Way of the Astral Guardian

Introducing the Way of the Astral Guardian

Dive into the cosmos with the Way of the Astral Guardian, a reimagined monk tradition that channels astral energy for protection and prowess. This subclass evolves from the Way of the Astral Self, focusing on safeguarding allies and empowering monks with celestial might. Embrace the stars and become a beacon of guidance and strength in your adventures!

 

 

 

The Astral Self Monk represents a unique martial artist, one who draws upon the mysterious and boundless energies of the cosmos to enhance their physical capabilities and combat strategies. Unlike other warriors, these monks see the battlefield not just as a physical space but as a canvas for the expression of their inner power, shaped by the vastness of the universe itself.Central to their practice is the ability to channel astral energy into their weapons and bodies, transforming mundane actions into supernatural phenomena. The Astral Strike ability allows them to infuse their quarterstaff with shimmering, celestial energy, significantly amplifying its damage output with potent force energy. This technique is not just about enhanced aggression; it's a declaration of the monk's ability to manipulate the fabric of reality to their will.The Astral Infusion feature further expands their arsenal, offering versatile options that cater to different tactical needs. Whether it's further empowering their strikes, creating a protective aura to shield allies, granting themselves resistance to physical harm, or ensuring their attacks find

Astral Barrage

Prerequisites: Wisdom 13 or higher, Astral Fist Feature, Arms of the Astral Self Manifested

Range: 30 feet

Action Required: Yes

Ki Cost: 2 ki points

Attack: As an action, while your Arms of the Astral Self are manifested, you can spend 1 ki point to make a melee spell attack against one creature within range, using your Wisdom modifier for the attack roll.

Damage Scaling: The damage increases by 1d4 at 5th level (2d4 + Wisdom modifier), 11th level (3d4 + Wisdom modifier), and 17th level (4d4 + Wisdom modifier).

Leveraging the power of your manifested astral arms, you extend your spiritual might to strike at your enemies with a barrage of forceful astral energy. This ability marries your physical prowess with your spiritual discipline, allowing you to project devastating strikes onto the astral plane.

Astral infusion

### Astral Infusion

 

You have mastered the art of drawing upon the infinite energies of the astral plane, infusing your monk weapons with celestial power. This mastery grants you the versatility to employ astral energy in combat effectively, adapting to any situation with ease.

 

#### Infusion Options:

Upon gaining this feature, and after each long rest, you may select two of the following infusion options. Each chosen option can be used a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once) before requiring a rest. You regain all expended uses and may select new options after finishing a long rest.

 

- **Astral Strike:** Imbue your monk weapons with raw force energy, causing them to deal extra force damage to any target they hit. This manifests as a surge of shimmering energy that enhances your physical strikes with astral power.

 

- **Astral Barrier:** Emit a protective aura of astral energy. Allies within 10 feet of you receive a bonus to their Armor Class (AC), as the celestial power forms a shield of shimmering light around them, deflecting attacks and providing cover.

 

- **Astral Resilience:** Fortify yourself with astral resilience, granting you resistance to a specific type of damage (choose from bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) for 1 minute. This protective energy cocoons you, softening blows and turning aside weapons and projectiles with ease.

 

- **Astral Precision:** Sharpen your focus and your strikes with astral precision, gaining advantage on the next attack roll you make with your monk weapons. This infusion guides your hand, allowing you to strike with supernatural accuracy.

 

#### Activating an Infusion:

As a bonus action on your turn, you can activate one of your chosen infusions, invoking the celestial energies to empower you. The chosen effect lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it with a bonus action, enveloping you in a display of astral might that visibly marks you as a conduit of the cosmos.

Astral Barrier

Astral BarrierDescription: The quarterstaff emits a protective aura of astral energy, granting a bonus to AC to allies within 10 feet of the Monk.

AC Bonus: Starts with a +1 bonus to AC, increasing to +2 at 6th level, +3 at 11th level, and +4 at 17th level.

Astral Precision

Astral PrecisionDescription: Grants advantage on attack rolls made with the infused quarterstaff, allowing for more accurate strikes during the infusion's duration

Astral Resilience

Astral ResilienceDescription: Grants the Monk resistance to one type of damage of their choice (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) for the duration of Astral Infusion.

Astral Strike

Astral StrikeDescription: The quarterstaff crackles with shimmering, astral light, dealing additional force damage on each successful hit.

Damage Increase: Starts with 1d6 additional force damage, scaling up to 2d6 at 6th level, 3d6 at 11th level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

Arms of the Astral Self

3rd-level Way of the Astral Self feature

Your mastery of your ki allows you to summon a portion of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to summon the arms of your astral self. When you do so, each creature of your choice that you can see within 10 feet of you must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take force damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.

For 10 minutes, these spectral arms hover near your shoulders or surround your arms (your choice). You determine the arms’ appearance, and they vanish early if you are incapacitated or die. While the spectral arms are present, you gain the following benefits:

• You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength modifier when making Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
• You can use the spectral arms to make unarmed strikes.
• When you make an unarmed strike with the arms on your turn, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal.
• The unarmed strikes you make with the arms can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and their damage type is force.

Visage of the Astral Self

6th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

You can summon the visage of your astral self. As a bonus action, or as part of the bonus action you take to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you can spend 1 ki point to summon this visage for 10 minutes. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die.

The spectral visage covers your face like a helmet or mask. You determine its appearance.

While the spectral visage is present, you gain the following benefits.

Astral Sight. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet.

Wisdom of the Spirit. You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks.

Word of the Spirit. When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you, making it so only that creature can hear you. Alternatively, you can amplify your voice so that all creatures within 600 feet can hear you.

Astral fist

 

Prerequisites: Wisdom 13 or higher, Arms of the Astral Self Manifested

Range: 30 feet

Ki Cost: 1 ki point

Action Required: Yes

Attack: As an action, while your Arms of the Astral Self are manifested, you can spend 1 ki point to make a melee spell attack against one creature within range, using your Wisdom modifier for the attack roll.

Damage Scaling: The damage increases by 1d4 at 5th level (2d4 + Wisdom modifier), 11th level (3d4 + Wisdom modifier), and 17th level (4d4 + Wisdom modifier).

 

With your astral arms manifested, you focus your spiritual energy to project a singular, concentrated strike of astral power at a target. This ability reflects your mastery over the astral projection of your martial discipline, allowing you to extend your physical reach and strike with the force of your will.

Body of the Astral Self

11th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

When you have both your astral arms and visage summoned, you can cause the body of your astral self to appear (no action required). This spectral body covers your physical form like a suit of armor, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance.

While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits.

Deflect Energy. When you take acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to deflect it. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum reduction of 1).

Empowered Arms. Once on each of your turns when you hit a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die.

Awakened Astral Self

17th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

Your connection to your astral self is complete, allowing you to unleash its full potential. As a bonus action, you can spend 5 ki points to summon the arms, visage, and body of your astral self and awaken it for 10 minutes. This awakening ends early if you are incapacitated or die.

While your astral self is awakened, you gain the following benefits.

Armor of the Spirit. You gain a +2 bonus to Armor Class.

Astral Barrage. Whenever you use the Extra Attack feature to attack twice, you can instead attack three times if all the attacks are made with your astral arms.