Reaching Level 20

With Update 19, the concept of capstone enhancements have disappeared. Many of the abilities gained by a capstone has been placed in other new class core enhancements.

There was only one Monk capstone, called "Monk Serenity." It's abilities now exist in the last level 20 Henshin Mystic core enhancement, named simply as Serenity.

Serenity

(Henshin Mystic, level 20, 40 AP spent)

Your understanding of things has evolved to a level that defies description. You gain

• +2 Wisdom
• + 10 Concentration
• +1 Passive Ki Generation
• +25 Fire and Force Spell Power
• +5% Fire and Force Spell Critical chance
• +2 Fire Resistance
• Enemies have an additional -2 Fire Resistance against your spells.

This was a fitting addition for this class tree, which uses ki as if they were spell points and require much in the way of ki.

Ninja Master

(Ninja Spy, level 20, 40 AP spent)

• You gain +2 Dexterity.
• While you are centered, you gain a +1 competence bonus to the critical threat range with shortswords and a +2 competence bonus to the critical threat range with kamas and shuriken.
• Any piercing or slashing weapon you wield gains the Vorpal ability.

The Ninja Spy's new Vorpal is extremely powerful as long as fight with anything that's not a bow or handwraps and which keeps you Centered.

With Update 19.3, handwraps with the Spiked property are no longer counted in adding piercing damage that would allow unarmed use of poison. Nor does any non-melee ki weapon work with Ninja Poison except shuriken.

Note that the Ninja Spy gains a DEX bonus and not WIS on completing the last core ability, unlike the Shintao and Mystic, which gain +2 to Wisdom. Plan accordingly.

To Seek Perfection

(Shintao Monk, level 20, 40 AP spent)

• You gain +2 Wisdom.
• The bonuses you have against attacks from tainted creatures improve to +6.
• You no longer suffer penalties from Meditation of War.

The Shintao Monk gains the least on level 20 training. The removal of Meditation of War penalties might be handy if you switch about the stances that grant each advantage.

Level 20 Feats

All level 20 Monks gain the feat Perfect Self and Perfect Slow Fall.

• Perfect Slow Fall: You can never take damage from a fall of any height.
  • I said “fall.” Not “swimming.” Don’t dive into lava. And don’t jump from wherever the Dungeon Master says “You’ll die if you jump from here.” You will die. Perfectly falling. But still die.
  • You will never, ever take damage from the gravity reversals seen in some quests or in "The Reaver’s Bane" raid.
  • Combined with a (now optional) feather fall item for extra gliding, you can practically fly after jumping.
  • Mind you, there is sometimes a glitch in the game where all versions of Slow Fall seem to be on, even when you toggle this stance off.
• Perfect Self: You have transcended your former race, and are now considered a Lawful Outsider. You have gained damage reduction 10 /epic. Warforged retain most living construct traits.
  • Now Arritreikos in "The Shroud" has to search about for a L20 Monk-Beater weapon to bypass your damage reduction.

Level 20 Finishing Move

There is one more special finishing move you can use.

Shining Star

• Any Way of Earth attack → any Way of Air attack → any Way of Fire attack → Finishing Move activator.
• You use the combined power of Earth, Wind, and Fire to set up harmonic vibrations within your enemy that force them to dance.
• A successful Will save negates this effect (DC 10 + Monk level + Charisma modifier).

You now own a personal, one-target version of the Otto’s Irresistible Dance spell. It's very effective on the weak willed.

Shining Star requires a successful Charisma save. That means it’s time to buy or craft something that adds as much to your CHA as possible for Shining Star to be effective.