pathFinal Fantasy

© Square Enix

As swift as they are strong, monks are masters of mind, body, and soul.

Role: Melee bruisers and unarmed combatants

Alignment: Any. While the learning it takes to become a monk often requires strict discipline, many monks unlearn that discipline, and even then, discipline is not the sole determinant of your core values.

Hit Die: D12

Starting Wealth: 1d6 × 10 gp (average 35 gp.) In addition, each character begins play with an outfit worth 10 gp or less.

Class Skills

The monk’s class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (martial), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier

Table: Monk

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

Monks are proficient with all simple weapons, as well as all weapons from the monk and close fighter weapon groups. Monks are not proficient with any armour or shields.

Limit Break

At 1st level, a Monk gains the ability to use limit breaks. At the start of each day the Monk chooses Battle, Stoic, or Daredevil as his limit break mode. When a monk uses a limit break, they may use a limit break from their chosen mode or the following limit break, unique to them:

One Inch Punch (Ex): The monk channels his immense ki into a single strike. The monk makes a single strike, against a target's flat footed AC. The strike deals 2d6 points of unarmed damage for each stack of limit break expended. Using One Inch Punch is a standard action

AC Bonus (Ex)

When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and her CMD. In addition, a monk gains a +1 bonus to AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every four monk levels thereafter, up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.

These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks or when the monk is flat-footed. He loses these bonuses when he is immobilized or helpless, when he wears any armor, when he carries a shield, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

Martial Arts (Ex)

At 1st level, a monk gains Unarmed Combatant as a bonus feat. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

A monk’s unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A monk also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the table above, in the “martial arts” column. Additionally, the monk may choose to replace the damage he deals using weapons whose attacks count as unarmed strikes, such as cestus or gauntlets, with that of his unarmed strikes. The martial arts values listed on the above table are for Medium monks. A Small monk deals less damage than the amount given there with his unarmed attacks, while a Large monk deals more damage; see the table below:

Ki Pool (Su)

All monks can tap into an energy called “ki”, an energy all life has, that only comes out through meditation and the heat of battle. At 1st level, the monk gains a ki pool, which empties at the beginning of each day, and has a limit equal to the monk’s level, plus his Wisdom modifier. Monks accrue ki in the following ways:

• Yeah!: If the monk reduces a foe to 0 or fewer hit points with a melee attack, he gains 3 points of ki.
• Hit: If the monk successfully hits a foe with a melee attack, he gains 2 points of ki.
• Miss: If the monk misses a foe with a melee attack, he gains half a point of ki (for every two misses he gets, he gets one ki point; these partial ki points persist until the monk rests).
• Meditate: Meditating allows a monk to gain 1 point of ki for every 30 minutes he meditates.

Ki can be spent on abilities known as blitz techniques, as well as other class features.

At 4th level, so long as he has 1 point in his ki pool his unarmed strikes are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, he chooses one alignment component: chaotic, evil, good, or lawful; his unarmed strikes also count as this alignment for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. (This alignment component cannot be the opposite of the breath of life’s actual alignment, such as a good breath of life monk choosing evil strikes.) At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

Blitz

Monks, fueled by the heat of battle are able to utilize their ki to perform superhuman feats. At 1st level, and every two levels thereafter, the monk learns one blitz technique. Unless otherwise stated, blitz techniques are performed as a standard action. The saving throw DC for any applicable blitz techniques is equal to 10 + ½ the monk’s class level + his Wisdom modifier. Attacks the monk makes as part of blitz techniques do not accrue him any ki points.

Blitz Techniques can be found here.

Bonus Style Feat

At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a monk may select a bonus style feat or the Elemental Fist feat. He does not need to meet the prerequisites of that feat, except the Elemental Fist feat. At 6th level, as well as 10th, 14th, and 18th levels, the monk can choose to instead gain a wildcard style slot. Whenever he enters one or more styles, he can spend his wildcard style slots to gain feats in those styles’ feat paths (such as Aikido Waza) as long as he meets the prerequisites. Each time he changes styles, he can also change these wildcard style slots.

Fuse Styles (Ex)

At 2nd level, a monk can fuse two of the styles he knows into a more perfect style. The monk can have two style feat stances active at once. Starting a stance provided by a style feat is still a swift action, but when the monk switches to another style feat, he can choose one style whose stance is already active to persist. He may only have two style feat stances active at a time.

At 8th level, the monk can fuse three styles at once. He can have the stances of three style feats active at the same time. He gains a bonus on attack rolls equal to the number of styles whose stances he currently has active. Furthermore, he can enter up to three stances as a swift action.

At 15th level, the monk can fuse four styles at once. He can have the stances of four style feats active at the same time. Furthermore, he can enter up to four stances as a free action by spending 3 points from his ki pool.

At 20th level, the monk can fuse five styles at once.

Evasion (Ex)

At 3rd level, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Ready For Everything (Ex)

At 4th level, when a monk makes an initiative check, he gains an amount of ki equal to his Wisdom modifier, or half his class level, whichever is lower. Additionally, the monk gains Ready for Anything as a bonus feat, regardless of the prerequisites.

Bonus Combat Feat

At 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk gains a bonus combat feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. The monk must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus combat feat.

Upon reaching 9th level and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk can choose to learn a new combat feat in place of any combat feat (Other than his bonus style feats) he has already learned. In effect, the monk loses the previous combat feat in exchange for the new one. The old feat cannot be one that was used as a prerequisite for another feat, prestige class, or other ability, nor can it be a bonus feat that was granted to him specifically (Such as combat style master). A monk can only change one feat at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the feat at the time he gains a new bonus combat feat for the level. (The feat he changes to can serve as the prerequisite for his new bonus combat feat, or vice versa).

While a monk can choose a style feat in this way, he cannot choose to gain a wildcard slot.

Combat Style Master

At 5th level, a monk gains Combat Style Master as a bonus feat.

Extension (Ex)

At 6th level, when a monk takes the full attack action, he may replace any number of attacks he has yet to perform in the action (minimum one), to perform a blitz technique as a free action, spending only ki points he earned with his previous attacks in the action.

Open Chakra (Su)

At 8th level, a monk discovers how to cleanse his chakras, and those of others. As a swift action, the monk may spend an amount of ki up to his level, to heal 3 hit points per ki point spent. Alternatively, he may do this as a standard action to heal a touched creature for the same amount instead.

Greased Lightning (Su)

At 10th level, the monk’s ki unbinds him from the limits of his body. Whenever the Monk has 5 or more points of ki, he gains the following benefits:

• A +1 bonus to his Reflex saves, and Armour Class for every 5 points of ki he has. These benefits are lost if he becomes flat-footed.
• A +1 bonus to his melee attack and damage rolls for every 5 points of ki he has.
• A +10 ft. bonus to his movement speeds for every 5 points of ki he has.
• His natural reach is increased by 5 ft. if he has at least 10 points of ki.

If he spends ki on blitz techniques, he retains the benefits he would have before he spends it until the blitz technique is resolved.

Blocking Swipes (Ex)

At 12th level, the monk’s ability to block blows, arrows, and even magic becomes legendary. On any turn the monk makes at least one melee attack, he gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC until the start of his next turn. This bonus increases by +1 for every two attacks he made on that turn.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

At 13th level, a monk’s evasion ability improves. He still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.

Ajna (Ex)

At 14th level, the monk has learned how best to predict his opponents moves and launch a counterattack. When a foe attempts to make an attack against the monk, he may spend 2 ki points to make an attack of opportunity against that foe before their attack resolves. If the foe would be rendered unable to attack from this counter, their attack is not resolved. This counts against the number of attacks of opportunity the monk can make each round

Quivering Palm (Su)

At 16th level, the monk can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the monk so desires. He can use this quivering palm attack by spending 15 ki points, and he must announce his intent before making his attack roll. Creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the monk strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Thereafter, the monk can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to his monk level. To make such an attempt, the monk merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the monk’s level + the monk’s Wis modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular quivering palm attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time. A monk can have no more than 1 quivering palm in effect at one time. If a monk uses quivering palm while another is still in effect, the previous effect is negated.

Whirlwind (Ex)

At 18th level, a monk learns how to attack more efficiently. With this ability, as a full round action they can choose to attack any number of enemies, with one attack on each enemy within 10ft. They must spend 2 Ki points per target in order to do this. They gain Ki back in the same way as any other attack.

Perfect Mind, Body and Soul (Ex)

At 19th level, a monk gains complete control of his mind and body. Whenever he attempts a saving throw, he can roll twice and take the better result. If he fails a saving throw against a spell or effect that has a duration longer than 1 hour, the monk can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each hour to end the effect.

Full Meter (Su)

At 20th level, a monk achieves an unprecedented spiritual balance. Once per day, when he rolls for initiative, the monk may choose to fill his ki pool up to its maximum. At the end of the encounter, his ki pool is drained, completely emptying it.

Archetypes

Pop Culture Archetypes