Sohei (Character Kit)

== Sohei ==
Description: Sohei are religious soldiers who protect large monasteries or temples in Oriental campaigns. In medieval Japan, several large temples, such as the one on Mount Hiei during the 11th and 12th centuries, maintained armies of warrior-priests for use against rival temples, or to advance their political views in the outside world. Sohei were formidable warriors but untrustworthy allies, as they always put the best interests of their temples first.
Due to a sohei's total dedication to his temple, this kit cannot be abandoned. In order to qualify as a sohei, a character must have a minimum of 13 in Strength and a 10 or better in both Constitution and Wisdom.
Barred: The following types of gods will not have sohei as followers: Peace and Prosperity.
Role: Almost as much warrior as priest, a sohei receives limited religious training. Nonetheless, he will defend his temple with a fervor unmatched by any other type of priest. These temples are dedicated to a single god, force, or philosophy, and are too esoteric for the common people to be comfortable worshiping there.
Because of his role as a temple guardian, it is unusual but not unheard of for a sohei to leave his temple grounds. Occasionally, fleeing enemies must be tracked down, plots against the monastery uncovered and ended, or exploration for new temple sites undertaken.
Secondary Skills: If you use secondary skills, allow the player to choose from the table in the Player’s Handbook.
Weapon Proficiencies: Military training allows the sohei to select a weapon of choice. Thereafter, the sohei gains a +1 bonus on both attack and damage rolls when using that weapon.
* Required: none.
* Recommended: bo stick, chain, dagger (tanto), hand axe, long sword, mace, pike, sai, short sword, spear, tetsubo, two-handed sword. Historically, sohei were famous for their use of the naginata.
Nonweapon Proficiencies:
* Bonus: Local history.
* Recommended: Healing, Herbalism, Religion; (warrior, two slots each) Blind-fighting, Endurance, Running.
Equipment: None.
Special Benefits: All sohei possess a religious fanaticism that can cause them to become filled with an almost berserk energy they can use to increase their combat skills. This fanaticism lasts for one turn and can be used once per day. While in this frenzied state, a sohei gains the following bonuses: 1) an additional + 1 on attack and damage rolls; 2) an additional attack per round; 3) armor class improves by 1; and 4) dodging or deflecting non-magical missiles by making a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon.
Further, the sohei's fanaticism allows him to fight on even after he reaches zero hit points. If already fighting in a fanatic state, he can continue to fight until he reaches -10 hp or the enemy is defeated, whichever comes first. At that point, the sohei collapses and dies.
Special Hindrances: Limited religious training means that the sohei can only select spells from the Charm, Combat, Guardian, Protection, and Wards spheres.
A sohei must also live by certain religious principles. He must refrain from eating meat and from excesses in personal behavior, such as gluttony, lust, expressions of pain, etc.
Finally, the character gains full experience points only for defeating opponents in the cause of defending or upholding his monastery goals or any task assigned to him. All other cases earn the sohei half experience points.
Wealth Options: The sohei gets the usual 3d6 X 10 gp starting money for priests.
Races: Normally a sohei must be human. A DM may make exceptions in a campaign, the most likely exceptions being for dwarves and half-elves.
Category:Character Kit
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