MONK

“Once upon a time in China, some believe around the year one double-ought three, head priest of the White Lotus Clan, Pai Mei, was walking down the road, contemplating whatever it is that a man of Pai Mei's nearly infinite powers would contemplate, when a Shaolin monk appeared on the road, traveling in the opposite direction. As the monk and the priest crossed paths, Pai Mei, in a practically unfathomable display of generosity, gave the monk the slightest of nods. The nod was not returned.

“Now, was it the intention of the Shaolin monk to insult Pai Mei? Or did he just fail to see the generous social gesture? The motives of the monk remain unknown. What is known were the consequences. The next morning Pai Mei appeared at the Shaolin Temple and demanded of the Temple's head abbot that he offer Pai Mei his neck to repay the insult. The Abbot at first tried to console Pai Mei, only to find Pai Mei was… inconsolable. So began the massacre of the Shaolin Temple and all sixty of the monks inside at the fists of the White Lotus. And so began the legend of Pai Mei's five-point-palm-exploding-heart technique.”

―Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill 2 (2004)

This version of the monk replaces the ki pool and a number of the other class features with half-caster progression for spell-like ki powers. Instead of receiving specific resistances/immunities at specified levels, the monk instead gains sutras, knowledge of selected methods of self-perfection (analogous to rogue talents). By selection of sutras, a close simulation of the Oathsworn base class (from Arcana Unearthed, Malhavoc Press) can be made. Examples of monks from popular entertainment include Remo and Chiun (from Warren Murphy’s Destroyer series), Max the Silent (from Andrew Vachss’ Burke series), Kwai Chang Caine (from the Kung Fu TV series), Li Mu Bai (from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Pai Mei (cited above), and any number of others from “Kung Fu Theatre” and like films.

Table 1: The Monk Hit Die: d10

Class	Base Attack	Ki Power	Class
Level	Bonus	Capacity	Features
1^st	+1	0	Combat style feat, ki powers, serenity, sutra
2^nd	+2	1^st	Ki attack (+1), weapon form
3^rd	+3	1^st	Sutra
4^th	+4	2^nd	Combat style feat, unarmed mastery +1d6
5^th	+5	2^nd	improved sutras
6^th	+6/+1	3^rd	Ki attack (+2), worldly detachment
7^th	+7/+2	3^rd	Sutra
8^th	+8/+3	4^th	Combat style feat, unarmed mastery +2d6
9^th	+9/+4	4^th	greater sutras
10^th	+10/+5	5^th	Ki attack (+3), flowing water
11^th	+11/+6/+6	5^th	Advanced sutras
12^th	+12/+7/+7	6^th	Combat style feat, unarmed mastery +3d6
13^th	+13/+8/+8	6^th	superior sutras
14^th	+14/+9/+9	7^th	Ki attack (+4), act without thought
15^th	+15/+10/+10	7^th	Advanced sutra
16^th	+16/+11/+11/+11	8^th	Combat style feat, unarmed mastery +4d6
17^th	+17/+12/+12/+12	8^th	Sublime sutras
18^th	+18/+13/+13/+13	9^th	Ki attack (+5), no self
19^th	+19/+14/+14/+14	9^th	Advanced sutra
20^th	+20/+15/+15/+15	10^th	Combat style feat, perfect self, unarmed mastery +5d6

Saving Throws: Monks gain a +2 class bonus to all saving throws

Bonus Skills: You gain one free rank per class level in Concentration and Endurance. These are otherwise treated

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as class skills, but do not count against your total number of skill points. You automatically succeed at Concentration checks to use ki powers defensively.

Class Skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Bluff, Craft (all), Escape Artist, Heal, Knowledge (the planes), Perception, Perform (all), Planar Sense, Profession (all), and Stealth.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Favored Class: When gaining a level of monk as a favored class, rather than choosing +1 hp or skill point, you can instead select one of the following options:

Energy Resistance: You gain energy resistance 1 against acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, negative energy, or sonics. Each time you select this option, increase your resistance to one of these energy types by 1.
Maneuver Mastery: You gain a +1 class bonus to your CMB with one type of maneuver. The effects stack, but the maximum bonus in any one category gained in this manner cannot exceed +1, with an additional +1 per 4 class levels you possess.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Monks have Simple proficiency with all weapons. In addition, they have Exotic proficiency in unarmed attacks, and with any one specific “temple weapon” of their choice. Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields. In addition to the proficiencies listed, all monks gain Canny Defense and Dodge as bonus feats.

Note: The “special monk weapons” listed in the Core rules are abolished. The kama is simply a sickle. Treat the siangham as a short spear, and treat shuriken as darts. The nunchaku is a light flail.

Combat Style Feat: At 1^st level, you may select a bonus combat feat. This feat can be any [Combat] feat (including [Strike] and [Stance] feats) for which you meet the prerequisites. In addition to combat feats, you may choose from the following: Alertness, Arcane Defense, Deep Intuition, Diehard, Fleet (you gain double the listed increase in speed), Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus, Skill Synergy.

For every 4 class levels you possess, you gain an additional combat style feat (as shown on Table 1).

Ki Powers (Sp): At 1^st level you gain a pool of ki, energy you can use to accomplish amazing feats. You gain the use of ki powers, similar to spells. You learn a limited number of ki powers and manifest them spontaneously, the way a sorcerer spontaneously casts spells. At 1^st level, you gain one 0-level ki power, usable at will. Starting at 2^nd level, your ki powers known and per day are as shown on Spellcasting Tables 1 and 2 in Chapter 7 (following the spell capacity shown on the Monk Table 1, above). Your manifesting (spellcasting) attribute is Wisdom.

Expended slots (spells per day) can be regained by meditating for 10 minutes per level of the slot to be regained. Alternatively, after 8 hours of sleep, you regain all expended ki slots.

There are only two types of ki powers:

Personal powers have a target of “personal”―in other words, you can “buff” yourself, but not your companions.
A strike power follows the general rules for [Strike] feats. It can be used as part of an unarmed attack (a melee attack that deals unarmed damage and spell effects on a hit) or as a melee touch attack that simply delivers the spell. In either case, the attack and discharge (if the attack hits) generally take 1 standard action. Other activating conditions for [Strikes] can also be applied; see Chapter 5.

Ki powers otherwise exactly resemble the spells or psionic powers for which they are named, except as follows.

Components: Ki powers require no verbal, material, or focus components.
Casting Time and Duration: “Sudden” powers have a casting time of 1 swift action and a duration of 1 round (i.e., until your next turn). “Immediate” powers have a casting time of 1 immediate action (they can be used even when it’s not your turn) and a duration of 1 round.
Disruption and concentration: You need not cast defensively, even when threatened; monk ki powers cannot be disrupted the way spells can.

The monk’s ki power (spells) list is as follows; non-core sources (indicated with superscripts) are cited in Chapter 7. Additional powers can be added with referee approval (psychic warrior powers from the 3.5 edition System Reference Document and Setting Sun and Shadow Hand maneuvers from the Tome of Battle both make good additions).

0-Level Personal: accelerated movement^CAd, detect evil (etc.), detect magic, detect poison, endure elements, feather fall (which can be used to stand in for the core monk’s slow fall ability), fist of stone^CA, foundation of stone^WotC, guidance, sudden jump (representing the core monk’s high jump ability), know time, resistance, stand^PHII, virtue.

0-Level Strikes: doom.

1^st Level Personal: accuracy^CA, blade of blood^PHII, sudden blood wind^SC, immediate blur, cure light wounds, sudden divine favor, entropic shield, expeditious retreat, sudden expeditious retreat, greater canny effort^AUG, lesser deflect^PHII, lesser energy surge^PHII, inertial armor (as mage armor, but ki-based rather than arcane, so it specifically works in conjunction with Canny Defense), ki arrow^UM, longstrider, maestro’s touch^PHII, nerveskitter^SC, immediate inertial armor, magic weapon, mountain stance^Dr314, protection from arrows, protection from evil (etc.), remove fear, sudden shield, personal shield of faith, sudden shield of faith, spider climb, sudden spider climb, stretch weapon^PHII, sustain^OA, ventriloquism, lesser vigor^CD.

1^st Level Strikes: chill touch, lesser confusion, frostbite^UM, forcewave^MF, Nybor’s gentle reminder^MF, ray of sickening^UM, sleep, touch of fatigue, touch of nausea^AUG, whelm^PHII.

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2^nd Level Personal: ablative barrier^UC, alter fortune^PHII, barkskin, bear’s endurance, blades of fire^CA, bladeweave^CAd, blindsight^ShS, blur, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, crown of veils^PHII, darkvision, deflect^PHII, energy surge^PHII, sudden ghost touch weapon^LM, guided shot^CAd, sudden haste, sudden invisibility, sudden levitate, sudden lion’s charge^SS, misdirection, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, resist touch^BHM, lesser restoration, see invisibility, sudden see invisibility, sleep of the dead^RR, speak with animals, sudden water walk, water walk.

2^nd Level Strikes: battering ram^SC, Bigby’s striking fist^PHII, force punch^UM, mindburn^ME, ray of enfeeblement, ray of exhaustion, ray of sickness^DrAn5, shatter, stolen breath^Dr314.

3^rd Level Personal: air walk, sudden air walk, attune form^MP, celerity^PHII, cure serious wounds, dispel magic (you can use this on yourself with merely a mental effort with no components), dispelling touch^PHII, immediate displacement, divination, ghost touch weapon^LM, sudden greater acrobatics^AUG, greater energy surge^PHII, greater magic weapon, neutralize poison, nondetection, speak with plants, spell immunity, tongues, vigor^CD, weapon of impact^MF, wraithstrike^CAd.

3^rd Level Strikes: deep slumber, dispel magic, finger of agony^CM, hand of battle^AUG, ki leech^UM, slow, ray of dizziness^DrAn5, touch of idiocy, true form^APG, vampiric touch.

4^th Level Personal: cure critical wounds, displacement, immediate dimensional anchor, divine power, freedom of movement, moment of prescience, shadow form^CAd, sudden protection from energy, sudden stoneskin, true seeing.

4^th Level Strikes: bestow curse, blindness/deafness, charm monster, confusion, dimensional anchor, orb of force^CA, orb of sound^CA, poison, rogue wave^Dr314, spell vulnerability^PnH, teeth of the wind^APM.

5^th Level Personal: dimensional lock, ethereal jaunt, sudden etherealness, greater spell immunity, heal, iron body, mislead, phase door, shadow walk, speak with anything^MW, unicorn heart^CM.

5^th Level Strikes: disintegrate, feeblemind, flesh to stone (this supersedes the Cockatrice Strike feat from the Advanced Player’s Guide), ki shout^UM, rushing waters^Und, telekinesis.

Bonus Powers: When you gain access to 1^st level ki powers, you gain daze (strike) as a bonus ki power known (this is the “+1” power known on the 1^st level spells row in Spellcasting Table 1 in Chapter 7). This ability to some extent can be used to simulate the core monk’s stunning fist ability; unlike the spell, the maximum number of HD of the target is equal to 3 + your number of ranks in Concentration. Your other bonus powers known are as follows: 2^nd—cure moderate wounds, 3^rd—sudden dimension door, 4^th—slay living (strike; effect can be delayed up to 1 day per manifester level), 5^th—ethereal jaunt. These bonus powers represent, respectively, the core monk’s wholeness of body, abundant step, quivering palm, and empty body abilities.

Serenity: Monks are trained in introspection and meditation. You gain Serenity as a bonus feat at 1^st level, allowing you to calculate Charisma-based save DCs using your Wisdom modifier instead.

Sutra: At 1st level, you receive knowledge of a sutra, a form of ascetic mastery. You gain an additional sutra at 3^rd level, and every 4 class levels thereafter. Sutras are described in Appendix A. Most have effects that scale with your class level, representing steps along your path to self-perfection; improvements occur at levels 5^th (Improved Sutra), 9^th (Greater Sutra), 13^th (Superior Sutra), and 17^th (Sublime Sutra), as listed for each sutra. Class synergy effects that apply to the level at which your sutras operate apply towards these improvements.

Ki Attack [Reserve] (Su): Starting at 2^nd level, as long as you have at least one 1^st level ki power remaining unused, any weapon with which you have Exotic proficiency you wield (including your unarmed attacks) gains a +1 enhancement bonus to attacks and damage, and is thus treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Additionally, if you make an attack against an object as a full-round action, you ignore hardness equal to twice the level of the highest-level ki power you have remaining. Your ki attack improves in according to the highest-level unused power or spell slot you have available:

If you are at least 6^th level and have a 2^nd level power slot available, the enhancement bonus increases to +2 (your attacks therefore also bypass DR/silver as well). Standard attacks against objects ignore 1 point of object hardness per 2 class levels you possess.
If you are at least 10^th level and have a 3^rd level slot left, your enhancement bonus increases to +3 (your attacks therefore bypass DR/cold iron).
If you are at least 14^th level have a 4^th level slot available, your enhancement bonus increases to +4 and your unarmed attacks and weapons are treated as aligned for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. All of your attacks against objects ignore 1 point of hardness per class level you possess.
If you are at least 18^th level and have a 5^th level slot available, your enhancement bonus increases to +5 and your unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine for purposes of overcoming hardness and damage reduction.

Weapon Form (Ex): When using a weapon with which you are proficient (no non-proficiency penalty), you gain a competence bonus to damage equal to half your class level.

Unarmed Mastery (Ex): Your unarmed attacks gain a damage bonus equal to +1d6 per 4 class levels you possess, reflecting your advanced knowledge of vulnerable points and unarmed techniques. This damage is treated as precision-based, and therefore does not multiply on successful critical hits. When making unarmed attacks, you can also make sounds like in old Kung Fu movies, at your option.

If you have an unused ki power slot of at least 1^st level, you can choose to convert some or all of your unarmed mastery bonus damage to [force] damage, to a maximum number of dice equal to the level of the highest-level ki power slot you have remaining. For example, a 12^th level monk with an unused 3^rd level ki slot could convert all 3d6 of his unarmed mastery damage to force damage.

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Worldly Detachment (Ex): Starting at 6^th level, your detachment from worldly concerns allows you to instantly adjust to changing circumstances. You gain Adaptability (Chapter 5) as a bonus feat.

Flowing Water (Ex): By 10^th level, you are expert at turning an enemy’s strengths against him. You gain Beginner’s Luck as a bonus feat, allowing you to ignore enemies’ competence bonuses.

Advanced Sutra (Ex): Starting at 11^th level, the monk gains access to deeper insights, which represent a greater level of self-perfection. Instead of a standard sutra at each odd level, you may instead choose an advanced sutra for which you qualify.

Act Without Thought (Ex): At 14^th level, you do not telegraph your actions, and can go from total stillness to a blur of motion without blinking an eye. You gain the effects of the Chaotic Mind feat, allowing you to ignore opponents’ insight bonuses.

No Self (Ex): At 18^th level, you gain the effects of the Nameless feat (although you can still keep your name, if you wish).

Perfect Self: At 20^th level, you are treated as a native outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever your creature type was). Unlike other outsiders, you can still be brought back from the dead as if you were a member of your previous creature type, and there is no change to your resurrection save DC (Chapter 7). Your ki attack ability is permanently active, and no longer requires you to have any unused powers/spell slots, and you ignore up to 20 points of hardness when attacking objects. Additionally, you gain damage reduction 10/chaotic.

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Appendix: Monk Sutras

The following represent the most common sutras unlocked by monks. Others may be added with the referee’s approval.

Sutras

Sutra	Description
Attribute development	+1/3 levels enhancement
Deflect blow	+1 deflection/4 levels
Devoted guardian	Insight to initiative, surprise
Diamond defense	+ Level as saving throw bonus
Domain disciple	Gain access to one domain
Elusive target	Reflex save for half damage
Enlightened fist	Multiclass with arcane caster
Evasion	As rogue class feature
Fast healing	Gain fast healing
Fist of the forest	Multiclass with druid/ranger
Healing hand	Can heal others with ki powers
Iron skin	Natural armor bonus
Light step	Movement spell-like abilities
Mettle	No effect on Fort or Will save
Perfect senses	Gain exceptional senses
Planar body	Survive on hostile planes
Purity of body	Resist nausea, poison, disease
Resistant body	Energy resistance 5 + 5/3 lvls
Sacred fist	Multiclass with divine caster
Sensei	Multiclass with bard
Sheltered vitality	Reduce or eliminate penalties
Spell immunity	Immune to 1 level/lvl of spells
Spell reflection	Rays missing you hit caster
Steadfast	DR 1/– per 2 levels
Steal ki	Strike replenishes your ki slots
Sustenance	Go without air, food, sleep
Timeless step	Move forward in time
Vigor	Temporary hp equal to level
Weapon kata	Additional weapon proficiencies

Attribute Development (Ex): Choose one attribute (Str, Dex, Con, Int, Wis, or Cha). Constant practice and training results in a +2 enhancement bonus to that score; this bonus improves by an additional +1 per 4 class levels after the 1^st (maximum +6 at 17^th level). You may select this sutra multiple times; each time, choose a different attribute).

Bloodline Disciple (Su, Ex): Choose one sorcerer bloodline or battle sorcerer martial path. You gain the 1^st level power for that bloodline or path, using your monk level in place of your sorcerer level when determining the effects. You may also gain that spells from that bloodline’s list in place of your bonus ki powers, if desired.

Improved: You gain the 3^rd level eldritch resistances for that bloodline.
Greater: You gain 7^th level eldritch resistances and the 9^th level power for that bloodline.
Superior: You gain the 11^th level eldritch resistances for that bloodline
Sublime: You gain the 15^th level eldritch resistances and the 15^th level power for that bloodline.

If you multiclass with sorcerer, you must select the same bloodline or path, and your monk level instead provides Full synergy with your sorcerer level for purposes of improving its resistances and powers.

Deflect Blow (Ex): You are skilled at shunting aside potentially lethal attacks. You gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC; this improves by an additional +1 per 4 levels above 1^st (maximum +5 at 17^th level).

Devoted Guardian (Ex): You gain Alertness as a bonus feat. Your insight bonus to initiative from this feat (to a maximum equal to your Wisdom bonus) is always active, not merely during surprise rounds.

Improved: Once per round you can draw a weapon or other item at any time (even if it is not your turn); this happens instantaneously, and does not require an immediate action on your part.
Greater: You gain Vital Strike as a bonus feat; your Vital Strike damage applies to any attack you make during a surprise round.
Superior: You can Take 10 on initiative checks. If you begin combat within reach of an opponent, you gain a free surprise round, even if your opponents are aware of your presence.
Sublime: You do not need to roll for initiative; you treat your initiative roll as if it resulted in any number of your choosing (from 1 to 20).

This sutra supersedes the devoted guardian (Ultimate Combat), and uncanny initiative (Advanced Players Guide) variant class features, and incorporates aspects of the Iaijustsu fighter talent.

Diamond Defense (Ex): Once per encounter as an immediate action, you can add your class level as a competence bonus to the roll when making any single saving throw. You must declare the use of this ability before rolling the die. Source: Tome of Battle.

Diamond Mind (Ex): You gain Arcane Resistance (Enchantment) as a bonus feat.

Improved: You are immune to compulsion effects.
Greater: You are immune to [charm] and [compulsion] effects, except those designated as “harmless” (e.g., bless, heroism, etc.).
Superior: You are immune to all mind-affecting spells and abilities except those designated as “harmless.”
Sublime: You gain a continuous mind blank effect that cannot be dispelled.

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Domain Disciple (Su): You gain Domain Access as a bonus feat for one of the following domains: Ancestors, Community, Destruction, Fury, Inquisition, Law, Mind, Mysticism, Protection, Repose, Suffering, Time, Travel, War. You also gain the 1^st level granted power for that domain.

Improved: You gain the 4^th level granted power for that domain (if applicable).
Greater: You gain the 8^th level granted power for that domain (if applicable).
Superior: You gain Domain Channeling for that domain (as the feat).
Sublime: You gain the Domain Exemplar ability for that domain.

Depending on the campaign, the domain list might be altered or expanded (for example, to include elemental domains, or the Archery domain).

Elusive Target (Ex): As an immediate action, you may expend an unused ki power slot (of at least 1^st level) to attempt a Reflex save opposed by an attacker’s attack roll. You gain a bonus to the saving throw equal to the level of the ki slot expended. If successful, you take only half damage from the attack (evasion does not reduce this to no damage, however).

Greater: When activating your Elusive Target sutra, you take no damage on a successful save, or half damage on a failed save.
Superior: Any attack you reduce or negate using thus ability is automatically redirected to an opponent flanking you or the attacker. Use the same attack roll, and if the attack hits the new target, that creature takes half damage (or full damage if the attack is completely avoided). Any associated effects from the attack (such as bleed, poison, or spell effects) apply fully even if the attack deals only half damage.
Sublime: You need not spend an unused ki power to use this ability. You are still limited to 1 use per round, however, even if you have the Combat Reflexes feat.

This sutra supersedes the Flowing Monk’s variant class feature of the same name, from Ultimate Combat.

Enlightened Fist (Ex): You gain the following advantages when multiclassing with sorcerer or wizard. This sutra supersedes the prestige class of the same name, from Complete Arcane.

You can choose to give up your ki power progression in exchange for Weak theurgy towards your arcane spellcasting progression. You retain your ki attack ability even if the other class uses prepared casting, but levels in the arcane spellcasting class do not automatically advance your ki attack ability unless you also have the improved ki attack advanced sutra..
You gain the ability to deliver arcane touch spells as if they were monk attack powers, in conjunction with an unarmed attack and without a chance of disruption by threatening opponents. You can also deliver arcane spells normally requiring ranged touch attacks (e.g., ray of enfeeblement) in this manner.
Your arcane class level provides Weak synergy to your monk level for purposes of determining your unarmed mastery damage, your weapon form bonus, and the effects of your monk sutras, and for purposes of qualifying for advanced sutras.

Evasion (Ex): You gain Evasion, as the rogue class feature. If you have levels in Rogue, they provide Full synergy to this ability.

Improved: You also gain Lightning Reflexes as a bonus feat.
Greater: You gain Improved Evasion.
Superior: ―
Sublime: You gain Greater Evasion.

Fast Healing (Ex): You heal wounds inordinately quickly. Upon receiving this sutra, you gain fast healing 1; this increases by 1 hp/round per 4 class levels after the 1^st (maximum fast healing 5 at 17^th level).

Fist of the Forest (Ex): You have a number of abilities in common with rangers and druids.

Add all ranger spells of the appropriate level to your class list of ki powers that can be learned. If you actually have levels in druid or ranger, you can choose to give up your ki progression in exchange for Weak theurgy towards your progression in druidic or ranger spellcasting. You retain both lists of powers.
If you have an animal companion (q.v.) with the share spells ability, when you are mounted on or adjacent to it, the effects of any monk sutras you possess, as well as your ki attack ability and AC bonuses from your Canny Defense and Dodge feats, apply to your companion as well.
Your monk level provides Weak synergy to your ranger level for determining your tracker bonus and tracking abilities. For example, the monk 8/ranger 4 mentioned above would have a +4 bonus to Survival checks to track, and would have the swift tracker and anchored navigation abilities in addition to the tracker and direction sense abilities.

Healing Hand (Su): Your 0-level personal ki powers can be used on your allies, as per the original spell descriptions. The maximum level of ki power that can be used on allies increases by +1 per 4 levels beyond the 1^st (maximum 4^th level ki powers at 17^th level). Also add raise dead to your class list of 5^th level ki powers. This sutra can be used to simulate a Monk of the Healing Hand from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

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Iron Skin (Ex): Through training, you have rendered your skin as tough as iron. You gain a +2 natural armor bonus to AC, or any existing natural armor bonus increases by +2. This bonus improves by +1 per 4 class levels above the 1^st, to a maximum bonus of +6 at 17^th level. If you have another class feature that improves natural armor (such as the fighter’s armored skin talent or the ranger’s barkskin lore), you do not gain the separate benefits from each; instead, your other applicable class levels provide Full synergy towards the best progression.

Light Step (Sp): You gain the following suite of racial spell-like abilities (Chapter 7): 1^st—pass without trace, 2^nd—feather step^APG, 3^rd—water walk, 4^th—air walk, 5^th—overland flight, 6^th—shadow walk, 7^th—phase door, 8^th—greater teleport, 9^th—astral projection. Unless you also have the Healing Hand sutra, all of these abilities are personal only. This sutra subsumes the Wanderer monk’s variant class feature of the same name, from the Advanced Race Guide.

Mettle (Ex): You are immune to fear.

Improved: If you make a successful Will save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a save (such as any spell with a saving throw of Will Partial), you instead completely negate the effect.
Greater: If you make a successful Fortitude save against an attack that would normally have a lesser effect on a save (such as any spell with a saving throw of Fortitude Partial), you instead completely negate the effect.

Superior: You are immune to energy drain.

Sublime: You are immune to [death] effects and negative energy damage.

Perfect Senses (Ex): You gain low-light vision (if you already have low-light vision, you can see three times as far as a normal human in dim light, rather than twice as far). In addition, you are immune to the dazzled condition.

Improved: You gain darkvision 60 ft. (if you already have darkvision, the range is increased by 30 ft.). In addition, you are immune to deafness.
Greater: You gain the scent special quality, and are immune to blindness. In addition, you can see invisibility.
Superior: You gain tremorsense 60 ft.
Sublime: You gain a continuous true seeing effect.

Planar Body (Ex): You are constantly under the effects of planar adaptation^UM spell, except that this is an extraordinary, rather than a spell-like ability that cannot be dispelled, and it affects only you.

Purity of Body (Ex): You are immune to effects that normally cause the sickened condition. Any effect that would normally nauseate the victim makes you sickened instead.

Improved: You also gain immunity to all diseases.
Greater: Your immunity to disease extends to supernatural and magical diseases and disease-like curses, such as mummy rot and lycanthropy. You are also immune to nausea.
Superior: You become immune to all poisons, including drugs and alcohol.
Sublime: You are immune to hostile transmutation effects.

Resistant Body (Ex): You gain resistance 5 to one type of energy (acid, cold, electrical, fire, force, negative energy, positive energy, or sonic). This resistance increases by 5 for every 4 class levels after the 1^st (resistance 20 at 13^th level). At 17^th level, you are immune.

Sacred Fist (Ex): You gain the following advantages when multiclassing with archivist, cleric, druid, or incarnate (the latter is a natural match, given its strengths and immunities). This sutra supersedes the prestige class of the same name, from Complete Divine.

You can choose to give up your ki power progression in exchange for Weak theurgy towards your divine spellcasting progression. You retain your ki attack ability even if the other class uses prepared casting, but levels in the divine spellcasting class do not automatically advance your ki attack ability unless you also have the improved ki attack advanced sutra..
Your monk level also provides Weak synergy towards your channeling energy ability and effects of your domain powers, or to your druid initiation abilities (this applies to gaining new initiation abilities, and to the effective level at which they operate).
Your monk level provides Full synergy with your incarnate level (if any) for purposes of determining your damage reduction, divine resistance, and the effects of your revelations. You can gain monk sutras in the place of revelations.
Your divine class level provides Weak synergy to your monk level for purposes of determining your unarmed damage, your weapon form bonus, and the effects of your monk sutras, and for purposes of qualifying for advanced sutras.

Sensei (Ex): Your sage advice in combat is identical to bardic inspiration, allowing you to inspire courage as a bard (skald) of level equal to your monk level, usable a total number of rounds per day equal to your monk level + your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 round).

If you have levels in bard, you instead gain the following benefits:

Your monk levels provide Weak synergy to your bardic inspiration (rounds per day and DC) and college.
Your bard levels provide Weak synergy to your ki attack, unarmed mastery, and weapon form abilities.
You can choose to give up your ki powers. In exchange, your monk levels provide Weak theurgy towards your bardic spellcasting ability.

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This sutra supersedes the monk archetype of the same name, from Ultimate Combat.

Sheltered Vitality (Ex): When you suffer any effect that causes attribute damage, attribute drain, or temporary attribute score penalties, the effect is reduced by an amount equal to half your class level (round up). If multiple attributes are affected, this ability applies to only one. Against poison and disease, this sutra is applied once per dose or case of the disease, not once per instance of ongoing damage.

Improved: The effect applies to multiple attributes.
Greater: You are immune to temporary attribute penalties (as from ray of enfeeblement), including exhaustion and fatigue, but not attribute damage.
Superior: You are immune to attribute damage.
Sublime: You are immune to attribute drain.

Spell Immunity (Su): You are immune to all offensive 0-level spells. For every 2 class levels above 1^st, you can select one more spell of maximum level equal to half your class level; you are immune to that spell as well (as if by the spell immunity spell, except that this is a supernatural ability that cannot be dispelled). For spells on more than one class list, use the highest-level incidence of that specific spell.

Spell Reflection (Ex): You gain a +1 dodge bonus against spells and spell-like abilities that require attack rolls. This bonus increases by an additional +1 per 4 class levels after the 1^st (maximum +5 at 17^th level).

Improved: If an enemy misses with a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability aimed at you, you can use an immediate action to redirect the effect back at its originator. The spell or ability attacks the original caster (who makes a new attack roll using the same attack bonus as the original attack). If it hits, the caster is subject to the normal effect of the spell or ability. This effect applies only to spells and spell-like abilities that require an attack roll. Other spells and spell-like abilities that affect a target aren't subject to this reflection.
Greater: If a single spell or ability misses you more than once at the same time (such as scorching ray cast by a high-level caster), you can redirect each portion of the spell that missed. For example, if you were missed by two of the three rays from an 11^th level wizard's scorching ray spell, you could redirect only those two rays (but not the one that hit).
Superior: You can spell resistance equal to 12 + your class level.
Sublime: When a spell or spell-like ability targeting you fails to overcome your spell resistance, you may reflect the effect onto its caster (as spell turning).

This sutra subsumes both the variant class feature of the same name, and also the Spell Sense variant class feature, from Complete Mage. It also includes the Core monk’s Diamond Soul class feature, and the Flowing Monk’s “volley spell” ability from Ultimate Combat.

Steadfast (Ex): You gain DR 1/— per 2 monk levels you possess (round up), to a maximum of DR 10/— at 19^th level. Source: Unearthed Arcana; Dragon magazine, issue 310; this also supersedes the adamantine monk variant class feature from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Steal Ki [Strike] (Su): You can steal ki from other creatures, though this ability is controversial in some circles of monks, who see it as nothing less than a form of vampirism. As a standard action, make a single unarmed attack against a creature of the [humanoid] type. If this attack damages your opponent, you can steal some of that creature’s ki. This replenishes 1 level of your ki potential per 2 CR of the victim. You can divide these levels however you choose among the slots normally available to you. For example, an 11^th level monk stealing the ki of a CR 6 opponent could choose to regain one 3^rd level slot, or one first and one second level slot, or three first level slots. You cannot exceed your ki pool’s maximum for any given spell level. You can steal ki from a particular creature (or type of creature, in the case of nearly-identical specimens―i.e., those that share a stat block) only once per day.

Improved: You can affect dragons, giants, magical beasts, and monstrous humanoids, as well as humanoids.

Greater: You can affect animals, fey, plant creatures, and vermin.
Superior: You can affect aberrations, undead, and oozes.
Supreme: You can affect constructs and outsiders.

Source: Modified from the Hungry Ghost Monk’s variant class feature of the same name from the Advanced Player’s Guide.

Sustenance (Ex): Your spiritual discipline enables you to suppress your basic needs. You can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 x your class level; without water for a number of days equal to half your class level; and without air for a number of hours equal to your class level. You also gain a permanent endure elements effect (as the spell, but cannot be dispelled).

Improved: You no longer need food to survive.
Greater: You no longer need water to survive.
Superior: You are immune to altitude sickness.
Sublime: You no longer need to breathe, and are immune to inhaled poisons, vacuum, etc.

Timeless Step (Su): As a full-round action, you can step forward in time 1 round. In effect, you disappear, then reappear in the same place after one full round has elapsed. You appear in the same condition and orientation you were in; for you, no time passes at all. If the space you were in is occupied upon your re-arrival, you appear in the closest unoccupied space. Determine the exact space randomly, if multiple equidistant spaces are available.

Improved: The effect can last up to a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (decide the total duration each time you use the ability)

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Greater: You can impose the effects of the standard timeless step on another creature in the form of an attack, the so-called temporal strike (this follows the standard rules for [Strike] feats). As a standard action, make a single unarmed strike. Any target damaged by this attack must succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + half your class level + your Wisdom modifier) or be hurled forward in time a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1 round), or less, if you so choose. The subject can act normally on its next turn upon reappearing.
Superior: You can shift your body partly outside of the time stream as a standard action. Until the end of your next turn, you ignore all effects and conditions (disease, fatigue, poison, spells, etc.). In addition, while in this state you are immune to all attacks and powers. However, you cannot act while in this state.
Sublime: You gain time stop as a spell-like ability, usable once per week.

This sutra largely supersedes the Zerth Cenobite prestige class from Complete Psionic.

Vigor (Ex): You can grant yourself a number of temporary hit points per day equal to your monk level x your Wisdom modifier. You need not take them all at once, but each use requires an immediate action on your part. If not lost to damage before then, temporary hp granted by this ability last up to 1 hour per class level.

Weapon Kata (Ex): You gain Martial proficiency with all weapons (you retain Exotic proficiency with any weapons for which you already have it).

Improved: Gain Catch Off-Guard as a bonus feat.
Greater: You gain Exotic proficiency with an additional weapon (in addition to your Exotic proficiency with unarmed attacks and your temple weapon from 1^st level).
Superior: You gain Critical Focus as a bonus feat.
Sublime: You have Exotic proficiency with all weapons.

Advanced Sutras

In place of an advanced sutra, you can always choose to take a basic sutra instead.

Advanced Sutra	Description
Advanced conditioning	Inherent bonus to attribute
Blinding speed	Haste self as free action
Freedom of movement	Continuous; as spell
Ki attack, improved	Ki attack continues to scale
Regeneration	Fast healing becomes regen.
Striking mastery	Apply multiple effects
Timeless body	You stop ageing
Unstoppable	Your actions can’t be interrupted

Advanced Conditioning (Ex): Choose one attribute. You gain a +1 inherent bonus to that attribute, as if from a manual of gainful exercise or similar tome. This bonus increases by +1 per 2 class levels above 11^th, to a maximum of +5 at 19^th level. You can select this sutra multiple times; each time, select a different attribute.

Blinding Speed (Ex): As a free action you can haste yourself, as the spell, except this is an extraordinary effect that cannot be dispelled. You can use this ability a number of rounds per day equal to your class level; these rounds need not be consecutive.

Freedom of Movement (Ex): You gain perpetual freedom of movement, as the spell but as a continuous extraordinary ability. You are also immune to dazing, paralysis, staggering, and stunning.

Ki Attack, Improved (Su): You must have the enlightened fist, fist of the forest, sacred fist, or sensei sutra to select this sutra. Your levels in the associated theurgy class stack with your monk level for purposes of determining your ki attack.

If you are capable of using powers/spells of greater than 5^th level, your ki attack enhancement bonus is equal to the highest-level power or spell level you have available. Although you cannot have a +6 enhancement bonus to an unarmed attack, you can use an additional +1 bonus property to give your unarmed attacks the ability to penetrate epic (+6) damage reduction, once your ki strike is already at +5. Alternatively, you can add properties such as flaming to your unarmed strikes (Chapter 6), much as a ranger with the favored weapon lore adds properties to his or weapon. You can change out the specific properties each time you regain spells/powers.

Regeneration (Ex): You must have fast healing from some source to select this sutra. Your fast healing becomes regeneration instead; fire, acid, and chaotic-aligned weapons still inflict normal damage on you.

Striking Mastery (Ex): This functions as the advanced fighter talent of the same name. You can combine ki strike effects with standard [Strike] feats, but still cannot add more than one ki power to a single attack unless you have access to 5^th level ki/spell slots and use the Quickened Spell feat on one of them.

Timeless Body (Ex): You stop aging. You no longer take penalties to your attribute scores for aging, and cannot be magically aged. Any aging penalties that you have already taken are removed. There is no change in your resurrection survival DC (Chapter 1).

Unstoppable (Ex): Your actions can no longer be interrupted by immediate or pre-emptive actions. Those actions can still occur, but do not prevent your own actions from being completed.

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