Bodhi
Often secluded from the world outside, bodhi pursue the epiphany by practicing martial arts and mystic disciplines. The most distinguishing trait of a bodhi is their control over the mystic energy that flows within their body, known as chakra. By tapping into this energy, a bodhi can perform many wondrous techniques, some of which can be almost, but not quite, entirely like magical.
This class is designed to serve as an alternative class that substitutes the monk class in Player's Handbook, at the DM's discretion. Therefore, it is not recommended to have both this class and the monk class in the same campaign.
You can create a bodhi quickly by following these suggestions. First, Strength should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the hermit background. As a bodhi, you gain the following class features You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background: Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier. Also at 1st level, you practice a style of martial arts that focuses on one, bold hit that shatters everything in your path.
Alternative Class: Monk
Quick Build
Class Features
Hit Points
Proficiencies
Equipment
Unarmored Defense
Iron Fist
Table: The Bodhi
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Iron Fist |
Features | Chakra | Dharmas Known |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | 1d6 | Unarmored Defense, Iron Fist | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | 1d6 | Chakra, Dharma | 2 | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | 1d6 | Way to Epiphany | 3 | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | 1d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | 2d6 | Chakra Fists, Breeze Stride | 5 | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | 2d6 | Way to Epiphany feature | 6 | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | 2d6 | Indomitable Stance, Unflinching Walk | 7 | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | 2d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 8 | 3 |
| 9th | +4 | 3d6 | Breeze Stride improvement | 9 | 4 |
| 10th | +4 | 3d6 | Way to Epiphany feature | 10 | 4 |
| 11th | +4 | 3d6 | Chakra Mandala | 11 | 4 |
| 12th | +4 | 3d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 12 | 4 |
| 13th | +5 | 4d6 | — | 13 | 5 |
| 14th | +5 | 4d6 | Impenetrable Body and Soul | 14 | 5 |
| 15th | +5 | 4d6 | Amrita Chakra | 15 | 5 |
| 16th | +5 | 4d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 16 | 5 |
| 17th | +6 | 5d6 | — | 17 | 6 |
| 18th | +6 | 5d6 | Way Epiphany feature | 18 | 6 |
| 19th | +6 | 5d6 | Ability Score Improvement | 19 | 6 |
| 20th | +6 | 5d6 | Kundalini Chakra | 20 | 6 |
Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike using Strength, you can choose to deal an extra 1d6 damage with the attack. The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Iron Fist column of the Bodhi table.
You must be unarmed and not wearing armor or wielding a shield to gain this benefit.
Chakra
Starting at 2nd level, you can channel the innate energy through strict trainings, which is harnessed through the mystic energy of chakra. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of chakra. Your bodhi level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Chakra column of the Bodhi table.
You can spend these points to fuel various chakra features. You start knowing three such features: One-inch Punch, Thousand-Yard Steps, and Vajra Body. You learn more chakra features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend chakra, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended chakra back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your chakra.
Some of your chakra features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Chakra save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
One-Inch Punch
Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend a number of chakra up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). For each chakra you spend this way, you can re-roll one damage die for that attack.
Thousand-Yard Steps
You can spend 1 ki to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action. If you do so, your jump distance is doubled until the end of the turn.
Vajra Body
When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can spend 1 chakra as a reaction to reduce the damage you take by your Wisdom modifier + half your bodhi level (minimum of 1).
Dharma
During your pursuit for epiphany, you learn and tap into the power of dharma, a fragment of knowledge and mystic arts that would eventually guide you toward the ultimate goal.
At 2nd level, you gain two dharmas of your choice from the list at the end of the class description. When you gain certan bodhi levels, you gain additional dharmas of your choice.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the dharmas you know and replace it with another dharma that you could learn at that level.
Way to Epiphany
When you reach 3rd level, you adopt a specific way to achieve epiphany. Choose one of the following way: Way of Sunyata or Way of Xianxia. Your choice grants you features at 3rd level, and again when you reach 6th, 10th, and 18th level.
Chakra Fists
At 5th level, your fists are imbued with your chakra. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you cannot increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Breeze Stride
Also at 5th level, you take the steps like a breeze flows. While you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield, your walking speed is increased by 10 feet.
When you reach 9th level, moving through nonmagical difficult terrain no longer costs extra movement for you.
Indomitable Stance
Beginning at 7th level, you are considered one size larger for the purpose of avoiding or resisting being shoved or grappled.
Unflinching Walk
Also starting at 7th level, you can walk in a determined strides that awes those who dare attack you. When you start moving on your turn, you can spend 1 chakra to impose disadvantage on all opportunity attack rolls against you until you stop moving. Creature that are immune against being frightened are unaffected by this feature.
Chakra Mandala
When you reach 11th level, the chakra that circulates throughout your body grants you supernatural degree of recovery. When you start your turn and you are paralyzed, petrified, or stunned, you can end any number of effects that causes you to do so. You must spend 2 chakra for one effect that you end this way, plus 1 chakra for each effect that you end after the first.
Impenetrable Body and Soul
At 14th level, your body and soul is so fortified and hardened that outer harm can hardly scratch through them. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a saving throw to take half damage, you take no damage on a successful save, and only half damage on a failed save.
Additionally, when you fail a saving throw, you can spend 1 ki to treat the d20 as a 20. Each time you use this feature after the first, the chakra cost increases by 2, to a maximum of 7. When you finish a long rest, the chakra cost resets to 1.
Amrita Chakra
By 15th level, the chakra that flows within you sustains you and delays the frailty of age. For every 10 years that pass, your body ages only 1 year. Additionally, you no longer need food or water to survive.
Kundalini Chakra
At 20th level, you have full control of the coiled flow of chakra that flows within your body. When you roll for initiative and have no chakra remaining, you regain 4 chakra.
Ways to Epiphany
Epiphany, or nirvana, is the penultimate goal for all who practices the disciplines of bodhi. It represents the eternal freedom from the mortal coil, both physical, mental, and spiritual; the freedom from all pain and burden that chain their body; and the freedom from the worries and desires that plague their mind. The exact nature of epiphany may vary between each bodhi, as is the course of trainings that each bodhi practices in order to achieve their inner heaven.
Way of Sunyata
The word sunyata refers to the ultimate nothingness that is the cause and conclusion of all existence in the multiverse. According to the philosophy of sunyata, all has come to being because of nothing, exists for nothing, and will fade into nothing. Despite this, sunyata is not a fatalistic cause; rather, it is a discipline of lifestyle that makes the best of the existence, which has no defined purpose and goal by itself.
A bodhi who walks the Way of Sunyata practices this lifestyle to train their body and mind to their purest form, therefore filling the void within them with chakra that stems from and consists the nothingness that is essentially everything in existence.
Hollow Epiphany Style
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this way, you gain proficiency in daggers, shortswords, and quarterstaffs.
Additionally, when you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield, you gain the following benefits:
- Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with a melee weapon you are proficient in, you can spend 1 chakra do deal an extra damage with the attack. The extra damage equals what is shown on the Iron Fist column of the Bodhi table for your level.
- Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with a melee attack with a weapon you are proficient in, you can spend a number of chakra up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). For each chakra you spend this way, you can re-roll one damage die for that attack.
- When you are targeted by a melee attack while wielding a weapon you are proficient in, you can spend 1 ki as a reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your Armor Class for that attack.
Aura of Fists
Also starting at 3rd level, once on each of your turn when you make an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 charka to increase your reach for that attack by 10 feet.
Rapid Fistcuffs
When you reach 6th level, when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 chakra to make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Samsara Chakra
Starting at 10th level, your chakra can sustain you at the brink of death. When you drop to 0 hit points, you can spend 1 chakra to drop to 1 hit point instead.
Each time you use this feature after the first, the chakra cost increases by 2, to a maximum of 7. When you finish a long rest, the chakra cost resets to 1.
Heaven-Piercing Fists
By 18th level, your martial arts and control on your chakra are disciplined to the point that you can literally penetrate and obliterate anything that stands between you and the epiphany. Your unarmed strikes ignore resistance against all damage types.
Additionally, when you use Iron Fist, you can spend 2 ki to roll 5d6 and add the results to the damage for that attack. Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Way of Xianxia
Technically speaking, Xianxia is a myth forged by the non-initiates who have heard of bodhi but never truly practiced their disciplines. In Xianxia, a bodhi is depicted as an almighty champion, who can bend and command even the natural phenomenon to their will. A typical Xianxia bodhi would go on an epic adventure, achieve heroic deeds, and find the true love.
Of course all these are extremely exaggerated and romanticized. However, there are a number of bodhis who would recognized as themselves as the practitioner of Xianxia arts, which is more of self-control and solitude. They can bend natural phenomenon to their whim, but only when they finally realize that there is no distinction between self and the nature, for the nature is a concept that encompasses all, even themselves.
Transcendent Epiphany Style
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this way, you learn the thaumaturgy cantrip.
Additionally, when you apply Iron Fist to your unarmed strike, you can choose the damage type for the extra damage: acid, cold, fire, lightning.
Dharma Magic
Also starting at 3rd level, you can channel your chakra to manifest a variety of magical powers.
Dharma Spells. You gain access to an expanded list of dharmas, which grant you a list of spells that you can cast with this feature. These spells are hereafter referred as the dharma spells.
Dharma Spell Slots. To cast one of the dharma spells you know, you must spend a number of chakra to temporarily create a spell slot of a given level, which is hereafter referred as the dharma spell slot, and then use that slot to cast a spell. When you cast a dharma spell this way, you use its casting time and other rules, but you do not need to provide material components for the spell.
The chakra cost for each spell slot is detailed on the table below. You must reach a certain level in this class to create a dharma spell slot of a certain level or higher.
Table: Dharma Spell Slots
| Slot Level |
Chakra Cost |
Level Prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2 | 3rd and higher |
| 2nd | 3 | 5th and higher |
| 3rd | 5 | 9th and higher |
| 4th | 6 | 13th and higher |
| 5th | 7 | 17th and higher |
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is the spellcasting ability for your dharma spells. When a dharma spell requires the target to make a saving throw avoid or resist its effect, you use your chakra save DC for the spell save DC for your dharma spells.
Xianxia Momentum
At 6th level, when you cast a dharma spell with your Dharma Magic feature, you can spend 1 chakra to make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Improved Dharma Magic
When you reach 18th level, your mystic control over your surrounding improves. Your dharma spells that deal damage ignores the affected creatures' resistance.
Additionally, you can spend 8 chakra to cast control weather, without expending material components.
Xianxia Dharmas
As a practitioner of Xianxia disciplines, you gain access to an expanded list of dharmas. The following dharmas are added to the list for you. All the other restrictions for the dharmas still apply for you.
At 3rd level, you learn two dharmas from the expanded dharma list, as described below. When you reach 10th level, you learn two additional dharmas from the list. These dharmas are not counted agains the number of dharmas you know.
When you gain a level in this class and replace one of the dharmas you learned this way with another, you must choose a dharma on this list.
Agni's Passion
Prerequisite: 17th level
The immolation spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Ananta's Coil
Prerequisite: 9th level
The erupting earth spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Bakasura's Malice
Prerequisite: 5th level
The spike growth spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Bhumi's Stride
The earth tremor spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Breath of Vritra
The burning hands spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Fist of Samudra
Prerequisite: 9th level
The tidal wave spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Ganesha's Stomp
Prerequisite: 9th level
The thunder step spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Hand of Dyaus
Prerequisite: 5th level
The gust of wind spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Himaraja's Breath
Prerequisite: 17th level
The cone of cold spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Howl of Meghanada
The thunderclap spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Indra's Might
Prerequisite: 13th level
The storm sphere spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Prithvi's Wrath
Prerequisite: 17th level
The wrath of nature spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Ravana's Onslaught
Prerequisite: 13th level
The ice storm spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Rudra's Presence
Prerequisite: 5th level
The dust devil spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Screech of Garuda
Prerequisite: 5th level
The Aganazzer's scorcher spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Shiva's Smite
Prerequisite: 13th level
The elemental bane spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Vishnu's Blessings
The absorb elements spell is added to your dharma spell list.
Dharmas
If a dharma has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the dharma at the same time that you meet its prerequisite. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
Aether Steps
Prerequisite: 17th level
As a bonus action, you can spend 1 chakra to gain a flying speed equal to your current walking speed until the end of the turn. This benefit works only in a short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else holding you aloft.
Brush Off Hex
Prerequisite: 17th level
When you are subjected to an effect of a cantrip or a 1st-level spell, you can spend 2 chakra to end the spell's effect on yourself.
Calm River Steps
Prerequisite: 9th level
You are always under the effect of the water walk spell.
Dazzling Fists
Prerequisite: 5th level
When you apply Iron Fist to your unarmed strike, you can deal radiant damage for the extra damage. If you do so, the target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or becomes blinded until the end of your next turn.
Forceful Fists
Prerequisite: 5th level
When you apply Iron Fist to your unarmed strike, you can deal thunder damage for the extra damage. If you do so, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or is pushed back up to 15 feet from you or is knocked prone (your choice).
Hand of Thunder Clenches
Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 chakra to shove or grapple the target as a bonus action.
See No Deceits
Prerequisite: 5th level
You gain proficiency in the Perception and Insight skills.
Shifting Shapes
When a creature that you can see targets you with an attack, you can spend 1 chakra as a reaction to impose disadvantage to all attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn. You lose benefit early when you are hit by an attack or incapacitated.
Unchained to the Ground
Prerequisite: 13th level
You are always under the effect of the feather fall spell.
Unwavering Will
Prerequisite: 9th level
You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened.
Venomous Fists
When you apply Iron Fist to your unarmed strike, you can deal poison damage for the extra damage. If you do so, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or becomes poisoned for 1 minute. Constructs and undeads are unaffected by this dharma.
Walk into Void
Prerequisite: 13th level
When you start moving, you can spend 1 chakra to turn intangible until you stop moving. While intangible, you can move through other creatures and nonmagical objects as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside a creature or an object, you take 4d8 force damage and is forcibly pushed into a nearest unoccupied space.
Withering Fists
Prerequisite: 9th level
When you apply Iron Fist to your unarmed strike, you can deal necrotic damage for the extra damage. If you do so, the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced for 1 hour by an amount of damage it takes from the attack. Any effect that removes a disease allows a creature’s hit point maximum to return to normal before that time passes.
Multiclassing
On the DM's discretion, you can multiclass in the bodhi class, as described in Player's Handbook (page 163-165). If you do so, the following rules are applied.
Proficiencies
To qualify for the bodhi class, you must meed the ability score prerequisites for the bodhi class, as shown in the table below.
Table: Multiclassing Prerequisites
| Class | Ability Score Minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodhi | Strength 13 and Wisdom 13 |
Proficiency Bonus
When you multiclass into the bodhi class, you gain the following proficiencies as whon in the table below.
Table: Multiclassing Proficiencies
| Class | Proficiencies Granted |
|---|---|
| Bodhi | None |
Class Feature: Dharma Magic
If you have either the Spellcasting class feature and/or the Pact Magic feature from the warlock class, you can use the dharma spell slot to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with either feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from either feature to cast your dharma spells.
Credits
All contents are created by Weirdo Whoever unless noted otherwise. Special thanks to D&D Wiki, NaturalCrit Homebrewery tool, and GM Binder for providing the templates for my imaginations.
Based on the Mystic Fist class on D&D Wiki on which, yes, I have participated in the rework.
Artwork. Credit for the awesome art goes to the following artists:
- "Ghost monk" by HeeWonLee.
- "Narset, Enlightened Master" by Magali Villeneuve, found in Art of Magic: The Gathering.
- "Diablo 3 - Monk - Hand of Ytar" by DeivCalviz.
Watercolor. Credit for the clever watercolor goes to Full Page Watercolor Stains by fellow GM Binder users.