Way of the Webspinner

It is common for monks to model their training on the behavior of beasts, emulating the strike of a tiger’s claw or the beat of a heron’s wing. In the same way, followers of the Way of the Webspinner are inspired by the subtle deadliness of the lowly spider, crafting weapons from silk and ensnaring their enemies in an inescapable web.

---

This subclass was created in Episode 6 of Untested Arcana - new content weekly on YouTube!

 

Aspect of the Arachnid

Beginning at 3rd level, your training grants you the unusual strength of the spider. Your carrying capacity is doubled, and you gain a climbing speed equal to your movement speed. You can also climb easily on even smooth or slippery surfaces. If you have at least one free hand, you can climb along and cling to ceilings.

Spider Silk

Also at 3rd level, you learn to weave the signature weapon of the webspinner. You gain proficiency with weaver’s tools if you do not have it already. Over the course of an hour, you can use weaver’s tools to create a simple melee weapon that only you can wield. This whip-like weapon deals bludgeoning damage equal to your martial arts die on a hit, has the light and finesse properties, and has a melee range equal to your unarmed movement bonus, as listed on the Monk table.

Strengthened Bonds

At 6th level, your silken weapons become stronger and more dangerous, granting you the following benefits:

Magic Silk. Your attacks with your Spider Silk weapon count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Tangling Threads. Once a turn when you hit another creature with a melee attack using your Spider Silk weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to ensnare the target in binding threads. The creature must make a Strength saving throw against your ki save DC or be restrained by the threads. A large or larger creature has advantage on this saving throw. A creature restrained by the threads or one that can touch the creature can use its action to make a Strength check against your ki save DC. On a success, the target is freed.

Web Walker

By 11th level, the battlefield is your spiderweb, from which no prey escapes. When you successfully restrain a creature with your Tangling Threads, you can immediately use a bonus action to pull on the thread, causing one of the following effects:

Tripwire. The target falls prone.

Fanged Approach. If the target weighs more than you, you can immediately move any number of feet directly towards the target without provoking opportunity attacks. If you end your movement within 5 feet of the target, you can spend 1 ki point to make an unarmed strike against them.

Predator’s Pull. If the target weighs less than your carrying capacity, you can pull the target any number of feet directly towards you. If you pull them to a space within 5 feet of you, you can spend 1 ki point to make an unarmed strike against them.

Extrasensory Advantage

At 17th level, you discover that the spider’s true power comes not from its fangs, but from its extraordinary awareness. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier, and no attack roll has advantage against you while you aren’t incapacitated.