Warrior of Xing Yi Quan (Kung-Fu Animal Styles)

Xing Yi Quan, or "Shape-Will Fist," is an ancient martial art that imitates the forms of nature. Drawing inspiration from the five classical Oriental elements- fire, water, earth, wood, and metal- Xing Yi Quan combines these foundational forms in different proportions and manners to imitate animals. While many forms were commonly employed by practitioners, some forms are unique to certain regions or dojos.

Level 3: Animal Style

You imitate a specific animal when you fight, granting you special abilities over time. Each animal style grants its own set of abilities, which develop into a unique approach to combat as your talent grows.

Alligator

While the Eagle style focuses on knocking opponents away, the Alligator style focuses on knocking them down. This style involves a lot of grapples, takedowns, and prone fighting.

To the Ground. While using the form of the Alligator, you have Advantage on grapple checks. If you successfully grapple a target, you can choose to give it the Prone condition as part of the same action.

Combat Crawling. Starting at 6th level, while you are Prone, an attacker cannot gain Advantage on attack rolls against you, you do not make attack Rolls with Disadvantage, you can crawl at your full movement speed, and standing up requires only 5 feet of movement.

Closing Jaws. Starting at 11th level, if you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can immediately attempt to grapple the target, adding your Martial Arts die to your roll.

Death Roll. Starting at 17th level, when you knock a creature Prone, you can expend 1 Focus Point to deal bludgeoning damage equal to 5 of your Martial Arts dice. In addition, after successfully grappling a creature, you can make another grapple check to give that creature the Restrained condition. The creature must make an opposed grapple check to end the Restrained condition, followed by another grapple check to end the Grappled condition.

Bear

Often compared to the Eagle style, the Bear style uses an upright posture and swiping motions to knock blows away before mauling opponents into submission.

Bear Hands. While using the form of the Bear, when you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss you. If the attack misses, you can then make an attack roll against the creature, as well as push the target up to 10 feet away if it is no more than one size larger than you. In addition, you can expend 1 Focus Point to use this ability without using your Reaction.

Grizzly Demise. Starting at 6th level, you have advantage on saving throws against the Prone condition and movement speed penalties. In addition, once per round when you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack, you can move up to half your speed and attack another target. You can expend 1 Focus Point to use this ability again before the start of your next turn.

Going to the Maul. Starting at 11th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can add your Martial Arts die to any subsequent melee damage rolls you make against that creature until the end of your turn.

Unbearable Blows. Starting at 17th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can force the creature to make a Strength saving throw or be knocked Prone.

Dragon

Similar to the Snake Style, the Dragon style uses coiling and twisting movements, but the Dragon style uses them to rapidly shift between offensive and defensive stances. In addition, the Dragon style uses rising and falling movements to press the offensive and keep enemies guessing.

Scales of the Dragon. While using the form of the Dragon, when you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss. If the attack misses, you can knock the creature off-guard, causing all attacks on the creature to be made with Advantage until the start of your next turn.

Claws of the Dragon. Starting at 6th level, once per turn, you can make an attack roll to perform an overhead strike. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll. In addition, you can knock the creature Prone if it is no more than one size larger than you.

Wisdom of the Dragon. Starting at 11th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can add your Martial Arts die to any subsequent melee attack rolls you make against that creature until the end of your turn.

Flight of the Dragon. Starting at 17th level, you can expend 1 Focus Point to pounce on a creature as an Attack Action. You jump up to your full movement speed towards the creature and make a melee attack against it, adding your Martial Arts die to the attack roll. If the attack hits, you roll 2 of your Martial Arts dice and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Eagle

Often combined with the Bear style as the "Bear-Eagle" style, the Eagle style is commonly practiced with powerful sweeping strikes, holds, joint locks, and grapples to dominate opponents.

Beating Wings. While using the form of the Eagle, if another creature misses you with a melee attack, you can make an unarmed strike against it as a Reaction. If the attack hits, you can push it up to 10 feet away if it is no more than one size larger than you. In addition, you can expend 1 Focus Point to use this ability without using your Reaction.

Grasping Talons. Starting at 6th level, if you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can immediately attempt to grapple the target.

Ruffling Feathers. Starting at 11th level, once per turn, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can expend 1 Focus Point to reduce its attack rolls by an amount equal to your Martial Arts die until the start of your next turn.

Raging Storm. Starting at 17th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can force the creature to make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet in a direction of your choice.

Horse

The Horse style is sometimes compared with the Bear style due to its shared emphasis on stability. The Horse Style emphasizes the user's lower body strength not only for defending against movement effects, but also for delivering powerful kicks. Its crossed-arm stances make it ideal for defensive fighting.

Trotting Step. While using the form of the Horse, you have advantage on saving throws against the Prone condition and movement speed penalties. When you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss you. In addition, you can expend 1 Focus Point to use this ability without using your Reaction.

Bucking Bronco. Starting at 6th level, once per turn, you can make an attack roll to kick a creature with your full strength. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll. In addition, you can push the creature up to 10 feet away.

Stamping Hooves. Starting at 11th level, once per turn, you can make an attack roll to perform a powerful overhead strike. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll. In addition, you can knock the creature prone if it is no more than two sizes larger than you.

Trampling Charge. Starting at 17th level, if you move at least 10 feet in a straight line toward a target immediately before hitting it with a melee attack roll as part of the Attack action, you can add 2 additional Martial Arts dice to the attack's damage roll, as well as knock the target Prone if it is no more than two sizes larger than you. You cannot target the same creature more than once per turn.

Monkey

Combining vertical and horizontal movement for striking and evasion, the Monkey style is the most unpredictable style of all. Flinches, feints, leaps, and tumbles are combined with angled attacks and grapples designed to catch opponents off-guard.

Monkey Business. While using the form of the Monkey, when you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss. If the attack misses, you can make a grapple check against the target without expending a Focus Point.

Ape Escape. Starting at 6th level, if you move at least 10 feet away from where you started your turn, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn.

Monkey's Paw. Starting at 11th level, if you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can immediately attempt to grapple the target, adding your Martial Arts die to your roll.

Fake Out. Starting at 17th level, when you miss a melee attack against a creature, your next attack is made with Advantage. If the attack hits, you roll 2 of your Martial Arts dice and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Phoenix

Also known as the Sparrowhawk or Goshawk style, the Phoenix style focuses on penetrating an enemy's defenses. Yet while the Tiger style tears these defenses away and the Snake style slips around them, the Hawk style sweeps an opponent's guard aside to deliver well-aimed blows.

Eyes of the Hawk. While using the form of the Phoenix, when you make a melee attack roll against a creature, you can cause the attack roll to have Advantage once per turn.

Talons of the Firebird. Starting at 6th level, you can roll two additional damage dice when determining the extra damage for a Critical Hit with a melee attack.

Flames of the Phoenix. Starting at 11th level, once per turn, when you make a melee attack against a creature, you can expend 1 Focus Point to reduce that creature's Armor Class by an amount equal to your Martial Arts die until the start of your next turn.

Wrath of the Inferno. Starting at 17th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can add your Martial Arts die to subsequent melee attack and damage rolls against that creature until the end of your turn.

Rooster

Also known as the Chicken style, this style imitates the frenzied charging of a rooster defending its hens, with an emphasis on rapid close-quarter strikes.

Cockatiel Charge. While using the form of the Rooster, when a hostile creature takes the Move Action, you can move up to half your movement speed towards it as a Reaction. If you end your movement adjacent to the creature, you can then make an Opportunity Attack as part of the same Reaction.

Rooster's Rush. Starting at 6th level, if you move at least 10 feet in a straight line toward a target immediately before hitting it with a melee attack roll as part of the Attack action, you can add an additional Martial Arts die to the attack's damage roll.

Spirit of the Cockatrice. Starting at 11th level, when you use Flurry of Blows, you can make four Unarmed Strikes with it instead of three.

Storm of Spurs. Starting at 17th level, when you use Step of the Wind, you can expend 1 Focus Point to use Flurry of Blows as part of the same action.

Snake

The Snake style is an extremely efficient style designed to catch opponents off-guard, then slip through their defenses and hit vital points.

Coiled Strike. While using the form of the Snake, if another creature makes a melee attack against you, you can attack for free without using your Reaction if the creature misses you.

Twisting Serpent. Starting at 6th level, when you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can also add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss. If the attack misses, you can then expend a Focus Point to redirect the attack's force as if you had reduced its damage to 0.

Viper's Fangs. Starting at 11th level, you can roll three additional damage dice when determining the extra damage for a Critical Hit with a melee attack.

Venomous Reprise. Starting at 17th level, when a creature makes a melee attack against you, you gain Advantage on all attack rolls made against it until the end of your next turn. You can also use your Reaction to make an attack roll against any creature who misses with a ranged attack. If the attack hits, you roll 2 of your Martial Arts dice and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll. In addition, if you are hit with the attack, you can still expend a Focus Point to attack for free without using your Reaction.

Swallow

Like the Tiger and Rooster styles, the Swallow style includes forward leaps and lunges, but it also combines the transverse footwork of the Monkey style to evade or flank enemies.

Songbird's Grace. While using the form of the Swallow, if you move at least 10 feet away from where you started your turn, you can add half your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn.

Swooping Strike. Starting at 6th level, you can expend 1 Focus Point to pounce on a creature as an Attack Action. You jump up to half your movement speed towards the creature and make a melee attack against it. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Hunter's Precision. Starting at 11th level, when you make a melee attack roll against a creature, you can cause the attack roll to have Advantage. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll. You cannot target the same creature with this ability more than once per turn.

Skimming the Waters. Starting at 17th level, when you make a melee attack against a creature, you don't provoke opportunity attacks from that creature for the rest of the turn, and the creature has Disadvantage on attack rolls against you until the start of your next turn. In addition, you can move up to half your movement speed as part of the same Attack action.

Tai

The Tai style gets its name from a mythical ostrich-like creature, not unlike a terrorbird. This style combines force with stability, similar to the Bear style, but focuses on stationary combat and decisive blows.

Albatross. While using the form of the Tai, if you do not take a Move Action during your turn, you have Advantage on saving throws against the Prone condition and can add half your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class until the start of your next turn.

Iron Beak. Starting at 6th level, you can roll two additional damage dice when determining the extra damage for a Critical Hit with a melee attack.

Blotting Wings. Starting at 11th level, when you use the Deflect Attacks feature, you can add your Proficiency Bonus to your Armor Class, potentially causing the attack to miss you. If the attack misses, you also knock the creature completely off-guard, causing all attacks on the creature to be made with Advantage until the end of your next turn. You can also expend a Focus Point to redirect the attack's energy as normal.

Strike of the Terrorbird. Starting at 17th level, if you hit a creature with a melee attack, you can expend 1 Focus Point to deal extra damage of the same type equal to 2 of your Martial Arts dice, knock it Prone, and push it away 15 feet.

Tiger

The Tiger style emphasizes pouncing on targets and landing bone-breaking blows, using claw-like strikes to grapple and tear through defenses.

Pounce. While using the form of the Tiger, you can expend 1 Focus Point to pounce on a creature as an Attack Action. You jump up to half your movement speed towards the creature and make a melee attack against it. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Eye of the Tiger. Starting at 6th level, once per turn, when you make a melee attack roll against a creature, you can cause the attack roll to have Advantage. If the attack hits, you roll your Martial Arts die and add the number rolled as a bonus to the attack’s damage roll.

Fatal Fangs. Starting at 11th level, you can roll three additional damage dice when determining the extra damage for a Critical Hit with a melee attack.

Rending Claws. Starting at 17th level, when you make a melee attack against a creature, you can reduce that creature's Armor Class by an amount equal to your Martial Arts die until the start of your next turn. If you hit the creature with this attack, you can immediately attempt to grapple the target, adding your Martial Arts die to your roll. You cannot reduce a creature's Armor Class with this ability more than once per turn.

Level 6: Style Switching

You have had time to practice each of the animal stances in order to not only understand the possible fighting styles of your opponents, but also to understand the nuances of your own preferred style. With this newfound understanding, you can switch to a new animal stance as a Bonus Action in order to adapt to your opponent's techniques. Because of your training, your attack rolls with weapons and Unarmed Strikes can also now score a Critical Hit on a roll of 19-20 on the d20.

In addition, your connection to the animal forms embodied in your martial arts has given you access to new style-specific abilities.

Level 11: One with Nature

By understanding the forms of nature which inspired your martial arts, you have become spiritually attuned to the world around you. By spending 10 minutes in meditation, you and your party can gain Advantage on all Nature, Survival, and Animal Handling checks until you finish a Long Rest.

In addition, your imitation of animal forms has reached a new level of refinement.

Level 17: Perfection of Body and Spirit

Your training and meditation has given you a transcendental level of martial discipline. Your attack rolls with weapons and Unarmed Strikes can now score a Critical Hit on a roll of 18-20 on the d20.

In addition, you have honed your animal styles to the point of perfection.