My View of the Capoeira Monk
Shinsetu: they were manacled yes, however the manacles often had a length of chain to allow them limited use of tools to do the work they were made to do. They also were manacled at the feet, but the chain was long enough to allow the dancing movements of the jinga.
In a big performance the jinga can be "large" and very dynamic, but if you are truly using the style to fight for your life, you keep your jinga tight, to not reveal any openings. And you circle your opponent, you don't "dance on the spot".
Capoeira also uses more avoidance than blocking, however even the jinga has a basic block in it's movement. The leading foot at the end of the motion also has your hand positioned in such a way as to block or at least partially intercept a kick to the head (and I'm not talking about those very rigid capoeira practioners but the ones who go into the movement low and graceful, almost like a cat).
I believe the monk class simulates all of these things without too many changes ... here are my suggestions (most are cosmetic, with only a couple of REAL chances).
Weapons: add the machete (longsword? cutlass?) to the weapon list
Skills: add Perfom (capoeira: dance), Perfom (capoeira: music), Knowledge (history: capoeira) to the skill list (even make it a requirement to have ranks at 1st level) - when I first began to study capoeira my maestre made sure I learnt the music and history along with the dancing, and even Portuguese (he is an old school, not new-wave school teacher) also add Bluff, Capoeira is all about attacking from an unknown direction, you size up your opponent and thing spring in suprising them. This also leads on to my later comment on Vulnerable Spot Attack.
Unarmed Strike (stunning attack, flurry of blows): unchanged, they do this as part of their style.
Evasion: very acrobatic style, suits perfectly
Deflect Arrows: I would change this to Toughness or Great Fortitude, or Improved Reflexes. Capoeira was a style that relied on fighting an opponent within reach. Perhaps you could argue the acrobatics allows you to "Avoid Arrow" more than Deflect. It's really an open one on this.
Still Mind: Fits in, however it's explanation would be with regards to being lost in the rhythmn of the dance, or the game. Extremely long-lived practioners "give themselves to the spirits of their ancestors" when performing and I have seen a 5' tall, dumpling shaped woman (basically you would not expect anything miraculous out of her), flying through the air, and tumbling all over the combat area, befuddling even the most fit looking practioners. After the game, I talked with her and she said that she had been possessed by the ancestors - take that as you will, but it fits in. Voodoo was a strong religion back in the development of Capoeira so it's highly possible that these ancestors could be Loas.
Slow Fall: This one I have a hard time justify for Capoeira. The only thing I can think of is increasing their Tumbling Skill for falls (so that they can reduce a fall by an extra 10' each time the Slow Fall ability increases). I would prefer to replace this with ...
Vulnerable Spot Attack: similar to the Rogue's sneak attack, HOWEVER, the Capoeira artist MUST use Bluff first to use this. They can also do it against a flat-footed (surprised) opponent. It would be +1d6 at 4th level, +2d6 at 6th level, +3d6 at 8th level, and +4d6 at 18th level.
Improved Trip: perfectly suits the capoeira artist. There are some nice low ground moves that enable trips and in most spectacular ways.
Wholeness of Body: Capoeira, being an old slave art could also have old way medicine so the curing is valid in a historical/mystical sense.
Leap of the Clouds: Perfectly suited to the martial artist. I would also allow a Tumble "run up" to gain even more distance, but for now the ability stays.
Improved Evasion: see Evasion.
Ki Strike: This would be renamed to something like Strike of the Ancestors or something. Since Ki Strike is supernatural, and the note I made under Still Mind is acceptable, the Capoeira artist is attuning himself/herself more and more to the connection to the ancestors.
Diamond Body: acceptable due to the fitness of the practioner and we're become more attuned to the ancestors as well.
Abundant Step: The ability is valid, however the artist actual takes a giant leaping tumble through the air or something, rather than "blinking" from one point to another ... this is more cosmetic than anything else.
Diamond Soul: See Diamond Body.
Quivering Palm: This is one ability I can't see as being in the way of a capoeira player. I would modify this to an ability that lets you call on an ancestor in some way. For example you coul allow it to mimic the Animal Affinity psionic ability but for all statistics, or something ... need help on this one.
Timeless Body: The ancestors have infused the martial artist with perfect vigor and agelessness. A true practioner.
Tongue of the Sun and Moon: Perhaps the ancestors speak through the practioner more than the practioner actually speaking. So the ancestors as a collective spirit can speak any language and the player is a conduit, but remembers what was said.
Empty Body: They practiced voodoo in the days that capoeira was developed so this could well be possible.
Perfect Self: The capoeira player has become one with the ancestors, and has become an "outsider" for game purposes.
