Revised Monk (More variety)

by allolive

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Monk, with techniques; v1.2.1

Class Features

Hit Points

  • Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
  • Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
  • Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st

Proficiencies

  • Armor: None
  • Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
  • Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
  • 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 Monk
Level Proficiency Bonus Features.............................................................. Martial Arts Ki Points Unarmored Movement Techniques Known (max strikes)
1 +2 Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts 1d4 — — —
2 +2 Ki, Unarmored Movement 1d4 2 +10ft 2 (1)
3 +2 Deflect Missiles, Monastic Tradition 1d4 3 +10ft 2 (1)
4 +2 Ability Score Improvement, Slow Fall 1d4 4 +10ft 2 (1)
5 +3 Extra Attack* 1d6 5 +10ft 3 (2)
6 +3 Ki-Empowered Strikes, Monastic Tradition feature 1d6 6 +15ft 3 (2)
7 +3 Evasion, Stillness of Mind**,
Combat Focus		 1d6 7 +15ft 4 (2)
8 +3 Ability Score Improvement 1d6 8 +15ft 4 (2)
9 +4 Unarmored Movement improvement** 1d8(!) 9 +15ft 5 (3)
10 +4 Purity of Body** 1d8(!) 10 +20ft 5 (3)
11 +4 Monastic Tradition feature 1d8 11 +20ft 5 (3)
12 +4 Ability Score Improvement 1d8 12 +20ft 6 (3)
13 +5 Tongue of the Sun and Moon**,
Improved Combat Focus		 1d10(!) 13 +20ft 6 (3)
14 +5 Diamond Soul 1d10(!) 14 +25ft 6 (3)
15 +5 Tireless Body** 1d10(!) 15 +25ft) 7 (4)
16 +5 Ability Score Improvement 1d10(!) 16 +25ft 7 (4)
17 +6 Monastic Tradition feature 1d12(!) 17 +25ft 7 (4)
18 +6 Empty Body 1d12(!) 18 +30ft 8 (4)
19 +6 Ability Score Improvement 1d12(!) 19 +30ft 8 (4)
20 +6 Perfect Soul 1d12(!) 20 +30ft 12 (6)

*: Stunning strike is a technique, not a feature.

**: Each of these features may be traded for 1 extra non-combat technique. Non-combat techniques are marked by a asterisk (*) in the techniques list.

(!): Note that the Martial Arts die is one size larger than for the SRD monk at levels 9-10 and 13-20.

Unarmored Defense (Unchanged)

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.

Martial Arts (Includes Ki-fueled Strike, designated monk weapons)

Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property. You may also designate up to 5 simple or martial weapons you are proficient with as monk weapons for you, as long as they do not have the heavy, special, or two-handed properties.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield.

  • You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
  • You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
  • When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, or when you spend ki as part of an action, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.

Ki (Add temporary ki points)

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.

When you roll initiative, you also gain a number of temporary ki points equal to half your proficiency bonus, rounded up. When you score a critical hit, you gain one additional temporary ki point. You also gain one temporary ki point if you succeed on a strength saving throw (absorbing the energy of the attack). If you have not spent these temporary ki points by the end of the combat, you lose them.

You can spend these points to fuel various basic ki features, as well as many of the martial arts techniques you will learn. You start knowing three such basic features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, 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 draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.

Some of your ki features, as well as certain martial arts techniques (below), require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. Some have extra effects if the target fails the save by 5 or more. The base saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

  • Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Flurry of Blows (Unchanged)

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Patient Defense (Unchanged)

You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. When you do, you get two reaction abilities until the start of your next turn:

Step of the Wind (Unchanged)

You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

Nimble Sidestep (New)

When an attack hits your AC exactly, you may spend one ki point and use your reaction to make it miss instead.

Unarmored Movement (Unchanged)

Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.

At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

Deflect Missiles (unchanged)

Starting at 3rd level, 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 monk 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 spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack (range 20/60 feet) with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.

Monastic Tradition (unchanged)

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition, chosen from the list of available traditions. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Improvement (unchanged)

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, or you can take a Feat from the Feat List. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Slow Fall (unchanged)

Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.

Extra Attack (unchanged)

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Ki-Empowered Strikes (unchanged)

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Evasion (unchanged)

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.

Stillness of Mind (unchanged)

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

You may choose to forego this feature and instead learn 1 additional non-combat technique. Non-combat techniques are marked by an asterisk (*) in the techniques list.

Combat Focus (New)

In combat, the first ability with a ki cost that you you use in any round (starting and ending when your turn begins) has its cost reduced by 1. The second such ability that you use in any round has its cost increased by 1. (Thus, if you plan to use 2 or more such abilities, ignore this.)

Unarmored Movement improvement (unchanged)

At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

You may choose to forego this feature and instead learn 1 additional non-combat technique. Non-combat techniques are marked by an asterisk (*) in the techniques list.

Purity of Body (unchanged)

At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.

You may choose to forego this feature and instead learn 1 additional non-combat technique.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon (unchanged)

Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

You may choose to forego this feature and instead learn 1 additional non-combat technique.

Improved Combat Focus (New)

In combat, the first ability with a ki cost that you you use during your turn has its cost reduced by 1.

Diamond Soul (unchanged)

Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.

Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.

Timeless Body (unchanged)

At 15th level, 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.

You may choose to forego this feature and instead learn 1 additional non-combat technique. Non-combat techniques are marked by an asterisk (*) in the techniques list.

Empty Body (unchanged)

Beginning at 18th level, 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.

Additionally, 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.

Perfect Soul (unchanged)

At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points.

Martial Arts Techniques

In your study of martial and meditative arts, you have learned certain techniques, a testament to your dedicated practice.

Some of the techniques are designated as "Strike Techniques". As indicated in the table, no more than half of your techniques (rounded up) may be strikes. You may choose to have fewer strikes (and thus more non-strikes) than this number.

At 2nd level, you may choose two techniques, only one of which may be a strike technique. Your technique options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain monk levels, you learn additional techniques, as shown in the Techniques Known column of the Monk table.

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. The limit on the number of strike techniques for your level still applies.

If a technique has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the technique at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Non-Strike Techniques

Techniques marked with an asterisk (*) are considered non-combat techniques; this means they can be used instead of certain class features. All techniques may still be used either in or out of combat unless stated otherwise.

Abiding Will

Prerequisite: 7th level

When you make a death saving throw, you may spend 3 ki points to change a failure into a success, or to change a success into a critical success. Once you use this technique, you may not use it again until you finish a long rest.

Adamantine Soul

Prerequisite: 18th level

When you fail a saving throw, you may use your reaction and spend 8 ki to succeed instead. Once you have used this ability twice, you may not do so again until you have finished a long rest.

Aspect of Clay*

Prerequisite: Way of Shadow or Drunken Master, or Rogue

You may spend 2 ki points to subtly alter your physical form, gait, and voice for up to an hour. You may alter your apparent age, change the bone structure of your face to that of a different kind of humanoid, and even increase or decrease your height by up to 6 inches.

You may end this effect as an action. While it lasts, you gain the following benefits:

  • You may make your face unrecognizable.
  • You may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Charisma modifier for deception and performance checks when trying to pass yourself off as a different person without speaking. You have advantage on these checks if the observer has not heard you speak. You lose this benefit if they've heard you say more than 10 words.
  • You can mimic the gait of any bipedal creature you have observed in movement for at least 1 minute. Those familiar with the creature who can hear you move but not see you clearly (dim lighting and/or over 40 feet of distance) will usually take you for that creature without even making a check. A successful Wisdom (Insight) check contested by your Dexterity (Deception) check allows a listener to determine that the effect is faked.

Blend Into Crowd*

Whenever you are in or near a group, you are able to direct attention away from yourself to others. Spend 1 ki point to get +10 to your stealth rolls for 10 minutes whenever you are within 30 feet of 3 or more humanoids. You roll with advantage if you are within 30 feet of 8 or more non-hostile humanoids. Anyone attempting to count the group, or looking for you specifically, must succeed on an investigation roll against your stealth roll to notice you.

For this benefit to apply, you do not hide behind anything as usual, but instead act as the others around you are. You immediately lose these benefits if you begin to make an attack, cast a spell with verbal components, or speak or act in a hostile or conspicuous manner. This effect requires your concentration, as if on a spell.

Boulder Technique

Prerequisite: Slow Fall ability (4th level)

If you fall onto another creature, and use your Slow Fall ability, then you may attempt to transfer the damage to them. They make a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, all the damage that was prevented by your slow fall ability applies to them instead. If they succeed, they take half of this damage.

Bountiful Compassion

Prerequisite: 9th level

Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you gains hit points, you may as a reaction gain up to the same number of temporary hit points, or up to your monk level, whichever is less. The cost is 1 ki point per 5 temporary hit points gained, rounded up.

Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you dies, you lose any temporary hit points you have (from any source).

Boundless Compassion

Prerequisite: Bountiful Compassion and 15th level. The negative effect of Bountiful Compassion still applies.

Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you gains hit points, you may gain an equal number of temporary hit points, or half your monk level in temporary hit points, whichever is less.

When you gain temporary hit points from any source, you may as a reaction spend 1 ki point to gain double that many, or your monk level, whichever is less. These temporary hit points have any extra effects the trigerring ones did.

Breath Control*

Prerequisite: 5th level

You may hold your breath for an additional 2 rounds per monk level. As an action, you may spend 1 ki point to cast feign death on yourself with no components. This is not considered to be magic or a spell.

Feign Death

Casting Time: 1 action

Duration: 1 hour

You [enter] a cataleptic state that is indistinguishable from death.

For the spell’s duration, or until you use an action to dismiss the spell, [you] appear dead to all outward inspection and to spells used to determine [your] status. [You] are blinded and incapacitated (except for dismissing this spell), and [your] speed drops to 0. [You] have resistance to all damage except psychic damage. If [you are] diseased or poisoned when you cast the [effect], or becomes diseased or poisoned while under the effect, the disease and poison have no impact until the [effect] ends.

Danica's Dance

When a creature your size or smaller within 5 feet of you misses with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to switch places with the attacker. The attacker gets disadvantage on attacks against you until the end of your next turn.

When you do this, you may additionally spend 1 ki. If you do so, the attacker must make a Strength saving throw, or lose half their movement speed until the end of the turn and fall prone in your old location.

Double Echo Technique

Whenever you could make an attack as a reaction, you may spend 1 ki point to instead make a Flurry of Blows (two unarmed attacks).

If your monk level is 9 or more, you may instead do an improved double echo technique for a total cost of 3 ki points; in this case, you still have another reaction available for later. Once you use this improved technique, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Dry in the Rain

Prerequisite: 12th level

Your Deflect Missiles feature does not consume your reaction, though it is still unavailable if you could not take a reaction.

Fasting Habits*

You require only half as much food and drink as normal. You may ignore the effects of exhaustion levels up to ¼ your monk level, rounded up.

Flow of the River

Prerequisite: 7th level

In response to various triggers, if your movement speed is at least 10 feet, you may spend 1 ki point and use your reaction to move 10 feet.

The triggers which allow this reaction are:

  • You are in the area of an effect which would require a saving throw. In this case, if you use this to move out of that area, you may choose to make a Dexterity saving throw instead of the usual saving throw. In that case, your Evasion ability applies to any resulting damage.
  • Another creature enters or leaves the area within 5 feet of you. Note that in this case your movement might provoke an attack of opportunity.
  • You are the target of any spell, effect, or attack. In this case, the triggering event resolves before your movement, but your movement does not allow attacks of opportunity from the source of the triggering event.

Flow of the Wind*

Prerequisite: 9th level

As an action, you may spend 4 ki points to cast freedom of movement on yourself, without components. This is not considered to be magic or a spell.

Freedom Of Movement
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: (Self)
  • Duration: 1 hour

For the duration, [your] movement is unaffected by difficult terrain, and spells and other magical effects can neither reduce [your] speed nor cause [you] to be paralyzed or restrained.

[You] can also spend 5 feet of movement to automatically escape from nonmagical restraints, such as manacles or a creature that has it grappled. Finally, being underwater imposes no penalties on [your] movement or attacks.

Flurry of Missiles

When you use Flurry of Blows, you may replace either or both unarmed attacks with ranged attacks with a one-handed weapon (such as daggers, darts, or throwing stars). For these attacks, these are considered monk weapons and do damage according to your Martial Arts die. If you are a kensei monk, you may spend an additional 1 ki to gain the benefits of Kensei's Shot (+1d4 damage) for these attacks.

Focused Breathing

You may use your bonus action to gather your energy. Make your first attack this turn with advantage, and it counts as a critical hit on a 19 or 20. If it hits, add your Wisdom modifier to any damage, and do double damage to objects. For this turn, you may not use the Extra Attack feature, unless you have it from another class. If you do not make attacks this turn, then until the start of your next turn make any Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) checks with advantage.

Guided Meditation*

Prerequisite: 7th level

When you meditate to regain ki points, you gain temporary hit points equal to half your monk level, rounded down. While you have these temporary hit points, you have advantage on Wisdom saving throws. At the same time, you may guide other creatures within 30 feet in this meditation, for a cost of 1 ki point per creature (spent after regainng ki); if they carry out verbal and/or somatic actions as you instruct, they gain the same benefits you do from this technique.

Iron body

While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier.

Your Ki save DC is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier

Iron palms

You may use the damage reduction portion of your Deflect Missiles feature against any ranged attack.

Ironstone palms (aka Irony pwns)

Prerequisite: Iron Palms and 15th level

You may use the full Deflect Missiles feature against any ranged attack.

Ki Infusion

As an action, you can touch a dying creature to stabilize them without needing to make a Wisdom (medicine) check.

If you are at least 7th level as a monk, then when you do so, you may spend 1 ki point. If you do, the creature also regains 1 hit point. The creature can't regain hit points from this technique again until it finishes a short or long rest.

Ki Perfusion*

Prerequisite: Ki infusion and 7th level

You may touch another creature and give them energy. You may not use more than half your maximum ki points for this technique. Once you use this technique, you can't use again until you finish a long rest. You can choose one of the following benefits you can afford:

  • Spend X ki (min level 2X): They regain X ki points, or X-2 sorcery points, or recover a spell slot of level X-1.
  • Spend 5 ki (min level 10): They recover one use of a feature that they would ordinarily recover on a short rest.
  • Spend 7 ki (min level 14): They recover one level of exhaustion.
  • Spend 10 ki (min level 20): They recover one use of a feature that they would ordinarily recover on a long rest.

Ki Suffusion

Prerequisite: Ki infusion and 15th level

Whenever a spell would cause you to gain or regain hitpoints, you may, as a reaction, choose to instead regain ki points equal to the spell level.

Leaf on the Wind*

Prerequisite: 12th level

When you use Step of the Wind, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your turn. If you end your turn without support, you fall.

Let the Moment Blossom

Prerequisite: 9th level

If you are aware of an enemy or lair effect whose current initiative is at least 10 less than yours, you may, as a bonus action, spend 3 ki to permanently subtract 10 from your initiative (so that you will get another turn this round). You may use this ability only once per round.

Mongoose's Quickness

You may spend 1 ki point to reroll an initiative check or Dexterity saving throw, once per roll.

Patient Response

Whenever you use Patient Defense, you gain two reaction options until the start of your next turn

  • If a creature misses you with a melee attack, you may use your reaction to attack them.
  • If you must make a saving throw, you may use your reaction to make it with advantage.

Pure Mindfulness*

Prerequisite: 15th level

You may spend 7 ki points to gain 120 feet of truesight for one hour. For the same period, you are immune to being charmed or frightened. Once you use this technique, you may not use it again until you complete a long rest.

Truesight

A creature with Truesight can, out to a specific range, see in normal and magical Darkness, see Invisible creatures and Objects, automatically detect visual illusions and succeed on Saving Throws against them, and perceive the original form of a Shapechanger or a creature that is transformed by magic. Furthermore, the creature can see into the Ethereal Plane within the same range.

Restoring Mantra

Prerequisite: 9th level

You may use your action to chant words that recenter your energy, regaining 1 ki point. You may repeat this for a number of consecutive turns up to your Wisdom modifier or your proficiency bonus, whichever is higher. Once you've done this, you may not do it again until your next short rest.

Ribbon's Binding

For 1 ki, you may make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check instead of a Strength (Athletics) check when attempting to grapple; if you succeed, you use the same skill for maintaining the grapple. Creatures that you have grappled have disadvantage on saving throws against your strike techniques on your first attack in any turn. Starting at level 12, you may grapple targets 2 sizes larger than yourself.

Selfless Reflex*

Prerequisite: 7th level

When you succeed on a dexterity saving throw, you may change that success to a failure in order to reduce the damage from the same effect by half for up to 2 other creatures who are within 5 of you and/or on the opposite side of you from the effect's source.

Sensei*

As an action, you may make a wise and/or mysterious statement. Another creature of your choice who can hear you may add 1d4 to the next ability check they make within the next minute. If they are adding a die for another reason, then increase that die size by one step instead of adding another 1d4. Once a creature has benefitted from this technique, they may not benefit from it again for the next 10 minutes.

Sensei (combat)

Prerequisites: Sensei, 5th level

As an action in combat, you may make a wise and/or mysterious statement, and make a single melee attack. Another creature of your choice within 30 feet who can hear you may make their next attack, ability check, or saving throw (before the end of your next turn) with advantage.

Smooth the Weave's Flow*

Prerequisite: 7th level

As an action, you may spend 3 ki points to cast nondetection on yourself with no components. While this effect lasts, whenever you are touching up to 2 creatures, the effect extends to them as well.

Nondetection
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: (Self)
  • Duration: 8 hours

For the duration, you hide [yourself] from divination magic. [You] can’t be targeted by any divination magic or perceived through magical scrying sensors.

Spider's Stillness

Prerequisite: 15th level OR permanent blindness

You gain blindsense with a range of 20 feet. This does not work if you are deafened or in magical silence. The range drops to 10 feet in loud environments.

As an action, you may spend 1 ki point to increase the range by 10 feet for 10 minutes. You may not increase the range by more than 10 feet in this fashion.

Tongue of the Stars*

Prerequisite: 13th level

You may gain the effects of speak with animals at will. As an action, you may spend 4 ki points to gain the effects of casting speak with plants. These are not considered to be magic or spells.

Speak with Animals/Plants
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self / 30-foot radius
  • Duration: 10 minutes

Animals You gain the ability to comprehend and verbally communicate with beasts for the duration. The knowledge and awareness of many beasts is limited by their intelligence, but at minimum, beasts can give you information about nearby locations and monsters, including whatever they can perceive or have perceived within the past day. You might be able to persuade a beast to perform a small favor for you, at the GM’s discretion.

Plants You imbue Plants within 30 feet of you with limited sentience and animation, giving them the ability to communicate with you and follow your simple commands. You can question Plants about events in the spell's area within the past day, gaining information about creatures that have passed, weather, and other circumstances.

You can also turn Difficult Terrain caused by Plant Growth (such as thickets and undergrowth) into ordinary terrain that lasts for the Duration. Or you can turn ordinary terrain where Plants are present into Difficult Terrain that lasts for the Duration, causing vines and branches to hinder pursuers, for example.

Plants might be able to perform other tasks on your behalf, at the DM's discretion. The spell doesn't enable Plants to uproot themselves and move about, but they can freely move branches, tendrils, and stalks.

You can communicate with plant creatures in the area as if you shared a Common language, but you gain no magical ability to influence them.

This spell can cause the Plants created by the Entangle spell to release a Restrained creature.

Touch of Insight*

If you are touching a creature, you know whether it is knowingly lying, unless its Charisma (Deception) check with disadvantage beats your Wisdom (Insight) check with advantage.

Additionally, when you make an insight check, you may spend 1 ki point to reroll it once.

Tranquil Presence*

As an action, you may speak calming words or sounds and assume a calming stance in order to cast Calm Emotions. Though not considered a spell, this requires your concentration. Once you use this technique, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest.

Calm Emotions

  • Range: 60 feet

  • Duration: Up to 1 minute

  • You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. Each humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range [who can either see or hear you] must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following effects.

  • You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.

  • Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the GM rules otherwise.

Truth between Suffering and Pleasure

Prerequisite: 15th level

Whenever you take 10 or more damage from a single source, you may use your reaction to regain 1 ki point for every 10 damage.

Tumbling Recovery

If knocked prone, you may spend one ki point as a reaction to quickly recover your footing. Move up to five feet along the ground in any direction and then stand up.

Uncanny Stagger

Prerequisite: 9th level, or Way of the Drunken Master & 5th level

Your unpredictable movement can make you difficult to attack. As an action, you may spend 2 ki points to cast Blur. Although this does not count as magic or a spell, it does require your concentration as if it were. If your speed becomes 0, this effect ends.

Blur
  • Casting Time: 1 action
  • Range: Self
  • Components: [S]
  • Duration: Up to 1 minute

For the duration, any creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against you. An attacker is immune to this effect if it doesn’t need sight (eg blindsight) or can see through illusions (eg. truesight).

Venerable*

Prerequisite: Multiclassed into Monk

Though you started your training as a monk later than many, your experience shows. Gain proficiency in Strength and Dexterity saving throws.

Vigilant Sleep*

You need half as much sleep as normal, and you may choose to sleep with your eyes open. When you are asleep, you may make Perception rolls as if you were awake (using sight if your eyes are open, or other senses otherwise). You may choose to awaken immediately as a reaction if you perceive something you consider a threat. You cannot be magically forced to sleep.

Wanderer's Voice*

Your breath and diaphragm control allows you to shift your voice preternaturally through space. As an action, you may make your voice sound as if it is coming from any point within 30 feet of you that you can see. You may spend 1 ki point to increase the range to 60 feet. From 13th level, you may spend 2 ki points total to increase the range to 150 feet. You may use this effect to whisper quietly in the ear of a creature you can see within range; if so, your voice cannot be heard by others.

Well-honed Senses*

You may ignore any circumstances (such as dim lighting) that would cause you to make Perception rolls with disadvantage. You may spend 2 ki points to make a Perception or Investigation roll with advantage.

When you make a ranged weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to prevent attacking at long range from imposing disadvantage on your attack rolls until the end of the current turn.

Wildcat's Sidestep

Prerequisite: 15th level

You may use your Wildcat's Sidestep feature to reduce an attack roll against you by an amount equal to the number of ki you spend, up to half your proficiency bonus (rounded up). You may not use this feature unless it would cause the attack to miss. When you use this feature, you may choose between making one unarmed attack or taking the dodge action as part of your reaction.

Strike Techniques

  • You may attempt one strike technique when you hit with an unarmed strike.
  • You may not attempt the same technique against the same target more than once per round. (Different battle maneuvers do not count as different strike techniques for this purpose.)
  • If you made a critical hit, any saving throw againt your strike's effect is at disadvantage.

Enervating Strike

Once per turn, when you hit with an unarmed strike, you may sap your target's liveliness, hindering their movement. You reduce target creature's speed by 5 feet until the end of your next turn. This effect grows stronger your monk training reaches 9th level (10 foot speed reduction) and 15th level (15 foot speed reduction).

Hare Strike

As a bonus action, you may spend one ki point to forcefully disengage. Make a single unarmed attack against the enemy. Whether or not the attack hits, you gain the benefits of the disengage action and immediately jump away from the target up to a distance equal to your Strength score. This does not use up your ordinary movement, but otherwise follows rules for jumping, such as making checks to clear obstacles.

For 2 ki points, you may instead do this as one of the attacks of your attack action. If this attack hits, and target is your size or smaller, it makes a Strength saving throw or is knocked 5 feet away from you. If it fails this save by more than 5, it is knocked 10 feet away and falls prone.

Mountain Storm Strike

When you hit a target no more than 1 size category larger than you with an unarmed attack, you may spend 1 ki to attempt to throw them. Target makes a Dexterity saving throw. If it fails your DC, you knock it prone. If it fails by more than 5, additionally move it 5 feet in any direction, and it loses its reaction this turn and half its movement until the end of its next turn. After level 12, you may use this technique on targets up to 2 size categories larger than you.

Bewildering Strike

When you hit a target with an unarmed attack, you may spend 1 ki to attempt to bewilder them. If target has Intelligence of 2 or more, it makes a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it loses concentration, and before the end of your next turn, the next attack against it has advantage, and its next attack and next saving throw have disadvantage. If it fails by more than 5, during that same time all attacks against it have advantage; all its attacks, saving throws, and ability checks have disadvantage; and all saving throws against its spells have advantage.

Star Strike

Prerequisite: Small size

If an ally who is at least 1 size larger than you and has a strength of 15 or more is within 5 feet, and you have your reaction, you may allow them to use their action to throw you up to their strength score in feet. As a reaction, you may make a melee attack, adding their strength modifier to the damage. If you spend 1 ki point, this attack is made at advantage and counts as a critical hit on a 19 or 20.

Strike of the Battlemaster

You learn 1 maneuver from the battlemaster fighter. It must be a maneuver that can be used with an unarmed attack.

Instead of spending superiority dice to use that maneuver, you spend ki to use it when you make an unarmed attack. For 1 ki you may use that maneuver with 1d4 as the die. Once you reach your 6th monk level, you may instead spend 3 ki to use the maneuver with your Martial Arts die.

You may take this technique more than once to learn more maneuvers, but you may still only use 1 maneuver per turn. If you have access to ordinary superiority dice, you may use any of your maneuvers by spending either ki or superiority dice.

Strike of Sympathy

Prerequisite: 12th level

When you hit a target with an your first attack in a turn, before it takes damage, you may spend 2 ki points to grant it immunity to the damage of type of your blow until the end of its next turn. In addition, you also gain any damage resistances that the target has until the end of your next turn.

Stunning Strike

Prerequisite: 5th level

When you hit a target with an unarmed attack, you may spend 1 ki to attempt to slow or stun them. Target makes a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is slowed (same effects as the slow spell) until your next turn ends. If it fails by more than 5, it is Stunned until then instead.

Effects of being slowed

When a creature is slowed, their speed is halved, they get a −2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws, and they can’t use reactions. On their turn, they can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of their abilities or magic items, they can’t make more than one melee or ranged attack during their turn.

If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until their next turn, and they must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can’t, the spell is wasted.

Tornado Strike

Prerequisite: 12th level

When you use step of the wind to take the dash action, you may spend an additional 3 ki points to make one melee weapon attack against each separate creature you pass within 5 feet of. For every additional ki you spend up to 3 extra points, these attacks get +1 damage for each previous successful attack you have made this turn, up to a maximum of +20 total. This does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Tornado strike example:

After successfully making two attacks this turn, Sai spends 6 ki for a tornado strike. She hits 5 kobolds for +6, +9, +12, +15, and +18 damage, obliterating each of them as she speeds past, before reaching the dragon standing behind them. If she hits it successfully, she will get +20 to damage.

Changelog

v1.2.1:

  • New techniques: Abiding will, Selfless Reflex, Wildcat's Sidestep, Venerable, Star Strike
  • Technique count: 55 (19/27/9 non-combat/combat-non-strike/strike)

v1.2:

  • Changes to class features (Martial Arts, temporary Ki points, Nimble Sidestep, [Improved] Combat Focus)
  • Non-combat class features may be exchanged for non-combat techniques. Defined the latter.
  • New techniques: Danica's Dance, Dry in the Rain, Iron Palms, Ironstone Palms, Sensei (Combat)
  • Changed some techniques: Well-honed Senses, Focused Breathing
  • Renamed: Hare Technique, Iron Body
  • Copyediting

Acknowledgements

Basic 5e content from the 5th Edition SRD (System Reference Document)

Thanks to the artists, Lord-Of-The-Guns and @AhrunaArt .

Some ideas here inspired by Monk Ki Features, Revised, by DrewTheDruid.

Thanks especially to SamuraiHealer, Spellcastermaster, archDeaconstructor, marcos2492, etc. on r/UnearthedArcana for their insightful comments and suggestions.

Way of Meridian Flow

You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to see and manipulate the coursing of energy through creatures and their surroundings. When you focus your ki, you can open your senses to the paths of this current, especially within those around you. Your precise strikes can interrupt or ease this flow.

Monks of this tradition learn a respect for the natural flow of events, and tend to neutrality between law and chaos. Their study of flowing movements make them natural acrobats, and they often adorn themselves with ribbons to highlight the paths of flux of their maneuvers. They are especially feared by spellcasters and magic-users; even the most powerful archmages know to avoid or appease them.

Meridian sight

Beginning when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn to sense the flow of energies, both physical and magical. At will, you may open your senses to the flow of magic near to you for 1 minute. During that time, you can sense the following:

  • You know when any creatures or objects you can see within 5 feet of you cast or concentrate on (actively maintain) spells, use ki abilities, or are the target of spells that are actively being cast or concentrated on.
  • If any such creature or object within 10 feet of you moves, even if you cannot see it, you are aware of its general direction from you and direction of movement. This awareness is precise enough to let you target it with attacks or effects, but not enough to remove disadvantage from any attack rolls.
  • You know if any creatures you can see within 30 feet of you have ki abilities, and their maximum ki points. \columnbreak

























  • If any creatures you can see within 30 feet of you have spellcasting abilities, the DM rolls a D20, adds 10, and subtracts their maximum spell level; if the result is equal to or below your passive Perception, you know that they are spellcasters, and if it is more than 5 less, you know the maximum spell level they can cast. Creatures who are actively trying to hide their nature may add their deception modifier to the roll.
  • You cannot be surprised by creatures with spellcasting abilities.
  • Your saving throws against magic are never made at disadvantage.

You cannot use this to detect items that are not currently causing any magic effects. If you can sense a creature or object through blindsense, that counts as seeing them for this feature.

You may use this feature twice, and you regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. At 11th level, you have 3 uses per short rest, and they last 10 minutes each; and at 17th level, you have 4 uses, and they last 20 minutes each. You may also use this feature additional times by expending 1 ki point each.

Nexus strikes

Also starting at third level, your enhanced feeling for give you certain mechanical advantages as you make unarmed strikes:

  • Creatures you hit with unarmed strikes have disadvantage on any resulting concentration saves.
  • If you have hit a creature with an unarmed strike at least once since the start of your last turn, you have advantage on saving throws versus their spells.

Meridian blocker and shaper

At 6th level, your study of the flux and channels of energy, especially through living bodies, gives you the ability to block or shift that energy in certain cases. You usually do so through quick, precise blows.

  • If you hit a given creature with 4 or more unarmed strikes between the beginning of your turn and the beginning of your next turn, all saving throws against their spells and abilities until the end of your next turn are made with advantage, and all their spell or magical attack rolls are made with disadvantage.
  • When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you may spend 3 ki and to cast Dispel Magic on them at 3rd level, using dexterity as your spellcasting ability. You may reduce this cost to 2 ki if you spend 1 use of your Vision of the Channels feature.
  • If a creature that you have hit since the last turn that you can see attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of at least 1 bonus action, you may (if range and other circumstances allow) use your reaction and spend 3 ki to make an unarmed strike against them. If this strike hits, then you cast Counterspell at third level, using dexterity as your spellcasting ability. If you had hit the target with 3 or more unarmed strikes since the beginning of your last turn, or if the current hit is critical, then any ability check you make for counterspell is made with advantage.

Improved vision of the channels

When your vision of the channels is active, you are able to see the connection between spells and their casters. If a non-permanent spell effect and its caster are both within 30 feet of you, you can see their connection. If only one of them is within 30 feet, you can see one end of this connection, allowing you to know the number of spell effects and a general cardinal direction (north, south, east, west, up, or down; or, if you are currently disoriented, "roughly that way" to the same precision) for each. If the other half of a spell/caster pair is on another plane of existence, you know that, but not which plane.

Follow the channels

You can also try to use your vision of the channels to see the paths of habitual or recent movement through space, even movement that leaves no physical trace. As an action, spend 1 ki point and make a Perception roll, and you may learn about past movement through the space within 30 feet of you.

This is usually just decided by the DM depending on what they think is reasonable based on your roll. However, if they wish to make a roll, here are the rules they can use:

  • One creature or group of creatures that passed through the area most recently and/or frequently rolls for stealth, if they were trying to be stealthy. If they weren't trying to be stealthy, use a passive "roll" of 5.
  • More than 10 minutes ago: +10
  • More than 1 hour ago: +5 (+15 total)
  • More than 1 day ago: +5 (+20 total)
  • Habitual movement path (>1/day): -5
  • Size category: +/- 3 for category above/below medium
  • Group of 3 or more: -5
  • Using magic: -5

If the total of the above is at or below the Perception roll, the monk knows the general path of movement. If it's below 5 lower, they know additional info, such as rough number/size/level.

Additionally, when you take the attack action, you can spend 1 ki point to cast a cantrip in place of one of your attacks. If you do so, it counts as a monk weapon for you and you do not suffer disadvantage if there is a hostile creature within 5 feet of you.

Prerequisite: Meridian Sight technique, 7th level

If a creature within your melee range that you've hit with an unarmed strike since the start of your last turn attempts to cast a spell, channel divinity, spend ki, or magically take a form other than its own, you may spend 3 ki points to make an unarmed attack as a reaction. If the attack hits, target must make a Wisdom saving throw. Certain extra modifiers apply:

  • For spells: add the level of the spell they are attempting to the roll.
  • For class abilities (such as ki, Channel Divinity, or Wild Shape): add half their level to the roll.
  • Subtract 2 for every time you have hit them with an unarmed strike since the start of your last turn.
  • Add 1 for every strike technique aside from this one which you have used since the start of your last turn.

If they fail this save, the spell or ability fails. If they fail by over 5 points, they become unable to cast spells, channel divinity, spend ki, or magically take a form other than their own for 1 minute.

Meridian cutter

Prerequisite: Meridian blocker technique, 9th level

When you hit with an unarmed strike, you may spend 4 ki points to apply the effects of Dispel Magic or Remove Curse at 3rd level. You may increase the effective level of either for 2 ki points per level.

You may instead spend 5 ki points to attempt to break your strike's target's attunement with their magic items. Target makes a Wisdom saving throw if they are attuned to any magic items. If they fail, they must choose one of their magic items to de-attune. If they fail by over 5, they de-attune with all their items.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Avatar State by dCTb





























At Higher Levels. This spell's damage increases by 1d10 at 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

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