Prerequisite: Wild Shape ability or the ability to assume the form of a beast.

While some monastic traditions focus their martial arts on imitating the movements and attacks of various animal styles, certain esoteric orders have mastered the art of combat while being an animal.

Most practitioners of the Way of the Claw learned to assume beast form through druidic studies.  However, some follow this path using other, and sometimes more sinister techniques to transform themselves.  In fact, legend has it that the first sensei to teach this tradition was actually a weretiger.

Path of the Primal

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you receive the benefits of your Unarmored Defense, Unarmored Movement, and Deflect Missile features while in beast form.  Your speed bonus from Unarmored Movement applies to all forms of movement available to your beast form.

Additionally, you receive the benefits of the following class features while in beast form when you gain those features: Slow Fall at 4th level, Quickened Healing at 4th level (optional class feature), Stunning Strike at 5th level (you may use an attack with a natural weapon in place of a melee weapon attack),  Focused Aim at 5th level (optional class feature), Ki-Empowered Strikes at 6th level (this ability applies to your natural weapon attacks in addition to your unarmed strikes), Unarmored Movement at 6th level, Evasion at 7th level, Stillness of Mind at 7th level, Unarmored Movement Improvement at 9th level, Purity of Body at 10th level, Unarmored Movement at 10th level, Tongue of the Sun and Moon at 13th level (however you cannot speak unless your beast form naturally has the ability to speak), Diamond Soul at 14th level (use the beast form’s proficiency bonus), Unarmored Movement at 14th level, Timeless Body at 15th level, Empty Body at 18th level, Unarmored Movement at 18th level, and Perfect Self at 20th level.

You do not gain the benefits of Extra Attack at 5th level, nor can you use your Flurry of Blows ability or your Ki-Field Attack ability (optional class feature) while in beast form, unless the beast form is capable of making unarmed strikes or wielding monk weapons at your DM’s discretion (for example, an ape might be capable of making unarmed strikes or wielding a short sword).  In this case, use your martials arts die for damage with an unarmed strike or the weapon’s damage dice for weapon attacks.  You may spend ki points to gain the benefits of your Patient Defense and Step of the Wind abilities while in beast form.

Flurry of Claws

While in beast form and immediately after you take the Multiattack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make an additional attack as a bonus action.  This attack must be one of the types of attacks made as part of the multiattack, and it must be the attack with the lowest possible maximum damage.  If two or more attacks have the same possible maximum damage, you may choose which of those attacks to use.  Additional effects that would normally apply to this attack, such as poison damage or grappling, apply at the DM’s discretion.  The DM may apply certain limitations or restrictions on additional effects from this attack where appropriate.  For example, if as a giant scorpion you already have two creatures grappled, one in each claw, you would not be able to make a claw attack against a third creature (though you would be able to make the attack against one of the already grappled creatures).

Savage Rend

At 6th level, you gain the ability to enhance the damage of your natural weapon attacks.  Each attack you make while in beast form gains a bonus to damage based on your martial arts die.  If your martial arts die is 1d6, you receive a +1 bonus to damage with your beast form’s natural attacks.  If your martial arts die is 1d8, you receive a +2 bonus to damage with your beast form’s natural attacks.  If your martial arts die is 1d10, you receive a +3 bonus to damage with your best form’s natural attacks.

Pack Hunter

At 11th level, you gain the ability to summon a companion beast with your ki.  As an action, you can expend 3 ki points to summon a beast identical to your current form to any empty space within 30 feet of you.  The summoned beast has your initiative count and takes its turn immediately after yours.  The summoned beast is telepathically linked to you and obeys your commands, with no action required on your part.

The summoned beast will defend itself and otherwise act in a manner natural to its kind in the absence of direction from you.  The beast vanishes if reduced to 0 hp or after one minute.  The summoned beast has the statistics and abilities of a normal beast of its kind.  It does not gain your mental abilities nor any of your monk abilities or features.  Likewise, it does not benefit from your Savage Rend feature.

True Form

You have mastered the animalistic essence of your beast forms.  Choose up to 3 beast forms you can assume.  You may freely assume those forms and remain in that form as long as desired.  As an action, you may transition to your base form (your original starting race) or any of the three beast forms you selected.

Additionally, you have perfected the senses and sensibilities of your beast forms.  You gain proficiency and expertise in the following skills while assuming one of your three selected beast forms:  Dexterity (Stealth), Intelligence (Nature), Strength (Athletics), Wisdom (Perception), and Wisdom (Survival).  You add double your beast form’s proficiency bonus plus attribute modifies when making ability checks for these skills.

Finally, you gain the ability to Speak with Animals at will.