When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits.

Path of the Duelist

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft dances with the blade. You gain the following benefits.

Dueling Weapons. Choose two types of melee weapons to be your dueling weapons. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties.  You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don’t already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition’s features work only with your dueling weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon to be a dueling weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Shifting Stances.  Whenever you take the attack action, you can choose to enter or change your fighting stances between any you know.  You gain four stances at 3rd level. 

Flamestance.  The Flamestance is an aggressive style that involves using your squared-off feet to provide leverage for your quick, furious strikes.  You gain a +1 to damage rolls while in Flamestance.  Furthermore, you can replace any bonus action unarmed strike with attacks with dueling weapons.

Fluidstance.  The Fluidstance is a slower, deliberate stance with one foot in front of the other and the tip of your weapon pointed towards your opponent.  Fluidstance is focused on not expending too much energy to allow its user to recover from battle for a moment.  While in Fluidstance, you can use your bonus action to gain temporary hitpoints equal to your Wisdom modifier and recover 1 ki point.

Windstance.  The Windstance is a quick, flashy stance that relies on fast movements and mixing small, fast blows with wide, sweeping strikes to keep your opponents off-balance.  While in Windstance, your movement speed increases by 10 and when you use Step of the Wind, you gain the benefits of both the Dash and the Disengage action.  Furthermore, you can move through the space of other creatures.  

Stonestance.  The Stonestance is a strong, defensive stance that relies on drawing strength up through your body through your weapons to ward off blows.  While in Stonestance, you gain a +1 to your AC and you have advantage on Strength saving throws.  Furthermore, when you if you Patient Defense, allies within range of the dueling weapon you are wielding gain half cover, as you block blows intended for them. 

Way of the Blade. You gain proficiency in performance.

Bladeborn

At 6th level, your mastery is greatly expanded.  You gain the following benefits while using your stances:

Flamestance.  The aggression of the Flamestance carries you even further.  When you take damage from a creature that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to make an attack with a dueling weapon against that creature.  In addition, you now gain a +2 to damage rolls.

Fluidstance.  In Fluidstance, you stand ready, not pushing with force against your enemies, but letting them defeat themselves.  You are primed to expose the smallest mistakes made by your opponents.  When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack with a dueling weapon against that creature. In addition, the temporary hitpoints you gain from this stance increase to 2 times your Wisdom modifier and you regain 2 ki points instead of 1.

Windstance.  When in Windstance, you are quick on your feet, ready to strike at a moment's notice.  When a creature targets you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to pre-emptively make an attack with a dueling weapon against that creature.  In addition, your movement speed bonus increases to 15 feet.

Stonestance.  In Stonestance, your focus on defense enables you to block strikes in the last second.  When another creature hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to add one roll of your martial arts die to your AC for that attack, potentially causing the attack to miss you.  Furthermore, your AC bonus increases to +2.

 

Dueling Weapon

When you reach 6th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon to be a dueling weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Quickened Blade

At 11th level, your attacks come even faster, and you are always ready to strike when the opportunity comes.  You gain the following abilities:

• Once per turn, when you take the Attack action, you can make an additional attack with a dueling weapon.  You can use this ability a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus and regain all expended uses when you complete a long rest.
• You can take two reactions per round, but only once for each trigger.

Dueling Weapon

When you reach 11th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon to be a dueling weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Focused Accuracy

As an action, you can focus your mind in preparation for a battle.  For 10 minutes, you gain a bonus of +3 to attack and damage rolls.  Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Dueling Weapon

When you reach 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon to be a dueling weapon for you, following the criteria above.