Class Skills
The Ascetic's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Escape Artist (Dex), Hide (Dex), Iaijutsu Focus (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), and Tumble (Dex)
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + int
Alignment: Any except true neutral.
Hit Dice: d8
{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Unarmed Strike Damage | Speed Bonus
1st| +1 | +2 | +2 | +0 |AC Bonus, Ascetic Style, Bonus Style Feat, Improved Unarmed Strike, nen|1d6|+0 ft.
2nd| +2 | +3| +3 | +0 |Bonus Style Feat, Flurry of Blows|1d6|+0 ft.
3rd| +3 | +3 | +3 | +1 |Evasion, Wholeness of Body|1d6|+10 ft.
4th| +4 | +4 | +4 | +1 |Nen Strike +1, Stride the Tranquil Pond|1d8| +10 ft.
5th| +5 | +4 | +4| +1 |Steadfast Determination, Style Ability (First)|1d8|+10 ft.
6th| +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 |Bonus Style Feat, Hearing the Air, Inviolate Form|1d8|+20 ft.
7th| +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +2 |Improved Evasion, Nen Strike (Aligned)|1d8|+20 ft.
8th| +8/+3 | +6 | +6 | +2 |Nen Strike +2, Walk the Twilight Path|1d10|+20 ft.
9th| +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +3 |Style Stance|1d10|+30 ft.
10th| +10/+5 | +7 | +7 | +3 |Diamond Soul|1d10|+30 ft.
11th| +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 |Style Ability (Second)|1d10|+30 ft.
12th| +12/+7/+2 | +8 | +8 | +4 |Nen Strike +3, Resonating Strike|2d6|+40 ft.
13th| +13/+8/+3 | +8 | +8 | +4 |Improved Style Stance|2d6|+40 ft.
14th| +14/+9/+4 | +9 | +9 | +4 |Bonus Feat (Floating, Fighter)|2d6|+40 ft.
15th| +15/+10/+5 | +9 | +9 | +5 |Journey Into Shadow|2d6|+50 ft.
16th| +16/+11/+6/+1 | +10 | +10 | +5 |Nen Strike +4, Touching the Pattern|2d8|+50 ft.
17th| +17/+12/+7/+2 | +10 | +10 | +5 |Style Ability (Third)|2d8|+50 ft.
18th| +18/+13/+8/+3 | +11 | +11 | +6 |Shifting Style|2d8|+60 ft.
19th| +19/+14/+9/+4 | +11 | +11 | +6 |Mirrored Soul|2d8|+60 ft.
20th| +20/+15/+10/+5 | +12 | +12 | +6 |Empty Self, Nen Strike +5, Perfect Self|2d10|+60 ft.[/table]
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Ascetics are proficient with all simple weapons and with the kama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, and siangham. Ascetics are proficient with light armor and light shields.Spoiler
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Proficiencies. Not much to see here.
AC Bonus (Ex): While wearing light armor or no armor, as Ascetic can surround herself with swirls of nen, turning aside attacks that would otherwise strike true. The Ascetic gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to her Constitution modifier, to a maximum of her class level, which stacks with other forms of deflection bonuses. This deflection bonus cannot exceed the Ascetic's maximum Dexterity bonus to AC, and as such may be limited by armor or by carrying a medium or heavy load.Spoiler
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This is one of the major changes from the duplicated Monk abilities that I expect people will either love, or hate with a passion. Yes, the Ascetic can use her AC Bonus ability while armored. However, take note of the fact that the Ascetic does not get the normal scaling bonus to AC of the Monk, and that this feature is limited by maximum dexterity and class level, which should prevent single-level dips for Con to AC. I think the limitations mostly balance it out, while still allowing this to pull slightly ahead in the long run – which is a good thing, because the Monk's AC bonus kinda sucks.
Ascetic Style: At 1st level, an Ascetic chooses a style from the list below. This choice represents prior training in the martial arts, and in some cases latent supernatural ability. Each style grants a variety of bonuses and abilities, as noted in the individual style descriptions below. Once made, the choice of style is permanent.
Denying Hand Style: An Ascetic that follows this style learns to frustrate her foes with a series of trips, disarms, and other forms of denial.Spoiler
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Denying Hand Style (Ex): As an immediate action, the Ascetic may spend one point of nen to make an opposed attack roll with an unarmed strike against a physical attack directed toward her. If her attack roll surpasses the attack roll of the attack directed at her, the attack is deflected harmlessly away.
Bonus Feat at 1st level: Improved Disarm
Bonus Feat at 2nd level: Improved Trip
Bonus Feat at 6th level: Grappling Block (OA pg. 63)
Disarming Strike (Ex): Whenever an Ascetic of 5th level or higher disarms a foe of a weapon, she may immediately make an attack with that weapon as a free action even if it is not her turn, provided she is able to do so (for example, she must possess an arrow to fire a bow, a disarmed crossbow must already be loaded (or she must possess the appropriate feats to reload it as a free action) and so on).
Stance of Denial (Ex): An Ascetic of 9th level or higher may adopt the Stance of Denial as a free action. While in this stance, creatures within the Ascetic's unarmed strike threatened range provoke an attack of opportunity from the Ascetic each time they use a swift or immediate action, regardless of the action type. As usual, the attack of opportunity is resolved before the action that provokes it completes. An Ascetic that has the ability to assume other stances, such as by taking the Martial Stance feat, cannot use this ability in conjunction with those stances; using one cancels the other.
Reactive Denial (Ex): Whenever an Ascetic of 11th level or higher is struck by a melee attack, she may immediately make a trip attempt against the foe that struck her, provided the attacking creature is within the range of her unarmed strike's reach. The Ascetic ignores up to two size categories difference between her and the attacking creature when tripping this fashion if it would be beneficial to her.
Improved Stance of Denial (Ex): When an Ascetic of 13th level or higher strikes with an attack of opportunity granted by her Stance of Denial, the struck creature must succeed on a Concentration check, DC 10 + damage dealt, or lose the action that provoked the attack of opportunity to no effect.
Perfect Denial (Ex): An Ascetic of 17th level or higher may use her Denying Hand Style to deflect any effect that uses an attack roll, including ray spells, and no longer consumes nen when she uses it.
Overwhelming Assault Style: An Ascetic that follows this style learns to make devastating physical attacks, fighting with brutal efficiency.Spoiler
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Overwhelming Assault Style (Ex): As a swift action, the Ascetic may spend one point of nen to treat her unarmed strikes as two-handed weapons for the purpose of strength and power attack bonuses to damage until the start of her next turn.
Bonus Feat at 1st level: Power Attack
Bonus Feat at 2nd level: Cleave
Bonus Feat at 6th level: Improved Critical (Unarmed Strike)
Overwhelming Cleave (Ex): Whenever she makes an attack with the Cleave feat or similar (including the Improved Cleave feat and the Supreme Cleave feature of the Frenzied Berserker prestige class), an Ascetic of 5th level or higher gains a bonus to the damage roll equal to her class level.
Stance of Devastation (Ex): An Ascetic of 9th level or higher may adopt the Stance of Devastation as a free action. While in this stance, the Ascetic may take a penalty to her Armor Class instead of her attack bonus when using the Power Attack feat. An Ascetic that has the ability to assume other stances, such as by taking the Martial Stance feat, cannot use this ability in conjunction with those stances; using one cancels the other.
Bonesplitting Strikes (Ex): Whenever she successfully confirms a critical hit with an unarmed strike, but no more than once per round per foe, an Ascetic of 11th level or higher also inflicts 1d4 points of constitution damage.
Improved Stance of Devastation (Ex): An Ascetic of 13th level or higher may ignore the first 5 points of penalty to her Armor Class when using the effect of the Stance of Devastation.
Thunderous Blows (Ex): Whenever an Ascetic of 17th level or higher hits with an unarmed strike, she may make a bull rush attempt against the struck foe as a free action. Unlike ordinary bull rush attempts, the Ascetic always forces the struck foe to the maximum distance allowed by the check, and does not follow with the bull rushed creature.
Rising Phoenix Style: An Ascetic that follows this style fights with the blurring speed and mystic fire of the legendary phoenix.Spoiler
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Rising Phoenix Style (Su): As a swift action, the Ascetic may spend one point of nen to wreathe the striking surfaces of her body with supernatural flame. Until the start of her next turn, all successful melee attacks she makes with unarmed strikes or handheld weapons (such as daggers, punch knives, or the eagle's claw, but not shortswords or longswords, for instance) deal an additional 1d4 points of fire damage. This bonus damage increases by an additional 1d4 points at 4th level and every 4 class levels thereafter.
Bonus Feat at 1st level: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Eagle's Claw)* (Sandstorm pg. 96)
Bonus Feat at 2nd level: Eagle's Fury (Sandstorm pg. 49)
Bonus Feat at 6th level: Leap of the Heavens (PHB II pg. 80)
*An Ascetic following the Rising Phoenix Style treats the Eagle's Claw as an Ascetic weapon.
Dazzling Flames (Su): Starting at 5th level, whenever the Ascetic activates her Rising Phoenix Style or Phoenix Fire Stance abilities, all enemies with line of sight to her must succeed on a Will save (DC 10 + ½ class level + Con modifier) or take a penalty to attack rolls against her equal to ¼ her class level, rounded up, for one round. Sightless creatures are unaffected by this ability.
Phoenix Fire Stance (Su): An Ascetic of 9th level or higher may adopt the Phoenix Fire Stance as a free action. While in this stance, the Ascetic may release a nimbus of fire as a swift action by spending one point of nen. All creatures within 10 feet of the Ascetic take 1d4 points of fire damage per two class levels, Reflex save DC 10 + ½ class level + Con modifier for half. An Ascetic that has the ability to assume other stances, such as by taking the Martial Stance feat, cannot use this ability in conjunction with those stances; using one cancels the other.
From the Ashes (Su): Once per week, when an Ascetic of 11th level or higher is killed outright, whether through hitpoint damage or a death effect, she may expend two points of nen as a nonaction. If she does so, she is reborn in a blast of flame and ash at the start of her next turn, dealing damage equal to her Phoenix Fire Stance damage. Regardless of how much damage the Ascetic took, she is returned to life with 1 hitpoint, purged of all negative effects that have a duration other than instantaneous or permanent.
Improved Phoenix Fire Stance (Su): An Ascetic of 13th level or higher increases the damage dice of her Phoenix Fire Stance by one size category.
Cleansing Flames (Su): Whenever an Ascetic of 17th level or higher inflicts fire damage, half of the damage inflicted is sacred damage instead of fire, bypassing normal resistance and immunity to fire.
Sleeping Tiger Style: An Ascetic that follows this style fights with flowing strikes that can be turned into swift, potent flurries in the blink of an eye.Spoiler
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Sleeping Tiger Style (Ex): As a free action that may be taken out of turn, the Ascetic may turn a seemingly normal blow into a crushing attack. Whenever she strikes a flanked foe or one denied a dexterity bonus to Armor Class with an unarmed strike or a melee Ascetic weapon, she may activate this ability by spending one point of nen. If she does so, her attack inflicts an additional 1d6 points of damage. This bonus damage increases by an additional 1d6 at 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter.
Bonus Feat at 1st level: Improved Feint
Bonus Feat at 2nd level: Rapid Assault (ToB pg. 32)
Bonus Feat at 6th level: Snap Kick (ToB pg. 32)
Cunning Tiger Strike (Ex): Starting at 5th level, when attacking an opponent denied a dexterity bonus to Armor Class, the Ascetic may declare an attack to be a Cunning Tiger Strike before making the attack roll. If the attack hits, the struck foe is denied a dexterity bonus to Armor Class with regards to the Ascetic until the end of her next turn. The Ascetic may perform any number of Cunning Tiger Strikes in a round, but no more than one per foe per round.
Leaping Tiger Stance (Ex): An Ascetic of 9th level or higher may adopt the Leaping Tiger Stance as a free action. While in this stance, the Ascetic may perform up to the same number of attacks at the end of a charge as she would be granted in a full attack, but each attack beyond the single attack granted by the charge inflicts a cumulative -1 penalty to all of these attacks. An Ascetic that has the ability to assume other stances, such as by taking the Martial Stance feat, cannot use this ability in conjunction with those stances; using one cancels the other.
Waiting Tiger Ambush (Ex): An Ascetic of 11th level or higher can hide in any sort of natural terrain, even while being observed. While hiding in this fashion, the Ascetic can perform no movement without losing the benefit of her hiding, but may ready a full attack as a standard action. If she strikes a foe unaware of her with these attacks, the total damage dealt by each attack is increased by half.
Improved Leaping Tiger Stance (Ex): An Ascetic of 13th level or higher no longer takes a penalty to attack rolls from her Leaping Tiger Stance.
Mauling Tiger Strike (Su): Whenever an Ascetic of 17th level or higher activates her Sleeping Tiger Style ability, she may choose to forgo all bonus damage inflicted to instead force her target to make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ class level + Str modifier) or be slain instantly.
Striking Cobra Style: An Ascetic that follows this style learns to make quick, decisive attacks with surprising reach.Spoiler
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Striking Cobra Style (Ex): As a swift action, the Ascetic may spend one point of nen to gain an additional 5 feet of reach with natural weapons and unarmed strikes until the start of her next turn.
Bonus Feat at 1st level: Improved Grapple
Bonus Feat at 2nd level: Combat Reflexes
Bonus Feat at 6th level: Spring Attack
Twin Fang Defense (Ex): While taking the total defense action, an Ascetic of 5th level or higher may make a pair of unarmed attacks at her highest attack bonus against a foe that strikes her in melee, provided the foe is within her unarmed strike's reach. The Ascetic may decline to take these attacks if she wishes, but may only make one such pair of attacks per round.
Rearing Cobra Stance (Ex): An Ascetic of 9th level or higher may adopt the Rearing Cobra Stance as a free action. While in this stance, the Ascetic may ready an action to make a single melee attack once per round as a swift action. Feats or effects that grant additional attacks, such as the Snap Kick feat, cannot be used with this readied action. An Ascetic that has the ability to assume other stances, such as by taking the Martial Stance feat, cannot use this ability in conjunction with those stances; using one cancels the other.
Cobra Venom Strike (Ex): A number of times per day equal to her Constitution modifier, but no more than once per round, an Ascetic of 11th level or higher may declare an unarmed strike to be a Cobra Venom Strike before making the attack roll. If the attack hits, the Ascetic's target must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ class level + Con modifier) or take 1d8 points of Constitution damage. Immunity to poison provides immunity to this attack, and effects that increase the potency of contact poisons can affect this ability.
Improved Rearing Cobra Stance (Ex): An Ascetic of 13th level or higher may apply the effects of her Cobra Venom Strike ability to the readied attack provided by her Rearing Cobra Stance if she wishes, ignoring the once per round restriction if she has already performed a Cobra Venom Strike in the round.
Embrace of the Serpent (Ex): An Ascetic of 17th level or higher that successfully grapples a foe deals automatic constriction damage equal to 2d10 + 1.5 * Str modifier and forces a save against her Cobra Venom Strike ability, but without consuming a daily use of that ability. No creature can be subjected to this effect more than once per round.
Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, an Ascetic gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. An Ascetic’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that an Ascetic may even make unarmed strikes with her hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for an Ascetic striking unarmed. An Ascetic may thus apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.
Usually an Ascetic’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but she can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. She has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.
An Ascetic’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.
An Ascetic also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on the table above. The unarmed damage shown on the table is for medium-sized Ascetics.
When attacking with gauntlets or handheld weapons (such as a dagger or punch knife, but not a shortsword or longsword, for instance) the Ascetic uses her unarmed strike damage in place of the weapon's base damage if it would be higher.Spoiler
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Nothing to see here. Standard unarmed strike text.
Nen (Su): As an Ascetic trains her body toward perfection, she also trains her force of spirit. With this quasi-mystical energy, the Ascetic can perform a variety of extraordinary or supernatural feats. An Ascetic has a pool of nen equal to half her class level rounded up plus her Constitution bonus, which are consumed as she uses certain class features. An Ascetic recovers her full allotment of nen after resting for at least eight hours. So long as the Ascetic has at least one point of nen remaining, she gains a +2 bonus to Will saves.Spoiler
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Again, not much to say here. It's like the Ninja's ki feature, except based on Constitution.
Bonus Feats: At 1st level, and again at 2nd and 6th level, the Ascetic gains a bonus feat determined by her choice of Ascetic Style. The exact feats granted by each style are noted in their individual descriptions.
In addition, at 14th level, the Ascetic gains a bonus feat from the Fighter bonus feat list for which she meets the prerequisites. Unlike other feat choices, this selection is not permanent; by meditating for five minutes, the Ascetic can choose to lose the effect of this 'floating' feat, and instead choose a new feat for which she meets the prerequisites. There is no limit to the number of times this feat may be switched in this fashion, but the Ascetic must meet all the prerequisites for the selected feat without the aid of the feat granted by this ability.Spoiler
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Feats are good. Feats that you can change as the situation requires are better. That's about all there is to this.
Flurry of Blows (Ex): When attacking with unarmed strikes or with Ascetic melee weapons, the Ascetic can make an additional attack at her highest attack bonus as part of a standard or full attack action. This extra granted attack stacks with haste and other, similar effects.Spoiler
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A minor change to the iconic Monk ability turns it from a Flurry of Misses to an actually decent feature. While you can't get as many bonus attacks from this one, the ability to make a flurry as part of a standard action should go a long way to helping the Ascetic fill the skirmisher role that the Monk promised, but failed to deliver. Add Snap Kick to taste.
Evasion (Ex): If an Ascetic of 3rd level or higher makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if an Ascetic is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless Ascetic does not gain the benefit of evasion. Spoiler
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Evasion. Its use is obvious. Moving on.
Wholeness of Body (Su): At 3rd level and higher, an Ascetic can heal her own wounds with nothing but a thought. As a swift action, the Ascetic can heal a number of hitpoints equal to her class level times her Constitution modifier per day. This healing may be divided between multiple uses as the Ascetic wishes. By expending a point of nen as a swift action, the Ascetic may refill a number of points to this pool of healing equal to her class level.Spoiler
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Whoo, wholeness of body that doesn't suck! More healing, faster healing, and the ability to replenish some of the pool by spending nen. All around much, much better than the Monk ability of the same name.
Fast Movement (Ex): At 3rd level, the Ascetic gains an enhancement bonus to all forms of movement not wholly derived from magical effects, as seen on the table above. While wearing medium or heavier armor or carrying a medium or heavy load, the Ascetic loses this enhancement bonus to movement speeds.Spoiler
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You can't be much of a skirmisher without movement speed. This gives it to you. Next.
Nen Strike (Su): At 4th level, the Ascetic may channel some of her spiritual energy into the striking surfaces of her body, enhancing their potency. As a swift action, the Ascetic may spend one point of nen to grant her unarmed strikes a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls for a number of rounds equal to her Constitution modifier. If the Ascetic is wearing gauntlets that already possess an enhancement bonus, its effective enhancement bonus increases by 1 for the duration of this effect. This effective enhancement bonus does not count against the normal pre-epic restriction on enhancement bonuses, and is not calculated when determining whether or not a weapon bypasses DR/epic.
At 8th level and every 4 levels thereafter, the enhancement bonus granted by this ability increases by 1.
In addition, beginning at 7th level, the Ascetic may choose to grant her unarmed strikes the ability to strike as weapons aligned to any one alignment extreme that she possesses for the duration of Nen Strike.Spoiler
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While this ability shares some resemblance with Ki Strike, it's a different beast altogether when it comes down to it. While the bonuses are not permanent as Ki Strike's are, the ability to effectively double the enhancement bonus of worn gauntlets is good enough to warrant the cost. A monk that hits more often deals more damage, and a monk that deals more damage fulfills the skirmisher role better. Simple math.
The lack of Nen Strike: Adamantine is intentional, and not an oversight.
Stride the Tranquil Pond (Su): At 4th level, so long as the Ascetic has at least one point of nen remaining, she may traverse the surface of calm liquids as easily as if she were walking on solid earth. If the liquid has a negative effect on contact (such as walking across the surface of a vat of acid) the Ascetic takes half the normal contact effect while walking across it in this fashion. In addition, the Ascetic may expend a point of nen as a swift action to gain the ability to move across the surface of choppy or violent liquids as easily as if they were solid earth for a number of rounds equal to her Constitution modifier.Spoiler
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”Too Wuxia!” I hear you say. Yes, you, the one in the back there. I respond with a resounding “meh”. The class is only going to get more supernatural from here on out. However, if you are adamant about not having your martial artists walking on water, you could replace this with a bonus to balance checks equal to class level and make it an Ex ability. I don't recommend this, personally, but to each their own.
Steadfast Determination: At 5th level, the Ascetic gains Steadfast Determination as a bonus feat, even if she does not meet the prerequisites.Spoiler
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This, coupled with the bonus to will saves from nen, is my reasoning for not giving the Ascetic a good Will save progression.
Hearing the Air (Su): Starting at 6th level, so long as the Ascetic has at least one point of nen remaining, she gains blindsense out to 30 feet. This blindsense is hearing-based, and as such does not function in an area of magical silence or while the Ascetic is deafened. By spending a point of nen, the Ascetic may instead gain blindsight out to this range for one round.Spoiler
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You are a monk, and I am invisible. Sucks to be you.
You are an Ascetic, and I am invisible. Still sucks to be you, but much less so now.
Inviolate Form (Ex or Su): Starting at 6th level, the Ascetic gains immunity to poison and disease, including magical diseases such as mummy rot. In addition, the Ascetic may spend a point of nen as an immediate action to gain a bonus to saves against effects that would change her form (such as baleful polymorph) equal to half her class level until the start of her next turn. If this version of the ability is used, it is a supernatural effect.Spoiler
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You know what's terrible? Gaining a class feature that gives you immunity to all diseases except the ones that actually pose a threat to you.
Less terrible is gaining immunity to poison and disease. If you're going to do it, do it right.
Being subjected to a hostile polymorph effect isn't something that tends to come up often, but having a defense against it when it does happen is nice. Unless you like being turned into a chihuahua, in which case you'll probably not like the secondary effect of this ability.
Improved Evasion (Ex): At 7th level, an Ascetic’s evasion ability improves. She still takes no damage on a successful Reflex saving throw against attacks, but henceforth she takes only half damage on a failed save. A helpless Ascetic does not gain the benefit of improved evasion.Spoiler
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See Evasion.
Walk the Twilight Path (Su): Beginning at 8th level, the Ascetic can effortlessly slip between her current plane and the plane of shadow. By spending two points of nen as a swift action, the Ascetic may shift to the plane of shadow until the end of her turn, allowing her to bypass certain obstacles. The Ascetic may will herself to return to her previous plane as a free action before the end of her turn if she wishes.Spoiler
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1/day Dimension Door is a really, really bad idea. However, giving too many uses of such a powerful effect is also a really bad idea. Thus, a compromise.
Shifting to the Plane of Shadow doesn't necessarily give you the ability to bypass all obstacles, as being ethereal does. On the other hand, it does allow you to walk right through walls of force or other such inconveniences. In the end, I feel that traveling through the plane of shadow is a neat alternative to Dimension Door, while the low amount of time and moderate nen cost to get there helps balance out its usefulness.
Diamond Soul (Ex): Beginning at 10th level, the Ascetic gains spell resistance equal to 10 + class level. Unlike ordinary spell resistance, the Ascetic may raise and lower her spell resistance as a free action that may be taken out of turn.Spoiler
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Spell resistance. Not too special, really. It comes earlier in the progression than a Monk, and doesn't screw you over if an ally tries to cast a spell on you.
Resonating Strike (Ex): Starting at 12th level, an Ascetic can set up vibrations within the body of another creature that can thereafter be fatal if the Ascetic so desires. She can use this attack once per encounter, and she must announce her intent before making her attack roll. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be affected by a resonating strike. Otherwise, if the Ascetic strikes successfully and the target takes damage from the blow, the resonating strike attack succeeds. Thereafter the Ascetic can try to slay the victim at any later time, as long as the attempt is made within a number of days equal to her Ascetic level. To make such an attempt, the Ascetic merely wills the target to die (a free action), and unless the target makes a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + ½ class level + Str modifier), it dies. If the saving throw is successful, the target is no longer in danger from that particular resonating strike attack, but it may still be affected by another one at a later time.Spoiler
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Quivering Palm, without the silly 1/week restriction. Nothing special.
Journey Into Shadow (Su): Starting at 15th level, the Ascetic may take extended jaunts into the Plane of Shadow. This ability functions as the Ascetic's Walk the Twilight Path ability, except that she may also take one creature within line of sight into the Plane of Shadow with her. If the creature is unwilling, a Will save, DC 10 + ½ class level + Con modifier negates the interplanar travel for that creature.
At the start of each of the Ascetic's turns, she may choose to forgo her swift action for the round and expend another point of nen to prolong her jaunt to the Plane of Shadow by one round. Regardless of whether she prolongs the journey or not, both she and the creature brought with her return to their previous plane when the duration of this effect ends.Spoiler
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Slightly improved version of Walk the Twilight Path, now with mano-a-mano action!
Touching the Pattern (Su): Starting at 16th level, whenever the Ascetic activates her Hearing the Air ability, she also gains the effect of a True Seeing spell for one round.
Shifting Style (Ex): Starting at 18th level, at the start of each encounter, the Ascetic can choose to lose one feature of her chosen style to gain the same feature from another Ascetic Style. If the Ascetic chooses to lose the style's stance, she loses and gains both the normal and improved versions. At the end of the encounter, the Ascetic regains her usual style features. Bonus feats granted by an Ascetic Style are not valid choices for this ability.Spoiler
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Versatility. It comes quite late in the class progression, but the ability to pick and choose your style features is pretty awesome.
Mirrored Soul (Ex): Starting at 19th level, whenever the Ascetic resists a hostile spell with her spell resistance, the caster of the spell suffers the effects of the resisted spell as if they were the Ascetic, using their own resistances or immunities to the spell's effects. (For instance, if the Ascetic resisted the effects of a fireball spell, the caster would take damage from the spell as if they had been included in the spell's area of effect.)Spoiler
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Not that huge of an upgrade, despite what it looks like at first glance. Any spellcaster capable of posing a threat to you at this level likely has more resistances and immunities than the Ascetic. Still, it's a nice upgrade.
Empty Self (Su): At 20th level, the Ascetic can effortlessly shift between coexistent planes. By spending one point of nen as a swift action, the Ascetic can shift to either the Ethereal Plane or the Plane of Shadow. She may remain on this plane as long as she wishes, and may return to her previous plane as a free action.Spoiler
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Continuing the pattern of interplanar travel, now with the ethereal plane included for completeness.
Perfect Self (Ex): At 20th level, the Ascetic transcends to a higher state of being. Her type changes to Outsider. She is considered native to any plane that is not strongly aligned to an alignment opposed to her own. In addition, she gains damage reduction 15 that is bypassed only by weapons aligned to alignments opposed to her own.
The Ascetic is considered a member of her original race whenever it would be beneficial to her, and, unlike ordinary outsiders, may be raised or resurrected normally.Spoiler
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Pretty standard. Lets you be an outsider without actually making your character worse in the process.