A young dwarf empowers her body with energy, moving faster than the eye could follow to pursue a loose demon. An elderly human projects pure energy to strike an unsuspecting doppleganger. Twins, each born with the energy of the planes suffusing them, move in harmony to battle a horde of undead beneath their city. No matter where evil lurks, the Cursed Ones will be there to strike it down. Imbued with the very power that makes their foes, the careful and prodigious use of both magic and martial arts makes this Order of Monks uniquely suited for hunting the creatures that desire chaos and the destruction of all Sentients. 

Dedicated to the destruction of those things that spawn from the negative planes and far realms, Monks who follow the Way of the Cursed Ones are able to tap into that negative energy themselves without fear of harm. By harnessing the energy of the planes, Cured Ones can more effectively search, contain, and destroy those beings that would prey on all sentient races. They operate in secret, constantly on the lookout for anything that may disrupt the lives of those without power, and seek to only do battle with beings beyond the scope of normal folk. As one learns to more efficiently control their power, they can project it away from themselves, strengthen their bodies, and even heal from grave injuries. 

As an Order, the Way of the Cursed Ones is far less structured and rigid than many of the other Monastic Traditions. Many Cursed Ones are self-taught, forced to advance their power as a result of being hunted down by the beings they are most adept at destroying. Whether born to this unique power or having artificially received it, all Cursed Ones know the workings of negative energy and how it interacts with Ki. 

Basic Cursed Techniques

3rd-level Way of the Cursed Ones feature

Your exploration of planar energy has led to the development and advancement of your martial techniques. You are able to imbue yourself with a very slight amount of this energy, improving your physical, martial, and mystical abilities. Additionally, you gain proficiency in Spears, Longswords and Rapiers, all of which count as Monk Weapons for you. 

You gain access to the techniques listed below.

• Basic Cursed Strikes - Whenever you make a successful attack with your unarmed strike, you deal an additional amount of necrotic damage equal to your martial arts dice. If you strike a creature with the creature type aberration, undead, or fiend, you deal one additional damage dice. 
• Simple Reversal - As a bonus action, you can spend 1 Ki point to reverse the flow of negative energy in your body and give yourself temporary hit-points equal to your Wisdom Modifier. 
• Projected Energy - When you take the attack action, use your bonus action Unarmed Strike or use Flurry of Blows, you may choose to make a ranged spellcasting attack instead. This attack has a range of 15 feet, uses your Wisdom Modifier for attack and damage rolls, and deals damage equal to 1 of your martial arts dice plus your Wisdom Modifier. This attack requires both Verbal and Somatic Components. 
• Negative Imbuing - Pick a monk weapon you have equipped. As an action, you can spend 2 Ki Points to imbue the weapon with your Negative Planar Energy. The weapon remains imbued with the energy for a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus. While imbued with this energy, the weapon deals additional necrotic damage equal to your martial arts dice, and others may also use the weapon if they are proficient with it. If another uses the weapon, it still deals the additional necrotic damage.  

Improved Cursed Techniques

6th-level Way of the Cursed Ones feature

Your constant defying of death and use of Planar Energy has vastly improved your understanding of that energy affects the world around you, and your relationship with it. Your techniques have been refined and improved and you gain access to additional techniques, which are listed below. 

• Improved Cursed Strikes - With your improved understanding of Planar Energy and how to reverse the flow of said energy within yourself, you are able to modify your attacks. You may now choose whether the additional damage you deal with your cursed strikes are radiant or necrotic damage. If you strike a creature with the creature type aberration, undead, or fiend, you deal one additional damage dice. 
• Improved Reversal - Your understanding of planar energy has improved to the point where you now know the basics behind reversing the flow of negative energy, transforming it into positive energy. As a bonus action, you may spend 2 Ki Points to heal yourself by an amount equal to 2 of your Martial Arts die plus your Wisdom Modifier. 
• Planar Hunter - Your understanding of planar energy allows you to sense the residuals of said energy being used. You now have advantage on perception, investigation, and survival checks made to track or notice Aberrations, Undead, or Fiends. 

Additional Techniques -  Your ability to project planar energy has improved quite a bit. When you reach level 6 in this class, you gain access to the following techniques, which you may use in place of your Projected Energy action. Each of these Techniques costs 1 Ki point to use. Additionally, the range of your projected energy action extends to 30 ft. 

• Twist - You attempt to disarm a creature within 30 ft. of you by manipulating the planar energy surrounding their weapon. The creature must make a Strength Saving throw against your Ki DC. On a failure, the creature is disarmed and their weapon is flung 10 ft. in a direction of your choosing, but may not do damage to another creature. 
• Push - You manipulate planar energy in a simple pushing attack, targeting a single creature. The creature must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be pushed 5ft. directly back. 
• Pull - You manipulate planar energy in a pulling motion, targeting a single creature. The Creature must succeed on a constitution saving throw or be pulled 10 ft. directly towards you. 
• Blunt - You project planar energy in a wide beam, attempting to trip a creature. The Creature must succeed on a Dexterity Saving throw or be knocked prone. 

Refined Curse Techniques

11th-level Way of the Cursed Ones feature

The constant study and exposure to planar energy has increased your ability to manipulate the world and yourself to an even higher degree. You have gained a substantial improvement in your powers and martial ability. Beings from the lower planes have less of an effect on you, so empowered is your body, and you gain access to two new techniques only capable of being used by sufficiently skilled users of the energy you have so thoroughly refined. 

• Refined Cursed Strikes - With your improved understanding of Planar Energy and how to balance the flow of said energy within yourself, you are able to modify your attacks even further. You may now choose whether the additional damage you deal with your cursed strikes are force, radiant or necrotic damage. If you strike a creature with the creature type aberration, undead, or fiend, you deal one additional damage dice. 
• Refined Energy Projection - Your range for Energy Projection is increased to 45 ft. 
• Planar Flash - When you hit a creature with a Critical Hit, the damage of the strike is increased far beyond the norm, and places you into a state of extreme focus. If you so choose, you may expend 3 Ki points for the following effects: for the next minute you now roll three additional damage dice instead of one when you score a critical hit, and if you score an additional critical hit you can choose to expend another Ki point to lower the number you need to score a critical hit by 1. This Critical Hit Range can be lowered multiple times, but the time in which the range is extended cannot be lengthened beyond one minute from the initial strike. You may only enter this state once per long rest.
• Limited Translocation - Your study of the planes and the intersection of their energies has given you limited powers to traverse between them. As a bonus action, you can expend 2 Ki points to teleport to a place you can see within your movement distance.  
• Simple Barrier -  You may choose to, as an action, spend 5 Ki Points to create an invisible barrier with a 20ft. radius centered on you. Once you create this barrier, it exists for one minute or until you move, whichever comes first. Whenever a creature enters this barrier for the first time or starts their turn there, you may choose to make an unarmed strike against the creature without moving. You may do this once as a free action per turn and once as a reaction. When you reach 17th level in this class, you may make this attack twice as a free action, and once as a reaction. 

Mastered Curse Techniques

17th-level Way of the Cursed Ones feature

You have mastered the study of planar energy, capable of bringing forth a demi-plane of your own design to assist in combat. The ebb and flow of Planar energy sits at your command, ready to heal or destroy as you wish, modifying your techniques to a degree few could follow. You gain access to the following improvements and new techniques. 

• Mastered Cursed Strikes - Having mastered the energy within yourself, you can augment how much force is behind your blows. You may, once a turn, choose to expend 1-3 Ki points to deal additional necrotic, radiant, or force damage to a creature you hit with an unarmed strike or monk weapon. This additional damage is equal to 2 additional martial arts die for each Ki point spent on the attack. If you strike a creature with the creature type aberration, undead, or fiend, you deal one additional damage dice. 
• Mastered Energy Projection - Your range for Energy Projection is increased to 60 ft. 
• Mastered Reverse Energy - As an action, you are now able to spend 5 Ki points to heal yourself or another creature you can touch an amount equal to 3 of your martial arts die plus your Monk Level. 
• Demi-plane -  You may choose to, as an action, spend 11 Ki Points to create an a visible sphere of pure darkness, centered on yourself, with a 30 ft. radius. A number of creatures equal to your Wisdom modifier of your choice must succeed on a Wisdom Saving throw or be placed inside the sphere alongside yourself. Every other creature within range, or that succeeded on the saving throw, is deposited safely at the edge of the barrier. The sphere has an AC of 22, is immune to all damage types except for Force, and has a number of hit-points equal to double your Monk Level. The sphere lasts for 1d4+1 rounds , until you dismiss it, or until it reaches 0 hit-points. The interior of the sphere appears how you desire. Creatures in the sphere cannot escape by moving out of the sphere, and all teleportation magic except for the Gate or Wish spell, or similar magic, is blocked. While in the sphere, creatures have disadvantage on all attacks made against you, saving throws against any spell or effect you impose on them, and if they are reduced to 0 hit-points are killed immediately. At the start of your turn, you may choose to enact one of the following effects as an action. 
  • Damage - All creature within the demi-plane other than your self take 5d10 Necrotic, Radiant, or Force damage based on your choice. 
  • Despair - All creatures within the demi-plane are frightened of you and paralyzed for one minute. 
  • Disable - All creatures within the demi-plane are deafened, blinded, and their movement speed is reduced by half until they take a short or long rest.