Monk
Way of the Sword Saint
Monks of the Way of the Sword Saint train in dedication to mastering a level of weapon expertise that surpasses normal limitations. They can strike like the wind, step into the sky, or even sunder stone. Though they most often treat their mastery of the weapons as an art, seeking spiritual understanding through martial perfection, turning this art to more practical ends can result in very deadly encounters for their foes.
Mystical Techniques
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn Mystical Techniques that allow you to unleash supernatural feats with your weapons. You learn three techniques of your choice, which are detailed in the "Mystical Techniques" section below. You learn two additional techniques of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Mystical Techniques can only be performed with unarmed strikes or monk weapons. If a Mystical Technique uses a DC, it uses your Ki Save DC.
Whenever you gain a new level in this class, you can replace one Mystical Technique you already know with a different technique.
You can spend a number of ki points on Mystical Techniques equal to your proficiency bonus, after which you cannot spend more ki on Mystical Techniques until the start of your next turn.
Weapon Mastery
Additionally at 3rd level, you can choose to master a weapon that would not normally be a monk weapon. Choose a simple or martial melee weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. You gain proficiency in the weapon, and it becomes a monk weapon for you. You can choose another weapon in this way at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Perfect State
At 6th level, your weapon becomes an extension of yourself, flowing naturally with your abilities.
Empowered Weapons. Your attacks with your Monk Weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Blade Flurry. When you make a Flurry of Blows, you can make the additional attacks with your Monk Weapon.
Empowered Techniques
Starting at 11th level, at the start of your turn, you gain 1 free ki point you can spend on a Mystic Technique before the start of your next turn. If it is not spent before the start of your next turn, it is lost.
Flawless Form
At 17th level, your mastery of the weapons allows you eliminate any room for error. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can reroll the attack. You can only do this once on each of your turns.
Mystic Techniques
The Mystic Techniques are presented in alphabetical order. If a technique requires a level, you must be that level in this class to learn the technique.
Agile Defense (1 Ki). As a reaction to being attacked, you can attempt to parry the attack, rolling your Martial Arts die and increasing your AC by the value rolled against the attack. If the attack still hits, you reduce the damage taken by the value rolled + your proficiency bonus.
Cut the Weave (3 Ki) (6th level required). You cast dispel magic with a range of 5 feet. Alternatively, as an attack as part of the attack action, you can attempt to open a 5-foot by 5-foot hole in a magical barrier, lasting until the start of your next turn. Make a weapon attack treating the magical effect as having an AC equal to the spellcaster’s spell DC (your DM determines what magical barriers this might work on).
Dancing Weapon (1 Ki). As a bonus action, you infuse a monk weapon you are holding with ki causing it to animate with your will. Until the end of your next turn, when you make an attack, you can attack with it as if you were holding it, causing it to fly up to 30 feet before striking a target. It returns to you after any attacks made this way.
Deft Attack (1 Ki). When you make an attack roll, you can gain advantage on the attack. If the attack hits, you can add your Martial Arts die to the damage dealt.
Dimension Slash (4 Ki) (11th level required). You can cast dimension cutterK.
Distracting Strike (1 Ki). When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, it deals additional damage equal to your Martial Arts die and leaves an opening for the next attack. The next attack against that creature has advantage.
Imparted Force (1-3 Ki). When you hit a target with an attack, you can expend up to 3 ki points, dealing a number of rolls of your Martial Arts die equal to the ki spent, and forcing the target to make a Strength saving throw. On failure, they are pushed 10 feet for each ki point spent.
Instant Strike (1 Ki). As a reaction to a creature moving within your reach, you can make a melee weapon attack against them.
Iron Wind Strike (2+ Ki). You can cast iron wind strikeK, casting it at a level equal to the Ki spent.
Sever Soul (6 Ki) (17th level required). When you strike a creature, you can attempt to sever its soul. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, they take necrotic damage equal to 6 rolls of your Martial Arts die. If this damage reduces them to 0 hit points, they die. Otherwise, they gain a level of exhaustion. On pass, they take half as much damage, and suffer none of the other effects.
Sharpen the Blade (1-3 Ki) (6th Level Required). You can infuse a monk weapon you are holding with ki, granting it a bonus to attack and damage rolls equal to the ki spent for 1 minute (no action required). This bonus can stack with an existing bonus a weapon has, but the total bonus cannot exceed +3.
Slashing Spin (1 Ki). As an attack as part of the attack action, you can whirl your blade in a circle, forcing all creatures within 5 of you feet to make a Dexterity saving throw. On failure they take damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your Dexterity modifier, or half as much on success.
Skyward Leap (1+ Ki). As a bonus action, you jump 20 feet per ki spent and can hover as if under the effect of the levitate spell by concentrating (as if concentrating on a spell) until the end of your next turn. You can end this concentration at any time.
Steel Wind Strike (5 Ki). You can cast flickering strikesK.
Sundering Strike (2 Ki) (Requires 11th level). When you strike a target, you can empower the attack with destructive ki. If you are attacking an object that is not being worn or carried, the attack becomes a critical hit and deals double damage to the object. If the target is a creature, it takes damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Die, and if it is using nonmagical armor or a nonmagical shield, it must make a Constitution saving throw. On failure, you can destroy its shield or damage its armor (reducing its AC by 2).
Sword Spirit (2 Ki) (Requires 6th level). You can cast spirit echoK.
Vaulting Strike (1 Ki). When you hit a target with an attack, you can expend a ki point to deal additional damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die and leap over the target, landing in an occupied space adjacent to them.
Dimension Cutter
4th-level conjuration
- Classes: Ranger, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (15-foot cone)
- Components: V, M (a melee weapon you are proficient with worth at least 1 cp)
- Duration: Instantaneous
You flourish a weapon weapon you are proficient with used in the casting and sweep through the air, slashing apart the dimensional space. Each creature in a 15-foot cone takes 6d6 force damage. This passes through total cover and strikes creatures in the ethereal plane as well as the material plane.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th Level or higher, it deals an additional 1d6 damage to each target on hit for each slot level above 4th.
Flickering Strikes
5th-level conjuration
- Classes: Ranger, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (30-foot radius)
- Components: V, S, M (a melee weapon you are proficient with worth at least 1 sp).
You flourish a weapon you are proficient with used in the casting and then vanish, instantly teleporting to and striking up to 5 targets within range. Make a weapon attack against each target. On hit, a target takes the weapon damage from the attack + 6d6 force damage.
You can then teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed.
Iron Wind Strike
2nd-level conjuration
- Classes: Ranger
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: Self (15-foot radius)
- Components: V, S, M (a melee weapon you are proficient with worth at least 1 cp)
- Duration: Instantaneous
You flourish a weapon you are proficient with used in the casting and then vanish to strike like the wind. Choose up to three creatures you can see within range. Make a melee weapon attack against each target. On a hit, a target takes 3d8 damage of the weapon's damage type.
You can then teleport to an unoccupied space you can see within 5 feet of one of the targets you hit or missed.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd Level or higher, it deals an additional 1d8 damage to each target on hit for each slot level above 2nd.
Spirit Echo
2nd-level conjuration
- Classes: Occultist, Ranger, Wizard
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- Range: Self
- Components: V, S
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You summon a ghostly echo of yourself. It shares your space and acts automatically on your intents. For the duration of the spell, the first time on your turn you make an attack, it attacks the same target. It makes a separate attack roll, but otherwise uses your statistics for the weapon attack and damage roll, besides that on a hit the target takes force damage equal to half the damage that it would have taken from your attack.
Credits
- Subclass created by KibblesTasty
- Editing by Gabriel Russell
License
5e SRD Content
This work includes material taken from the System Reference Document 5.1 (“SRD 5.1”) by Wizards of the Coast LLC and available at:
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