17 Monk Feats is a short supplement from The Le Games. The zipped file is almost three-point-five megabytes in size, and contains two PDFs, one JPEG file, a Word document, and a text readme file that catalogues the contents of the zipped file. The JPEG image is the cover of the product, and the Word file is there as a printer-friendly version. The two PDFs are both the same product, with one being in landscape format for screen reading, and the other in portrait format for easier printing. Both PDFs are fully bookmarked.
As the name suggests 17 Monk feats contains seventeen new feats for monk characters, and make no mistake, only for monk characters, as each of these feats has a certain amount of monk levels as part of their prerequisites. Each feat has a listing for the game effects, and then a background section giving a fluff explanation for how the monk is able to perform this feat?s ability. Some feats that cause special conditions (such as blindness, deafness, etc.) have those conditions given their full listing in italics following the feat.
The feats given here have a very wuxia feel to them, particularly given their descriptions. With feats like Chi Bolt and Iron Body Technique, it?s hard not to be reminded of Hong Kong action films. But while this is an enjoyable atmosphere for the product, there are places where it falls down. The Calm Aura feat, for example, grants no benefit if the monk is in combat or engages in ?strenuous action,? but what counts as strenuous action is never detailed. The Steel Fist Technique feat gives (among other bonuses) the monk?s hands and arms immunity to heat and cold ? it seems rather odd to have only specific body parts have an energy immunity. One or two of these feats might be considered too powerful; Iron Body Technique can be taken as fifth level, where it gives you DR 2/- and an extra hit die. Finally, although The Le Games is obviously trying to be helpful by summarizing special conditions right in the product, I see this as being superfluous, as most everyone will have their PHBs right there with them.
17 Monk Feats is a product that wants to bring the feel of a Hong Kong action movie to your game, and it does so fairly well. However, you may want to look each of these feats over to make sure the rules are clear enough, and balanced enough, for you.
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<b>LIKED</b>: The new feats given here do a very good job of presenting an Asian kung-fu style for your monk characters.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Some of these feats seemed too powerful, and others weren't totally clear about how they worked. Finally, while it was intended to be helpful, the reprinted conditions in the product seemed like a waste of space.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>
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