Monks use rigorous combat training and mental discipline to align themselves with the multiverse and focus their internal reservoirs of power. Different Monks conceptualize this power in various ways: as breath, energy, life force, essence, or self, for example. Whether channeled as a striking display of martial prowess or as a subtler manifestation of defense and speed, this power infuses all that a Monk does.

Monks focus their internal power to create extraordinary, even supernatural, effects. They channel uncanny speed and strength into their attacks, with or without the use of weapons. In a Monk’s hands, even the most basic weapons can become sophisticated implements of combat mastery.

Many Monks find that a structured life of ascetic withdrawal helps them cultivate the physical and mental focus they need to harness their power. Other Monks believe that immersing themselves in the vibrant confusion of life helps to fuel their determination and discipline.

Monks generally view adventures as tests of their physical and mental development. They are driven by a desire to accomplish a greater mission than merely slaying monsters and plundering treasure; they strive to turn themselves into living weapons.

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.

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:

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.

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

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Optional 5th-Level Monk Feature - #RyokosGuideToTheYokaiRealms
This feature replaces the Extra Attack feature and works with features that interact with Extra Attack. You can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

When you reach 7th level in this class, you learn to capture your enemy’s ki as you strike, transferring its life force to revitalise your own. At the end of your turn, you gain temporary hit points equal to thrice the number of weapon attacks you made that hit a non-Construct creature that turn.

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.

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.

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

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.

Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.

At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.

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.

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.

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.

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.

At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 4 ki points.

#TheGriffonsSaddlebag_BookOne

Traditions are closely kept secrets in many parts of the multiverse. No one monastery wants to be overrun by another that learns its weaknesses. These traditions are made known slowly, and carefully, as their monks seek new adventures with their newfound skills.

Some traditions are as old as time immemorial, whereas others are new and unique. Monks’ focus on inner peace and harnessing the energy within makes for a bountiful range of combat and character options. How do you choose to train or advance your pursuit of personal perfection?

Monks of the Way of the Celestial are peacekeepers and protectors of their chosen kin. These monks meditate to achieve a greater understanding of a divine being, granting them the ability to channel celestial energies into their own. These martial defenders are pensive, patient, and understanding, but offer little mercy when evil intentions are made clear.

The Way of the Celestial originated from the lost city of Hearth as a tribute to the city’s guardian couatl protectors. While these teachings are far from common knowledge, there’s no telling what small, protected monasteries may still exist after the city’s untimely destruction. Regardless of how you come upon this tradition, the wisdom of the celestials guides its every principle.

3rd-level Way of the Celestial Feature
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can telepathically speak to any creature you can see within 30 feet of you. When you do, you don’t need to share a language with the creature for it to understand you, but the creature must be able to understand at least one language.

3rd-level Way of the Celestial Feature
At 3rd level, you can spend 1 ki point when you touch a creature to peer into its soul. Until the start of your next turn, or for 1 minute if you are not in combat, you are aware of the creature’s emotional state and its most obvious desire. At the GM’s option, you may also discern its current number of hit points or one piece of the creature’s history. During this effect, you have advantage on any Wisdom (Insight) checks made to interact with that creature, and the next attack roll you make against that creature before the end of your turn has advantage.

If you use this feature when you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you do not need to spend a ki point to use it.

6th-level Way of the Celestial Feature
At 6th level, you can harness healing celestial energy and channel it using your ki. As an action, you can touch a willing creature with less than half its hit points left and spend 1 or more ki points. That creature regains 5 hit points for each point you spend, restoring it to no more than half its hit point maximum.

In addition, you can spend 2 ki points as an action to cast enhance ability, lesser restoration, or protection from evil and good, requiring no material components.

11th-level Way of the Celestial Feature
Beginning at 11th level, your connection to celestials can be used to expand your mind’s reach. You can cast the dream or scrying spell, requiring no material components, using your ki save DC.
When you cast dream using this feature, only you can act as the dream’s messenger. Once you cast a spell in this way, you can’t cast it again until you finish a long rest.

In addition, you are immune to scrying and to any effect that would sense your emotions, read your thoughts, or detect your location.

17th-level Way of the Celestial Feature
At 17th level, your energy is perfectly intertwined with both harmful and healing celestial magic. Your unarmed strikes deal an extra 1d4 radiant damage, and you can now use your Stabilizing Ki as a bonus action, instead of an action, to heal a creature up to 30 feet away from you.

In addition, you gain a flying speed equal to your current walking speed. This benefit only works in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft.

#TheGriffonsSaddlebag_BookTwo

Monks harness the energy that flows through the bodies of living creatures, called ki, to accomplish breathtaking feats of strength and dexterity. Often using little more than their own fists, these pugilists are the height of physical prowess and natural potential. Depending on where they train, a monk will gain uncanny mastery over their ki and physical ability using ancient traditions and techniques that have been passed down from one generation to the next.

Monks of the Way of the Aether tap into the energy of spirits and the Ethereal Plane. This energy is the fifth element, aether, which is contained by every living—and nonliving—soul. Sometimes called ghostfists, monks of this tradition explore the Material and Ethereal Planes on lifelong missions to give the souls of the dead a final resting place. By aligning the ki and aether within themselves, monks of this tradition treat their spirit as an extension of their physical bodies and move through the world unimpeded by material obstacles like a ghost.

3rd-level Way of the Aether feature
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn to send out blue flashes of spiritual energy to attack your foes. Whenever you make an unarmed strike, you can choose to make a melee spell attack with your spirit instead. You are proficient with this attack, which has a reach of 30 feet, and you add your Wisdom modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage type is force, 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 reach 6th level in this class, you can use your Stunning Strike feature when you hit a creature with your Spirit Strike.

3rd-level Way of the Aether feature
Also at 3rd level, you learn the mage hand cantrip, which you can cast and control as a bonus action. When you cast it, it doesn’t require verbal or somatic components. The hand from the spell appears as a blue, spiritual copy of your own.

6th-level Way of the Aether feature
Starting at 6th level, you can’t be possessed by ghosts or similar undead creatures, and you can use an action to spend 2 ki points to cast either the gentle repose or see invisibility spell, without providing material components. You also gain the spare the dying cantrip if you don’t already know it.

Furthermore, you learn how to free certain souls from their undead vessels when you harness your ki. You gain the following ability:

Dismiss Undead. When you hit an undead with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can force it to make a Wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC. On a failed save, its spirit leaves and is put to rest, causing the creature to either vanish or become an unmoving corpse once more. If the creature’s challenge rating is above the threshold shown in the following table, it automatically succeeds on the saving throw.

If a creature has a bonus or penalty against any effect that turns undead, that bonus or penalty also applies to this effect.

11th-level Way of the Aether feature
Beginning at 11th level, you are familiar with how ghosts and creatures of the Border Ethereal meld into the Material Plane. You can choose to partially slip into the Ethereal Plane, granting you the following benefits:
Etherstep. You can spend 1 ki point as a bonus action to turn invisible until the end of your next turn, or until you make an attack or cast a spell.
Alternatively, you can spend an extra ki point as part of your Step of the Wind to gain this benefit. When you do, you can also move through hostile creatures and solid objects no more than 4 inches thick for as long as you remain invisible.
Phase. When you are hit by an attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the attack’s damage against you by an amount equal to your monk level as you partially slip into the Border Ethereal. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

17th-level Way of the Aether feature
At 17th level, you gain truesight and telepathy out to 60 feet, as you are able to clearly see the world and connect to the souls within it using aether.

In addition, you can use an action to cast the etherealness spell. When you do, the spell has a duration of 1 minute.

Once you cast this spell, you can’t cast it again until you finish a long rest.

Monks of this order strive for meaning and perfection through mastery of the Eight Gates, internal loci of spiralling energy through which ki is channelled. By way of personal contemplation and intense training, each gate can be opened in turn, and once brought into harmony, allow for a stronger channel of ki and the ability to push one’s body beyond mortal limitations. Those who follow the Way of the Eight Gates might be hermits, retreating from the chaos of the wider world and to a place of contemplative isolation.
Others may be wanderers, embracing and celebrating all experiences, believing this to be the path to internal harmony. In any case, monks who walk this path eschew organised
religious and spiritual practices, preferring to carve their own path of potential, freedom, and growth.

Monks can have proficiency with the following new weapons: chakram, kusarigama, meteor hammer, nunchaku, rope dart, shuriken, and tessen.

3rd-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Earth reflects a being’s strong physical and spiritual foundation. Your ki grounds your centre, fortifying your body. When you use your Patient Defense or Step of the Wind, you regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

3rd-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Water reflects a being’s natural ebb and flow of ki through the open gates. You have an additional number of ki points equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1).

3rd-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Air expresses a being’s power of voice—the tool through which it communicates with the world. When you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can spend 1 ki point to issue a challenging roar. If the creature can hear you, it has disadvantage on attack rolls it makes against creatures other than you until the end of your next turn.

6th-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Flame reflects a monk’s blistering power and speed, an internal pool of coiling, frenetic energy. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make one additional unarmed strike as a part of that same bonus action. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1), and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

6th-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Presence reflects a being’s voice, social wellness, and confidence. Whenever you make a Charisma check, you gain a bonus to the check equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of +1).

11th-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Spirit represents a being’s ki flowing beyond their physical form; you have the power to share your ki with those around you. As a bonus action, you can touch one willing creature and expend 2 ki points. That creature gains temporary hit points equal to your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1), and it can immediately use its reaction to make a single weapon attack, take the Dodge action, or move up to its speed without provoking opportunity attacks.

11th-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
The Gate of Mind represents a monk’s consciousness expanding beyond their physical form. You can cast the telepathic bond spell, requiring no components. Once you cast the spell with this feature, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

17th-level Way of the Eight Gates feature
You have reached total harmony within yourself. Your gates align and converge with your ki, opening the final gate: the Gate of Infinity.

As an action, you can spend 6 ki points to transcend to a state of apotheosis. You gain the following benefits for 1 minute:

#LArsenesLedger
To a monk who follows the Way of the Artisan, taking raw materials and giving them shape and purpose is considered the noblest of pursuits. The act of creation is the purest form of meditation, an exercise in creativity and discipline that hones both mind and spirit, leading the craftsman on a never-ending journey of self-discovery.
An adherent of this philosophy seeks true perfection in their craft while accepting that this is a fundamentally unachievable goal. What matters is that they grow and improve themselves along the way, creating art and tools that better the world in the process. In this manner, artisan monks are much like the objects they craft, for they too start off full of raw potential that is ultimately given shape and purpose.

3rd-Level Way of the Artisan Feature
A worker is only as good as their tools, and yours are an extension of your own body, such is the graceful ease with which you manipulate them. You gain proficiency with two types of artisan’s tools of your choice. In addition, you can use sets of artisan’s tools you’re proficient with as weapons, using everyday objects in unconventional ways to catch your foes off guard. They count as monk weapons for you, but their damage die is one size larger than your Martial Arts die. (For example, if your Martial Arts die is a d6, the damage die of your artisan’s tools is a d8.) They deal bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice each time you hit with them), and when you gain the Ki-Empowered Strikes feature at 6th level, it also applies to attacks made with your artisan’s tools.

3rd-Level Way of the Artisan Feature
When you say that you put a small piece of your soul into each of your creations, you mean that very literally. When you finish a long rest, you can use your artisan’s tools to craft a number of Tiny objects up to your Wisdom modifier (minimum one). These objects take the shape of things you would be able to create with your tools—for example, you can use a set of woodcarver’s tools to create a wooden figurine, or a set of cobbler’s tools to create a shoe—and each one gains 1 ki point, which is stored within it. When you spend a ki point as part of your Deflect Missiles, Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, or Step of the Wind features, you can choose to expend that ki from one of your objects, as long as you have that object on your person. An object with no ki points in it is destroyed. You can have a maximum number of objects created in this way equal to your Wisdom modifier. If creating a new object would put you over this limit, you must choose another object to be destroyed. When you reach 11th level in this class, each object you create using this feature starts with 2 ki points instead of 1.

6th-Level Way of the Artisan Feature
You draw both power and inspiration from the pieces you create, allowing you to make your martial arts more intricate and formidable. When you spend a ki point from one of your Soulful Craft objects, you gain additional benefits depending on what you use it for:

11th-Level Way of the Artisan Feature
Every scratch and bump in a work of art tells a story, and you have become an expert at deciphering and interpreting these untold tales. You can spend 10 minutes touching a Medium or smaller creature-made object and meditating to try and discern its history. At the end of that time, make a DC 15 Wisdom check. You have advantage on the check if you are proficient with a set of artisan’s tools that could be used to craft that object. If the object was created with your Soulful Craft feature, you automatically succeed on the check, but the object is destroyed in the process. If you succeed, you gain the following benefits:

17th-Level Way of the Artisan Feature
Nothing lasts forever. A true artist must learn to detach themselves from what they have created and look ahead to what they have yet to bring to life. When you are reduced to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, you can choose to draw vigor from one of your creations to fight on. If you have one of your Soulful Craft objects on your person, you can destroy it, preventing yourself from falling unconscious and regaining 2d8 hit points for each ki point in the object. You can then immediately move up to half your speed without triggering opportunity attacks. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Whenever you start crafting a magic item using the rules in Heliana’s Guide to Monster Hunting or in Chapter 3 of this book, you can expend 1 or more ki points, devoting some of your spiritual energy to the item’s creation. If you do, you gain a bonus to the enchanting or forging check you make at the end of the process to create the item equal to the number of ki points invested; your maximum number of ki points is reduced by the same amount until you make that check. The maximum number of ki points you can invest at once is based on your monk level, as detailed in the table below: