Created by: u/Jigui26, 2023-09-12
Image Credit: Pit Professional by RiotGames in Legend of Runeterra
Monk: Way of Poise
Monks of the Way of Poise have mastered special techniques to put their opponent off balance and they can do so even against the most armored foes.
Through these balancing techniques, they are also able to make their body incredibly sturdy.
Guard Breaker
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn how to break the poise of your adversary.
You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics and Athletics skills if you don't already have it.
When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can try to break its guard. Make an Acrobatics or Athletics check (your choice) contested by the creature's current Armor Class. On a success, the creature's guard is broken resulting in a penalty equal to your proficiency bonus to its AC until the end of your next turn.
You can try to keep the creature's guard broken on your subsequent turn by making the same contested check, the penalty's duration is refreshed on a success.
You cannot make another guard breaking contested check against a creature until the start of your next turn if you have already succeeded against that creature during your turn.
Ki Improved Poise
Starting at 6th level, you can now strengthen your body using ki for incoming attacks.
You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage whenever you use your Patient Defense feature. Additionally, when you are attacked by a creature within your reach while you are in your Patient Defense, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature before it attacks you.
Staggering Strike
Starting at 11th level, your attacks against non-guarding creature are particularly potent.
If you break the guard of a creature or you keep it broken, you may deal additional damage to the creature equal to one roll of your martial arts die. Additionally, a creature whose guard is broken makes the save for your Stunning Strikes at disadvantage.
Ki Enfeeblement
Upon reaching 17th level, you can channel your ki into a creature to weaken it.
Whenever you hit a creature whose guard is broken twice in a row without missing an attack between hits, you can expend 2 ki points to apply the following until its guard is restored (the initial attack that broke the creature's guard also counts for this feature):
- Whenever the creature makes a melee attack, it must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled from the attack roll.
- Whenever the creature is hit by a melee attack, it takes an additional 1d4 damage.
- You gain advantage to any checks made to keep its guard broken.