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 battleminded 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.

Hit Dice: d8

Alignment: Any lawful

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapon Proficiencies: Cestus, claw, club, dagger, kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, siangham, shuriken, and three-section staff

Skill Points/Level: 4 + Int

Class Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Concentration (Con), Cosmology (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), History (Int), Insight (Wis), Perception (Wis), Religion (Int), Stealth (Dex), Trade (Int)

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, or when he carries a medium or heavy load.

Martial Arts (Ex): At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk’s attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. 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. Usually a monk’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling. 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 his unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the above table. The unarmed damage values listed on the 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 small or large monk unarmed damage on the table given below.