Monastic Traditions

Being a monk is to seek the perfection of the body and spirit above other worldly desires. Most monks practice a form of martial arts that helps them to acheive this goal. These Traditions, generally taught at a local monastary, help to define what is means to be a monk in a unique way. Some seek to protect others, even their foes, with powerful, but non deadly arts, while other seek balance and attunement with the elements.

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.

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.

Monks of the Way of the Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point where the weapon becomes 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 in much the same way a calligrapher or 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.

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.

Starting at 3rd level, you can learn the following disciplines:

Become the Teapot. You attune to the incoming energy, becoming like the teapot that absorbs the heat. As a Reaction when you take acid, fire, cold, or lightning damage, you can spend 3 Action Points and 1 Ki point to attune to the incoming energy. When you do, you gain Resistance to the triggering damage type until the start of the next round. Additionally, the raw, absorbed power is transmuted by your Ki and held as a charge. The next time you hit with an unarmed strike, the attack deals an extra 2d6 damage. You can choose this extra damage to be acid, fire, cold, or lightning, regardless of the type you absorbed.

Enduring Mountain Roots. Your body and mind becomes as rigid and unyielding as the ground below you. Your ki roots your feet into the ground and you become immovable. You are able to use the Block defense reaction even while unarmed and you roll 1d8 plus your Strength Plus your Body Defense skill plus your Unarmed Weapon Skill Rank. You are able to use weapons with the Defensive property, using the weapon skill rank instead of your unarmed skill rank. Additionally, you gain Immovable Defense, which allows you to use the Block defense in reaction to any effect that would move you, pull you, push you, knock you prone, or cause you to run away in fear, ignoring the effect on a success. You must be standing on the ground to use this ability.

Fangs of the Fire Snake. Your arms and legs become enveloped in roaring gouts of flame. When you make an unarmed attack on your turn, you can choose to strike out tendrils of flames which stretch out beyond your normal reach. Your reach increases by 5 feet for that attack, and it deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage. If the attack hits you can spend 1 ki point to deal an extra 1d10 fire damage.

Fang of the Frost Wolf. You condense your ki into a jagged shard of ice that hunts like a wolf. For 5 Action Points, you can spend 1 Ki point to make a ranged ki attack against a creature within 60 feet. On a hit, the target takes 1d10 cold damage. The ice then bites deep and freezes the target's limbs. The target's Movement is halved and they cannot take the Dash action until the start of the next round.

Fist of Four Thunders. You slam your fists together in front of you, causing a thunderous boom that blows away everything around you. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 1 Ki point to unleash a burst of air in a 15-foot radius sphere centered on yourself. Every creature in the sphere must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense. On a failure, they take 2d8 Bludgeoning damage and are Pushed 15 feet directly away from you.

Fist of Unbroken Air. You summon a swirling wind and concentrate it around your fist. When you make an unarmed attack on your turn, you can choose to strike out condensed bursts of air which stretch out beyond your normal reach. Your reach increases by 10 feet for that attack. If the attack hits you can spend 1 ki point to force the target to make a Body (Strength) defense roll or be pushed back 10 feet and be knocked prone.

Golden Snake’s Icy Path. Whenever you take the Dash action, any movement you make along a surface you can leave a trail of slippery ice. This ice counts as difficult terrain and lasts until the start of the next round.

Rumbling Badger. You shake the ground, causing a tremor that knocks over your foes. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 1 Ki point to cause a localized tremor in a 10-foot radius sphere centered on yourself. All creatures on the ground in the sphere must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki defense or take 1d8 Bludgeoning damage and are Restrained as they are pulled into the earth until the start of the next round. They are Restrained until they spend 5 Action Points to make a Strength roll against your Ki Defense to pull themselves free, ending the status on a success.

Rush of the Gale Spirits. You focus your ki and execute a sweeping martial movement, releasing a compressed blade of air. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to create a 60-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line of slicing air originating from you. All creatures in the line must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d6 Slashing damage.

Sweeping Cinder Strike. With a wide sweeping gesture, you summon forth a barrage of hot cinders. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 1 Ki point to unleash the wave in a 15-foot cone originating from the your location. All creatures in the cone must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 3d6 Fire damage.

Water Whip. You condense your ki into a long, spiraling whip of pure water and lash out. For 3 Action Points, you spend 1 ki point to target a creature you can see within 30 feet. The target must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 1d8 bludgeoning damage and you can either pull the creature up to 25 feet closer to you or cause the creature to become Unbalanced.

Starting at 6th level, you can learn the following disciplines:

A Leaf on the Wind. A powerful wind rises up to catch you as you fall. Your Slow Fall ability no longer requires a reaction to use, and instead you may use it automatically whenever you are conscious and not incapacitated, and it negates all falling damage regardless of distance. When you use the Slow Fall ability, you may also glide along the air to move 5 feet in any horizontal direction for every 5 feet that you fall.

Burning Ember Flash. You focus your ki and strike your palms together, projecting a flash of bright fire. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to target all creatures currently in rage within a 15-foot radius sphere centered on yourself. All creatures in that area are immediately afflicted with the Unbalanced status, and must make a Spirit (Acuity) defense roll against your Ki Defense or become Blinded until the start of the next round.

Crushing Hand of the Mountain. You channel ki into the ground, striking the earth with a powerful stomp to activate a seismic effect at a distance. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to cause a localized eruption beneath a single creature you can see within 60 feet. The target must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d6 Bludgeoning damage and are Restrained by the shifting, compacting earth. The creature can attempt to break free from the Restrained status by spending 6 Action Points to make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense ending the status on a success.

Curtain of Unyielding Wind. You channel ki into the air, creating a swirling, blinding vortex around yourself. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to create a 10-foot radius sphere of strong wind centered on you. This effect lasts for as long as you maintain concentration on it. While the sphere persists, the area is heavily obscured, making it impossible for any creature to see into or out of the area, and all creatures within the sphere are deafened. You are immune to the deafening and obscured effects of this discipline.

Gong of the Summit. You channel ki and strike the air, creating a devastating sonic burst at a distance. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to target a 10-foot radius sphere at a point you can see within 60 feet. All creatures in the area must make a Body (Endurance) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 4d6 bludgeoning damage, become Deafened until the start of the next round, and are disoriented, having disadvantage on their next attack roll.

Hatchling’s Flame. You focus your ki, igniting your body for a brief, explosive movement. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to add 2 to your movement and take your movement. This movement does not provoke counterattacks. All creatures whose space you pass through must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense. On a failure, they take 4d6 fire damage.

Impenetrable Iron Tortoise Shell. You summon an earthen barrier to defend yourself or an ally. As a Reaction when you or an ally you can see within 30 feet is hit by a ranged attack, you can spend 4 Action Points and up to 3 Ki points. When you do so, you attempt a Block roll against the attack. Your roll is calculated using your Unarmed Block plus the Ki points spent. On a failure, the attack hits, but the Ki points spent are still added to the target's Armor Reduction against that attack.

Mote of the Sun. You focus your ki and lash out, creating a sphere of roaring fire. For 3 Action Points, you can spend 1 Ki point to manifest a small sphere of fire in a space within 20 feet of you. Any creature that starts its turn within the space of the mote must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 1d8 Fire damage.

One with the Tides. You reach out with your ki and become one with water. You spend 3 Action Points and 2 ki points to gain underwater adaptations. Until the end of combat, you can breath normally underwater, you gain a swim speed equal to your movement, and you gain blindsight with a radius of 60 feet while underwater.

Patient Badger Listens. You reach out with your ki to the ground beneath you. You can spend 3 Action Points and 2 ki points to gain tremorsense with a range of 30 feet and a burrow speed equal to half of your movement. Your movement leaves behind a tunnel that remains for as long as this ability is active, and then collapses. You may end this discipline at anytime for 1 Action Point.

Red Dragon’s Claws. You focus your ki and execute a rapid sequence of martial movements, unleashing three sharp jets of fire. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to make three separate ranged attacks against one or more creatures you can see within 60 feet. Make a ranged Ki Attack for each attack that deals 2d6 fire damage on hit. Increases the ki cost of this discipline increases the number of attacks per additional ki spent.

Rime of the Frigid Step. You slam your fists into the ground as ice spreads out in an area near you. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to flash-freeze a 10-foot radius sphere within 30 feet of you. The area becomes difficult terrain until the start of the next round. Additionally, any creature that starts their movement in the area must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or be Knocked Prone.

Swarming Ice Rabbit. You focus your ki and strike the air, unleashing a sudden, localized burst of razor-sharp ice shards. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to target a 20-foot radius sphere at a point you can see within 90 feet. All creatures in the area must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 4d6 Cold damage.

Water Jet. You focus your ki and unleash a high-pressure jet of water, creating a turbulent line of force. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to unleash a jet of water in a 30-foot long, 5-foot wide line originating from you. If you spend additional ki on this discipline, you increase the length of the line by 10 feet. Each creature in the line must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and is pushed to any unoccupied space touching the line. If a creature is moved by this discipline and impacts a solid object (such as a wall, a creature, or a heavy piece of furniture), they take an additional 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 5 feet they were moved. If a creature impacts another creature, the creature that was impacted also takes this damage.

Starting at 11th level, you can learn the following disciplines:

Breath of the Void. You focus your ki and drastically alter the air pressure in a localized area. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 4 Ki points to target a 15-foot radius sphere within 60 feet. You create a temporary, stifling vacuum that lasts as long as you maintain concentration on it. The area becomes difficult terrain. Additionally, all creatures that start their turn in the vacuum must make a Body (Endurance) defense roll against your Ki Defense or have disadvantage on all attack rolls for that turn due to labored breathing.

Dance of Three Ways. You channel your ki and create three small, volatile spheres of elemental energy, launching them simultaneously. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 3 Ki points to target up to three separate points or creatures you can see within 120 feet. The three spheres impact simultaneously, each exploding in a 5-foot radius sphere of fire. Creatures caught in the blast must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d6 Fire damage. A creature can be affected by multiple bursts.

Earth Reaches for Sky. Focusing your strength with a deep, rumbling shout, you swing your arms up high, causing an eruption of churned earth and stone that engulfs your foes. For 6 Action Points and 3 ki to cause a localized, massive eruption of earth and stone. Target a 20-foot radius sphere centered on a point you can see within 60 feet. All creatures on the ground in the area must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d10 Bludgeoning damage and immediately get blasted 20 feet straight up into the air, landing Prone. After the eruption, the area remains difficult terrain until and all creatures within the area gain half cover due to the debris and churned earth.

Eternal Mountain Defense. Your body hardens to stone. You channel ki and summon a temporary, hardened shell of elemental earth around yourself. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 4 Ki points to gain a pool of Vigor equal to 5 times your Strength modifier (minimum 5).

Fist of the Elements. You focus your ki and instantly infuse your body and fists with elemental energy. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 3 Ki points to channel the power of Cold, Fire, or Lightning. Your unarmed strikes deal damage of the chosen element's type and deal an additional +2 damage of that type on a hit. In addition, at the start of their turn, any hostile creature within 5 feet of you takes 1d4 damage of the chosen element's type.

Flames of the Phoenix. You ignite your movement, crashing with flames as you strike a target. For 6 Action Points and 3 ki, you can move and make a single Unarmed attack. Your movement is increased by 2 for this discipline and each additional point of ki spent on this discipline increases your movement by an additional 2 instead of increasing damage. On a hit, the attack deals its normal damage, plus 1d8 fire damage for every 1 movement you made for this discipline.

Flowing Ki. You achieve a state of perfect elemental harmony, allowing ki to flow effortlessly between your body and the elements. The Action Point cost of all your Elemental Disciplines is reduced by 1, to a minimum of 3 Action Points. In addition, you can choose to replace the Ki cost of a discipline with 2 Vitality points instead of 1 Ki point.

Rain of the Frigid Glacier. You focus your ki and strike out, creating a swirling vortex of water and wind. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 4 Ki points to target a 15-foot radius column that is 30 feet high at a point you can see within 60 feet for as long as you maintain Concentration on it. All creatures that start their turn in the area must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 2d6 cold damage and their Movement is reduced by half until the start of the next round. Even if the target succeeds on the defense roll, the area is considered difficult terrain for them.

Raise the Troubled Earth. You strike the ground, causing a dense wall of sand and pulverized earth to erupt from the surface. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 3 Ki points to create a wall up to 30 feet long, 10 feet high, and 1 foot thick within 60 feet of you. This effect lasts for as long as you maintain Concentration on it. The wall obscures vision, providing full cover against line of sight from the opposite side. Any creature that starts its turn in the area or moves into the area for the first time on a turn must make a Body (Endurance) defense roll against your Ki Defense or be Blinded until the start of the next round. Moving though the wall the area is considered difficult terrain as the area is covered in loose sand and rubble.

Raise the Still Waters. You raise your hands as watery tendrils rise up to surround you, providing protection to you and your allies. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 3 Ki points to create tendrils of water in a 15 foot radius sphere around you. This effect lasts for as long as you maintain Concentration on it. While the effect is active you may use your Deflect Missiles feature against any ranged weapon attack that passes through this area using your Acuity instead of Dexterity for the Parry roll. If you spend ki to throw the caught projectile, make a Ki Attack roll and add 1d10 to the damage of the attack. While the tendrils surround you, you may spend 4 Action Points to make a Ki Attack against a target within 15 feet of you, dealing your Martial Art die on a hit.

Ride the Wind. You summon a mighty wind that envelopes your body, sweeping you to where you want to go. For 3 Action Points, you can spend 2 Ki points to gain a Fly speed equal to your movement speed. This effect lasts until the end of the next round.

River of Hungry Flame. You channel ki into your movement, causing a scorching wall of fire to erupt in your wake. As a reaction to taking your movement, you can spend 4 Ki points to have fire erupt along where you move. This movement does not provoke counterattacks. A sheer wall of blazing hot fire erupts in a straight line connecting your starting point and your finishing point. The wall is 20 feet high and lasts until combat ends and you can spend 2 Action Points to remove 1 section of fire. Creatures that pass through the wall or start their turn within 5 feet of it must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 5d8 fire damage.

Sea’s Fury. You conjure up a mighty wave of water that crashes down on your foes. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 4 Ki points to cause a massive wave of water to erupt in a 30-foot long, 10-foot wide line originating from you. Each creature in the line must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 6d6 bludgeoning damage, and you choose one of the following effects: the target is knocked Prone or the target is pushed 10 feet away from you.

Sweeping Crosswind. You focus your ki and execute a sweeping martial movement, releasing a concentrated, razor-sharp blade of wind. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 3 Ki points to create a 60-foot-long, 5-foot-wide line of cutting force originating from you. All creatures in the line must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 5d8 slashing damage.

Starting at 17th level, you can learn the following disciplines:

Breath of Winter. You inhale deeply and then exhale, blasting a cone of frigid air out in front of you that freezes everything in its path. For 7 Action Points, you can spend 5 Ki points to unleash a 60-foot cone of freezing cold. All creatures in the cone must make a Body (Endurance) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 8d12 cold damage and are encased in ice until the end of the next round. While encased, the creature is Stunned and has resistance to all damage except psychic and can break free by making a successful Strength roll against your Ki Defense. The ice has a Durability of 20 and an armored reduction of 2.

Eyes of Fire. Your foes may try to hide in darkness, but their ki lights up like a torch to you. You may can see invisible creatures without expending any ki. In addition, you may spend 3 Action Points and 2 ki to gain truesight until the start of the next round.

Eye of the Hurricane. You focus your ki and create a localized column of immense vertical air pressure. For 6 Action Points, you can spend 5 Ki points to target one creature you can see within 60 feet. The target must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense. The creature is violently thrown into the air 60 feet, taking 2d6 damage, then falling to the ground prone, taking falling damage for that distance. If the creature is a flying creature, you can slam the air downward, negating their fly ability and causing them to fall to the ground prone, taking falling damage for that distance. On a success, the target is pushed 10 feet away from you and is not otherwise affected.

Fist of the Inferno. You focus all your internal ki into a single strike, releasing the destructive power of a supernova. For 7 Action Points and 5 ki, you make one Unarmed Strike against a target. On a hit, the attack deals its normal damage, plus 8d12 fire damage upon impact.

Crushing Mountain. You channel ki and reach out to the earth, crushing and swallowing those above it. For 7 Action Points, you can spend 5 Ki points to target a 20-foot radius sphere centered on a point you can see within 60 feet. All creatures on the ground in the area must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or be violently pulled into the earth, taking 2d8 bludgeoning damage and becoming Restrained. The creature can break free from the earth by making a successful Strength roll against your Ki Defense. The hardened rock has a Durability of 15 and an armored reduction of 5.

Swirling Crab’s Revenge. Your ki manifests as a swirling pool of water, smashing and pulling your foes towards its center. For 7 Action Points, you can spend 5 Ki points to target a 40-foot radius sphere at a point you can see within 120 feet for as long as you maintain Concentration on it. Any hostile creature that starts its turn in the sphere must make a Body (Strength) defense roll against your Ki Defense or take 6d6 bludgeoning damage and is pulled 15 feet toward the center. Regardless of a success or not, the area is Difficult Terrain.

Wave of Rolling Earth. The ground shakes and emits a low rumble as a wall of stone erupts up into being. For 3 Action Points and 2 ki, you summon a 5 foot wide, 10 foot tall, 1 foot thick stone pillar in a space adjacent to you. The pillar immediately moves in a straight line up to 30 feet away to its final location. Any creature in the pillar's path must make a Mobility (Agility) defense roll against your Ki Defense or be pushed along with the pillar to its final destination. On a success, the creature moves into the nearest open hex adjacent to the pillar's path, avoiding the movement. Once in its final location, the pillar becomes static and provides Full Cover. The pillar has a durability of 30 and an armored reduction of 4. If the pillar's final location is adjacent to another stone pillar created by this ability, the two sections lock into place, forming a solid, continuous wall without gaps.