Long before the time of man, the natural world reigned unbridled and unopposed. What some might describe as ferocious and deadly natural disasters, others may describe as a beautiful display of the Old World. Those who dedicate themselves to the Way of the Old Worlds believe in the harmony and the value of nature, and commit themselves to defending them. Way of the Old Worlds Monks use the bounties of the natural world alongside their inherent Ki to protect themselves and augment their bodies in service of the natural order.

Natural Affinity

3rd-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

At 3rd level, you choose one type of environment as your Natural Affinity. The damage type associated with each environment is used by features you gain later. You can change your chosen environment each time you gain a level in this class, representing a shift in your appreciation for your given surroundings.

Natural Affinity

Environment	DAMAGE TYPE
Desert	Fire
Forest	Bludgeoning
Mountains	Thunder
Sea	Lightning
Swamp	Poison
Tundra	Cold

You do not suffer negative effects or difficult terrain caused by your choice of environment.

Desert

The damage type associated with your environment is fire.

Forest

The damage type associated with your environment is bludgeoning.

Mountains

The damage type associated with your environment is thunder.

Sea

The damage type associated with your environment is lightning.

Swamp

The damage type associated with your environment is poison.

Tundra

The damage type associated with your environment is cold.

Wild Mantle

3rd-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

Your attunement to nature in combination with your mastery of your ki allows you to call upon the forces of the wild to bolster your strength and fortitude. Your Wild Mantle is a manifestation of your connection to the natural world, represented as a set of armor that covers your body. A Way of the Ancients monk attuned with the Tundra may manifest their Wild Mantle as plates of solid ice, while one attuned with the Forest may summon sturdy vines and bark.

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to summon your Wild Mantle. The mantle lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it as a bonus action, and ends early if you are incapacitated or die. While the mantle is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You gain temporary hit points equal to half your monk level + your Wisdom modifier at the start of each of your turns.
• You cannot be moved against your will.
• Your unarmed strikes deal bonus damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. This damage type matches the type associated with your Natural Affinity. 

World Warden

3rd-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

Also at third level, you gain resistance to the damage type chosen from your Natural Affinity. Additionally, you gain the Natural Bulwark ability.

Natural Bulwark: As a stalwart defender of nature, you become particularly adept at fending off other types of elemental affronts. When you take damage of any type listed in the Natural Affinity table, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage taken by 1d10 plus your Wisdom modifier.

Desert Warden

Prerequisite: Desert

You now have resistance to fire damage.

Forest Warden

Prerequisite: Forest

You now have resistance to bludgeoning damage.

Mountain Warden

Prerequisite: Mountain

You now have resistance to thunder damage.

Sea Warden

Prerequisite: Sea

You now have resistance to lightning damage.

Swamp Warden

Prerequisite: Swamp

You now have resistance to poison damage.

Tundra Warden

Prerequisite: Tundra 

You have resistance to cold damage.

Unstoppable Force

6th-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

Also at 6th level, you gain the ability to harness the most destructive essence of your Natural Affinity as a tool to protect it. The ability granted by Unstoppable Force depends on your chosen Natural Affinity.

Blazing Presence

Prerequisite: Desert

While your Wild Mantle is active, you burn with the heat of the fiery dunes of the desert. You can use an action and expend 1 ki point to force all creatures of your choice within 5 feet of you to make a Dexterity saving throw, taking fire damage equal to 1 roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier on a failure.

Contagious Strikes

Prerequisite: Swamp

While your Wild Mantle is active, you encompass the hidden danger of the swamp, preying on the foolish and ill-prepared. During this time, immediately after you reduce a creature to 0 hit points you can move up to half your speed and make a single unarmed strike against a different target without consuming any additional movement or attacks.

Encroaching Roots

Prerequisite: Forest

While your Wild Mantle is active, your unarmed strikes cause twisting roots to form around your target. On your turn, when you successfully hit both strikes from your Flurry of Blows against the same target you can force the target to make a Strength saving throw or become restrained until the start of your next turn. The target can use an action to break free. 

Heartstopper

Prerequisite: Sea

While your Wild Mantle is active, you channel the tempestuous energy of a deadly ocean storm, causing your stunning strike to instead inflict the paralyzed condition.

Reinforced Plating

Prerequisite: Tundra

While your Wild Mantle is active, you harness the full power of a century-long ice age, causing your defensive plates to freeze harder than stone. For the duration, you gain an additional +2 to your Armor Class.

Resonating Punch

Prerequisite: Mountains

While your Wild Mantle is active, you can wind up a massive punch with the combined force of 1,000 storms. As an action, you can expend 2 ki points to make an empowered unarmed strike. On a hit, it deals additional thunder damage equal to 3 rolls of your Martial Arts die, and the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be pushed back 15 feet and deafened for 1 minute. The target can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the deafening effect on a success.

Enhanced Mantle

11th-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

Your connection with Old Worlds is so strong that not even death can stop you from defending them. If you drop to 0 hit points while your Wild Mantle is active, you can choose to end your Wild Mantle and drop to 1 hit point instead.

Ancient Master

17th-level Way of the Old Worlds feature

Your resonance with the natural world has become so deep that you can now associate with any environment at the flick of a wrist. Whenever you activate your Wild Mantle, you can choose which Natural Affinity it takes on, it no longer requires a bonus action to dismiss, and ki point cost is reduced to 1.