Shukenja
(Chinese: Dang-Ki)
(Shaman)
Shukenja
(Chinese: Dang-Ki)
(Shaman)
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Character Classes | - | - | - | Oriental Adventures |
A shukenja is a wandering priest || monk who has accepted a life of hardship and poverty.
Table 26: SHUKENJA
250,000 experience points
are required for each level beyond 12th.
Shukenja gain 1 hp
per level beyond 9th.
A shukenja is a wandering priest || monk
who has accepted a life of hardship and poverty.
This self-sacrifice, combined with devout
religious beliefs, places the shukenja outside of the caste system.
He is treated with respect by all members
of society, from samurai to peasant.
In return he normally gives aid, both
spiritual and physical, and instruction to those who desire or need it.
While he has some training in fighting,
his choice of armor and weapons is limited.
His main power is the spells he can cast
to enlighten, aid, and protect himself and others.
A shukenja's principal attribute is WIS.
To become a shukenja a character must
have min. scores of 12 in Wis and 9 in Str and Con.
Characters with both Wis and Con scores
of 15 or greater earn a 10% bonus on all XP awarded by the DM.
A shukenja must have good alignment, although
he can be lawful, neutral, or chaotic.
Table 27: SHUKENJA WISDOM ADJUSTMENTS
| Ability Score | Spell Bonus | Chance of
Spell Failure |
| 9 | none | 20% |
| 10 | none | 15% |
| 11 | none | 10% |
| 12 | none | 05% |
| 13 | One 1st level | 0% |
| 14 | One 1st level | 0% |
| 15 | One 2d level | 0% |
| 16 | One 2d level | 0% |
| 17* | One 3d level | 0% |
| 18** | One 4th level | 0% |
* Minimum Wisdom for use of 6th-level spells
** Minimum Wisdom for use of 7th-level
spells
The Spell Bonus shown on Table 27
is the number of additional spells a shukenja or sohei is entitled to by
virtue of his high Wisdom score.
These spells are available only if the
shukenja is allowed to cast spells of the noted level.
The bonuses are cumulative, so a shukenja
with Wisdom 15 is entitled to two additional 1st-level spells and one additional
2d-level spell.
He cannot cast the 2d-level spell until
he reaches the 4th level of experience.
Chance of Spell Failure is the percentage
chance that a spell cast by a shukenja or sohei will have no effect whatsoever.
Roll percentile dice every time a spell
is cast; if the result is equal to or less than the listed number, the
shukenja or sohei has expended that spell and it has failed utterly.
Table 28: SHUKENJA SPELLS USABLE BY LEVEL
| Shukenja
Level |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 5 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 10 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | - |
| 12 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 13 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - | - |
| 14 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - |
| 15 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 16 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | - |
| 17 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | - |
| 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 20 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 21 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 23 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 24 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| 25 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| 26 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 27 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| 28 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| 29 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
Although a shukenja serves a particular
religion, players don't need to choose any particular religion for their
shukenja characters.
All religions are respected and venerated,
and the practices and beliefs of one are often intermingled by the peasants
with those of another.
Unless the western world, the
land of OA has no separate, organized church. <>
Instead, religious beliefs and rituals
are intertwined with the rituals of daily life.
Temples abound, each more or less independent
of all others regardless of the deity or deities worshipped.
Shukenja characters roll 6-sided dice for
HP, gaining one die per level.
They use the combat && saving
throw tables of clerics.
They are limited to studded leather or
lesser armor, although certain individual pieces of armor can be worn.
Their choice of weapons is also limited.
See Table 13 for
a complete list of permissible armor and weapons.
At 1st level shukenja have six
proficiency slots.
Only two of these can can be filled with
weapon proficiencies.
Of the remaining four, one must be religion,
and the other must be calligraphy.
The two remaining slots can be filled
with any NWP desired.
Before beginning their wandering, shukenja
undergo training at a monastery or temple.
This training has three aspects: ritual,
meditation, and self-defense.
Ritual: The
training in ritual teaches the character how to perform the basic religious
rituals he needs to know.
A shukenja can perform marriages, christenings,
funeral rites, observances of holy days, and purifications.
The last of these can be effective at lifting
curses and warding off evil influences.
A shukenja has a basic 5% chance per level
to remove any curse when performing a purification ritual.
When purifying to
ward off evil influences, the shukenja can sanctify an area with a radius
of 5 feet (75 square feet).
At the end of the
ritual, everyone within the area gains a +1 bonus on all rolls to hit &&
saving throws when fighting evil spirits.
This effect lasts only as long as the
shukenja remains within the purified circle.
Multiple purifications do not have a cumulative
effect.
Meditation
is a state of deep concentration.
By meditating, the shukenja focuses and
regains his energies.
One hour of uninterrupted meditation is
as restful as two hours of sleep.
While meditating, the shukenja is oblivious
to hunger, thirst, heat, and cold.
He is still conscious and aware of his
surroundings, however, so he does not suffer any penalties on surprise
or initiative rolls.
Self-Defense: The self-defense training
received by the shukenja gives the character an initial proficiency in
one style of unarmed combat (player's choice).
The training is free and does not use
one of the shukenja's initial proficiency slots.
Ki: Shukenja are also trained to
draw upon their ki to protect themselves in dangerous situations.
A shukenja can focus his ki to physically
and mentally resist an attack.
The result is that the shukenja improves
his saving throw by +3.
He can do this a number of times per day
equal to his level.
The decision to use the ki power can be
made at any point in the round, unless the die has already been rolled
for the saving throw.
Once the die is rolled, the character
must abide by the results.
Although they are trained to defend themselves,
shukenja are not warriors, so they earn only half the normal XP
for slaying or defeating humans and monsters.
A shukenja does, however, gain full experience
for defeating evil spirits.
Similarly, they are sworn to poverty and
earn XP only for treasure that is donated to charity or the poor.
Unlike other characters, however, shukenja
also earn XP for using their curative and healing spells to help others.
A shukenja earns 100 XP per spell level
used to heal, cure or similarly aid an NPC or creature not associated
with the character's party.
Shukenja must live by certain rules imposed
by their religion.
They cannot eat meat; they must refrain
from violence whenever possible (esp. killing); and they must avoid immoderate
drinking and eating.
Failing to follow these rules will result
in some type of punishment for the character, chosen by the DM.
Loss of spell levels, loss of honor, or
a special penance are typical consequences.
In some situations the shukenja may be
forced to break these rules; the DM should take this into consideration
when deciding on a punishment.
Individual shukenja may have additional
restrictions placed upon them by the particular religion they adhere to.
These are left to the DM's discretion.
Upon entering the religious life, the shukenja
severs all ties to his past.
Thus, it is not necessary for a shukenja
character to belong to a family or clan, nor does he need to roll on Table
38: Character Birth.
These things belong to the temporal world
and are of little consequence to the shukenja.
Likewise, the shukenja is less concerned
with the demands of honor than other characters and so is exempt from many
of the penalties and bonuses associated with honor.
He does have honor, but it seldom reaches
the heights attained by other characters.
Q: The subdual rules
indicate that it
is preferable for shukenja
to subdue
their opponents rather than
slay
them. Does this mean that
shukenja
get full experience for
creatures
subdued?
A: Shukenja are not
supposed to be aggressive,
except toward evil spirits.
They
receive half experience
for other opponents
that they defeat by any
means.
(121.22)
0 LEVEL CHECKLIST
* spell use
* purification ritual (remove curse, ward
off evil)
* meditation
ABILITIES: S9, W12:15, C9:15
RACES:
CLL: Class Level Limit
ALIGNMENT:
WP: 2, martial art
NWP: 2, calligraphy, religion
AA:
SA:
WA:
WA:
OA:
PA:
HD: d4
MHD: 17
ATTACK:
SAVE:
1. SUBCLASS = cleric
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM = roll on Birth Rank table not required
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
STRENGTH = 9
INTELLIGENCE = 6
WISDOM = 12:15
DEXTERITY = 3 <>
CONSTITUTION = 9:15
CHARISMA = 6
COMELINESS = 3
PERCEPTION =
4. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE = hengeyokai (8), human
(U)
5. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES = none
6. HIT DIE TYPE = d6
7. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE = 9
8. SPELL ABILITY = yes
9. ARMOR PERMITTED = leather, padded, hara-ate, haramaki, jingase,
studded leather
10. SHIELD PERMITTED = none
11. WEAPONS PERMITTED = axe (hand), bo stick, boku-toh, chain, gunsen,
jitte, jo stick, kama, kiseru, sai, sling, sling staff, spear, tetsubo,
three-piece rod, tui-fa
12. OIL PERMITTED = yes
13. POISON PERMITTED = never
14. ALIGNMENT = LG, NG, CG
15. STARTING MONEY = 1-5 tael (ch'ao) + 2-20 yuan + 1-100 fen (10-50
$p + 10-100 cp + 1-100
cp)
16. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = one MA style (free
@L1)
17. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY = -4
18. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = religion & calligraphy (free
@L1)
19. STARTING AGE =
20. COMBAT = cleric
21. SAVING THROWS = cleric
22. MAGIC ITEMS =
23. FAMILY = not required
24. HONOR = 20 + lowest ability score (if no family)
Healing, curing, or restoring NPCs: +1
Removing a curse: +1
Taking life: -3
25. SKILLS = 4@L1 (max. of 2 slots for weapons), 5@L2, 6@L4, 7@L6,
8@L8, 9@L9