Warrior of Grasping Shadow

A balanced, shadow-themed, battlemaster-like Monk subclass centered around grappling. A Warrior of Grasping Shadow is a master of battlefield control and mobility in the dark. You combine your skills as a grappling specialist with the ability to manipulate and walk through shadows. Once mastered, you will be able to quickly ambush enemies while utilizing brutal grappling techniques incorporated into your strikes. Take care however as failing a grappling maneuver may come with a cost.

Level 3: Grappler's Conditioning (3rd level)

Tangling Strikes. When you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike on your turn, you can use both the Damage and the Grapple option. You can use this benefit only once per turn.

Proper Positioning. You count as one size larger when attempting to initiate or maintain a Grapple. While attempting a Grapple, you may increase the effective creature size that you can Grapple by spending 1 Focus Point per size category.

Steadfast Grip. Creatures have disadvantage on saving throws and skill checks against your Grappling DC.

Level 3: Grasping Shadow Maneuvers (3rd level)

When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to exploit a Grappled foe to your advantage. In place of one of your strikes during an attack, you may choose to perform one of the following maneuvers instead on a creature you currently have Grappled. You learn three maneuvers of your choice, which are listed below.  You can use only one maneuver per attack. Some maneuvers can only be learned at higher levels. You may only learn a maneuver for which you meet the required class level. You learn two additional maneuvers of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Some of your Maneuvers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the maneuver's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Maneuver save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength or Dexterity modifier

Break (3rd Level)

Make an Unarmed Strike against an creature you currently have Grappled. If the attack hits the target takes damage and must make a Save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, the target has the Disadvantage on the next attack made against you before the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the target is unaffected and may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Improvised Maul (6th Level)

Use your Grappled opponent as an improvised weapon against an adjacent target. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, without losing the Grappled condition, you build up enough momentum to whip your Grappled opponent into an adjacent target. Both targets take damage equal to your Unarmed strike and your Grappled opponent is moved adjacent to the other target. On a success, niether opponent takes damage and your Grappled opponent may immediately use their reaction to to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Interposing Presence (3rd level)

Attempt to shield an ally from harm by throwing your Grappled opponent into the path of the attack. When an attacker within 15ft of you has succeeded on an attack roll against one of your allies, as a reaction you may force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, blostered by shadow, you break the Grappled condition on your opponent as you throw them at the creature or object attacking your ally. Your opponent topples into the attacker, landing Prone adjacent to the attacker and giving the attack roll disadvantage.  On a successful save, your Grappled opponent does not move and may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

At Monk level 6, the range of maneuver increases to 30ft and the thrown creature takes damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die. At Monk level 11, if the attacker misses your ally due to this maneuver, the attacker must make a new attack roll against your thrown opponent. The thrown creature takes all the effects and damage of the attack as would have been intended for your ally.

Nethercloak (6th level)

Siphon off your opponent's shadow to provide yourself with additional protection. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, your opponent's shadow forms a barrier around you providing Temporary Hitpoints equal to your Monk level + proficiency bonus + Wisdom modifier. On a success, your Grappled opponent may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Night Terror (11th level)

Shadows warp your appearance into the stuff of your enemies nightmares. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a Wisdom saving throw against your maneuver DC as shadows warp your visage. If the creature fails its save, it has the Frightened condition for 1 minute. For that duration, it must use it's action to try and escape your Grapple and it tries to move as far from you as it can on its turns. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the save, ending the condition on itself on a success. On a successful save, the target is unaffected and they are immune to this ability for 8 hours.

Nightmask (11th level)

Shadows stretch outwards from your form, coiling around your opponent's body and covering their face, effectively blinding them. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, your target's eyes are wreathed in shadow as they gain the Blinded condition for one minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target repeats the save, ending the Blinded condition on a success. If the target can see through magical darkness or does not use vision as their primary means of navigation, this technique has no effect. On a successful save, the target does not gain the Blinded condition and may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Shadow Reversal (6th level)

Wreath your opponent in shadow, priming them to instantly manipulate your positions when threatened. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, until the start of your next turn, you can impose disadvantage on one attack roll made against you by another creature as you maneuver your grappled opponent into the path of the attack. If an attack against you misses, you may spend 1 Focus Point and use your reaction to exchange places with your grappled opponent forcing them into the attack.The attacker must make a new roll using the same attack against your Grappled opponent. On a successful save, your Grappled opponent may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Toppling Retreat (3rd level)

Throw your opponent to the ground as you move away. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, your target is knocked Prone as you break the grapple, deal your Unarmed Strike damage to them and you can move up to half your speed. During this movement, your opponent cannot use their reaction to make an Attack of Opportunity against you. This does not apply to other enemies in the vicinity.  On a successful save, you do not break the Grapple, your target takes no damage, is not knocked Prone, and your target may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Twilight Exchange (17th level)

Siphon off the shadow of your opponent to staunch your wounds and restore your own vitality. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, restore hitpoints equal to your Monk level + Proficiency Bonus + Wisdom modifier. On a successful save, you are unaffected. Once you heal from this ability you cannot reuse this ability for 1d4-2 rounds.

Twilight Pocket (3rd level)

Siphon away your opponent's shadow creating a pocket of twilight. The shadow of an creature you currently have Grappled transforms into an aura of dim light with a 15 foot radius.  This aura is centered on your opponent's current location, does not move and lasts for 1 minute.

Unwilling Passenger (3rd level)

Execute a surgical extraction of your target. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, you get the benefits of the Disengage action and may move the Grappled creature without needing to spend extra movement on this turn. On a successful save, you recieve no benefits and the target may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Voiceless Void (17th level)

Your opponent's shadow flows upwards, tightening around them and filling their mouth. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, deal you Unarmed Strike damage to the target and they gain the Silenced condition until the start of your next turn. On a successful save, the target is unaffected and your Grappled opponent may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Wresting Shadow (11th level)

Attempt to disarm your grappled opponent. Force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, force the creature to drop one item of your choice that it's holding. The object lands at its feet. As part of this maneuver, you may spend 1 Focus Point to instantly pick up the object provided you have one hand free aside from your grappling hand or harmlessly move the object up to 30 feet away. On a successful save, the target is unaffected and may immediately use their reaction to attempt to escape the Grapple.

Level 6: Shadow Step (6th level)

While entirely within Dim Light or Darkness, you can use a Bonus Action to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in Dim Light or Darkness. You then have Advantage on the next melee attack you make before the end of the current turn.

Level 6: Nightfall (6th level)

Drag or throw an opponent across the battlefield in an instant, slamming them into the ground for a devastaing blow. In place of one of your strikes when making an attack while you are in dim light or darkness, you may instead force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, you may either:

a) Fling your opponent into the darkness around you, exiting them from any point you can see within 30 feet that is also in dim light or darkness.

b) Teleport up to 30 feet to a point you can see that is also in dim light or darkness, dragging the opponent with you.

Your target (or you and your target) are ejected with great force, landing at a point of your choosing within 30 feet of the exit portal. Use the momentum to slam the target down for 4d6 bludgeoning damage, knocking them Prone. If you traveled with the target, you maintain your Grapple and land safely adjacent to them. You may attempt to strike other creatures with your target's landing, so long as the creatures affected have room to move to an adjacent space as your target occupies their current space. Any creatures impacted by your target must make a Dexterity saving throw against your maneuver DC. An affected creature takes 4d6 bludgeoning damage and is knocked Prone on a failed save, or takes half as much damage and remains standing on a successful save. An aura of dim light expands from the point of impact in a 15 foot radius and lasts for 1 minute.

Once used successfully, this ability cannot be used again for 1d4 rounds.

The damage increases by 2d6 when you reach character levels 11 (6d6), and 17 (8d6).

 

Level 11: Twilight Dance (11th level)

Make a furious assault upon nearby enemies using a grappled opponent as your weapon. As an action, force a creature you currently have Grappled to make a save against your Grapple DC. On a failed save, an aura of dim light filled with tendrils of shadow emanates from you in a 30 foot radius lasting until the end of your next turn and is considered difficult terrain for enemies.

Choose up to five creatures you can see within the 30 foot radius. Rapidly teleport among the targets while using your Grappled opponent as a weapon, make an Unarmed Strike against each target. Your grappled opponent takes half of the damage dealt to each target. At the end of the assault, position yourself and your grappled opponent adjacent to any one of the targeted creatures. Once successfully used, this ability may not be used again for 1d4 rounds.

Level 17: The Long Night (17th level)

As a bonus action you emanate an aura of dim light extending outwards in a 30 foot radius, moving with you and lasting for 3 rounds. While the aura is active, shadows envelop your form enhancing your abilities. During this time,  your melee strikes and ranged attacks deal an extra 1d8 cold damage and enemies have disadvantage on attacks against you. Additionally you may teleport up to 60 feet to any location in dim light or darkness immediately before making a melee attack.

Enemies who move into or start their turn within the magical darkness must make succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your Grapple DC or be Grappled by the shadows. Once Grappled, an opponent may use their reaction to escape the Grapple. The first time an enemy enters the area on their turn or starts their turn within the radius, they take 3d8 cold damage. The area counts as difficult terrain for enemies. You can use the aura a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and all uses are refreshed after a long rest.