Way of the Painted Self

Monks of the Way of the Painted Self follow a tradition of artistry that channels and focuses their ki into unique tattooed patterns that empower their bodies and minds. These monks follow no monastery but instead work in pairs of master and student. Through practice and discipline, the artistry of the painted self can shine through the skin for all to see as vibrant tattoos that often detail the journies and beliefs of each individual.

Adorned in Art

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your body becomes a canvas to display your life's work. You gain proficiency in Tatooer's Kit and gather the necessary components to begin your artistic journey.

Additionally, you craft the start of your adornment. Choose two tattoos from the Tattoo Adornment section below. While you must adhere to the location requirements of the tattoo, at your option, the tattoo can take on any style you deem appropriate. You may only have one tattoo for each location with the obvious exemption of arms, legs, and hands. In these instances, any desired effects must be declared prior to any roll made.

You gain one additional tattoo of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th levels. Given the magical nature of your inks, whenver you adorn your body with a new tattoo, you may force the old ink out and replace one existing tattoo with another from the Tattoo Adornment section.

Mystic Henna

At 6th level, you gain the ability to imbue your allies with temporary gifts of power through henna adornment.

Over the course of a short rest, you may adorn yourself or one ally with your art, foregoing any benefits of your short rest, including the recovery of expended ki. Select one of the benefits from the Henna table. This benefit remains in place until your next short or long rest or until you adorn another ally. Only one henna benefit from this feature can be in effect at a time.

Starting at 11th level, you may adorn up to three allies with the same henna effect over the course of a short rest.

At 17th level, you may, over the course of a long rest, adorn up to ten allies. All allies adorned benefit from the same effect regardless of variation in artwork and the effect remains until your next long rest.

Henna

Tattoo Adornment

The tattoo adornaments are presented in order of required location. If a tattoo requires a level, you must be that level in this class to apply that technique.

Head and Face

    Air of the Ancestors (Requires Level 11). Your face is adorned with images of elemental air. You no longer need to breathe to survive as your mystical ink absorbs, filters, or generates air from your surroundings, even in areas of little or no air such as underwater.

Mind's Eye (Requires Level 6). An image of mystical sight or an eye adorns your forehead. You may cast augury as a ritual without providing material components. You are gifted with a strong feeling that reflects the results of the spell.

Wind's Whisper. Mystical emblems of spiritual connection adorn your neck, scalp, or face. You may cast the message cantrip at will.

Aura of Ki. You adorn your scalp and face with images of flowing ki. You may expend 1 ki point as a bonus action on your turn to see the faint ki auras around even hidden and invisible creatures for 1 minute. Only you are able to see these auras.

Mystic Awareness. (Requires level 6). Decorations of connected threads, glowing suns, or other forces of illumination adorn your face and neck. Your awareness blossoms, when you roll initiative, you can treat a roll of 9 or lower as a 10.

Torso

    Temple of the Soul (Requires Level 11). Covering your torso is a temple or monument central to your beliefs. As an action, you may expend 3 ki points to cast beacon of hope as the strength of your ki and discipline radiants out from you. Casting the spell in this manner does not require concentration.

Unbreakable (17th Level Required). Your torso is wreathed in images of resistance, strength, or durability. At the end of each long rest, you are considered to be under the effects of the death ward spell. If activated, this feature cannot be used again until your next long rest.

Barrier of Ki (Requires Level 11). Adorned in stylized armor, your torso extends your ki as a barrier against attacks. As a reaction to an attack you can see, you focus your ki and increase your AC against that attack by 2. Additionally, you may expend a ki point to increase this protection by 1 AC per ki point spent, to a maximum of 5.

Arms and Hands

     Flurry of the Elements (Requires Level 6). You adorn the fingers of both hands with symbols of the elements: fire, water, earth, and air. When using your Flurry of Blows ability, you may choose to deal elemental damage instead of bludgeoning. Choose from fire, cold, thunder, or lightning damage. Each strike from your Flurry of Blows may deal a different type of damage with this feature.

Fangs of the Snake. A writhing serpent or other venomous creature adorns one of your arms. You may expend 1 ki point as part of the attack action to wreath your unarmed strike in poison. Your target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute.

Chained Ki. One of your arms is covered in images of chains, ribbons, ropes, or other means of restraint. As a bonus action when you have a creature grappled, you may expend 1 ki point to extend the bindings onto them. They must succeed on a Strength saving throw or become restrained. A creature restrained in this manner may repeat the saving throw at the end of each of their turns. You do not need to maintain your grapple once the creature is restrained with this ability.

Fist of Fear (Requires level 11). You adorn your hands in images meant to invoke primal fear in your enemies. You may, as a bonus action, expend 3 ki points to extend your palm and radiate an aura of fear. Each creature within 30 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 minute. An affected creature may repeat this saving throw at the end of its turn.

Legs and Feet

    Winged Feet. You decorate both your feet with images of wings and flight. Your jump distance and height are doubled. This includes doubling the jump distance of your Step of the Wind ability should you combine the two.

Stone Foundation. You adorn both your legs with imagery of stone, cliffs, or mountains. You may expend 1 ki point to automatically succeed on a saving throw against being knocked prone or moved against your will.

Speed of the Ages (17th Level Required). Your feet are adorned in images of fire, speed, or power. As an action, you may expend 5 ki points to cast haste, targeting yourself.

Monkey Foot (Requires Level 6). Your foot is adorned with an extra toe or sharp talons. You gain a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You may expend 1 ki point to gain spider climb for 1 minute with this feature.