Monk

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Overview & Creation

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. You must have a Dexterity score and a Wisdom score of 13 or higher in order to multiclass in or out of this class.

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Class Features

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   At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.   You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:  

• You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
• You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of 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.
• When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.

Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon on the Weapons page.   Ki   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 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. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.   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 points.   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:   Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier  

• Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
• Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
• Step of the Wind. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

Unarmored Movement   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.   At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.   Dedicated Weapon (Optional)   Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.   The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:  

• The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
• You must be proficient with it.
• It must lack the heavy and special properties.

  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.   Deflect Missiles   Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.   If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.   Ki-Fueled Attack (Optional)   Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn.   Ability Score Improvement   When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 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.   Slow Fall   Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.   Quickened Healing (Optional)   Also at 4th level, 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.   Extra Attack   Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.   Stunning Strike   Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.   Focused Aim (Optional)   Also at 5th level, when you miss with an attack roll, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your attack roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially turning the miss into a hit.   Ki-Empowered Strikes   Starting at 6th level, 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   Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.   Purity of Body   At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.   Tongue of the Sun and Moon   Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.   Diamond Soul   Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.   Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.   Timeless Body   At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water.   Empty Body   Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.   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.   Perfect Self   At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points.

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Starting Equipment

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

1. (a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
2. (a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
3. 10 darts

 

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Subclass Options

Spirit of the Tiger   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you master the Tiger Style of martial arts and can strike with a clawed hand. You gain the following benefits:   Your unarmed strikes can now deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning damage. When you take the Dash action as a bonus action, the first attack you make this turn with your unarmed strike or a monk weapon you make with advantage. When you take the Dash action, you can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.   Spirit of the Crane   At 6th Level, you master the Crane Style and can strike with a pointed hand; you gain the following benefits:   Your unarmed strikes can now deal piercing damage instead of bludgeoning or slashing damage. When you use take the Dodge or Disengage action on your turn, you can use your reaction when you are attacked by a creature that you can see to add your proficiency bonus to your Armor Class against that attack (possibly causing the incoming attack to miss). If you take the Dodge or Disengage action, you can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.   Spirit of the Snake   At 11th Level, you master the Snake Style and can ensnare your enemies; you gain the following benefits:   When you make a grapple check, you can use Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) even when initiating a grapple. You have advantage on attacks made with monk weapons or unarmed strike against grappled targets. While you have a target grappled, you can use your action to make a grapple check to attempt to restrain the target.   Spirit of the Dragon   At 17th Level, you master the Dragon Style and can strike with the power of a dragon; you gain the following benefits:   Your unarmed strikes can now deal force damage instead of bludgeoning, slashing, or piercing damage. You can spend 3 Ki points to gain a fly speed equal to your movement speed for 1 minute (no action required). During that time, you can add your proficiency bonus to the damage from your monk weapons or unarmed strikes.   Flowing Connection   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd, you study the flow of Ki within yourself and your enemies; you gain the following features:   You have advantage on attacks made against your grappled target. Whenever you hit a creature that you have grappled with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can learn the following attributes about the target: Damage Vulnerabilities, Damage Resistances, Damage Immunities, and Condition Immunities   Judo Master   Also at 3rd level, you add your proficiency bonus to checks you make to initiate, maintain, or break a grapple, if you are already proficient, you add double your proficiency bonus to these checks.   Ki Hold   At 6th level, while you have a target grappled, you can replace an attack to make a grapple check to attempt to restrain your grappled target. You must maintain the grapple to keep the target restrained.   Revealing Flow   Starting at 11th level, when you touch a creature for the duration that it speaks, you know if that creature speaks a deliberate lie.   Additionally, as an action, you can spend 2 Ki points to gain the effects of the spell Detect Thoughts for 1 minute, however, you can only probe the thoughts of a creature you are touching.   Ki Block   At 17th level, you can spend your action and 3 Ki points to cause a target that is restrained by your Ki Hold to make a grapple check or be knocked unconscious for 1 minute.   Path of Tranquility   When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can become an island of calm in even the most chaotic of situations. With this feature, you can cast the Sanctuary spell on yourself, no material component required, and it lasts up to 8 hours. Its saving throw DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. A creature that succeeds on the save is immune to this effect for 1 hour.   Once you cast the spell in this way, you can’t do so again for 1 minute.   Healing Hands   Your mystical touch can heal wounds. Starting at 3rd level, you have a pool of magical healing power that replenishes when you take a long rest. With that pool, you can restore a total number of hit points equal to your monk level × 10.   As an action, you can touch a creature and draw power from the pool to restore a number of hit points to that creature, up to the maximum amount remaining in the pool.   Instead of healing the creature, you can expend 5 hit points from your pool of healing to cure the target of one disease or neutralize one poison affecting it. You can cure multiple diseases and neutralize multiple poisons with a single use of Healing Hands, expending hit points separately for each one.   When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can replace one of the unarmed strikes with a use of this feature.   This feature has no effect on undead and constructs.   Emissary of Peace   At 6th level, you gain the ability to diffuse violent situations. Whenever you make a Charisma check to calm violent emotions or to counsel peace, you have advantage on the roll. You must make this entreaty in good faith; it doesn’t apply if proficiency in the Deception or Intimidation skill applies to your check.   You also gain proficiency in the Performance or Persuasion skill (choose one).   Douse the Flames of War   At 11th level, you gain the ability to temporarily extinguish a creature’s violent impulses. As an action, you can touch a creature, and it must make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. The target automatically succeeds if it’s missing any of its hit points. If the target fails the save, it can’t attack for 1 minute. During that time, it also can’t cast spells that deal damage or that force someone to make a saving throw.   This effect ends if the target is attacked, takes damage, or is forced to make a saving throw or if the target witnesses any of those things happening to its allies.   Anger of a Gentle Soul   At 17th level, you gain the ability to visit vengeance on someone who fells others. If you see a creature reduce another creature to 0 hit points, you can use your reaction to grant yourself a bonus to all damage rolls against the aggressor until the end of your next turn. The bonus equals your monk level.   Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.   Soul Knives   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your psionic energy to manifest blades that disrupt your foes’ minds.   Your unarmed strikes deal your choice of psychic, piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning damage each time you hit.   In addition, you can use a bonus action to increase the reach of your unarmed strikes by 30 feet until the end of your turn.   Psychic Slash   At 3rd level, when you channel ki into your attacks you augment your soul knives to inflict devastating psionic blows.   Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows and that attack inflicts psychic damage, you can impose one of the following effects on the target:  

• Life Drain. You gain temporary hit points equal to half the damage your attack deals.
• Invoke Terror. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
• Invoke Wrath. The target suffers disadvantage on all attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.
• Astral Slide. You teleport the target up to 10 feet to a destination you can see.
• Synaptic Overload. The target gains vulnerability to psychic damage until the end of your next turn.

  Aura Sight   At 6th level, you gain the ability to perceive the auras of other creatures.   As an action, select a creature that you can see. That creature makes a Wisdom saving throw, though it has no knowledge that you forced it to attempt this saving throw. On a failed save, you learn if the creature shares any aspects of its alignment with you, its current hit points, and its current attitude and intentions toward you or one other creature, object, or location of your choice. In addition, for the next 24 hours or until you use this ability again, you can use an action to determine the creature’s distance and direction from you.   If a creature succeeds on its saving throw against this ability, you cannot use this ability against that creature again until you complete a long rest.   Spectral Blades   At 11th level, you can cause your blades to phase through physical objects and defenses.   Once during your turn, you can choose to forego one unarmed strike in place of forcing a creature within the reach of that attack to make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC. On a failed saving throw, the creature takes psychic damage equal to that of your unarmed strike, or half that damage if it succeeds.   Psychic Form   At 17th level, you can transform your physical body into the same psychic energy that comprises your soul knives. As a bonus action, you assume a psychic form, which grants the following benefits:  

• You have resistance to all damage.
• You have a fly speed of 30 feet.
• You can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. You take 5 force damage if you end your turn inside an object.

This benefit lasts for 1 minute. You cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.   Fists of Bone and Steel   At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, your Martial Arts damage die increases for unarmed strikes. You can roll a d6 in place of the normal damage for your unarmed strike. This die changes to a d8 at 5th level; a d10 at 11th level; and a d12 at 17th level. This increased damage can only be applied to an unarmed strike, and not to a monk weapon.   Martial Discipline   Starting at 3rd level, when you adopt this tradition, choose a discipline and gain its feature.  

• Forged Heart. Your unarmed strikes are considered adamantine weapons. In addition, when you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can spend 1 ki point to cause it to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 2d6 additional damage of the same type as the unarmed strike and can be pushed up to 15 feet away from you. On a successful save, the creature only takes 1d6 points of additional damage and is not pushed back.
• Nightmare Shroud. When you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can spend 1 ki point to assail it with fear, causing it to make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 points of psychic damage and becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. If a creature succeeds on this save, they are immune to the fear effect of this ability for 24 hours.
• Traveler’s Blade. Your reach extends by 5 feet. Additionally, at the start of your turn you can expend up to 4 ki points to extend your reach further. For every point of ki you spend, your reach extends by an additional 5 feet until the end of your turn.
• Weretouched. Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can spend 1 ki point to rend your target and inflict deep bleeding wounds. At the start of each of the creature’s turns for the next minute, it takes 1d4 points of slashing damage from this effect. The effect ends early if the creature has one or more hit points restored, if any creature uses its action to expend one use of a healer’s kit, or makes a successful Wisdom (Medicine) check with a DC equal to your ki save DC.

When you reach 6th level, this slashing damage counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.   Mutable Strike   You have the power to alter your natural weapons, growing claws or reinforcing your fists. Starting at 3rd level, when you use Martial Arts to make an unarmed strike, you can choose whether you inflict slashing, bludgeoning, or piercing damage with the attack.   Manifest Blow   Starting at 6th level, choose one of the following damage types when you finish a long rest: bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, cold, lightning, necrotic, psychic, or thunder. On your turn, the first creature you hit with an unarmed strike takes an additional 1d6 points of damage of that type. If you select bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage, it benefits from your Ki-Empowered Strikes class feature and counts as magical damage. Nightmare Shroud monks typically inflict psychic damage with this ability, Forged Heart monks enhance their bludgeoning damage, and Weretouched grow sharper claws. However, you can choose any damage type, regardless of your discipline(s).   Reflexive Adaptation   Starting at 11th level, when you make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, you can spend 1 ki point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to use this ability after you roll the check, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the d20s is used for the ability check, omitting the highest if this check was rolled with disadvantage. In addition, the extra damage dealt by the Manifest Blow class feature increases to 2d6.   Perfect Form   At 17th level, you transform your body to become a weapon of war. You gain a feature based on a discipline of your choice. You can choose the same discipline you selected at 3rd level or a different one.  

• Forged Heart. When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to add your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) to your AC, including against the triggering attack. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn.
• Nightmare Shroud. When you damage a creature with your Manifest Blow, excess psionic energy ripples to up to 3 different creatures of your choice within 30 feet. Those creatures take an amount of psychic damage equal to half of your monk level.
• Traveler’s Blade. When you deal piercing or slashing damage to a creature with an unarmed strike, it takes an additional 1d8 poison damage and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your ki save DC or be poisoned until the end of its next turn.
• Weretouched. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make three unarmed strikes as a bonus action instead of two. You have advantage on these attacks.

  Extract Aspects   Beginning at 3rd level when choosing this tradition, you can strike pressure points to extract crucial information about your foe, granting you insight about their combat ability. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you mark them as analyzed. Whenever an analyzed creature misses you with an attack, you can immediately use your reaction to make an unarmed melee attack against that creature. This benefit lasts until you finish a short or long rest.   In addition, you learn the following attributes about the target: Damage Vulnerabilities, Damage Resistances, Damage Immunities, and Condition Immunities.   Mystical Erudition   Beginning at 6th level, you’ve undergone extensive training with the Cobalt Soul, teaching you extensively in history or lore from the monastery’s collected volumes. You learn one language of your choice, and you gain proficiency with one of the following skills of your choice: Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, and Religion. If you already have proficiency in one of the listed skills, you can instead choose to double your proficiency bonus for any ability check you make that uses the chosen proficiency.   You gain an additional language and an additional skill proficiency from the above list (with the ability to double the bonus of an existing proficiency from the list) at 11th and 17th level.   Extort Truth   At 6th level, you can hit a hidden cluster of nerves on a creature with precision, temporarily causing them to become mentally malleable. If you hit a creature with an unarmed attack, you can spend 1 ki point to force them to make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is unable to speak a deliberate lie and all Charisma checks directed at the creature are made with advantage for up to 10 minutes. You know if they succeeded or failed on their saving throw.   An affected creature is aware of the effect and can thus avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive in its answers as long as the effect lasts.   Mind of Mercury   Starting at 11th level, you’ve honed your awareness and reflexes through mental aptitude and pattern recognition. Once per turn, if you’ve already taken your reaction, you may spend 1 ki point to take an additional reaction.   Debilitating Barrage   Upon reaching 17th level, you’ve gained the knowledge to temporarily lower a creature’s fortitude by striking a series of pressure points. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can spend 3 ki points to cause the creature to suffer a vulnerability to a damage type of your choice for 1 minute, or until they take damage of that type. A creature who is affected by this feature cannot be affected by it again for 24 hours.   At 3rd-level you can channel your draconic ki to imbue your unarmed strikes with the essence of a dragon’s breath and to use your connection with draconic creatures to magnify your presence. You gain the following benefits:  

• When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison.
• If you can’t already, you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic.
• 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.

  Breath of the Dragon   At 3rd-level you can channel your ki into destructive waves of energy like 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 the 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 failure, or half as much damage on a success.   At 11th level, the damage of your breath 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 1 ki point to use this feature again.   Wings Unfurled   At 6th-level when you use your Step of the Wind, you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back that vanish at the end of your turn. While the wings exist, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed.   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 1 additional ki point when you activate Step of the Wind to use this feature again.   Aspect of the Wyrm   When you reach 11th-level the power of your draconic ki now radiates from you, protecting your allies from harm and punishing any who raise arms against them. As a bonus action, you can create an aura of draconic power that radiates 30 feet from you for 1 minute. Choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage, and for the duration, you gain the following effects:   You and your allies within your aura gain resistance to the chosen damage type. Waves of destructive energy flow out from you and your allies when any of you are attacked. When you or one of your allies in the aura is hit by an attack made by another creature within the aura, the target that was hit can use their reaction to deal an amount of damage of the chosen type equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die to the attacker. Once you use this bonus action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 4 ki points to use it again.   Ascendant Aspect   At 17th-level your draconic ki reaches its peak. You gain the following benefits:   You gain blindsight out to 30 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. When you damage a creature with your Breath of the Dragon, the energy clings to the target. At the start of each of the creature’s turns, it takes damage of the type your breath dealt equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die. At the end of its turn, the creature can repeat the save, ending the effect on itself on a success. When you activate your Aspect of the Wyrm, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see within your aura. Those creatures each take 4d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice).   Radiant Sun Bolt   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can hurl searing bolts of magical radiance.   You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is radiant, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.   When you take the Attack action on your turn and use this special attack as part of it, you can spend 1 ki point to make the special attack twice as a bonus action.   When you gain the Extra Attack feature, this special attack can be used for any of the attacks you make as part of the Attack action.   Searing Arc Strike   At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel your ki into searing waves of energy. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to cast the Burning Hands spell as a bonus action.   You can spend additional ki points to cast Burning Hands as a higher level spell. Each additional ki point you spend increases the spell's level by 1. The maximum number of ki points (2 plus any additional points) that you can spend on the spell equals half your monk level.   Searing Sunburst   At 11th level, you gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. As an action, you magically create an orb and hurl it at a point you choose within 150 feet, where it erupts into a sphere of radiant light for a brief but deadly instant.   Each creature in that 20-foot-radius sphere must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind total cover that is opaque.   You can increase the sphere's damage by spending ki points. Each point you spend, up to a maximum of 3, increases the damage by 2d6.   Sun Shield   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.   If a creature hits you with a melee attack while this light shines, you can use your reaction to deal radiant damage to the creature. The radiant damage equals 5 + your Wisdom modifier.   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, Pass without Trace, or Silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the Minor Illusion cantrip if you don't already know it.   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.   Open Hand Technique   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:  

• It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
• It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
• It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.

  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.   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.   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.   Hands of Healing   At 3rd level, your mystical touch can mend wounds. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to touch a creature and restore a number of hit points equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier.   When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can replace one of the unarmed strikes with a use of this feature without spending a ki point for the healing.   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 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 use Hands of Harm on a creature, you can subject that creature to the poisoned condition until the end of your next turn.   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 now replace each of the unarmed strikes with a use of your Hands of Healing, without spending ki points for the healing.   In addition, when you make an unarmed strike with Flurry of Blows, you can use Hand of Harm with that strike without spending the ki point for Hands of Harm. You can still use Hands of Harm only once per turn.   Hand of Ultimate Mercy   By 17th level, Your mastery of life 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 4d10 + 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.   Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.   Touch of Death   Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your study of death allows you to extract vitality from another creature as it nears its demise. 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 temporary hit point).   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 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 the Long Death   Starting at 17th level, your touch can channel the energy of death into a creature. As an action, you touch one creature within 5 feet of you, and you expend 1 to 10 ki points. The target must make a Constitution saving throw, and it takes 2d10 necrotic damage per ki point spent on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.   Path of the Kensei   When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits:  

• Kensei Weapons. Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. The longbow is also a valid choice. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition's features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon – either melee or ranged – to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above.
• 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 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated.
• Kensei's Shot. You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes an extra 1d4 damage of the weapon’s type. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn.
• 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.  

• Magic Kensei Weapons. Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
• 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.

  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. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls.   Unerring Accuracy   At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.   Disciple of the Elements   When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements. A discipline requires you to spend ki points each time you use it.   You know the Elemental Attunement discipline and one other elemental discipline of your choice. You learn one additional elemental discipline of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.   Whenever you learn a new elemental discipline, you can also replace one elemental discipline that you already know with a different discipline.   Casting Elemental Spells. Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting. 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.   Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of an elemental discipline spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as Burning Hands does. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. For example, if you are a 5th-level monk and use Sweeping Cinder Strike to cast Burning Hands, you can spend 3 ki points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the discipline's base cost of 2 ki points plus 1).   The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell 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 and Ki Points table.  

• Breath of Winter. Prerequisite: 17th Level. You can spend 6 ki points to cast Cone of Cold.
• Clench of the North Wind. Prerequisite: 6th Level. You can spend 3 ki points to cast Hold Person.
• Elemental Attunement. You can use your action to briefly control elemental forces within 30 feet of you, causing one of the following effects of your choice: Create a harmless, instantaneous sensory effect related to air, earth, fire, or water such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, a spray of light mist, or a gentle rumbling of stone. Instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire. Chill or warm up to 1 pound of nonliving material for up to 1 hour. Cause earth, fire, water, or mist that can fit within a 1-foot cube to shape itself into a crude form you designate for 1 minute.
• Eternal Mountain Defense. Prerequisite: 17th Level. You can spend 5 ki points to cast Stoneskin, targeting yourself.
• Fangs of the Fire Snake. When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach with your unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet for that action, as well as the rest of the turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage, and if you spend 1 ki point when the attack hits, it also deals an extra 1d10 fire damage.
• Fist of Four Thunders. You can spend 2 ki points to cast Thunderwave.
• Fist of Unbroken Air. You can create a blast of compressed air that strikes like a mighty fist. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points and choose a creature within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can push the creature up to 20 feet away from you and knock it prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don't push it or knock it prone.
• Flames of the Phoenix. Prerequisite: 11th Level. You can spend 4 ki points to cast Fireball.
• Gong of the Summit. Prerequisite: 6th Level. You can spend 3 ki points to cast Shatter.
• Mist Stance. Prerequisite: 11th Level. You can spend 4 ki points to cast Gaseous Form, targeting yourself.
• Ride the Wind. Prerequisite: 11th Level. You can spend 4 ki points to cast Fly, targeting yourself.
• River of Hungry Flame. Prerequisite: 17th Level. You can spend 5 ki points to cast Wall of Fire.
• Rush of the Gale Spirits. You can spend 2 ki points to cast Gust of Wind.
• Shape the Flowing River. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to choose an area of ice or water no larger than 30 feet on a side within 120 feet of you. You can change water to ice within the area and vice versa, and you can reshape ice in the area in any manner you choose. You can raise or lower the ice's elevation, create or fill in a trench, erect or flatten a wall, or form a pillar. The extent of any such changes can't exceed half the area's largest dimension. For example, if you affect a 30-foot square, you can create a pillar up to 15 feet high, raise or lower the square's elevation by up to 15 feet, dig a trench up to 15 feet deep, and so on. You can't shape the ice to trap or injure a creature in the area.
• Sweeping Cinder Strike. You can spend 2 ki points to cast Burning Hands.
• Water Whip. You can spend 2 ki points as an action to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a creature to unbalance it. A creature that you can see that is within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don't pull it or knock it prone.
• Wave of Rolling Earth. Prerequisite: 17th Level. You can spend 6 ki points to cast Wall of Stone.

  Bonus Proficiencies   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.   Drunken Technique   At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn.   Tipsy Sway   Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits.  

• Leap to Your Feet. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.
• Redirect Attack. When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you.

  Drunkard's Luck   Starting at 11th level, 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, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll.   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, you can make up to three additional attacks with it (up to a total of five Flurry of Blows attacks), provided that each Flurry of Blows attack targets a different creature this turn.     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).
• 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 5 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.

 

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