SHADOW BOXER
While most martial monastic traditions strive to cultivate the mental and physical self, a few tap into a murkier source of energy in search of self-perfection. For some adherents shadow boxing is solely a means of gathering power, but others consider mastering their own inner darkness to be a necessary step towards attaining enlightenment.
Alignment: Any
Class Skills: The shadow boxer loses Knowledge (divine) (Int) as a class skill and gains Knowledge (planes) (Int) and Influence (Cha) as class skills.
Forceful Personality:
A shadow boxer uses his Charisma score in place of his Wisdom score for determining all monk class abilities, including AC Bonus and ki powers.
Shadow Boxing (Su):
At 1st level the shadow boxer may manipulate his shadow as an extension of his body, delivering blows as if from his own fists. His shadow can retrieve stored items, wield and attack with weapons, accomplish delicate tasks like disabling a lock, and deliver touch attacks. A shadow boxer’s shadow can not be used to gain additional attacks, nor does he gain extra magic item slots. Activating and dismissing shadow boxing are free actions.
His shadow deals damage as his unarmed strike, and its attacks may be substituted freely into his flurry strike or used to execute combat maneuvers. A shadow boxer’s shadow is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons. When making attacks with wielded weapons, his shadow uses the weapon’s damage. Even when wielded by his shadow, only weapons with the monk special quality may be used with a flurry strike.
A shadow boxer’s shadow has a reach of 10 ft. at 1st level. At 5th level and every five levels thereafter, the reach of the shadow’s boxer’s shadow increases by +5 ft., to a maximum of +25 ft. at 20th level. This reach extends in three dimensions and is not limited to targets touching the ground. This ability replaces stunning fist and fast movement.
Tenebrous Mysticism:
At 1st level the shadow boxer gains Basic Magical Training as a bonus feat, but must select the Dark sphere. At 2nd level he gains Advanced Magical Training as a bonus feat. He may take Extra Magical Talent with feats gained through leveling up, but may only select talents from the Dark sphere when he does so. This replaces martial arts.
Dark Ki (Su):
At 3rd level, a shadow boxer gains a pool of dark ki points, supernatural energy supplemented with the subtle influence of his shadow self. The number of points in a shadow boxer’s dark ki pool is equal to 1/2 her level + his Charisma modifier. Dark ki points may be used as spell points for activating Dark sphere talents, but spell points may not be used in place of dark ki points. The dark ki pool and dark ki points otherwise function and count as a ki pool and ki points. A shadow boxer may select talents from the Dark sphere in place of ki powers, including advanced talents he qualifies for. This modifies ki pool and ki power.