Base Class: Monk
A monk who follows the Way of the Astral Self believes their body is an illusion. They see their ki as a representation of their true form, an astral self. This astral self has the capacity to be a force of order or disorder, with some monasteries training students to use their power to protect the weak and other instructing aspirants in how to manifest their true selves in service to the mighty.
Some barbarians hail from cultures that revere their ancestors. These tribes teach that the warriors of the past linger in the world as mighty spirits, who can guide and protect the living. When a barbarian who follows this path rages, the barbarian contacts the spirit world and calls on these guardian spirits for aid.
Barbarians who draw on their ancestral guardians can better fight to protect their tribes and their allies. In order to cement ties to their ancestral guardians, barbarians who follow this path cover themselves in elaborate tattoos that celebrate their ancestors’ deeds. These tattoos tell sagas of victories against terrible monsters and other fearsome rivals.
Arms of the Astral Protectors
3rd-level Way of the Astral Self feature
Your mastery of your Focus allows you to summon a portion of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 Focus point to summon the arms of your astral self. When you do so, each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take force damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
For 10 minutes, these spectral arms hover near your shoulders or surround your arms (your choice). You determine the arms’ appearance, and they vanish early if you are incapacitated or die. While the spectral arms are present, you gain the following benefits:
- You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength modifier when making Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- You can use the spectral arms to make unarmed strikes.
- When you make an unarmed strike with the arms on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.
- The unarmed strikes you make with the arms can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and their damage type is force.
Empowered
As a bonus action, while the Arms of the Astral Self are out, you can spend one Ki point to summon a sand guardian an unoccupied space you can see within 15 feet of you that lasts until it is destroyed, until you dismiss it as a bonus action or until you’re incapacitated.
Your sand guardians has AC 14 + your proficiency bonus, 1 hit point, and immunity to all conditions. If it has to make a saving throw, it uses your saving throw bonus for the roll. It is the same size as you, and it occupies its space. On your turn, you can mentally command the sand guardian to move up to 40 feet in any direction (no action required). If your sand guardian is ever more than 60 feet from you at the end of your turn, it is destroyed.
You can use the guardian in the following ways:
- As a bonus action, you can teleport, magically swapping places with your echo at a cost of 15 feet of your movement, regardless of the distance between the two of you.
- When you take the Attack action on your turn, any attack you make with that action can originate from your space or the echo’s space. You make this choice for each attack.
- When a creature that you can see within 5 feet of your echo moves at least 5 feet away from it, you can use your reaction to make an opportunity attack against that creature as if you were in the echo’s space.
Visage of the Astral Dragon
6th-level Way of the Astral Self feature
You can summon the visage of your astral self. As a bonus action, or as part of the bonus action you take to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you can spend 1 Focus point to summon this visage for 10 minutes. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die.
The spectral visage covers your face like a helmet or mask. You determine its appearance.
While the spectral visage is present, you gain the following benefits.
Astral Sight. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.
Wisdom of the Spirit. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.
Word of the Spirit. When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you, making it so only that creature can hear you. Alternatively, you can amplify your voice so that all creatures within 600 feet can hear you.
Empowered
You can channel destructive waves of energy, like those created by the dragons. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace any number of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 30-foot cone or a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC, taking damage of the chosen type equal to the same amount of dice you would have roll of your Martial Arts die times three on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Body of the Astral Self
11th-level Way of the Astral Self feature
When you have both your astral arms and visage summoned, you can cause the body of your astral self to appear (no action required). This spectral body covers your physical form like a suit of armor, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance.
While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits.
Deflect Energy. When you take acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to deflect it. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum reduction of 1).
Empowered Arms. Once on each of your turns when you hit a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die.
Empowered
Redirect Magic: you have advantage on saving throws against spells. In addition, you can use your reaction when another creature casts that targets only you. If you do, you absorb the magic of the spell, cancelling its effect and gaining a buff for one round depending on the school of magic
| School of Magic | Buff Description |
|---|---|
| Abjuration | Shielding Aura: Gain a +2 bonus to AC and resistance to force damage for one round. |
| Conjuration | Quickstep: Dubble your move speed this round. |
| Divination | Foresight: you can choose to reroll one attack roll or saving throw this round |
| Enchantment | Charmed Presence: Enemies within 10 feet must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for one round. |
| Evocation | Elemental Fury: Add 1d6 elemental damage of your choice (fire, cold, lightning, etc.) to your melee attacks this round. |
| Illusion | Veil of Shadows: Gain advantage on stealth checks and become invisible until the end of your turn. |
| Necromancy | Life Drain: When you hit a creature, regain 1d4 hit points for each successful attack this round. |
| Transmutation | Mighty Transformation: Temporarily gain a +4 bonus to Strength or Dexterity for one round. |
Awakened Perfect Self
17th-level Way of the Astral Self feature
Your connection to your astral self is complete, allowing you to unleash its full potential. As a bonus action, you can spend 5 Focus points to summon the arms, visage, and body of your astral self and awaken it for 10 minutes. This awakening ends early if you are incapacitated or die.
While your astral self is awakened, you gain the following benefits.
Armour of the Spirit. You gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class.
Astral Barrage. Whenever you use the Extra Attack feature to attack twice, you can instead attack three times if all the attacks are made with your astral arms.
Empowered
By embracing the legacy of their ancestors and the spiritual essence of the astral self, the bearer gains extraordinary abilities when you spend the ki to awaken the Astral Self you can now Awaken the Perfect Self gaining the following benefits
- while in this state you are immune to all non-magical damage