For a Magus of an appropriate level, does a single level of the Student of Perfection prestige class suffice as a prerequisite for using the Ki Arcana Magus Arcana?
Ki Pool (Su): If a student of perfection has levels in a class that grants a ki pool, his student of perfection levels stack with his levels of that class to determine his total number of ki points. If the student of perfection has a ki pool from Perfect Style, he adds his Wisdom modifier to his ki pool. The student of perfection’s ki pool also gains ki strike as per the ki pool of a monk of a level equal to his class level. This stacks with his levels in monk (if any).
Probably not, unless you have perfect style.
Actually, perfect style alone should qualify you, though a pool with a size of 2 is nothing to write home about.
Ki Pool (Su): If a student of perfection has levels in a class that grants a ki pool, his student of perfection levels stack with his levels of that class to determine his total number of ki points. If the student of perfection has a ki pool from Perfect Style, he adds his Wisdom modifier to his ki pool. The student of perfection’s ki pool also gains ki strike as per the ki pool of a monk of a level equal to his class level. This stacks with his levels in monk (if any).Probably not, unless you have perfect style.
Actually, perfect style alone should qualify you, though a pool with a size of 2 is nothing to write home about.
I was actually more worried about this specific part of Ki Arcana: "The magus must be at least 6th level and must have levels in a class that grants him a ki pool before selecting this arcana. "
Is Student of Perfection a class that grants a Ki Pool? I mean, it has the Ki Pool class feature and gives you ki strike and everything.
If you don't have a ki pool from any other source then it doesn't give you one at first level at least, note the 'If' right at the start. Four levels in the PrC would do ('This stacks with his levels in monk (if any).'), or the perfect style feat and one level.
I don't think Student of Perfection ever helps you qualify. The arcana asks for "levels in a class that grants him a ki pool", and the prestige class doesn't do that - it only modifies an existing ki pool. Either the one from a class, or the ki pool granted by the Perfect Style feat. Since the feat is part of the requirements, it's impossible to enter the prestige class without already having a ki pool, so it would make no sense for the prestige class to grant one.
However, the prereq is weird, as RAW you don't even have to have a ki pool, just levels in Monk or Ninja. I think the prereq should ask for either "a ki pool" or "the ki pool class feature"; for the former, Perfect Style qualifies, for the latter, Student of Perfection does. I presume the latter is the RAI.
If all else fails, I can still take a level in Pathfinder Field Agent or Rose Warden and grab the Ki Pool rogue talent.
I always read the prereqs as "you need to have at least one level of a class that gives you a ki pool" where "that" in the relative clause refers to the level, not the class.
That being said, Ki Arcana is from 2013 and at this time you could only gain a Ki Pool by being a monk, Ninja or rogue with the Ki Pool talent (Perfest Style and that one dwarf racial trait came way later), so RAI, I would assume that it was meant as a multiclassing option. With this in mind, i guess my GM would let it fly as I am multiclassing.
I see "a class that grants him a ki pool" as one term. Which also makes Rogue (talents) not qualify.
Like I said, the prereq is weird. The wording is unclear and dysfunctional.
For comparison, there is only one feat prereq that asks for "levels in a class", and that's an NPC feat. All the other class features with such wording ask for a clear thing, e.g. "levels in Monk", or "levels in a spellcasting class". I don't get why the arcana can't just ask for the class feature like basically every other prereq.
I see "a class that grants him a ki pool" as one term. Which also makes Rogue (talents) not qualify.
Like I said, the prereq is weird. The wording is unclear and dysfunctional.
For comparison, there is only one feat prereq that asks for "levels in a class", and that's an NPC feat. All the other class features with such wording ask for a clear thing, e.g. "levels in Monk", or "levels in a spellcasting class". I don't get why the arcana can't just ask for the class feature like basically every other prereq.
Sorry for the late reply. RAW, Ki Arcana does absolutely nothing for a Magus as there is a typo in the original printing saying "arcana pool". It really seems to be badly written.