War Dancer

Many traditions focus on bringing out parts of you that would lie dormant, to strike an opponent harder, or focus upon a point to render a foe disabled. The Way of the War Dancer differs in that nothing you are taught is supernatural, but instead trains the body to move efficiently and not waste energy. These techniques generate a personal state of flow, where fluid motions lead into a more potent attack later. Some Masters of the art can even respond to danger in an immediate fashion and disengage from an opponent that way strike them. However, a true Master can move in such a way to make what would be a critical, often fatal, blow to be nothing more than if they were just struck.

Way of the War Dancer

Monks of the Way of the War Dancer learn to harness their movements into their fighting style. They teach that the flow generated by the body can be used for offensive and defensive maneuvers.

Flow of Movement

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can generate flow for every 20ft of movement you take on your turn.

When moving, a successful Dexterity (Acrobatics) check of 15 will grant you a stack of flow. Your maximum flow is equal to half your level. If Step of the Wind is used on your turn, you do not require the Dexterity (Acrobatics) check.

When you use Flurry of Blows, you can unleash your generated flow. Its damage is force, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.

Warding Step

At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel your flow into a defensive stance. While you have at least one flow, you may add your flow as a bonus to AC for each point.

When you unleash your flow, the defensive bonus to AC remains until the start of your next turn. You can spend a ki point to extend this for a single additional turn.

Reactive Twist

At 11th level, you gain the ability to use Step of the Wind's Disengage as a reaction. When used, you may move up to half your speed.

Countering Caper

At 17th level, you become so in tune with your movements that you can fend off critical blows. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have flow, you can expend 2 flow to treat the attack as a normal hit.