Way of Screaming Steam

Monks of the Way of Screaming Steam, also known as gun dancers, blend ancient martials arts and cutting-edge technology to deadly effect. Willing to use any means at their disposal to win the day, these versatile pragmatists weave in and out of melee with grace and precision, shifting martial forms as the flow of battle demands.

Steam Smith

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with firearms, and firearms are considered monk weapons for you. Additionally, you receive proficiency with your choice of either Tinker’s Tools or Smith’s Tools, provided you don’t already have it.

Using either Smith’s Tools or Tinker’s Tools you can spend 1 hour and 10 gp worth of metal materials to create 20 pieces of firearm ammunition.

Gun Dancer

Also at 3rd level, you learn to wield your firearms in specialized patterns, integrating them into martial forms long predating their invention. You learn three martial forms from the list below. You may choose an additional form at levels 6, 11 and 17.

At the beginning of your turn, you may spend 1 ki point to assume a form (no action required). You remain in that form for 1 minute or until you assume another form.

Bladed Fan Form

While in this form, when using the Disengage action, you may immediately make a single weapon attack as part of the action.

Brass Bull Form

While in this form, when you hit a creature in melee range with a firearm attack, you can choose to force it backwards; the creature makes a Strength Saving Throw using your ki save DC. On a failure, it is pushed 5 ft away from you.

Clocker's Form

While in this form, firearms you wield will never misfire. Additionally, you may repair a misfired gun with a bonus action as well as an action (your choice).

Copper Fist Form

While in this form, you may apply the effects of Stunning Strike to attacks made with firearms as well as with melee weapon attacks.

Drunken Form

While in this form, you may choose to spend 1 ki point and take a -5 penalty to an attack roll with a firearm in exchange for a +10 to the attack’s associated damage roll once per turn.

Gun Dancer's Gambit Form

While in this form, you may spend up to 3 Ki Points at the start of your turn. All attacks and damage rolls made in that turn gain a bonus equal to the number of Ki Points spend.

Gunner's Trance

While in this form, you may expend 1 ki point to give yourself advantage on an attack made with a firearm.

Maelstrom Form

While in this form, you may choose to expend both your action and your bonus action to make a single attack against up to five creatures within weapon range with your firearms, assuming you have enough ammunition to do so.

Molten Serpent Form

While in this form, creatures you hit with an attack using a specialized round make their Saving Throw against that attack with Disadvantage. Alternatively, after rolling the attack but before learning whether it hits or misses, you may choose to reroll an attack made with a specialized round. Both effects can not be applied to the same attack.

Monsoon Form

While in this form, you may spend 1 ki point to make an additional attack with each wielded firearm as a bonus action. Additionally, you can reload up to two firearms with a single action or bonus action (your choice).

Quivering Rounds Form

While in this form, before making an attack with a firearm, you can spend 1 ki point. If you do, the attack is considered a critical hit on an 18, 19 or 20 on the dice.

Razor Form

While in this form, critical hits deal an additional +10 damage.

Relentless Hunter Form

While in this stance, when attacking a creature you have already attacked this turn, you may spend a Ki Point to deal an additional 2d6 damage of the attack’s type to the target. You can wait until you make your attack roll before deciding to use this feature, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails.

Shrieking Shield Form

While in this form, you gain +1 to your armor class for every firearm you’re currently wielding.

Steam Talons Form

While in this form, ranged attacks are no longer made with Disadvantage while a hostile creature is within 5ft of you.

Sweeper Form

While in this form, each time you hit a target with a firearm attack, that target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet until the end of its next turn.

Swooping Eagle Form

While in this form, attacks made at long range with firearms are no longer made with Disadvantage.

Vengeful Smoke Form

While in this form, while benefitting from the effects of a Dodge action, each time an attacker in melee range misses you with an attack, you may immediately spend a Ki Point to make an attack against them without expending your reaction.

Muscle Memory

At 6h level, your practice of the forms has become ingrained in your body’s very flow of ki, allowing you to assume your most favored stances with unthinking ease.

Choose one of your learned forms. You permanently receive the benefits of that form, without needing to assume it.

At 17th level, you may choose an additional form to benefit from this effect.

Specialized Rounds

At 11th level, your study of your weapons has expanded to their ammunition. Ammunition you craft is considered magical, and grants a +1 bonus to attacks and damage rolls when used.

Additionally, you may spend an hour, using your tinker’s tools or smith’s tools, to create a specialized piece of ammunition.  Each single piece of ammunition requires materials at the DM’s discretion, worth 10gp, and degrades into a regular piece of ammunition the next time you finish a long rest.

Viper Rounds

On a hit, the target must succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw (DC equal to your Ki Save) or become poisoned for one minute. It may repeat the Saving Throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Volcanic Rounds

Hit or miss: the target an all other creatures within 10 feet of it must succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw (DC equal to your Ki Save). Creatures receive 6d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. The bullet’s explosion spreads around corners. It ignites flammable Objects in the area that aren't being worn or carried.

Wire Rounds

On a hit, the target must succeed on a Dexterity Saving Throw (DC equal to your Ki Save) or become grappled and restrained for a minute. It may repeat the Saving Throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success.

Additional Form and Muscle Memory

At level 17, your mastery of your form is unparalleled. You gain an additional form from the Gun Dancer list, and an additional form to be affected by the effects of Muscle Memory, as mentioned in either ability.