Shadow Monk Spells
These are some spells that the Shadow Monk subclass can cast using Shadow Ki Points.
A player has Shadow Points equal to half of their Monk level, rounded down. A Shadow Monk can spend these Shadow Ki to "cast" their spells.
At certain levels, marked next to the spell, that spell becomes available for the player character to choose from when choosing which spell to learn.
The table below will detail how many Shadow Ki a character has, as well as how many spells they know per level.
When they learn a new spell, they can choose from what their new level allows, or choose from a lower level.
For example, an 8th level Shadow Monk will be able to learn an additional spell. They can choose from a spell available at 8th level, or from one available at 6th level.
Shadowcasting/Spellcasting Ability
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your shadow spells, since your magic draws on your attunement to your own self growth.
You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Monk spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Shadowcasting/Spellcasting Rules
Some spells may be cast using a Bonus Action.
You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action on your turn.
You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 Action.
Shadow Ki and Spells per level
| Level | Shadow Ki | Cantrips Known | Spells Known |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | — | — | — |
| 2nd | ─ | ─ | — |
| 3rd | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 4th | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 5th | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 6th | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 7th | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 8th | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 9th | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 10th | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 11th | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| 12th | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| 13th | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| 14th | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| 15th | 7 | 3 | 6 |
| 16th | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| 17th | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| 18th | 9 | 3 | 8 |
| 19th | 9 | 3 | 9 |
| 20th | 10 | 3 | 9 |
Cantrips
Overshadow:
Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 1 minute, Concentration
Range: 60ft
You throw your shadow to a point within range. Your shadow counts as one size larger than you are currently. The shadow cannot speak or move.
Creatures have disadvantage on Perception or Investigation checks to determine if it is an illusion when cast in dim light or darkness.
Shape Shadows:
Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 1 minute, Concentration
Range: 60ft
You can alter shadows at will, gaining a measure of control over the substance.
You can change the size of a shadow, either doubling it or halving it. You may not completely remove a shadow with this ability.
You can add features to the shadow, altering it to look like one humanoid that you have seen before.
Creatures have disadvantage on Perception or Investigation checks to determine if it is an illusion when cast in dim light or darkness.
Shadow Whip:
Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action or 1 Action
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 30ft
Bonus Action: Target one creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against that target, throwing a tendril of darkness at it, pulling it 15ft closer on a hit. On a critical hit, add 1d6 piercing damage.
Action: Choose two points within range. You throw tendrils of darkness, latching onto the two points. Make a DC 15 Acrobatic check with advantage for a flat surface, a DC 17 Acrobatics check with advantage for any surface not flat.
On a success, you pull yourself up to 15ft closer to the points.
Spells
Shadow Mark: Level 3 Shadow Monk
Cost: 1 Point
Casting time: 1 Bonus Action
Duration: 1 minute
Range: 60ft
You mark one creature within range. Add 1d4 Necrotic damage to every weapon attack that hits the target.
If the target would be reduced to 0hp, you can use a bonus action on your next turn to pick a new target.
Shadow Strike: Level 3 Shadow Monk:
Cost: 1 Point
Casting time: 1 Reaction
Range: Self
When an enemy misses you with a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to strike back as the shadows help you react instinctively to danger.
Make an unarmed melee attack. On a hit, the target has disadvantage on its next attack roll, and it cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Frenzied Shadow Whip: Level 3 Shadow Monk
Cost: 2 Points
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: Self
Duration: 1 min, Concentration
Target up to 3 creatures within 25ft of you. They must make strength saving throws or be Restrained as dark shadow whips shoot from your body.
While 3 creatures are Restrained, your movement speed becomes 0.
If there are 2 or less creatures Restrained, you must succeed on a strength check equaling a DC = 10 + 1 per creature Restrained in order to move, and your movement speed is halved.
Creatures in dim light or darkness have disadvantage on the Save.
Large or Larger creatures have advantage on the Save.
A creature can use its action to make a strength check equal to your Spell Save DC to break free.
Shadow Focus: Level 6 Shadow Monk
Cost: 1 Point
Casting Time: When you use Shadow Step
Duration: Instantaneous
When you use your Shadow Step ability, you can spend 1 point to double the distance you can teleport.
You still need to be in dim light or darkness, both when you begin the Step and when you reappear.
Visage of the Shadow Self: Level 6 Shadow Monk
Cost: 1 Point
Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 5 minutes, Concentration
You unlock a semblance of your Shadow Form. You call forth the shadows from within and from the surrounding darkness, covering your face and eyes.
While your Shadow is up, only features of your face (that you decide) are visible.
You gain the following:
Wisdom of the Shadows: You gain advantage on Perception checks made in dim light or darkness.
Shadow Sight: You gain the ability to see through magical and non magical darkness up to 90ft.
Frenzied Shadow Barrage: Level 6 Shadow Monk
Cost: 2 Points
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self
You allow the Shadows within an outlet, releasing a measure of control to have them burst forth from your body, battering your enemies.
Each creature in a 25ft radius sphere originating from you must make a dexterity Saving Throw, taking 8d6 Bludgeoning damage on a failed save, half on a successful one.
Creatures in dim light or darkness have disadvantage on the saving throw.
You can spend an additional point to increase the damage by 1d6 and change the damage type to Necrotic
Shadow Punch: Level 10 Shadow Monk
Cost: 2 Points
Casting time: 1 Bonus Action
Range: 5ft
Duration: 1 Minute, Concentration
The next time you make an unarmed attack, the shadows encompass your fist. Instead of dealing damage according to your martial arts die, you deal 4d8 Necrotic damage on a hit.
Whether you hit or miss, each creature within 10ft of the target must make a Dexterity Saving Throw, taking 2d8 necrotic damage on a failure, half on a success.
Shadow Grasp: Level 10 Shadow Monk
Cost: 2 points
Casting Time: 1 Action
Duration: 1 Round
Range: 5ft
Make a Melee Spell Attack against one creature within range. On a hit, shadows wrap around a limb of your choice on the creature. The shadows are not connected to you.
The creature takes 2d6 Necrotic damage and suffers one of the following effects, depending on which limb is targeted:
Torso: The shadows whip around the torso, infecting it with dark energies. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw, or suffer disadvantage on all Constitution Saving Throws until the start of your next turn.
Legs: The shadows wrap around the legs of the target, halting its movement. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have its movement speed halved until the start of your next turn.
Arms: The shadows grab the arm of the target, hindering its attacks. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or have disadvantage on all Strength and Dexterity based attack rolls until the start of your next turn.
Shadow Form: Level 12 Shadow Monk
Cost: 5 Points
Duration: 30 minutes, Concentration
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Self
You may only use this ability at night.
Your control of the shadows gives you the ability to create a shadow duplicate of yourself. The double lasts for the duration, but ends when it casts any Cleric spells or uses any Light Cleric abilities, if any Cleric spells or abilities are used against your duplicate.
You can use your Action to take to control the clone. Your senses are replaced by its senses, and you can hear, smell and see from the location of the clone. While using the clone senses, you are Blinded and Deafened to your own senses.
You can switch between the clone's senses and yours as a Bonus Action.
The clone can move up to twice your speed and can gesture, speak and behave in whatever way you choose. It can only travel in dim light or darkness, and has the Shadow Step ability to a range of 70ft. It can see in both magical and non magical darkness to a range of 80ft. Others have disadvantage on spells or abilities to detect you through Divination magic, or to track you by non magical means, and you have advantage on all Stealth checks.
This can be removed by a Dispel Magic spell with a DC of 15.
The clone is destroyed by any spell of 5th level or higher that creates magical or radiant light.
When removed in this way, you take 4d12 Radiant damage.
Shadow Script: Level 14 Shadow Monk
Cost: 6
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Duration: Until Dispelled
You learn how to use the shadows to write. You can either touch a piece of parchment, or a page in a book. The writing is eligible to anyone who does not have access to Shadow Spells. If you transcribe a Shadow Spell of a higher level than a reader has access to, it is eligible until they gain access to that spell.
You can spend a number of hours equal to 2 x the cost of a Shadow Spell to magically transcribe the forms and technique needed to learn it. You can only transcribe a Shadow Spell you have access to, and have chosen for yourself.
Transcribing a Shadow Cantrip fills one full page
Transcribing anything higher fills out a number of pages equal to the cost of the Shadow Spell
You can also transcribe your own philosophical thoughts, details of your own journey, and other martial prowess. These fill out a number of pages up to the DM's discretion.
Once you have filled out 100 pages in a book, the Shadow magic alters it. The book becomes black, its cover hard with vague, constantly moving patterns made from shadow. If you had filled out 100 pages of parchment, the pages magically connect and transform into a book.
If you fill out another 100 pages, creating a second book, the number 1 will appear on the spine of the first book, and the number 2 on the second book.
A Dispel magic of level 6 or higher dispels all pages in a book.
Shadow Fist: Level 14 Shadow Monk
Cost: 6 Points
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 5ft
Duration: 1 minute, Concentration
You have learnt to harness the full force of the Shadows, focusing them into one deadly strike.
The next time you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike during the duration of this spell, you can force them to make a Constitution Saving Throw, ending the concentration.
On a successful save, the creature takes 6d10 Necrotic damage and they suffer no additional effects.
On a fail, your next unarmed attack against that creature is an auto crit.
Additionally, they have disadvantage on all attack rolls against you, disadvantage against saving throws for your Shadow Spells, and their speed is halved. These effects last for 1 hour.
A creature may use its Action to make another Constitution Saving Throw, ending the effects on a success.