Yes, antipodal.

Got a problem with that?
/flame

I like this idea in theory. Granted not entirely in the current state of gooey-centered half-bakery that it has, but eventually it could be fairly unique. The catch is that making monks entirely city based for the aforementioned reasons is slightly, well... half-conceived. While Shaolin monks certainly have an encompassing temple (and other monks having monasteries as well) it doesn't exclusively make sense in the theological aspect (or secular, for that matter).

In surveying ancient Asia you will find that temples exist (as in all cultures) both in urban and rural environments. Certainly, there are abbeys in Beijing just as there are temples on the high reaches of Nepal. The teachings of each are founded on a universal basis of Buddhism and Zen alike (though I do not profess to know anything of marginal importance about each), but the advanced concepts you will find are varying from temple to temple just like test standards vary from district to district in schools. This is the same as what you would find in urban Boston where Catholic cathedrals are a dime a dozen, but take a trip several hundred miles south to suddenly find that Baptist churches are run-of-the-mill. On the foundation of Christianity both were built, but each teaches different dogma. They both even have separate canons.

What is arguable here is not that monks couldn't be exclusive, it is that the exclusivity is mutually shared, and therefore, could be (and quite certainly is) broadly mutually inclusive to both cities and communes. Is it possible that with much changing it could work? Yes, however, I don't see this as a probable outcome. The problem being that if you rework this so much, then why shouldn't city Knights wear full-plate (thereby, giving them greater defenses with a movement/speed penalty) and commune Knights wear no-higher-than chain (and thereby, giving them lesser defenses, but a tremendous movement/speed buff)? Amid many, many other questions that arise concerning copy-cat classes with a few "variable" skills. Essentially, overhaul one thing completely and suddenly the grass looks greener on the other side. Or, if you prefer, give a mouse a cookie...

*wail* What does antipodal mean?!

Dictionary.com is your friend..
Antipodal- entirely opposed or diametrically opposite..

Anyways.. The idea of the monk guilds combining would be neat... Buuuut, I like the variety of having 4 monk guilds

You are aware that there is no way in Nil that Estarra will scratch all those skillsets that would go along with the removal of two guilds? Yes? Good. Topic finished.

That's a depressingly valid point.

Well, why would they be scratched? Just as warriors can specialize in two different weapons, why not the monks. One set can choose between the tahto and the shofa (thus keeping both skill sets) and likewise for the other guild.