MONK

Class Details ....................................................................................

The Monk Table ..............................................................................

Class Features..................................................................................

Monastic Traditions

Way of the Shadow..........................................................................

Way of the Open Hand....................................................................

Way of the Elements.......................................................................

Way of the Kensei............................................................................

Way of the Immortal........................................................................

Way of the Sun Soul........................................................................

Way of the Drunken Master...........................................................

Way of the Astral Self.....................................................................

Way of Mercy....................................................................................

Way of the Ascendant Dragon......................................................

Monastic Ki Martial Arts ...............................................................

Preface

The Monk is a very interesting class for those who enjoy martial arts and movies in which acrobatic combat maneuvers take center stage, accompanied by an almost artistic sequence of fists, fingers, elbows, headbutts, knees, kicks, etc. This new version of the monk was made with the idea of making the monk more free from all its conditions, and from the various design flaws of the original version. This version is intended to be more customizable and fun, with more interesting game variables.

Why review the Monk

The monk, in DnD 5e, is well represented with the basic aspects of a martial arts master in mind. However, in my opinion, it presents several fundamental problems:

• The monk lacks it own role in the group. Its position has always remained ambiguous and unclear.

• Monk features seem to have no direction of progress and even though there are many they do not seem to combine.

• The creation of a monk in base strength or with armor is hardly feasible.

• Lacks a practical and inexpensive disengagement system that allows it to make the most of his speed.

• Lacks flexibility in his choice of martial arts style. A martial arts master should have more combat maneuvers.

• The monk is a MAD class and therefore needs more ASI.

• The monk is very dependent on ki points.

• Monk damage does not scale as it should, and some features, even if they use ki points, can fail without producing results. The problem becomes more obvious around 11th level and gets worse as it level up.

• Some features come so late that they are practically useless at that level.

• The monk feature at 20th level is a bit disappointing, especially since it is specified that it must be at 0 ki to be activated.

Monk

Class Details

Her fists a blur as they deflect an incoming hail of arrows, a half-elf springs over a barricade and throws herself into the massed ranks of hobgoblins on the other side. She whirls among them, knocking their blows aside and sending them reeling, until at last she stands alone.

Taking a deep breath, a human covered in tattoos settles into a battle stance. As the first charging orcs reach him, he exhales and a blast of fire roars from his mouth, engulfing his foes.

Moving with the silence of the night, a black-clad halfling steps into a shadow beneath an arch and emerges from another inky shadow on a balcony a stone’s throw away. She slides her blade free of its cloth-wrapped scabbard and peers through the open window at the tyrant prince, so vulnerable in the grip of sleep.

Whatever their discipline, monks are united in their ability to magically harness the energy that flows in their bodies. Whether channeled as a striking display of combat prowess or a subtler focus of defensive ability and speed, this energy infuses all that a monk does.

The Magic of Ki

Monks make careful study of a magical energy that most monastic traditions call ki. This energy is an element of the magic that suffuses the multiverse—specifically, the element that flows through living bodies. Monks harness this power within themselves to create magical effects and exceed their bodies’ physical capabilities, and some of their special attacks can hinder the flow of ki in their opponents. Using this energy, monks channel uncanny speed and strength into their unarmed strikes. As they gain experience, their martial training and their mastery of ki gives them more power over their bodies and the bodies of their foes.

Training and Asceticism

Small walled cloisters dot the landscapes of the worlds of D&D, tiny refuges from the flow of ordinary life, where time seems to stand still. The monks who live there seek personal perfection through contemplation and rigorous training. Many entered the monastery as children, sent to live there when their parents died, when food couldn’t be found to support them, or in return for some kindness that the monks had performed for their families.

Some monks live entirely apart from the surrounding population, secluded from anything that might impede their spiritual progress. Others are sworn to isolation, emerging only to serve as spies or assassins at the command of their leader, a noble patron, or some other mortal or divine power.

The majority of monks don’t shun their neighbors, making frequent visits to nearby towns or villages and exchanging their service for food and other goods. As versatile warriors, monks often end up protecting their neighbors from monsters or tyrants.

For a monk, becoming an adventurer means leaving a structured, communal lifestyle to become a wanderer. This can be a harsh transition, and monks don’t undertake it lightly. Those who leave their cloisters take their work seriously, approaching their adventures as personal tests of their physical and spiritual growth. As a rule, monks care little for material wealth and are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering their treasure.

Creating a Monk

As you make your monk character, think about your connection to the monastery where you learned your skills and spent your formative years. Were you an orphan or a child left on the monastery’s threshold? Did your parents promise you to the monastery in gratitude for a service performed by the monks? Did you enter this secluded life to hide from a crime you committed? Or did you choose the monastic life for yourself?

Consider why you left. Did the head of your monastery choose you for a particularly important mission beyond the cloister? Perhaps you were cast out because of some violation of the community’s rules. Did you dread leaving, or were you happy to go? Is there something you hope to accomplish outside the monastery? Are you eager to return to your home?

As a result of the structured life of a monastic community and the discipline required to harness ki, monks are almost always lawful in alignment.

QUICK BUILD

You can make a monk quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Dexterity or Stregth your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the far traveler background.

Class Features

As a monk, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

---

• Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
• Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
• Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st

Proficiencies

---

• Armor: None
• Weapons: Simple weapons, improvised weapons and one martial weapon of your choice.
• Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument

---

• Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
• Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Nature, Medicine, Perception, and Stealth.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

• (a) spear or (b) quarterstaff
• (a) 10 Dart or (b) any Simple Weapons
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• If you are using starting wealth, you have 2d4 x 10 gp in funds.

Unarmored Defense

Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

Martial Arts (improved)

At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are any Simple and Martial Weapons, that lack the heavy and special properties. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons, and you aren't wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield:

• When unarmored, you can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.

• When wearing an armor, your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your monk level.

• (When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can decide between doing damage, grabbing or shoving.) UA

• Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can move it 5 feet to an unoccupied space. You cannot push opponents two sizes larger than you, but you can use the rebound to move 5 feet away.

• You can roll a d4 damage to your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.

• You can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Unarmored Movement (improved)

Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table. Additionally, when falling, you can use your reaction to reduce your fall damage by an amount equal to five times your monk level.

At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

At 15th level, you learn to use your bonus action to remain stable when on vertical surfaces and liquids, and not fall until the beginning of your next turn.

Ki Cultivation (improved)

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level + your Wisdom modifier determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table. You can spend these points to fuel various ki features.

When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki powers.

Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

• Flurry of Blows. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes.

• Life Force. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points and roll a Martial Arts die. You regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus.

• Lightning Step. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and uring the move, you gain a fly speed equal to your speed. At 13th level, your movement becomes so fast that it looks like teleportation, and you have advantage in the first melee attack you made before the end of the turn.

• Tongue of Ki. As an action you can spend 3 ki points and for 1 hour you can touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages and any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

• Yin-Yang Stance. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn. At 13th level, while in this Stance, you can make an additional reaction.

Ki Martial Arts (new)

Starting at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own via pressure points. You learn two Ki Martial Arts techniques of your choice and two additional at 5th, 8th, 12th, and 16th level. Each time you learn a new techniques, you can also replace these with others of the same level. You can use only one technique per attack, this cannot be repeated on the same creature in the same turn, and each consumes 1 ki point.

A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class. A dependence of the subclasses, there are alternative Ki Martial Arts techniques (Monastic Ki Martial Arts, p. 21).

3rd level:

• Evasive Footwork. When you move, roll one martial arts die and add the number rolled to your AC until you stop.

• Grappler. When you try to grapple, roll one martial arts die and add the number rolled to your Athletics check.

• Lunging Strike. When you make an unarmed strike on your turn, your reach increase by 5 feet for that attack.

• Push Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to push the target back. The creature must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.

• Throwing Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to knock it down. It must make a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

5th level:

• Disarming Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to disarm the target, forcing it to drop one item that it's holding. The creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, it drops the object you choose. The object lands at its feet.

• Distracting Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can distract the creature, giving your allies an opening. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.

• Freezing Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can block its motion. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or not be able to move until the end of your next turn. An airborne creature affected safely descends at 60 feet per round until it reaches the ground.

• Deflect Missiles. When you are hit by a ranged weapon attack, you can use your reaction to deflect it. The damage is reduced by one Martial Arts die roll + Wisdom mod. Additionally, you can make a ranged attack with 20/60 of range using the weapon or ammunition you just deflected. The missile counts as a monk weapon for this attack.

• Precision. When you make an unarmed strike, you can roll one martial arts die and add it to the roll. You can use this technique before or after making the attack roll, but before any effects of the attack are applied.

8th level:

• Absorb Force. When another creature damages you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and reduce the damage by one Martial Arts die roll + your Wisdom mod.

• Blinding Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can target its eyes with your fingers. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be blind until the end of your next turn.

• Daunting Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to frighten it. The creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

• Focused Stance. As a bonus action on your turn, you can take a focused combat stance. Until the start of your next turn or until you are incapacitated, you ignore the disadvantage on all weapon or unarmed attack rolls.

• Goad Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to goad the target into attacking you. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

12th level:

• Anti-Critics. When a creature does a critical hit against you, you can use your reaction to avoid this critical damage. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, its critical hit becomes a normal hit.

• Dazing Strike. When you hit another creature with an unarmed strike, you can blow to the enemy temple. The creature must make an Intelligence saving throw. If it fails, it can’t take a reaction until the end of its next turn. Moreover, on its next turn, it must choose whether it gets a move, an action, or a bonus action; it gets only one of the three.

• Stunning Strike. When you hit another creature with an unarmed strike, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

• Sweeping Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to damage another creature with the same attack. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature takes a damage equal to one Martial Arts die roll + your Wisdom mod.

• Throat Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can blow the enemy throat. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or not being able to speak until the end of your next turn.

16th level:

• Counter Strike. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against that creature.

• Devious Strike. Whenever a creature within your reach attacks an ally, you can use your reaction to make one unarmed strike against that creature.

• Focus Breaker. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to shatter their concentration. If the creature makes a Constitution save to maintain concentration on a spell, roll one martial arts die and subtract the number rolled from the creature's roll.

• Mental Strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can attempt to damage its mind with your ki. The creature must succeed on a Charisma saving throw, or it must roll a d8 and subtract the number rolled from the next attack roll or saving throw it makes before the end of your next turn.

• Reactive Strike. You con use your reaction to instantly leap at one creature that has fallen prone in your reach and make an unarmed strike.

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Ability Score Increase (improved)

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 10th, 12th, 16th and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Ki-Empowered Body

Starting at 6th level, your hard training has made your body a weapon. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Evasion

At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Stillness of Mind (improved)

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you or one willing creature that you touch to be charmed or frightened. If the monk's action is controlled by an external factor, it can still use this feature as if the monk's mental action did not interact in its manipulated action.

Body Cultivation (improved)

At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you proficiency in Constitution saving throw and immune to disease and poison. Additionally, every time you use a Ki Martial Arts attack, you can add your Martial Arts die to the damage.

Soul Cultivation

Beginning at 13th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throw. Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.

Harmony (new)

At the 14th level, the harmony achieved between body and mind allows your Ki Martial Arts techniques to be performed more naturally and in balance with nature. Choose a 3rd and a 5th level Ki Martial Arts technique that you already know and that have "Strike" in the name. Once per round, you can perform one of this techniques without spending ki points. At the 18th level, you can choose a 8th and 12th level techniques that you already know and perform once per round two harmony techniques without spending ki points. By spending 8 hours in meditation, it is possible to exchange one or both of the chosen Ki Martial Arts techniques for other techniques.

Timeless Body (improved)

At 14th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, For every 10 years, your body ages only 1 year and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water. Additionally, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.

Enlightenment (improved)

At 20th level, you go beyond the human limit. Your body is so used to certain movements that have become one with your being. You can take an additional reaction between each of your turns. Moreover, you can use both inner ki and the ki of heaven and earth, every time you roll for initiative, you have at last 5 + your Wisdom modifier ki available.

Monastic Traditions

Ten traditions of monastic pursuit are common in the monasteries scattered across the multiverse. Most monasteries practice one tradition exclusively, but a few honor the ten traditions and instruct each monk according to his or her aptitude and interest. All ten traditions rely on the same basic techniques, diverging as the student grows more adept. Thus, a monk need choose a tradition only upon reaching 3rd level.

Each monastic order has its own secret Ki Martial Art techniques, techniques accessible only if you are a member. Even if these 10 monasteries respect each other, this does not mean that there is no confrontation and rivalry, because only from these are their movement and thus evolution.

Along with their choice of the Monastic Traditions, the monk will gain access to Monastic Ki Martial Art techniques specific to its subclass (Monastic Ki Martial Arts, p. 21).

Way of the Shadow

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.

Shadow Arts

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Darkness, Darkvision, Mirror Image, Pass without Trace, or Silence, without providing material components. Additionally, the Darkvision spell you can perform allows one to see into your magical darkness.

ki	Shadow Arts
2	Darkness
2	Darkvision
2	Mirror Image
2	Pass without Trace
2	Silence

Shadow Attack

Beginning at 3rd level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra Martial Arts die damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a monk weapon or be a unarmed attack. Additionally, you can take a bonus action on each of your turns to make the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class. At 11th level, the damage increases by one Martial Arts die on a hit (2d8) and 17th level yet another (3d10).

Shadow Step

At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.

Cloak of Shadows

By 11th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.

Opportunist

At 17th level, you can exploit a creature's momentary distraction when it is hit by an attack. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack made by a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature.

Way of the Open Hand

Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat. They have a wide range of martial arts techniques, a powerful ability to recover ki, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm.

Open Hand Technique

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your trainings lead you to have a deeper knowledge in the martial arts and its uses through ki. Once per turn, when using Flurry of Blows, you can use 1 Ki Martial Arts technique without spending ki point. Additionally, you learn one extra 3nd level Ki Martial Arts technique and another one of 8th level at 11th level.

Wholeness of Body

At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.

Tranquility

Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a long rest, you gain the effect of a Sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus. Additionally, you can still spend 1 ki point to recast this abjuration, but the effect is the standard one.

Quivering Palm

At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.

You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.

Way of the Elements

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 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.

Disciple of the Elements

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn elemental spell-Ki that harness the power of the elements. A elemental spell-Ki requires you to spend ki points each time you use it. The number of spells you know is based on your level in this class.

Spells-Ki know

level	0	1	2	3	4
3rd	2	1	-	-	-
6th	3	2	1	-	-
11th	4	3	2	1	-
17th	4	4	3	2	1

Whenever you learn a new elemental spell-Ki, you can also replace one elemental spell-Ki that you already know with a different.

Casting Elemental Spell-Ki. 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. Each spell has a base price that is equal to its level in ki points. Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of an elemental spell-Ki that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as Burning Hands does. The Spell-Ki's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. For example, if you are a 5th-level monk and you cast Burning Hands, you can spend 2 ki points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell.

The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a Spell-Ki in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the Spells-Ki table.

Monk level	Ki
5th-8th	2
9th-12th	3
13th-16th	4
17th-20th	5

Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Monk spells, being spells powered by your ki.

Spellcasting Focus. You can use a Ki focus as a spellcasting focus for your Monk spells. A Ki focus can be a bandage, a tattoo or necklace, a staff made entirely from an ancient tree, or an object incorporating elemental rocks.

Master of Elements

At 6th level, you learn to modify elements to your liking. All spells-ki that contain the elements in the table below can be exchanged for another element. If the spell requires a saving throw this is based on the chosen element and not on the original spell information.

Elements	Save
Acid / Fire / Lightening	Dexterity
Cold / Poison / Thunder	Constitution
Force	Strength

Elemental Martial Arts

At 11th level, when you perform a melee attack action, you can cast one of your cantrips in place of one of your attacks.

Wonder of the Elements

At 17th level, you can choose one spell per level that is found in your list, these spells now cost one ki less as if they were of a lower level.

Elements Spell List

Way of the Kensei

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

Path of the Kensei

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the all the weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits:

• Kensei Fighting Style. You adopt a particular style of fighting as your specialty. Choose one among Archer, Blind Fighting, Dueling, Great Weapon Fighting, Superior Technique and Thrown Weapon Fighting. You can't take a Fighting Style option more than once, even if you later get to choose again.

• Kensei Weapon. Your special martial arts training give you proficiency with any martial weapons. These weapons are monk weapons for you, and you are no longer limited on using weapons that lack the heavy and special properties. Additionally, your Ki Martil Arts unarmed techniques can be used with a kensei weapon.

• Way of the Brush. You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies.

One with the Blade

At 6th level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits.

• Agile Parry. If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonuses to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand, and you aren’t incapacitated.

• Deft Strike. When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.

• Flurry of Weapon Attacks. When you use your Flurry of Blow f eature, you can use your kensei weapon as if it were an unarmed strike.

Sharpen the Blade

At 11th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. If the weapon is magical and already has a bonus, this fature can enhance this bonus, but the sum of the bonuses must not exceed +3. Additionally, any attack roll you make with this weapon is a critical hit on a roll of 18-20 on the d20. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again.

Unerring Accuracy

At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a kensei weapon on your turn, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.

Way of the Immortal

Monks of the Way of the immortal are obsessed with the meaning of dying. They capture creatures and prepare elaborate experiments to capture, record, and understand the moments of their demise. They then use this knowledge to guide their understanding of martial arts, yielding a undying fighting style.

Knowing Death

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Nature and Medicine skills, and you gain proficiency with the herbalism kit.

Approaching Death

At 3rd level, your study of death allows you to extract energy from the feeling of death. You gain the following benefits:

• Dying. When you are hit by an enemy attack, the next turn you can use a feature that requires ki by wasting 1 ki point less.

• Give Death. When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1).

Hour of Reaping

At 6th level, you gain the ability to unsettle or terrify those around you as an action, for your soul has been touched by the shadow of death. When you take this action, each creature within 30 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.

Mastery of Life and Death

Beginning at 11th level, you use your familiarity with death to escape its grasp. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can expend 1 ki point (no action required) to have 1 hit point instead.

Touch of Death

Starting at 17nd level, you can channel the energy of death to destroy another creature's life force by touch. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can choose to expend 1 ki points. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, and it takes 2d12 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Way of the Sun Soul

Monks of the Way of the Sun Soul learn to channel their own life energy into searing bolts of light. They teach that meditation can unlock the ability to unleash the indomitable light shed by the soul of every living creature.

Radiant Sun ki

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn one Radiant Sun techniques of your choice. You learn one additional technique at 11th, and 17th level. Each time you learn new techniques, you can also replace one technique you know with a different one.

You can spend 2 ki point to make an attack against one creature within 5 feet of you as an action and combine it with a Radiant Sun technique. On a hit, the target suffers your normal attack plus the radiant damage. The amount of the radiant damage is equal to your wisdom modifier.

Your Radiant damage increases as you gain levels in this class. At 5th level, the damage increases by one Martial Arts die on a hit (1d6 / 1d8 + wis mod), at 11th level increase by another (2d8 / 2d10 + wis mod) and 17th level yet another (3d12 + wis mod). You can add special effects to your ki attack.

• Ki Beam When you have attacked your target, you can choose to release a beam of radiant energy. All enemies behind the target hit in a straight line within 10 feet must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take your radiant damage. Leveling up in this subclass increases the range attack. At 5th level the beam is 15 feet, at 11th level 20 feet, and at 17th level 30 feet.

• Ki Blast. When you have attacked your target, you can choose to release a blast that can damage all the enemies that are 5 feet away from you. All enemies 5 feet away from you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take your radiant damage. Leveling up in this subclass increases the blast radius. At 11th level 10 feet, at 17th level 15 feet.

• Ki Radiation. When you have attacked your target, you can choose to release radiation energy in the area of 10 feet around your target. The radiant energy lingers in the affected area, making it a difficult terrain until the end of your next turn. Every enemy who ends his turn in this radioactive terrain must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or takes your radiant damage. Leveling up in this subclass increases the radius area. At 5th level the area is 15 feet, at 11th level 20 feet, at 17th level 30 feet and the radiation can persist for 2 turns.

• Ki Burst. You gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. You can attack an enemy 30 feet away by creating a sphere of energy, if you hit, it receives the normal damage and all enemies around it by 5 feet must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take your radiant damage. Leveling up in this subclass increases the range attack. At 5th level the beam is 60 feet, at 11th level 90 feet, and at 17th level 150 feet.

Elemental Radiation

At 6th level, you can choose to change your radiant damage to fire damage or lightning damage only for the features of this subclass.

Blinding Sun

At 11th level, before or after using lightning step, every enemy who is within 30 feet of you must pass a constitution saving throw or be blinded until the end of your next turn. Additionally, your radiating ki grants you resistance to cold and fire damage.

Sunshine Aura

At 17th level, you become wreathed in a luminous, magical aura. You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. You can extinguish or restore the light as a bonus action. Your light brings the same characteristics as the sun and eradicates magical darkness.

Whenever a creature hits you with a melee attack while this light shines, your light erupts with radiant energy. The radiant damage equals 5 + your Wisdom modifier.

Way of the Drunken Master

The Way of the Drunken Master teaches its students to move with the jerky, unpredictable movements of a drunkard. A drunken master sways, tottering on unsteady feet, to present what seems like an incompetent combatant who proves frustrating to engage. The drunken master’s erratic stumbles conceal a carefully executed dance of blocks, parries, advances, attacks, and retreats.

A drunken master often enjoys playing the fool to bring gladness to the despondent or to demonstrate humility to the arrogant, but when battle is joined, the drunken master can be a maddening, masterful foe.

Alcoholic Dance

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill if you don't already have it. Your martial arts technique mixes combat training with the precision of a dancer and the antics of a jester. You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it. You can take a sip of your brewer's supplie as a bonus action and gain temporary hit points equal your Wisdom modifier.

Drunken Technique

At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your movement. Whenever you use yours ki features.

• Drunken Movement. If you use at least 1 ki point in your turn, your movement becomes very difficult to follow. You gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn.

• Drunken Stance. When you make a reaction attacks, you can automatically push your opponent 5 feet.

• Drunken Fall. When you have been attacked with a melee attack roll, as a reaction you can fall prone and rolling half your speed without taking opportunity attacks, and until the beginning of your next turn your enemies have no advantage in hitting you because you are prone.

The Drunken Gods Style

Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits.

• The Drunken God of the Jar. Once per turn, when a creature misses or hit you with a melee attack roll, as a free action you can drink a sip of your brewer's supplie.

• The Drunken God Limp. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.

• The Drunken God Seeing Double. When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, as a reaction you can cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker and that you can see within 5 feet of you or the creature that is attacking you.

Fierce Drunker

Starting at 11th level, the properties of your brewer's supplies take on special effects on you, every time you drink you can choose to have one of these effects.

• Drunkard's Luck. You always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage, as a free action you can drink and spend 1 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll.

• Drunkard's Constitution. When you drink thanks to "The Drunken God of the Jar"feature, you can choice to spend 1 ki points to gain temporary hit points equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + your own Wisdom modifier.

• A Drunkard's Breath. When you drink thanks to "The Drunken God of the Jar" feature, you can choice to spend 1 ki points and spit it on a creature within 5 feet of you, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on the next attack roll it make. Or you can choose to ignite the alcohol and the target take 1 martial art die plus your Wisdom modified of fire damage.

Intoxicated Frenzy

At 17th level, you gain the ability to make an overwhelming number of attacks against a group of enemies. When you use your Flurry of Blows your walking speed increases by another 10 feet, and you can make up to three additional attacks with it, provided that each Flurry of Blows attack targets a different creature this turn.

Way of the Astral Self

A monk who follows the Way of the Astral Self believes their body is an illusion. They see their ki as a representation of their true form, an astral self. This astral self has the capacity to be a force of order or disorder, with some monasteries training students to use their power to protect the weak and other instructing aspirants in how to manifest their true selves in service to the mighty.

Arms of the Astral Self

At 3rd level, your mastery of your ki allows you to summon a portion of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to summon the arms of your astral self. When you do so, each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take force damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.

For 10 minutes, these spectral arms hover near your shoulders or surround your arms (your choice). You determine the arms' appearance, and they vanish early if you are incapacitated or die.

While the spectral arms are present, you gain the following benefits:

• You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength modifier when making Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• You can use the spectral arms to make unarmed strikes.
• When you make an unarmed strike with the arms on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.
• The unarmed strikes you make with the arms can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and their damage type is force.

Visage of the Astral Self

When you reach 6th level, you can summon the visage of your astral self. As a bonus action, or as part of the bonus action you take to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you can spend 1 ki point to summon this visage for 10 minutes. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die.

The spectral visage covers your face like a helmet or mask. You determine its appearance.

While the spectral visage is present, you gain the following benefits.

• Astral Sight. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

• Wisdom of the Spirit. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

• Word of the Spirit. When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you, making it so only that creature can hear you. Alternatively, you can amplify your voice so that all creatures within 600 feet can hear you.

Body of the Astral Self

Starting at 11th level, when you have both your astral arms and visage summoned, you can cause the body of your astral self to appear (no action required). This spectral body covers your physical form like a suit of armor, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance.

While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits.

• Deflect Energy. When you take acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to deflect it. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum reduction of 1). Additionally, the first time you hit with a melee attack in your next turn, the target suffers an additional Martial Art die of the deflected element.

• Empowered Arms. Once on each of your turns when you hit a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die.

Awakened Astral Self

Starting at 17th level, your connection to your astral self is complete, allowing you to unleash its full potential. As a bonus action, you can spend 3 ki points to summon the arms, visage, and body of your astral self and awaken it for 10 minutes. This awakening ends early if you are incapacitated or die.

While your astral self is awakened, you gain the following benefits.

• Armor of the Spirit. You gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class.

• Astral Barrage. Whenever you use the Extra Attack feature to attack twice, you can instead attack three times if all the attacks are made with your astral arms.

Way of Mercy

Monks of the Way of Mercy learn to manipulate the life and death force of others to bring aid to those in need. They are wandering physicians to the poor and hurt. However, to those beyond their help, they bring a swift end as an act of mercy.

The walkers of this way usually don robes with deep cowls, and they often conceal their faces with masks, presenting themselves as the faceless bringers of life and death. Some might be gentle-voiced healers, beloved by their communities, while others might be masked bringers of macabre mercies.

Implements of Mercy

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Insight and Medicine skills, and you gain proficiency with the herbalism kit.

You also gain a special mask, which you often wear when using the features of this subclass. You determine its appearance, or generate it randomly by rolling on the Merciful Mask table.

Merciful Mask

d6	Mask Appearance
1	Raven
2	Blank and white
3	Crying visage
4	Laughing visage
5	Skull
6	Butterfly

Hands of Healing

When you attack, you can replace one of the unarmed strikes with a Hands of Healing. You can spend 1 ki point to touch a creature and restore a number of hit points equal to one rolls of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier.

Hands of Harm

At 3rd level, you use your ki to inflict wounds. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to deal extra necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature only once per turn.

Physician's Touch

Starting at 6th level, you can administer even greater cures with a touch, and if you feel it's necessary, you can use your knowledge to cause dreadful harm.

When you use Hands of Healing on a creature, you can also end one disease or one of the following conditions affecting the creature: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, or stunned.

When you cure someone of a negative condition you can retain it and when you use the Hand of Harm you can transmit one of the retained condition at a time to one of your opponents. This condition persists until the end of your next turn. You can retain a maximum of conditions equals to your proficiency bonus. These conditions are cancelled each long rest. If you do not have negative conditions, poison can always be used.

Flurry of Healing and Harm

Starting at 11th level, you can now mete out a flurry of comfort and hurt. When you use Flurry of Blows, you can use your Hands of Healing or Hand of Harm without spending ki points. You can still use Hands of Harm only once per turn.

Hand of Ultimate Mercy

By 17th level, Your mastery of life and death energy opens the door to the ultimate mercy. As an action, you can touch the corpse of a creature that died within the past 24 hours and expend 5 ki points. The creature then returns to life, regaining a number of hit points equal to 4d12 + your Wisdom modifier. If the creature died while subject to any of the following conditions, it revives with them removed: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, poisoned, and stunned. Also, as an action you can perform the finger of death spell by touching the enemy using 5 ki points.

Once you use these features, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Way of the Ascendant Dragon

The fundamental teaching of this tradition holds that by emulating dragons, a monk becomes a more integrated part of the world and its magic. By altering their spirit to resonate with draconic might, monks who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane.

As a follower of this Monastic Tradition, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons through your ki. The Ascendant Dragon Origin table offers some possibilities.

Ascendant Dragon Origin

d6	Origin
1	You honed your abilities by observing a dragon and aligning your ki with their world altering power.
2	A dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy.
3	You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction.
4	You spent long stretches meditating in the region of influence of an ancient dragon’s lair, absorbing its ambient magic.
5	You found a scroll written in Draconic that contained inspiring new techniques.
6	After a dream that featured a five-handed dragonborn you awoke with altered ki, reflecting the breaths of dragons

Draconic Disciple

At 3rd level, you can channel draconic power to magnify your presence and imbue your unarmed strikes with the essence of a dragon’s breath. You gain the following benefits:

• Draconic Presence. If you fail a Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can use your reaction to reroll the check, as you tap into the mighty presence of dragons. Once this feature turns a failure into a success, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.

• Draconic Strike. When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison.

• Tongue of Dragons. You learn to speak, read, and write Draconic or one other language of your choice.

Breath of the Dragon

At 3rd level you can channel destructive waves of energy, like those created by the dragons you emulate. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC, taking damage of the chosen type equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

At 11th level, the damage of this feature increases to three rolls of your Martial Arts die.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 2 ki points to use this feature again.

Dragon Constitution

At 6th level your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to once your level then by +1 at each level. Additionally you gain a +1 bonus to armor class.

Aspect of the Wyrm

At 11th level the power of your draconic spirit now radiates from you, warding your allies or inspiring fear in your enemies. As a bonus action, you can create an aura of draconic power that radiates 10 feet from you for 1 minute. For the duration, you gain one of the following effects of your choice:

• Frightful Presence. When you create this aura, and as a bonus action on subsequent turns, you can choose a creature within the aura. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC or become frightened of you for 1 minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a successful save.

• Resistance. Choose a damage type when you activate this aura: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You and your allies within the aura have resistance to that damage.

Once you create this aura, you can’t create it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 3 ki points to create it again.

Ascendant Aspect

At 17th level, your draconic spirit reaches its peak. You gain the following benefits:

• Augment Breath. When you use your Breath of the Dragon, you can spend 1 ki point to augment its shape and power. The exhalation of draconic energy becomes either a 60-foot cone or a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice), and each creature in that area takes damage equal to four rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

• Blindsight. You gain blindsight out to 10 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn’t behind total cover, even if you’re blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

• Explosive Fury. When you activate your Aspect of the Wyrm, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see in your aura. Each of those creatures must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC or take 3d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice).

Monastic Ki Martial Arts

At 3rd level, a Monk gains the Ki Martial Arts feature. Here are new playtest options for that feature. Many of these new Martial Arts are based on your direction in the martial arts world. Each subclass has the ability to have specific techniques based on their characteristics and understanding in martial arts.

3rd level:

• Shadow (Prerequisite: Shadow) When you make a Dexterity (Stealth), a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or a Wisdom (Perception) check, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check, provided you aren't incapacitated.

• Freeze Strike (Prerequisite:e Open Hand) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can block his reaction. The creature can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.

• Elements (Prerequisite: Elements) When you make an Intelligence (Arcana), an Intelligence (Nature) or a Wisdom (Insight) check or an initiative roll, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check.

• Yin-Yang (Prerequisite: Immortal) As a bonus action, you can roll one Martial Arts die and you or one willing creature that you touch regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus. Additionally, you can do the reverse operation to recover 1 ki point.

• Sharp (Prerequisite: Kensei) When you make a Strength (Athletics), a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or a Wisdom (Perception) check, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check.

• Strike of Light (Prerequisite: Sun Soul) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can cast light on an object held or worn by the creature you hit. The creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or one of its objects is lighted.

• Alcoholic (Prerequisite: Drunken Master) When you take damage from a creature, you can use your reaction to drink a sip of your brewer's supplies.

• Vigilant (Prerequisite: Astral Self) When you make an Intelligence (Investigation), a Wisdom (Perception) or a Wisdom (Insight) check or an initiative roll, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check.

• Herbalist (Prerequisite: Mercy) When you make an Intelligence (Nature), a Wisdom (Medicine) or a Wisdom (Survival) check, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check.

• Draconian Charisma (Prerequisite: Ascendant Dragon) Whenever you make a Charisma check when interacting with dragons and Lesser Dragons, you can roll one Martial Arts die and add it to the ability check.

8th level:

• Venom Strike (Prerequisite: Shadow) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can poison him. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for three turns. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Constitution saving throw. On a success, the effect ends.

• Crippling Strike (Prerequisite: Open Hand) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can attempt to Crippling their minds. The creature must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, the target is incapacitated until the start of your next turn.

• Elemental Strike (Prerequisite: Elements) When you make a unarmed strike on your turn, you can increase your reach for that attack by 10 feet. If you hit, you can change the type of damage with one of your elements.

• Drain Life Force (Prerequisite: Immortal) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can attempt to drain life force from it to heal your wounds. Roll one Martial Arts die and you regain hit points equal to your martial arts dice rolled. When you use this ability, the damage turns into necrotic damage.

• Draconic Strike (Prerequisite: Ascendant Dragon) When you take damage from a creature within your reach, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed strike against that creature.

• Ki Weapon Strike (Prerequisite: Kensei) When you make an attack with your kense weapon on your turn, you can damage all the enemies that surround you. All enemies 5 feet away from you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take a damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your wisdom modifier.

• Radiant Missile (Prerequisite: Sun Soul) As a bonus action, you create three glowing darts of radiant light. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range of 120 feet. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 radiant damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.

• Lucky Strike (Prerequisite: Drunken Master) When you take damage from a creature in range, as a reaction you can unbalance yourself against one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you to make an unarmed attack on it.

• Hand of Darkness (Prerequisite: Astral Self) As an action, you can expend 1 additional ki point to the KMA technique for summon the Darkness spell without providing material components.

• Filth Fever (Prerequisite: Mercy) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, a raging fever sweeps through the creature’s body. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it has disadvantage on DEX/STR checks, on DEX/STR saving throws, and attack rolls that use Strength or Dexterity until the end of your next turn.

16th level:

• Ripper Strike (Prerequisite: Shadow) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can cause internal bleeding. At the start of each of its turns, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take one Martial Arts dice of bleeding damage. After three saving throw the internal bleeding ends.

• No Mercy (Prerequisite: Open Hand) When you have an enemy prone beside you as a reaction you instantly leap at it, and make a single unarmed strike. If you hit, the target’s movement speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of their next turn and they must make a Constitution saving throw or be poisoned until the end of your next turn.

• Elemental Reaction (Prerequisite: Elements) When you hit a creature with a unarmed strike, you can cause an elemental reaction. If you performed a spell during your action, you can change your damage to that type of element. At the start of each of its turns, it must succeed on a saving throw (based on the element type) or take one Martial Arts dice of elemental damage. After three saving throw the elemental reaction ends.

• Nightmare Strike (Prerequisite: Immortal) When a creature is frightened, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed attack against that creature.

• Ki Weapon Release (Prerequisite: Kensei) When you make an attack with your kense weapon on your turn, you can increase your reach for that attack by 30 feet. All enemies in a straight line within these 30 feet must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take a damage equal to one Martial Arts die you just rolled + your wisdom modifier.

• Trail of Cinders (Prerequisite: Ascendant Dragon) Flames of a dragon blast from your feet. For this turn, when you move within 5 feet of a creature, it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or takes one Martial Arts die fire damage from your trail of heat. A creature or object can take this damage only once during a turn.

• Wall Of Light (Prerequisite: Sun Soul) As an action, you can summon the Wall Of Light spell without providing material components. This summoning is only active for this turn, but you can maintain it by consuming 1 ki point each turn.

• Drunken Strike (Prerequisite: Drunken Master) When you use your drunken fall, as you roll you can make an unarmed strike against someone in your path.

• Buddha Hand (Prerequisite: Astral Self) As an action, you can summon the Bigby's Hand spell without providing material components. This summoning is only active for this turn, but you can maintain it by consuming 1 ki point each turn.

• Physician Strike (Prerequisite: Mercy) When a creature has a condition imposed by your Physician's Touch feature, you can use your reaction to make an unarmed attack against it.

Context: Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition by Wizards of the Coast, LLC.

Monk - Master of Martial Arts is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. Portion of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. Wizard of Coast LLC.

Texts taken and edited from the books "Player's Handbook," "Tasha's Cauldron of Everything," "Xanathar's Guide to Everything, "Xanathar's Guide to Everything," "Adventurer's Guide to the Sword Coast," "Treasure of Fizban Dragons."

Math

I have noticed that so many people like to compare different classes with the use of math. So I tried to calculate the average damage of the Monk without ki and with ki. I added the monk's reaction attacks, as they are easier to use with KMA. On the right is the original monk and fighter.

Monk 1st level

Without ki:

2d4 + (3x2) / 1d8 + 1d4 + (3x2) = ~10 / ~12

Monk 5th level

Without ki + magic weapon +1:

3d6 + (3x3) + (+3) / 2d8 + 1d6 + (3x3) + (+3) = ~21 / ~23

1 ki point: (FoB):

~21 / ~23 + (1d6+3) +1 = ~28 / ~30

Monk 11th level

Without ki + (MW+2):

3d8 + (4x3) + (2x3)= ~30

1 ki point: (FoB):

~30 + (1d8+4) +3 = ~41

5 ki points: (FoB) + (4 KMA):

~30 + (1d8+4) +3 + (4d8) = ~57

Monk 17th level

Without ki + (1 KMA) + (MW+3):

3d10 + (5x3) + 1d10 + (3x3) = ~44

1 ki point: (FoB):

~44 + (1d10+5) +3 = ~57

4 ki points: (FoB) + (3 KMA):

~44 + (1d10+5) +3 + (3d10) = ~72

5 ki points: (FoB) + (3 KMA+ 1Reaction):

~72 + 1d10 + 5 +3 = ~85

Monk 20th level

Without ki: (2 KMA) + (MW+3):

3d10 + (5x3) + 2d10 + (3x3) = ~49

1 ki point: (FoB):

~49 + (1d10+5) +3 = ~62

3 ki points: (FoB) + (2 KMA):

~49 + (1d10+5) +3 (2d10) = ~72

5 ki points: (FoB) + (2 KMA+ 2R):

~72 + 2d10 + (5x2) +6 = ~98

Original Monk 1st level

Without ki:

2d4 + (3x2) / 1d8 + 1d4 + (3x2) = ~10 / ~12

Original Monk 5th level

Without ki:............1 ki: (FoB) + (MW+1):

3d6 + (3x3) / 2d8 + 1d6 + (3x3) +3 = ~21/~23 -----------------> ~21/~23 + (1d6+3) +1 = ~28/~30

Original Monk 11th level

Without ki:............1 ki: (FoB) + (MW+2):

3d8 + (4x3) +6 = ~30 -------------------> ~30 + (1d8+4) +2 = ~40

Original Monk 17th level

Without ki:............1 ki: (FoB) + (MW+3):

3d10 + (5x3) +9 = ~39 -----------------> ~39 + (1d10+5) +3 = ~52

Original Monk 20th level

Without ki:............1 ki: (FoB) + (MW+3):

3d10 + (5x3) +9 = ~39 -----------------> ~39 + (1d10+5) +3 = ~52

Fighter 1st level

Regular:

1d12 + (3x2) / = ~12

Fighter 5th level

Regular (MW+1):.......... (+ Action Surge):

2d12 + (3x2) +2 = ~20 -----------------------> ~20x2 = ~40

2d10 + 1d4 + (3x3) +3 = ~24 --------> ~24+(18) = ~42 (PM)

Fighter 11th level

Regular (MW+2):............ (+ AS):

3d12 + (4x3) +6 = ~36 ------------------------> ~36x2 = ~72

3d10 + 1d4 + (4x4) +9 = ~42 --------> ~42+(33) = ~75 (PM)

Fighter 17th level

Regular (MW+3):............ (+ AS):

3d12 + (5x3) +9 = ~42 -----------------------> ~42x2 = ~84

3d10 + 1d4 + (5x4) +12 = ~49 ------> ~49+(39) = ~88 (PM)

Fighter 20th level

Regular (MW+3):............ (+ AS):

4d12 + (5x4) +9 = ~53 ------------------------> ~53x2 = ~106

4d10 + 1d4 + (5x5) +12 = ~59 ------> ~59+(49) = ~108 (PM)

Wondrous Tattoos

A magic tattoo artist is a master of the physiognomy of the body and its energy points. The magical artist introduces under the client's skin a strange coloring ink produced from exotic precious materials. The designs are characterized by artfully distributed forms of magical seals and runes, which provide its possessor with incredible body enhancement.

Empowered Body Tattoo (Common)

The tattoo artist draws a tattoo on your body, which channels your body's energy to make it a weapon. Your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Empowered Body Tattoo +1 (Uncommon)

Prerequisite: Empowered Body Tattoo. The tattoo artist modifies and enhances your Empowered Body Tattoo. Your unarmed strikes have a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Empowered Body Tattoo +2 (Rare)

Prerequisite: Empowered Body Tattoo +1. The tattoo artist modifies and enhances your Empowered Body Tattoo +1. Your unarmed strikes have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Empowered Body Tattoo +3 (Very Rare)

Prerequisite: Empowered Body Tattoo +2. The tattoo artist modifies and enhances your Empowered Body Tattoo +2. Your unarmed strikes have a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls.