Assorted Monk Monastic Traditions

## Assorted Monk Monastic Traditions
</div>

> ##### **Homebrew Material**
>
> This document presents homebrew materials by [Weirdo Whoever](https://weirdowhoever.blogspot.com). These game mechanics are in draft form, usable in your campaign but not refined by design iterations or full game development.
>
> If you have any comments or suggestions concerning the materials, please contact Weirdo Whoever ([weirdowhoever@gmail.com](mailto:weirdowhoever@gmail.com)).

At 3rd level, a monk gains the Monastic Tradition feature. Here are some homebrew options for that feature: Way of the Blazing Fists, Way of the Covered Eyes, Way of the Hidden Blades, Way of the Treacherous Hand, and Way of the Unchained Soul.

### Way of the Blazing Fists
Monks of the Way of the Blazing Fists learn how to channel their fiercest emotions into a stream of spectral fire. By unleashing their desires, passion, and impulses, the monk can conjure a wildfire that sets the world ablaze — which is why they emphasizing on controlling their own mind and feelings, lest they lose themselves, burnt from the inside.

#### Blazing Fists Technique
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this tradition, you can channel your mystic energy to ignite your own body and soul, delivering a blazing strike with your martial arts. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki to ignite the target in flames for 1 minute.

Additionally, once on each of your turn when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki to make a special ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. The damage die equals what is shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table for your level, and the target ignites in flames for 1 minute on a hit.

At the start of each of its turns, the ignited target takes fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). An ignited creature can use its action to make a Dexterity saving throw, extinguishing the flames and ending this effect on a successful save.

#### Tormenting Blaze
Beginning at 6th level, when a creature ignited with your Blazing Fists Technique feature targets you with a melee attack within 5 feet of you, you can spend 1 ki as a reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll. If the attack still hits you, the attacker takes fire damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

#### Fueled by the Fire
When you reach 11th level, your ki grants you resistance against extreme heat. You gain resistance against fire damage, and you do not suffer the penalties of extreme heat.

Additionally, when you hit a creature ignited with your Blazing Fists Technique feature with an unarmed strike, you gain temporary hit points equal to 1d8 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). Once you do so, you cannot gain temporary hit points from the same creature for the next 24 hours.

#### Howling Blaze
At 17th level, you can spend 4 ki as an action to harness your mystic energy into a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you and is ignited with your Blazing Fists Technique feature. A surge of massive fire englufs the creature, which then explodes in a 10-foot sphere centered on it. Each creature within the sphere must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 6d6 fire damage on a failed save, and is ignited in flames for 1 minute as per your Burning Fists Technique. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and is not ignited. The fire spreads around corners, and ignites flammable objects in the area that are not being worn or carried.

### Way of the Covered Eyes
Monks of the Way of the Covered Eyes learn that the world as one perceives is little more than an illusion, conjured from one's prejudices and desires. By omitting the very sense that misleads their soul, one can grasp the true world as it is. By heightening the mystic energy into the sixth sense, monks of the Way of the Covered Eyes can perceive what is more than meets the eyes.

#### Mind's Eye
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this tradition, you can close your corporeal eyes to "open" the eyes from your within. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki to close your eyes and channel your ki to perceive your surroundings. Until the start of your next turn, you gain the following benefits:
- You are blinded, but your attack rolls do not have disadvantage.
- You gain blindsight out to a range of 10 feet.
- Other creatures provoke an opportunity attack from you when they enter the area within 5 feet of you. You must use either an unarmed strike or your monk weapon for the opportunity attack provoked this way.

#### Unseen Counter
Beginning at 6th level, you can make a deadly counterattack against the attackers who try to take advantage of your lack of sight. When a creature within 5 feet of you hits you with an attack while you are blinded, you can use your reaction to roll a Martial Arts die and reduce the damage you take from the attack by the number rolled.

Immediately after that, you can spend 1 ki to make an unarmed strike against the attacker as a part of the same reaction. You have advantage on the attack roll you make this way.

#### Seeing Without Sight
At 11th level, your senses are heightened with your mystic discipline and energy. The range of blindsight you gain from your Mind's Eye feature increases to 30 feet.

\pagebreakNum

<p>

Additionally, as long as you are blinded, you automatically gain the benefits of your Mind's Eye feature.

#### Blind Master
Starting at 17th level, you are exceptionally vigilant when your physical eyes are closed. In combat, you gain a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your own. You must be blinded to use this special reaction, and you can only use it to make an opportunity attack with an unarmed strike or use your Unseen Counter feature. You cannot use this special reaction on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.

### Way of the Hidden Blade
Monks of the Way of the Hidden Blade finds the meaning and purpose on anything, *anything* they can get a grab on. Their philosophy is reflected in their martial arts, which involves improvised actions and thought process quicker than their reflexes. A skilled monk that practices the Hidden Blade technique can penetrate an ogre's arm — with a chopstick.

#### Bonus Proficiency
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in disguise kit.

#### Hidden Blade Technique
Also starting at 3rd level, you pick up the martial arts that implements the element of surprise and improvisation. You are proficient in improvised weapons, which now count as monk weapons for you, as long as the DM does not discern that it has the *heavy* or *two-handed* property.

Additionally, you can treat a monk weapon that has the *light* property as also having the *thrown (20/60)* property, if it does not have it already. If it already has the *thrown* property, its normal range is increased by 10 feet and its long range is increased by 30 feet for you.

Finally, when you use an action to take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki to make two ranged attacks by throwing monk weapons. If you do so, you can draw up to two monk weapons that has the *thrown* property as a part of the same bonus action.

#### Evasive Hustle
Beginning at 6th level, you can quickly dodge your opponents and prepare a preemptive attack at the same time. When a hostile creature enters the area within 5 feet of you or starts its turn there, you can spend 1 ki as a reaction to move up to 10 feet away from that creature, without provoking opportunity attack.

Immediately after you move with this feature, you can then make one attack by throwing a monk weapon against the triggering creature, as a part of the same reaction.

#### Rain of Petals
At 11th level, you can spend 2 ki as an action to make a weapon attack by throwing a monk weapon against any number of creatures within a 30-foot cone centered on yourself. As normal, you must make a separate attack roll for each target, and prepare a separate *thrown* weapon for each target.

When you use this feature, you can draw any number of monk weapons that has the *thrown* property as a part of the same action.

#### Hidden Death
When you reach 17th level, you can deliver a certain death by exploiting your opponent's weakness. Once on each of your turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or a ranged weapon attack with a *thrown* monk weapon, and if you had advantage on the attack roll, you can spend 4 ki to treat the attack as a critical hit.

You can use this feature even if you did not have advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target was within 5 feet of it, that enemy was not incapacitated, and you did not have disadvantage on the attack roll.

When you use this feature, you roll a number of additional damage dice equal to half your monk level (rounded down) when determining the extra damage for that attack.

### Way of the Treacherous Hand
Monks of the Way of the Treacherous Hand learn to embrace the most lethal of the poison, and channel their life energy into a strain of poison that can take out even the mightiest of life.

#### Bonus Proficiency
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in poisoner's kit.

#### Treacherous Hand Technique
Also starting at 3rd level, you can infuse your ki with your martial arts, conjuring a lethal poison that eats your enemies from within. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki to impose one of the following effects on the target:
- It must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or becomes poisoned for 1 minute.
- It takes an extra necrotic or poison damage (your choice) equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). If it is already poisoned when you use this feature, the damage you deal with this feature is doubled.
- If it is already poisoned, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or suffer a cumulative -1 penalty on ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws for the duration of the poisoned condition, to a maximum of -3.

#### Fight Poison With Poison
By 6th level, your body can be fueled with substances that would otherwise cause lethal poisoning. You can spend 1 ki as an action to touch a creature to end all effects that is causing it to be poisoned. For each effect ended this way, you gain 1d8 temporary hit points.

Additionally, when you are subjected to poison damage, you can take no damage instead and gain temporary hit points equal to the poison damage dealt.

Once you gain temporary hit points with this feature, you must finish a short rest or long rest before you can gain temporary hit points with the same effect again.

#### Venomous Body
When you reach 11th level, your ki develops a toxic traits, effectively turning your body into a mass of lethal poison. Whenever a hostile creature touches you or hits you with a melee attack while within 5 feet of you, it takes necrotic or poison damage (your choice) equal to 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

\pagebreakNum

<p>

Whenever you deal poison damage with this feature, you can spend 1 ki as a reaction to further channel your ki to the creature, exposing it to a lethal dose of your venomous ki. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or becomes poisoned for 1 minute.

#### Malevolent Hand Technique
When you reach 17th level, your toxic ki becomes so potent that it can penetrate most of the natural immune systems and envenoms even inanimate objects and supernatural entities. Poison damage dealt with your Treacherous Hand Technique or Venomous Body features ignores the target's resistance to poison damage, and treat its immunity to poison damage as resistance.

Additionally, when you use your Treacherous Hand Technique or Venomous Body features, you can spend an additional 1 ki to ignore the target's immunity to poison damage and poisoned condition for the next minute.

### Way of the Unchained Soul
Monks of the Way o the Unchained Soul seeks the ultimate freedom in corporeal conflicts. They follow and learn the combat maneuvers that combines the grace and honor of martial arts with the sportsmanship and flamboyant techniques demonstrated on the ring.

#### Lucha Libre
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this tradition, you learn the fundamental techniques of the *lucha libre*, or the free fight. While you are not wearing armor, wielding a weapon, and wielding a shield, you gain the following benefitS:
- You add your Wisdom modifier to the Strength (Athletics) checks you make to grapple a creature (minimum of +1).
- When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can use a bonus action to grapple the creature.
- When you use your Flurry of Blows feature, you can forgo one unarmed strike granted by your Flurry of Blows to grapple a creature.

#### Unchained Soul Technique
Also starting at 3rd level, you practice and learn the famed techniques demonstrated by the greatest *luchadores* of all time.

You know two techniques of your choice from the list below. You learn one additional technique when you reach 6th level, and again at 11th and 17th level.

Whenever you learn a new technique, you can also replace one technique you know with another technique.

##### Demonio Azul

*Blue Demon*
___
When a creature grappled by you makes a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks to escape the grapple, you can spend 1 ki to impose disadvantage on the check. If the creature fails the check, it takes bludgeoning damage equal to your Martial Arts die roll + your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1).

\columnbreak

##### Dos Caras

*The Two-Faced One* 
___
When you are grappling a creature, you can spend 1 ki as an action to perform a special move that involves diving into the ground with your victim on your shoulder, pulverizing its body. The creature immediately takes bludgeoning damage equal to four Martial Arts dice plus your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1).

##### El Santo

*The Saint*
___
When you move at least 20 feet in a straight line toward a creature before making an unarmed strike against it, you can spend 2 ki to make a diving attack. You gain advantage on the attack roll, and on a hit, you can then attempt to grapple the target as a part of the same attack.

##### El Solitario

*The Lone One*
___
When you are grappling a creature, you can spend 1 ki as an action to toss the creature. The tossed creature flies in a straight line up to 30 feet in a direction of your choice before falling to the ground, stopping early if it impacts against a solid surface.

If the tossed creature would strike another creature, that creature must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the tossed creature strikes the target and stops moving.

When the tossed creature strikes something, the creature and the object each take bludgeoning damage equal to your Martial Die roll + your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1).

##### Los Tiburon

*Shark of the Land*
___
When you successfully grapple a creature, you can then spend 1 ki to pin the creature grappled by you. The creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you and the creature are both restrained until the grapple ends.

##### Mil Máscaras

*Thousand Masks*
___
When a creature within 5 feet of you provokes opportunity attack from you, you can spend 1 ki to make an opportunity attack against that creature with an unarmed strike. On a hit, you can then attempt to grapple that creature as a part of the same reaction.

##### Sin Cara

*The Faceless One*
___
When a creature that you can see targets you with an attack, you can spend 1 ki as a reaction to redirect that attack to your victim. If you are grappling a creature, you and the grappled creature swap places, and the grappled creature becomes the target for the triggering attack.

\pagebreakNum

#### Masked Powerhouse
Beginning at 6th level, you have better controls against creatures at your *lucha libre*'s mercy. When you move while grappling a creature, you can drag or carry the grappled creature at your full speed, as long as the creature's size is equal to or smaller than you.

#### Dauntless Fighter
At 11th level, your training as a *luchador* grants you immense strength and endurance. You are considered one size larger for the purpose of grappling a creature, carrying or dragging a grappled creature, or avoid or resisting being grappled by other creatures.

Additionally, as long as you are grappling a creature, you gain resistance against all damage except force or psychic you take from the grappled creature.

#### Unchained from Gravity
When you reach 17th level, you master the aerial feats of the free fights, and even gravity cannot hold you down. When you use your Step of the Wind class feature, you can spend an additional 2 ki to gain flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of the turn.

The first time you make a Strength (Athletics) check to grapple a creature while you have the flying speed from this feature, you can spend 3 ki to treat the d20 roll as a 20.

The benefit of this feature works only in a short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else holding you aloft.

\columnbreak

## Credits
All contents are created by [Weirdo Whoever](https://weirdowhoever.blogspot.com) unless noted otherwise. Special thanks to [D&D Wiki](https://www.dandwiki.com), [NaturalCrit Homebrewery tool](https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com), and [GM Binder](https://www.gmbinder.com) for providing the templates for my imaginations.

***Way of the Blazing Fists.*** Inspired by Kusanagi Kyo and Yagami Iori (and Kusanagi Saishyu, K', Krizalid, and Ash Crimson) from the videogame *The King of Fighters* franchise. (My *One Piece* experience stops at Skypiea Arc, so I'm *not* inspired by Ace. Sorry 'bout that.)

Howling Blaze is taken from the Living Bomb skill used by Kael'thas in the videogame *Heroes of the Storm*.

***Way of the Covered Eyes.*** Inspired by Zatoichi from the film *The Blind Swordman: Zatoichi* and Lee Sin from the videogame *League of Legends*. (I wonder if Wamuu from the manga *Jojo's Bizarre Adventure* also counts?)

***Way of the Hidden Blade.*** The bit with the chopstick is based on the rumor I heard back in my army days. Some of my superiors were ex-spec ops, and they boasted that they could penetrate a man's wrist with a chopstick. Exaggerations and "big fish" story aside, I thought it would make a badass description for a Jackie Chan-inspired martial artist.

Rain of Petals is a special martial arts technique from the novel [*The Legend of the Condor Heroes*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_the_Condor_Heroes) by [Jin Yong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_Yong). In fact, this is the entire reason I made this particular subclass.

***Way of the Treacherous Hand.*** Originally posted in [WWPD&D article "Toxic Love"](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EwIlERhW1c_Y3sv4F23xyyeoe7KDcRRU/view) (which is like five years old as of this writing. Damn, I feel old). The overall concept is taken from the "poison hand" often found in wuxia novels and films.

The idea of using poisoned conditions as synergy for other features are derived from, believe it or not, Archer from the videogame *Fate/EXTRA*. (I'm a *very* old-school *Fate* fan so I'll keep his real name unrevealed here. Guessing a Servant's identity was the most favorite part of the franchise.)

***Way of the Unchained Soul.*** Originally posted on [D&D Wiki](https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Way_of_the_Unchained_Fighter_(5e_Subclass)). Inspired by the [lucha libre](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucha_libre) wrestling in general.

Most of the names introduced in the Unchained Soul Technique feature are real *lucha libre* wrestlers: [Blue Demon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Demon), [Dos Caras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dos_Caras), [El Santo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Santo), [El Solitario](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Solitario), [Mil Máscaras](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mil_M%C3%A1scaras), . Sin Cara was the name [Místico](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%ADstico) used in WWE. (Due to my limited knowledge, each technique fails to demonstrate the actual signature moves for each *luchadores*. My bad there.)

The only fictional *luchador* on the list above is [Los Tiburon](https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Los_Tiburon), who is from a *very* famous 4chan /tg/ greentext (and, incidentally, the *real* reason I made this subclass in the first place).

Dos Caras technique is a real-life piledriver move (I was watching cerebro driver videos when writing this one), but the description is taken directly from Kinniku Buster from the manga *Kinnikuman*. (Which, by the way, starts as a farce but fleshes out as a *wonderful* wrestling manga. No, really.)