There’s just something about melee combat – the flow of it, the countless moves and combinations – that makes it a pleasure to GM and roleplay. Martial artists are simply some of my favourite character concepts to play. I’ve written about the monk, be it Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder, an awful lot and despite my occassional complaint, I still love playing monks and ninjas. I suppose then that it was only a matter of time that I put some concerted effort into producing some serious material. Some time ago, I approached Wolfgang Baur, of Kobold Press, with a pitch to explore Pathfinder style feats in greater detail. As I began producing more of the material, the project goals shifted quite dramatically, from a small article to a full blown, stand alone product: The Expanded Monk and Ninja.
I think that I’ll let the Kobold Press description explain what’s in the PDF:
Let the Ki Flow Through You—So You Can Kick Ass!
Monks and ninjas are characters of hidden depths and mystic power, balancing speed, strength, and a profound understanding of how to master any situation. The Expanded Monk and Ninja expands this field of play for these classes with new options written by Venture Captain Jerall Toi, and refined in the crucible of playtests with PFS players.
The Expanded Monk and Ninja includes:
- Beast Soul, Clockwork Monk, Peerless Mountain, Paper Drake, and Six Talismans archetypes for monks
- Elemental Ninja and Mist Stalker archetypes for ninjas
- 25 new ki-based and style feats including One-Inch Punch, Paper Talisman, Ring the Bell, Polearm Acrobat, and Coiled Strength
- Five new martial arts styles: Broken Mirror, Death Butterfly, Desert Scorpion, Eagle Talon, and Nightwave
- New master tricks for the ninja
- 7 new weapons, from the humble tamo cane and farmer’s hoe to ding pa, the iron flute, and the wind and fire wheels
New styles, new weapons, new archetypes—to master your ki and master your foe, New Paths 5: The Expanded Monk and Ninja is the true path to enlightenment.
You can get the Expanded Monk and Ninja at Paizo, Drivethru RPG, and RPGNow.
- Jerall
