# The Way of the Wild Spirits Monks of the Way of the Wild Spirits understand that Ki flows not only through our own bodies, but all throughout the natural world. The animals, the plants, even the stones and the sky all have a Spirit within them and we are all just one part of a Greater Whole. It is also understood that these lessons cannot be learned within the confines of a monastery, so those who choose this Way must embark upon a solitary Spirit Quest in order to contact and learn great secrets and techniques from the Wild Spirits themselves. Monks who follow the Way of the Wild Spirits often go on to become hermits after feeling alienated from society and more connected with the natural realms. They may also become defenders of the wild places, protecting them from the destruction of civilization. ### Survivalist Beginning when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in either the Nature or Survival skill ### Guiding Spirit Also at 3rd level, through your countless hours of isolation and practice you have learned how to emulate one of the Spirits of Nature and to channel your Ki as they do. Choose one of the Guiding Spirits detailed at the end of this subclass and gain its effects. You can choose to replace your Guiding Spirit with a different one when you reach levels 6, 11, and 17. ###### Spiritual Spellcasting Some Guiding Spirits allow you to use your Ki to duplicate the effects of certain 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. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier and your spell save DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. Your spellcasting is a part of your combat training, just like Martial Arts. Whenever you use your Action to cast a cantrip, you can make an Unarmed Strike as a bonus action or spend 1 Ki point to use Flurry of Blows as if you had made a melee attack with a monk weapon or unarmed strike. You can spend additional ki points to increase the level of a Spiritual spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level and that the Guiding Spirit description does not state otherwise. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. The maximum level at which you can cast a spell is shown in the Spiritual Spell Table \columnbreak |Monk Level |Maximum Spell Level | |:---:|:-----------:| | 3rd - 6th | 1st | | 7th - 12th | 2nd | | 13th - 18th | 3rd | | 19th - 20th | 4th | ### Monastic Wild Shape Your ability to manipulate natural Ki and to commune with Wild Spirits has grown to the point where you can not only emulate the Spirits of the Wild but become them. Beginning at 6th level, you can use your action and expend Ki points to transform into any Beast that you have seen before which does not have a Fly speed and whose CR does not exceed your Monk level divided by 4. To do this you must expend 2 Ki points per CR (minimum 1). You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. You can stay in beast shape for up to 10 minutes. You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die While you are transformed, the following rules apply: * Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature’s bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can’t use them. * When you transform, you assume the beast’s hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form. * You can’t cast spells nor apply any effects or skills granted by your Guiding Spirit, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn’t break your concentration on a spell you’ve already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as Hunter’s Mark, that you’ve already cast. * You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can’t use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense. \pagebreak * The Beast's attack actions and/or natural weapons count as Monk weapons for you and you are proficient with them. Additionally, they are Ki-empowered strikes and therefore count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to non-magical attacks and damage. The damage of your Unarmed Strikes is determined by your Martial Arts die, not any natural weapons of the beast form. This damage is bludgeoning damage dealt by a limb, tail, head-butt, etc.. * You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature’s shape and size. Your equipment doesn’t change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can’t wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form. ### Wild Shape Improvement Your continued practice has made you even more skilled in the art of channeling spirits and transforming your body. Starting at 11th level, you can now use your Monastic Wild Shape to transform into creatures that have a fly speed, provided all other conditions for transformation are met. ### Hybrid Wild Shape Also at level 11, your rigorous discipline and intense study of the Spirits has granted you a level of spiritual and bodily control that was thought to be a mere legend. When you use your Action to Wild Shape, you may instead choose to transform your body into a beast/humanoid hybrid. The cost to do this is 1 Ki point per CR, rounded up (minimum 1). Your new form is a medium bipedal creature with hands and a mouth. The hybrid's form is up to you, but it must have clear physical signs of both your humanoid appearance and that of the Beast. If the Beast form could normally breathe in water, the hybrid form can breathe in both air and water. You can stay in this form for a period of time equal to your Monk level times 15 minutes. You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die. While in this form the following rules apply: * You retain your alignment, personality, Hit Points, proficiency modifier, and your Wisdom, Intelligence, and Charisma scores. If your Strength, Dexterity, and/or Constitution score(s) is higher than that of the Beast's, you retain your score(s). If the beast's Strength, Dexterity, and/or Constitution score(s) are higher than yours, your score becomes the average of your score and the beast's (rounded down) \columnbreak * You may choose whether to retain your AC or use the beast's AC instead. * You retain your base movement speed on land and you may add your Unarmored Movement bonus, even if the Beast that you've merged with does not normally have a movement speed on land. Additionally, you gain half of the creature's swim and/or fly speed but you cannot add your Unarmored Movement bonus to these speeds. * You gain any of the Beast's proficiencies, skills, senses, and special features,that you want to and likewise retain any of your own that you want to. * In this form, you can use weapons, interact with objects, speak, cast spells, and use any other features granted by your race or class as long as your form has the required body parts for the action. * When you take the Attack action on your turn, you may choose to attack as is normal for a Monk or to use one of the beast's attacks. Your reach for all Beast attacks is limited to 5 feet since your size is unchanged. In this new form, you have less mastery of combat so you are unable to use the multiattack action. Furthermore, if you use one of the beast's attacks you cannot use your Extra Attack feature on that turn. ### Wild Spirit When you reach 17th level, your study of the natural world and its guardian creatures has become so complete that you can transcend the creatures and emulate the spirits of nature itself. Rather than becoming a Beast you can now become one of the following creatures, despite its CR: * Air elemental (the Wind Spirit) * Water Elemental (the Water Spirit) * Earth Elemental (the Earth Spirit) <img src='https://pasteboard.co/quvJ9ItCUAX5.jpg' style='position:absolute;bottom:45px;right:30px;width:380px; mix-blend-mode:multiply;' /> Using your Wild Shape to become one of these creatures requires and consumes both of your uses of Wild Shape. \pagebreak ##### List of Guiding Spirits ***The Spirit of the Water.*** Water can flow smoothly like a stream or crash like a waterfall. Once per turn when you make a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 Ki point to disengage without provoking an attack of opportunity. Your next melee attack then deals an extra 1d6 force damage. This damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). You may use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier and you regain expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. ***The Spirit of The Forest.*** You recognize the spirits within the plants and trees and learn to grow and defend yourself as they do. You learn the Thorn Whip cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Ensnaring Strike and can spend 2 Ki points to cast it at 1st level. ***The Spirit of The Four Winds.*** Like the winds, you can be intangible and yet strike with hurricane force. You learn the Gust cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Zephyr Strike and can spend 2 Ki points to cast it at 1st level. ***The Spirit of The Bear.*** Bear is the Spirit of strength and ferocity, but also of protection and family. When you take the Attack action, you can spend one Ki point to call forth the Spirit of the Bear. For the next minute your Martial Arts die becomes a d10. If your Martial Arts die is already a d8 or a d10, it instead becomes a d12. If you attack a creature that is within 5 feet of an ally while this effect is active, you may add both your Strength and Dexterity modifiers to the damage calculation. You may use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier, and you regain expended uses when you finish a long rest. ***The Spirit of The Raven.*** Raven is a mysterious trickster but he is often benevolent. You learn the Minor Illusion cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Mirror Image and can spend 3 Ki points to cast it. ***The Spirit of The Crow.*** Crow is a shape-shifter who is known for being helpful. You learn the Guidance cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Disguise Self and can spend 2 Ki points to cast it. Additionally, you may Help an ally using your bonus action instead of your action. ***The Spirit of The Thunderbird.*** Thunderbird is thought by some to be a myth, but you have touched its Spirit and learned its ways. You learn the Thunder Clap Cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Thunder Wave and can spend 1 Ki point to cast it at 1st level ***The Spirit of The Coyote.*** Coyote is as smart as it is devious and uses tricks to get his way. You learn the Prestidigitation Cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spell Misty Step and can spend 2 Ki points to cast it. ***The Spirit of The Wolf.*** Wolf is an expert hunter who has mastered teamwork to achieve his goals. You learn the spell Hunter's Mark and can spend 3 Ki points to cast it at 1st level. You are not able to spend additional Ki points to cast this spell at higher levels. Additionally, whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you can spend an additional Ki point to activate Pack Tactics. For the next minute, you have advantage on melee attack rolls if at least one of your allies is within 5 feet of your target and your ally isn't incapacitated. ***The Spirit of The Eagle.*** Eagle is the spirit most closely linked to the divine; a symbol of peace, rest, spirituality, and healing. You learn the Spare the Dying cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spells Calm Emotions, Healing Spirit, and Prayer of Healing. You can spend 2 Ki points to cast one of these spells at 2nd level. You can do this a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier and you regain expended uses when you finish a Long Rest. If you cast Healing Spirit, the spirit always resembles the form of an eagle. ***The Spirit of The Frog.*** Frog is the great communicator, always speaking his mind, but he is also knowledgeable in the ways of medicine. You learn the Spare the Dying cantrip and can cast it at will. You also learn the spells Speak with Animals, Healing Word, and Cure Wounds. You can spend 1 Ki point to cast one of these spells at 1st level. You can also cast Speak with Animals as a ritual spell. ***The Spirit of The Owl.*** Owl is the wisest of all creatures. He can see all, even in darkness, but he moves with such stealth that many cannot see him. You now have Darkvision: You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in Darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in Darkness, only Shades of Gray. If you already have this feature from another source, your Darkvision is extended to 120ft. You also learn the spell Pass without Trace and can spend 2 Ki points to cast it.