Way of the Nephalem

Monastic Tradition

“Within every monk lies the spark of a world.
Those who walk the Way of the Nephalem nurture that spark into a shining Inner Heaven — a place where souls, dreams, and divine echoes gather.
Some guard their Heaven with angelic compassion, becoming living citadels of light.
Others unleash their Heaven upon the world, commanding legions of spirits to manifest in their name.”

Monks who follow this tradition are half-mystic, half-godseed. They forge a spiritual civilization within themselves, populated by souls who trust them as their ruler, savior, or warden. Their choices — mercy or dominance, creation or control — determine whether their Heaven becomes a paradise of light or a realm of living shadows.

Roleplay and Aesthetic Notes

• Your Inner Heaven is a reflection of your morality and growth. It can appear as a shining citadel, a chaotic abyss, or something in between.

• NPCs who dwell within may retain personality, offer advice, or manifest as visions.

• The subclass creates long-term narrative hooks, such as:

  • Recruiting souls to dwell within you

  • Dealing with rebellion or corruption inside your Heaven

  • A final choice: destroy your Heaven to unleash its power or ascend with it

Inner Heaven

Your soul becomes a vessel for divine creation — an Inner Heaven that mirrors your spiritual growth.

• Soul Residents:
  You can persuade willing creatures to dwell within your Inner Heaven during a 10-minute ritual. The number of Residents you can sustain is 32 + your Wisdom modifier + proficiency bonus + half your Monk level (rounded down).
  These Residents collectively form your “Citizens.”

• Soul Points:
  For each 10 Citizens, you gain 1 Soul Point . You regain all Soul Points after a long rest.

• Empowered Spirit:
  When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 Soul Point to deal extra radiant or necrotic damage equal to your Martial Arts die.

Angelic or Demonic Path

You must choose your spiritual evolution:
The Angelic Way (Heaven Within) or The Demonic Way (Legion Without).

Angelic Way: The Soul Shield

Heaven’s Aegis

As a reaction when you or a creature within 10 feet takes damage, spend 1 ki point to reduce that damage by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier + your Soul Points.
At 11th level, the range increases to 30 feet.

Heaven’s Judgment

Your faith manifests as a radiant strike that channels the collective will of your citizens.

Action — Radiant Dominion Attack

• Spend 2 ki points and declare your attack empowered.

• Make a melee spell attack using Wisdom.

• On a hit, deal 1d8 radiant or force damage for every 10 Citizens in your Inner Heaven (maximum 8d8).

• On a miss, you still deal half damage as radiant energy lashes out.

• If you have more than 50 Citizens, creatures damaged by this attack must make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency + Wisdom) or be blinded until the start of your next turn.

At 17th level, you can use this feature as part of the Attack action once per turn.

“As the chorus of your Inner Heaven sings in unison, radiant force pours from your strike — a judgment made not by one, but by a nation of souls.”

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Transformation (The Soul Ascendant)

As you grow, your form changes: wings of light or faint halos appear. When you enter combat, you briefly emit light in a 10-foot radius.
At 17th level, this light becomes a 30-foot Aura of Hope: allies within gain advantage on saving throws against fear and charm.

 

 

Demonic Way: The Soul Legion

Summon Guardians (6th level)

You can spend 2 ki points as an action to summon one Guardian from your Inner Heaven.
You may have up to your proficiency bonus Guardians active at once.
You can select from the following Thematic Guardians (see stat blocks below).

Guardian List

Each Guardian uses your proficiency bonus for its attack rolls, saving throws, and ability DCs.
Their HP scales with your monk level (details below).

Guardian Base Stats (for reference):

• HP: 15 + (5 × your Monk level ÷ 3)

• AC: 13 + your Wisdom modifier

• Damage: depends on role

• Movement: 30 ft. (unless stated)

• Summoned for 10 minutes or until dismissed.

• Acts on your initiative; uses your bonus action to command them.

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1. Chromatic Guardian (Tiamat’s Scion)

Melee Striker — Elemental Dragon Theme

• Multiattack: 2 claw attacks (1d8 + PB elemental damage).

• Breath Burst (Recharge 5–6): 15-ft cone, Dex save (DC 8 + PB + Wis) for 2d8 elemental damage (acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison — choose each time summoned).

• Resistance: Resistance to its chosen element.

• Appearance: A shimmering draconic warrior with scaled armor of shifting hues.

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2. Mycelic Guardian (Zuggtmoy’s Bloom)

Caster — Decay & Spores

• Ranged Spore Bolt: +PB to hit, 2d8 poison damage, 30 ft range.

• Spore Cloud (Recharge 5–6): 10-ft radius, Con save or poisoned until end of next turn.

• Passive: Allies within 5 ft. regain 1 HP per turn as spores nurture them.

• Appearance: Humanoid fungus-creature with a halo of glowing mushrooms.

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3. Shadow Spider Guardian (Lolth’s Weaver)

Stealth & Control

• Bite: +PB to hit, 1d8 + Wis necrotic.

• Web Snare (Recharge 6): 20-ft line, Dex save or restrained until next turn.

• Passive: Advantage on Stealth and attacks against restrained creatures.

• Appearance: Four-armed humanoid spider cloaked in shadow silk.

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4. Bestial Guardian (Werebeast Spirit)

Melee Bruiser

• Claw + Claw: 2× (1d10 + PB slashing).

• Rampage: When it reduces a creature to 0 HP, it can immediately move 10 ft and attack another creature once.

• Keen Senses: Advantage on Perception.

• Appearance: Animalistic, shifting features — wolf, bear, tiger, etc.

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5. Fey Guardian (Faerie Court Spirit)

Caster — Trickster & Enchantment

• Glamour Bolt: +PB to hit, 2d6 psychic.

• Enchanting Glow (Recharge 5–6): 15-ft cone, Cha save or charmed until end of next turn.

• Passive: Allies’ movement cannot provoke opportunity attacks while within 10 ft.

• Appearance: Luminous faerie with wings of crystal petals.

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6. Tidal Guardian (Umberlee’s Tidecaller)

Mixed — Ranged / Controller

• Water Jet: +PB to hit, 2d8 bludgeoning, 30 ft.

• Drown Pulse (Recharge 6): 10-ft radius, Str save or knocked prone and pushed 10 ft.

• Resistance: Cold and lightning.

• Appearance: Armored being made of living surf and coral.

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7. Pale Bone Guardian (White Lady’s Revenant)

Tank / Undead Theme

• Bone Blade: +PB to hit, 1d10 + Wis slashing.

• Bone Shield (Reaction): Gains +2 AC for 1 turn when hit.

• Passive: Resistant to necrotic, immune to poison.

• Appearance: A skeletal knight draped in pale cloth, eyes burning with cold fire.

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8. Elemental Quartet (Gnome, Salamander, Undine, Sylphide)

Elemental Specialists — Summoned Individually

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Scaling & Commanding Guardians

• At 11th level, Guardian damage increases by one die (e.g., 1d8 → 2d8).

• At 17th level, they gain resistance to all damage except force.

• You can command all active Guardians with a single bonus action.

• If not commanded, they take the Dodge action.

When you reach 17th level, summoning any number of Guardians costs a flat 4 ki points total.

• Customization:
  When you gain a level in this class, you can modify one Guardian, choosing from:

  • Might: +2 to attack rolls and damage

  • Swiftness: +10 ft. movement speed

  • Resilience: +10 HP

  • Wisdom: Gains a minor spell or ability (e.g., Guidance, Thaumaturgy, or Hellish Rebuke)

• Soul Conduit:
  When a Guardian is destroyed, you can spend 1 ki point as a reaction to reabsorb its energy, gaining temporary HP equal to its remaining HP.

• Transformation:
  Your form begins to reflect your Legion — dark markings, shadowy wings, or glowing sigils manifest .

 

 

Nephalem Ascension

Your Inner Heaven reaches divine proportions. Choose one benefit depending on your path:

• Angelic:

  • You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed while not wearing armor.

  • Allies within 30 ft. regain HP equal to your Wisdom modifier at the start of your turn if they are below half HP (no action required, once per long rest).

• Demonic:

  • When you summon Guardians, you can summon all 4 at once (no ki cost per extra).

  • When your Guardians deal damage, you regain 1 HP per hit (once per turn).

Divine Soulforge

You have perfected your Inner Heaven.

• Eternal Domain:
  Your Inner Heaven becomes a demiplane tied to your soul. You can meditate for 1 hour to physically enter it (as demiplane spell).
  You can bring up to 8 willing creatures with you.

• Unity of Souls:
  You gain the Collective Will feature:

  • Angelic: Once per long rest, when you drop to 0 HP, you instead drop to 1 HP and heal all allies within 30 ft. for half your Monk level.

  • Demonic: Once per long rest, when you reduce a creature to 0 HP, you can immediately command all Guardians to attack again as a free action.