First time poster, sorry if I trail off.
So here's the scenario. An 8th lvl monk/Master of many styles(not unchained) has Crane style and the Panther style/Panther claw feats. when he begins combat, he uses crane style and panther style both as a swift action and then activates the Total Defense action and moves through the enemies spaces to provoke AoO's and dish out his retaliatory attacks because they're free actions now.
Can the monk do this by RAW?
The argument my friends have is that the total defense action removes your ability to attack in any way, shape or form. They came to this conclusion by reading the Melee Tactics Toolbox pathfinder book which states on page 8:
Use Defensive Combat Options: If you’re easily hitting your opponent, or if survival is more important than dealing damage, you can increase your Armor Class at the expense of your attack bonus by fighting defensively or using the Combat Expertise feat. Using the total defense action prevents you from attacking—including making attacks of opportunity—but you still threaten foes for the purposes of f lanking. Alternatively, you can use the aid another action to increase another character’s Armor Class.
However, in the PFSRD, it states under the total defense action:
Total Defense: You can defend yourself as a standard action. You get a +4 dodge bonus to your AC for 1 round. Your AC improves at the start of this action. You can’t combine total defense with fighting defensively or with the benefit of the Combat Expertise feat. You can’t make attacks of opportunity while using total defense.
The actual explanation of the ability basically states you exchange your standard action, which is normally reserved for attacks, and AoO's to gain the benefits of the total defense AC. It doesn't, however, state that you're now in capable of attacking after using the total defense action.
Since the Melee Tactics Toolbox book says the total defense action prevents you from attacking, they theorize that once you take a Total defense action, you cannot attack someone with any ability that would normally allow you to do so. You cannot use quickened Rays of Frost with total defense because technically you have to hit someone's AC. You cannot use Panther Style's retaliatory attacks because they're attacks against someones AC. They said you can use fireballs with the Total defense action because you don't need to hit another persons AC.
Additionally, the halfling feat "Desperate Swing" allows you to attack during a total defense action. They believe this implies that all other forms of attacking during a total defense cannot be done unless specifically stated otherwise, like in this feat.