Way of the Monk - Part 1 Updated!

My Way of the Monk Skyrim mod has been updated to version 1b. The 'b' does not mean that it is a beta, but that it is the updated, second version. I'm sorry for the long wait, guys. I've been pretty busy and haven't had as much time as I'd like to mod.

The full list of changes is below:

• Fix Unarmed leveling so that the skill is only raised when you are using Monk Weapons
• Seer Pillar now gives you the Seer power rather than the Dimensions one
• Fixed spelling and grammatical errors in "The Pillars" book
• Add a riddle for the Elemental Pillar
• Changed the Magic Resistance buff for the Elemental Pillar to 10 for balancing
• Added Progress on the Way lesser power that lets you check your stats while adventuring
• Added Choice Upon the Way lesser power that lets you choose new perks while adventuring
• Shadow Pillar now gives you the Shadow bonuses like it should
• Activating the Pillar of the Way now gives you the Progress and Choice lesser powers
• Changed Soft Resistance perks so that the Armor Rating bonus is visible in your inventory
• Changed Evasion robes to use normal brown and yellow monk robes to add color variety
• Changed IDs for areas with Pillars so that they can be coc'd to with the console
• Added a one second delay to the Unarmored leveling script so that you do not level at an insane speed when hit by a concentration spell
• Raised default attack speed for Unarmed weapon to 1.1.
• Leveled the Burning, Freezing, and Electrical robes so that they do not all deal the same amount of damage
• Fixed the Choice Pillar so that it now shows you the Unarmored perks when you meet the proper requirements. 

So far, I have not found a way to restrict Unarmored leveling to when you are not wearing armor. I am going to contact some people on various forums for help. Hopefully that issue should be fixed in an upcoming update or version.

Player Guide: Specialization

Even though the Way of the Monk's primary purpose is to provide a new playstyle, I have incorporated several ways to specialize your character.

1. Classic Monk


There is, of course, the classic fantasy-genre monk that wields no weapons, wears no armor, and heals his fellow warriors. Either the Pillar of the Healer or the Pillar of Aptitude are for you. The Pillar of the Healer's power automatically heals nearby allies by 3 points per second. Used with a follower-enhancement mod such as UFO, this will be especially useful. The Pillar of Aptitude does not give you any special powers, but instead increases the speed at which your Monk skills level. This classic character-type would use both of my new skills, as well as take advantage of the new weapons. To raise your player level and to survive for the first few levels, I would also suggest taking the time to improve your Restoration and Aleration skills.

2. Strangle 'em!


Want to sneak through the shadows and surprise your enemies with a stranglehold? With the latest patch from Bethesda, a ton of new Unarmed killcams have been added, including a number of which are specific to stealthily killing someone from behind. Just adds another level to your awesomeness. Finding the Pillar of the Shadow Monk would be my first deed. Read "the Pillars" at the Pillars of the Way for a riddle to find its location. The Pillar gives you a Backstab-like effect that multiplies your sneak-attack damage by 6 with Monk weapons. For you Unarmored assassins, it also fortifies your Sneak by 10 when you are not wearing armor. If you are going to play the part of a blade-less shadow killer, you might want to consider playing a Khajiit to get their Unarmed Damage and Sneak bonuses.

3. Magical Monk


One of the uniquenesses of this mod is its Unarmored features. In the vanilla game you must rely on your spells or talent in avoiding attacks to survive blows from your opponents. But with Way of the Monk, you can use the Unarmored perks to raise your chances of survival, and the Unarmed perks to fight in close combat. The Pillar of the Elemental Monk would be the most beneficial for such a character, since it gives you a resistance to magic when unarmored and lets you deal elemental damage to enemies with your attacks. Use whatever magic skills you desire in combination with my own new skills.

4. Tough Pugilist


Perhaps you just want to be a metal-encased warrior that beats his enemies into submission with his fists rather than a warhammer? Go for it! There is no specific pillar for a heavy-armor or light-armor monk, but I might suggest using the Pillar of the Wielder that multiplies the speed of your Monk attacks by 3 once a day. Use either of the vanilla armor skills that you want. I would suggest getting the Fists of Steel perk if you are a heavily armored Dovahkin.

Way of the Monk: Part 1 - List of additions

This list is for the use of those who want to test my Way of the Monk mod, cheat ( :-P ), or just want to read about all of the additions. Each addition is categorized by type and listed with its name and description.

When I say "Monk weapons" I mean both the "Unarmed" weapon the new fist weapons.

For any item, perk, or spell simply type help "item name" 4 into the console but replace "item name" with the name while keeping the quotes. This should give you the code for the it.


Pillars:


Managing Pillars:

Pillar of the Way: Adds perks that run the leveling scripts in case the player does not have them for some reason. Also gives the player the "Unarmed" weapon.
Pillar of Progress: Lets you see a list of your stats that includes levels, leveling progress, and amount of perk points. Also lets you see what perks you already have and read descriptions of them.
Pillar of Choice: Lets you choose new perks if you meet the requirements. Also lets you check how many perk points you have.
Pillar of Rewalking: Allows you to reset your perks. It takes all of your perks away and gives you back all of the perk points that you have gained. Warning: You can only do this once.

Power Pillars:

Pillar of Aptitude: Increases the speed at which your Monk skills level by 20%.
Pillar of the Elements: You gain a spell that lets you choose whether to deal shock, fire, or cold damage. Whichever one you pick will be applied to enemies when you attack them with the Unarmed weapon or with any of the new fist weapons. You also gain a 20 bonus to Magic Resistance when Unarmored. (May decrease this amount for Update 1 for balancing)
Pillar of Dimensions: Adds a lesser power that lets you teleport randomly around the battle to avoid damage. Warning: it's a bit buggy. Every now and then you end up inside a wall. I will fix this for Part 2.
Pillar of the Healer: You automatically heal allies within ten feet by 3 points per second.
Pillar of the Seer: Gives you a lesser power that partially blinds you, but allows you to see both living and undead in the vicinity.
Pillar of the Shadows: Adds perk that multiplies sneak-attack damage by 6 for Monk weapons.
Pillar of the Whirlwind: Adds daily power that temporarily multiplies attack speed of Monk weapons by 3.

Locations:

So far I have only added locations for the Pillars. All of these locations have map markers. Not all of them can be traveled to with the console, though. I will fix that for Update 1 and post the codes.

Pillars of the Way: Can be found slightly up the hill from the Guardian Stones. Includes the Way, Progress, Choice, and Rewalking Pillars.
Guardian Stones (modified): Added the Pillar of Aptitude to the circle of Guardian Stones.
Pillar of the Elements: Atop the hill on the island in Lake Geir.
Pillar of Dimensions: Island in south-east branch of Karth River. Follow the river and you should find it.
Pillar of the Healer: Hill-crest north-east of Sleeping Tree Camp.
Pillar of the Seer: Lake Yorgrim.
Pillar of the Shadows: Near the Shadow Stone. I may find a more inventive place for it later.
Pillar of the Whirlwind: Reachwind Eyrie

Perks:

Some of these perks have multiple levels. In such cases I will give the amount of levels. I will also provide the ID. In the IDs, x stands for the level of the perk.

Attack perks: (uses Unarmed skill)
Quick Blows: 3 levels. Your Monk weapon damage increases by 10%, 20%, 30%. ID: WoMPerkAx
Bleeding Hands: 3 levels. Your Monk weapons cause bleeding damage. ID: WoMPerkGx
Vitals Shot: 3 levels. Your Monk weapons have a 10%, 20%, 30% chance of dealing critical damage. ID: WoMPerkCx
Weak Points: 1 level. Your unarmed attacks ignore 10% of armor. ID: WoMPerkAA

Unarmored perks: (uses Unarmored skill, will add more perks in future for balancing)
Soft Resistance: 3 levels. Your Armor Rating increases by 20, 40, 60  when unarmored. (Bonus does not appear in your inventory, but it does exist. Will try to fix this.) ID: WoMPerkUx
Unencumbered: 3 levels. Your speed increases by 10%, 20%, 30% when unarmored. ID: WoMPerkUSx
Softened Blows: 3 levels. Damage from enemies using Monk Weapons is reduced by 10%, 20%, 30% when unarmored. (May replace in future version to add more interesting/helpful effects). ID: WoMPerkUEx
Unarmored Stance: 1 level.  Power attacks use 10% less stamina when you are unarmored. ID: WoMPerkPA

Damage perks: (uses Unarmed skill)
Deadly Blows: 3 levels. Your Monk weapon damage increases by 25, 50, 75%. ID: WoMPerkDx
Tiring Blows: 3 levels. Your Monk attacks drain your enemy's stamina by 10, 20, 30 points. ID: WoMPerkDSx
Critical Blows: 3 levels. When power-attacking your Monk weapons deal double, triple, four-times critical damage. ID: WoMPerkDFx
Fist Stabber: 1 level. Fist weapons (not normal unarmed attacks) do 20% more damage. ID: WoMPerkDH


Items:


All of the weapons can be found in the QAS testing room. Type coc QASmoke to get there. You will see a table in front of you with wooden ladles. On the other side are the containers that hold the Way of the Monk items.


Weapons:
See tom 349's mod. All of them are added. See BloodySunday's mod to see how the weapons will look with his retexture.

Clothing:
I've added a number of monk robes that were in the CK but not in the actual game. They were created by Bethesda but never added them to the world. You can see the colors in the screenshot tab of the mod's Nexus page.

Enchantments:


Some of these are adjustments or new variants of normal enchantments. The Robe enchantments will be scaled in the future for balancing.

Effects:
Bleed: Weapons with this enchantment deal bleeding damage.
Burning Robes: Flame cloak for 5 damage with 10% weakness to fire.
Electric Robes: Shock cloak for 5 damage with 10% weakness to shock.
Freezing Robes: Cold cloak for 5 damage with 10% weakness to cold.
Disarm: Weapons with this enchantment have a 20% chance to disarm. (will balance)
Escape: All incoming damage is reduced by 20%. (for robes)
Evade: All incoming damage is reduced by 10% (for robes)
Robes of the Way: Fortify Armor Rating by 20, fortifies unarmed damage by 10.
Stagger (Weapon): Weapons with this enchantment have a 20% chance to stagger.
Stagger (Clothing): 15% chance that weapons will stagger.

Item variants:
Bleeding Weapons: Deadric claws, Dwarven Ulak, Ebony Ulak, Elven Glaive, Elven talons, Iron Claws, Katar, Orcish Claws, Steel Punch Dagger
Stagger (weapon): Dwarven Ulak, Ebony Ulak, Glass perferators, Nord Ulak
Disarm: Dwarven Ulak, Ebony Ulak, Glass Perferator, Nordic Ulak
Absorb Health: Elven Glaive, Steel Punch Dagger
Absorb Stamina: Elven Glaive, Steel Punch Dagger
Soul Trap: Elven Glaive, Katar
Paralysis: Elven Talons, Iron Claws, Orcish Claws, Steel Punch Dagger
Burning Robes: Hood brown robes, brown robes
Electric Robes: Hooded red robes, red robes
Freezing Robes: Hooded grey robes, grey robes
Escape: Hooded green robes, green robes
Evasion: Hooded grey robes, grey robes (will change to default monk robes to add color variety)
Fortify Unarmed: Ring of Punching, Spiked Gauntlets (uses stormcloak officer model and stats)
Stagger (clothing): Ring of Staggering

NPCs:
Apostate: Melee version: Nord and Imperial; Magic version: Nord and Imperial
Apostate Apprentice: Melee version: Nord and Imperial; Magic version: Nord and Imperial
Apostate Master: Melee version: Nord and Imperial; Magic version: Nord and Imperial
Apostate Elder: Fire version: Nord and Imperial. (Will add shock and cold versions)

Way Of The Monk - Part 1 Released!

Part 1 of the Way Of The Monk Skyrim mod has been released on the Nexus! You can visit this page to download. If you enjoy it, please feel free to endorse or spread the word if you enjoy it. :-)

Unfortunately I was not able to upload the mod to the Workshop. The Workshop has a file size that my mod exceeded and would not allow me to upload it.

Way of the Monk Lore: The Pillars

In an effort to fit my mod into the game lore, I have written three books that will explain the history and organization of the Cult of the Way, a group of people that specialize in unarmed combat. This book explains the history, uses, and locations of the Pillars. The Pillars are like the Standing Stones and let you gain unique powers to aid you in combat. This book can also be used as a player guide in finding the Pillars. The locations are hidden in riddles. They are not too hard to figure out, and give you a hint as to their location.

The Pillars

A Pilgrims guide to the holy Pillars of our Way

By Gurnjad Shormirisson

Wanderer of the Way

Praise be to our Master, and to the Teachings of the Way.

Hail, Pilgrim! It is to your honor that you seek to learn of the Pillars. They are the guides along the Way, and their sites are holy to our Cult.

Let us speak first of those called the Pillars of the Way:

They are called thus because of their importance. They were the first established by our Master, and they guide us in all that we do.

By seeking the counsel of the Pillar of the Way, you begin your journey.

By seeking the counsel of the Pillar of the Progress, you may learn of your progression upon the Way. By consulting it you can understand your distance, and reflect upon all the choices you have made

By seeking the counsel of the Pillar of the Choice, you may choose how you will progress upon the Way. The powers that we gain upon our Path must be determined and decided upon by us and us alone.

By seeking the counsel of the Pillar of Rewalking, we may choose to Rewalk the Way. We are relieved of our previous choices, and may make our decisions anew. Be wise, though, because Talos gives us only one chance to Rewalk our Path.

Let us now turn our attention to the holy sites of the Pillars of Power. These Pillars are unique places of importance, where great judgement of justice was once made. The significance and power of these sites influenced the Master and the Cult to erect Pillars in honor of them. These Pillars bestow upon the Pilgrims and Wanderers a unique power to aid them in their pursuit of justice. 

Pillar of the Shadows

The Pillar of Shadows is the site of a great battle between a Wanderer and a Bandit camp that took place after nightfall. The Wanderer Hod's heart was weighed upon in compassion for the locals who had suffered under the tyranny of the bandit chief. The Orc chief forced a tax upon the village that he had taken by force. He controlled the movements of everyone in the area, keeping them from alerting nearby villages. Their village was small, as well, and could not resist his warband. The blood of many of their sons already soaked the ground from the initial battle. Hod, however, encountered one of their men as he ran from the clutches of three bandits. Hod assaulted the criminals and dashed their brains upon the rocks. Filled with gratitude, the young man told the whole tale to Hod with his dying breath. Hod traveled to the surrounding villages and raised a band of his own to match the chief's force. At nightfall he and his men crept through the shadows and attacked the invaders. All of villagers  were brutally slain by the heroes. The Orc chief himself was slain in his bed as he forced himself upon a local maiden. Justice was served.

Find ye the stone of Shadows

There you will find the Pillar of night

Pillar of the Elements

Avoid the Apostates! For once there was another cult; a cult of Apostates. They were vile and conniving in their deeds, and they turned every thought towards personal gain. Because of their evil, they tempered their powers and became masters of both magic and the Moth combat form. Eventually their masters learned to even combine the styles to form a new mode of fighting. But despite their power, their greed destroyed the new cult. When the temple heard of their apostasy, Master Shormir led a force of Wanderers and Elders to their tower and destroyed every one of their hideous followers. In memory of their downfall, and to warn future generations from following the Apostate Path, the Master established a Pillar that bestows the cult's elemental skill upon Wanderers and followers of the True Way. Justice was served.

Pillar of Dimensions

Vanquish the Dark Brotherhood! As with all men of valor, our Master has encountered assassins from that vile association. Once, upon traveling to Dragon Bridge from Riverwood, he stayed the night in a camp on the shore of the shorter branch of the River Karth. He awoke in the night with blade at his throat. But the wretched assassin was not prepared for our Master's skill. Instead of Shormir's blood upon the ground, he was surprised to find his own when our master stole the blade from his hand. But the evildoer was crafty. Through some arcane sorcery he vanished from the tent. Our Master ran into the night and discovered the man upon a rock, laughing at his own power. "You can not catch a man who is not there," he mocked. But justice is not to be derided. Our master struck the evil man down and learned his power. Now he grants the ability to all who follow him. But beware, for such power is not to be abused. The power is not reliable, and could take you to your grave within the ground. Justice was vindicated.

Pillar of Aptitude

The Pillar of Aptitude was the first Pillar to be established by our Master, and is visited by Pilgrims  more than any other. When our Master first built the Pillars of the Way, he also built the Pillar of Aptitude to guide them upon their way and to speed their progress upon the Path. Justice can be learned.

To reach the Pillar of Aptitude, you need only to find the Guardian Stones.

Pillar of the Healer

The Pillar of the Healer is the most recently established Pillar. During the beginning of the conflict between the Empire and the Stormcloaks, a caravan of Pilgrims was caught between two opposing forces. In desperation, the Wanderer in charge of the caravan called upon his knowledge of the arcane to protect his men and heal them while the battle raged around him. Though arrows flew through the air, and lightening bolts seared ground, not one of the Pilgrims fell dead upon the ground. Finally, as the battle drew to a close, the Wanderer collapsed in fatigue. The noble man sacrificed his life's force to protect the Pilgrims, and in his great honor to the Master build this Pillar. Justice was protected.

Venture ye to the valley of the Sleeping Tree

Look ye then to the rise of the sun,

And to lights of the frozen lands.

Follow the path of their merging,

And the Healer's Pillar will be discovered.

Pillar of the Whirlwind

Honor our Master! For there is no equal of his in the art of the Way form. When he strikes an enemy, the vile wretch is vanquished. When he casts an Apostate down, they are crushed beneath his blows. No rival has he in Cultist combat. Whether with the bare fist, or with the Implements designed by his skill, all who come before his might are destroyed. Fear him in battle, and respect him in debate. For not a Dragonborn could defeat him in war. In mercy and in honor did he establish the Whirlwind Pillar. For he wisely saw that his power must be shared if his followers were to bring the light of justice into this dark world. To meet that end did he build this Pillar. Once a day, Pilgrims of this Pillar are granted his skill and power to pummel their enemies beneath many blows. Justice enlightens the world.

Behold the tower of the Dwemer!

Like a sentinel it reaches to the sky from the Reach,

And now it has another ward to guard

The Pillar which our Master bestowed.

Pillar of the Seer

Not long after the formation of the Cult of the Way, an elderly man came from Cyrodil to visit our Master at the new Temple. He was a Cultist of the Ancestor Moths, our father Cult. Though our Master had once been banished from their brethren, they saw that he had now become a great man, despite their initial dispute. Thus, he offered our Master a chance to return to the Ancestor Moths, and forsake the Way. Gently, and wisely, our Master declined. With grace, the elder accepted his decision, and left our Master with a gift. The gift was the knowledge of Seeing. For centuries the Ancestor Moth cultists have read the Elder Scrolls to decipher their meaning. But to do so leaves them blind and nearly mad. To aid in the service of Justice, the elder granted our Master and his followers the ability of prescience vision. Though the user is partially blinded for a short while, they are allowed to see the presence of all creatures in the region, whether dead or alive. Justice was honored.

The Pillar of Shadows was not established nearby,

But seek ye out the city of Wind,

Follow the waters west to the frozen lake,

and there will you gain the power of the Seer.