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I've seen this come up a few times recently but haven't been able to find any official answer or errata anywhere, and this is kind of an important issue for anyone wanting to play a Qinggong monk:
(referring to the PRD text here)
A Qinggong monk can replace certain newly gained monk features with Qinggong powers at the following levels:
slow fall (4th)
high jump (5th)
wholeness of body (7th)
diamond body (11th)
abundant step (12th)
diamond soul (13th)
quivering palm (15th)
timeless body (17th)
tongue of the sun and moon (17th)
empty body (19th)
perfect self (20th)
The possible Qinggong powers are arranged by their own levels:
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Reading over the rules, it seems the intent is that you replace a standard class feature for a power of a level equal or lower than your current monk level.
But if that's the case, why skew the numbers to begin with? Level 18 powers could have simply been labeled Level 19, as you would have to be that level to take it anyway. Same for all of those other even-number powers whose number doesn't match any monk level with an eligible feature to switch out.
Is the strict reading correct or is there something being missed here?
I'd guess bad editing and/or bad writing. I might be that there originally was a reason for the even numbers. Maybe an earlier version had you give up the ki-powers you would normally get and instead get to pick one from the lists each even level. That would also fit much more closely with the way archetypes usually work, replacing a set set of features with a set set of others.
Then the description part got changed, but the list and level association of the new powers didn't, creating the mess we see now.
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Not all default monk powers are associated with odd levels. As Mikaze pointed out, Slow Fall, Abundant Step and Perfect Self are all achieved at even levels. It seems logical to me that since the first opportunity to take a replacement ability comes at 4th level, the progression is at even levels. I know that at least two monk feats (Spider Step and Cloud Step) require even monk levels.
It seems fairly clear to me:
You gain a Qingong ability at the levels at which you would otherwise gain the following abilities:
slow fall (4th)
high jump (5th)
wholeness of body (7th)
diamond body (11th)
abundant step (12th)
diamond soul (13th)
quivering palm (15th)
timeless body (17th)
tongue of the sun and moon (17th)
empty body (19th)
perfect self (20th)
The power you gain has a minimum level you have to be to acquire it, given by the lists in the book.
Hence at 5th level, you gain a Qingong ability from the 4th level list. You cannot gain one from the 6th level list, because you are not 6th level yet. At 7th level you gain a power from the 6th level list, or from the 4th level list, etc.
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I agree with this except you don't gain the ability. You get to choose to get the ability (or not).
Which leads to the other big unanswered question: is choosing a Qinggong power rather than your normal monk ability truly completely optional? It's a big deal because the answer means Qinggong either stacks with all other Monk Archetypes or none.
I personally think the whole Qinggong section needs to be re-edited, but that's just me.
