Monk
Base Class: Monk

Alien minds, Mortal Fists

You follow a monastic tradition that was created by a cult that draws power from forbidden knowledge and eldritch horrors. Maybe you grew up in a cult of sacrifice to a Deep One, or maybe you sought peace and harmony of mind at a seemingly harmless monastery, only to discover them to be in "harmony" with an Aboleth. When you draw upon the power of your Ki, you tap into the wellspring of madness flowing from your monastery's access to the occult. With the ultimate goal of mantling the dark forces that exist outside the realm of the knowable, one who follows the Way of the Seething Deep will find themselves becoming less human by the day. 

Trinket of Profane Knowledge

Each monk who follows the Way of the Seething Deep carries with them a small token containing writings of eons dead civilizations. This can be a small scroll, a book, or a stone with runes etched into its surface. You cannot read or fully comprehend what is written there, but every time you read your token, you gain some inkling of the power recorded on it by the cosmic entities that came before. You may gaze upon the token during every short or long rest, gaining temporary insight to abilities not meant to be known to mortals.

When you gaze upon your token, you may try to discern some meaning from the confusing torrent of strange information coming from it. You gain access to twisted abilities that you can access with your Ki. You gain access to additional tables at levels 6, 11 and 17.

You must roll 1d4 on the Abominable, Monstrous, Otherworldly and Cosmic Techniques table once per long rest for every table available at your level. Additionally, you may roll 1d4 for one table of your choice per short rest. At 5th level, you may reroll on 2 tables instead of one, then 3 tables at level 10, and finally all 4 tables at level 16.

Spellcasting

 When you reach 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast cosmic magic. See Spell Rules for the general rules of spellcasting.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your spells, since your magic draws upon your otherworldly knowledge and madness. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Casting Eldritch Magic

Some of the Techniques from your token allow you to cast spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it. When you cast a spell with a discipline, it is cast at the spell’s lowest level unless otherwise specified.

Once you reach 6th level in this class, you can spend additional Ki points to increase the level of spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level.

The maximum number of Ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base Ki point cost and any additional Ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level + your proficiency bonus.

You can use your Ki to weaken the barrier between dimensions, duplicating the effects of certain spells.

Open the RIft

You can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Arms of Hadar without providing material components. Starting at 6th level, you can also cast Hunger of Hadar for 4 Ki points. Additionally, you gain the Friends cantrip if you don't already know it.

Unforseen Means

At 9th level, whenever you would roll on a Technique table, you may instead expend a number of Hit Dice equal to the Chart Number 1 (1=Abominable Techniques, 2=Monstrous Techniques, etc). You may then choose a valid option from the chart instead of rolling. 

Abominable Techniques

 

Level 3: 

Technique

Effects gained

1 - Eldritch Strike

When you hit with your Flurry of Blows, you may choose to deal an additional 1d10 force damage as part of the attack. This damage increases to 2d10 at level 5, 3d10 at level 11, and 4d10 at level 17.

2 - Invade Mind

When you make a melee attack roll against a target and hit, you may choose to spend 1 ki point to probe its mind for weaknesses in its defense. Your next unarmed attack against this target has advantage. 

3 - Flowing Rebuke

If a creature misses a melee attack against you while Patient Defense is active, you may use your reaction to force that creature to make a STR saving throw, knocking them prone if they fail. 

4 - Reformed Flesh

As a bonus action, you may choose to turn both of your hands into long tentacles. Anything held in your hands at the time becomes part of the tentacle. These tentacles have an additional reach of 10 feet and can make unarmed strikes, as well as use the Grapple action. The tentacles last until the end of your next turn. 

 

 

Monstrous Techniques

Level 6:

TECHNIQUE

EFFECTS GAINED

1 - Draining Palms

Make a melee attack against a creature. On a hit, you may choose to spend 1 Ki point to deal 3d6 necrotic damage. You gain temporary hit points equal to half the amount of necrotic damage dealt. These temporary hit points can only be gained once per initiative. 

2 - Share Despair

You may spend 1 Ki point to exude an aura of darkness up to 5 feet around you, which lasts 1 minute. The darkness spreads around corners. You and one chosen hostile creature you target can see each other through this darkness. A creature with darkvision can't see through this darkness, and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. If any of this effects area overlaps with an area of light created by a spell of 2nd level or lower, the spell that created the light is dispelled. 

3 - Speak Truth

Choose a humanoid that you can see within 10 ft. You speak horrors from your token not meant for mortal ears. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be paralyzed for the duration (up to one minute, Concentration). At the end of each of its turns, the target can make another Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the spell ends on the target.

4 - Munos Gift

When you gain this ability from a short or long rest, your facial features change to vaguely resemble any Aberration you have seen in person or in a colored picture. You may spend 5 minutes concentrating to change this appearance, but you must maintain a non-humanoid appearance. For as long as your features remain this way, you gain advantage on any Charisma (Intimidation) checks but gain disadvantage on any Charisma (Persuasion) checks. 

Otherworldly Techniques

 

Level 11: 

TECHNIQUE

EFFECTS GAINED

1 - One with the Universe

You have advantage on initiative checks and cannot be surprised. 

2 - Newborns Thoughts

Your thoughts can’t be read by telepathy or other means unless you allow it. Your unarmed strikes deal psychic damage. 

3 - Olmsteads Heritage

You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed and the ability to breathe water, but you resemble a humanoid fish for as long as you have this ability, giving you disadvantage on Charisma (Persuasion) checks. As a bonus action you may dive into a body of water and teleport out of another body of water, or the same body of water, within 60 feet. You gain advantage on first melee attack you make before the end of the turn. Illusions may mask this appearance, but will not mask the fishy smell of your form.  

4 - Escape Oblivion

As an action, you look at a creature within 60 feet and whisper a chant. Regardless of distance and over other sounds, they will hear this chant. The creature must make a WIS save against your spell DC. On a failed save, the creature perceives you and your allies as friendly, and any other creature as an enemy eldritch horror, until the start of your next turn. This is considered a charm effect. 

Cosmic Techniques

 

Level 17: 

Technique

Effects gained

1 - Bring Joy

While you long rest, creatures within 1 mile of you experience horrifying nightmares, but you may choose to exclude a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus. Any willing creature excluded from this effect is Touched until they finish another Long Rest. When you take the Attack action, you may first cause a tentacle to burst from a Touched creature you can see. The tentacle is an extension of your self, and may make unarmed strikes, including as attacks of opportunity, as if you were in the Touched creature's space. The tentacle persists until the start of your next turn.

2 - Fleeting Ascension

When rolling initiative, you may spend up to 3 Ki points. For each Ki point you spend, you gain a random ability from the Abominable Techniques chart that you do not already have active.  

3 - The Miracle of Life

When you make an unarmed strike, you may spend 3 Ki points to send black tendrils of cosmic energy coursing through a creature, causing it searing pain. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. It takes 6d8 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

A humanoid killed by this spell rises at the start of your next turn as an Aberration that is CR 7 or lower of the DM's choosing. The Aberration will either defend itself or attack another creature other than you at random. The aberration is particularly hostile to creatures that are attacking you, but will attack any creature but you.

 

4 - Become Beautiful

If you have spent at least 3 Ki points on your turn, you gain Resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, thunder, and psychic until the start of your next turn. If you would take damage of one of those types, you may use your reaction to gain Immunity to that type of damage until the start of your next turn.

Previous Versions

Name Date Modified Views Adds Version Actions
Way of the Seething Deep
2/11/2021 2:31:14 AM
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Way of the Seething Deep
7/23/2021 1:09:00 AM
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Way of the Seething Deep
10/2/2021 6:14:12 PM
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