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Monk vs Unchained Monk

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Glorf Fei-Hung

Oct 21, 2016, 11:22 am

I've only recently begun playing Pathfinder Society and I've been playing a Monk of the Four Winds Character that is Level 2, about to Level up to 3. I've just learned that there is an Unchained Monk in the Pathfinder Unchained, I've purchased it so I could Learn about the options it provides. I really love what it offers but I'm unsure what my options are for Adjusting my current character to becoming an Unchained Monk.

It appears by the information provided the Unchained Monk still is considered just a "Monk" only it comes from a new source book. Now that I own the source book can I apply the alternate stats to my current Character with no retraining required as long as I don't change anything I've selected?

If retraining is needed, how would that work? I believe a Monk of the Fourwinds Archetype could still apply to an Unchained Monk. I also do not wish (or need) to change any feats, skills or other abilities I have already chosen, so No Retraining would be required for that purpose. I know I would Need to Retrain Classes if I were going from Monk to something else. But I'm Curious of that would still be required when simply going from Monk to Unchained Monk. If retraining was needed would the Days Required (and Prestige) be further reduced due to the synergy of the two classes being merely a different version of the same?

Thank you for any help in answering these questions!

SodiumTelluride

Oct 21, 2016, 11:37 am

Having the Monk of the Four Winds archetype might answer this question for you. In a post titled Society Unchained where they first announced the edition addition, they stated that monks (for some reason) don't qualify for any current archetypes or any future ones that don't specifically work with the unchained monk. So to take off your monk's chains, you'll need to retrain out of your archetype.

Diachronos

Oct 21, 2016, 12:02 pm

According to PFS, Unchained Monk is completely incompatible with any archetype that doesn't explicitly mention the Unchained Monk in its "This ability alters X" segments, even archetypes that should theoretically work the same regardless of which version of Monk you're using (like Master of Many Styles).

So unfortunately, your choices are limited to being a regular Monk of the Four Winds or an Unchained Monk with either no archetypes or one of the very few Unchained-Monk-friendly archetypes that have been released.

Nefreet

Oct 21, 2016, 12:04 pm

You're allowed a complete and free rebuild, but only before you've played above 1st level. Since you've already played at 2nd level, you'd have to pay for Retraining.

It's really not a feasible option at this point, because you need 5-7 Prestige for each level you're Retraining, and you only earn up to 6 per level (if you're lucky).

Core Monks and Unchained Monks are quite different. They're practically different classes. And Unchained Monks can't obtain archetypes (currently), so if you like the abilities you have now you wouldn't want to retrain anyways.

Fuzzy-Wuzzy

Oct 21, 2016, 12:15 pm

Nefreet wrote:

Core Monks and Unchained Monks are quite different. They're practically different classes. And Unchained Monks can't obtain archetypes (currently), so if you like the abilities you have now you wouldn't want to retrain anyways.

There are some newer archetypes that work with unchained now.

Monk of the Mantis wrote:

This ability replaces wholeness of body, diamond body, and diamond soul. (For the unchained monk this ability is gained at 6th level, improves at 10th and 12th levels, and replaces the ki powers gained at those levels.)

Not sure where to get a list of the others with Archives of Nethys down.