The Way of the Thousand Forms is a monk tradition that has its origins in the ancient teachings of the Elemental Monks, who sought to understand and master the fundamental forces of the world. As the monks delved deeper into their studies, they began to realize that the world was not just made up of the four basic elements of earth, air, fire, and water, but also of countless other forms and properties.

The monks of the Way of the Thousand Forms believe that everything in the world has its own unique essence, and that by understanding and absorbing the properties of these essences, they can enhance their own abilities. This belief is reflected in their training, which focuses on meditation, introspection, and physical conditioning.

The monks of this tradition are often solitary, spending long periods of time in meditation and contemplation. They are also known for their resourcefulness, as they are able to make use of whatever materials are available to them, whether it be wood, stone, metal, or even the magical properties of items.

The Way of the Thousand Forms is not widely known or practiced, and those who do practice it are often seen as eccentric or even dangerous. However, those who have encountered a monk of this tradition have often been amazed by their abilities, and some have even sought to learn from them.

Form Absorption

At 3rd level, you begin to understand items enough to absorb their properties into yourself You can spend a short rest in contact with a non-magical object absorbing its properties. You can absorb the properties of up to two items at once.
When you make an unarmed strike while using the Absorb Elements feature, you can choose to have that strike deal one of the damage types absorbed by the feature.

Your DM must agree to the benefits you get by absorbing this object's features

a common rule of thumb for these benefits mechanically should be 1d6 bonus for offensive focus, 1d4 and +1 armor for combination, +2 AC for defensive focus 

But every absorption can and should be unique in its own way and does not have to have a combat-focused benefit at all

Here are some examples

• Air from the top of a mountain: You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed, and you can hover.
• Some Earth Clay: You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks.
• a Fiaming Torch: Your unarmed strikes deal an extra 1d6 fire damage.
• a cup of Water: You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and you can breathe underwater.
• a Wood club: you gain +1 natural armor and +1d4 damage to unarmed strikes but are weak to fire
• a Metal sword: You gain +2 to natural armor and +1 damage to unarmed strikes that are now slashing damage  but speed is reduced by 10ft
  
  
  

Arcane Absorption

At 6th Level you can now absorb the properties of magic items, in addition to non-magical objects and creatures. When you absorb a magic item's properties you choose if your body gains its defensive benefits or your fists gain its offensive benefits or if you are trying to combine both.

you can now absorb one magic item or 2 non-magic items or creature properties or 

For creatures, you have to either spend the equivalent of a short rest studying the living creature -(1 hour) or you have to have fought and killed the creature in battle at least once in order to understand it enough to absorb its properties. In situations where you kill the creature, you must engage in absorbing its essence right after the battle has concluded but in this situation, the process only takes 10 minutes instead of the usual hour.

Examples

• boots of haste: You gain a +20ft to move speed and the ability to perform action surge.
• blade of Flame +1: You gain +1 AC and 1d6 fire damage to those who attack you -or +2 d6 +1 fire damage to all attacks with your fists
• shield +1 You gain a +2 to your AC and resistance to nonmagical damage from bludgeoning pricing and slashing.
• bag of holding : You can carry twice as much and create small extra-dimensional spaces for hiding.
• a Dire Tiger: You gain +2d6 slashing damage with unarmed strikes and +20ft movement speed
  
  DM decides if two properties can be absorbed at once or they cancel each other out 

Last you can also cast the detect magic, identify or Alter self-spell once per short rest.

 

 

Form Mastery

At 11th level your study evolves into the beginnings of mastery lasting power from many transformations now lies within and you begin to form a new power to fully embody the elemental nature and essence of an object or creature,

You gain a permanent +1 to AC and damage with all unarmed strikes at all times as your transformations have left lasting power in your body

You can now cast the Detect magic, Identify or Alter self spells three times per short rest.

You can now absorb the properties of two magic items or three non-magical objects or creatures. 

You now have the ability of Elemental Embodiment to Transform completely into embodiments of a single object or creature this can be of something like water, air, earth fire or even light or something more complex like a specific magic or non-magic item or creature. This transformation functions similarly to them being able to transform into an elemental of that type -

this is something that would have to be built custom with DM's approval but should involve the monk being able to turn his whole body into a form that gains all the attack and defensive benefits of that item - This should be akin to the circle of the moon druids ability to turn into an elemental - 

For Example: say you chose a magic +3 long sword as your Elemental Embodiment item

once per short rest you could turn into a sword elemental that would function just like turning into a fire elemental with all its base stats
but you would deal +3 magical slashing damage and have a higher base AC as you are made of metal, also enemies would get knocked back by your strikes not set on fire.

When your hit points in this form are gone you go back to your normal hit points the monk can choose a new form to embody once every long rest
the form lasts for as long as it has hitpoints you can choose to revert it any time 
Note -you only gain its form benefits when in full Embodemnt not any of your others 

you have to have absorb the essence of the object or creature at least once before it can be the focus of your Elemental Embodiment 

 

 

 

Thousand Form Sage

At 17th level, your mastery of the Thousand Forms has reached its zenith, transforming you into a Thousand Form Sage.

You can now absorb the properties of three magical items or five non-magical items, or creatures.

You can now perform your Elemental Embodyment twice per short rest 

Furthermore, your extensive study and absorption of the myriad forms and essences of the world has led to a culmination of transformative power within you. Through immense concentration and effort, you can wholly embody a different creature.

Once per long rest, you can enact the ritual of Embodied Reflection. This ritual is akin to casting the 9th-level spell Shapechange, but it requires no material components.