The fundamental teaching of this tradition holds that by emulating dragons, a monk becomes a more integrated part of the world and its magic. By altering their spirit to resonate with draconic might, monks who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane.

Ascendant Dragon Origin

3rd-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature

As a follower of this Monastic Tradition, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons through your ki. The Ascendant Dragon Origin table offers some possibilities..

Draconic Disciple

3rd-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature.

You channel you draconic ki to imbue your unarmed strikes with the essence of a dragon's breath and to use your connection with draconic creatures to magnify your presence. You gain the following benefits:

• When you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to cold, acid, fire, lightning, or poison.
• If you can't already, you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic. If you already know Draconic, you gain advantage on Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) checks when interacting with creatures who know Draconic.
• If you fail a Charisma (Intimidation) or Charisma (Persuasion) check, you can use your reaction to reroll the check, and you gain expertise on both skills as you tap into the mighty presence of dragons. Once this feature turns failure into a success, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Breath of the Dragon

3rd-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature.

You can channel your ki into destructive waves of energy like the dragons you emulate. When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5-feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC. On a failed save, the creature take 1d10 damage of the chosen type. On a successful save, it takes half as much damage. This damage increases by 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 ki point to use this feature again.

Wings Unfurled

6th-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature.

When you use you Step of the Wind, you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back that last for 10 minutes. While the wings exist, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed and you can hover. You can use this bonus action a number of time equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

 

Aspect of the Wyrm

11th-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature.

The power of your draconic spirit now radiates from you, warding you allies or inspiring fear in your enemies. As a bonus action, you can create an aura of draconic power that radiates 15 feet from you for 1 minute. For the duration, you gain the following effects of your choice:

Frightful Presence. You gain temporary hit points equal to 1d10+ your monk level. Once during each of your turns, when you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can force it to make a Wisdom saving throw, and if the saving throw fails, the target is frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You are immune to the frightened condition.

Resistance. Choose a damage type when you activate this aura: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. You and your allies within the aura have resistance to that damage.

Once you create this aura, you can't create it again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend 2 ki points to create it again.

At 18th level, the range of this aura increases to 30 feet.

 

Ascendant Aspect

17th-level Way of the Ascendant Dragon feature.

Your draconic spirit reaches it's peak. You gain the following benefits:

Augmented Breath. When you use your Breath of the Dragon, you can expend 1 ki point to augment its shape and power. The exhalation of draconic energy becomes either a 60-foot cone or a 90-foot line that is 5-feet wide (your choice), and each creature of your choice in that area take damage equal to four rolls of your Martials Arts die on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

Blindsight. You gain blindsight out to 30 feet. Within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see any invisible creatures within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Explosive Fury. When you activate you Aspect of the Wyrm, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see in your aura. Each of those creatures must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC or take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice) equal to four rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.