Monk (Silver Fist, Qinggong)

Path of War: Expanded

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For the truly exemplary, martial skill transcends the battlefield—it is a lifestyle, a doctrine, a state of mind. These warrior-artists search out methods of battle beyond swords and shields, finding weapons within themselves just as capable of crippling or killing as any blade. These monks (so called since they adhere to ancient philosophies and strict martial disciplines) elevate their bodies to become weapons of war, from battle-minded ascetics to self-taught brawlers. Monks tread the path of discipline, and those with the will to endure that path discover within themselves not what they are, but what they are meant to be.

The Monks of the Silver Fist are an order of martial artists that have perfected the way of the bodyguard. Their unique use of gauntlets and greaves protects their hands and adds weight to the attacks they make in defense of their charges.

Role: Monks excel at overcoming even the most daunting perils, striking where it’s least expected, and taking advantage of enemy vulnerabilities. Fleet of foot and skilled in combat, monks can navigate any battlefield with ease, aiding allies wherever they are needed most.

Class Features

Hit Die

d8

Skill Ranks per Level

4 + Int

Class Skills

Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Craft, Escape Artist, Intimidate, Knowledge (history), Knowledge (religion), Perception, Perform, Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Stealth, Swim

Starting Wealth

1d6 × 10 gp (average 35 gp)

Weapon Proficiencies

brass knuckles, cestus, club, light crossbow, heavy crossbow, dagger, gauntlet, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shortspear, short sword, shuriken, siangham, sling, spear, temple sword

Shield Proficiencies

buckler

AC bonus (Ex)

When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and his 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 other than a buckler, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

bonus feat

At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk may select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Buckler Bash, Catch Off-Guard, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Grapple, Improved Shield Bash, Mithral Current Style, Scorpion Style, and Throw Anything.

At 6th level, the following feats are added to the list: Bodyguard, Defensive Expertise, Gorgon’s Fist, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, and Mobility.

At 10th level, the following feats are added to the list: Discipline Mastery, Improved Critical, In Harm’s Way, Medusa’s Wrath, Snatch Arrows, and Spring Attack.

A monk need not have any of the prerequisites normally required for these feats to select them.

gauntlet strike (Ex)

At 1st level, the monk of the silver fist becomes an expert in wielding gauntlets. He gains Improved Unarmed Strike and Weapon Focus (gauntlet) as bonus feats, even if he does not meet their prerequisites. A monk of the silver fist deals more damage with his gauntlet attacks than a normal person would, as shown below. For the purposes of the monk of the silver fist’s abilities and feats, a gauntlet is any weapon worn over the hands or fingers to aid in punching, including brass knuckles, normal gauntlets, rope gauntlets, and spiked gauntlets.

maneuvers

A monk of the silver fist begins his career with knowledge of three martial maneuvers. The disciplines available to him are Eternal Guardian, Iron Tortoise, and Mithral Current.

Once the monk of the silver fist knows a maneuver, he must ready it before he can use it (see Maneuvers Readied, below). A maneuver usable by monk of the silver fist is considered an extraordinary ability unless otherwise noted in it or its discipline’s description. A monk of the silver fist’s maneuvers are not affected by spell resistance, and he does not provoke attacks of opportunity when he initiates one.

The monk of the silver fist learns additional maneuvers at higher levels, as indicated on Table: The Monk. The maximum level of maneuvers gained through monk of the silver fist levels is limited by those listed in that table as well, although this restriction does not apply to maneuvers added to his maneuvers known through other methods, such as prestige classes or the Advanced Study feat. A monk of the silver fist must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. See the Systems and Use chapter in Path of War for more details on how maneuvers are used.

Upon reaching 4th level, and at every even numbered initiator level thereafter (6th, 8th, 10th, and so on), the monk of the silver fist can choose to learn a new maneuver in place of one he already knows. In effect, he loses the old maneuver in exchange for the new one. He can choose a new maneuver of any level he likes, as long as he observes the restriction on the highest-level maneuvers he knows; the monk of the silver fist need not replace the old maneuver with a maneuver of the same level. He can swap only a single maneuver at any given level. A monk of the silver fist’s initiation modifier is Wisdom, and each monk of the silver fist level is counted as a full initiator level.

Maneuvers Readied: A monk of the silver fist can ready all three of his maneuvers known at 1st level, and as he advances in level and learns more maneuvers, he is able to ready more, but must still choose which maneuvers to ready. A monk of the silver fist must always ready his maximum number of maneuvers readied. He readies his maneuvers by meditating or performing martial katas for ten minutes. The maneuvers he chooses remain readied until he decides to practice again and change them. The monk of the silver fist does not need to sleep or rest for any long period of time in order to ready his maneuvers; any time he spends ten minutes meditating, he can change his readied maneuvers.

A monk of the silver fist begins an encounter with all his readied maneuvers unexpended, regardless of how many times he might have already used them since he chose them. When he initiates a maneuver, he expends it for the current encounter, so each of his readied maneuvers can be used once per encounter (unless he recovers them, as described below).

In order for the monk of the silver fist to recover maneuvers, he must take a full-round action, moving up to his speed, then granting an adjacent ally (including himself) an insight bonus to their AC and on saving throws equal to his monk of the silver fist initiation modifier for one round. If he does so, he recovers a number of expended maneuvers equal to his monk of the silver fist initiation modifier (minimum 2). Alternately, the monk of the silver fist may center himself and realign his ki, recovering a single maneuver as a standard action.

Stances Known: A monk of the silver fist begins his career with knowledge of one stance from any discipline open to monks of the silver fist. At 4th, 7th, 11th, and 13th levels, he can select an additional stance to learn. The maximum level of stances gained through monk of the silver fist levels is limited by those listed in Table: The Monk. Unlike maneuvers, stances are not expended and the monk of the silver fist does not have to ready them. All the stances he knows are available to his at all times, and he can change the stance he is currently maintaining as a swift action. A stance is an extraordinary ability unless otherwise stated in the stance or discipline description.

Unlike with maneuvers, a monk of the silver fist cannot learn a new stance at higher levels in place of one he already knows.

shielding fist (Ex)

At 1st level, so long as the monk of the silver fist is wearing gauntlets, he gains a +1 shield bonus to his AC, and treats his gauntlets as bucklers in addition to their normal effects. If is gauntlets are enchanted, he applies their enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls and to this shield bonus as well.

evasion (Ex)

At 2nd level or higher, 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.

still mind (Ex)

A monk of 3rd level or higher gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.

fast movement (Ex)

At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus of +10 feet to his land speed. This bonus increases by 10 feet for every 3 levels after 3rd. A monk wearing armor, using a shield other than a buckler, or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

maneuver training (Ex)

At 3rd level, a monk uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.

ki pool (Su)

At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk’s ki pool is equal to 1/2 his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike.

At 4th level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be 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, his unarmed attacks are also treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.

By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a monk can do one of the following:

• Make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack, or
• Increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round, or
• Give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.

Each of these powers is activated as a swift action.

The ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive.

ki power

At the given levels on the table, the monk can select a ki power. (Note that the monk gains 2 ki powers at level 17.) Ki powers are divided into three categories: feats, monk abilities, and spells.

• Feats: These ki powers duplicate the effects of specific feats. A monk does not need to qualify for a feat to select it as a ki power. For example, a qinggong monk can select Spring Attack as a ki power even if she doesn’t meet the prerequisites for selecting Spring Attack as a feat. Activating one of these ki powers is a free action on the monk’s turn; until the start of her next turn, the monk is treated as if she had that feat. Some of these ki powers that duplicate feats may also be activated as an immediate action; these powers are noted in the ki powers list.
• Monk Abilities: Some ki powers are standard monk abilities.
• Spells: These ki powers duplicate the effects of a spell, and are spell-like abilities. A qinggong monk’s class level is the caster level for these spell-like abilities, and she uses Wisdom to determine her concentration check bonus.

Requirements: All ki powers have a minimum monk level requirement to select them. A monk who does not meet this requirement cannot select that ki power.

Activation: Most ki powers require the monk to spend ki points; the exact amount is listed after the ki power. Ki powers that cost 0 ki do not require the monk to have any ki points in her ki pool to use the ability.

The saving throw against a monk’s ki power, if any, is equal to 10 + 1/2 the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom bonus.

4th-Level Ki Powers:

• Acrobatic Steps (1 ki point)
• augury (1 ki point)
• barkskin (self only, 1 ki point)
• Deny Death (0 ki points, can be activated as an immediate action)
• feather step (self only, 1 ki point)
• hydraulic push (1 ki point)
• ki arrow (1 ki point)
• Ki Stand (0 ki points, can be activated as an immediate action)
• message (1 ki point)
• mighty fist of the earth (1 ki point)
• Power Attack (1 ki point)
• Quick Draw (1 ki point)
• scorching ray (2 ki points)
• slow fall: If the monk is within arm’s reach of a wall, he takes damage from a fall as if the fall were 20 feet shorter than it actually is. This improves by 10 feet for every 2 monk levels, and improves to an unlimited distance at level 20.
• stone shield (1 ki point)
• Throw Anything (1 ki point)
• true strike (self only, 1 ki point)

6th-Level Ki Powers:

• cloak of winds (self only, 2 ki points)
• gaseous form (self only, 1 ki point)
• Heroic Recovery (1 ki point, can be activated as an immediate action)
• high jump (1 ki point): The monk adds his level to an Acrobatics check made to jump, and counts as having a running start. By spending 1 additional point from his ki pool as a swift action, he gains an additional +20 bonus on the check.
• hydraulic torrent (2 ki points)
• remove disease (2 ki points)
• Sidestep (1 ki point, can be activated as an immediate action)
• Snatch Arrows (1 ki point, can be activated as an immediate action)
• Spring Attack (1 ki point)

7th-Level Ki Powers:

• wholeness of body (2 ki points): As a standard action, the monk heals a number of hit points of damage equal to his monk level.

8th-Level Ki Powers:

• dragon’s breath (2 ki points)
• Gliding Steps (1 ki point, can be activated as an immediate action)
• neutralize poison (3 ki points)
• Poison (2 ki points)
• restoration (self only, 2 ki points)
• share memory (0 ki points)
• silk to steel (1 ki point)
• Spider Step (1 ki point)
• Whirlwind Attack (2 ki points)

10th-Level Ki Powers:

• discordant blast (2 ki points)
• Greater Bull Rush (2 ki points)
• Greater Disarm (2 ki points)
• Greater Feint (2 ki points)
• Greater Sunder (2 ki points)
• Improved Blind-Fight (1 ki point, can be activated as an immediate action)
• ki leech (0 ki points)
• Lunge (1 ki point)
• shadow step (1 ki point)
• spit venom (2 ki points)
• Step Up and Strike (2 ki points, can be activated as an immediate action)
• Wind Stance (2 ki points)

12th-Level Ki Powers

• abundant step (2 ki points): As a move action, the monk can use dimension door with a caster level equal to his monk level. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability.
• battlemind link (4 ki points)
• diamond body: The monk gains immunity to poisons of all kinds.
• Elemental Fist (2 ki points)
• Improvised Weapon Mastery (2 ki points)
• Ki Throw (2 ki points)
• Punishing Kick (2 ki points)
• shadow walk (3 ki points)

14th-Level Ki Powers:

• blood crow strike (2 ki points)
• Cloud Step (3 ki points)
• cold ice strike (3 ki points)
• diamond soul: The monk gains spell resistance equal to his current monk level + 10. In order to affect the monk with a spell, a spellcaster must get a result on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) that equals or exceeds the monk’s spell resistance.
• Disarming Strike (2 ki points)
• Improved Ki Throw (2 ki points)
• ki shout (3 ki points)
• sonic thrust (2 ki points)

16th-Level Ki Powers:

• Bleeding Critical (3 ki points)
• Greater Blind-Fight (2 ki points, can be activated as an immediate action)
• Improved Vital Strike (2 ki points)
• Lightning Stance (3 ki points)
• Penetrating Strike (2 ki points)
• quivering palm (2 ki points): 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 once per day, 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.
• strangling hair (3 ki points)

18th-Level Ki Powers:

• timeless body: The no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up.
• tongue of the sun and moon: The monk can speak with any living creature.

20th-Level Ki Powers:

• Blinding Critical (3 ki points)
• Crippling Critical (3 ki points)
• Deafening Critical (3 ki points)
• empty body (3 ki points): As a move action, the monk can assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness. This ability only affects the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.
• Greater Penetrating Strike (3 ki points)
• perfect self: The monk becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than as a humanoid (or whatever the monk’s creature type was) for the purpose of spells and magical effects. Additionally, the monk gains damage reduction 10/chaotic, which allows him to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any attack made by a nonchaotic weapon or by any natural attack made by a creature that doesn’t have similar damage reduction. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type.
• Tiring Critical (3 ki points)

mark of the silver fist (Su)

Starting at 4th level, a monk of the silver fist is able to focus his protection on one ally to better guard them. The monk of the silver fist can spend 1 ki point as a swift action to apply a special mark to one ally (other than himself) within 30 feet. For a number of rounds equal to 1 + the monk of the silver fist’s initiation modifier, the marked ally gains a +4 circumstance bonus to their AC, and any enemy that attacks the marked ally provokes an attack of opportunity from the monk of the silver fist. A monk of the silver fist can only have one mark of the silver fist active at a time. At 12th level and again at 16th level, the number of allies a monk of the silver fist can have marked at a time increases by one.

purity of body (Ex)

At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

improved evasion (Ex)

At 9th 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.

intercepting fist (Ex)

At 12th level, a monk of the silver fist gains the ability to swiftly cross the battlefield in the defense of his allies. Whenever an ally is targeted by an attack, the monk of the silver fist can spend 1 ki point as an immediate action to move up to his speed towards that ally. If his movement ends adjacent to the targeted ally, the monk of the silver fist becomes the target of that attack, rather than his ally.

reach of the silver fist (Ex)

At 15th level, whenever the monk initiates a strike with a range of melee attack and a target of one creature, he can spend 1 ki point as a free action to also initiate the strike against a second target within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 monk of the silver fist levels). This additional strike is treated as a melee attack, and uses the monk of the silver fist’s gauntlet damage as its base damage. A monk of the silver fist can only activate this ability once per strike.