A Beast master monk often enjoys playing the skirmisher and scout, to investigate and asses the situation ahead and gather valuable information for strategy planning ahead. Beast master monk acts with the speed and patience of a predator, along with tremendous skills to survive in wilderness. The beast master’s speed, agility and keen senses makes him a viscous foe and excellent scout.

 

Beast Stances

Often when you are adventuring out in the world, the animals around you are your teachers. You tend to spend time with them learning the ways of the wilderness. You capture specific attack, defense and survival techniques from the beasts and turn them into your own fighting technique called Beast stance.

Beast Stance. Starting at 3rd level you can enter a beast stance that you already know as a bonus action by spending 2 Ki points. Each stance lasts for 10 minutes or until you enter another stance or fall unconscious. At higher levels you will gain the ability to operate multiple stances together. Each stance gives you special abilities for the duration. You can learn 2 beast stances at 3rd level and 1 additional stance each at 6th,11th and 17th levels. 

When you finish a short or long rest, with 1 hour of practice you can learn a new beast stance and replace it with one of the beast stances of the same level. (For Example: You can swap a 3rd level stance with another 3rd level stance or 6th level stance with another 6th level stance etc.)

MONK LEVEL	BEAST STANCE CHOICE
3rd	Bear, Snake, Monkey, Leopard, Cat
6th	Wolf, Tiger, Crocodile
11th	Turtle, Crane, Eagle
17th	Dragon, Mantis, Panda

Bear Stance (3rd level)

 You gain the strength and endurance of a Bear. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Bear's might.  You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. You also have advantage on Strength (Athletics) Checks and Strength Saving Throws. You cannot roll a result lower than 10 on a d20 for Strength (Athletics) checks.

Cat Stance (3rd level)

 You gain the stealth and nocturnal abilities of a cat. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Nocturnal Feline. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by an additional 60 feet. You will also have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) Checks. You cannot roll a result lower than 10 on a d20 for Dexterity (Stealth) Checks.

Crane Stance (11th level)

You channel the grace of a crane. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Crane's reach - Your size becomes Large (if you are not already) and your unarmed strike range increases by 10 feet to a total of 15 ft reach.
• Crane dance - You cannot be knocked prone and you do not provoke opportunity attacks.

Crocodile Stance (6th level)

You adopt the semi-aquatic and grappling tactics of a crocodile. You gain the following benefits for the duration of the stance.

• Semi-aquatic - You have a swimming speed equal to your walking speed and you can hold your breath.
• Death grapple - When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can choose to grapple that creature. Both at the start and end of the grappled creature's turn, it takes damage equal to your martial arts dice. The creature must use its action to pass a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your Ki save DC to escape from the grapple.

Dragon Stance (17th level)

You learn to move swiftly, have an intimidating presence and also channel your ki to make a flurry of attacks. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Dragon flight. You manifest your ki into a pair of dragon wings, granting you flying speed equal to your walking speed.
• Dragon presence. Any hostile target of your choice that starts its turn within a 60-foot radius of you must make a Wisdom saving throw against your Ki save DC. If the target fails, it is frightened of you until the end of its turn. Creatures that are immune to the frightened condition are not immune to this ability.
• Dragon flurry. If you are making a flurry of blows attacks on a frightened target due to your dragon presence, you can make up to a maximum number of unarmed attacks equal to your proficiency bonus on such creatures as part of your flurry of blows. You can only choose one frightened target per turn as a target for the Dragon flurry.

Eagle Stance (11th level)

You descend on your prey with swiftness and accuracy like an Eagle. You gain the following abilities for the Stance duration.

• Glide. You have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can glide through the air, but you must land on a surface at the end of your turn if you are not already on a surface.
• Bird's eye view. While you are flying, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, and you cannot roll a result lower than 10 on a d20 for Perception checks.

Leopard stance (3rd level)

You are fast and deceptive like a Leopard. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Master of feign. You gain 10 ft. of additional walking speed. Once per turn, when you take attack action on your turn, you can make a Dexterity (Stealth) check against the target's Wisdom (Perception) check. If you succeed, you have advantage on all unarmed strikes against that creature until the end of that turn.

Mantis Stance (17th level)

You channel the way of counter attacks and rapid actions and hemorrhaging attacks like a Mantis. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Counter strike. Whenever a creature makes a melee attack against you, you can spend 1 Ki point to make an unarmed strike against that creature (no action).   
• Rapid action. You can spend 1 Ki point to take a reaction once per turn, even if you have already used a reaction.
• Hemorrhaging strikes. Your unarmed strikes score a critical hit on a roll of 18 or higher. When you critically hit with an unarmed strike, you triple the number of damage dice you roll. Creatures damaged by your unarmed strikes take half of that damage at the start of their next turn as necrotic damage.

Monkey Stance (3rd level)

You gain the mobility and acrobatics of a monkey. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Parkour. You have a climbing speed equal to your walking speed. You have advantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and Dexterity saving throws. You cannot roll a result lower than 10 on a d20 for Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks.

Panda Stance (17th level)

You channel the toughness and endurance of a Panda with your will and presence boosted by your ki. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Damage sponge. You are resistant to all damage.   
• Provide cover. As long as you're not incapacitated, any ally within 5 feet of you gains half cover from all attacks.
• Tough. You have advantage on saving throws against being incapacitated, stunned, and paralyzed.

Snake Stance (3rd level)

You can manipulate a target creature's body to release toxins and become poisoned. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Venomous strikes. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 Ki point to deal 1d6 extra poison damage to that creature. Such a creature is poisoned until the end of your next turn.

Tiger Stance (6th level)

You impersonate the ferocity and power of a tiger to pounce on an enemy at every drop of their guard. Your rigorous training made your hands and feet callous and hard. You gain the following abilities during the duration of the stance.

• Pounce. When you move at least 20 ft. in a straight line towards a target and then hit it with an unarmed strike, that target must succeed on a Strength saving throw against your Ki save DC or it is pushed 5 ft. away from you and knocked prone. If the target is prone, then you can make an additional unarmed strike at the target (no action). The target can be 2 sizes larger than you bypassing the regular push and shove restrictions.
• Powerful strikes. Your unarmed strikes deal 1d6 extra damage.

Turtle Stance (11th level)

You create an invisible magical shell around you like a Turtle to protect you from harm and boost your endurance. You gain the following abilities for the duration of the stance.

• Turtle shell. You have a bonus to your AC equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down. 
• Endure. You have advantage on Constitution checks and saving throws. You cannot roll a result lower than 10 on a d20 for constitution checks.

Wolf Stance (6th level)

You adopt the pack tactics and survival skills from wolves. You treat your allies as a pack and help them to fight and survive well together as a pack. You gain the following benefits for the duration of the stance.

• Strength in numbers. When you are within 5 feet of a target, all your allies (except you) will have advantage on attack rolls against that target. When an ally is within 5 feet of both you and the target, you will have advantage on your unarmed strikes against that target.
• Pack leader. As a bonus action, you can spend a number of Ki points up to your proficiency bonus and roll that many of your martial arts dice. You can use the results to give yourself or an ally within 60 feet of you that you can see and hear you, temporary hit points equal to the total of the dice rolls plus your Wisdom modifier. If the target is charmed or frightened, you can end one of those conditions. You can only use this ability if there is at least one ally within 60 feet of you that you can see and hear you. Any temporary hit points granted by this ability will last until the end of the stance duration.

Beast Influence

• Beast Influence. At 3rd level, you can cast Animal friendship and Beast Bond spells at will without any material components. Your spell save DC is your Ki save DC. You gain proficiency in one Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma skill of your choice.

Alter Beast Stance

Alter Beast Stance. Starting at 6th level, once after you enter a beast stance, on subsequent turns before the stance duration ends, you can use your bonus action and spend only 1 Ki point to change your stance to a different beast stance that you know.

Beast Influence

• Beast Influence. At 6th level, you can cast Locate Animals or Plants spells (animals only) and Speak with Animals spells at will without any material components. Your spell save DC is your Ki save DC. You gain proficiency in one Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma skill of your choice.

Hybrid Beast Stance

Hybrid Beast Stance. Starting at 11th level, you have mastered the ability to operate two beast stances at the same time. As a bonus action, you can spend 5 Ki points to enter into two beast stances of your choice that you know. You gain the abilities from both stances for the duration.

Beast Influence

• Beast Influence. At 11th level, you can cast Conjure Animals and Dominate Beast spells once per long rest without expending any resources. You can cast these spells again by expending a number of ki points equal to the respective spell level. You can also cast these spells at higher levels by expending a number of ki points equal to the higher spell level. Your spell save DC is your Ki save DC. You gain proficiency in one Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma skill of your choice.

Master of Beast Stances

Master of Beast Stances. Starting at 17th level, you have mastered the ability to operate three beast stances at the same time. As a bonus action, you can spend 7 Ki points to enter into three beast stances of your choice that you know. You gain the benefits from all three beast stances for the duration. If you roll for initiative and have 0 ki points, then you will immediately regain 7 ki points (no action).