The dragon god Bahamut is known to travel the Material Plane in the guise of a young monk, and legend says that he founded the first monastery of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon in this guise. The fundamental teaching of this tradition holds that by emulating dragons, a monk becomes a more integrated part of the world and its magic. By altering their spirit to resonate with draconic might, monks who follow this tradition augment their prowess in battle, bolster their allies, and can even soar through the air on draconic wings. But all this power is in service of a greater goal: achieving a spiritual unity with the essence of the Material Plane.

As a follower of the Way of the Ascendant Dragon, you decide how you unlocked the power of dragons within yourself. The Ascendant Dragon Origin table offers a number of possibilities.

d6	Origin
1	You honed your abilities by aligning your spirit with a dragon’s world-altering power.
2	A dragon personally took an active role in shaping your inner energy.
3	You studied at a monastery that traces its teachings back centuries or more to a single dragon’s instruction, or one that is devoted to a dragon god.
4	You spent long stretches meditating in the region around an ancient dragon’s lair, absorbing that lair’s ambient magic.
5	You found a scroll written in Draconic that contained inspiring new techniques.
6	After a dream featuring a five-handed dragonborn, you awoke with the mystical breath of dragons.

 

Draconic Disciple 3rd-level Ascendant Dragon Monk Feature

Draconic Presence: once per turn you can force your presence onto a creature that you are attacking. when you do this you cause a wisdom saving throw equal to your Ki save DC, on a failure the creature becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. you can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

Draconic Strike: when you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. in addition to this you may use your wisdom and dexterity modifier for attack rolls when using unarmed strikes.

Tongue of Dragons: you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic, if you already know Draconic you can learn one other language of your choice.

Breath of the Dragon 3rd-level Ascendant Dragon Monk Feature

You can channel destructive waves of energy, like those created by the dragons you emulate. when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC, taking 1d10+your wisdom modifier damage of the chosen type on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

this damage increases by 1d10 at level 5, 11, 17.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 Ki point to use this feature again. 

Wings Unfurled 6th-level Ascendant Dragon Monk Feature

As a bonus action you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back. you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute while the wings exist. you can use this feature once per long rest.

when you have no remaining uses of this ability you can spend 2 Ki points to use this feature again.

Aspect of the Wyrm 11th-level Ascendant Dragon Monk Feature

The power of our draconic spirit now radiates from you, warding your allies. you gain a 10ft aura that grants resistance to either acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison (you choose) on your turn you can change the resistance of your aura by using an action.

Ascendant Aspect 17th-level Ascendant Dragon Monk Feature

your draconic spirit reaches its peak. You gain the following benefits:

Augment Breath. When you use your Breath of the Dragon, you can spend 1 Ki point to augment its shape and power. The exhalation of draconic energy becomes either a 60-foot cone or a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice), and each creature in that area takes damage equal to 6d10+ your Wisdom modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Blindsight. you gain blindsight out to 30 feet. within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Explosive Fury. When you activate your Wings Unfurled, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see in your aura. Each of those creatures must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC or take 4d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice), or half as much on a successful one.

Draconic Presence

once per turn you can force your presence onto a creature that you are attacking. when you do this you cause a wisdom saving throw equal to your Ki save DC, on a failure the creature becomes frightened of you until the end of your next turn. you can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus.

 

Tongue of Dragons

 you learn to speak, read, and write Draconic, if you already know Draconic you can learn one other language of your choice.

dragonic strike

when you damage a target with an unarmed strike, you can change the damage type to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. in addition to this you may use your wisdom and dexterity modifier for attack rolls when using unarmed strikes.

breath of dragon

ou can channel destructive waves of energy, like those created by the dragons you emulate. when you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with an exhalation of draconic energy in either a 20-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Choose a damage type: acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison. Each creature in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC, taking 1d10+your wisdom modifier damage of the chosen type on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.

this damage increases by 1d10 at level 5, 11, 17.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 Ki point to use this feature again. 

wings unfurled

As a bonus action you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back. you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed for 1 minute while the wings exist. you can use this feature once per long rest.

when you have no remaining uses of this ability you can spend 2 Ki points to use this feature again

Aspect of the Wyrm

The power of our draconic spirit now radiates from you, warding your allies. you gain a 10ft aura that grants resistance to either acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison (you choose) on your turn you can change the resistance of your aura by using an action.

Ascendant Aspect 17th-level

your draconic spirit reaches its peak. You gain the following benefits:

Augment Breath. When you use your Breath of the Dragon, you can spend 1 Ki point to augment its shape and power. The exhalation of draconic energy becomes either a 60-foot cone or a 90-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice), and each creature in that area takes damage equal to 6d10+ your Wisdom modifier on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Blindsight. you gain blindsight out to 30 feet. within that range, you can effectively see anything that isn't behind total cover, even if you're blinded or in darkness. Moreover, you can see an invisible creature within that range, unless the creature successfully hides from you.

Explosive Fury. When you activate your Wings Unfurled, draconic fury explodes from you. Choose any number of creatures you can see in your aura. Each of those creatures must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC or take 4d10 acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice), or half as much on a successful one.