Way of the Beast Sage

A monk who follows the Way of the Beast Sage see their bodies as just one of many possible forms. They look to nature and the beasts that roam the wilds, using their ki to emulate their strengths. They see ki as the manifestation of their soul, their true self, and the bodies it inhabits as mere vessels. This thinking promotes an intensely individualistic outlook from its students, with some monasteries training students to see their power as a gift from the enigmatic Beast Sage to protect the weak and others instructing aspirants in how to change themselves to suit to their own interests.

Born From Stone

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Animal Handling and Nature. Your martial art’s reverence and study of beasts allows you to emulate their body language, making them more amenable to you. You also gain proficiency with mason’s tools if you do not already have it.

 

Monkey-Style Technique

Starting at 3rd level, while wielding a quarterstaff, your attack rolls have reach.  In addition, when you hit with an attack made as part of your flurry of blows, you can impose one of the following effects on the target.

• The target’s speed becomes 0
• The target has disadvantage on attacks that target you
• The target cannot take reactions until the end of your next turn

At 11th level, in addition to those effects, the target must make a Constitution saving throw.  If it fails,  the target suffers one additional effect of your choice from the following:

• Throat Punch.  The target cannot speak or cast spells that require verbal components until the end of your next turn.
• Eye Strike.  The target is blinded until the end of your next turn.
• Ki Block.  The target takes a point of exhaustion.

 

The Art of Earthly Multitude

Starting at 6th level, you can use your action to magically assume the shape of a beast that you have seen before. You can use this feature twice. You regain expended uses when you finish a short or long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 ki point to use this feature again.

Beasts you transform into must be CR 1 or lower but cannot have a fly speed until you are 11th level.

You can stay in a beast shape for a number of hours equal to half your monk level (rounded down). You then revert to your normal form unless you expend another use of this feature. You can revert to your normal form earlier by using a bonus action on your turn. You automatically revert if you fall unconscious, drop to 0 hit points, or die.

While you are transformed, the following rules apply:

Your game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the beast, but you retain your alignment, personality, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. You also retain all of your skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature. If the creature has the same proficiency as you and the bonus in its stat block is higher than yours, use the creature's bonus instead of yours. If the creature has any legendary or lair actions, you can't use them.

When you transform, you assume the beast's hit points and Hit Dice. When you revert to your normal form, you return to the number of hit points you had before you transformed. However, if you revert as a result of dropping to 0 hit points, any excess damage carries over to your normal form, For example, if you take 10 damage in animal form and have only 1 hit point left, you revert and take 9 damage. As long as the excess damage doesn't reduce your normal form to 0 hit points, you aren't knocked unconscious.

You can't cast spells, and your ability to speak or take any action that requires hands is limited to the capabilities of your beast form. Transforming doesn't break your concentration on a spell you've already cast, however, or prevent you from taking actions that are part of a spell, such as Call Lightning, that you've already cast.

You retain the benefit of any features from your class, race, or other source and can use them if the new form is physically capable of doing so. However, you can't use any of your special senses, such as darkvision, unless your new form also has that sense.

You choose whether your equipment falls to the ground in your space, merges into your new form, or is worn by it. Worn equipment functions as normal, but the DM decides whether it is practical for the new form to wear a piece of equipment, based on the creature's shape and size. Your equipment doesn't change size or shape to match the new form, and any equipment that the new form can't wear must either fall to the ground or merge with it. Equipment that merges with the form has no effect until you leave the form.

 

Compliant Golden-Hooped Rod

At 11th level, you wield the staff as an extension of yourself, channeling your ki to shape it as you would your own body. As part of your attack action, you may spend 1-3 ki points to cause your quarterstaff increase in size. 1 ki point makes the quarterstaff Large size, 2 ki points makes the quarterstaff Huge size, and 3 ki points makes the quarterstaff Gargantuan. The quarterstaff returns to its original size at the end of your turn.

While the quarterstaff is Large, it has a range of 10 feet and deals an additional martial arts die of damage. While it is Huge, it has a range of 15 feet and deals an additional two martial arts dice of damage. While it is Gargantuan, it has a range of 20 feet and deals an additional three martial arts dice of damage. You do not have disadvantage on attacks with this weapon due to size.

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.

 

Great Sage Equal to Heaven

At 17th level, you may wild shape as part of an Attack action. When you do, you retain your attacks with monk weapons. You may also use any features that cost ki. For example, you may wild shape while attacking a target with a quarterstaff and still use your flurry of blows. When you transform into a beast, you may choose to retain your Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores.