Monk Fighting Schools

The below is a list that describes the Monk Fighting School of Tellene, and can be found in "Lord Caladin's Court", Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting. This is in addition to any Fighting Schools of L5R. These Fighting Schools are for the Monks, so only characters who have the monk as a class can gain the benefits of these Monk Fighting Schools.

Monk Fighting Schools

Monk Fighting Schools allow monks to break from the traditional meld and more closely mirror the diversity of martial fighting arts found in the Tellene and the legendary lands of Rokugan. The intent is to enhance the monk, and purify one martial arts archetype (wrestler, the sumo, the performer, stick fighter and so on). A monk fighting school allows the player to model one's base class into a character that can seem extraneous to their concept.

Benefits of a Monk Fighting School

Characters that progress in an Monk Fighting School are still considered monks for all intents and purposes; the only difference is the alternate special abilities they receive at certain levels. Essentially, monk fighting schools are groups of abilities with a common theme, this in addition to a prestige class, but the monk most still meet all the requirements. In all cases alternative special abilities are received in lieu of the standard monk special abilities.

Choosing a Monk Fighting School

A player who chooses to have his monk character be a student of one of these Monk Fighting Schools must decide to do so before receiving there first alternate fighting technique. For some schools that means deciding at character creation, for others at a later level. A monk character that is assigned a fighting school at creation is considered to have studied that style exclusively and automatically receives the alternative special abilities of that school each time be gain a new level. A character who begins as a standard monk must find a teacher of the appropriate style before they can learn any of its alternative special abilities. Under no circumstance can a monk character mix and match alternative special abilities from different fighting schools. If permitted, the GM may allow a student to ignore all previous fighting school abilities for a new school, some additional penalties may apply, see Fighting School of Rokugan for more information on penalties.

"To achieve true enlightenment and mastery one must be absolutely dedicated to one art both in body and soul"

Monk Fighting Schools

Earth Dragon

The art of grappling has a long and celebrated history. Many scholars believe the first martial arts of an organized system of unarmed combat were base solely around grappling. Almost all races and cultures have at least one grappling system and then some. The Earth Dragon is especially know in dwarven culture as one such style.

Weapon Focus Grapple:

Natural Grappler:

Standing Grapple:

Giant's Grasp:

Dragon's Grasp:

The Titans (Rokugan)

The martial art know as The Titans is a sumo style of wrestling. Unlike other wrestlers, sum are loathe to fight on the ground - in organized matches the loser is as soon as any body part above the knees touches the earth. Strength and mass are critical to success in sumo, and so The Titans students enthusiastically practice body building techniques and consume massive amounts of rice and fish. As a result their bodies grow to prodigious size, a combination of fat and bulk muscle that some find repugnant. In truth they are extremely fit, superbly trained athletes and warriors, capable of defeating an opponent with a single shove. * see the Way of Sumotori for more information

Improved Bull's Rush:

Toughness:

Oshi:

Haragei:

Unstoppable Titan:

Haragei:

Ghost Fist

Ghost Fist is an internal style created centuries ago by elven scholars, the techniques of Ghost Fist style were designed to take advantage of the natural grace and magical nature of the elven race, while simultaneously compensating for their innately fragile nature. The result is a graceful martial art that relies on evasive footwork and sweeping circular movements for defense and a huge arsenal of open palm strikes and high kicks for attack. Ghost fist masters are well known and respected for their mastery of chi energy, an art they have cultivated to the highest degree. The art is popular among elves since they are blessed with long lives and true mastery of the art can take a century of dedication.

Break Breath:

Circle Boxing:

Ki Shield:

KI Sword:

Ki Strike:

Ancestor's Illusion

The First Ancestor's Illusion academy was founded just two centuries ago, by a group of halfling revolutionaries in Kalamar. As years passed and the troupe gained fame, they abandoned their revolutionary ideals in favor of profit. Now the Ancestor's Illusion has become one of the most influential opera styles, its methods and techniques widely copied. Practitioners of the art are gifted with tumble and their actors specialize in the reenactment of famous legends of ancient times. Halfling's make up the largest percentage of the Ancestor's Illusion, as Half-Orc students are almost unheard of.

Opera Training:

Ghost Walk:

Master Performer:

Painted Faces:

Heroic Aspect:

Consummate Actor:

Smoke Sword

Smoke Sword originated as an indigenous style of a remote island of Svimohzish. The native practitioners were much feared by sailors for their bloodthirsty nature and their mastery of the stick and long knife. Slowly as trade between islanders and sailors increased, the art of Smoke Sword spread along the trade routes to other civilized nations. The first Smoke Sword master used long knife and fighting sticks, the style has since grown to include training for all manner or melee weapons.

Weapon Focus:

Improved Disarm:

Weapon Specialization:

Unbreakable Bond:

Ki Empower:

Double Hammer

Boxing, the science of fighting with fists, has existed in some form or another for thousands of years, for both sport and defense. The Double Hammer style is named in honor of the greatest half-orc boxer who ever lived, a woman with fists as large as hams and hard as stone. The Double Hammer is a simple martial art - there are only four punches, with fast low kicks, knees, elbows and the famed bear hug. There is also the surreptitious head butt, that is more then most opponents can handle.

Weapon focus:

Hammer Blow:

Weapon Specialization:

Rabbit strike:

Lightning Strike:

Great Fortitude:

Raging Bull:

Source Notes:

Mongoose Publishing - The Quintessential Monk, BOOK SEVEN