This is a Work-in-Progress
A Currently Unfinished Class Revision
This page will contain any credits applicable for content presented from external sources, such as image artists and other references, where possible.
The Ascetic - (The Monk Revisited)
Her fists a blur as they deflect an incoming hail of arrows, a half-elf springs over a barricade and throws herself into the massed ranks of hobgoblins on the other side. She whirls among them, knocking their blows aside and sending them reeling, until at last she stands alone.
Taking a deep breath, a human covered in tattoos settles into a battle stance. As the first charging orcs reach him, he exhales and a blast of fire roars from his mouth, engulfing his foes.
Moving with the silence of the night, a black-clad halfling steps into a shadow beneath an arch and emerges from another inky shadow on a balcony a stone’s throw away. She slides her blade free of its cloth-wrapped scabbard and peers through the open window at the tyrant prince, so vulnerable in the grip of sleep.
Whatever their discipline, ascetics are united in their ability to blend assorted unarmed techniques with secretive weapons forms and a variety of eccentric talents.
Training and Asceticism
Small walled cloisters dot the landscapes of the worlds of D&D, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The ascetics who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous training. Many entered the orders as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the ascetics had performed for their families.
Some ascetics live entirely apart from the surrounding population, secluded from anything that might impede their ascetic progress. Others are sworn to isolation, emerging only to serve as spies or assassins at the command of their leader, a noble patron, or some other mortal or divine power. Other orders still, can be found seated in the very hearts of civilized society, open to teach any who possess the ability, patience, and drive to seek personal perfection.
The majority of ascetics don’t shun their neighbors, making frequent visits to nearby towns or villages and exchanging their service for food and other goods. As versatile warriors, ascetics often end up protecting their neighbors from monsters or tyrants.
For an ascetic, becoming an adventurer means leaving a structured, regimented lifestyle to become a wanderer. This can be a harsh transition, and ascetics don’t undertake it lightly. Those who leave their orders take their work seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, ascetics are driven by personal growth and a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering their treasure.
Creating an Ascetic
As you make your ascetic character, think about your connection to the order where you learned your skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on a monastery’s threshold? Did your parents promise you to a clan in gratitude for a service performed by the ascetics? Did you enter this life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the ascetic life for yourself?
Consider why you left. Did the head of your order choose you for a particularly important mission beyond its confines? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the order? Are you eager to return to your home?
As a result of the structured life of a regimented community and the discipline required to seek personal perfection, ascetics are often lawful in alignment.
QUICK BUILD
You can make an ascetic quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom, then Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background.
Class Features
As an ascetic, you gain the following class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per Ascetic level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier
Proficiencies
- Armor: light armor
- Weapons: simple weapons, shortsword
- Tools: any one type of artisan’s tools or any one musical instrument of your choice
- Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
- Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
- (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- 10 darts
The Ascetic
| Level | Proficiency Bonus | Features | Techniques Known |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | +2 | Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts | ─ |
| 2nd | +2 | Martial Discipline, Martial Arts Techniques | 2 |
| 3rd | +2 | Esoteric Order, Weapon Fusion | 2 |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Expertise | 2 |
| 5th | +3 | Extra Attack, | 3 |
| 6th | +3 | Esoteric Order Feature | 3 |
| 7th | +3 | Evasion | 3 |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 |
| 9th | +4 | New Feature | 4 |
| 10th | +4 | New Feature | 4 |
| 11th | +4 | Esoteric Order Feature | 4 |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 |
| 13th | +5 | New Feature | 5 |
| 14th | +5 | Eclectic Defenses | 5 |
| 15th | +5 | New Feature | 5 |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 |
| 17th | +6 | Esoteric Order Feature | 6 |
| 18th | +6 | New Feature | 6 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 6 |
| 20th | +6 | New Capstone Ability | 6 |
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st Level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 12 + either your Dexterity modifier or your Wisdom modifier (your choice). Your AC increases by 1 for every four levels in this class beyond 1st level when using this ability.
Martial Arts
Your practice with martial arts gives you mastery with unorthodox combat styles that combine unarmed fighting techniques and martial arts weapons, which are any melee weapons with which you are proficient that lacks the heavy, special, and two-handed properties.
Your unarmed strikes and martial arts weapons are considered Martial Arts attacks, and they gain the following benefits:
- Martial Prowess: You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the Attack and Damage Rolls of your Martial Arts attacks, as well as your Athletics checks.
- Unarmed Strike: Your unarmed attack damage becomes 1d4. When you reach 11th level in this class, your unarmed strike damage increases by one die type.
- Martial Flurry: When you use the attack action with a Martial Arts attack on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. You may make two unarmed strikes when you reach 5th level, three unarmed strikes at 11th level, and four unarmed strikes at 17th level in this class, when you use this feature.
Some of your Ascetic features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ascetic Technique save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier
Certain orders use specialized forms of the martial arts weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a martial arts weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in the Weapons section.
Martial Discipline
At 2nd level, you adopt a particular system of martial arts as your specialty. Choose a Martial Discipline from the list of optional features. You can’t take the same Martial Discipline more than once, even if you get to choose again. When an ability granted by a discipline refers to your level, this refers to your class level, not your character level.
Any attacks or abilities granted by your Martial Disciplines are considered to be martial arts attacks, and the benefit from your arts class feature.
- Bestial Arts: You gain a climb speed equal to half your movement speed.
- Deceptive Arts: You gain proficiency in Perform and Deception as class skills.
- Elusive Arts: When you perform the Attack action, you may dodge or disengage as a bonus action.
- Gentle Arts: You can use Wisdom with your Martial Arts and your Martial Arts Techniques instead of Strength or Dexterity.
- Mobile Arts: Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. It increases again by 5 feet at levels 6, 10, 14, and 18.
- Striking Arts: You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with your unarmed strikes.
- Supple Arts: You may replace any unarmed attack with a grapple or shove attack.
- Versatile Arts: You gain proficiency with Improvised Weapons.
- Visceral Arts: You gain proficiency with Medicine and Herbalism kit as class skills.
Martial Arts Techniques
Through your rigorous training in martial disciplines, you have mastered a number of specialized techniques which give you rare advantages in combat.
At 2nd level, you select two Martial Arts Techniques of your choice. Your technique options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain class levels, you learn additional techniques of your choice.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the techniques you know and replace it with another technique that you could learn at that level. A level prerequisite in an invocation refers to ascetic level, not character level.
Esoteric Order
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to an Esoteric Order, such as the Order of Mysticism, detailed at the end of the class description. Your order grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Weapon Fusion
Whether defending against a group of bandits, fighting off a pack of wolves, or hunting down a dragon that has been plaguing the countryside, one truth remains consistent: it is generally better to be armed than to not.
Beginning at 3rd level, your specialized training allows you to seamlessly blend weapon attacks with your unarmed disciplines and techniques. Select a Weapon Fusion from the from the list of optional features. You can't take the same Weapon Fusion more than once, even if you get to choose again.
- Aegis Style: You gain proficiency with shields for defense and as improvised weapons. You can use shields with unarmored defense.
- Defensive Flourish: As a bonus action, you may perform a defensive flourish with a melee weapon your are holding. Until the start of your next turn, whenever you are targeted with a melee attack, attackers who are within your threatened area and fail a Dexterity saving throw are struck by your melee weapon.
- Deft Combatant: You may Disengage as a bonus action.
- Hafted Mastery: When you a wield a javelin, quarterstaff, spear, or trident, these weapons gain the reach weapon property.
- Dartsmith: When attacking with a thrown weapon, long range doesn't impose disadvantage on attack rolls, and you gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls within normal range.
- Shifting Form: Versatile weapons...
- Weapon Style: You may select one of the following fighting styles: Archery, Dueling, or Two-Weapon Fighting.
- Whirling Feint: When you attack and miss with a melee attack, your next melee attack against the same target is made with advantage.
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 can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.
Expertise
At 4th Level, choose one of your skill or tool proficiencies. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency. The chosen proficiency must be one available from the ascetic class, or one gained from your esoteric order selection.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon’s lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Eclectic Defenses
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of self grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Martial Arts Techniques
If a martial arts technique lists any prerequisites, you must meet those prerequisites in order to learn it. You can learn a technique at the same level that you gain its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.
2nd Level Techniques
Compelled Shield
Prerequisites: Supple Arts.
When you are grappling a creature, you use this technique to gain the following benefits:
- When an attack hits you, you can use your reaction to cause the attack to hit a creature you are grappling.
- When you must make a Dexterity saving throw against an area effect, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on the saving throw. The creature you are grappling makes the same save with disadvantage.
- When you succeed at a Dexterity saving throw against an effect that only targets you, you can use your reaction to cause the effect to target a creature you are grappling.
Advanced Grapple
Prerequisites: Supple Arts.
When you succeed at a grapple or shove attack against a creature no more than one size category larger than yourself, you may apply any combination of two of the following effects:
- You shove the target creature 5 feet in any direction. You may choose this effect more than once.
- You grapple the target creature.
- You cause the target creature to become prone.
- You spend 5 feet of movement and trade spaces with the target creature.
- You apply your unarmed strike damage to the target creature.
You can choose to fall prone as part of this attack. If you do so, you may apply one additional effect. Unless specified, you may not choose an effect more than once.
Deflect Missiles
Prerequisites: None.
You can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your ascetic level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, and the missile counts as a Martial Arts attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet.
Fleet-Footed
Prerequisites: Bestial Arts
Your speed increases by 10 feet while you are wearing light or no armor. This bonus increases by 5 feet at level 6, then again at levels 10, 14, and 18.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Patient Riposte
Prerequisites: Gentle Arts.
When you use your action to Dodge, until the beginning of your next turn, whenever a creature misses you with a melee attack you may make a single melee attack or shove attempt against that creature if they are within your threatened area. This does not use your Reaction for the round.
Prescient Defense
Prerequisites: Gentle Arts.
You've honed your perception to nearly precognitive levels. You gain proficiency with Wisdom saving throws. When you are forced to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, you may choose to make a Wisdom saving throw instead.
Recumbent Ruse
Prerequisite: Deceptive Arts
While you are prone, attacks against you do not gain advantage, and your attacks do not suffer disadvantage. Additionally, when you are missed with a melee attack while prone, you may use your reaction to make a shove attack against that target. If successful, the target falls prone and you may choose to stand as part of the same reaction.
Sand Palm
Prerequisites: Visceral Arts
Once per turn, when you strike a target with an unarmed strike, the target must make a Constitution saving throw or acquire the Poisoned condition until the beginning of your next turn.
Spacial Awareness
Prerequisites: None
On your turn, you may spend a bonus action to gain blindsight out to 30 feet until the beginning of your next turn. If you possess ki points, you may expend 1 ki point as part of this bonus action to extend the duration to 1 minute.
Swaying Stance
Prerequisites: Deceptive Arts
You can use your reaction to reduce the damage of a melee attack that hits you. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your ascetic level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you may attempt to shove the attacker as part of your reaction. The attacker must make a Strength (athletics) or Dexterity (acrobatics) check, their choice, against your Ascetic Technique DC or be pushed 5 feet or knocked prone, your choice.
Unorthodox Strike
Prerequisites: Deceptive Arts
When you enter combat with an opponent, they must make a Wisdom (perception) check against your Ascetic Technique DC. If they fail, you gain advantage on your first attack against that target each round. On their turn each round, target may choose to spend an action to attempt this check again. If the check succeeds, the target becomes immune to this deception for the next 24 hours.
Vital Strike
Prerequisites: Visceral Arts
Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a Martial Arts attack. The damage from this attack increases by 1d6 at ascetic levels 6, 10, 14, and 18.
5th Level Techniques
Technique Name
Prerequisites: None.
Description text and game mechanics information
Ki Deflection
Prerequisites: Deflect Missiles, Order of Mysticism
You can use your reaction to deflect the energy when you are hit by a ranged spell attack. When you do so, you spend 1 ki point and make a Dexterity saving throw against the caster's spell save DC.
If your save is successful, you can redirect the spell attack if you have at least one hand free. When you redirect the attack, you can make a ranged spell attack as part of the same reaction. This attack is treated as a Martial Arts attack. If it attack hits, your new target is subject to the effects of the spell, as if cast by the original caster. This attack has a range of 60 feet.
Slow Fall
Prerequisites: None.
You can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your ascetic level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you land on your feet.
Stunning Strike
Prerequisites: Visceral Arts, Sand Palm.
When you hit another creature with a Martial Arts attack, you can use your reaction to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
9th Level Techniques
Technique Name
Prerequisites: If any.
Description text and game mechanics information
Feather Step
Prerequisites:
You gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during your move.
Tranquil Mind
Prerequisites: None.
You can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
13th Level Techniques
Technique Name
Prerequisites: If any.
Description text and game mechanics information
17th Level Techniques
Technique Name
Prerequisites: If any.
Description text and game mechanics information
Quivering Palm
Prerequisites: Visceral Arts, Stunning Strike
You gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. You must successfully strike the target of this technique with at least three unarmed strikes in the same round, and you must choose to deal no damage with any attacks against the target during your turn. When you do so, you start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for at least one minute, and up to a number of days equal to your ascetic level, at your discretion. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 Hit Points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
- Aerobatic Arts: When you use your action to dash, you may use a bonus action to perform an unarmed strike with a +2 bonus to hit. If successful, your unarmed strike damage for this attack is doubled and the target is pushed back up to 10 feet if they are no more than one size larger than you. At 5th level in this class, the unarmed strike damage from this attack is tripled, at 11th level it is quadrupled, and at 17th level it is quintupled.
- Bestial Arts: Your martial discipline is modeled after the attacks and movements of various mundane and magical beasts. Your movement speed increases by 10 feet. You gain a climb speed equal to half your movement speed. Your unarmed attacks can do slashing damage. You may dash or hide as a bonus action.
- Deceptive Arts: You gain proficiency in the either Perform or Deception as a class skill. When you take the attack action, you may attempt to feint as part of that action. Your target must make a Wisdom (insight) check against your Martial Arts save DC. If they fail, you gain advantage on all unarmed strike attacks against that target until the start of your next turn. If they succeed, they are immune to this ability for the next 24 hours.
- Elusive Arts: When you perform the Attack action, you may dodge or disengage as a bonus action. When you are hit with an attack, you may use your reaction to add half your proficiency modifier (rounded down) to your AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss.
- Gentle Arts: You can use Wisdom with Martial Prowess instead of Strength or Dexterity. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike attack against that creature. You can replace any attack with a shove attack that deals no damage.
- Shield Arts: You can use shields with your Unarmored Defense. You are proficient in shields as improvised weapons. When you are missed by a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to attack the attacker with your shield. If this attack is successful, the target is disarmed.
- Striking Arts: When you are fighting with no weapons in your hands, you gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls with your unarmed strikes.
- Supple Arts: You gain a +2 bonus on attempts to perform and resist grapple and shove attacks. When you successfully grapple or shove a target, you can do your unarmed strike damage with that attack.
- Thrown Arts. When attacking with a thrown weapon, long range doesn't impose disadvantage attack rolls, and you gain a +2 bonus to attacks within normal range.
- Versatile Arts: You are proficient with improvised weapons. Difficult terrain does not reduce your movement speed. When you attack while using an improvised weapon, you may use the disengage action as a bonus action.
- Vital Arts: Once per turn, when you strike a target with an unarmed strike, the target must make a Constitution saving throw or acquire the Poisoned condition until the beginning of your next turn.
Esoteric Orders
Order of the Drunken Master
3
6
11
17
Order of the Elemental Fist
Most individuals are born with the inherent ability to harness raw magical forces, channeling extraplanar energies through sheer force of will, though this ability comes easily only to a few. Ascetics of the Order of the Elemental Fist undergo intense training in order to harness this gift.
Part sorcery, part wizardry, these ascetics devote intense amounts of training learning to both harness the raw forces of the elements, as well as control its execution.
Elemental Attunement
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you align your spirit with one of the four main elements: Air, Earth, Fire, or Water. (Spell casting???)
6
Expanded Attunement
At 11th level
17
Order of Four Elements
3
6
11
17
Order of the Kensei
Ascetics of the Order of the Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point that the weapon becomes like an extension of the body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different weapons.
A kensei sees a weapon much in the same way a calligrapher or a painter regards a pen or brush. Whatever the weapon, the kensei views it as a tool used to express the beauty and precision of the martial arts. That such mastery makes a kensei a peerless warrior is but a side effect of intense devotion, practice, and study.
Path of the Kensei
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits:
- Kensei Weapons: Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. The longbow is also a valid choice. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition's features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon – either melee or ranged – to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above.
- Agile Parry: If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated.
- Kensei's Shot You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes an extra 1d4 damage of the weapon’s type. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn.
- Way of the Brush: You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies.
One with the Blade
At 6th level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits.
- Magic Kensei Weapons: Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
- Deft Strike: When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
Sharpen the Blade
At 11th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Unerring Accuracy
At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
Order of the Long Death
3
6
11
17
Order of Mysticism
Ascetics of the Order of Mysticism devote their lives to achieving a harmonious balance with themselves and, by extension, the universe. Their unique regiment combines rigorous physical training, philosophical studies, and spiritual enlightenment. Those who seek the life of adventure often believe that one can not truly achieve personal balance and "oneness" without exposure to the world and the experiences it has to offer, beyond the controlled confines of their monastic order.
Ki Mystic
Years of specialized training and introspective meditation have granted you the ability to harness and channel a mystical power within yourself, commonly referred to as Ki.
When you choose this order at 3rd level, you gain access to this energy which is represented by a number of ki points. You possess a number of ki points equal to your ascetic class level.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. When you enter this order, you learn three such features: Ki Insight, Spacial Awareness, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you regain all of your expended ki. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
- Ki Insight: You can spend 1 ki point on your turn to amplify your combat prowess. Until the beginning of your next turn, all of your attacks gain advantage, and all attacks made against you have disadvantage.
- Additional Ability: Replace this with another ability. Maybe.
- Step of the Wind: You can spend 1 ki point on your turn to gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed until the end of your turn.
Mystic Foresight
At 3rd level, you learn the guidance and resistance cantrips and can cast them at will, without using verbal or somatic components. When you do so, you can only influence yourself.
Ki Channeling
At 6th level, you have learned to harness your Ki energy in ways which enhance your body. Your unarmed strikes now deal force damage, and you have advantage on saving throws to resist becoming charmed or frightened. Additionally, you can use your ki in the following ways:
- Focus Ki: Whenever you roll initiative and your current ki points equal less than half your ascetic level, you gain enough ki points to equal half your ascetic level. At 9th level, you may recover 1 ki point on your turn as an action.
- Iron Shirt: As a bonus action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks for 1 minute.
- Ki-Empowered Strikes: When you take the attack action, you can spend 1 ki point to gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with your unarmed strikes for 1 minute. At 11th level, you may spend 2 ki points to gain a +2 bonus, and at 17th level you may spend 3 ki points to gain a +3 bonus.
- Kinetic Burst: When you take the attack action, you can spend 3 ki point to make a special force push attack. Each creature or object in a 5-foot radius, 15-foot cone, or 30-foot line must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a target takes 3d6 force damage, is pushed back 10 feet, and falls prone. On a successful save, a target takes half damage and is not pushed back or knocked prone. You may increase the damage of this ability by 1d6 for each additional ki point you spend. You may not spend more ki points than half your class level.
- Stillness of Mind: When you become charmed or frightened, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to end the condition.
Oneness of Self
At 11th level, your grasp of Ki energy is rarely surpassed. Such a level of ki control has afforded you the following benefits:
- Diamond Soul: Whenever you fail a saving throw, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result. You may only use this ability once per saving throw.
- Purity of Body: Toxins and illnesses no longer affect you. You have become immune to disease and poison.
- Tongue of the Sun and Moon: You have learned to touch the ki of other minds. You understand all spoken Languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Perfect Soul
At 17th level, you embody spiritual perfection as your mastery of Ki extends through you and into the cosmos. You gain the following benefits:
- Ki Conduit: At the beginning of your turn each round, you regain 1 ki point. As a bonus action, you may recover 1 additional ki point. This ability cannot raise your ki points above their maximum amount.
- Timeless Body: Your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.
- Empty Body: You can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become Invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have Resistance to all damage but force damage.
- Transcendence: You can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.
Order of the Open Hand
Ascetics of the Order of the Open Hand dedicate themselves fully to the purity of the martial arts, blending multiple disciplines, styles, and techniques into a seamless, fluid amalgamation of unsurpassed martial supremacy.
Open Hand Maneuvers
Starting when you choose this order at 3rd level, whenever you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:
- It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- It must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed up to 15 feet away from you.
- It can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.
Creatures who are more than one size larger than you cannot be knocked prone or pushed with this technique. Beginning at 11th level, those creatures can be no more than two sizes larger than you.
Expanded Martial Training
Your mind is a veritable repository of combat techniques.
When you choose this order at 3rd level, you immediately gain the following benefits:
- Additional Discipline: You can choose a second option from the Martial Discipline class feature.
- Extra Techniques: You learn one additional martial arts technique. You learn one additional technique of your choice at 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th level. Each time you learn a new technique, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one. You may select your technique from the martial arts techniques available to all ascetics, as well as from the open hand techniques listed below.
- Improved Martial Arts: The damage of your unarmed strikes improves by one die type. It improves again at 7th and 15th levels. This stacks with the improvement gained at 11th level from the Martial Arts class feature.
Second Wind
At 6th level, you learn to draw upon your inner reserves to drive yourself forward in battle. On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to your Constitution modifier + three times your ascetic level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
If you gain this feature from another class, such as the fighter, your levels in both classes stack for the purpose of determining the total number of hit points regained.