Way of the Blazing Heart

"He begins to die, who quells his fire. Let not your soul be left to ashes."

- The Path of Flame by Geurogo Jhasadi

Monks of the Way of the Blazing Heart are scholars of soul and learn to channel their mental, emotion, and astral energies into a form of ki called soulfire, which they harness to use in their martial arts and monastic craft. This path leads its adherents into the deepest parts of their souls to find, confront, and channel their passions, pain, and inner flame.

Student of Soul

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you have begun studying the soul and started down the path to unlocking the power within you. You gain expertise in the Insight skill and whenever you make a Wisdom saving throw, you may expend a ki point to add your Charisma modifier to the roll. Additionally, you may expend 2 ki points at any time to cast the Detect Thoughts spell as an action; when you do so, Charisma is your spellcasting ability.

Blazing Heart

Also at 3rd level, you have learned to channel your soulfire in combat, allowing you to strike with flame and fury. As a bonus action, you may expend 2 ki points to enter your Blazing Heart state for 1 minute, during which you gain the following traits and abilities:

• You are wreathed in astral flames, shedding bright light out to 30 feet and dim light 30 feet beyond that.
• When you hit an enemy with an unarmed strike or one of your monk weapons, you deal an additional 1d4 fire damage.
• Any creature grappled by you or grappling you takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns.
• You gain a bonus to Strength (Athletics) and Dexterity (Acrobatics) equal to your Charisma modifier and your carry weight, jump height, and jump distance is doubled.
• You can cast the Fire Bolt cantrip at will and whenever an ability would allow you to make an unarmed strike or attack with a monk weapon, you may cast Fire Bolt instead. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

If you are under the effect of the Calm Emotions or a similar effect, your Blazing Heart instantly ends and you cannot use it again until you are no longer under the effect.

Soulfire Arts

At 6th level, you have learned new ways to channel and utilize your soulfire. Choose one of the soulfire arts from the options below and choose an additional art at 11th and 17th level.

Burning Strike

While in your Blazing Heart state, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or monk weapon attack, you may use your bonus action to expend a ki point and apply a d4 burning effect to the target for 1 minute or until it or a creature within 5 feet of it use their action to put the fire out. The burning effect instantly ends if the target enters water deeper than waist-height.

Flying Fire

While in your Blazing Heart state, you gain a fly speed equal to your unarmored movement bonus.

Impassioned Flame

When you deal fire damage to a creature while in you Blazing Heart state, you may add your Charisma modifier to the damage roll.

Leaping Blaze

While in your Blazing Heart state, you may use your bonus action to expend a ki point to move up to half your movement speed. While you do so, your body becomes pure flame and can pass through an opening as small as a millimeter, including the spaces of other creatures. Additionally, until the end of your next turn, each space you move through is set alight and deals 1d4 fire damage to any creature that enters the space or begins their turn there.

Soulfire Inferno

While in your Blazing Heart state, as an action, you may expend ki points to release a blast of soulfire in a 15 foot sphere around you. All creatures within the area of effect must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC or take 1d8 fire damage per ki point expended, or half that on a success.

Blazing Aura

Beginning at 11th level, the ambient heat of your Blazing Heart can burn enemies within its aura. While your Blazing Heart state is active, an aura of flaming heat emanates in a 10 foot sphere around you. All creatures you choose that enter the aura or begin their turn in it take an amount of fire damage equal to your Charisma modifier. At 17th level, this aura expands to 20 feet.

Soul of Flame

At 17th level, your soulfire has greatly increased in power, intensifying the effects of your Blazing Heart. While your Blazing Heart is active, you gain the following additional traits and abilities:

• You gain immunity to the charmed and frightened conditions and all creatures you choose within 20 feet have advantage on saving throws against becoming charmed or frightened.
• Whenever an effect from this subclass would deal fire damage based on a dice roll, you may replace the die rolled with your martial arts die.
• When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you may expend 2 ki points to fall to 1 hit point instead.