Monks who follow the Way of the Maelstrom learn to control the flow of combat through redirection, deflection, and displacement. Preferring to work in close quarters, they learn techniques to avoid and deflect attacks, to expose the vulnerabilities of their opponents, and even to redirect their opponents’ attacks at each other.

Swirling Defence

When you choose this tradition at level 3, you learn to influence the flow of your opponents’ attacks. When you are hit by a melee attack, you may use your reaction to deflect it, reducing the damage you take by 1d10 + your proficiency modifier, to a maximum of half the damage of the attack. If you spend 1 ki point as part of your reaction, you may redirect that damage to 1 enemy, other than your attacker, within 5 feet of you.

Vortex Strike

Starting at level 6, your training allows you to create a vortex around your body that permits you to move past an opponent and improve your position in combat without triggering opportunity attacks. On your turn, you may use your reaction to do the following, in any order:

• Make a melee weapon attack, including an unarmed strike.
• Reposition yourself to the opposite side of your opponent without triggering an opportunity attack from any source.
• (Optional) Spend 1 ki point to enhance the vortex created by your body to knock your target prone. Your target must make a Dexterity saving throw using your ki save DC (8 + your proficiency bonus + your wisdom modifier) or be knocked prone. Only creatures that are large or smaller  can be knocked prone using Vortex Strike.

Improved Swirling Defence

Starting at level 11, when you spend a ki point to redirect a melee attack using Swirling Defence, you may divide the amount of the redirected damage between 2 enemies, other than your attacker, within 5 feet of you.

Shipbreaker

Starting at level 17, when you use Flurry of Blows, you may spend additional ki points to break your opponents’ battle stance. For each successful Flurry of Blows attack, you may spend a ki point to break the target’s battle stance, reducing their movement to 0 and their AC by 2 points until the end of their next turn. Only 1 ki point can be spent per target.