Monk of Many Styles

[Martain]

So there's an interesting Monk archetype called Monk of Many styles that can combine multiple stances at once.

I'm curious how this works in conjunction with the elemental styles of Djinni/Efreeti/Marid/Shaitan.

Djinni Style:

Benefit: ... While you are in this style you must use Elemental Fist to deal electricity damage and you gain a bonus on electricity damage rolls equal to your wisdom bonus. ...

Efreeti Style:

Benefit: ... While using this style and Elemental fist to deal fire damage, you gain a bonus on fire damage rolls equal to your Wisdom bonus. ...

Marid Style:

Benefit: ... While using this style and Elemental Fist to deal cold damage, you gain a bonus on cold damage rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier...

Shaitan Style:

Benefit: ... While using Shaitan Style and Elemental Fist feats to deal acid damage, you gain a bonus on acid damage rolls equal to your Wisdom bonus. ...

Where as the Archetype indicates it allows you to fuse various styles into one greater whole... the wording on the above makes it sound like you can only choose the earth element.

If we say that it allows you to simply transition from one elemental type to another... isn't that largely the same as doing without the archetype and simply having the style feats and entering which ever one is relevant to your situation?

What do you guys think... how do these styles combine under this archetype for the elemental styles and what about their progressive style feats such as Djinn Spin/Efreeti Touch/Marid Coldsnap/Shaitan Earthblast?

[Skull]

Hi,

The archtype is called the Master of Many Styles.

These 4 styles do not mesh very well. As each one only applies to Elemental Fist for their relevant energy types. Rather pick one element and build around other styles. Like monkey for not caring about being prone, dragon for more unarmed damage (but a lot less than another monk that can flurry), crane for defence or mantis for higher stunning fist goodies. To name a few.

[Trekkie90909]

Dragon Ferocity (first path feat for dragon style) lets you swap elements for your elemental fist feat if you meet the feat prereqs (this saves you from taking the feat 4 times), it also lets your elemental fist damage scale (as a monk of the four winds). That sounds more like what you're looking for; master of many styles doesn't really 'fuse' the style feats like you're thinking, it just lets you use multiple style feats concurrently (which is not normally allowed).

[Skull]

Trekkie90909 wrote:

Dragon Ferocity (first path feat for dragon style) lets you swap elements for your elemental fist feat if you meet the feat prereqs (this saves you from taking the feat 4 times), it also lets your elemental fist damage scale (as a monk of the four winds). That sounds more like what you're looking for; master of many styles doesn't really 'fuse' the style feats like you're thinking, it just lets you use multiple style feats concurrently (which is not normally allowed).

You never had to take Elemental Fist 4 times... You simply choose which element to use each time you use it.

[Trekkie90909]

ah, fair enough.

[CBDunkerson]

Some GMs might allow combinations of the 'genie' style stances to do 'or' damage. That is, if you are in both Djinni and Efreeti styles then your damage done might count as either electricity or fire damage, whichever is more effective.

Similarly, you could get multiple elemental resistances and the option to make various elemental area attacks from the subsequent feats in each chain.