Monastic Tradition - The Shadowbinder

Monks of the way of the shadowbinder master not only ki, but also the method of casting spells from scrolls and creating traps. Some sects of shadowbinding trace their roots to certain clans of the Way of the Shadow, a sister discipline, and by working together the two Ways can form mobile, multidisciplinary taskforces; in other circles, the shadowbinding tradition is seen as perverse.

Shadow Scroll

When you reach third level, you gain unique training in the arcane techniques of the Shadowbinding tradition.

Cantrips. You know one cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 16th level.

Shadow Casting. You gain a Shadow Scroll that you can use to prepare your Shadowbinder spells. When you finish a long rest, you select a number of spells as shown in the Spells Inscribed column of the Shadowbinder table to inscribe onto your scroll. You can inscribe the same spell multiple times. While holding your Shadow Scroll, you can cast these spells without material components (except those with a gold cost) or expending a spell slot. The spell is cast as if you had expended a spell slot of the level indicated in the Max Spell Level of the Shadowbinder table. When you do so, the spell inscription disappears from the Shadow Scroll until you inscribe it again.

If your Shadow Scroll is lost or destroyed, you may make a new one in a one hour ritual, converting a plain scroll into a Shadow Scroll.

Spells known of 1st level and higher. You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, which you must choose from the conjuration and illusion spells on the wizard spell list. The Spells Known column of the Shadowbinder table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these inscribed spells must be a conjuration or illusion spell of your choice, and must be of a level less than or equal to the maximum spell level indicated on the Shadowbinder table.

Spellcasting ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Shadowbinder spells. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability and when determining your Spell Save DC and Spell Attack Modifier.

Spell Seals. Whenever you finish casting a cantrip, or a spell from your Shadow Scroll, you may instead choose to infuse it onto a piece or parchment or other solid material, creating a seal. Seals become inactive after an amount of hours equal to the level of the spell slot expended to create them. Cantrip seals last until triggered, though you can only have one active at a time. You can trigger seals with somatic components as long as the spell's casting time. Triggering an active seal casts the spell from the seal, destroying it in the process.

The range of the spell is determined from the location of the seal. If you cannot see the seal or its targets, the spell is centered on the seal and targets the maximum number of targets in range, starting with the closest. Seals are only active if they are within one mile and on the same plane as you. Creating a cantrip seal requires a surface as large as an arrowhead, while leveled spells require a surface as large as a palm.

Shadowbinding

When you reach 6th level, you learn to harness your ki to bind the shadow of a creature or object. Choose a target within 30 ft of you that you can see. As a bonus action or instead of one of your attacks as part of the attack action, you can force that target to make a Charisma saving throw against your Ki save DC. If the target is an object, it automatically fails the save. On a failed save, the target is suspended in its location and grappled. While the target is grappled, you can spend your action to move it through its shadow into a dimly lit spot within 30 ft of you.

At the end of the target's turn, you may use your reaction to make them repeat the saving throw; on a fail, you expend a use of your Shadowbinding and the effect continues. On a sucess, or if you don't use your reaction, the effect ends.

You have a number of uses of Shadowbinding equal to your proficiency bonus. If you have no more uses, you may spend 2 ki points instead. You regain all uses when you finish a long rest.

Secret Art Unleashed

When you reach 11th level, you are granted the signature ability of your clan. Make a choice from among the Secret Arts below.

They Who Grapple in Darkness

When you reach the 17th level, Shadowbound targets now make dexterity saving throws at disadvantage. In addition, you can use Shadowbinding or unarmed strikes from any range, so long as you, your shadow, or an active seal of yours is touching the target or their shadow (in normal circumstances, shadows are within 5 ft of their host.) Targets make the save against Shadowbinding with disadvantage if you use this range.

Secret Arts

Secret Art of Spellbinding. You uncover a lost art of binding spells. You know Counterspell, which doesn’t count against your spells known, and you may inscribe it onto your Shadow Scroll. If you successfully counter a spell with this feature, it becomes inscribed to the blank space in your Shadow Scroll where Counterspell had been. The stolen spell counts as a Shadowbinder spell for you, and may be cast like any other inscribed spell. If the level of the spell is higher than your current Max Spell Level, you must make a Wisdom (Arcana) check (DC = 10 + spell level). On a fail, the spell fails. At the end of a long rest, any stolen spells vanish from your Shadow Scroll.

Hidden Blade of Execution. You regain the memory of a legendary weapon from your clan's past. You know Shadow Blade, which doesn't count against your spells known, and you may inscribe it onto your Shadow Scroll as normal. It doesn't require concentration for you. Attacks with Shadow Blade against Shadowbound targets are made at advantage, and as a bonus action, by spending 2 ki points, you may make a weapon attack with Shadow Blade against a Shadowbound target.

Secret Art of Shadowrising. You learn a new way to harness your Shadowbinding. Whenever a creature fails a saving throw against your shadowbinding, you may choose to conjure their shadow instead of binding it. On a failed save, a conjured shadow attacks its host, using either its host's or your own attack modifier. It may use any non-spellcasting action its host could take, including multiattack, or you have it use a 3d6 + 3 psychic damage attack. The shadow has no stats or form of its own, can only damage its host, and is always at least 5 feet from its host.

If a creature dies while its shadow is bound or conjured, you may inscribe their shadow onto your Shadow Scroll. This counts against your Spells Inscribed. It becomes a 3rd level concentration (1 minute) illusion spell with somatic components and a 1 action cast time. Target any creature within 30 ft. The target makes a charisma saving throw. On a fail, the inscribed shadow attacks them, using the previous rules. You may also use your action to direct the shadow to perform an attack action against them. The target repeats the saving throw at the end of each of their rounds, ending the effect on a sucess or receiving another attack on a fail. You may inscribe the shadow of a creature once, and you regain the ability to do so upon completing a long rest.

The Ancient Seal. You become a master of your Sealing tradition. Activating a seal can be done normally with no somatic components, or you may halve the activation time by performing the somatic components (spells with a casting time of one action are reduced to one bonus action, which is the minimum). You may have three cantrip seals active at one time.

You also learn to create an Ancient Seal. They require a month of time and 2000 gold's worth of supplies to be inscribed, and aren't consumed when triggered. Instead, they may be triggered once every 24 hours. Creating a new Ancient Seal causes the previous one to expire.