# The Monk: The LoA Variant Her fists a blur as they deflect an incoming hail of arrows, a half-elf springs over a barricade and throws herself into the massed ranks of hobgoblins on the other side. She whirls among them, knocking their blows aside and sending them reeling, until at last she stands alone. Taking a deep breath, a human covered in tattoos settles into a battle stance. As the first charging orcs reach him, he exhales and a blast of fire roars from his mouth, engulfing his foes. Moving with the silence of the night, a black-clad halfling steps into a shadow beneath an arch and emerges from another inky shadow on a balcony a stone’s throw away. She slides her blade free of its cloth-wrapped scabbard and peers through the open window at the tyrant prince, so vulnerable in the grip of sleep. Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does. <div class='classTable wide'> ##### The Monk | Level | Proficiency Bonus | Martial Arts | Ki Points | Spirit Flow | Unarmored Movement | Features | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 1st | +2 | 1d4 | — | — | — | Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts | | 2nd | +2 | 1d4 | 4 | 1 | +10 ft. | Ki, Unarmored Movement| | 3rd | +2 | 1d4 | 5 | 1 | +10 ft. | Monastic Tradition, Deflect Missiles | | 4th | +2 | 1d4 | 6 | 1 | +10 ft. | Ability Score Improvement, Slow Fall | | 5th | +3 | 1d6 | 7 | 2 | +10 ft. | Extra Attack, Stunning Strike | | 6th | +3 | 1d6 | 8 | 2 | +10 ft. | Ki-Empowered Strikes, Monastic Tradition Feature | | 7th | +3 | 1d6 | 9 | 2 | +15 ft. |Evasion, Stillness of Mind | | 8th | +3 | 1d6 | 10 | 2 | +15 ft. | Ability Score Improvement | | 9th | +4 | 1d8 | 11 | 3 | +15 ft. | Unarmored Movement Improvement | | 10th | +4 | 1d8 | 12 | 3 | +20 ft. | Purity of Body | | 11th | +4 | 1d8 | 13 | 3 | +20 ft.| Monastic Tradition Feature, Flurry of Blows Improvement | | 12th | +4 | 1d8 | 14 | 3 | +20 ft. | Ability Score Improvement | | 13th | +5 | 1d10 | 15 | 4 | +20 ft. | Agile Athletics | | 14th | +5 | 1d10 | 16 | 4 | +25 ft. | Diamond Soul | | 15th | +5 | 1d10 | 17 | 4 | +25 ft. | Timeless Body | | 16th | +5 | 1d10 | 18 | 4 | +25 ft. | Ability Score Improvement | | 17th | +6 | 1d12 | 19 | 5 | +25 ft. | Monastic Tradition Feature | | 18th | +6 | 1d12 | 20 | 5 | +30 ft. | Empty Body | | 19th | +6 | 1d12 | 21 | 5 | +30 ft. | Ability Score Improvement | | 20th | +6 | 1d12 | 22 | 5 | +30 ft. | Perfect Self, Flurry of Blows Improvement | </div> \pagebreakNum ### Creating a Monk As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on the monastery's threshold? Did your parents promise you to the monastery in gratitude for a service performed by the monks? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the monastic life for yourself? Consider why you left. Did the head of your monastery choose you for a particularly important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community's rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home? As a result of the structured life of a monastic community and the discipline required to harness ki, monks are almost always lawful in alignment. #### Quick Build You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom and then Constitution. Second, choose the hermit background. ## Class Features As a monk, you gain the following 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, improvised weapons - **Tools:** Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument - **Saving Throws:** Wisdom, 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 - *(a)* 10 darts Alternatively, you can start with 1d4 x 10 gp and buy your starting equipment. \columnbreak ### Monk Multiclassing Monks follow all the normal rules for multiclassing. The following tables function as additions to those listed on page 163 and 164 of the Player’s Handbook. If your group uses the optional rule on multiclassing in the Player’s Handbook, here’s what you need to know if you choose monks as one of your classes. **Ability Score Minimum.** As a multiclass character, you must have at least a Dexterity and Wisdom score of 13 to take a level in this class, or to take a level in another class if you are already a monk. **Proficiencies Gained.** If monk isn’t your initial class, here are the proficiencies you gain when you take your first level as a monk: Simple weapons, Shortswords, Improvised Weapons. **Spell Slots.** If you are a Kabuki, add a third of your level in monk rounded down to the appropriate levels from other classes to determine your available spell slots. ### Unarmored Defense 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. When another creature hits you with a melee attack while you are wielding a monk weapon, or no weapon at all, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus, as determined by your monk levels, to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you. \pagebreakNum ### Martial Arts At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords, improvised weapons, and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property. 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, take the Dodge, Disengage, or Help action, spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action, or use a Monastic Tradition feature as an action on your turn, you can make one attack with an 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. Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook. ### Ki 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. You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such 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 normally 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 spent part of the rest meditating to regain your ki points. Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: **Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier** \columnbreak #### Flurry of Blows 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. The number of unarmed strikes increases as you gain monk levels. At 11th level, this increases to three unarmed strikes. At 20th level, this increases to four unarmed strikes. #### Patient Defense You can spend 1 ki point when you take your action on your turn to impose disadvantage on all attack rolls against you until the beginning of your next turn. #### Step of the Wind You can spend 1 ki point when you take your move on your turn to move like the wind. Your speed is doubled until the end of your turn, your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, you have advantage on any Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn. #### Spirit Flow As an action, you can spend ki points up to a limit set by the Spirit Flow column of the Monk table to invigorate the spirit of another creature you touch. That creature regains an expended spell slot or spell points equivalent to the ki points you spent. Alternatively, if a creature does not have spell slots, it may regain 1 expended use of a feature that regains expended uses on a short or long rest if you expend ki points equal to your ki point limit. Once a creature benefits from your Spirit Flow, it cannot benefit from your Spirit Flow again until the creature finishes a long rest. #### Quickened Healing As an action, you can spend 1 ki point and roll a Martial Arts die. You regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your Wisdom modifier. ### Unarmored Movement 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 (15 ft at 6th level, 20 ft at 10th level, 25 ft at 14th level, and 30 feet at 18th level). At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. ### Monastic Tradition When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition, detailed at the end of the class description. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. \pagebreakNum ### Deflect Missiles Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch missiles when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from these attacks are reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level. When you use your reaction this way, you may reduce the damage of any further ranged weapon attacks until the beginning of your next turn. 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 make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught as part of the same reaction. You you are considered proficient with the missile for this attack, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. You may make only one such attack until the beginning of your next turn. ### Ability Score Improvement 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. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature. You can also forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead. ### Slow Fall Beginning at 4th level, while you are conscious you reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level. ### Extra Attack Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn. ### Debilitating Strike Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent’s body. When you hit another creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to make a Debilitating Strike. The target may not take reactions until the end of your next turn. Additionally, you may choose to inflict one of the following two secondary effects on the target. Once a creature succeeds on a saving throw versus one of your Debilitating Strikes or has the effect ended on it, it is immune to that strike's secondary effect until you finish a long rest. #### Stunning Strike The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. \columnbreak #### Slowing Stike The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have their speed halved and take a -2 penalty to AC and Dexterity saving throws. On the target's turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both. Regardless of the creature's abilities, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its 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 the creature's next turn, and the creature must use its action on that turn to complete the spell. If it can't the spell is wasted. All of these effects persist on the target until the end of your next turn. ### Ki-Empowered Strikes Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. At 11th level, you have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your unarmed strikes. ### Evasion 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. ### Standing Still Starting at 7th level, on the first round of a combat, you may take your turn to stand still, mentally preparing yourself for combat. When you do so, you must concentrate as if concentrating on a spell. You cannot take actions, move or speak until the beginning of your next turn. During this time, any creature who targets you with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. Standing Still doesn't protect you from area effects, such as the explosion of a *fireball*. At the beginning of your next turn, the effect ends, you regain up to 2+Wisdom modifier expended ki points and the you may act normally. For the next minute, or until you lose concentration, you may attack 3 times instead of twice when you take the attack action on your turn. Furthermore, whenever a melee weapon attack against you misses, you may use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against the attacker. If this attack hits, in addition to dealing damage, the target must make a Dexterity saving throw. If the saving throw fails, you may disarm the held weapon that made the attack. You may choose to grab the weapon yourself, or have it land anywhere within 10 feet of the attacker. Once you use Standing Still, you may not use it again until you complete a short or long rest. \pagebreakNum ### Purity of Body At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison. ### Agile Athletics Starting at 13th level, you learn to use your speed and agility to fuel feats of strength. You may use your Dexterity modifier in place of your Strength modifier whenever a Strength ability check is called for. ### Diamond Soul 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 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. ### Empty Body Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 6 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 Self At 20th level, your mystical powers manifest to their ultimate form, enhancing your physical attributes beyond what is achievable by others. Your Dexterity and Wisdom scores increase by 2 and your maximum for these scores is now 22. \columnbreak ## Monastic Traditions * [Way of the Ascendant Dragon](#way-of-the-ascendant-dragon) * [Way of the Astral Self](#way-of-the-astral-self) * [Way of the Cobalt Soul](#way-of-the-cobalt-soul) * [Way of the Drunken Master](#way-of-the-drunken-master) * [Way of the Flowing River](#way-of-the-flowing-river) * [Way of the Four Elements](#way-of-the-four-elements) * [Way of the Frozen Fist](#way-of-the-frozen-fist) * [Way of Gravitation](#way-of-gravitation) * [Way of the Hurricane](#way-of-the-hurricane) * [Way of the Kabuki](#way-of-the-kabuki) * [Way of the Kensei](#way-of-the-kensei) * [Way of the Long Death](#way-of-the-long-death) * [Way of Mercy](#way-of-mercy) * [Way of the Moon](#way-of-the-moon) * [Way of the Open Hand](#way-of-the-open-hand) * [Way of the Shadow](#way-of-the-shadow) * [Way of the Sphinx](#way-of-the-sphinx) * [Way of the Sun Soul](#way-of-the-sun-soul) * [Way of Tatau](#way-of-Tatau) * [Way of Unity](#way-of-unity) * [Way of the Void](#way-of-the-void) * [Way of Zhenren](#way-of-zhenren) \pagebreakNum # Way of the Ascendant Dragon The fundamental teaching of this tradition holds that by emulating dragons, a monk becomes a more integrated part of the world and its magic. By altering their spirit to resonate with draconic might, monks who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane. As a follower of this Monastic Tradition, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons through your ki. The Ascendant Dragon Origin table offers some possibilities. | d6 | Origin | |:---:|:-----------:| | 1 | You honed your abilities by observing a dragon and aligning your ki with their world altering power. | | 2 | A dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy. | | 3 | You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction. | | 4 | You spent long stretches meditating in the region of influence of an ancient dragon’s lair, absorbing its ambient magic. | | 5 | You found a scroll written in Draconic that contained inspiring new techniques. | | 6 | After a dream that featured a five-handed dragonborn you awoke with altered ki, reflecting the breaths of dragons. | #### Dragonic Disciple *3rd-level Ascendant Dragon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can channel your draconic ki to imbue your unarmed strikes with the essence of a dragon’s breath and to use your connection with draconic creatures to magnify your presence. You gain the following benefits: * **Draconic Strike.** When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. * **Tongue of Dragons.** If you can’t already, you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic or one other language of your choice. * **Draconic Presence.** If you fail a Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can use your reaction to reroll the check, as you tap into the mighty presence of dragons. Once this feature turns a failure into a success, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest. \columnbreak #### Breath of the Dragon 3rd-level Ascendant Dragon feature <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can channel your ki into destructive waves of energy like the dragons you emulate. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC, taking damage of the chosen type equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Wisdom modifier on a failure, or half as much damage on a success. At 11th level, the damage of your breath increases to three rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature a number of times equal to two times your Wisdom modifier, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 ki points to use this feature again. #### Wings Unfurled *6th-level Ascendant Dragon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> As a bonus action on your turn, you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back that last for 1 minute. While the wings exist, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 ki point to use this feature again. \pagebreakNum #### Aspect of the Wyrm *11th-level Ascendant Dragon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> The power of your draconic ki now radiates from you, protecting your allies from harm and punishing any who raise arms against them. As a bonus action, you can create an aura of draconic power that radiates 30 feet from you for 1 minute. You concentrate on this effect as if concentrating on a spell. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage, and for the duration, you gain the following effects: * **Resistance.** You and your allies within your aura gain resistance to the chosen damage type. * **Power Aura.** Waves of destructive energy flow out from you and your allies when any of you are attacked. When you or one of your allies in the aura is hit by an attack made by another creature within the aura, the target that was hit can use their reaction to deal an amount of damage of the chosen type equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die to the attacker. * **Frightful Presence.** When you create this aura, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can choose a creature in the aura. The target must succeed on a wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC or become frightened of you for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save. Once you use this bonus action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 3 ki points to use it again. \columnbreak #### Ascendant Aspect *17th-level Ascendant Dragon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your draconic ki reaches its peak. You gain the following benefits: * **Dragonsight.** You gain blindsight out to 30 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you. * **Augmented Breath.** When you use your Breath of the Dragon, its shape and power increases. The exhalation of draconic energy becomes either a 60 foot cone or a 90 foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice), and each creature in that area takes damage equal to 4 rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Wisdom modifier on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. * **Explosive Fury.** When you activate your Aspect of the Wyrm, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see within your aura. Those creatures each take 4d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice). \pagebreakNum # Way of the Astral Self A monk who follows the Way of the Astral Self believes their body is an illusion. They see their ki as a representation of their true form, an astral self. This astral self has the capacity to be a force of order or disorder, with some monasteries training students to use their power to protect the weak and other instructing aspirants in how to manifest their true selves in service to the mighty. #### Arms of the Astral Self *3rd-level Astral Self feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your mastery of your ki allows you to summon a portion of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can expend 2 ki point to summon the arms of your astral self. When you do so, each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take force damage equal to three rolls of your Martial Arts die. For 10 minutes, these spectral arms hover near your shoulders or surround your arms (your choice). You determine the arms' appearance, and they vanish early if you are incapacitated or die. While the spectral arms are present, you gain the following benefits: * You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength modifier when making Strength checks and Strength saving throws. * You can use the spectral arms to make unarmed strikes. * When you make an unarmed strike with the arms on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. * The unarmed strikes you make with the arms can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and their damage type is force. ### Visage of the Astral Self *6th-level Astral Self feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you reach 6th level, you can summon the visage of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to summon this visage for 10 minutes. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die. Alternatively you can summon it for free as part of the bonus action you take to activate Arms of the Astral Self. While the spectral visage is present, you gain the following benefits. * **Astral Sight.** You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet. * **Wisdom of the Spirit.** You have advantage on Wisdom and Charisma checks, as well as on Wisdom and Charisma saving throws. * **Word of the Spirit.** When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you, making it so only that creature can hear you. Alternatively, you can amplify your voice so that all creatures within 600 feet can hear you. \columnbreak ### Body of the Astral Self *11th-level Astral Self feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you have both your astral arms and visage summoned, you can cause the body of your astral self to appear (no action required). This spectral body covers your physical form like a suit of armor, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance. While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits. * **Deflect Energy.** When you take acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to deflect it. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum reduction of 1). * **Empowered Arms.** Once per turn when you hit a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. ### Awakened Astral Self *17th-level Astral Self feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your connection to your astral self is complete, allowing you to unleash its full potential. As a bonus action, you can spend 5 ki points to summon the arms, visage, and body of your astral self and awaken it for 10 minutes. This awakening ends early if you are incapacitated or die. While your astral self is awakened, you gain the following benefits. **Armor of the Spirit.** You gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class. **Astral Barrage.** Whenever you use the Attack action, you can instead attack one additional time than normal if all the attacks you make with your Attack action are made with your astral arms. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Cobalt Soul The monks of the Cobalt Soul are the embodiment of the phrase “know your enemy.” Through research, they prepare themselves against the ever-coming tides of evil. Through careful training, they have learned to puncture and manipulate the spiritual flow of an opponent’s body. Through understanding the secrets of their foe, they can adapt and surmount them. Then, once the fight is done, they return to record their findings for future generations of monks to study from. #### Extra Aspects *3rd-level Cobalt Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can strike pressure points to extract crucial information about your foe, granting you insight about their combat ability. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you mark them as analyzed. Whenever an analyzed creature misses you with an attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make an unarmed melee attack against that creature. This benefit lasts until you finish a short or long rest. In addition, you learn the following attributes about the target: Damage Vulnerabilities, Damage Resistances, Damage Immunities, and Condition Immunities. #### Mystical Erudition *6th-level Cobalt Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You’ve undergone extensive training with the Cobalt Soul, teaching you extensively in history or lore from the monastery’s collected volumes. You learn one language of your choice, and you gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, and Religion. If you already have proficiency in one of the listed skills, you can instead choose to double your proficiency bonus for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency. You gain an additional language and an additional skill proficiency from the above list (with the ability to double the bonus of an existing proficiency from the list) at 11th and 17th level. \columnbreak #### Mystical Erudition *6th-level Cobalt Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can hit a hidden cluster of nerves on a creature with precision, temporarily causing them to become mentally malleable. If you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can spend 1 ki point to force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is unable to speak a deliberate lie and all Charisma checks directed at the creature are made with advantage for up to 10 minutes. You know if they succeeded or failed on their saving throw. An affected creature is aware of the effect and can thus avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive in its answers as long as the effect lasts. #### Mind of Mercury *11th-level Cobalt Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Starting at 11th level, you’ve honed your awareness and reflexes through mental aptitude and pattern recognition. Once per turn, if you’ve already taken your reaction, you may spend 1 ki point to take an additional reaction. #### Debilitating Barrage *17th-level Cobalt Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Upon reaching 17th level, you’ve gained the knowledge to temporarily lower a creature’s fortitude by striking a series of pressure points. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can spend 3 ki points to cause the creature to suffer a vulnerability to a damage type of your choice for 1 minute, or until they take damage of that type. A creature who is affected by this feature cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Drunken Master The Way of the Drunken Master teaches its students to move with the jerky, unpredictable movements of a drunkard. A drunken master sways, tottering on unsteady feet, to present what seems like an incompetent combatant who proves frustrating to engage. The drunken master’s erratic stumbles conceal a carefully executed dance of blocks, parries, advances, attacks, and retreats. A drunken master often enjoys playing the fool to bring gladness to the despondent or to demonstrate humility to the arrogant, but when battle is joined, the drunken master can be a maddening, masterful foe. #### Bonus Proficiencies *3rd-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency in the Performance skill if you don't already have it. Your martial arts technique mixes combat training with the precision of a dancer and the antics of a jester. You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it. #### Drunken Technique *3rd-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn. Additionally, your technique is unpredictable, and precise strikes can come from nowhere. You have advantage on the first attack you make with your unarmed strike through flurry of blows. #### Spirit Intake *6th-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You have learned how to harness the effect of being drunk to refresh your martial abilities. As a bonus action on your turn, you can take a swig of alcohol, as long as you have some in your possession, and regain half of your expended ki points, rounded down, in exchange for gaining disadvantage on Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws for 1 minute. Once you use this ability to regain ki points, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. \columnbreak #### Tipsy Sway *6th-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits. ***Leap to Your Feet.*** When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. ***Redirect Attack.*** When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can use a reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you. #### Drunkard's Luck *11th-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw, you can spend 1 ki point to cancel the disadvantage on that roll. #### Intoxicated Frenzy *17th-level Drunken Master feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to make an overwhelming number of attacks against a group of enemies. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make two more attacks on top of the attacks Flurry of Blows would regularly provide, provided that each Flurry of Blows attack targets a different creature this turn. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Flowing River Novices who adopt the Way of the Flowing River are taught a style of martial arts that emphasizes non-violence and only using force when necessary. Named for the masterful grace and fluidity that these warriors exhibit, practitioners of the Flowing River are often known as dancing monks. *Based on Laserllama's Way of the Flowing River found [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M0lvi0bSsDe2rtbMJAF).* #### Dancing Monk *3rd-level Flowing River feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you adopt this Monastic Tradition you learn to move with a delicate grace rarely found among warriors. You gain proficiency in Acrobatics and Performance. Whenever you make an Acrobatics or Performance check, you can treat a roll of 7 or lower on the d20 as an 8. Monks of your Tradition are known for their graceful dancing. You can make Dexterity (Performance) checks. #### Flowing River Stance *3rd-level Flowing River feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You have learned to utilize signature defensive stance of your Tradition. You can use an action to enter the Flowing River Stance, which lasts until the start of your next turn. While you are in this stance, you have a number of additional reactions equal to your proficiency bonus. When a creature misses you with a melee attack while in your Flowing River Stance, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, it falls prone and its speed is reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn. \columnbreak #### Graceful Step *6th-level Flowing River feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can move about the battlefield and skirt incoming blows with the gentle grace of a stream. You can use Step of the Wind without expending ki points. Additionally, when you enter your Flowing River Stance, you can use Patient Defense without expending ki points. #### Enchanting Flow *11th-level Flowing River feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Starting at 11th level, you can expend 2 ki points when you enter your Flowing River Stance to allure the foes around you. For the duration of that Stance, any creature that starts its turn within 10 feet of you has disadvantage on attacks against creatures other than you until the end of their turn. #### Wrath of Flowing River *17th-level Flowing River feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Sometimes even the gentle stream runs with the waters of a flood. At 17th level, when a creature misses you with a melee attack while in your Flowing River Stance, you can force it to make a Strength saving throw as a reaction. On a failure, it is knocked back a number of feet depending on its size: <div style='column-count:2'> | | | |:---:|:-----------:| | Tiny | 60 feet | | Small | 40 feet | | Medium | 30 feet | | | | |:---:|:-----------:| | Large | 20 feet | | Huge | 15 feet | | Gargantuan | 10 feet | </div> \pagebreakNum # Way of the Four Elements You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to harness the elements. When you focus your ki, you can align yourself with the forces of creation and bend the four elements to your will, using them as an extension of your body. Some members of this tradition dedicate themselves to a single element, but others weave the elements together. Many monks of this tradition tattoo their bodies with representations of their ki powers, commonly imagined as coiling dragons, but also as phoenixes, fish, plants, mountains, and cresting waves. #### Disciple of the Elements *3rd-level Four Elements feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements. You know the Elemental Attunement discipline and one other elemental discipline of your choice, which are detailed in the “Elemental Disciplines” section below. You learn one additional elemental discipline of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. Whenever you learn a new elemental discipline, you can also replace one elemental discipline that you already know with a different discipline. #### Chi You can access the elements through a source of elemental energy you find within yourself called chi. You have a number of chi points equal to your monk level, and you regain all expended chi points when you finish a short or long rest. #### Casting Elemental Spells. Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it. If you cast a spell that provides an enhanced effect at a higher level, the spell level is increased to equal your proficiency bonus. When you use your action to cast a spell, or to control a spell you have already cast, you may use Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows as if you had taken the attack action. #### Elemental Disciplines The elemental disciplines are presented in alphabetical order for each level requirement. If a discipline requires a level, you must be that level in this class to learn the discipline. ***Elemental Attunement.*** You can use your action to briefly control elemental forces within 30 feet of you, causing one of the following effects of your choice: * Create a harmless, instantaneous sensory effect related to air, earth, fire, or water, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, a spray of light mist, or a gentle rumbling of stone. * Instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. * Chill or warm up to 1 pound of nonliving material for up to 1 hour. \columnbreak * Cause earth, fire, water, or mist that can fit within a 1-foot cube to shape itself into a crude form you designate for 1 minute. * By spending 1 chi point before making any attacks on your turn, you may add 1d6 damage any time you hit with a weapon attack until the beginning of your next turn. You choose the damage type added to damage rolls: fire, cold, thunder or lightning when you use this feature. ***Fangs of the Fire Snake.*** When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can expend 1 chi point to cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach with your unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet for the rest of your turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage. Until the beginning of your next turn, flames race across your body. You are immune to fire damage, and any creature that moves within 5 feet of you for the first time on a turn or begins its turn there takes 1d10 fire damage. ***Fist of Four Thunders.*** You can expend 1 chi point to cast *thunderwave*. ***Fist of Unbroken Air.*** You can create a blast of compressed air that strikes like a mighty fist. As an action, you can expend 1 chi point to choose a creature within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional chi point you spend over 1, and you can push the creature up to 25 feet away from you and knock it prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t push it or knock it prone. ***Rush of the Gale Spirits.*** You can expend 2 chi points to cast *gust of wind*. At 11th level, targets have disadvantage on their Strength saving throws against this spell effect. ***Shape the Flowing River.*** As an action, you can expend 1 chi point and choose an area of ice or water no larger than 60 feet on a side within 120 feet of you. You can change water to ice within the area and vice versa, and you can reshape ice in the area in any manner you choose. You can raise or lower the ice’s elevation, create or fill in a trench, erect or flatten a wall, or form a pillar. The extent of any such changes can’t exceed half the area’s largest dimension. For example, if you affect a 60-foot square, you can create a pillar up to 30 feet high, raise or lower the square’s elevation by up to 30 feet, dig a trench up to 30 feet deep, and so on. You can’t shape the ice to trap or damage a creature in the area. ***Sweeping Cinder Strike.*** You can expend 1 chi point to cast *burning hands*. ***Striking Frost Blast.*** You can expend 1 chi point to cast *frost fingers*. ***Water Whip.*** You can use your an action and expend 2 chi points to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a creature to unbalance it. A creature that you can see that is within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage and you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t pull it or knock it prone. \pagebreakNum ***Clench of the North Wind.*** You can expend 2 chi points to cast *hold person*. ***Gong of the Summit.*** You can expend 2 chi points to cast *shatter*. ***Call the Fury of the Storm (6th Level Required).*** You can expend 3 chi points to cast *call lightning*. ***Join the Earth (6th Level Required).*** You can expend 3 chi points to cast *meld into stone*. You may cast the spell as a ritual requiring no ki points. ***Walk the Waves (6th Level Required).*** You may use an action to benefit from either *water walk* or *water breathing*. Switching effects requires one action. ***Ride the Wind (6th Level Required).*** You can spend 3 chi points to cast *fly*, targeting yourself. ***Stream of Flame (6th Level Required).*** You can expend 3 chi points to cast *lightning bolt*. This spell deals fire damage instead of lightning damage. ***Call of the Deep (11th Level Required).*** You can expend 4 chi points to cast *conjure elemental* (water only). ***Cold of the Glacier (11th Level Required).*** You can expend 4 chi points to cast *snap freeze*. ***Flames of the Phoenix (11th Level Required).*** You can expend 4 chi points to cast *wall of fire* or *fireball*. ***Grip of the Stone (11th Level Required).*** You can expend 4 chi points to cast *hold monster*. ***Poison the Air (17th Level Required).*** You can expend 5 chi points to cast *cloudkill*. ***Breath of Winter (17th Level Required).*** You can expend 6 chi points to cast *Otiluke’s freezing sphere* or *cone of cold*. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest. ***Everflowing Winds (17th Level Required).*** You can expend 6 chi points to cast *wind walk*. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest. ***The Searing Sun (17th Level Required).*** You can expend 6 chi points to cast *sunbeam*. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest. ***Wave of Rolling Earth (17th Level Required).*** You can expend 6 chi points to cast *move earth* or *wall of stone*. You cannot use this ability again until you complete a long rest. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Frozen Fist Monks of the Way of the Frozen Fist are taught the techniques of the freezing mountain, harnessing it's resilience and its affinity for the cold. They often train in unrelenting conditions to push their bodies beyond their normal limits in an attempt to be prepared for any threat that comes their way. As a result of their training these monks tend to be cold and calculating individuals, emulating the icy nature of their ki. *Based on xpertranger's Way of the Frozen Fist found [here](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/BJQeDTClrN).* #### Ice Bracers *3rd-level Frozen Fist feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You are able to form bracers made of ice. You may create a pair of ice bracers as a bonus action. The bracers last 1 minute or until you shatter them. While wearing the bracers, you have a +1 bonus to AC. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike you can choose to shatter the bracers. If you do so the creature takes an extra 1d8 cold damage in addition to the attack's damage. When you reach 11th level in this class, the extra damage increases to 2d8. Should you choose to remove the bracers before the minute is complete, they melt immediately. #### Mountainous Resilience *3rd-level Frozen Fist feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You become resistant to the harsh conditions of the mountain and no longer require cold weather gear no matter how bad the weather may get. You also gain resistance to cold damage. #### Flurry Strikes *6th-level Frozen Fist feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you hit a creature with two or more of your unarmed attacks on your turn, it must make a Constitution saving throw. Creatures that are resistant to cold damage make this save with advantage and creatures that are immune to cold damage automatically succeed on this save. Should a creature fail this save it falls under the following effects until the end of your next turn: * Its speed is halved * It has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws * It can't take reactions \columnbreak #### Deep Freeze *11th-level Frozen Fist feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can stomp the ground causing the area in front of you to become slick with freezing ice. As an action you cause each creature on the ground in a 25 foot cube originating from you must make a Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 cold damage and be knocked prone. Additionally, the area becomes difficult terrain to all grounded creatures except you until the start of your next turn. You can increase the effect of this feature by spending ki points as part of the action. When you spend ki points in this way you may choose to coat yourself in a protective layer of ice and gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. For each point you spend, to a maximum of 3, the cold damage increases by 2d6 and the temporary hit points increase by 1d4. #### Ice Gauntlets *17th-level Frozen Fist feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you use your Ice Bracers feature have them instead take the form of Ice Gauntlets which last 10 minutes. The gauntlets function the same as the bracers with the following added benefits: * At the start of your turn if you have more than 0 hit points you may choose to gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. * When you shatter your Ice Gauntlets all other creatures, excluding yourself, within 5 feet of the target must make a Dexterity saving throw or take the shatter damage. * When you would suffer a critical hit you may choose to attempt to parry the attack as a reaction. When you do so, the damage from the attack is reduced by 2d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level. If you reduce the damage to 0 you gain a Ki point, up to your maximum. Should you reduce the damage to 0 three times with this feature, the gauntlets become too damaged to function and melt at the start of your next turn. You may form these Ice Gauntlets once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend 2 ki points to form them again. \pagebreakNum # Way of Gravitation Monks of the Way of Gravitation harness the power of gravity. They have meditated on this natural force to be able to tap their ki into it and alter gravity around them. They often see gravity not only as a force of nature, but as an extension of their arts. *Based on Inxsinon's Way of Gravitation found [here](https://i.redd.it/027z8x3gqu441.jpg).* #### Gravitational Punches *3rd-level Gravitation feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your blows are so heavy that they reform gravity around them. You gain the following benefits to your Flurry of Blows: * Whenever two different creatures are hit with at least two of your unarmed strikes during your turn, you can choose to create a gravitational pull between the two creatures. Until the end of your next turn, the creatures can't willingly move farther than 20 feet away from each other, and can't move if they are more than 20 feet away from each other, unless they are moving closer together. * Whenever you hit the same creature with at least two unarmed strikes, you can create a vortex of high gravity within it, halving its speed until the end of your next turn. #### Light as a Feather *3rd-level Gravitation feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to reduce your own gravity. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed. \columnbreak #### Fluctuate *6th-level Gravitation feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the following abilities: ***Catch.*** You can spend 1 ki point to cast feather fall without providing material components. ***Heavy Stance.*** As a reaction to being forcibly moved, you can increase your gravity and not be moved instead. #### Low Gravity *11th-level Gravitation feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you use your Step of the Wind feature, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your turn. In addition, when you affect a creature with your Gravitational Punches feature, it takes force damage equal to your martial arts die. #### Plummet *17th-level Gravitation feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to attempt to change the creature's gravitational pull. If the creature is somehow anchored to the ground or other surface, this ability has no effect on it. Otherwise, the creature's gravity is changed and it begins to fall in any direction of your choice. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your ki save DC. On a failed save, the creature falls up to 60 feet in the chosen direction. On a successful save, it falls up to 30 feet in the chosen direction. In either case, if a solid object is encountered in this fall, the creature strikes it just as it would during a normal downward fall. The creature's gravity returns to normal after the fall or after it collides with anything. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Hurricane While most monks master styles of martial arts that focus on rapid strikes and elusive movement, those who embrace the Way of the Hurricane utilize mighty weapons alongside their martial arts. Using their signature technique, monks of this Tradition become walls of whirling steel, cutting down any who would dare to stand against them. *Based on Laserllama's Way of the Hurricane found [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M0lvi0bSsDe2rtbMJAF).* #### Heavy Warrior *3rd-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You have trained to wield heavy weapons in conjunction with your martial arts. When you adopt this Tradition you gain proficiency with all martial melee weapons with the heavy property, and they count as monk weapons for you. In addition, while you are wielding a melee weapon with the heavy property, you have advantage on saving throws to resist being grappled or moved against your will. #### Whirling Strike *3rd-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn to wield the heaviest weapons with the fury of a storm. As an action while you are wielding a heavy melee weapon, you can lash out, forcing creatures within 10 feet to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, they take 2d4 damage of the weapon's damage type. As you gain levels in this class, this damage increases: at 5th level (2d6), 11th level (2d8), and 17th level (2d10). #### Crushing Counter *6th-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn to use the weight of your weapon to rebuke your attackers. When you are hit by an attack while you are wielding a heavy melee weapon, you can use your heavy weapon to make an attack against the attacker as a reaction. On hit, the attacker's movement speed is reduced to 0 until the beginning of your next turn. \columnbreak #### Buffeting Winds *11th-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You use the weight of your weapon to create gusts of wind which empower your strikes. When you hit a creature with a heavy weapon, you can force it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is either knocked prone, or it is knocked back a number of feet equal to five times your proficiency bonus (your choice). You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest or short rest. If you have no uses remaining, you can spend 1 ki point to use it again. #### Improved Whirling Strike *17th-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your Whirling Strike improves. When you use Whirling Strike, creatures take additional damage equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). Also, creatures take half damage when they succeed on their saving throw against your Whirling Strike. #### Tempest of Steel *11th-level Hurricane Feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You wield your weapon as a blur of steel. You can use an action to make a separate melee attack against up to five creatures you can see within 60 feet. You must be wielding a heavy melee weapon to use this feature. Once you use this feature you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again, unless you pend 5 ki points to use it again. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Kabuki The Way of Kabuki is not practiced or taught in a stationary monastery, but in traveling theater troupes that seek to delight, awe, and shock audiences with bizarre, over-the-top performances. Monks of this tradition wear gaudy, avant-garde costumes with masklike face paint, and utilize exaggerated movements and sounds to put on dance-dramas featuring outlandish humor and often ribald scenarios. They use stage names, and many actor monks go through several over the span of their career, reinventing themselves as they see fit, or as offended nobles and politicians demand retribution for perceived insults. Despite its appearance of irreverence and iconoclasm, the Way of Kabuki is rooted in a long tradition of honor and respect for the art and magic of showmanship and fellow actors. Performer monks too old to continue traveling, or wanting to use a new stage name, take on an apprentice and teach them the art of kabuki, eventually passing their moniker to the young performer in elaborate ceremonies called shumei. This young monk will then spend their life continuing the legacy of the name, and eventually pass it to an apprentice of their own. *Based on OAP's Kabuki found [here](https://www.dmsguild.com/product/279558/The-Complete-Devout-Handbook).* #### Theater Training *3rd-level Kabuki feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency in your choice of one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Insight, Performance, or Sleight of Hand. Alternatively you can choose to gain proficiency with disguise kits or an instrument of your choice. #### Spellcasting *3rd-level Kabuki feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You tap into the enthralling magic of performance, allowing you to cast spells. See Chapter 10 in the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting, and chapter 11 in the same for the bard spell list. ***Cantrips.*** You learn two cantrips of your choice from the bard spell list. You learn another bard cantrip of your choice at 10th level. ***Spell Slots.*** The Kabuki Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a spell slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all of your expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. ***Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher.*** You know three 1st-level bard spells of your choice from the bard spell list. The Spells Known column of the Kabuki Spellcasting table shows when you learn more bard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one bard spell you know with another spell from the bard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots. \columnbreak ***Spellcasting Ability.*** Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your bard spells, since the effectiveness of your magic depends on your ability to understand your audience’s proclivities as you perform. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom when setting the saving throw DC for a bard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one. ___ <div class='classTable'> ##### Kabuki Spellcasting | Level | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:| | 3rd | 2 | 3 | 2 | ─ | ─ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 4th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 5th | 2 | 4 | 3 | ─ | ─ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 6th | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 7th | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | ─ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 8th | 2 | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 9th | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | ─ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 10th | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 11th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | ─ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 12th | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 13th | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 14th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 15th | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 16th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 17th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 18th | 3 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 19th | 3 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | 20th | 3 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ─ | ─ | ─ | — | — | — | — | </div> <div style='margin-top:20px'></div> <font face='scalysans' size='2'> <center> **Spell Save DC** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> 8 + your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Wisdom modifier </center> <div style='margin-top:12px'></div> <center> **Spell attack modifier** </font> = <font face='scalysans' size='2'> your proficiency bonus + </center> <div style='margin-top:-8px'></div> <center> your Wisdom modifier </center> </font> \pagebreakNum #### Outlandish Showman *6th-level Kabuki feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can use your ki to enliven your performances. You gain the following benefits, each of which can be used a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. ***Ki-Fueled Flourish.*** When you make a Charisma (Performance) check, you can gain advantage on the roll. ***Projection Specialist.*** As an action, you can make your voice boom up to three times as loud as normal for 10 minutes. You can end this effect at any time (no action required by you). ***Distracting Defense.*** When you use Patient Defense, you can engage in a distracting performance. If you do, until the beginning of your next turn, when an enemy makes an attack against a creature within 5 feet of you, it makes the attack roll with disadvantage if it can see or hear you. The ability has no effect on a creature that is immune to being charmed. \columnbreak #### Performance Arts *11th-level Kabuki feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you cast a spell of 1st level or higher with a casting time of 1 action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to gain a bonus to your AC until the start of our next turn. The bonus is equal to the level at which you cast the spell. #### Consummate Performer *17th-level Kabuki feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn to use your audience’s delight to fuel your spiritual power. When you use your action to cast a bard spell of 1st level or higher, you can use your bonus action this turn to bask in your audience’s energy. When you do, you regain a number of your expended ki points equal to the level of the spell slot you used to cast the spell, up to your ki point maximum. At least one other creature must have seen or heard you cast the spell for you to use this feature. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Kensei Monks of the Way of Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point that the weapon becomes like an extension of the body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different weapons. A kensei sees a weapon much in the same way a calligrapher or a painter regards a pen or brush. Whatever the weapon, the kensei views it as a tool used to express the beauty and precision of the martial arts. That such mastery makes a kensei a peerless warrior is but a side effect of intense devotion, practice, and study. #### Path of the Kensei *3rd-level Kensei feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits: * **Kensei Weapons.** Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the special property. The longbow is also a valid choice. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition's features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon – either melee or ranged – to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above. * **Agile Parry.** If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated. * **Kensei's Shot.** You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes extra damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn. * **Way of the Brush.** You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies. \columnbreak #### One with the Blade *6th-level Kensei feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits. * **Magic Kensei Weapons.** Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage. * **Deft Strike.** When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend a ki point to roll another Martial Arts die and increase the damage done by that amount. You can use this feature only once on each of your attacks. #### Sharpen the Blade *11th-level Kensei feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This feature's benefits stack with bonuses to attack and damage rolls from magic weapons, but cannot total more than a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls. This bonus lasts for 10 minutes or until you use this feature again. #### Unerring Accuracy *17th-level Kensei feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns. In addition, on attacks that use monk weapons, you land a critical hit on rolls of 19 or 20. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Long Death Monks of the Way of the Long Death are obsessed with the meaning and mechanics of dying. They capture creatures and prepare elaborate experiments to capture, record, and understand the moments of their demise. They then use this knowledge to guide their understanding of martial arts, yielding a deadly fighting style. #### Touch of Death *3rd-level Long Death feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your study of death allows you to extract vitality from another creature as it nears its demise. When you reduce a hostile creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point). Additionally, when a creature hits you and you had at least one temporary hit point granted by this feature, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed attack infused with necrotic energy. On a hit, the unarmed strike deals its normal damage and deals additional necrotic damage equal to two rolls of your martial arts die. \columnbreak #### Hour of Reaping *6th-level Long Death feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to unsettle or terrify those around you as an action, for your soul has been touched by the shadow of death. When you take this action, each creature up to a radius of 30 feet around you that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. #### Mastery of Death *11th-level Long Death feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You use your familiarity with death to escape its grasp. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can expend 1 ki point (no action required) to have 1 hit point instead. #### Touch of the Long Death *17th-level Long Death feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your touch can channel the energy of death into a creature. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can force the creature to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target takes 10 necrotic damage. You can enhance this damage by expending ki points, adding 2d8 necrotic damage per ki point spent on a failed save. A creature takes half as much necrotic damage on a successful save. \pagebreakNum # Way of Mercy Monks of the Way of Mercy learn to manipulate the life force of others to bring aid to those in need. They are wandering physicians to the poor and hurt. However, to those beyond their help, they bring a swift end as an act of mercy. Those who follow the Way of Mercy might be members of a religious order, administering to the needy and making grim choices rooted in reality rather than idealism. Some might be gentle-voiced healers, beloved by their communities, while others might be masked bringers of macabre mercies. The walkers of this way usually don robes with deep cowls, and they often conceal their faces with masks, presenting themselves as the faceless bringers of life and death. #### Implements of Mercy *3rd-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency in the Insight and Medicine skills, and you gain proficiency with the herbalism kit. You also gain a special mask, which you often wear when using the features of this subclass. You determine its appearance, or generate it randomly by rolling on the Merciful Mask table. | d6 | Mask Appearance | |:---:|:-----------:| | 1 | Raven | | 2 | Blank and White | | 3 | Crying Visage | | 4 | Laughing Visage | | 5 | Skull | | 6 | Butterfly | #### Hands of Healing *3rd-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your mystical touch can mend wounds. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to touch a creature and restore a number of hit points equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can replace one of the unarmed strikes with a use of this feature without spending a ki point for the healing. #### Hands of Harm *3rd-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You use your ki to inflict wounds. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to deal extra necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once per turn. \columnbreak #### Physician's Touch *6th-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can administer even greater cures with a touch, and if you feel it's necessary, you can use your knowledge to cause harm. When you use Hands of Healing on a creature, you can also end one disease or one of the following conditions affecting the creature: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned. When you use Hands of Harm on a creature, you can subject that creature to the poisoned condition until the end of your next turn. #### Flurry of Healing and Harm *11th-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can now mete out a flurry of comfort and hurt. When you use Flurry of Blows, you can now replace each of the unarmed strikes with a use of your Hands of Healing, without spending ki points for the healing. In addition, when you make an unarmed strike with Flurry of Blows, you can use Hand of Harm with that strike without spending the ki point for Hands of Harm. You can still use Hands of Harm only once per turn. #### Hand of Ultimate Mercy *17th-level Mercy feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your mastery of life energy opens the door to the ultimate mercy. As an action, you can touch the corpse of a creature that died within the past minute and expend 5 ki points. The creature then returns to life, regaining a number of hit points equal to 4d10 + your Wisdom modifier. If the creature died while subject to any of the following conditions, it revives with them removed: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, and stunned. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Moon Monks of the Way of the Moon follow an ancient tradition, one in which adherents study the cycles of the moon. These monks often adorn themselves with tattoos of lunar symbols and moons, and believe that just as the moon changes form, so must they. Sometimes the members of a monastery of these monks are religious leaders or guardians of the night and all creatures that thrives within it. Other monasteries might focus on understanding the moon's effects on the world, such as with madness, lycanthropy, or the changing tides. Some of these monks might even be mad hermits, obsessed with the moon and basking in its glory. Regardless of what their primary focus is, monks of this tradition learn how to best operate in the dark, develop unique abilities inspired by the phases of the moon, and can see through darkness and illusions. *Based on u/Yorviing's Way of the Moon found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/fhgr6k/monastic_tradition_way_of_the_moon_a_new_monk/).* #### Moon Soul *3rd-level Moon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency in the Nature skill, if you don't already have it. If you do, pick another skill of your choice to gain proficiency in. You also gain Darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet. #### Lunar Arts *3rd-level Moon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You have unlocked special techniques that are influenced by the moon. As an action, you can perform the following abilities. If the ability allows you to cast a spell, you can cast it without requiring material components. ***Full Moon.*** You can cast the *moonbeam* spell. This spell ends if you use any other option granted by this feature. You can cast this spell once. You regain the use of this ability when you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 ki points to cast it again. The level at which you cast *moonbeam* using this feature increases as you gain levels in this class. You cast *moonbeam* at 3rd level when you reach 11th level, and at 4th level when you reach 17th level. ***Crescent Moon.*** You can make one unarmed strike against all creatures of your choice within your reach. When you hit a creature with one of these unarmed strikes, the attack deals radiant damage. You can use this ability once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend 1 ki point to do so again. ***New Moon.*** You can cast the *invisibility* spell. When you do so, the spell has a range of Self. You can cast this spell once, regaining the ability to do so when you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 ki points to cast it again. \columnbreak #### Celestial Resilience *6th-level Moon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> The magic of the moon flows through you, granting you the following benefits. ***Luminous Body.*** As an action, you can choose to emit dim light from your body in a radius of 20 feet. You also gain resistance to radiant damage. ***Moonstruck.*** You can cause others to fall under the spell of the moon. As an action, you can force creatures of your choice within 30 feet of you that you can see to make a Wisdom saving throw or else be charmed by you until the end of your next turn. #### Brilliant Serenity *11th-level Moon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your connection to the moon has made you become a calming presence to your allies. You can use your action to end one of the following effects on yourself or a creature within 5 feet of you. * Charmed * Frightened * Stunned * Incapacitated * Short Term Madness * Long Term Madness #### Lunar Beam *17th-level Moon feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can channel ki into a blast of lunar power. As an action, you can spend 4 ki points to project a beam of light at one creature you can see within 60 feet of you. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 8d8 radiant damage and is blinded for 1 minute. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and is not blinded. A blinded target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. Shapechangers have disadvantage on this saving throw. You can use this ability once per short or long rest, unless you expend 4 ki points to use it again. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Open Hand Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm. #### Open Hand Technique *3rd-level Open Hand feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can manipulate your enemy’s ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target: * It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone. * It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you. * It can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn. #### Wholeness of Body *6th-level Open Hand feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain all lost hitpoints up to your hit point maximum. Once you do so, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest. \columnbreak #### Tranquility *11th-level Open Hand feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can enter a special meditation that surrounds you <br> with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain <br> the effect of a *sanctuary* spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals your ki save DC. While the *sanctuary* spell is in effect, you may end the effect in the first round of combat as a free action to gain the benefits of the Standing Still ability without foregoing your action on your first turn if that ability is available for use. When you do so, you gain access to the special action granted by Standing Still, but not the reaction attack. The benefit you gain fades if you lose concentration, as if losing concentration on a spell. #### Quivering Palm *17th-level Open Hand feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone’s body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage. You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Shadow Monks of the Way of Shadow follow a tradition that values stealth and subterfuge. These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins. Sometimes the members of a ninja monastery are family members, forming a clan sworn to secrecy about their arts and missions. Other monasteries are more like thieves’ guilds, hiring out their services to nobles, rich merchants, or anyone else who can pay their fees. Regardless of their methods, the heads of these monasteries expect the unquestioning obedience of their students. #### Shadow Arts *3rd-level Shadow feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness within 60 feet of you as if it were dim light. If you already had darkvision through your race, it's range increases by 30 feet. Additionally, your training in the Way of Shadow allows you to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can cast *darkness, darkvision, pass without trace,* or *silence*, without providing material components. You can cast each of these spells once, regaining all expended uses when you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 ki points to cast one of these spells again. When you cast the *darkness* spell, you can see through the darkness created by the spell. When you cast the *darkvision* spell on a creature, you also grant it the ability to see through any magical darkness you create. Additionally, you gain the *minor illusion* cantrip if you don’t already know it. \columnbreak #### Shadow Step *6th-level Shadow feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then gain advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn. #### Cloak of Shadows *11th-level Shadow feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light. #### Grand Master of Shadows *17th-level Shadow feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You learn to use advanced Shadow Art Techniques only available to grand masters. As an action on your turn, you can cast the *greater invisibility* or *shadow of moil* spells at 4th level, targeting only yourself, and without requiring the material components. You can cast both spells once, regaining expended uses when you finish a long rest, unless you expend 4 ki points to cast either spell again. Additionally, you can cast the *mislead* spell as a reaction to getting hit with an attack, and when you do so, the attack misses and you can also teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see. Once you cast *mislead* in this way, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 5 ki points to do so again. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Sphinx Even now, millennia after their construction, the dusty tombs and forgotten crypts of the god-kings are still sacred locations. The monasteries of the sun have endured, safeguarding the tombs from harmful interlopers, with generation after generation of stalwart guardians, ensuring the pharaohs’ rest is not disturbed. These monks are trained in the Way of the Sphinx, a fluid but aggressive style of martial arts, focused squarely on the use of scimitars, and take a sacred oath to guard the tombs until their deaths. These monks leave the bounds of the desert only if one of their number has failed in their duties, and a sacred artifact from the tombs must be recovered. *Based on Mage Hand Press's Way of the Sphinx found [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/119hZicVKpkTi_CG43-vO9-Kxrnudau6R/view).* #### Flurry of Blades *3rd-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency with scimitars, which count as monk weapons for you. In addition, when you engage in two-weapon fighting, you add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack. When you use your Flurry of Blows feature while wielding a light monk weapon in each hand, you can use your light weapons for the additional attacks. #### Inscrutable *3rd-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You are immune to any magical effect that would sense your emotions or read your thoughts. Wisdom (Insight) checks made to ascertain your intentions or sincerity have disadvantage. #### Divine Guardian *6th-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your monastery teaches divine magic. Some of the spells they practice hamper their enemies, others help the caster survive in their harsh surroundings. You can cast the spells *create or destroy water*, *dust devil*, or *shield of faith* each once per long rest. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells, and when you cast them in this way they are cast at a level equal to your proficiency bonus. You can use any light monk weapons you wield as the spellcasting foci for these spells, and you may ignore somatic components to these spells. \columnbreak #### Claws of the Sphinx *6th-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You are marked by the gods to defend the mortal world against the spirits of the dead and other unholy creatures. Attacks you make with a light monk weapon count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. #### Whirling Blades *11th-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> As an action while you hold a light monk weapon in both hands, you can spend movement equal to your Unarmored Movement bonus to whirl around in a lethal flourish. When you do so, each creature within 10 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your Dexterity modifier, and is pushed 5 feet away from you in a straight line. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't pushed away from you. #### Pharaoh's Judgement *17th-level Sphinx feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your voice booms with divine authority, causing hostile creatures to freeze when you claim the right to pass judgement upon them. As an action you can cast either the spell *hold person* or *hold monster* at 6th level. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Sun Soul Monks of the Way of the Sun Soul learn to channel their own life energy into searing bolts of light. They teach that meditation can unlock the ability to unleash the indomitable light shed by the soul of every living creature. #### Luminous Body *3rd-level Sun Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> As an action, you can cause yourself to emit bright light to a radius of 10 feet and dim light for an additional 10 feet. You can turn off this ability as a bonus action. #### Radiant Sun Bolt *3rd-level Sun Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can hurl searing bolts of magical radiance. You gain a new attack option that you can use with any attacks made as part of the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged spell attack with a normal range of 30 feet and a long range of 90 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Wisdom modifier to its attack rolls. On a hit, it deals radiant damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die plus your Wisdom modifier. When you take the Attack action on your turn and use this special attack as part of it, you can spend 1 ki point and use a bonus action to make the special attack a number of times equal to your flurry of blows. #### Searing Arc Strike *6th-level Sun Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to channel your ki into searing waves of energy. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can cast the *burning hands* spell at 1st level as a bonus action with no verbal or somatic components. As you gain levels in this class, the level at which you cast *burning hands* using this feature increases; to 2nd at 9th level, 3rd at 13th, and 4th at 17th level. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier and regain all uses on a long rest. If have no uses remaining, you can spend 2 ki points to do it again. \columnbreak #### Searing Sunburst *11th-level Sun Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. As an action, you magically create an orb and hurl it at a point you choose within 150 feet, where it erupts into a sphere of radiant light for a brief but deadly instant. Each creature in that 20-foot-radius sphere must make a Constitution saving throw versus your ki save DC. Any creatures that are vulnerable to radiant damage or have the sunlight sensitivity trait gain a level of disadvantage on the saving throw. The sphere deals 4d6 radiant damage, or half as much on a successful save. Any creature that fails the saving throw is also blinded for 1 minute. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind opaque, half, or greater cover, if the creature is blind, or if the creature is immune to radiant damage. A blinded creature makes an additional constitution saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the blinded condition on a success. Once you use this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you use 4 ki points to use it again. #### Solar Flare *17th-level Sun Soul feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can channel the power of stars through you. As an action, you can cast *flame strike* using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability. Once you cast the spell using this ability, you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest, unless you expend 4 ki points to do so again. Immediately after you cast *flame strike* using this ability, you become wreathed in a luminous, magical aura until the end of your next turn. You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. You can extinguish or restore the light as a bonus action. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while this light shines, they take radiant damage equal to 5 + your Wisdom modifier. \pagebreakNum # Way of Tatau Some monks treat their bodies as temples and adorn them with vivid art honoring their values. Practitioners of the Way of the Tatau ink their bodies as they reach milestones in their personal journey, infusing some of these tattoos with mystical energy that evokes magical properties from the ink. Although some look askance at the appearance of these monks, none doubt their supernatural power. *Based on OAP's Tattooed Temple found [here](https://www.dmsguild.com/product/279558/The-Complete-Devout-Handbook).* #### Inked *3rd-level Tatau feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency with tattooist’s tools. In addition, choose one mystical tattoo and gain it. Choose and gain another mystical tattoo at 6th and 11th level. When you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of your mystical tattoos and replace it with another mystical tattoo. #### Mystical Tattoos When you gain a mystical tattoo, you tattoo yourself or instruct another to tattoo you. Activating your own enlightened potential with the pain and creativity of the tattooing, the ink is imbued with magical powers and becomes a mystical tattoo. ***Crane.*** You can fly as part of your movement on your turn. At the end of each of your turns, if you are not on the ground you fall to the ground taking damage as normal. You can use a reaction when you are falling to cast *feather fall* at 1st level without material components, using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability. ***Eye.*** You have advantage on saving throws against illusion effects. As a bonus action, you can gain blindsight to a range of 30 feet for 1 minute. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 2 ki points to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. ***Mandala.*** Your ki point maximum is increased by 1. At 11th level this bonus increases to 2. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can automatically stabilize yourself before falling unconscious. ***Mask.*** You can cast *disguise self* a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. When you use this feature to cast the spell, its duration becomes 8 hours. ***Monkey.*** When you are grappling, you can add your Dexterity modifier, instead of your Strength modifier, to your Athletics ability check. When you take the Attack action, you can make an additional attack as part of that action. This additional attack can only be used to grapple. You can make this additional grappling attack a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. \columnbreak ***Mountain.*** You gain a +1 bonus to AC when you are unarmed, unarmored, and have no shield. When you take bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance against the triggering damage. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. ***Snake.*** You gain resistance to poison damage. When you deal damage with an unarmed strike, you can deal an additional 1d8 poison damage a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. ***Spider.*** You have a climbing speed of 30 feet. You can cast *web* at 2nd level without material components using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability modifier once per long rest, unless you expend 3 ki points to do so again. ***Sun.*** You gain resistance to radiant damage. Additionally, when you take damage, you can use your reaction to cause light to erupt from your body. When you do, each creature within 5 feet of you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier, unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. #### Living Canvas *17th-level Tatau feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Starting at 17th level, when you complete a long rest you can choose a mystical tattoo. You have this tattoo until you use this feature again. \pagebreakNum # Way of Unity One with the universe, and all is one. Everything, every creature, plant, rock, mountain, and sea, are all bound and interwoven. Seperateness is an illusion. See past it, through it, into the reality that simply is. This is the way of Unity. Monks who follow the Way of Unity are philosophers, diplomats, and warriors. They can tap into the weave to gain wisdom and manipulate the world around them. *Based on u/natethehoser's Unity found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/UnearthedArcana/comments/r3ka4d/way_of_unity_play_a_monk_that_can_fulfill_the/).* #### Path of Knowledge *3rd-level Unity feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can duplicate the effects of certain spells through your trained connection with the weave. As an action, you can cast *detect thoughts*, *levitate*, or *suggestion*, without providing any components. Once you cast any of these spells, you can't cast that spell again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 2 ki points to do so again. Additionally you gain the *mage hand* cantrip, and you can make the spectral hand invisible. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells. #### Path of Defense *3rd-level Unity feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain proficiency with longswords, which count as monk weapons for you. #### Luminous Blade *6th-level Unity feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can enhance a weapon you use with pure arcane energies pulled from the weave to become your Luminous Blade. As an action, you can change the damage type of a monk weapon you are holding to force damage for 1 minute. The weapon then glows with dim light to a radius of 5 feet. A weapon sheathed in this arcane force cuts through arcane and other barriers like butter. Whenever you hit a creature with your Luminous Blade, you ignore the effects of the *shield* spell against your attacks, and you always damage a target's hit points, ignoring any temporary hit points a creature might have. \columnbreak #### Deflect Spells *11th-level Unity feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you are holding your Luminous Blade and you are targeted by a spell that requires an attack roll, a line spell, or *magic missile*, you may use your reaction to make a Dexterity saving throw against the caster's spell save DC. On a success you are not affected by the spell, you can immediately make a monk weapon you are holding into your Luminous Blade with this reaction, and you can choose to spend a number of ki points equal to the spell's level (minimum of 1) to redirect the spell. Treat it as if you had cast the spell, using your spell save DC or attack bonus. #### Perfect Blade *17th-level Unity feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your skill with your luminous blade is unparalleled. When you make an attack with your Luminous Blade, you can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If you hit, the target takes no damage, but one object the creature is holding or wearing is sundered. A sundered weapon can not deal damage. A sundered shield or set of armor receives a -2 penalty to AC. A sundered spellcasting focus can no longer be used as a spellcasting focus. At the DM's discretion, other objects that are sundered may suffer appropriate penalties. Additionally, when you roll a 20 on an attack roll with a melee weapon that deals force damage, you can spend 1 ki point. If you do, you cut off one of the creature's heads. The creature dies if it can't survive without the lost head. A creature is immune to this effect if it is immune to force damage, doesn't have or need a head, has legendary actions, or the DM decides that the creature is too big for its head to be cut off with this weapon. Such a creature instead takes an extra 6d8 force damage from the hit. \pagebreakNum # Way of the Void While all monks seek unity with the cosmos in one way or another, those who follow the Way of the Void seek unity through annihilation. These strange nihilistic warriors channel the power of entropy, the gradual journey of the universe towards nothingness. Known as Void Wielders, these monks seek to accelerate the natural process of cosmic decay. Mortal or immortal, mundane or magical in origin, all will eventually become one in the inescapable void. *Based on Laserllama's Void found [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-M0lvi0bSsDe2rtbMJAF).* #### Entropic Touch *3rd-level Void feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can draw upon the power of the void and destroy one Tiny or smaller object that you touch. The item must be non-magical in nature, and cannot be on object that is being worn or carried by another creature. The item remains destroyed for as long as you concentrate on this ability, as if concentrating on a spell. If you maintain concentration for 1 hour, the object is permanently destroyed. If you lose your concentration, the object reappears in an unoccupied space as close as possible to its last location. Once you destroy an object with this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 3 ki points to use this feature again. The size of the non-magical item you can destroy with this feature increases as you gain levels in this class: at 6th level (Medium), 11th level (Large), and 17th level (Huge). #### Void Wielder *3rd-level Void feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You gain the signature ability of a Void monk. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can deal an additional 1d12 force damage to the target. If the creature you hit is concentrating on a a spell, it has disadvantage on the saving throw to maintain concentration. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1), unless you expend 1 ki point to use it again. You regain all expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. \columnbreak #### Vorpal Step *6th-level Void feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When you use Step of the Wind, you draw upon the power of the void to partially discorporate. Until the end of your current turn, you can move through non-magical objects and creatures as if they were difficult terrain. If you end your movement inside an object or creature, you are immediately shunted to the nearest unoccupied space, taking 1d10 force damage per 5 feet you are forced to move. #### Degraded Form *11th-level Void feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Drawing upon the cosmic forces of entropy has changed you. Your touch can undo arcane weaves. As an action, you can touch a creature, object, or magical effect and cast *dispel magic* at 3rd-level, using Wisdom as your spellcasting modifier. You can use this ability once, unless you expend 3 ki points to use it again. In addition, when you pass through a creature with your Vorpal Step, you can force it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save they take force damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. You can only force a creature to make this saving throw once per turn. #### Avatar of Entropy *17th-level Void feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> You can use an action on your turn to touch a creature and force them to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature suffers the effects of failing a save against the *disintegrate* spell cast at 6th-level. Once you use this ability you can't use it again until you finish a long rest. \pagebreakNum # Way of Zhenren Monks of the Way of Zhenren emphasizes living with natural spontaneity and without assigning extrinsic value to any one thing or person. They remove themselves from conventional dogma of gainful motivation and social value, and reject systems that impose order and restriction. By being solely reactive, these monks believe they can achieve true enlightenment. *Based on Stuffies12's Zhenren found [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-MgZk9eaIC6BB8vGAcHa).* #### Total Balance *3rd-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When a creature you can see within 60 feet of you makes an ability check, attack roll, or saving throw with advantage or disadvantage, you can use your reaction to negate the advantage or disadvantage. #### Reactive Strike *3rd-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> When a creature moves within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against it. #### Purposeful Inaction *6th-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> The teachings of your tradition have allowed you to draw power in passivity. If you did not attack a creature during your turn, you gain resistance to all damage until the start of your next turn. If you use your reaction to attack a creature, you lose the resistances. \columnbreak #### Worldly Detachment *6th-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your tradition encourages you to take things as they are and be unaffected by drives and desires. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed or frightened. #### Effortless Technique *11th-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your strikes have become second nature to you, requiring little forethought to execute. At the beginning of your turn, you can choose to treat a d20 roll of 7 or lower as an 8 when making attack rolls during your turn with monk weapons or unarmed strikes. You must do this before seeing the attack roll. #### Perfect Being *17th-level Zhenren feature* <div style='margin-top:-7px;'></div> Your complete detachment from the social constraints of the world and removal of all purposeful, selfish actions has ascended both your mind and body. You are immune to being blinded, charmed, deafened, affected by exhaustion, frightened, and you cannot be put to sleep. In addition, when you roll for initiative and have less than half your ki points, you regain 5 ki points. \pagebreakNum # Changelog and Credits ### Credits * Many changes in this variant come from TreantMonk's Variant Monk, which you can find here [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-LpZRWecnLYRLIHtDIgL). * This variant also borrows some changes from Bamstack's Variant, which you can find here [here](https://www.gmbinder.com/share/-Mb8bDUYKbUWuKQZmSfj#Four%20Elements). * See individual subclasses for credits to their original creators. If a subclass does not have a credit in its description, it is by Wizards of the Coast or myself.