The Burning Dragon Tradition

A monk of the Burning Dragon is a fierce combatant, using magical flames born of their life force and ki in order to defeat their foes. Burning Dragons come from a vast array of traditions, teachings, and cultures. While all are fundamentally the same, different disciplines lead to different specialties and skills. Ki for Burning Dragons flows from the stomach; it addresses willpower and is blocked by shame.

Disciple of Flame: Fire Bending

At 3rd level a Burning Dragon Monk gains the ability to freely evoke and control flame. Pick 2 cantrips from the following list: Create Bonfire, Control Flames, Firebolt, Produce Flame. A Burning Dragon can also light or snuff campfires, candles, torches, incense, and similar flammable objects at will as per the spell Prestidigitation.

Also at 3rd level, a Burning Dragon gains 2 Burning Dragon Disciplines of their choice. One additional Burning Dragon Discipline can be learned at each of 6th, 9th, 11th, 14th, and 17th level. While new tiers are unlocked at these levels, you are not restricted to picking from the highest available tier.

Burning Will

When you take this tradition at 3rd level, you may choose to use your Charisma modifier instead of Wisdom for the Monk’s Unarmored Defense feature.

Furnace of Exchange

At 6th level you are able to manipulate the force of your will, which allows you to re-center your ki to replenish the flame within. As an action, you can spend a hit die to roll 1d4 + your Charisma modifier, regaining that many ki points up to your maximum. You cannot use this ability again until you finish a long rest.

Journeyman of Flame: Power of Will

At 11th level, you have begun to master control over your own will. You gain a +2 in intelligence, wisdom, and charisma saving throws. You also deal 1d6 additional fire damage with monk weapons or Burning Dragon Discipline spells.

Mastery of Flame: Whirl of Fire

At 17th level, you have complete control over the force of your chakra. Any time you make an attack, cast a spell, or use an ability that deals fire damage you can expend a number of ki points equal to the damage dice minus your proficiency bonus (10d8 fire damage would require 4 ki points if your proficiency bonus was +6), minimum of 1 ki, to reroll any number of dice on that damage roll once each.

Additionally at 17th level, while you cannot cast spells higher than 5th level, the level at which you can increase the power of spells is raised to 7.

Burning Dragon Disciplines

There are 5 tiers of Burning Dragon Disciplines, the more advanced of which have level requirements. Your spellcasting modifier is Charisma, and at least one free hand is required to cast any spell with somatic components. Burning Dragon monks benefit from the ability to spontaneously cast any spell they have learned from their tier by spending the indicated number of ki points, though any materials with a noted gold cost are still required. Any ability that allows a Burning Dragon monk to cast a spell does so at the minimum spell level for that spell, but they can increase the level of the spells they cast by spending 2 ki points per level above the base if the spell can be cast at higher levels.

 

Tier 1 (maximum spell level of 1)

Level 3

Sun Tradition: Gain the ability to cast Guiding Bolt for 2 ki and access to the cantrip Sacred Flame.

Dance Tradition: Gain the ability to cast Burning Hands and Color Spray for 2 ki.

Retribution Tradition: Gain the ability to cast Hellish Rebuke and Searing Smite for 2 ki.

Hope Tradition: Gain the ability to cast Faerie Fire and Heroism for 2 ki.

Smoke Tradition: Gain the ability to cast Fog Cloud and Expeditious Retreat for 2 ki

 

Tier 2 (maximum spell level of 2)

Level 6

Rays of the Sun: Gain the ability to cast Continual Flame and Scorching Ray for 4 ki.

Dance of the Warden: Gain the ability to cast Aganazzar’s Scorcher and Heat Metal for 4 ki.

Wrath of Retribution: Gain the ability to cast Flaming Sphere and Flame Blade (which counts as a monk weapon for you) for 4 ki.

Light of Hope: Gain the ability to cast Aid and Darkvision for 4 ki.

Foley of Ash: Gain the ability to cast Blur and Pyrotechnics for 4 ki.

 

Tier 3 (maximum spell level of 3)

Level 11

Lightning Bender: Gain the ability to cast Call Lightning and Lightning Bolt for 6 ki.

Hail of Flame: Gain the ability to cast Flame Arrows and Lightning Arrow for 6 ki.

Solar Radiance: Gain the ability to cast Fly and Daylight for 6 ki.

Wrath of Avernus : Gain the ability to cast Fireball and Melf’s Minute Meteors for 6 ki.

Vengeance and War : Gain the ability to cast Elemental Weapon (restricted to Fire and Lightning) and Crusader’s Mantle for 6 ki.

Will of Promise : Gain the ability to cast Beacon of Hope and Clairvoyance for 6 ki.

Sleeping Cinder : Gain the ability to cast Gaseous Form and Haste for 6 ki.

 

Tier 4 (maximum spell level of 4)

Level 14

Solar Guardian: Gain the ability to cast Guardian of Faith and Sickening Radiance for 9 ki.

Dragon Shield: Gain the ability to cast Fire Shield and Shadow of Moil for 9 ki.

Exploit Weakness: Gain the ability to cast Wall of Fire and Elemental Bane (restricted to Fire and Lightning) for 9 ki.

Devil Waltz: Gain the ability to cast Conjure Minor Elementals (restricted to Fire and Lightning) and Summon Greater Demon for 9 ki.

 

Tier 5 (maximum spell level of 7)

Level 17

Meteor Shower: Gain the ability to cast Conjure Volley and Conjure Elemental (restricted to Fire and Lightning) for 12 ki.

Pillar of Retribution: Gain the ability to cast Flame Strike and Dawn for 12 ki.

Snuff Soul: Gain the ability to cast Immolation and Synaptic Static for 12 ki.

Ignite Soul: Gain the ability to cast Reincarnate and Awaken for 12 ki.