Way of the Twin Ideals

Monks who study the Way of the Twin Ideals tradition are consider equals to eldritch knights. They practice techniques from the magic schools of abjuration and evocation, and study techniques similar to those of both paladins and sorcerers. Monks who practiced this tradition have also tuned into their own inner magic, being able to learn spells that are only available through the Way of the Twin Ideals. Abjuration spells grant these monks additional protection in battle, and evocation spells deal damage to many foes at once, extending their reach in combat. These monks learn a comparatively moderate number of spells, committing them to memory instead of keeping them in a spellbook.

Spellcasting

When you reach 3rd level, you augment your martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. See Spells Rules for the general rules of spellcasting and the Spells Listing for the paladin and sorcerer spell lists.

Cantrips

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

Spell Slots

The Way of the Twin Ideals Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your paladin and sorcerer 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 shield and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast shield using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher

You know three 1st-level paladin or sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and evocation spells on the paladin or sorcerer spell lists.

The Spells Known column of the Way of the Twin Ideals Spellcasting table shows when you learn more paladin and sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or evocation 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 paladin or sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the paladin or sorcerer spell lists. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 3rd, 8th, 14th, or 20th level from any school of magic.

Spellcasting Ability

Dexterity is your spellcasting ability for your paladin and sorcerer spells, since you learn your spells through somatic practice. You use your Dexterity whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Dexterity modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a paladin or sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

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

Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Way of the Twin Ideals Spellcasting

MONK LEVEL	CANTRIPS KNOWN	SPELLS KNOWN	— SPELL SLOTS PER SPELL LEVEL —
			1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH
3rd	2	3	2	—	—	—
4th	2	4	3	—	—	—
5th	2	4	3	—	—	—
6th	2	4	3	—	—	—
7th	2	5	4	2	—	—
8th	2	6	4	2	—	—
9th	2	6	4	2	—	—
10th	3	7	4	3	—	—
11th	3	8	4	3	—	—
12th	3	8	4	3	—	—
13th	3	9	4	3	2	—
14th	3	10	4	3	2	—
15th	3	10	4	3	2	—
16th	3	11	4	3	3	—
17th	3	11	4	3	3	—
18th	3	11	4	3	3	—
19th	3	12	4	3	3	1
20th	3	13	4	3	3	1

Embodied Aspects

Starting at 3rd level, you have been meditating to attune yourself with your inner mana pool, and reminding yourself about the lessons you've been taught. Your Wisdom and Constitution scores increase by 1, as does your maximum for those scores. Both scores and their maximum increases by 1 at 6th, 11th, and 17th level. In addition, you gain two of the following Embodied Aspects of your choice. You gain another one at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Breaking Point

After hitting a target with an unarmed strike, you can spend 2 ki points to have the creature make a Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level in Exhaustion. If the creature fails the saving throw by 5 or more, it gains 2 levels in Exhaustion instead and has its AC reduced by 2 until the start of your next turn.

This feature cannot be used more than once in the same turn.

Counterblow

After being hit by a melee attack from a creature within 5 feet of you, you can spend 1 ki point to make an unarmed strike against that creature, then you move up to half your movement speed.

First Avatar Style - Dragon's Haste

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to push your ki energy beyond its normal limitations temporarily to become more agile and hefty. On your turn, you can take one additional action and move up to half your movement speed.

Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

First Avatar Style - Tiger's Assault

As an action, you can expend 1 spell slot of your highest spell level or 1 spell level below it. Doing so will charge your hands with elemental energy, before slashing a target within 10 feet of you. You choose acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder for the energy imbued into your hands, and then make a melee spell attack against the target with proficiency. If the attack hits, the creature takes 3d8 damage plus your Dexterity modifier of the type you chose.

This feature's damage increases by 2d8 when you reach 7th level (5d8), 13th level (7d8), and 19th level (9d8).

Fist of the North Star!

As an action, you can spend 7 ki points to unleash a barrage of strikes at various pressure points of one creature within 15 feet of you. The target makes a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d6 piercing damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful save. If the target rolls a 1-4 on the saving throw, the impact of the strikes to the pressure points will cause the target to implode, immediately dying as a result.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you finish a long rest.

Hardened Strike

When you take the Attack action with an unarmed strike or monk weapon and hit your target, you can spend 1 ki point to add an additional damage die to that attack.

Parry Step

You can use your reaction to parry when you are hit by a melee weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d8 + your Dexterity modifier + half your monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can snatch the weapon if it is light enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a weapon in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a melee attack with the weapon or with a free hand if you have one, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the weapon counts as a monk weapon for the attack, which has a reach of 10 feet.

Second Avatar Style - Phoenix Ascension

As a bonus action, you can expend 1 spell slot of your highest spell level or 1 spell level below it, summoning a spiritual phoenix that circles around a 15-foot sphere radius centered around you. Each creature in that area regains hit points equal to 4d6 + your Dexterity modifier.

This feature's healing increases by 3d6 when you reach 11th level (7d6) and 17th level (10d6).

Second Avatar Style - Tortoise's Repose

As a bonus action, you can spend 2 ki points to make your body as hard as a tortoise's shell. For the next 5 minutes, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and you take half damage from nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing attacks. This feature ends early if you are knocked unconscious.

Strong Body, Calm Mind

As a bonus action, you can spend 4 ki points to focus your mind and hone your body for incoming and outgoing attacks. For 1 minute, you gain a +5 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with natural weapons. In addition, you also gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Swallowtail Strike

You can spend 2 ki points to evoke a whimsical blade in your free hand. The blade is similar in size and shape to a rapier that is treated as a monk weapon, and it lasts for 10 minutes. In addition, you magically summon 1d6 Swallowtail Blades in unoccupied spaces within 15 feet of you. These blades move on your command, which you do on their turns. These blades share your initiative count, but they take their turns immediately after you. If you let go of the blade, it and the swallowtail blades disappears, but you can evoke the blade again as a bonus action.

You can use your action to make a melee spell attack with the whimsical blade. On a hit, the target takes 4d8 force damage.

Swallowtail Blade

Medium construct

Armor Class 10 + half your Dexterity modifier, rounded down (natural armor)

Hit Points 30 + 2 times your maximum amount of ki points

Speed 25 ft.

STR

11(+0)

DEX

18(+4)

CON

14(+2)

INT

7 (-2)

WIS

6(-2)

CHA

9(-1)

Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, grappled, incapacitated, paralyzed, poisoned, unconscious

Senses blindsight 120 ft., passive Perception 8

Languages None

Challenge — Proficiency Bonus equals your bonus

Actions

Multiattack. The swallowtail blade makes a number of attacks equal to half your Dexterity modifier (rounded down).

Swallowtail Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., or range 20/40 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + 4 + half your Dexterity modifier's (rounded down) piercing damage + 1d6 force damage.

Myriad Slash. The blade attunes itself with all other Swallowtail Blades within 25 feet of it. The blades then proceed to make a number of Swallowtail Strikes against a creature that is within range, equal to the number of attuned blades.

Bonus Actions

Blink. The blade magically teleports up to 25 feet to an unoccupied space of your choosing.

Reactions

Parry. The blade adds 2 to its AC against one melee attack that would hit it.

 

Third Avatar Style - Ruler's Decree

As an action, you can expend 3 ki points and 1 spell slot of your highest level or 1 spell level below it. A glowing aura appears around you as a result. You choose two of the following damage types: acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder. For 5 minutes, you gain resistance to the chosen types and attacks made against you with those elements have disadvantage.

Unrelenting Barrage

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to spend a number of ki points up to your Dexterity modifier. The adrenaline in your systems releases itself upon your target, making a number of unarmed strikes equal to twice the amount of ki points you spent.

Zenith Avatar Style - All Star Impact!!

As an action, you can spend 7 ki points and 2 spell slots of your highest spell level or 1 level below it to concentrate the energy of the five guardians into your veins, causing your body to glow like a rainbow, striking at a target within 40 feet of you. You choose acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, necrotic, poison, psychic, radiant, or thunder, and then make a melee spell attack with proficiency. If the attack hits, the creature takes 12d8 damage plus your Dexterity modifier of the type you chose. Hit or miss, a 20-foot wide circle appears centered around you, as a phoenix starts to fly around the circle. Each creature in that area regains hit points equal to 12d6 + your Dexterity modifier. For 5 minutes, creatures in that area gain a bonus to their AC equal to half your Dexterity modifier, and gain an immunity to the chosen damage type. Lastly, you move up to your movement speed.

Once you use this feature, it cannot be used again until you finish a long rest

Esoteric Stroke

Starting at 6th level, you have been practicing your body movements through rigorous training. You gain proficiency with melee attacks. If you already have proficiency in melee attacks already, you can instead choose to double your proficiency bonus for any attack roll you make that uses a melee attack. In addition, you can use your action to imbue your limbs with magical power, before proceeding to strike at one creature within 15 feet of you, dealing 1d10 force damage and causing the target to move 10 feet away from you.

This action's damage increases by 1d10 at 10th level (2d10), 14th level (3d10), and 18th level (4d10).

Embodied Aspects (Additional)

Your Wisdom and Constitution scores increase by 1, as does your maximum for those scores at 6th level.

Dual Avatar Style - Twin Dragon's Fury

Starting at 11th level, you can spend 3 ki points and 1 spell slot of your highest level as an action to channel the power of your ki and magic into two spiritual bodies: the Ki Avatar and the Arcane Avatar. These avatars proceed to jump up and attack two 20-foot sphere areas within 40 feet of you, but they cannot be in the same area as each other. Each creature in both areas must make a Constitution saving throw. Creatures in the first area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 4d10 bludgeoning damage on a failed save and are incapacitated. On a successful save, creatures in the first area take half as much damage and are not incapacitated. Creatures in the second area must make a Intelligence saving throw, taking 4d10 force damage on a failed save and are knocked prone. On a successful save, creatures in the second area take half as much damage and are not prone.

After you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Embodied Aspects (Additional)

Your Wisdom and Constitution scores increase by 1, as does your maximum for those scores at 11th level.

Arcane Antithesis

Upon reaching 17th level, you’ve gained the power to piercing the barriers of magic with just the flick of your wrist. Your Dexterity score maximum increases by 10 and have gained the ability to push yourself beyond your normal limits temporarily. On your turn, you can use your action to spend 5 ki points to concentrate all of your ki points into the palms of your hands, firing off a ginormous blast of energy that is 15 feet wide and 60 feet long. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d10 force damage and immediately loses concentration on all their concentrated spells on a failed save. On a success, a creature takes half damage and does not lose concentration on their spells.

You can only use this feature once per long rest.

Embodied Aspects (Additional)

Your Wisdom and Constitution scores increase by 1, as does your maximum for those scores at 17th level.