Those who follow the way of the wood warden are protectors of large swaths of forest or jungle. For many it can be a solitary life but some forge a connection with their home so deep that the creatures they share it with become their companions.

As your connection to your warden companion deepens you learn to empower it with your Ki allowing it to join you in the fray, providing support in a variety of ways dictated by its bestial archetype.

 

Warden Companion

At 3rd level, you gain a warden companion that accompanies you on your adventures. The companion is a small or Tiny creature its appearance is decided by you, including colouring etc. 

Your beast acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it takes its turn directly after yours. Your beast can't attack (unless empowered by your Ki), and takes the dodge action on its turn unless instructed otherwise. 

When the beast drops to 0 hit points, it dies. If the beast dies, you can obtain a new companion by spending 8 hours communing with the woods at the end of which a new companion will make itself known. You can't have more than one companion at a time. If you commune with the woods while you already have a companion, your old companion abandons you in and the new one takes its place.

Your warden familiar has uses the following stat block:

 

Ki Beast

3rd-Level Wood Warden Feature

As an action, you can empower your warden familiar if it is in an unoccupied space of your choice within 30 ft. of you.

The beast is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the accompanying Ki Beast stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places. Whenever you empower the beast, choose an archetype listed in its Bestial Archetype trait. You can determine the cosmetic characteristics of the beast, such as its color, or any visible effect of its Bestial Archetype; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.

In combat, the beast shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the beast can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.

The Beast remains until it is reduced to 0 hit points, until you use this feature to empower the beast again, or until you die.

Once you empower the beast, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a Ki Point to summon it.

Ki Beast (Canine)

Your Ki Beasts archetype is Canine

Ki Beast (Draconic)

Your Ki Beasts archetype is Draconic

Ki Beast (Feline)

Your Ki Beasts archetype is Feline.

Ki Beast (Ursine)

You Ki Beast is Ursine

Greater Empowerment

6th-Level Wood Warden Feature

The bond you share with your beast intensifies, stoking the beasts’s fury and allowing you to coordinate with it further. When you empower your beast, you can use the Ursine archetype, grow in size and gains a walking speed equal to your own.

In addition, while your beast is empowered, you and the beast gain the following benefits:

Great Beast You may now use the Ursine Bestial archetype and your beast may grow by one size category when you empower it.

Ki Strike. The beasts natural attack deals extra damage equal to your martial arts dice.

Bestial Flurry. When you use your flurry of blows class feature your beast can take any number of the attacks instead of you providing it is within 30ft of you.

Truth of Home

11th Level Wood Warden Feature

Your connection to your home becomes deeper still allowing you to access an additional bestial archetype. That of the Draconic, whilst not a beast your true home is connected to dragon in a way you had not understood until now.

In addition, while your beast is empowered, you and the beast gain the following benifits:

Draconic archetype. You can now empower your warden companion with the power of dragons, whist empowered this way its size is Medium, can fly and deals radiant damage.

Resistance. You gain resistance to Radiant damage.

Radiant Ki. You can choose to have your unarmed attacks deal radiant damage.

 

 

Perfected Bond

17th-Level Wood Warden Feature 

Your connection to your home and beast reaches the pinnacle of its power. While your beast is empowered, you and the beast gain the following benefits:

Enhanced Ki Strikes. The beasts attack deals an extra 1d6 damage (for a total of 2d6 extra damage).

Large Beast. The beast can now grow to Large size. And you may ride your beast as a mount.

Reflexive Resistance. When either you or the beast takes damage while you’re within 30 feet of each other, you can use your reaction to give yourself or the beast resistance to that instance of damage. You can use this reaction a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.