Introduction:
The Tao, which is sometimes referred to as Enlightenment, Nirvana, or various other spiritual terms, is the path a Monk takes when they achieve the ultimate union of mind, body, and spirit. When a monk can achieve this, the feats they can perform border on the supernatural.
Prerequisites:
Skills:
Snake Style
Build: 3
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: None
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee, Superior
This attack is struck with amazing speed, as such causing double the damage you would normally swing. All bonuses are added in before doubling damage.
Tiger Style
Build: 4
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Snake Style
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee, Superior
Allows the monk to strike with such ferocity that he causes triple damage to the target. All bonuses are added in before tripling damage.
Crane Style
Build: 6
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Tiger Style
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee, Superior, Condition (Blinded)
The monk’s fingers to become hardened like the beak of a crane, causing a successful strike to Blind an opponent for one minute.
Panther Style
Build: 7
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Tiger Style
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee, Superior, Knock Back
The monk’s hands to become hardened like a panther’s claws, causing him to strike for x3 Body damage and knocking opponent back 5 feet.
Dragon Style
Build: 7
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: Panther Style, Mystic Fist, Abundant Step
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Ranged, Superior
The Monk has learned to harness to the power of the astral plane in a concussive blast. The Monk can throw a spell packet for 40 Magic damage. This attack cannot be delivered by any means other than a Spell Packet.
Choke Hold
Build: 5
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Subdue
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee, Superior, Condition (Held), Condition (Unconscious)
The monk has learned not only how to subdue an opponent so they cannot move, but how to render them unconscious with pressure points. The monk must tag his opponent on both shoulders with both claws at the same time from behind, and call this skill. The target may break out of the hold if their strength exceeds the monk’s Martial Arts Prof total. The monk should then count “Choke Hold One, Choke Hold Two, …” for 10 seconds, with the final count having any damage bonuses the monk may have (Magic, Divine, etc.), but without calling damage. If the target is affected, they suffer the effects of the Waylay skill. If the monk is interfered with (stuck or affected by any attack) while performing the hold, the hold is broken.
Staff Mastery
Build: 10
Maximum: N/A
Pre-Req.: Panther Style
Usage: Continuous
Skill (Continuous), Proficiency
This skill allows a monk to become so attuned with fighting with a staff and his body at the same time that he can do truly amazing things. This skill allows a monk to use all periodic monk, warrior monk, and master monk skills with a staff. He still must follow the stipulations for each skill. In the case of skills such as throw or subdue, he must hit one of the targeted areas. In the case of disarm, he cannot strike the opponents weapon, he must hit them in between the wrist and elbow with the staff (as per the Martial Arts Disarm skill). Staff Mastery also adds Marshal Arts Proficiency bonuses to staff damage. This represents the monk’s ability to flow in harmony between weapon and unarmed attack. Because in the game there is no kicking or punching as a true warrior would do while using a staff, the martial arts damage is added to the staff’s damage to represent a monk’s ability to kick and punch while using the staff.
Drunken Monkey
Build: 5
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: None
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Melee, Defense, Superior
This skill allows the character to parry any one non-surprise physical blow dealt to the front of your body.
Mantis Style
Build: 7
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Drunken Monkey, Throw
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Melee, Defense, Superior/ Skill (Periodic), Attack, Knock Back, Condition (Knocked Prone)
This skill is a combination defensive / offensive skill. When called it will parry any one non-surprise physical blow dealt to the front of your body and at the same time throw the attacker as per the skill throw. This skill must be called as a defense, and not as an attack.
Eagle Style
Build: 8
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: Mantis Style, Break Limb
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Melee, Defense, Superior/ Skill (Periodic) / Skill (Periodic), Attack, Melee
This skill is a combination defensive / offensive skill. When called, it parry any one non-surprise physical blow dealt to the front of your body and break the opponent’s arm (the one used to attack) the attacker as per the skill Break Limb. This skill must be called as a defense, and not as an attack.
Scorpion Style
Build: 10
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: Eagle Style, Paralyzing Strike
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Melee, Defense, Superior/ Skill (Periodic) / Skill (Periodic), Attack, Condition (Paralyzed)
This skill is a combination defensive / offensive skill. When called, it parry any one non-surprise physical blow dealt to the front of your body and at the same time paralyzing the attacker as per the skill Paralyzing Strike. This skill must be called as a defense, and not as an attack.
Blade Catch
Build: 8
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Iron Palm, Drunken Monkey, Spiritual Awareness
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Defense, Superior
The monk’s reflexes are heightened to the point that he may catch a weapon with his bare hands, and prevent it from striking him. This skill acts as the skill Deflect, with the addition that the monk may immediately call a single Disarm on his attacker (provided he has a use of the Disarm skill). Even though the monk is touching the weapon, they suffer no effects of the attack if it is enhanced in any way. This skill must be called as a defense, and not as an attack.
Spiritual Awareness
Build: 4
Maximum: 2 Purchases
Pre-Req.: None
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Defense, Superior
This skill allows the character to elude one surprise attack, including Waylay, Assail, or any other skill that requires the target to be unaware. Spiritual Awareness alerts the character of a surprise attack a second before it happens allowing the character to dodge out of the way.
Abundant Step
Build: 3
Maximum: 4 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Spiritual Awareness
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Movement
The monk has mastered astral energies and become so attuned with the astral plane that he can travel on it for brief moments of time. Upon calling this skill, the monk calls a brief hold, and may move up to ten strides in any direction instantly. Note that this is not IG movement, but is a blink into the astral realm. The blink is line of sight only, and may not be through a wall, door, or window (although through a crowd or open portal is acceptable). The monk may not blink into anything other than empty space (no water, objects, or people).
Iron Body (Ranks 7–12)
Build: 3 per Rank
Maximum: N/A
Pre-Req.: Previous Rank, Level 13 / 15 / 17 / 19 / 21 / 23
Useage: Continuous
Skill (Periodic)
As per the main rulebook, but the Monk can only progress to the advanced ranks of Iron Body after opening the Tao list. A Monk with Iron Body (Rank 12) would have 144 points of armor.
Purity of Body
Build: 5
Maximum: 4 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Poison Discharge
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Defense, Superior
This skill will allow the monk to expel any disease that enters their body by any means. This skill does not grant immunity to the disease, as it removes it, not cures it.
Enduring Breath
Build: 3
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: Purity of Body
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic)
The monk can focus his mind to overcome his body’s need for air. The monk may hold his breath for a number of minutes equal to twice his level. While holding his breath, the monk may not exert himself by moving faster than a walking pace, or calling any offensive tag skills. In addition, he may not speak or otherwise open his mouth or breathe.
Feather Body / Rock Body
Build: 2
Maximum: 5 Purchases
Pre-Req.: None
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Defense, Concentration
This skill can be used either to make yourself light as a feather (as per the feather fall ability), or make you solid as a rock (making you completely unmovable by any skill, role-playing or otherwise). While using Rock Body, the monk is immune to all types of damage and physical effects, no matter what the source (attackers retain all periodic skills used against you). The monk must be conscious and concentrate to maintain either effect. If the monk moves from their position, or their concentration is broken (by being knocked unconscious or killed), the effect ends. To enact Rock Body, the monk must kneel on both knees and role-play meditating. Note that the monk’s body does not actually change into rock or become lighter, rather, they move or resist movement through spiritual and mental discipline.
Walking the Elements
Build: 5
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: Spiritual Awareness
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Defense, Superior
The monk is in tune with the world, to the point that he can see and manipulate the elements around him. This skill allows the monk to resist any one elemental effect, or to ignore an environmental condition for up to 15 seconds, such as walking through a fire or across hot lava.
Mystic Fist
Build: 5
Maximum: 3 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Iron Palm
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Augment
This skill allows the monk to summon mystical energies in their fists so that they can swing for +1 magic damage. This lasts for one battle or thirty minutes, whichever ends first.
Fist of the Elements
Build: 8
Maximum: 1 Purchase
Pre-Req.: ID Compound, Spiritual Awareness, Mystic Fist
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Augment
The monk understands of the elements and the world, allowing him to strike at the very elements that make a being exist in this world. The monk may swing for +1 Elemental damage (which covers Earth Air, Fire, and Water) for one battle or 30 minutes, whichever comes first. This skill may be combined with Mystic Fist, a technique sometimes known at the Five Rings Style.
Fist of the Heavens
Build: 5
Maximum: 3 Purchases
Pre-Req.: Iron Palm, all Rank 1 Prayers of any one deity
Usage: Periodic
Skill (Periodic), Augment
This skill allows the monk to summon divine energies in their fists so that they can swing for +1 divine damage. This lasts for one battle or thirty minutes, whichever ends first.
Teacher of the Tao
Build: 1
Maximum: N/A
Pre-Req.: 40 Build from this list in at least 4 different skills
Usage: Continuous
This skill allows you to teach this list. A Master List Teacher can only teach (open for another PC) the actual advanced list itself once every six months. A PC teacher must be approved by the Director & Atmosphere Officer before they can learn this skill.
