HS: Battle Monk for BtB?

I was wondering why there is not a Battle Monk hired sword in the BtB setting. Is there a reason that i missed. If not I think all make one ...they are a easy HS to make cut & past one from the army list. not sure if i should add weapons...I'm of thinking a Quarter staff & Fish-hook shot. What you all thank?


Dragon Monk
60 gold crowns to hire 15upkeep

Dragon Monks are close to reaching mental and
physical perfection. The most skilled martial artists
among each brotherhood have mastered the Way of
the Dragon, a fighting style which Cathayan monks are
renowned for even far beyond their borders.

Rating: A Ronin increases the warband's rating by +20 points plus one for each experience point he has

Profile M: 4 WS: 4 BS: 3, S: 3, T:3, W:1, I A: 1 Ld: 8

Weapons/Armour: Dragon Monk gets a Quarter staff & Fish-hook shot.
Monks suffer no penalties whatsoever for fighting
unarmed and they receive +1 Attack when doing so.

SPECIAL RULES
Art of Silent Death: Dragon Monks have become
masters of the Cathayan art of open-hand fighting. In
hand-to-hand combat, if fighting unarmed, they will
cause a critical hit on a roll 'to wound' of 5-6 instead
of a 6. If the Dragon Monk wields a quarter staff, only
the unarmed attacks will cause a critical hit on 5+.


Dragon Monk special skills

energy focus
If fighting unarmed the Hero may choose to reduce
his Attacks by –1 and thus gain +1 Strength in close
combat. The monk may sacrifice any number of
attacks this way.

lightning speed
The monk may triple his Movement whilst running or
charging and may run even when there are enemy
models within 8”.

leap of faith
The Hero cannot be intercepted whilst charging. He
may escape from combat (as described on p. 161 in
the Mordheim rulebook) by leaping away without
having to pass a Ld test and may declare a leaping
charge at the same time in the same turn.

human shield
If two or more models are engaged in close combat
with the monk, he may choose to grab one to use it as
a shield instead of his normal attacks. To do this he
must pass an Initiative test after the first model has
attacked, but before the second model attacks. On a
successful roll, the monk grabs the first model – the
second model directs its full attacks on the friendly
model. After the combat phase the model breaks free
and the battle goes on as usual. On a failed roll the
monk and the second model use their normal attacks.

Ulther Drakk wrote:

I was wondering why there is not a Battle Monk hired sword in the BtB setting.

Because it doesn't make sense to make every imaginable character a HS? HS, by their definition, are rarely playable anyways (due to their upkeep). Those characters that become HS should be because they have a strong background and because they are suitable for beng HS. I don't like the idea of Dragon Monk HS's.

At the same time the legend of the traveling warrior monk who joins others in their struggles is well established and would seem to fit well with the BTB background. Perhaps the monk will only serve with a warband for a set time or will remain if they lose but move on once victory is achieved?

The thing is it'd be like make a middenheimer mercenary champion a hiredsword. You could, sure, but they're already in a warband. Maybe if you could come up with some way to make the monk distinct, maybe use some animal symbol other than dragon and change the skills and equipment.

hero wrote:

Maybe if you could come up with some way to make the monk distinct...

...and then we have Ippan Shu, the Dramatis Persona, who is a Battle Monk with a specific background (expertly fleshed out by R.E. Waters, author of Ill Met in Mordheim).

hero wrote:

The thing is it'd be like make a middenheimer mercenary champion a hiredsword. You could, sure, but they're already in a warband. Maybe if you could come up with some way to make the monk distinct, maybe use some animal symbol other than dragon and change the skills and equipment.

How about a cool 'Beggar Monk' that fits the Kung-Fu cliche complete with tatty clothes and drunken martial arts!

Hmmm. Ippan Shu, the Dramatis Persona. Seems to fill the bill.

As for the Middenheim Champion... How many warbands have Troll Slayers? The Warrior Priest of Sigmar is poorly written but he got space in a TC. And Nemesis Crown has a Witch Hunter and the useless Black Orc Overseer...

Yep. There are way too many useless HS out there. But the upkeep cost makes most of them useless anyways - even most of the official ones. They often are a great inspiration though.