[PF] Ninja and Monk's Robe

[Renegade Paladin]

I have a quick question about an ability/item interaction. One of the ninja's Master Tricks is Unarmed Combat Mastery:
Unarmed Combat Mastery: A ninja who selects this trick deals damage with her unarmed strikes as if she were a monk of her ninja level –4. If the ninja has levels in monk, this ability stacks with monk levels to determine how much damage she can do with her unarmed strikes. A ninja must have the Improved Unarmed Strike feat before taking this trick.

What happens if a ninja with this ability wears a monk's robe?
When worn, this simple brown robe confers great ability in unarmed combat. If the wearer has levels in monk, her AC and unarmed damage is treated as a monk of five levels higher. If donned by a character with the Stunning Fist feat, the robe lets her make one additional stunning attack per day. If the character is not a monk, she gains the AC and unarmed damage of a 5th-Level monk (although she does not add her Wisdom bonus to her AC). This AC bonus functions just like the monk's AC bonus.
There are two ways to read this: He is treated as a 5th level monk for unarmed damage and then stacks his ninja level -4 on top of that for an end result of unarmed damage as a monk of his ninja level +1. Alternatively, since both do the same thing (give him virtual monk levels for the same purpose) they don't stack. I lean towards the former, but knowing how one of the other local GMs interprets stacking rules, I could see him arguing the latter.

[Aasimar]

I can see how you'd be confused, but the wording is pretty clear.

The character isn't a monk, he just treats his unarmed attacks as if he were (at -4 level).

The monk's robe confers a specific bonus to monks, and a specific bonus to non-monks.

As a non monk, he'd have the AC bonus of a level 5 monk in addition, and then either the unarmed attacks of a level 5 monk, or his ninja level -4, whichever is higher.

I could understand a DM deciding to let it slide that the unarmed attacks stack, it's hardly overpowered, but that's, strictly speaking, not what it does.

[Drachasor]

Eh, he gets a monk equivalent level for unarmed attacks. So I think he'd get the +5 to monk level from the robe, since for that purpose he DOES have monk levels.

[Psyren]

Aasimar is right, you still don't have any monk levels and so won't benefit from the robe.

This plus a dip in monk will negate the UCM penalty however.

[Kudaku]

While I agree with Aasimar's reading of the rules, I would personally allow the robe to work with Unarmed Combat Mastery.

Otherwise, if the ninja is level 12 or higher the robe would actually reduce his unarmed damage :smallsigh:

[Drachasor]

Hmm, I suppose unlike Eldritch Heritage, it is missing the "treat your sorcerer level as equal to your character level – 2" equivalent. So seems I was wrong.

But your DM's a jerk if he doesn't let them stack. :smallsmile:

[Angelalex242]

A simple solution:

Make a similar item called Ninja's robe which enhances ninja features like a monk's robe enhances those of a monk.

Problem solved. Bedies, a 'Ninja's robe' would look like black pajamas and should probably have more ninjaesque bonuses. Monk's robe, not so much ;)