Three Thousand Ways (Eastern Fantasy Supplement)

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<div class='cover-header'>Three Thousand Ways</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>A homebrew supplement revolving around eastern fantasy and the monk class.</div>

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# Introduction

## Message
I wanted to add a table of contents here but none of the internal links were working, and I would've love for it to work, so I just gave up. Instead, I shall tell you where to find each part of this supplement directly.

</div>

Part 2 | Character Options follows after this page, which includes Optional Class Features for the Monk class and a collection of Feats ([page 3](#p3) and [page 4](#p4)), as well as the eight Monastic Traditions that can be found starting from [page 5](#p5).

The Way of Ten Thousand Arts and the Way of the One Blade, I think are the most outstanding in terms of flavor, but the rest have been written with the same levels of fervor that I had for those two.

- The Way of Heavenly Flames can be found on [page 5](#p5)
- The Way of Ten Thousand Arts can be found on [page 6](#p6)
- The Way of the God Star can be found on [page 9](#p9)
- The Way of the Loong can be found on [page 10](#p10)
- The Way of the One Blade can be found on [page 11](#p11)
- The Way of the Playful Swallow can be found on [page 13](#p13)
- The Way of the Thunderheart Emperor can be found on [page 14](#p14)
- The Way of Transcendent Poison can be found on <div>[page 15](#p15)</div>

</div>

I hope you have fun reading through this supplement!

</div>

— þeckie

</div>

*P.S. The entirety of this supplement is unofficial, fan-made content permitted under the Fan Content Policy that is not approved/endorsed by Wizards of the Coast. Portions of the materials used are properties of Wizards of the Coast (©Wizards of the Coast LLC.) and their respective parties.*

</div>

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## The Three Thousand Ways
Within Eastern culture, using large numbers to mean "many" or "numerous" is common: ten thousand troops, eighty-four thousand paths to enlightenment, eight million gods. In the same fashion, the "Three Thousand Ways" is used to mean "many ways" to enlightenment in the Daoist religion. In the context of this here supplement, the three thousand ways refers to the many ways one can play as a Monk in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, as well as the myriad homebrew contents to add to your own campaign.

> ##### Wordplay and Trickery
> **[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8#As_a_lucky_number):** "The Japanese thought of eight (や, ya) as a holy number in the ancient times. The reason is less well-understood, but it is thought that it is related to the fact they used eight to express large numbers vaguely."
>
> This supplement includes eight subclasses for the monk class (eight ways) which can mean "numerous ways." The title "Three Thousand Ways" can also mean the same thing. Thus, by using a bit of wordplay, I've titled this supplement truthfully.

</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 1 | Introduction</div>

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# Character Options
<div>
This part of the supplement contains character options, including optional class features, feats, and monastic traditions. 
</div>

## Optional Class Features
A major reason as to why the Monk class feels like it doesn't have enough Ki at early levels is because of the effectiveness of the Stunning Strike feature easily winning over the other Ki features of the Monk class. Thus, the following optional class features seek to resolve that issue by replacing Stunning Strike with another feature that helps the Monk with its dependency on Ki, as well as some other changes to its core features to facilitate the replacement.

### Formless Strikes
*5th-level Monk feature (replaces Stunning Strike)*

When you attack a creature twice with unarmed strikes or monk weapons on your turn and at least one of those attacks hit, you can impose one of the following effects on it:

</div>

#### Flooding River
Until the end of your next turn, the first time that the creature makes a saving throw or an attack roll, it must roll a d4 and subtract the result from its roll.

#### Might of the Mountain
The creature must succeed a Strength saving throw against your Ki save DC or be pushed 5 feet away from you. It fails this save automatically if it is Medium or smaller.

#### Sweep of Gales
The creature must succeed a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC or be knocked prone. A Huge or larger creature succeeds this save automatically.

</div>

### Alternate Class Features
Consider making the following changes to the Monk class as well if you are planning to replace Stunning Strike with the Formless Strikes feature above.

#### 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 (minimum of 1) per monk level after 1st

#### Martial Arts
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: a d6 at 5th level, a d8 at 9th level, a d10 at 13th level, and a d12 at 17th level.

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## Feats
The following are a collection of feats to pick and choose to include in your campaigns. Some are inspired by tropes in eastern fantasy media, while others are purely options for more mechanics.

### Gift of the Astral Dragon
You've manifested some power of astral dragons granting you the following benefits:

* **Astral Walk:** You learn the *misty step* spell and can cast it once without expending a spell slot. You regain the ability to cast it in this way when you finish a short or long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
* **Planar Tether:** When you are forced to make a saving throw to resist being transported to another plane, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on the save. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

<div class='descriptive'>
 
 ##### Dragons of the East
 Astral dragons, though are born of the Astral Plane, spend most of their juvenile years in the Prime Material Plane, only retreating to their native plane more and more as they grow older. They have the appearance of a serpentine dragon that one may associate with eastern culture. Additionally, it seems they most often make their appearances in the east or areas that border the east. Thus, one can conclude that the dragons of the east — the loong — are actually Astral Dragons.
 
 Though, it's not certain where the numerous types of the loong (Tianlong, Jiaolong, etc.) originate from. Perhaps it is derived from spellcasting astral dragons who specialize in one type of magic, or it may be because easterners on the border had witnessed western true dragons flying overhead. It may even be because of the intermingling between astral dragons and western true dragons that resulted in these special types of eastern dragons — the true loong of the east.
 
 </div>

### Ki Adept
You have ascetic training, which allows you to tap into the powers of ki. You gain the following benefits.

* You gain the Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind features available to the Monk class.
* You gain 3 ki points to spend on said features above (these points are added to any ki points you have from another source but can be used only on those features). You regain all spent ki points when you finish a short or long rest.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Weightless Incline Arts Practitioner
You learn the Weightless Incline technique (also called Qinggong). You gain the following benefits:

* Your jump distance is increased by half  your walking speed. In addition, you can make a running long jump or a running high jump after moving only 5 feet on foot, rather than 10 feet.
* You only take damage from falling further than your walking speed, and you take less damage from falling. For you, falling from 10 feet more than your walking speed deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage to you, plus an extra 1d4 for every 10 feet beyond that point, up to a maximum of 10d4 damage.

### Poison Master
You've mastered the art of poisons, granting you the following benefits:

* You gain proficiency with the poisoner's kit if you don't already have it. 
* You gain resistance to poison damage and have advantage on saves against being poisoned. You are immune to the poisons that you concoct.
* As an action, you can combine numerous poisonous materials to create and release a poison gas in a 10-foot sphere centered on you that lasts for 1 minute. The gas is of a color has a foul or sweet smell of your choice. Each creature that moves into or starts its turn within the gas must succeed a Constitution saving throw (DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier) or fall prone and be incapacitated for the duration of the gas. At the end of each of its turns, an affected creature can make a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.

### Turtle Breath Arts Practitioner
You learn the Turtle Breath Holding technique, granting you the following benefits:

* You can hold your breath for up to 1 hour.
* You can breathe through your skin (or your pores, if any), which erases your presence and gives you advantage on all Dexterity (Stealth) checks against being seen or heard.

### Unarmed Combat Master
You've mastered various forms of unarmed combat. You gain the following benefits:

* Your unarmed strikes use a d6 for damage.
* When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike as part of an Attack action, you can immediately try to disarm one item from, grapple, or shove the target as a bonus action.
* When you are hit by a weapon attack, you can use your reaction to deflect the blow with your limbs, reducing the damage you take by an amount equal to the attack modifier of your unarmed strikes (minimum of 1).

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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## Monastic Traditions

It is said that the path of a monk is determined by the teachings of their monasteries. But is that really so?

The following are some monastic traditions that you may want to include in your Dungeons & Dragons campaign. They are teachings of not monasteries, but of bloodlines and clans, cults and religions, pavilions, sects, schools and academies, and other organizations. They are inheritances of golden ages long forgotten, and it's up to you to decide how they fit into your own world.

### Way of Heavenly Flames
Once upon a time, there was a mischievous martial artist who tamed the Heavenly Flame — said to be the ruler of all fires — and rose up through the heavens to become a martial god. None remember his name now, but his feats have surely consolidated the power of the Heavenly Flame in the eyes of the martial world.

The Way of Heavenly Flames will have the practitioner cultivate an ember from within themselves, slowly refining it over months and years into a replica of the Heavenly Flame tamed by that martial god.

#### Ephemeral Flame Arts
*3rd-level Way of Heavenly Flames feature*

You learn the Ephemeral Flame Arts, sparking an ember from within your core. You gain the following features:

***
* **Breath of Fire:** You learn the *create bonfire* cantrip, and you can spend 2 ki points to cast the *burning hands* spell without using a spell slot. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability score for these spells.

* **Infusion of Blaze:** When you hit an unarmed strike or a monk weapon attack, you can choose to deal fire damage instead of the normal damage. This damage sets ablaze any flammable object that is not being worn or carried.

* **Flurry of Flames:** When you deal fire damage to a creature as part of an action with one of your features or spells, you can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action or use your Flurry of Blows feature.

</div>

#### Earth Scorching Flame
*6th-level Way of Heavenly Flames feature*

Your inner ember has grown to the point of scorching the earth beneath your feet as you walk. You gain the following features:

***
* **Trailblazer:** When you take the Dash action, your steps leave behind a small trail of fire for 1d4 minutes. This fire cannot set anything ablaze. Also, you gain resistance to fire damage.

* **Sun Fire:** Your unarmed strikes, monk weapon attacks, monk features, and spells you cast ignore resistance to fire damage.

</div>

\columnbreak

#### Phantasmal Flame Release
*11th-level Way of Heavenly Flames feature*

You learn to release the power of the flame that you have been cultivating all this time. As an action, you can spend 4 ki points to let fire explode from you in a 20-foot sphere. Each creature caught inside the sphere (including you) must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 8d6 fire damage. A creature takes half as much damage on a successful save.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.

</div>

#### Divine Flame Arts
*17th-level Way of the Heavenly Flames feature*

You learn the Divine Flame Arts, promoting your once tiny ember into the ruler of all flames. You gain the following features:

***
* **Fire King's Decree:** You learn the *control flames* cantrip, and you can cast it on magical flames. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability score for it.

* **Embodiment of Divine Flame:** You can spend 7 ki points to cast the *investiture of flame* spell without using a spell slot. Once you cast it, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability score for it.

</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of Ten Thousand Arts

The Bridge of Ten Thousand Arts was a sacred scripture once stolen by the Thief of Five Fates. It was eventually recovered by an unknown martial artist after a millennium of being thought gone for good.

The Way of Ten Thousand Arts contains multitudes of offensive, defensive, and movement arts for the practitioner to master and shift between during battle.

##### Way of Ten Thousand Arts
| Monk Level  | Features                       |
|:-----------:|:-------------------------------|
|     3rd     | Ten Thousand Arts              |
|     6th     | Myriad Movement Arts           |
|    11th     | Fleeting Five Phases           |
|    17th     | Master of Three Thousand Forms |

#### Ten Thousand Arts

*3rd-level Way of Ten Thousand Arts feature*

You unlock a repertoire of attack arts and defense arts. You gain proficiency in martial weapons and you can draw and stow a weapon every time you make an attack. When you roll initiative, you can align your ki to an attack or defense art listed at the end of this subclass, ready to use it.

You can only have one attack or one defense art active at once. If the weapon you are wielding is mentioned in an attack art, it is considered a monk weapon for you while you have that attack art active.

When you use Flurry of Blows (before or after one or both attacks), you can switch to an attack art apart from your current art. You can switch to a defense art the same way when you use Patient Defense.
</div>

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#### Myriad Movement Arts
*6th-level Way of Ten Thousand Arts feature*

You unlock a repertoire of movement arts listed at the end of this subclass.

When you finish a short or long rest, you can pick a movement art to align your ki to, readying yourself to use it.

When you use Step of the Wind, you can switch to a different movement art.
</div>

#### Fleeting Five Phases
*11th-level Way of Ten Thousand Arts feature*

You gain the ability to empower your attack, defense, or movement arts until the start of your next turn as a bonus action. The name, ki cost, and effect of the empowerment are listed alongside the original art. You can only empower one art at a time, and you can only empower an art while it is active.
</div>

#### Master of Three Thousand Forms
*17th-level Way of Ten Thousand Arts feature*

Through endless practice, you have achieved mastery over an attack art, a defense art, and a movement art of your choice. For you, those arts are always empowered when they are active. Some arts have a different effect when empowered permanently, which they will mention if they do.
</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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#### Attack Arts
The following are attack arts of monks of Ten Thousand Arts. If an attack art requires a creature to make a saving throw, the DC is your Ki save DC.

##### Axe of the Red Forest
Your melee attacks with a battleaxe or greataxe push targets back by 10 feet when you roll the maximum value on the damage die.

**Empower (2 ki) - Thousand Pound Axe.** When you hit a creature with a melee attack using a battleaxe or greataxe, it must succeed a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

##### Blade of the Violet Mist
Your melee attacks with a longsword or rapier deal a bonus 1d4 psychic damage while you are holding your weapon in one hand and nothing in the other.

**Empower (6 ki) - Violet Sunset Barrage.** Immediately when you empower this art, you can use your action to attack in a 15-foot cone. Creatures caught in the cone must succeed a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to five rolls of your Martial Arts die. A creature takes half as much damage on a success. A creature caught alone in the cone takes extra damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die regardless of if it succeeds or fails its save.

If this art is permanently empowered for you, you can spend 4 ki points to take this action without using a bonus action to empower the art beforehand. This action counts as an Attack action with a monk weapon.

##### Blades of the Heavenly Legion
While you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can make two attacks with your off-hand weapon instead of unarmed strikes when you use your Flurry of Blows. You don't add your ability modifier to these off-hand attacks, unless they are negative, even if you have the Two-Weapon Fighting fighting style.

**Empower (2 ki) - Heavenly Whirlwind Blades.** When you take the Attack action, you can make an additional attack with your off-hand weapon for every attack you make. You add your ability modifier to the damage of these off-hand attacks.

##### Bow of the Sun and Moon
Your ranged attacks with the shortbow or longbow deal radiant damage, don't use ammunition, and they can't suffer disadvantage while in sunlight or moonlight. Arrows you shoot while using this art disappear after a minute.

**Empower (2 ki) - Twilight Arrow.** Your ranged attacks with the shortbow or longbow have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

##### Claw of the White Tiger
Your unarmed strikes deal slashing damage. Whenever you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

**Empower (2 ki) - Tendon Killing Claw.** Whenever you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, its speed is reduced by half its original speed until the end of its next turn and it can only make one attack on its next turn when it takes the Attack action.

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##### Fist of Five Phases
Your unarmed strikes deal acid, cold, fire, force, or lightning damage (your choice whenever you hit), and they deal a bonus +2 damage on targets that you previously damaged with a different damage type from this art.

**Empower (1-3 ki) - Formless Five Fists.** The bonus damage from this art increases by +1 for every ki point you spend to empower it.

If this art is permanently empowered for you, the bonus to the damage of your unarmed strikes you get from this art becomes +4.

##### Needle of the Timeworn Strings
When you make a ranged attack with a weapon that has the thrown property, it returns to your hand immediately after the attack. In addition, you have a +2 bonus to those attacks.

**Empower (2 ki) - Star Shattering Needle.** Your ranged attacks with a weapon that has the thrown property don't suffer disadvantage when attacking at long range, and they deal additional fire damage equal to a third of the target's Armor Class (rounded down).

##### Palm of the Poison Valley
Your unarmed strikes deal poison damage and they deal an extra 1d6 damage to poisoned targets. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike twice on the same turn, it must succeed a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of your next turn.
    
**Empower (3 ki) - Phoenix Poison Palm.** Your unarmed strikes ignore resistance and immunity to poison damage and being poisoned.

##### Pole of the Northern Storm
Your melee attacks with the halberd, glaive, quarterstaff, or spear have the Reach (5 ft.) property if they don't already.

**Empower (2 ki) - Storm of Poles.** Immediately when you empower this art, you can make two melee attacks with a halberd, glaive, quarterstaff, or spear that you are holding.

If this art is permanently empowered for you, you can spend a ki point as a bonus action to make the two melee attacks instead of benefiting from its original empowered effect.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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#### Defense Arts
The following are defense arts of monks of Ten Thousand Arts.

##### Adamant Heart Defense
You gain a +1 bonus to your Armor Class, and critical hits against you become normal hits.

**Empower (1 ki) - Adamant Soul Defense.** You gain an additional +1 bonus to your Armor Class.

##### <div style='margin-left:36px;'> Black Dog Watch </div>
You can't be surprised and creatures can't gain advantage on attacks against you no matter the circumstance.
    
**Empower (3 ki) - Black Dog Save.** You add your Wisdom modifier to all of your saving throws.

##### Formless Sword Wall
When a creature makes a melee attack against you and you are holding a longsword or rapier, you can make a melee attack against it as a reaction. On a hit, the creature has disadvantage on that attack.
    
**Empower (3 ki) - Flawless Sword Wall.** When a creature makes one or more melee attacks against you and you are holding a longsword or rapier, you can make a melee

<div style='margin-top:-10px'>attack against it for each time it attacks you (no reaction required). On a hit, the creature has disadvantage on the corresponding attack. </div>

##### Greater Deflect Missiles
You can use your Deflect Missiles feature without

<div style='margin-top:-10px'> spending a reaction by spending 1 ki point each time </div>

you use it.

**Empower (2 ki) - Mirror of the Clear Sky.** You don't

<div style='margin-top:-10px'> have to spend ki points to make ranged attacks with your Deflect Missiles feature.</div>

##### Unmoving Mountain Defense
You gain a +2 to your Armor Class at the beginning of your turn, which lasts until the start of your next turn or until you move.

**Empower (3 ki) - Enduring Mountain Defense.** You gain resistance to all damage except for psychic damage as long as you have the bonus to Armor Class from this art.

\columnbreak

#### Movement Arts
The following are movement arts of monks of Ten Thousand Arts.

##### Auspicious Leap
Your jump distance is based on your Dexterity score instead of your Strength score, and you add both your Dexterity modifier and your Wisdom modifier to it.

**Empower (2 ki) - Heaven Piercing Leap.** Your jump distance is tripled and you can jump the maximum distance without a running start.

##### Free Bird Dance
You don't provoke opportunity attacks when you move out of an enemy's reach, you ignore nonmagical difficult terrain, and you have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks made to escape being grappled.

**Empower (3 ki) - Heavenly Dragon Dance.** You gain a fly speed and swim speed equal to your movement speed.

##### Mystic Dodge
When you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage you take by an amount equal to your monk level.

**Empower (3 ki) - Dance of the Fairies.** When you use your reaction to reduce the damage you take with this art, you also teleport to an unoccupied space within 10 feet and become invisible until the start of your next turn, or until you take the Attack action or cast a spell.

##### Thousand Mile Walk
The bonus to movement speed from your Unarmored Movement feature is doubled.

**Empower (2 ki) - Virtuous Stride.** Your movement speed increases by 30 feet.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of the God Star
Channeling the power of the stars and charting the planets are special skills of the eastern people, though they are not rare skills. Some worship the God Star, for its miraculous expulsion of empowering energy, as well as its position in the night sky serving as a useful navigation tool.

The Way of the God Star channels its radiant power through the practitioner's body and techniques, allowing them to unleash powerful attacks and accomplish great feats.

##### Way of the God Star features
| Monk Level | Features               |
|:----------:|:-----------------------|
|     3rd    | Shining Starlight Arts |
|     6th    | Star-Empowered Body    |
|    11th    | Cosmic Dance Technique |
|    17th    | Divine Starlight Arts  |

#### Shining Starlight Arts
*3rd-level Way of the God Star feature*

You learn the Shining Starlight Arts, a collection of mantras and martial art techniques that allow you to absorb the power of the stars. You learn the *dancing lights* and *light* cantrips. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability score for them. You also gain the following features:

***
* **Glittering Sight:** Your eyes glow dimly with the power of the stars, giving you darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range is increased by 30 feet instead.

* **Shining Martial Arts:** You can cast *light* on your hands. When you cast *light* on your hands or a monk weapon, attacks with them deal radiant damage instead of the normal damage.

* **Starlight Radiance:** As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to force each creature of your choice within 15 feet to succeed a Charisma saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn.

</div>

\columnbreak

#### Star-Empowered Body
*6th-level Way of the God Star feature*

</div>

Starlight energy flows within you, giving you resistance to radiant damage.

Additionally, you exert some gravitational pressure in an area within 10 feet of you, granting you advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple or shove a creature whose body is entirely within that area, as well as advantage on checks and saves made to resist being non-magically knocked prone by those creatures.

</div>

#### Cosmic Dance Technique
*11th-level Way of the God Star feature*

You learn the Cosmic Dance Technique from the Shining Star Arts, letting you spend 4 ki points as an action to cast one of the following spells on yourself: *blink*, *fly*, or *haste*. Once you cast one of these spells, you must finish a long rest before you can cast any of those spells again.

In addition, with the Cosmic Dance technique, you have advantage on all Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, as well as Charisma (Performance) checks made to dance.

</div>

#### Divine Starlight Arts
*17th-level Way of the God Star feature*

Learning the ultimate Divine Starlight Arts, you gain the following features:

***
* **God Star Martial Arts:** Casting the *light* cantrip on your hands or a monk weapon becomes a free action for you, and you deal an additional die of damage when you hit a creature with a hand or monk weapon that has *light* casted on it.

* **God Star Strike:** As an action, you can spend 7 ki points to summon a ray of light from the God Star to deliver due punishment onto your foes. When you do so, each creature in a 10-foot-radius, 40-foot-high cylinder centered on a point within 120 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 8d10 radiant damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. Once you do this, you must finish a long rest before you can do it again.

</div>

>##### Alternative God Stars
>This monastic tradition spins a story of martial practitioners drawing energy from a single "God Star" to perform radiant martial arts. However, this "God Star" existence might not fit a campaign or character. Thus, I can recommend using other stars or cosmic phenomena (e.g. a black hole or a nebula, or the Dark Hunger Hadar) as the basis and switching around the radiant damage type of this tradition accordingly.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

\pagebreakNum

### Way of the Loong
People of the far east all revere the loong (eastern dragons) in one way or another, either as benevolent spirits or malevolent gods, for their unmatched divine power.

Monks who practice the Way of the Loong do not seek to emulate these dragons, but to become one through rigorous refinement of both body and soul.

##### Way of the Loong features
| Monk Level | Features                |
|:----------:|:------------------------|
|     3rd    | Mystic Dragon Arts      |
|     6th    | Ascend the Dragon Gate  |
|    11th    | Grasp the Flaming Pearl |
|    17th    | True Dragon Ascension   |

#### Mystic Dragon Arts
*3rd-level Way of the Lung Dragon feature*

You learn the Mystic Dragon Arts: a collection of breathing, fighting, and meditation techniques passed down by the true dragons of the East. You gain the following features:

***
* **Draconic:** You learn to read, write, and speak Draconic if you don’t already know it.

* **Five Claws Seal:** Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder. Your unarmed strikes can deal damage of the chosen type. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to expel elemental energy from your hands and feet, giving your unarmed strikes a reach of 15 feet for 1 minute.

* **Candle Dragon Breath:** As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to breathe the breaths of shifting winds. When you do so, each creature within a 15-foot cone originating from you must succeed a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone and pushed away from you up to 15 feet 
in a straight line.

</div>

#### Ascend the Dragon Gate
*6th- and 17th-level Way of the Lung Dragon feature*

You achieve the ascension of a carp to a dragon by jumping over the Dragon Gate. You become resistant to the damage type you chose for your Five Claws Seal feature, and you gain a fly speed of 30 feet. If you already have a fly speed, choose the higher of the two.

At 17th level, this fly speed is increased to 90 feet.
</div>

#### Grasp the Flaming Pearl
*11th-level Way of the Lung Dragon feature*

You can perceive your opponent’s weakest spot and take hold of it. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 or more ki points to grasp their "flaming pearl," up to 5 ki points.

When you do so, the target must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failure, it takes 1d6 fire damage + 1d6 per ki point spent above 1, and it has disadvantage on all 
</div>

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ability checks, attacks, and saving throws until the end of your next turn. On a success, the target takes half as much damage and does not receive any disadvantage.

</div>

#### True Dragon Ascension
*17th-level Way of the Lung Dragon feature*

You fully master the Mystic Dragon Arts, gaining the title of True Dragon, or another, more fitting title (e.g. Azure Dragon, Blazing Dragon, etc). You gain the following features:

***
* **True Dragon Presence:** You can unerringly speak the tongue of the dragons, and thus have advantage on Charisma checks when interacting with dragons. Additionally, your creature type becomes "dragon."
* **Fifth Claw of the Dragon:** You sprout a phantasmal limb called the “Fifth Claw” somewhere on your body. It acts as another arm and can appear and disappear on command. While the limb is present, you can make an additional attack when you take the Attack action on your turn. Unarmed strikes made with the limb deal force damage.

</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of the One Blade
In the farthest east, iron is scarce and bronze can't be found. Under such conditions, a metal blade has a profound price to those who do not possess wealth. However, the spiritual price of a blade is worth twice as much: the soul of the smith and the soul of the wielder reside within each swing of such an instrument.

The Way of the One Blade is a set of practices to be studied and followed. It is meant both warriors and killers who bind themselves to honor and their blades to the weight of lives.

##### Way of the One Blade features
| Monk Level | Features                            |
|:----------:|:------------------------------------|
|    3rd     | Blade of the Many, Style of the One |
|    6th     | Spirit of the One                   |
|   11th     | Blade of the One                    |
|   17th     | Saint of the One Blade              |

#### Blade of the Many
*3rd-level Way of the One Blade feature*

You take up a blade, holding it up with the weight of your life and the lives of many others, stepping onto the martial path. Choose a martial melee weapon that deals piercing or slashing damage and doesn't have the heavy or special properties. For you, that weapon is a monk weapon, and is referred to as your one blade.

Additionally, you gain proficiency in a set of artisan's tools of your choice.

</div>

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#### Style of the One
*3rd-level Way of the One Blade feature*

Choose one of the following sword styles, each of which grants you its own feature: the Bearded Shadow Style, the Rolling Shadow Style, or the Silent Flash Style.

***
* **Bearded Shadow Style:** Your sword slips between the edges of other blades. When you make an attack with your one blade against a creature, you deal an additional 1d4 damage if it attacked you on its last turn, and you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, whether you hit or not.

* **Rolling Thunder Style:** Your sword endlessly chases its goal. When you hit a creature with your one blade as part of your Attack action, you can immediately make another attack against it with your one blade as a bonus action if the creature moved on its last turn.

* **Silent Flash Style:** Your sword shows itself only to those it deems worthy. When you make an attack with your one blade, you can quickly draw and stow it as part of that attack. Once per turn when you hit a creature that didn't hit you on its last turn with your one blade, your attack deals extra damage equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die.

</div>

#### Spirit of the One
*6th-level Way of the One Blade feature*

Your swordsman's spirit grants you a couple features:

* You gain proficiency in a skill of your choice: Insight, Intimidation, or Persuasion.
* Your attacks with your one blade count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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Additionally, you learn one of the following techniques of your choice: Azure Dragon, Night Breaker, or Virulent Wolf.

***
* **Azure Dragon:** Once per turn when you miss an attack with your one blade, you can spend a ki point to make another attack with it, as heavenly dragon energy sweeps through your weapon. Your one blade deals radiant damage instead of its normal damage for that attack.

* **Night Breaker:** Once per turn when you hit a creature with your one blade, you can spend a ki point to force it to succeed a Wisdom saving throw or be blinded by shadows until the end of your next turn. The creature makes the save at disadvantage if it is in dim light or darkness.

* **Storm Wolf:** Once per turn when you hit a creature with your one blade, you can spend a ki point to deal lightning damage instead of the normal damage and give advantage to the next attack roll made against the creature before the end of your next turn.

#### Blade of the One
*11th-level Way of the One Blade feature*

You defend your life with your blade and defend your blade with your life, for it is one with you. You learn one of the following techniques of your choice: Flying Carp, Returning Moon, or True Edge.

***
* **Flying Carp:** When you take damage, you can spend 5 ki points to gracefully dodge, reducing the damage you take to zero. When you do so, you have disadvantage on all weapon attacks until the end of your next turn.

* **Returning Moon:** When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can spend 6 ki points to drop to 1 hit point instead and make an attack with your one blade against a creature within reach, dealing extra damage on a hit equal to the damage that originally reduced you to 0 hit points.

* **True Edge:** As an action, you can spend 4 ki points to make a special attack. When you do so, each creature within your reach takes damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + twice your one blade damage modifier.

</div>

#### Saint of the One Blade
*17th-level Way of the One Blade feature*

Reaching the levels to be called a saint of the sword, your style evolves in accordance to the techniques you practice. For you, your one blade gains two special properties determined by your techniques chosen at the 6th and 11th levels according to the table below:

|    Technique   | Property                         |
|:--------------:|:---------------------------------|
|  Azure Dragon  | Deals radiant damage             |
|  Night Breaker | Deals psychic damage             |
|   Storm Wolf   | Deals lightning damage           |
|  Flying Carp   | Grants +2 to AC when held        |
| Returning Moon | Grants +2 to all saves when held |
|   True Edge    | Deals an additional 1d8 damage   |

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>##### A Perfected Technique
>It's common for those proficient in the blade to have their own techniques, and naturally their own technique names. I encourage you to come up with a name based on your chosen sword styles and techniques (e.g. True Dragon's Edge), as well as create and choose original styles and techniques separate from the ones given in this here monastic tradition description. 
>
>The only guidelines I have for original styles and techniques are that they should perform similarly to a monk subclass feature of the same level, they should revolve around the "one blade," and they should be discussed with the DM before going into play.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of the Playful Swallow
Once upon a time, a swordsman trained his bladework to the utmost. With his curved sword aimed at the quick swallow that kept on stealing his rice, he struck three times in a single breath, entrapping the little swallow in a fan of true steel.

The Way of the Playful Swallow was named in honor of that little swallow, for it was made to be the best, most easy-going defense against the swordsman's wrathful blade.

##### Way of the Playful Swallow features
| Monk Level | Features              |
|:----------:|:----------------------|
|    3rd     | Swallow Reversal      |
|    6th     | Playful Flight        |
|   11th     | Greater Reversal      |
|   17th     | Dance of the Swallows |

#### Swallow Reversal
*3rd-level Way of the Swallow feature*

Quick as the swallow, you easily counter the assaults of your enemies. When a creature misses a melee attack against you, you can spend a ki point as a reaction to make an unarmed strike against it. The attack knocks the target prone on a hit if it is Large or smaller. No ki is required if the target had disadvantage on its attack.
</div>

#### Playful Flight
*6th-level Way of the Swallow feature*

You step as if you are always in flight. Creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attacks against you when you move out of their range.
</div>

#### Greater Reversal
*11th-level Way of the Swallow feature*

Once per round, when a creature hits you with a melee attack, you can spend up to 4 ki points to reduce the damage you take, with each ki point reducing the damage by an amount equal to your monk level. If the damage is reduced to 0, the attack counts as a miss and you can attack the creature as per your Swallow Reversal feature.

In addition, you can now knock Huge creatures prone with your Swallow Reversal feature.
</div>

#### Dance of the Swallows
*17th-level Way of the Swallow feature*

After hitting an enemy with an unarmed strike using the Swallow Reversal feature, you can attack other creatures the same way without a reaction until the start of your next turn, as long as they have disadvantage on their attacks.
</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of the Thunderheart Emperor

"*We called him the Thunderheart Wanderer, for his sword of storms struck thunderous fear into the hearts of men. That's the kind of warrior that my great-grandfather was.*"

— Thunderheart Emperor Huang Leifeng

</div>

<div>

The Way of the Thunderheart Emperor seeks to replicate the might of the Wanderer, who was an immortal cultivator of multiple mysterious lightning arts and fighting techniques.

</div>

##### Way of the Thunderheart Emperor features
| Monk Level | Features                |
|:----------:|:------------------------|
|    3rd     | Imperial Lightning Arts |
|    6th     | Step of the Storm       |
|   11th     | Lightning Bird Approach |
|   17th     | Eight-Layered Lightning |

</div>

#### Imperial Lightning Arts
*3rd-level Way of the Thunderheart Emperor feature*

You learn the Imperial Lightning Arts: a collection of magical techniques passed down in the Thunder Emperor lineage. You gain the following features:

***
- **Heavenly Lightning Seal:** As a bonus action, you can summon a pair of lightning bolts to your hands to serve as weapons for 1 minute or until you dismiss them (no action required).

- **Stormwise Sense:** As an action, you can sense the latent electric energy of those around you. When you do so, you know the location of every creature that is not behind total cover within 15 feet of you until the end of your next turn.

- **Thunder Transmission:** You learn the *message* cantrip, and you can cast it without having to provide the somatic and material components

A lightning bolt counts as a simple melee weapon with which you are proficient. It deals lightning damage equal to your Martial Arts die on a hit and has the finesse, light, and thrown properties (range 30/60). Lightning bolts return to your hand after you make ranged attacks with them.
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You add your ability modifier to off-hand attacks with your lightning bolts, and you can make attacks with your lightning bolts instead of unarmed strikes when you use your Flurry of Blows feature.

#### Step of the Storm
*6th-level Way of the Thunderheart Emperor feature*

When you take the Dash action, you gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your turn. In addition, you gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage.
</div>

#### Lightning Bird Approach
*11th-level Way of the Thunderheart Emperor feature*

When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can spend 4 ki points to mark it until the end of your next turn. The mark disappears if you mark a different creature.

As an action when the marked creature is within 120 feet of you and not behind total cover, you can transform into a bolt of lightning and teleport behind the creature from your position. Any creature caught in a 5-foot wide straight line that stretches between your starting point and destination must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 6d8 lightning damage on a failed save, and half as much on a successful one.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.
</div>

#### Eight-Layered Lightning
*17th-level Way of the Thunderheart Emperor feature*

As a bonus action, you can spend 6 ki points to call forth the spirit of the Eight-Layered Lightning hidden inside the Imperial Lightning Arts to possess you. When you do so, your unarmed strikes and attacks with your lightning bolts deal an extra 2d8 lightning damage for the following 1 minute.

When the possession ends, or a bonus action on your turn while you are possessed by the Eight-Layered Lightning spirit, you can release all of its energy in a 20-foot sphere centered on you. When you do so, each creature of your choice within the sphere takes 4d8 lightning damage and must succeed a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
</div>

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px;bottom:290px'>Part 2 | Character Options</div>

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### Way of Transcendent Poison
The art of poisons has long been viewed as unsavory by the common people of the East because of its dark connotations as a way of murder and misery. However, a master of poisons will also know how to heal poisons — a way of harm is also a way to heal — for it is said that the root of all growth comes from balance in yin and yang.

A master of the Way of Transcendent Poison is said to be a person of balance and harmony, as well as disorder and discord. With potent poisons at their disposal, it is not uncommon for them to kill and save people on a whim.

##### Way of Transcendent Poison features
| Monk Level | Features                                 |
|:----------:|:-----------------------------------------|
|     3rd    | Bonus Proficiencies, Woeful Poison Arts  |
|     6th    | Wealful Poison Arts                      |
|    11th    | Touch of Misery                          |
|    17th    | Transcendent Poison                      |

#### Bonus Proficiencies
*3rd-level Way of Transcendent Poison feature*

You gain proficiency in the herbalism kit and poisoner’s kit.

</div>

#### Woeful Poison Arts
*3rd-level Way of Transcendent Poison feature*

You learn a set of meditation techniques and poison formulas called the Woeful Poison Arts, turning your internal energy into something poisonous and granting you the following features: Toxic Armaments and Poisoned Ki Infiltration.

***
* **Toxic Armaments:** As a bonus action, you can spend a ki point to activate this poisonous energy, making your unarmed strikes and monk weapon attacks deal an extra 1d4 poison damage for 1 minute. At 11th level, this damage becomes 1d6.

* **Poisoned Ki Infiltration:** While your poisonous energy is active, a creature that you hit with unarmed strikes or monk weapon attacks twice in one turn must succeed a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for 1 minute. When a creature is poisoned this way, it can make a Constitution save at the end of each of its turns, recovering from the poison on a success; It has disadvantage on this save if you hit it with an unarmed strike or monk weapon attack on your last turn.

</div>

#### Wealful Poison Arts
*6th-level Way of Transcendent Poison feature*

You learn the benevolent counterpart to the Woeful Poison Arts — called the Wealful Poison Arts — which grants you the following features: Toxic Body and Antidote Poison.

***
* **Toxic Body:** You gain resistance to poison damage, and your unarmed strikes, monk weapon attacks, and monk features ignore resistance to poison damage.

</div>

\columnbreak

***
* **Antidote Poison:** You can use a herbalism kit or poisoner’s kit as part of a short or long rest to produce one dose of an antidote for a type of poison, a cure for a type of disease, or a potion that restores hit points equal to one roll of your martial arts die to a creature that drinks it. Some poisons and diseases may require you to make an ability check to make a cure for.

</div>

#### Touch of Misery
*11th-level Way of Transcendent Poison feature*

The ki within you stirs endlessly, its poisonous effects breaching the defenses of your foes. You gain the following features: Toxic Heart and Potent Poisoned Ki.

***
* **Toxic Heart:** Your unarmed strikes, monk weapon attacks, and monk features treat immunity to poison as resistance, and ignores immunity to being poisoned.

* **Potent Poisoned Ki:** When you poison a creature, you can insert your poisonous ki into it by spending 4 ki points. While your ki is inside a creature, the creature must succeed a Constitution saving throw at the start of each of its turns or take 2d6 poison damage. Your ki remains inside a creature for as long as it is poisoned.

</div>

#### Transcendent Poison
*17th-level Way of Transcendent Poison feature*

You have reached the ultimate stage of transcendent poison, granting you the following features: Toxic Soul and Elixir Poison.

***
* **Toxic Soul:** Your unarmed strikes and monk weapon attacks ignore immunity to poison damage.

* **Elixir Poison:** As part of a long rest, you can use a herbalism kit or poisoner's kit to create a potion of uncommon rarity or lower that you've drank or studied for at least 1 hour, at half the price required to concoct it originally.

<div class='footnote' style='font-size:12px'> Part 2 | Character Options</div>

\pagebreakNum

Images, in order of appearance:

* Cover Art: [Stormcaller](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/YaO6nV) by [Eren ARIK](https://www.artstation.com/erenarik)
* [Cutscenes for 《斩妖行》/《EASTERN EXORCIST》](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/b5KAAa) by [qingdong Wu](https://www.artstation.com/wuqingdong) (page 4)
* [Fire Mage](https://www.deviantart.com/danyiart/art/Fire-Mage-861742001) by [István Dányi / danyiart](https://www.deviantart.com/danyiart) (page 5)
* [Fight among the market](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/RY05v) by [Stanton Feng](https://www.artstation.com/kd428) (page 6)
* [boxing](https://www.deviantart.com/phoenixlu/art/boxing-173312705) by [phoenixlu](https://www.deviantart.com/phoenixlu) (page 7)
* [Highlander Monk Linmei](https://eu.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/character/1400115/blog/4476011/) by [andojing](https://twitter.com/andojing) (page 8)
* [Water Dance](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/J9LzDZ) by [Kan Liu / 666K信譞](https://www.artstation.com/666kart) (page 8)
* [Starlight](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/Ya8ra6) by [Patrycja Wójcik](https://www.artstation.com/wojcik2d) (page 9)
* [Firespawn Mystic](https://www.deviantart.com/artofbeng/art/Firespawn-Mystic-645175315) by [Ben Guldemond / ArtofBenG](https://www.deviantart.com/artofbeng) (page 10)
* [Autumn moon](https://www.deviantart.com/jungshan/art/Autumn-moon-770852596) and [Tit for tat 3](https://www.deviantart.com/jungshan/art/Tit-for-tat-3-325791079) by [Jungshan](https://www.deviantart.com/jungshan) (page 11, 12)
* [Aikido Painting](https://mariusz-szmerdt.pixels.com/featured/aikido-painting-aikido-art-print-aikido-wall-decor-aikido-home-decor-aikido-print-mariusz-szmerdt.html) by [Mariusz Szmerdt](https://mariusz-szmerdt.pixels.com/) <div>(page 13, Swallows asset found on Shutterstock)</div>
* [Keqing Fanart](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/rAK4OJ) by [Fahmi Fauzi](https://www.artstation.com/mangamie) (page 14)
* [Gift - Poison ambassador](https://www.artstation.com/artwork/D5ARDE) by [Nise Loftsteinn](https://www.artstation.com/nise_loftsteinn) (page 15)

<div>

All [Dungeon Master's Guide watercolor stains](https://watercolors.giantsoup.com/dmg/index.html) created by Jared Ondricek ([u/flamableconcrete](https://www.reddit.com/user/flamableconcrete))

</div>

<div>

Written by Techkie

</div>
 
</div>