Variant Monk

[Xerin]

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10

Hit Points at 1st level: 10 + your Constitution Modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Monk level after 1st.

 

Proficiencies

Armor: none

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Any one type of artisan tools, any one type of instrument or gaming tool of your choice.

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity

 

Skills: Choose 2 from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth

 

Starting Equipment

You start with the following items, plus anything provided by your background.

 

• A shortsword, or any simple weapon

• A quarterstaff, or a sickle

• A dungeoneer’s pack, or an explorer’s pack

• 10 darts

 

Alternatively, you may start with 2d4 x 10 gp to buy your own equipment.

 

Multiclassing

Ability Score Minimum: Dexterity 13, Wisdom 13

When you gain a level in a class other than your first, you gain only some of that class's starting proficiencies.

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Shortswords,

 

~~~ 1

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

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.

• When you take the attack action and attack with a monk weapon or unarmed strike, you can make an additional attack against the same target with a second unarmed or monk weapon attack a number of times per day equal to your proficiency modifier. This refreshes after a short or long rest. (Felt powerful, equated to proficiency mod.)

• Your unarmed strikes can deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 + your combat modifier on a hit. If you aren’t wielding any weapons or shields when you make the attack roll, the d6 becomes a d8. At the start of each of your turns, you can deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage to one creature grappled by you.

~~~ 2

Danger Sense

At 2nd level, you gain an uncanny sense of when things nearby aren’t as they should be, giving you an edge when you dodge away from danger. You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated. 

 

Cunning Action

Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

 

~~~3

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 to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile this way, you may treat the weapon or ammunition as a dart, and make an attack with it as a part of the reaction.

 

[1d4 Piercing - finesse, thrown (20/60ft)]

 

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition, chosen from the list of available traditions. Your tradition gains you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

 

Body of Will

At 3rd level, you may use the higher of either Constitution or Wisdom for the purposes of determining HP. 

 

~~~4

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th 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.

 

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

 

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 5 times your monk level.

 

~~~5

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you gain an extra attack when taking the attack action.

 

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 an unarmed or melee attack, you can attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn. 

 

You may attempt a stunning strike equal to your proficiency bonus. Your attempts recharge with a short or long rest.

 

~~~6

Ki-Empowered Strikes

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistances and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

 

Monastic Tradition Feature

6th, 11th, 17th level

 

~~~7

Evasion

At 7th level you can nimbly dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a red dragon’s fiery 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

 

~~~8

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 8th 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.

 

~~~9

Improved Unarmored Movement

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

 

~~~10

Purity of Body

At 10th level your mastery of ki now makes you immune to disease and poison.

 

~~~11

Monastic Tradition Feature

6th, 11th, 17th level

 

~~~12

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 12th 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.

 

~~~13

Hardened Body

Starting at 13th level, your intuitive control of ki improves your offensive and defensive capabilities. Add your wisdom modifier to damage rolls made with monk weapons and unarmed attacks, and if you are wielding a monk weapon or unarmed in both hands, you are treated as if you are carrying a shield (+1 to AC).

 

~~~14

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 may reroll it to take the second result. You may only reroll saving throws a number of times equal to your proficiency modifier. This refreshes after a long rest.

 

~~~15

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.

 

~~~16

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 16th 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.

 

~~~17

Monastic Tradition Feature

6th, 11th, 17th level

 

~~~18

Elusive

Beginning at 18th level, you are so evasive that attackers rarely gain the upper hand against you. No attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated. 

 

~~~19

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 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.

 

~~~20

Perfect Self

At 20th level your max ability score changes from 20 to 24. You gain +4 to one stat, or +2 to two states, or +1 to 4 stats. 

[Xerin]

Subclass 1: Drunken Master

 

The way of the Drunken Master

The way of the Drunken Master teaches its students to move with the jerky, unpredictable movement 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.

 

Bonus Proficiencies (3)

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 Stumble

At third level, If you give up your move and bonus actions for the turn, you can give opponents in melee disadvantage to attacks against you.

 

Drunken Reprisal (6)

When you take damage from a creature that is in melee with you, you can use your reaction to use their attack to strike back at them. The creature that dealt damage to you must make a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier). On a failed save, the creature takes 2d8 bludgeoning damage. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

 

Drunkard’s Luck (11)

Starting at 11th level, you always seem lucky at the right moment. Either give yourself advantage, or cancel disadvantage on ability check, attack roll, or saving throw rolls. You can do this a number of times per day equal to your wisdom modifier. You regain expended uses with a short rest.

 

Dropping To His Level (17)

At level 17, when you hit a creature with an attack, you can use your reaction to make the creature make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you can choose to either disarm the creature or knock it prone.

[Xerin]

Subclass 2: Unseen Fist

 

The Way of the Unseen Fist

The monks of the Way of the Unseen fist learn to channel their life energy into nearly imperceptible bolts of force. They teach ways to move and attack that seem unnatural to those around them.

 

The Extended Fist (3)

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can hurl bolts of magical force.

You gain a new attack option that you can use with the attack action. The special attack is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30ft. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is force, and its damage die is equal to your unarmed strike.

 

The Extended Palm (6)

At 6th level, your Deflect Missiles ability now increases to cover all allies within a 15ft radius. 

 

Superior Mobility (11)

At 11th level, your walking speed increases by 10 feet. If you have a climbing, swimming, or flight speed, this increase applies to that speed as well. 

 

Master of a Thousand Strikes (17)

Starting at level 17, your mastery of your martial arts lets you turn failure into success in combat. If you miss with an attack roll, you can roll it again with advantage. Once you do, you can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

[Xerin]

Subclass 3: The Awakened Monk

 

The Path of the Awakened

The Awakened Monk is one who has started to find true balance between their mind and soul. These monks radiate impressive energies with their ki and make devastating blows with their attacks. 

 

Yin Yang Strike (3)

The Monk chooses the signs of their yin and yang (poison/acid, thunder/lightning, radiant/necrotic, fire/cold) when they gain this feature, this will not change as they level. 

 

At the start of each day they choose either their yin or yang power. For the rest of the day, the monk may deal an additional 1d4 of their chosen element with each strike.

 

Balanced Mind

At third level your soul and mind are at ease. You no longer have to sleep, and instead may meditate for half your usual rest period. 

 

Wholeness of Body (6)

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

 

Tranquility (11)

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 earl as per normal). The saving throw DC for the spell is 8+ your wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus

 

Awakened Body (17)

At 17th level you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, as well as resistance to your counter element (ice if you chose fire, radiant if you chose necrotic, etc).