Way of the Dragon Turtle
(Monastic Tradition)
Monks whose body favours tenacious stances and heavy strikes more than nimble evasion and rapid blows are often trained in the way of the Dragon Turtle. Ominous strength and appropiate balance coalessce to both apply and contain enormous force. Recognized for their outstanding physical complexion and unmatched endurance, these martial artists are well known in the areas nearby their monasteries for being kind hearted and always eager to help folk with tasks that require great strength and are often excellent customers of local crop farmers. For those in the Way of the Dragon Turtle every jar of water delivered and every tree trunk carried is time spent training.
Turtle Stance
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level you learn to defend yourself as a turtle would, facing blows directly with a hardened body of iron. You can now calculate your Unarmored Defense AC score as 10 + your Wisdom modifier + your Strength modifier. When you use Deflect Missiles, you may add your Strength modifier to the damage reduced. Furthermore, whenever you take the Dodge action (by spending an action or through Patient Defense), you cannot be knocked prone until the start of your next turn.
Pennant of Dragon Strength
At 3rd level you gain proficiency in Athletics. You may double your Strength modifier to your Athletics checks.
You may choose any blunt object larger than 1 cubic foot and smaller than yourself to imbue with ki, which can be done over the course of a short rest. After imbuing it so, the object acquires artistic marks showing prayers to the Dragon Turtle and chants of might and bravery in your mother tongue. It is now your Pennant of Strength, and counts as a magic Monk weapon for you for which you have proficiency. Your Pennant is weightless for you but it's weight is modified for any other creature that tries to lift it (see the table). When wielded by you, your Pennant gains the weapon traits from the Pennant of Dragon Strength table. However, you may not use your Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls of your pennant. Any magic properties the object had before are preserved for your Pennant. You can choose to end your link to your Pennant at any time, making it lose its imbued ki in a soft golden flash.
Pennant of Dragon Strength Table:
| Level | Damage | Weight Modifier | Properties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1d8 (bludgeoning) | 2x | Two Handed |
| 6 | 1d6 (bludgeoning) | 2x | Versatile (1d8) |
| 11 | 1d8 (bludgeoning) | 3x | Versatile (1d10) |
| 17 | 1d10 (bludgeoning) | 4x | Versatile (2d6) |
Power Throw
At level 6, you learn to harness your foe's instant of vulnerability to mightily project them to the ground. When a creature no more than one size larger than you misses you with a melee attack or provokes an attack of opportunity from you, you can spend 2 ki points and use a reaction to attempt a grappling throw against them. The creature competes with Acrobatics against your Athletics check.
If the enemy wins, nothing happens. If you win, the enemy takes damage from your pennant of strength, and you move them to any space adjacent to you and knock them prone.
In addition, the enemy takes double damage from any environmental hazard they might collide with due to this throw (for example a pit, a trap, or a weapon's rack).
Impetuous Courage
At level 11, you have mastered the techniques of striking and grappling with all your might, even if it means to fall to the ground. Whenever you make an attack, shove, grapple or Power Throw, you can spend 15 feet of movement of your current turn (or next turn if you used a reaction) and gain advantage and a 5ft bonus to your reach on it. You do not have to pay this movement cost if you moved at least 15 uninterrupted feet right beforehand. If you are successful, and if your target is no more than one size larger than you, they are grounded and knocked prone.
Regardless of the outcome, you immediately end up in the prone position and in a different unoccupied space 5ft in the direction of your target (if possible). This prone effect cannot be prevented by Turtle Stance. Because this is a willing movement, it can provoke attacks of opportunity, which also have advantage as you fall prone. You still provoke these attacks of opportunity even if you could not move 5 feet in the direction of your target. You can not use Impetuous Courage if you are Prone or if your movement speed is 0.
You can get up to standing position as part of a melee attack made from prone position (after making the attack) without spending any movement.
Defiance of The Dragon Turtle
At level 17, you can call the Dragon Turtle upon yourself. From now on, Patient Defense cost no ki points.
As an action, and once every long rest, you can spend 10 Ki points to manifest the Dragon Turtle. If you do, for 1 minute, the terrain within 20 feet of you shatters and trembles, becoming difficult terrain for anyone except you. Additionally, for the duration of the manifestation, you gain the following benefits: You gain 50 temporary hit points, your Strength becomes that of a Dragon Turtle (25 or your current Strength +5, whichever is higher), you are considered of Gargantuan size except for the height property, you can breathe underwater and gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, you gain one use of Steam Breath while in this form and when you take the Attack action on your turn you can make one Dragon Tail attack as one of your attacks.
Dragon Tail
Melee Weapon attack: + your Strength modifier and your Proficiency bonus to hit. 15 foot reach. Hit: (3d12 + STR) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, they must succeed a Strength saving throw against your Ki DC or be pushed back 10 feet.
Steam Breath
As an action, you exhale scalding steam in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw against your Ki DC, taking 15d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Being Underwater doesn't grant Resistance against this damage.