Monastic Tradition - Way of the Liturgist

Monastic liturgies are born from a similar practice as Power Words and Truenames. Instead of singular words of power however the liturgies string together short mantras imbued with energies, speaking their effects into existence.

Liturgist monks are some of the most disciplined of any tradition, strictly following the teachings and practicing their mantras without fail, all while stil honing their body. While many liturgists spend their time in the monastery, some prefer to spend their time learning on the road, finding the dangers of adventuring an excellent way to test their discipline and skills. Able to weave through the battlefield with their unusual skills, a liturgist can find a place in nearly any adventuring party.

Liturgies

When you take up this subclass you gain access to a number of Liturgies - special mantras that can be recited to evoke magical effects to both aid and hinder. As they are spoken, Liturgies require you to be able to speak clearly and loudly, and anything that might hinder that (such as a gag or an area of Silence) prevents their use.

Liturgies are separated into ranks (1 to 4). Rank 2 Liturgies can be taken at 5th level, Rank 3 at 11th level, and Rank 4 at 17th level. You learn two Rank 3 Liturgies immediately, and gain an additional Liturgy at each odd-numbered Monk level that you gain and an additional one at level 20. Whenever you gain a new level in this class you may choose to exchange one Liturgy you know for another of the same rank.

Liturgies that call for a saving throw use your ki-save DC. The power of Liturgies is such that an individual creature can only be affected by one at a time, even if there are multiple Liturgists working in tandem. The first Liturgy always takes priority over subsequent ones.

Each Liturgy you know can be used once. You regain one expended Liturgy of your choice on completion of a short rest, and all expended Liturgies following a long rest. Once you have used an individual Liturgy, you can use it again before resting by expending ki points equal to its rank.

Unless otherwise specified, each Liturgy is used as a Bonus Action on your turn.

Liturgist Training

At 3rd level you gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Arcana, Religion, History. When you make an ability check with this skill, you can use Wisdom instead of Intelligence as the ability score for this skill.

Hastened Liturgy

From 6th level you can weave your Liturgies into your attacks. When you take the Attack action or Flurry of Blows bonus action, you can exchange one of your attacks for a Liturgy.

You may only utter one Liturgy per turn.

Practiced Liturgy

From 11th level you now regain expended liturgies on a short rest equal to your wisdom modifier (minimum 1).

In addition, your liturgical practices have strenthened your body. If you use a liturgy you gain +1d4 to your AC or your saving throws (your choice) until the start of your next turn.

Share Liturgies

Through dedication and practice you're able to teach your words to others. From 17th level at the end of a short or long rest, you can teach one of your Rank 1 liturgies to up to a number of creatures equal to half your wisdom modifier (rounded up). You do not have to teach each creature the same liturgy. Once they have used this, they cannot use it again until you have retaught it to them. A creature you share your liturgy with uses your ki-save for the save DC, instead of their own ability scores.

Mastered Liturgy

The bonus to your armour class or saving throws from Practiced Liturgy now increases to increases to 1d6.

Liturgies

Rank 1

Admonition

Your words of admonition cause the target to stumble. You force a target within 30ft of you to make a Constitution save, or be only able to use their choice of movement, an action, or a bonus action on their next turn.

Duty

The mantra of duty, recited to oneself, helps guide your path. If you are affected by an effect that allows a saving throw to end early, you can use this Liturgy to roll the save again immediately, with advantage.

Sloth

The mantra of sloth slows your foes. A creature of your choice within 30ft must make a constitution saving throw. On a success, their speeds are halved until the start of your next turn. On a failure, on top of their slowed speeds they also cannot take reactions, and any spells or other non-attack features such as an Illithid mind blast trigger opportunity attacks.

Thunder

Though many liturgies are quiet, methodical mantras, the Liturgy of Thunder is yelled in a booming voice. Choose a target creature within 60ft. They must succeed on a strength save or be knocked prone. In addition, the thunderous clap causes an area of deafening Silence within a 20ft radius of the target creature which lasts until the end of your next turn.

Vengeance

Your words of vengeance seem to guide the blows of your allies. Choose a target within 30ft. Weapon attacks from those other than yourself against the creature deal additional damage equal to your Wisdom modifier until the start of your next turn.

Rank 2

Defense

A liturgy of steadying yourself, these words steel both flesh and soul. For 1 minute, you add your wisdom bonus to your armour class - on top of already adding it from your unarmoured defense feature. You also gain immunity to the Frightened condition.

Entanglement

Your words of entanglement wrap around the target. Choose a creature within 60ft. On a failed wisdom save, they find their mind twisted, tricking them into standing in place. They are Restrained until the end of your next turn.

Impenetrability

The liturgy of impenetrability safeguards against harm. Choose a creature within 30ft. For 1 minute, the next damage they take is reduced to 0. Impenetrability then immediately ends.

Nonresistance

A prayer of nonresistance. Choose a creature within 30ft. If they fail their saving throw, they cannot take any action that deals damage until the end of their next turn.

Remorse

Your words fill the target with a deep sense of regret. Choose a creature within 60ft and force them to make a wisdom saving throw. If they fail the save, then they are affected by Remorse for 1 minute. Once per turn when they deal damage to or take a hostile action against another creature, they must immediately use their reaction to make their strongest melee attack against themself. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each turn to end the effect early.

Rank 3

Eloquence

Your words draw in the attention of your target. A creature of your choice within 30ft must make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the duration. While charmed by this Liturgy, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.

Eloquence lasts for 1d4+1 rounds, and ends immediately if the creature takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake them out of their stupor.

Escape

By uttering this mantra you steal away a creature from the binds they are in. Choose a creature within 60ft who is suffering from either the Grappled and/or Restrained condition. They are teleported 30ft in the direction of your choosing, and those condition immediately ends for them.

Equality

The Liturgy of Equality seeks to bring normality to the world. Choose a creature within 30ft and force them to make a wisdom saving throw. The next attack roll or saving throw they make is treated as having rolled a 10, regardless of what they roll.

A creature can willingly fail their saving throw against Equality.

Order

Some call this a forbidden mantra, however it is no darker in nature than any other. You issue a Command (as the spell) to creatures of your choice within a 30ft radius. All creatures must be issued with the same command. At the start of a commanded creature's turn they can choose to obey it, or make a wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, they obey and take 3d8 psychic damage. On a successful save, they do not obey and can act normally, but still take 1d8 psychic damage from the strain of resisting.

Withering

Your scorching words tear at a foe's body. When you use this liturgy, you choose a creature within 60ft, and then choose a body part on the creature - arm, leg, wing, or eye. They must make a constitution saving throw or suffer from the following effect until completing a short or long rest.

• Arm: Their arm becomes useless, and the creature must immediately drop anything they currently hold in that arm. If it holds a shield, it is immediately doffed. It cannot be used for somatic components.
• Leg: One of the creature's legs is rendered worthless. Their movement speed that relies on legs is halved. If all of the creatures legs are Withered, then they can only limp at a speed of 5ft per turn.
• Wing: The creature loses access to any fly speed that depends on its wings. If this would cause them to fall, they glide to the ground, and do not take fall damage.
• Eye: The creature's Perception checks are made at disadvantage. If all eyes are withered, it is Blinded.

Unlike other Liturgies, Withering can affect a creature more than once at the same time, but it stil prevents other liturgies affecting the same creature.

Rank 4

Invulnerability

The mastered form of the Impenetrability liturgy. All creatures of your choice within 60ft are affected by the Impenetrability liturgy - for 1 minute, the next source of damage they take is reduced to 0. Invulnerability then ends on that creature.

Perfection

An utterance to herald perfection. Choose a creature within 30ft. For 1d4+1 rounds their ability scores are set as equal to their highest ability score. If this would increase their constitution score, they gain increased hit points equal to their maximum hit point increase, however they lose them in turn when Perfection ends.

Predetermination

Predetermination serves as an advanced form of the Liturgy of Equality. All creatures (including yourself) within a 30ft radius must make a wisdom saving throw or be affected by it for 1d4+1 rounds. For the duration, whenever you would roll a d20 you treat the roll as being 11.

Creatures can willingly fail their saving throw against Predetermination.

Wissave (can willingly fail) - all d20 rolls become 11.

Sight

The mantra allows you to see all as it is for 1 minute. You gain truesight and darkvision out to 120ft.

Retaliation

This mantra turns a creature's aggression back on themselves. Choose a target within 30ft and force them to make a wisdom save. On a failed save, whenever they deal damage to a creature they take psychic damage equal to half as much as they dealt. If they deal damage to multiple creatures with one effect (such as a dragon's breath) then they only take one instance of damage, rather than for each creature affected.

Retaliation lasts for 1 minute. They may make a new saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end the effect early.