Monks that walk this path have a deeper connection to nature than most. Whether your monastery is located in a lush forest, gardening and taking care of plants is part of your culture, or you are simply a very devout follower of a nature deity; you have managed to trascend most and connect your soul to that of the verdant forces of creation, life and balance in the world.

These monks attune their body and mind to nature spirits, powerful beings made of raw natural energy, representatives of nature's greatness and perfect design, beings only they and druids can see and connect to. They are usually found alongside druids, rangers and ancients paladins, they are very welcome amongst those that try to do what's best for the natural world and protect it. That is, of course, when they aren't a bit more on the hermit side and take the caretaking of nature into their own hands, living alone on vast swathes of land.

Spellcasting

When you choose this path at 3rd level, your connection to nature grants you the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the druid spell list.

Cantrips

You learn two cantrips of your choice from the druid spell list. You learn an additional wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots

The Way of the Verdant Sage Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your druid spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.

For example, if you know the 1st-level spell Goodberry and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast Goodberry using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level druid spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the conjuration and transmutation spells on the druid spell list.

The Spells Known column of the Way of the Verdant Sage Spellcasting table shows when you learn more druid spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be a conjuration or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.

The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.

Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the druid spells you know with another spell of your choice from the druid spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an conjuration or transmutation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you use your magic through your connection to nature. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a druid spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Way of the Verdant Sage Spellcasting

Font of Ki

Also at 3rd level, you learn to cast spells with your ki, in addition to your spell slots. As a bonus action on your turn, you can transform unexpended ki points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn, by expending a number of ki points equal to twice the slot's level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than your highest level spell slot, and any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a short or long rest.

Alternatively, as a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of ki points equal to the slot’s level.

Harmonized Casting

Starting at 6th level, you learn to alter your spells with your own ki by attuning to specific nature spirits. At the end of a short or long rest, you may attune to a single animal spirit, choosing between the Eagle, the Lion and the Snake. The spirit enters your body in perfect harmony with your soul, and allows you to enhance your magic in different ways, depending on the spirit you chose.

Eagle

When you cast a spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can spend a number of ki point equal to the spell's level (1 if it is a cantrip) to change the casting time to 1 bonus action for this casting.

Lion

When you cast a spell that targets only one creature and doesn’t have a range of self, you can spend a number of ki points equal to the spell’s level to target a second creature in range with the same spell (1 ki point if the spell is a cantrip). To be eligible, a spell must be incapable of targeting more than one creature at the spell’s current level.

Snake

When you cast a spell, you can spend 1 ki points point to cast it without any somatic or verbal components.

Harmonized Fighting

At 11th level, you learn to harness your connection to nature to enhance your martial prowess by attuning to specific nature spirits. At the end of a short or long rest, you may attune to a single animal spirit, choosing between the Duck, the Fox or the Turtle. The spirit enters your body in perfect harmony with your soul, and it allows you to enhance your fighting in different ways, depending on the spirit you chose.

Duck

Whenever you expend Ki to use your Step of the Wind feature, you may expend a single spell slot to increase its effectiveness. Until the end of your turn, your speed increases by a number of feet equal to 10 times the spell's level.

Fox

Whenever you expend Ki to use your Flurry of Blows feature, you may expend a single spell slot to increase its effectiveness. You make an additional number of unarmed strikes equal to the slot's level.

Turtle

Whenever you expend Ki to use your Patient Defense feature, you may expend a single spell slot to increase its effectiveness. You gain temporary hit points equal to 12 times the slot's level, which vanish after 1 minute.

Verdant Flow

By the time you've reached 17th level, you've attained a perfectly harmonized balance in between you and the nature you connect to. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, choose a single 5th and 6th level druid spells. You may cast each of them once, Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for them, and you regain the ability to do so again when you finish a long rest, or unless you expend ki points equal to 3 + their level to cast them again. 

Whenever you cast any of those spells, you gain temporary hit points equal to your level + your Wisdom modifier and you may change the spirit you are attuned to through your Harmonized Casting or Harmonized Fighting features.