A storm can be the one of the most destructive forces that nature unleashes, striking with bolts of energy faster than the eye can see, and raw power that can end lives in fractions of a second. Monks of the Way of the Lightning Bolt have learned to channel this power within themselves, powering their agility with electricity and toppling their foes in swift, yet highly-lethal thunderous strikes.

These monks prefer to keep a generous distance from their enemies, playing them into a false sense of security until they find their opportunity to strike; without even realizing it, their opponents will find that the Monk has already closed the distance, and their arm now lies severed on the soil.

Astrapomancy Adept

At 3rd level when you take this subclass, you gain the ability to channel your ki into electrical bursts. You gain the Shocking Grasp and Thunderclap cantrips, they have a save DC equal to your ki save DC, and you may use either your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier when determining their bonus to attack rolls. When you cast either cantrip, you may make an unarmed strike as a bonus action.

In addition, either before or after casting either cantrip, your movement speed increases by 10 ft until the end of the current turn, and they both count as unarmed strikes for the purpose of your class features.

 

Electric Technique

At 6th level, your inner spark has further empowered your body, allowing the usage of quick, thunderous blows and resisting similar strikes from your enemies. You gain resistance to lightning and thunder damage, and when you make a weapon attack, you may replace the damage with either type.

In addition, your electrical ki empowers your martial techniques. When you use the below features, you gain the following benefits:

Flurry of Blows: When you use this bonus action, you may replace one of the attacks with a Monk cantrip. You cannot use a cantrip as part of your action if you use one in this way.

Patient Defense: When an enemy misses you with an attack on their turn, if they would have also missed the higher roll of the two, they take lightning or thunder damage equal to one roll of your martial arts dice + your Wisdom modifier.

Step of the Wind: You may jump any distance without falling, using your movement speed as normal to make the jump.

Soul-Sundering Speed

At 11th level, your electricity is so potent that it can empower your speed, and further overwhelm your adversaries. After using an action or bonus action to dash, you may spend an additional ki point to further increase your movement speed by an amount equal to your base movement speed.

At any point after you dash if you hit an enemy with an unarmed strike, you may spend 3 ki points to release your built-up electrical charge into them. They take additional lightning or thunder damage equal to four rolls of your martial arts dice and must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of your next turn. Whether they succeed or fail, you lose any additional speed gained through dashing this turn.

Unstoppable Force

At 17th level, you embody speed itself, allowing the use of overwhelming energy to become indiscernible from a bolt of lightning. As an action, you may spend 8 ki points to surge your electrical prowess throughout your bones and blood. For 1 minute, you gain the following effects:

• You gain the effects of the Haste spell for the duration.
• A field of electricity surrounds you in a 15 ft. sphere. The first time they enter the sphere or at the start of their turn, each creature of your choice must make a Dexterity saving throw or take lightning or thunder damage (you must pick one at the start of the effect) equal to two rolls of your martial arts dice and be unable to take reactions until the start of their next turn. On a save, they take half damage with no additional effects.