What is Ki?

[jfrazierjr]

Depending on your definitions, I would have Ki not equal Psionics. My thought on Ki has always been more like Psionics in that it is an internal only energy. ie, each person had Ki, but inanimate objects did not. Given a new definition of Ki, frankly, it sounds more like some settings explanation of magic.

Specifically, the D&D Frogotten Realms setting describes magic as an energy that exists and surrounds people and things. A practictioner of magic has learn to take the various "threads"(the setting has used this analogy) of magical energy and "weave" them together to create a magical effect. Most wizards just use magic, but in some of the novels, there have been a few characters who could actually see the threads of magic in a way similar to how Neo could see the matrix(though these books were created prior to the Matix movies).

In any event, thats just another opinion on the whole thing....

[Gamerprinter]

Ultimately, I am not allowing a full psionicist class in Kaidan. By niching out various parts of psionics spread out onto a number of classes, psionics exist, but not in an over-powering game-breaking manner. Just enough to tweak those listed classes with extra psionic powers, and not allowing the highest level powers, only one good one per class, and lesser buffs for all.

This also allows for some of that "wuxia"/"chanbara" anime, cinematic martial arts combat, that I see many players might desire in a Japan based game setting, without going overboard.

GP

[DungeonMasterGaz]

Great discussion, guys! There are some really interesting stories and views here. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the posts, so now I’m going make my contribution…

…When I play D&D I imagine medieval Europe/Middle Earth, generic western fantasy and, for me, WotC/TSRs interpretation of the monk has never fitted with any of my campaigns. Brawlers, pugilists, wrestlers; I can handle a character class that specialises in unarmed combat and dextrous movement if it’s presented in a western manner, but martial artists who draw on the power of ki or chi, etc., belong firmly in an oriental setting, IMHO.

I can understand WotC’s decision to lump the monk under the psionic power source simply because there aren’t enough classes to support ki becoming a full power source (which could change with an Oriental Adventures supplement?), but I think it’s a bit of let down, and I wish they had developed the monk with a western focus, because I think it would make an even better class and would be very different from the pseudo-shaolin offering we get with every edition of D&D – let me explain.

During the middle ages common folk saw demons, ghost, evil spirits, and the like as very real threats to everyday life. There are countless documented incidents were people encountered such supernatural creatures, and no matter how ridiculous these stories might sound to our modern ears, they were accepted as reality by the people of the time just as much as we accept stories coming from the CNN, ITN and BBC news networks. With all these spirits and demons running around, folk truly believed that they were living at the end of the world. These people were understandably terrified and wanted protection. And that protection came in the form of the church.

Over the years the church became fantastically wealthy (and still is) on donations, tithes and tributes from the faithful. These donations were given in return for the protection from evil that the church promised all believers. Every community had a church at its centre to protect it from evil, and the church’s righteous army was comprised of the countless priests and, particularly, monks that joined its ranks. Monasteries were garrisoned fortifications filled with “holy warriors” dedicated to defeating Satan and the forces of evil, but how did they combat him?

The monastic orders believed that just the act of thinking an evil thought gave power to Satan, and that evil thoughts were actually attacks by demons, so they fought against Satan and his demons by living a life of discipline and ritual all designed to banish evil thoughts and therefore deny Satan power. The monks woke at the same time; ate at the same time; prayed at the same time; slept at the same time, day in, day out, continuously and repetitively, believing that these actions were helping to defeat evil.

In time, some of these monks did train in more martial disciplines, giving rise to warrior monks like the Knights Templar – but that’s another class and story.

Now, the whole history goes deeper than this, but I’m already rattling on, and I’m hoping at this point that you’ve all got the basic idea, so I’ll summarise.

I think monks, from a western perspective, should draw upon the divine power source. Their powers should be prayers (like the other divine classes) and I think they should be controllers who specialise in combating demons, devils, and Far Realm aberrations, as opposed to undead (which is covered by clerics).

Now that’s my idea of a monk, and the background behind it, but to end in the spirit of this thread I’d have to say monks should be covered by the psionic power source because of my interpretation of how they disciplined their own minds against evil, and ki should maintain its special place in an oriental setting.

DMG