Way of The Eight Gates (2024)

Monk's that follow the Way of The Eight Gates showed immense promise early in life and had to lock their power away through the closing of their chakras to not overwhelm their unprepared bodies with the strain of the unfathomable strength and speed held within.  The further down this path they go, the more they learn to release this might in controlled ways.

Level 3: Open Gate

When traveling this path at 3rd level, you have honed your mind and body and can sense the eight gates within you and open them at will.  These gates restrain your immense natural power within as to not overwhelm the body with excessive stress.

As a Bonus Action you may open the first gate; Root.  After landing a melee attack on a creature, you may open the next gate in the sequence as part of the same action.  You may also close all open gates as an Action.  The benefit of opening a gate is listed below in the Gate Table.  You may open a maximum number of Gates equal to (2x your Proficiency Bonus).  Upon opening any number of gates exceeding your Proficiency Bonus, you will enter the Stressed state.  After exiting the Stressed state, you gain exhaustion equal to the number of gates open exceeding your proficiency. Upon exceeding 1 minute with any amount of gates open, all gates close and you receive a point of exhaustion.

Stressed: You cannot cast or concentrate on spells. After taking damage, make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC of 10 + the number of open gates.  On a success, nothing happens.  On a failure, all gates close and you take Necrotic damage equal to twice your Proficiency (This damage cannot be reduced in any way). 

Gate	Effect
1. Root	Your speed increases by 5 (+5 Total) and Opportunity Attacks against you have disadvantage.
2. Umbral	You gain +1 to attack rolls and damage with Unarmed Strikes (+1 Total) and when landing an attack with your Unarmed Strike or Monk weapon, you may push the target back 5ft given the target is no more than one size larger than you.  This can occur once per target per turn.
3. Solar	Your speed increases by 5 more (+10 Total) and after spending a Focus point, you gain Temporary Hit Points equal to your Wisdom modifier.
4. Heart	You gain +1 to attack rolls and damage with Unarmed Strikes (+2 Total) and after landing 3 Unarmed Strikes on a single creature within 1 minute, you recover 1 Focus Point.
5. Throat	Your speed increases by 5 more (+15 Total) and you have advantage to avoid or end the Grappled, Paralyzed, Restrained, and Stunned conditions.
6. Third Eye	You gain +1 to attack rolls and damage with Unarmed Strikes (+3 Total) and you gain Blindsight for 30ft.
7. Crown	Double all previous bonuses to your speed from this feature (+30 Total) and after expending a Focus Point, you may move up to your speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks (limit of once per turn).
8. Soul	You gain +2 to attack rolls and damage with Unarmed Strikes (+5 Total) and you gain advantage on all saving throws.

0 - Closed

You have no gates opened and have no bonuses from Open Gate.

1 - Root

You have opened the Root gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

2 - Umbral

You have opened the Umbral gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

3 - Solar

You have opened the Solar gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

4 - Heart

You have opened the Heart gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

5 - Throat

You have opened the Throat gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

6 - Third Eye

You have opened the Third Eye gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

7 - Crown

You have opened the Crown gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

8 - Soul

You have opened the Soul gate and gained its bonuses as well as all previous gates.

Level 6: Quick to Act

When taking the attack action, you may consume a use of this feature to make another Unarmed Strike on the same target and you don't add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage unless that modifier is negative.  You may use this a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier per Long Rest.

On the first round of combat, you may use this without consuming a use of the feature and you may add your ability modifier to the extra attack's damage.

Level 11: Superior Meditation

Beginning at 11th level, you can force the flow of energy to flow freely through your body.

After spending 10 minutes in Superior Meditation, you gain the benefits of a Short Rest.  Additionally, you may remove Exhaustion levels equal to (your Monk level/5) rounded down and gain Temporary Hit Points equal to 2 rolls of your martial arts die. You can do this once per Long Rest.

You no longer must make a Wisdom saving throw in order to maintain the Stressed state when taking damage less than or equal to your Monk level.

Level 17: Master of Gates

At 17th level, you've mastered the Eight Gates and your body has finally caught up to your prodigious power.

When using your Bonus Action to activate the first gate, Root, you may instead open up to half your Proficiency Bonus in gates rather than starting with the first gate.  Additionally, you gain new abilities when you are Stressed.

While Stressed, you can gain no more than 1 level of Exhaustion upon exiting the Stressed state.  Additionally, your Unarmed Strikes can shatter 1 inch of steel, 1ft of earth or stone, or 5ft of wood.  When making an unarmed attack, you can ignore 1/2 and 3/4 cover so long as your Unarmed Strike can pierce the cover and you know the creature is there.  If you make an unarmed strike against a creature not in cover, you can add your Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers to the total damage of the attack.