Way of the Iron Giants
Legend says, that giants were the first of the mortals who inhabited the most inhospitable places, and thus, the first race that endured nature's inclement challenges and learned to overcome the perilous wilds. The Iron Giants were the first and most abnegated to the task of watching over the mortals. As time passed by, these giants developed a method for teaching their ways to mortals, and provided the way to break from the chains that dragons had put on them. Legend says, that these giants died on the great dragon wars, and those few who survived gave origin to the fire and the ice giants.
With time, those mortals who survived the great war, continued to teach the Way of the Iron Giants, becoming rarer as there were no longer need for these monks among mortals, as there were dragons no longer and magic was released upon the world. Those few who still follow the "giant's way" are really uncommon, and their monasteries are recluded on far and inhospitable places.
Extreme Endurance
As result of your physical training, you've developed higher physical resistance. Starting level 3 when you first choose this monastic tradition, you obtain the following features:
Giant's Endurance: When reaching level 3, you gain 3 additional Hit Points. From now on, you gain 1 additional hit point every time you gain a new level in the monk class.
Hardened Body: Being accustomed to receiving and enduring pain, your body has become harder. You can now calculate your new AC as 12 + your Constitution modifier + your Wisdom modifiers. You cant benefit from this feature if you are wielding a shield.
Iron Survivor: As the result of your training in the wilds, you can choose a new skill proficiency, choosing from Survival or Nature (your choice).
Iron Giant's Secret Techniques
Starting lvl 6, you gain two additional Ki features:
- Colossal Might: Spending 3 Ki points as a bonus action, you can cast the "Enlarge/Reduce" spell on yourself without material components (but only the Enlarge option). You can add your wisdom modifier as a bonus to your concentration saving throws to maintain this effect.
- Resilient Focus: When you are hit by an attack, but before rolling for damage, you can spend 2 Ki points as your reaction to grant yourself temporary hit points equal to half your Monk level (rounded down) + your Constitution and Wisdom modifiers.
Mountain's Standing
Starting lvl 11, your body becomes as immovable as the mountains themselves. You recieve the following benefits:
- You have now advantage on Saving throws against being pulled, pushed or knocked prone.
- When a creature fails a melee attack against you, you can use your reaction to make a single shove or grapple attack against it. If you have success on the roll, you inflict your Strength modifier (minimum 1) as bludgeoning damage to the target.
Giant's Might.
When you reach level 17, you have now mastered the teachings of the first Iron Mountain masters, and your body has become as resilient and strong as the giants themselves. As result of your endless training, your Constitution score is increased by 2, and your maximum for that score is now 24.
Also, when casting the Enlarge spell using ki points, its duration is now extended to 10 minutes.
Optional Rule
Monks are melee combatants, and having low AC can lead to dangerous situations, most likely resulting on the death of characters.
As a DM, consider allowing monk characters to use a different version of their Unarmored defense feature at lvl 1, as follows:
- Unarmored defense: Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Constitution modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
This little modification allows strength based monks to have a higher survivability, while also letting players explore different character concepts.
Credit: InKarnate.