```metadata title: Way of the Beast description: ' A Monk subclass for 5e, inspired by The Five Animals, Kung Fu, and other animal-inspired martial arts! Rapidly switch between different animalistic stances to gain a bit of each beast''s power! ' tags: '' systems: - 5e renderer: legacy ``` # Way of the Beast Lore stuff lore stuff something or other they can swap between different stances to get different benefits different ways of learning this fighter subclass tend toward different combinations of stances ##### Features | Level | Feature Name | |:----:|:-------------| | 3rd | Stance Fighting | | 6th | Exit Flourishes | | 11th | Fluid Movements | | 17th | Dual-Form | #### Stance Fighting Beginning when you choose this martial archtype at 3rd level, you choose to learn 2 stances. You may enter or exit a stance, or switch between stances as a bonus action. If you are You learn an additional stance at 6th, 11th, 17th levels. When you gain a level in this class, you may choose to forget one stance and learn another. Stances are listed in alphabetical order at the end of this document. If a stance requires a saving throw, your Stance Saving Throw DC is equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. If you are knocked unconcious, you exit any stances you are in. #### Exit Flourishes Beginning at 6th level, when you exit a stance or switch from one stance to another, you may perform an Exit Flourish. Unless otherwise stated, performing an Exit Flourish expends 2 Ki points. Exit Flourishes are listed alongside their stance. You may perform an Exit Flourish even if you exit a stance by being knocked unconcious. #### Fluid Movements Beginnin at 11th level, switching between different stances has become completely natural to you. You may switch stances as a free action once on each of your turns. #### Dual-Form Beginning at 17th level, when you would exit a stance or switch from one stance to another, you may instead enter a second stance without exiting the first. You may only be in up to 2 stances at a time in this way. Additionally, once on each of your turns, when you perform an Exit Flourish that costs one or more Ki points, you may choose to perform it without expending any Ki points. ``` ``` #### Stances - **Wolf's Stance.** While in this stance, you ahve advantage on opportunity attacks made with unarmed strikes. When you hit with an opportunity attack, you deal an additional Martial Arts die of damage. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you let out an ear-piercing howl. Choose any number of creatures within 30 feet of you that can hear you. Each of those creatures must make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you for one minute. A creature frightened in this way may re-make the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. - **Hornet's Stance.** While in this stance, your first attack roll each turn is made with advantage. **Exit Flourish.** When you exit this stance, you make a weapon attack against a creature you hit with an attack this turn. This attack scores a critical hit on a roll of a 19 or 20. - **Cat's Stance.** While in this stance, reduce falling damage you take by an amount equal to 5 times your monk level. When you use your Slow Fall feature while in this stance, you instead take no falling damage. **Exit Flourish.** When you exit this stance, you crouch down, ready to pounce. Until the start of your next turn, As a reaction to a creature you can see within 15 feet of you moving, you may leap up to 20 feet toward the creature and immediately make an unarmed strike against them. - **Bird's Stance.** While in this stance, you have advantage on perception checks that rely on eyesight and gain darkvision out to 30 feet. If you already have darkvision, its range extends by 30 feet. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you analyze the every movement of a creature within 30 feet of you. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw to avoid being analyzed. On a failed saving throw, you highlight the weaknesses in its form. Attack rolls made against the target are made with advantage until the start of your next turn. - **Bear's Stance.** While in this stance, you have advantage on ability checks and saving throws made using strength or constitution. When you learn this stance, you gain proficiency in Athletics checks made to grapple creatures. If you have learned all of the Bear, Crab, and Octopus's stances, and are already proficient in Athletics, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Athletics checks made to grapple creatures while in any of those stances. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you feel the strength of a Bear invigorate you. Immediately as a free action, if you have free hand, you attempt to grapple a creature you can see within 5 feet of you. \page - **Snake's Stance.** While in this stance, you have advantage on any checks made to prevent being grappled or to escape the grappled condition. Additionally, your movement speed increases by 10 feet. **Exit Flourish.** When you exit this stance, you immediately move up to your movement speed. This does not cost you movement, and moving in this way does not provoke opportunity attacks. - **Phoenix's Stance.** While in this stance, searing heat surrounds you. At the start and end of each of your turns, each creature within 10 feet of you of your choice takes 1 fire damage. This damage increases to 2 at 11th level, 3 at 16th level, and 4 at 20th level. Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration caused by this damage are made with disadvantage. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, the heat of a Phoenix builds up around you, lasting for one minute. As a bonus action, you may expend this heat to cause a burst of flame in a 15-foot radius circle around you. Each other creature within the area must make a Dexterity Saving throw. A creature takes 4d6 fire damage on a failed save, and half as much damage on a successful one. The damage increases 5d6 at 11th level, 6d6 at 16th level, and 7d6 at 20th level. Once you use this Exit Flourish, you may not do so again until you complete a short or long rest. This Exit Flourish does not cost any Ki points - **Turtle's Stance.** While in this stance, when you hit with a melee weapon attack or unarmed strike, you may choose to deal half damage. If you do, you gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt. If you already have temporary hit points, temporary hit points gained in this way are added to the temporary hit points you already have. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you exemplify a turtle's durability. Your AC is increased by 2 and attacks of opportunity against you are made with disadvantage until the start of your next turn. - **Monkey's Stance.** While in this stance, you gain an additional Bonus Action on each of your turns. You may not use this additonal bonus action to exit a stance or switch between stances. You may still use this additional Bonus Action even if you exit this stance before using it. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you take the Use an Object action as a free action. - **Mantis's Stance.** While in this stance, as a reaction to taking damage from a creature within 5 feet of you, you may make an unarmed strike against the attacker.  **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, as a free action, you make an unarmed strike against a creature you can see within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is Blinded until the start of your next turn. You may perform this exit flourish a number of times equal to your Dexterity Modifier. You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. This Exit Flourish does not cost any Ki points. - **Boar's Stance.** While in this stance, you gain the wild power of the Boar, but your speed suffers for it. When you would make one or more unarmed strikes, instead make one unarmed strike. The damage die for this attack is increased by one (i.e. from a d4 to a d6). If you would have made more than one attack roll (i.e. with Flurry of Blows or with the Extra Attack feature), the attack deals an additional damage die. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, as a free action, you may move 20 feet in a straight line, then make an unarmed attack against a creature within range. If this attack hits, the target must make a strength save or be knocked prone - **Badger's Stance.** While in this stance, you are able to postpone the effects of some damage. You have resistance to all damage. Any damage prevented by this resistance becomes a pool of "wound points" for you. On each of your turns while you have a wound point pool, you may use a bonus action to stave off your wounds. At the end of each of your turns, your wound point pool is reduced by half. Then, if you did not stave off your wounds this turn, you take necrotic damage equal to the number of points reduced. This damage cannot be reduced or prevented in any way. When  you exit this stance, if you have any wound points, your wound point pool is immediately emptied and you take necrotic damage equal to half of the points reduced. this damage cannot be reduced for prevented in any way. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you gain temporary hit points equal to the amount of damage you have taken this turn. These temporary hit points last up to one minute. - **Octopus's Stance.** While in this stance, when you attempt to grapple a creature, you have advantage on the check, and when a creature attempts to escape your grapple, that creature has disadvantage on the check. When you learn this stance, you gain proficiency in Athletics checks made to grapple creatures. If you have learned all of the Bear, Crab, and Octopus's stances, and are already proficient in Athletics, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Athletics checks made to grapple creatures while in any of those stances. **Exit Flourish.** Until the start of your next turn, you can move into a space two sizes below your own without squeezing - **Spider's Stance.** While in this stance, you gain a climb speed of 30 feet, and you can move up, down, and across vertical surfaces and upside down along ceilings, while leaving your hands free. **Exit Flourish.** As you exit this stance, you may cast the Web spell. Once you have used this exit flourish, you may not do so again until you finish a short or long rest. \page - **Crab's Stance.** While  in this stance, when  you hit with an unarmed strike against a target your size or smaller, the target is grappled. As an action, the grappled creature can make a Strength (athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your Stance Saving Throw, escaping  on a success. When you learn this stance, you gain proficiency in Athletics checks made to grapple creatures. If you have learned all of the Bear, Crab, and Octopus's stances, and are already proficient in Athletics, your proficiency bonus is doubled for any Athletics checks made to grapple creatures while in any of those stances. **Exit Flourish.**  As you exit this stance, you make an unarmed strike against a creature you have grappled. On a hit, deal additional damage equal to your Monk level. Once you gave used this exit flourish, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest. This Exit Flourish does not cost any Ki points. > ##### Credits >First, I would like to give thanks to my playtesters! > > > >Special thanks as well to Homebrewery as well for being such an awesome resource, without which I would be hopeless at formatting! > > >A final special thanks to you, the reader! If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please message me on reddit at /u/polinthos or my alternate account, /u/polinthos_returned ! I check both daily and would love to hear feedback!