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.
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.
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d10.
¶ Class Skills
The Monk's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points at each Level: 4 + Int modifier.
¶ Class Features
| Level | Unarmed AB | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Unarmed Damage | AC Bonus | Fast Movement |
| 1st | +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 | Bonus feat, flurry of blows (UBAB), stunning fist, unarmed strike | 2d4 | +0 | - |
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Bonus feat, evasion | 2d4 | +0 | - |
| 3rd | +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 | Fast movement, ki pool, ki strike (magic) | 2d4 | +0 | +10% |
| 4th | +4/+1 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Ki power, still mind | 2d4 | +1 | +10% |
| 5th | +5/+2 | +4 | +4 | +1 | Purity of body | 2d4 | +1 | +10% |
| 6th | +6/+3 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Bonus feat, ki power | 2d4 | +1 | +20% |
| 7th | +7/+4/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Ki strike (cold iron/silver) | 2d4 | +1 | +20% |
| 8th | +8/+5/+2 | +6 | +6 | +2 | Ki power | 2d5 | +2 | +20% |
| 9th | +9/+6/+3 | +6 | +6 | +3 | Improved evasion, | 2d5 | +2 | +30% |
| 10th | +10/+7/+4/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Bonus feat, ki power, ki strike (lawful) | 2d5 | +2 | +30% |
| 11th | +11/+8/+5/+2 | +7 | +7 | +3 | 2d5 | +2 | +30% | |
| 12th | +12/+9/+6/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Ki power | 2d6 | +3 | +40% |
| 13th | +13/+10/+7/+4/+1 | +8 | +8 | +4 | Tongue of the sun and moon | 2d6 | +3 | +40% |
| 14th | +14/+11/+8/+5/+2 | +9 | +9 | +4 | Bonus feat, ki power | 2d6 | +3 | +40% |
| 15th | +15/+12/+9/+6/+3 | +9 | +9 | +5 | 2d6 | +3 | +50% | |
| 16th | +16/+13/+10/+7/+4/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Ki power, ki strike (adamantine) | 2d8 | +4 | +50% |
| 17th | +17/+14/+11/+8/+5/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 | Timeless body | 2d8 | +4 | +50% |
| 18th | +18/+15/+12/+9/+6/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Bonus feat, ki power | 2d8 | +4 | +60% |
| 19th | +19/+16/+13/+10/+7/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 | Flawless mind | 2d8 | +4 | +60% |
| 20th | +20/+17/+14/+11/+8/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 | Ki power, perfect self | 2d10 | +5 | +60% |
¶ Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Monks are proficient with the club, crossbow (light or heavy), dagger, handaxe, javelin, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, short sword, shortspear, shuriken, siangham, sling, spear, and any weapon with the monk special weapon quality.
Monks are not proficient with any armor or shields.
When wearing armor, using a shield, a monk loses his AC bonus, as well as his fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.
¶ AC Bonus (Ex)
When unarmored and unencumbered, the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any) to his AC and 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.
¶ Bonus Feat
At 1st level, 2nd level, and every 4 levels thereafter, a monk can select a bonus feat. These feats must be taken from the following list: Blind Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Disarm, and Mobility, Improved Critical, Spring Attack and Tougness.The Monk must meet all other prerequisites for feats taken from this list.
Starting at 4th level, a monk may choose a ki power in place of a bonus feat.
¶ Flurry of Blows (Ex)
A special unarmed base attack bonus (UBAB) replaces the normal BAB for monks (and only monks) who fight unarmed or with a monk weapon (if also not wearing armor nor using a shield). This progression gives extra attacks at -3 off the previous attack, rather than the normal -5, with up to six attacks per round possible from this progression.
¶ Stunning Fist (Ex)
At 1st level, the monk gains Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.
¶ Unarmed Strike (Ex)
| Level | Damage (Small Monk) |
| 1st–3rd | 2d3 |
| 4th–7th | 2d3 |
| 8th–11th | 2d4 |
| 12th–15th | 2d5 |
| 16th–19th | 2d6 |
| 20th | 2d8 |
At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks can be with fists, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk can make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk can apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes. A monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, although he can choose to deal nonlethal damage with no penalty on his attack roll. He can make this choice while grappling as well.
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.
The damage dealt by a monk’s unarmed strike is determined by the unarmed damage column below. The damage listed is for Medium monks. The damage for Small or Large monks is listed below.
¶ Evasion (Ex)
At 2nd level, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk succeeds at a 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.
¶ Fast Movement (Ex)
At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.
¶ Ki Pool (Su)
At 3rd 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. At 3rd level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic (+1) weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 7th level, his unarmed attacks are also treated as cold iron and silver (+3) for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. At 10th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as lawful weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness. At 16th level, his unarmed attacks are treated as adamantine (+4) weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction and bypassing hardness.
By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk can make one additional unarmed strike at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack. This bonus attack stacks with all bonus attacks gained from flurry of blows, as well as those from haste and similar effects. A monk gains additional powers that consume points from his ki pool as he gains levels.
The ki pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation.
¶ Ki Powers (Su)
At 4th level and every 2 levels thereafter, a monk can select one ki power. These powers allow the monk to perform amazing feats of mystical power and acrobatic prowess by expending points from his ki pool. Once a ki power is selected, it cannot be changed. Some ki powers require the monk to be of a specific level or higher before they can be chosen. Unless otherwise noted, a monk cannot select an individual ki power more than once.
A monk may choose one of the monk bonus feats in place of a Ki Power.
- Abundant Step (Su): A monk with this ki power can slip magically between spaces, as if using the spell dimension door. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 2 points from his ki pool. The monk’s caster level for this effect is equal to his monk level. He cannot take other creatures with him when he uses this ability.
- Diamond Body (Su): By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a monk with this power can remove one toxin from his body as if using neutralize poison, using his monk level as his caster level. He can remove only one poison in this way per use of this ability.
- Diamond Mind (Su): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, a monk with this power can suppress a fear effect affecting him as if using remove fear, using his monk level as his caster level. He can spend 2 ki points to activate this ability even when frightened or panicked. A monk must be at least 6th level before selecting this ki power.
- Diamond Soul (Ex): A monk can spend 2 points from his ki pool as a swift action to gain spell resistance equal to his monk level + 10. This spell resistance lasts for a number of rounds equal to the monk’s level. A monk must be at least 12th level before selecting this ki power.
- Empty Body (Su): A monk with this ki power gains the ability to assume an ethereal state for 1 minute as though using the spell etherealness, using his monk level as his caster level. Using this ability is a move action that consumes 3 points from the monk’s ki pool. This ability affects only the monk and cannot be used to make other creatures ethereal.
- Furious Defense (Ex): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as an immediate action, a monk with this ki power can grant himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for one round.
- High Jump (Ex): By spending 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action, the monk gains a +20 bonus on Acrobatics checks to jump for 1 round.
- Quivering Palm (Su): A monk can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the monk so desires. Using this ability is a standard action that costs 4 ki points. Creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected. Otherwise, if the attack hits and the target takes damage from the blow, the quivering palm attack succeeds. Unnless the target succeeds at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + 1/2 the monk’s level + the monk’s Wisdom modifier), it dies. A monk must be at least 16th level before selecting this ki power.
- Slow Fall (Su): A monk within arm’s reach of a wall can use it to slow his descent by expending 1 point from his ki pool. When he uses this ability, he takes no damage from the fall (as if using feather fall), but he must be adjacent to a wall for the length of the fall (although this can be used to reduce the damage from a fall if only part of it is adjacent to a wall).
- Sudden Speed (Su): A monk with this ki power can spend 1 point from his ki pool as a swift action to grant himself a sudden burst of speed. This increases the monk’s movement speed by 30% for 1 minute.
- Wholeness of Body (Su): A monk with this ki power can heal his own wounds as a standard action. By spending 2 points from his ki pool, he can heal an amount of damage equal to 1d8 + his monk level.
¶ Still Mind (Ex)
At 4th level, a monk gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against enchantment spells and effects.
¶ 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 successful Reflex saving throws against attacks, but henceforth he takes only half damage on failed saves. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.
¶ Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex)
At 13th level, a monk can understand and speak with any living creature, as if under a permanent tongues effect.
¶ Timeless Body (Ex)
At 17th level, a monk 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.
¶ Flawless Mind
At 19th level, a monk gains total control over his mental faculties. He gains the Slippery Mind feat.
¶ Perfect Self
At 20th level, a monk becomes a magical creature. He is forevermore treated as an outsider rather than a humanoid (or whatever his original 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. Unlike other outsiders, the monk can still be brought back from the dead as if he were a member of his previous creature type. Finally, once per day the monk gains the ability to enter a state of perfect calm. As a standard action they regain all of their ki points.
¶ Ex-Monks
A monk who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a monk but retains all monk abilities.