[Chrys Ellis]

Thanks for the response. Here's another idea I had.
  Lay on Hands - The monk has learned to harness and focus their Ki through their hands to restore health in others.  They can only do this twice per day, and must be done out of combat, so the monk can find the stillness within himself to focus the Ki.  Maybe this could either be a set or random amount, say 1D6*level, or something.  Or it could work like a greater restoration.  Open to ideas.

[Talan Va'lash]

I think a better way to do the second would be to allow the monk to regenerate faster when he rests.  

Adding a permanant +1 regen is like adding a class feature or at least something on that scale of power.  But I guess the Paladin warhorse is probably pretty good so *shrugs* maybe "class feature" scale is what were looking at here heh.

Anyway, if it was just the higher regen on rest, you could give monks a +1 to con modifier only for purposes of determining hp regained when resting at X level, then +2 at 2X level or something.

Edit: as for envioronmental protection (black ice isles) I was thinking that endure elements should protect from this (since that is the only point of the spell in PnP.)  But then everyone would cast endure elements and wouldnt do the whole campfire, sit around sticking your hands over it thing... which is kinda the point and fun RP.  And it would be a shame to have such a cool system only to have everyone avoid it... so... pretend I never suggested this.. hehe

[Leanthar]

*nods to Talan* Agreed.

[Pankoki]

Yeah, I'm with Talan here. +1 Regen is too powerful to have it as a granted class feat. And no the paladin warhorse is very very very neat and has tons of RP to it, but it really isn't powerful. At least not to compare to regeneration.

[Talan Va'lash]

Talan Va'lash - 8/16/2005  4:40 PM

I think a better way to do the second would be to allow the monk to regenerate faster when he rests.  

Adding a permanant +1 regen is like adding a class feature or at least something on that scale of power.  But I guess the Paladin warhorse is probably pretty good so *shrugs* maybe "class feature" scale is what were looking at here heh.

lol, about which part?  That better regen on rest would be better?  or that we are talking about "class feature" type power here?

-TV

[Leanthar]

The better regen on rest... maybe instead of a con bonus (as normal it is more of a con bonus--perhaps 2x more). Something like that.

[Talan Va'lash]

Pankoki - 8/16/2005  4:43 PM  Yeah, I'm with Talan here. +1 Regen is too powerful to have it as a granted class feat. And no the paladin warhorse is very very very neat and has tons of RP to it, but it really isn't powerful. At least not to compare to regeneration.

 I only compared it to regen because I have no idea how it was implemented.  I suppose its probably posted somewhere... *goes to sniff around*  -TV

[Chrys Ellis]

See, my point with the resistance to the elements was to enrich the RP of those campfire situations.  Imagine everyone huddled around the campfire shivering, and the monk strolls by in his sandals and skimpy robe, completely unperturbed by the environment.  To me, it opens up the possiblities of discussions about the differences between different classes, and things like Ki vs. magic, vs. divine power.

[Leanthar]

"...See, my point with the resistance to the elements was to enrich the RP of those campfire situations.  Imagine everyone huddled around the campfire shivering, and the monk strolls by in his sandals and skimpy robe, completely unperturbed by the environment.  To me, it opens up the possiblities of discussions about the differences between different classes, and things like Ki vs. magic, vs. divine power..."
  *nods* though we may have to do it in a different sort of way but I do understand where you are coming from.  No promises but interesting.

[Chrys Ellis]

The reason I posted these suggestions was not to try to score some cool new uber ability for my monk, though he is the only character I play here.  It actually was inspird by a trip to Roldem's mosquito infested marshes.  I took the liberty of RP'ing that my character was able to use Ki energy to create a sort of natural insect repellent.  I just figured that someone immune to poison and disease would also be able to resist things like mosquitos, but I might be pushing it. While I was thinking about this, a necromancer in our group had to leave in a hurry, and teleported himself back to Pranzis.  Naturally, this set the wheels in motion in my mind for a cool Layo specific monk ability.
  Personally, I don't see that +1 Regeneration would be too powerful.  It wouldn't be given until a high level, so it wouldn't make a big difference in combat, since by then you'd be facing things that do plenty of damage to make the regeneration negligible.  Really, I think it would just save the monk from needing to use some healing kits, which are pretty inexpensive, anyway.  Just for the record, this was not my own idea, but was suggested by another player. What I had in mind was the monk sustenance.
  I don't know how it's coded, so I don't know if this would even be possible, but I was thinking of something with a number of charges per day.  Maybe one for food and one for drink.  Each time you got the message you were hungry or thirsty, a charge would automatically be used, and you would be satiated for a time.  Again, not sure this could be done in this way.

[Pankoki]

There are many ways of making regeneration a sickly powerful ability and it really isn't linked to the amount of damage you take in combat or the kits you can carry. There is a reason that the one regeneration item is in the epic loot drop and the chances of getting it are really really really slim.