Master of Many Styles: Do you need the pre-reqs for Elemental Fist?

[Cyrad]

I have a player who wants Efreeti Style as fast as possible using this archetpye. But the wording for Master of Many Styles is confusing.

At 1st level, 2nd level, and every four levels thereafter, a master of many styles may select a bonus style feat or the Elemental Fist feat. He does not have to meet the prerequisites of that feat, except the Elemental Fist feat.

I understand that you need Elemental Fist to take Efreet Style, but does the text also mean that you need to meet Elemental Fist's requirements to take it?

[Rynjin]

I've always read it as so.

As far as I know there's never been a clear answer on the subject though.

[Katz]

I always interpreted it as meaning that you need Elemental Fist to take the elemental styles, even as a bonus style feat. Any other interpretation would let you take an elemental style without having Elemental Fist, which wouldn't make much sense. FAQ'd the thread, though, because they should clear up the text on that one.

[Cyrad]

Katz wrote:

I always interpreted it as meaning that you need Elemental Fist to take the elemental styles, even as a bonus style feat. Any other interpretation would let you take an elemental style without having Elemental Fist, which wouldn't make much sense. FAQ'd the thread, though, because they should clear up the text on that one.

I figured as such because it doesn't make sense to use a feat that utilizes Elemental Fist when you don't have Elemental Fist.

My question is whether or not you can take Elemental Fist without meeting its requirements.

[Darksol the Painbringer]

As everyone has said, the RAW has two interpretations:

1. The MoMS can select bonus Style Feats and the Elemental Fist feat. He does not need to follow pre-requisites except for the Elemental Fist feat.
2. The MoMS can select bonus Style Feats and Elemental Fist feat. He does not need to follow pre-requisites, except ones including the Elemental Fist feat.

RAI, I am sure the second option is what they mean, in that you cannot bypass pre-requisites for Feats that have the Elemental Fist feat listed as such, (and also could go as far to say that you must cannot bypass the pre-requisites for the Elemental Fist feat itself).

[TGMaxMaxer]

I read it as you can bypass any prereqs except elemental fist, either as a prereq or the prereqs for elemental fist itself.

Specifically I go with that interpretation as you still get elemental fist at level 3, if you take the dragon chain, 5 levels early, but you don't completely invalidate the Monk of Four Winds getting elemental fist at first as a bonus and being incompatible with the MoMS.

Seems like if MoMS could take Elemental Fist at 1st as well, you wouldn't need 4 winds at all really, the other abilities aren't that stellar. (although the increasing damage is cool, but too slow to make a major DPR change.)

Although I agree that the language doesn't clarify it one way or the other, you definitely have to have elemental fist for any of the feats that require it, room for interpretation on the elemental fist feat itself.

[Tempest_Knight]

I hate to say it, but it looks like they are ignoring this issue...
Earlier thread

The thread that I linked has a lot more information and greater detail.