Way of the Ancient Arts

Many ancient monasteries developed their own ways of fighting, called stances. Some focused on fending off attacks, some integrated weapons and others magic. The Way of the Ancient Arts grants access to these stances.

Student of the Ancient Arts

Starting at 3rd level, you can spend a bonus action to enter one of your available stances. You can enter only one stance per encounter. You know two stances at level 3 and gain an additional one at 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th levels.

Archer Stance

You enter a specialized stance for a unique martial art centered around the use of ranged weapons. You gain proficiency with the longbow, hand crossbow, heavy crossbow and blowgun, and you can turn any ranged weapon into a dedicated weapon, additionally you can use Flurry of Blows and Stunning Strike with ranged weapons if the target is within 30ft. At level 5 you gain proficiency in Wisdom (Perception) if you don't already have it and you don't suffer disadvantage on ranged attack rolls due to enemies being within 5ft of you or being prone. At level 12 you can spend a ki point at the beginning of your turn or as part of entering this stance to enter a focused state. Until the end of your current turn your ranged weapon attacks ignore damage resistances (but not immunities) and on a tally of two successful ranged weapon attacks they take additional damage equal to your Martial Arts roll + your dexterity modifier. Additionally, your ranged weapon attacks ignore half and three-quarters cover, and deflecting missiles does not cost a ki point.

(Choose the Perception skill in the builder if you don't already have it upon reaching level 5)

Cobra Stance

You enter a tight stance, coiled up like a lashing cobra with your hands poised as venomous fangs. Your unarmed strikes have a -5 penalty to their attack rolls, deal poison damage, use your wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus for their damage instead of your dexterity modifier and inflict the poisoned condition. A creature can make a Constitution saving throw against your ki save DC at the end of each of its turns to end this condition. Additionally, you can move through another creature's space without using additional movement and squeeze through spaces as narrow as 6 inches. At level 12 when you miss an unarmed strike you can spend a ki point to hit instead, but the creature takes half of the regular damage. You cannot use this ability if you rolled a 1 on the die.

Crane Stance

You enter the stance of a crane, holding your arms in an imitation of a crane’s wings and using flowing, defensive motions. If you made an unarmed strike on your turn you can spend a reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your armor class. This benefit lasts until the start of your next turn. At level 5 you gain proficiency in Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) if you don't already have it and each subsequent attack on your turn gains +1 to its attack roll. At level 12 you don't need to spend a ki point to take the Flurry of Blows bonus action as long as you successfully hit at least two unarmed strikes beforehand.

(Choose the Sleight of Hand skill in the builder if you don't already have it upon reaching level 5)

Dragon Stance

You enter the stance of a dragon and make powerful leg strikes like a lashing dragon’s tail. Your unarmed strikes have a reach of 10ft. At level 5 you gain proficiency in Charisma (Intimidation) and on a successful unarmed strike you can move the target 5ft in any horizontal direction. At level 12 as a bonus action you can spend a ki point to roar, forcing each creature you choose within 30ft to make a Wisdom saving throw against your ki save DC or become frightened of you. Additionally, the number you need to roll for a critical strike against a frightened creature is reduced to 18. A creature can repeat this saving throw if it starts its turn more than 30 ft away from you.

(Choose the Intimidation skill in the builder if you don't already have it upon reaching level 5)

Elemental Wrath Stance

You focus your ki to corrode, chill, sear, shock or reverberate your enemies' bodies. Whenever you enter this stance pick one type of damage: acid, cold, fire, lightning or thunder, this determines the type of damage your unarmed strikes are replaced by. Additionally, if you hit a creature with an unarmed attack it must make a Constitution saving throw against your ki save DC at the beginning of each of its turns or take the chosen type of damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die. This effect lasts until a creature succeeds on its Constitution saving throw. At level 12 at a cost of a ki point you can replace an unarmed strike with an elemental arc in a 20-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your ki save DC, taking damage equal to three rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. The damage type is the same as the one you chose when you entered this stance and it triggers the damage over time effect as with a regular unarmed strike.

Gorilla Stance

You lower yourself to the ground and take an imposing, knuckle-walking stance. On a successful unarmed strike you can attempt a grapple at no cost. Additionally you can use Dexterity (Acrobatics) in place of all Strength (Athletics) checks. At level 5 you gain proficiency in Dexterity (Acrobatics) if you don't already have it and double it for all checks using that skill while in this stance. At level 12 you can spend a ki point at the beginning of your turn while grappling another creature, they must make a Strength saving throw against your ki save DC or take bludgeoning damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die and become restrained, on a success a creature takes half the damage and doesn't suffer any additional effects.

(Choose the Acrobatics skill in the builder if you don't already have it upon reaching level 5)

Jellyfish Stance

You relax your posture and loosen your joints, allowing yourself to clear your mind and move with ease. Your speed cannot be reduced in any way and you gain advantage on all Wisdom, Intelligence and Charisma saving throws. Additionally, when another creature within 5 feet of you is targeted with an attack, you can spend ki point as a reaction to redirect it towards yourself, forcing the attacker to make a new roll against your AC at disadvantage. Your Stunning Strike turns into Paralyzing Strike.

Mountain Stance

You enter the stance of an implacable mountain—a technique first discovered by dwarven monks—allowing you to shrug off blows with no effort. You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage and cannot be knocked prone or moved against your will. At level 12 you can spend a ki point at the start of your turn or as part of entering this stance to plant yourself to the ground, reducing your movement speed to 0 and gaining immunity to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage until the start of your next turn. While planted in this way you can spend a ki point as a reaction in response to taking damage and reduce it by an amount equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + Wisdom modifier.

Peafowl Stance

You enter a tall and proud stance while remaining mobile, with all the grace and composure of a peafowl. You gain proficiency with the scimitar, longsword and rapier. You can take the Flurry of Blows bonus action using your sword and you don't provoke opportunity attacks from a creature you attempt to hit with a sword for the rest of the turn. Additionally, if you hit a creature with a sword you can move additional 5ft before the end of the current turn (this means you can move 5ft in any direction if you hit a creature with an opportunity attack). At level 12 you can make one attack with your sword as part of Step of the Wind, you ignore difficult terrain and are immune to the frightened condition.

Steelbone Stance

You enter the stance of rigid steel, preparing yourself to retaliate against your foes. All melee attackers suffer bludgeoning damage equal to your dexterity modifier + proficiency bonus whenever they hit you while within 5 ft. This damage counts as magical. Additionally, you reduce incoming damage from non-magical attacks by a value equal to your proficiency bonus and can spend a ki point as a reaction to make an unarmed strike in response to succeeding on a saving throw triggered by a creature within 5ft of you. At level 12 you gain advantage on all Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws.

Tangled Forest Stance

You extend your arms like gnarled branches to interfere with your foes’ movements. Making an opportunity attack reduces the creature's speed to 0 and does not cost a reaction. Additionally,  when you make a successful unarmed strike against a creature, it needs to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (your choice) against your ki save DC or be knocked prone. You can spend a ki point as an action to pull all creatures of your choice to you, forcing them to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (your choice) against your ki save DC or be moved to a spot within 5ft of you and take damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die, creatures that succeed on this saving throw take half damage and don't suffer any other effects. You can arrange the creatures however you like and if there's no space within 5ft of you, you move them to the closest available spot.

Tiger Stance

You enter the stance of a focused tiger, ready to move at any moment. You gain proficiency in Dexterity (Stealth), you double it for all checks using that skill and you can hide, dash or disengage as a bonus action without spending any ki points. Additionally, if you land a critical strike you roll one extra damage die. At level 12 you can spend a ki point as part of your hide, dash or disengage bonus action to turn invisible until the start of your next turn.

Wild Winds Stance

You learn a mystical stance that lets you attack in wide arcs with the strength of the winds. When you make an unarmed strike, you can make an additional unarmed strike against any creature within 5ft of them as long as they are within your reach at no cost. Additionally, creatures suffer disadvantage on all saving throws triggered by you. You can spend a ki point as an action to gain flying speed equal to your walking speed until the end of your next turn.

Wolf Stance

You enter the stance of a wolf, low to the ground with your hands held like fanged teeth. Once per turn when you hit an enemy with an unarmed strike you can mark them as your prey, healing for half the damage you deal to them until the end of your next turn. Additionally, your attacks grievously wound your enemies, preventing them from receiving healing until the end of their next turn. At level 12 you can spend a ki point to share your prey with a number of other creatures equal to your Wisdom modifier, extending the effects to them until the start of your next turn. You can extend the hunt as part of marking your prey and at the start of your turn thereafter.

Seamless Transition

Starting at 6th level, you find ways to smoothly weave in and out of different stances. You are no longer limited to one stance per encounter. While in a stance you can spend a ki point at the start of your turn to shift into a different one.

Monastic Weapon Focus

Starting at 11th level, you find ways to implement monk weapons into the ancient techniques you've perfected. Whenever an "unarmed strike" is mentioned in one of your stances you can use a monk weapon for such a feature instead. This benefit extends to your allies for the purposes of sharing your prey while in the Wolf Stance.

Master of the Ancient Arts

Upon reaching 17th level, you’ve become a Master of the Ancient Arts. Whenever you enter a stance you can combine two of them, gaining benefits from both. Whenever you shift into a different stance you can only change one of the two, unless you spend an additional ki point.