Monk Feature Variants
The way of most monks is that of agility, to walk faster than wind and to strike with superhuman speed and precision. You are not one of them. Perhaps, you have lived a particularly hard and cruel life as a street urchin and pugilist, which reflected on your monk training and taught you things no other monk would know. Or, maybe, this is the ancient tradition of the monastery you grew up in. Whatever the reason, you chose to direct your Ki and relentless training to forge your body into an adamantine fortress, and your fists - into battering rams. As opposed to evading devastating blows, like a mosquito, you face them with a fearless grin. Every strike directed at you is but a challenge, a test of your strength. Every punch you deliver is yet another battle trophy. In your world, only the strongest ones live. Either you break and fall, or endure and become even stronger. This is the way you chose to walk upon.
This homebrew is aimed at giving the monk class viable Strength-based playstyle options, by solving the MADness (Multiple Ability Dependence) of Strength monk and compensating for the lack of Dexterity (i.e. initiative, saving throws etc.) with better grappling and damage-sponging capability. Depending on the power level of your campaign and your personal opinion on the balance of this homebrew, you can choose to use all, some, only one, or none at all of the following features.
Hit Points
optional monk feature (replaces Hit Points)
- Hit Dice: 1d10 per monk level
- Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Monk level after 1st
Iron Muscles
1st-level optional monk feature (replaces Unarmored Defense)
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Wisdom modifier.
Iron Mountain
2nd-level optional monk feature (enhances Ki)
As a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to gain advantage on all Strength checks and saving throws you make within the next 1 minute. Additionally, for the duration of this effect you count as if you were one size larger for the purpose of grappling and determining your carrying capacity.
