Way of the Demon[]
Monks of the Demon’s March Monastery are unique in their approach to ki energy. While most traditions praise the flow of ki and embrace a lifestyle that matches this idea of peaceful and seamless transition, these warriors draw more strength from more adversarial sources. The ki energy that monks of the Demon’s March draw on is often seen as harsh or stagnant, it rises from societal conflicts great and small, and from destructive natural phenomenon.
Monks of this tradition are coarse-mannered or outright indulgent. They shirk societal customs, and are often drawn to places and events of upheaval, where the ‘flow’ of their ki is strongest.
Way of the Demon Features[]
| Monk Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Demon's Fist |
| 6th | Demon's Fire |
| 11th | Demon's Wrath |
| 17th | Demon's Pride |
Demon's Fist[]
At 3rd level, on your turn, when you make an unarmed attack with the Attack action you may spend 1 ki point as a bonus action to activate the Demon’s Fist, transforming your hands into claw-like appendages. Until the end of your turn, all unarmed attacks you make gain a bonus to damage equal to your Wisdom modifier, and you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier if you damage an enemy with the Fist which last until the start of your next turn.
Demon's Fire[]
At 6th level, when you spend a ki point to enact Patient Defense or Step of the Wind, all enemies who make melee attack rolls against you automatically take hellfire damage equal to your Dexterity modifier. Hellfire damage is unaffected by fire resistance or immunity unless the creature also has necrotic resistance or immunity. This effect ends at the start of your next turn.
Demons' Wrath[]
Starting at 11th level, you can spend 2 ki points to cast the hex spell, or 3 ki points to cast the flame blade spell. Flame Blade counts as a monk weapon for you when cast this way. Your spellcasting ability is Wisdom for these effects.
Demon's Pride[]
At 17th level, whenever you are targeted by an attack in melee range, you may use your reaction to make an unarmed attack against the offending enemy. If the attack lands, you deal an additional damage martial arts die of hellfire damage.
Way of Pearls[]
Woven like a spider’s web across the world are lines of wild, fey energy, escaped from a dimension of untamed nature and magic. Legends tell of a clever, cunning dragon with scales of pearl, the king of the fey realm, who taught his mortal followers how to access this fey energy.
The path of the Jade Dragon is one founded on intuition rather than devotion. Those who tread this path are often glib, passionate, tricksome, and temperamental -- perhaps as a result of the wild ki they channel.
Way of Pearls Features[]
| Monk Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Bonus Proficiencies, King of Pearls Techniques |
| 6th | Iridescent Scales |
| 11th | Wild Heart |
| 17th | Pearl King's Lecture |
Bonus Proficiencies[]
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Deception and Nature skills if you are not already proficient in them.
King of Pearls Techniques[]
At 3rd level, once per turn when you strike an enemy with an unarmed or monk weapon attack, you may spend 1 ki point to add one of the following effects:
- Sight-Thief: The target must make a Wisdom save. If they fail, you appear blurry and intangible to the target, and they suffer disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the end of their next turn.
- Bramble-Fist: The target must make a Constitution save. If they fail, their skin prickles and burns, and they suffer one damage martial arts die of piercing damage for every 10 feet they move on their next turn. Forms of instantaneous movement, such as teleportation, negate this effect.
- Snare-Palm Strike: The target must succeed a Strength save or be restrained by magical vines until the end of their next turn, at which point the vines wilt.
- Befuddling Headbutt: The target must succeed a Constitution save. If they fail, they are confused, per the spell confusion, for one round. A creature affected by this technique cannot be confused this way again for 24 hours.
Iridescent Scales[]
At 6th level, your connection to fey energy has warded you against harmful magic. You have resistance against damage from spells.
Wild Heart[]
At 11th level, you gain advantage against all mind-altering effects, as well as any attempt to detect your alignment, intent, or emotional state, including Insight checks against you.
Pearl King's Lecture[]
At 17th level, you can spend 3 ki points and breathe a 15 foot cone of chromatic air as an action. All enemies in the cone must make a Constitution save or suffer 5d6 radiant damage.