A monk who follows the Way of the Astral Self believes their body is an illusion. They see their ki as a representation of their true form, an astral self. This astral self has the capacity to be a force of order or disorder, with some monasteries training students to use their power to protect the weak and other instructing aspirants in how to manifest their true selves in service to the mighty. Monks who master the astral self are adept in the flow of time of the astral plane and can project that onto the realm they reside in.

Multiclass Restriction

The immense toll this power exacts, along with its deep connection to the astral plane, overwhelms other abilities. Therefore, you are not allowed to multiclass out of monk into any other class.

Shimmer Of The Astral Self

3rd-level Way of the Astral Self feature

Your mastery of ki allows you to summon a faint version of your astral self. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to summon this astral self. When you do, each creature of your choice 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 you or overlay your physical arms (your choice). 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 for Strength checks and Strength saving throws. Additionally, you can use strength when calculating jump distance, Grapple and Shove DC's, and carrying capacity while your astral self is summoned.
• 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 that attack increases by 5 feet.
• Unarmed strikes made with the spectral arms use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for attack and damage rolls. Their damage type is force.

Emodiement Of the Astral Self

6th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

You can summon the full version of your astral self. As a bonus action, or as part of the same bonus action used to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you can spend 1 ki point to summon the full version for 10 minutes. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die. You can also summon the visage as part of a reaction using the Time Stop feature, though this costs 2 ki points instead of 1.

The spectral visage hovers over your head like a mask or spectral face, its appearance determined by you.

While the visage is present, you gain the following benefits:

• Time Stop. You can replicate the effects of the Time Stop spell a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, regaining all expended uses after finishing a long rest. The effect lasts for 1 turn (6 seconds) and does not end if you affect a creature or object during this time.
• You can use Time Stop as a reaction when a creature you can see or hear takes an action, makes an attack, or casts a spell, or as an action on your turn.
• You do not regain your reaction until 1 turn after Time Stop ends.
• Time Stop is considered nonmagical for effects such as antimagic field, as it stems from your ki.
• If you use Time Stop more then once per minute at the end of that Time Stop you must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or gain 1 level of exhaustion. The DC for this check increases by 2 for every time you use Time Stop within less a minute of each other.

Empowered Astral Self

11th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

Your astral self has evolved to match your needs, you gain the following benefits:

• Spiritual Defense. While your astral self is present, you gain a +1 to your AC and a +1 to Constitution, Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
• 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 equal to your Martial Arts die.
• Quick Time Stop. As a bonus action on your turn or as a reaction when a creature you can see hits you with a attack, you can spend 1 Focus Point then teleport up to 15ft to a point you can see. When you teleport using this feature you must teleport to a area normally accessible via normal movement (For example you can not teleport through a closed window as you wouldn't normally be able to access it). Any attacks made when you teleported are turned into misses because you teleport before it is able to hit you.

Awakened Astral Self

17th-level Way of the Astral Self feature

Your connection to your astral self is complete, allowing you to fully unleash its potential. As a bonus action, you can spend 4 ki points to summon the arms, visage, and body of your astral self simultaneously and awaken them 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 your AC.
• Astral Barrage. When you use the Extra Attack feature to attack twice, you can instead attack three times, provided all attacks are made with your astral arms.
• My World. Using the Time Stop feature does not consume a use of it unless you activate it more than once per hour.