Monk of many styles and elemental fist

Ok, I'm in need of some explanation here, because even though i can usually figure out what the wording means for things with pathfinder, this one has me stumped, the monk of many styles can choose Elemental Fist as a bonus feat, and it says that they don't need to meet the prerequisites for the bonus feats except elemental fist, I'm thinking that this means that they can get elemental fist without meeting the prerequisites, but it was pointed out to me that it could mean that they have to meet the prerequisites for the elemental fist feat, but none of the others, which I found odd as 3 or 4 or the style feats give you bonus uses of elemental fist and require a monk level of 5 or a bab of 9 to get( a monk won't get the bab 8 required for elemental fist until around 12th level) I'm just looking for any help to clear this up, as it's an archetype i want to try out. if anyone is wondering, the exact wording for the bonus feats section is this.

"At 1st level, 2nd level, and every four levels
thereafter, a master of many styles may select a bonus style
feat or the Elemental Fist feat (Advanced Player’s Guide 158).
He does not have to meet the prerequisites of that feat,
except the Elemental Fist feat. Alternatively, a master of
many styles may choose a feat in that style’s feat path (such
as Earth Child Topple) as one of these bonus feats if he
already has the appropriate style feat (such as Earth Child
Style). The master of many styles does not need to meet
any other prerequisite of the feat in the style’s feat path.
This ability replaces a monk’s standard bonus feats."

Thanks for the help,
-Darrin

what this means is that you must have elemental fist to take the other style that require it, as a monk bonus feat. once you get elemental fist, without the need for prerequisites if you choose it as a monk feat, it allows you to choose style feats that have elemental fist as a prerequisite.

so to sum it up, take elemental fist as your monk feat for level one and you're good to go.

Ok, thanks, thats what i had though, but just wanted to make sure, now i just have to decide whether giving up flurry of blows is worth lots and lots of style

it is IF youre planning on doing a crane style build, they are so sweet. level 1 feat is crane style, then you take crane wing andcrane repost, its such a sweet build that makes you have an insane ac, you will be a pain in the ass to kill at second level.


elemental fist will let you do more damage at level 1-3 but you may not like where it goes after that, basing a character off a limited resource isn't the best way to play, but that's just my opinion.

I was planning on getting dodge as snapping turtle style as my normal feats for first level, and then crane style as the bonus (I'm planning human monk) and just always fight defensively to have an AC of ridiculous. the other option was to go panther style and have dodge and mobility, then go moving around their threatened area and beat them up for attacking me, because that can make up for loosing flurry of blows

Darrin wrote:

I was planning on getting dodge as snapping turtle style as my normal feats for first level, and then crane style as the bonus (I'm planning human monk) and just always fight defensively to have an AC of ridiculous. the other option was to go panther style and have dodge and mobility, then go moving around their threatened area and beat them up for attacking me, because that can make up for loosing flurry of blows

yeah that's a pretty sweet build. it is a crazy good tank due to the fact that's its all touch ac, has insane saves, your ac will be something crazy(potentially 23) at first level. that's pretty nuts...

panther style is a fun build, but be warned banking on a GM to take an AOO for you to deal damage isn't a safe bet. you may never get to use your character when you want to, only when the gm decided thats its convenient.