Way of the Four Animals

You follow a monastic tradition that learns from and incorporates the movements and styles of monkeys, cranes, snakes, and tigers into your fighting style and everyday life. Members of this tradition prefer unarmed attacks over attacks with weapons, but also receive training with dual sticks, called escrima. Most members find an affinity with one animal, but learn to embody all four.

  

 

This subclass was inspired by the real-world art of Pukulan Kuntao Silat.

Animalistic Movements

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can take various stances to mimic the combat styles of the four animals.  As a bonus action, you can spend 1 Ki point to enter a stance. Stances last for 1 minute, but you can exit a stance early if you choose to as a free action. While in a stance, you can take a bonus action to spend 1 Ki point to change stances. you receive different effects based on which stance you choose from the following:

Monkey Stance
you become more nimble and agile, being able to climb around with ease. While in monkey stance, you ignore the movement penalty while moving across difficult terrain.

Snake Stance
You become coiled up and ready to strike at just the right time. while in snake stance, you gain advantage on your first attack of each of your turns

Tiger Stance
You become aware and ready to pounce. While in tiger stance, you gain an additional unarmed attack as a part of your bonus action when you take the attack action. 

Crane Stance
You become light and spread your wings. While in crane stance, your unarmed strikes gain an extra 5ft of reach.

Beastly Fists

As you study the movement of the four animals, you've learned to further embody them and copy their fighting styles. At level 6 you add to the effect you receive from the stances with the following:

Monkey Stance

your fists swing with more force and hit harder. add +2 to your attack rolls and damage rolls

Snake Stance

 You become better at avoiding a counterattack. after you attack, you can disengage as a free action

Tiger Stance

You become better at carrying your momentum through your attacks.  When you hit with an unarmed strike, you may attempt to knock them prone. If they fail a strength saving throw vs your Ki save DC, they fall prone. they take the damage regardless.

Crane Stance

You become better at deflecting attacks coming your way. You gain a temporary +2 bonus to your AC.

Natural Instinct

The stances have become second nature to you. When you reach level 6, whenever you roll initiative, you may choose to enter one of the stances as a free action. You still need to spend 1 ki point to enter a stance.

Additionally, the stances become more fluid, allowing you to flow between stances as a bonus action.

Basic Beast Forms

Your time observing and practicing the movement of the four animals is paying off. Starting at level 11 you may spend Ki points and an action to transform into one of the four animals as per the druid's wild shape. You stay in this form for one hour or until dismissed.  You may choose to replace the animals' damage die with your martial arts die.  While in animal form, you count as being in the corresponding stances, gaining those bonuses.

Your forms are restricted to the following. 

• Monkey (use the ape stat block) (4 Ki points)
• Snake (use the constrictor snake stat block) (3 Ki points)
• Crane (use the Eagle stat block) (2 Ki points)
• Tiger (5 Ki points)

At Higher Levels 

Once you reach level 17, you transform as a bonus action.

Apex Beast

You've trained so long in this style that you can transform into stronger versions of the four beasts. Starting at level 17, you can spend ki points to transform into a greater version of each of the four animals.  As a bonus action, you can shift from animal form to animal form by spending 1 ki point. As with Basic Beast Forms, when you transform, you gain the benefits of the corresponding animal stance.

• Snake (use the Giant Constrictor Snake stat block) (4 Ki points)
• Monkey (use the Giant Ape stat block) (6 Ki points)
• Tiger (use the Saber-Toothed Tiger stat block) (4 Ki Points)
• Crane (use the Giant Eagle stat block) (3 Ki points)