Fallen Monks and Priests
Unferth
Member Posts: 27
Certain classes that require good alignment (viz., ranger and paladin) also require that one's reputation remain above a certain level, below which the character becomes fallen and loses abilities. Should other classes follow suit?
I'm thinking of the monk and priest kits. Someone with a higher lore ability than mine should jump in if I'm wrong, but I take fallenness to mean that one is out of favor with one's patron deity and/or experiencing some kind of crippling identity crisis, either of which might also get one ostracized by fellow class members. It seems to me, then, that priests of Lathander who are too evil should lose the special abilities granted by their kit, and perhaps even their casting ability, since it's bestowed by the god. As recompense, they might be offered one opportunity to take the Talos kit (and its alignment) as a new convert.
The opposite needn't be true of priests of Talos because, as has been noted elsewhere, evil characters can use the appearance of goodness (i.e., high reputation) to evil ends. Still, it's conceivable that an evil priest could have a change of heart and receive an offer of patronage from another deity. The offer could be accepted or rejected as role-playing requires, though of course the latter option assumes a god can be fooled....
(I know there's an ongoing conversation about the possibility of regaining one's class after falling, and that seems a fine idea. But I also think, given the varied and striving pantheon we encounter in the game, that having a chance to switch sides--a paladin becoming a blackguard, say, in medias res--would be a realistic option, too.)
I'm less clear about monks' relationship to the gods--their skills seem a mix of personal training and divine benefaction--but I think the above explanations justify treating monk kits in more or less the same way. Their abilities surely rely on "having it together" at the very least, and a troubled soul (sun or otherwise) would presumably compromise both their focus and their standing in a monastic order.
Thoughts?
I'm thinking of the monk and priest kits. Someone with a higher lore ability than mine should jump in if I'm wrong, but I take fallenness to mean that one is out of favor with one's patron deity and/or experiencing some kind of crippling identity crisis, either of which might also get one ostracized by fellow class members. It seems to me, then, that priests of Lathander who are too evil should lose the special abilities granted by their kit, and perhaps even their casting ability, since it's bestowed by the god. As recompense, they might be offered one opportunity to take the Talos kit (and its alignment) as a new convert.
The opposite needn't be true of priests of Talos because, as has been noted elsewhere, evil characters can use the appearance of goodness (i.e., high reputation) to evil ends. Still, it's conceivable that an evil priest could have a change of heart and receive an offer of patronage from another deity. The offer could be accepted or rejected as role-playing requires, though of course the latter option assumes a god can be fooled....
(I know there's an ongoing conversation about the possibility of regaining one's class after falling, and that seems a fine idea. But I also think, given the varied and striving pantheon we encounter in the game, that having a chance to switch sides--a paladin becoming a blackguard, say, in medias res--would be a realistic option, too.)
I'm less clear about monks' relationship to the gods--their skills seem a mix of personal training and divine benefaction--but I think the above explanations justify treating monk kits in more or less the same way. Their abilities surely rely on "having it together" at the very least, and a troubled soul (sun or otherwise) would presumably compromise both their focus and their standing in a monastic order.
Thoughts?
Post edited by Unferth on
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Comments
The concept of advantages/penalties based on reasonable RPing is something that attracts me, though.
Considering aspects outside of the game, then I'd think if monks stopped becoming lawful, then they would lose the focus required for the amazing abilities they have. I guess becoming similar to a fallen paladin/ranger (i.e. basically fighters with no special abilities).
e.g. if stunning blow got replaced by chill strike (or whatever it's called) then they would lose chill strike but not get back stunning blow. So sort of becoming a fallen monk.