An ocean of Sand covers the desert, wave after wave as far as the eye can see. Dry heat beats down, making it impossible for all but the strongest to survive. Only those with a will strong enough is able to make it to the temple of the hourglass, where the way of the sands monk train. 

To be part of this tradition, a monk has to have a soul strong enough to withstand the most harsh conditions, but to train at the temple of the hourglass, is to gain abilities even other monks cannot obtain.

Those that take this path gain techniques in combat that seem as unbelievable as magic, and just as powerful too.

Body of Sand

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your Ki reinforces your body as a reflex. Your time in the desert protecting yourself from the harsh environment has trained your body, and as your Ki developed you have gained the following abilities. You must have an amount of sand on your person at all times to use these abilities. 

You gain "The Defense of the Desert," a thin layer of Ki-infused sand is covering your skin. This layer of sand is thin enough that it is not noticeable to anyone not trying to find it. The Ki-infused sand your body has created (out of need due to the desert's harsh environment) responds to your natural reflexes, and will protect you from attack. The defense of the desert has a number of hit points equal to 2 x (your monk level + your wisdom ability modifier + your proficiency bonus). Whenever you use a Ki ability the sand recovers a number of hit points equal to your proficiency bonus X the number of Ki points you spent.

You can use your Ki to control this layer of sand as well, and gain the following abilities.
- You may spend 1 Ki as a reaction to reduce the damage from an attack by 3 x your Monk level 
- You may spend 1 Ki as an action to create a dust cloud made of sand. Treat this the same as casting the Fog spell. 

If the defense of the desert is at 0 hit points and you have 0 Ki, then you lose the defense until you complete a short rest. 

Defense of the Soul

Starting at 6th level your Ki-infused sand has attuned to you and has developed with your muscle memory. It now protects you against different forms of attack and empowers your unarmed attacks. You gain the following benefits while your defense of the desert ability is above 0 hit points.
- You may add your wisdom modifier to initiative
- You gain resistance to non-magical attacks
- You may add your wisdom modifier to all save throws you make
- Whenever you attack and enemy with an unarmed strike, you may add your wisdom modifier to the attack rolls and damage.

Sands of time

By 11th level, you have learned to become one with the sands. As you've trained and developed your body to withstand the desert, your mind has developed too. Your Ki-infused Sand now lets you slow time around yourself for a short period.

Once per day you may expend 4 Ki to fully empower you Ki-infused sands.
- You gain a +3 to your AC and to all Save throws you make for 1 minute.
- Additionally whenever and enemy damages you defense of the desert, they take that much magical force damage as well, as your sand uses the opportunity to counterstrike. 

Additionally, whenever you reduce an enemy to 0 hit points, you regain 1 Ki point.

Master of the Sands

At 17th level, your time controlling your Ki-infused sand has lead to an innate awakening of Ki within you.

Your time spent infusing Ki into sand has caused the sand to become an extent of yourself. This sand no longer requires your passive Ki, and instead gives you a secondary source to generate Ki. Your maximum Ki is doubled, and you gain an addition Ki per level.

Additionally, you gain the ability to control massive amounts of Sand at will without expanding any Ki. You cannot use this ability to directly deal damage to a creature, but if you are surrounded by enough sand it is possible to down creatures within sand. You can also do the following...
- You can use 1 Ki point to harden the sand into a 5 x 5 block of sandstone. 
- You can use 1 Ki to the color of any amount of sand
- You can use the Sand to cut through objects given enough time

Finally if you were to fall below 1 hit point, you may expend 10 Ki points to instead remain at 1 hit point and to refill all of the hit points of your defense of the desert.