Monks of the Way of the Shepherd follow a path blazed by the infamous god of Death and the Dying: The Shepherd. Monks of this tradition learn to accelerate or delay a soul's journey to the afterlife. They focus their Ki into channeling extra deadly energy to hasten or delay death. 

Shepherd's Calling

Starting at 3rd level when you choose this tradition, you learn to harness your Ki into deadly energy, quickening your enemies' paths to the grave. 

• Whenever you hit an enemy with one or both of your attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can expend 1 Ki point to deal extra necrotic damage equal to 2x your Martial Arts die. This damage is applied to both hits without expending an extra Ki point should you hit with both attacks. The necrotic damage dealt reduces the enemy's Hit Point Maximum by the amount of necrotic damage dealt and cannot be regained until the target finishes a long rest. If the target's Hit Point Maximum is reduced to 0, it dies. 

Delay the Path

Also at 3rd level, you learn the spare the dying cantrip.

At Death's Doorstep

Beginning at 6th level, your Ki becomes closely attuned with death as it delves further into the inner workings of the Shepherd.

• When a creature you can see is reduced to 0 Hit Points, you can use your reaction and spend a Ki point to teleport to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the creature. If you do this, you gain a number of temporary hit points equal to half the amount of damage that reduced that creature to 0 Hit Points. You can use this feature a number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). These temporary Hit Points last for 1 minute, until they are replaced by other temporary Hit Points, or if you fall unconscious or die. 

Marked for Passage

At 11th level, the Shepherd has begun to acknowledge and appreciate your eye in determining which souls will make their way to the afterlife. You are given a number of specially marked coins (or another tiny trinket of yours or your DM's choosing) equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). 

As an action, you can place a coin onto a creature, marking it for an early death. These coins charge with necrotic energy as long as they remain on the person of the target you chose initially. For every day these coins remain on your target, they charge with 4x your Martial Arts die (minimum of 4x Martial Arts die). These coins remain on your target for a maximum of 7 days before they cease to have their desired effect. 

As a bonus action, you can activate the charged energy by expending 2 Ki points. If the coin is within 5 feet of your target, the target must make a Constitution Saving Throw against your Ki Save DC, taking all stored necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful Save. If the Target is reduced to 0 Hit Points as a result of this damage, you are teleported immediately to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target and the target dies immediately. 

These coins reappear at dawn the day after you use this ability. If a creature is dies as a result of this ability, you lose one use of this feature for 7 days. 

Voice of the Shepherd

You are the ultimate authority over life and death. Beginning at 17th level, whenever you see a creature reduced to 0 Hit Points, you can use your reaction to negate that damage and instead deliver a fatal blow to someone else, as you now have control over who lives and who dies. If you choose to do this, spend 10 Ki points to negate whatever damage was dealt to a creature that you can see within 60 feet and cast power word kill on another creature you can see within that range. This use of power word kill does not need the required "one action" casting time.