Way of the Departed Soul

“Each strike is a prayer. Each death, a whisper that joins the chorus within.”

Monks of the Way of the Departed Soul believe that through perfect understanding of death, one can transcend life’s illusions. When they strike down a foe, the departing soul’s final breath becomes a fleeting echo within their ki — and with meditation and control, they learn to harness these fragments to empower body and spirit.
These monks often appear serene, but behind their eyes shimmer countless voices — the remnants of lives ended by their hands.
Monks following this path have found themselves close to death at one point in their early life or a follower of god/goddess of death.

Level 17: 17th Level — Requiem of Souls

17th Level — Requiem of Souls

You have become a living sanctuary of the departed. When you would be reduced to 0 HP, you can instead destroy all of your Soul Tokens to drop to 1 HP and immediately regain 1 ki point for each token destroyed.
In addition, immediately, you can release your stored souls in a wave of spiritual force:

• Each creature within 30 feet must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC = 8 + proficiency bonus + Wisdom modifier).

• On a failure, it takes 1d10 necrotic (Per soul token destroyed) damage and is frightened until the end of your next turn.

• On a success, it takes half damage and isn’t frightened.

The released souls whisper and vanish, leaving you surrounded by a faint, mournful glow until the end of your next turn.

Level 3: Tokens of Passing

3rd Level — Tokens of Passing

When a creature dies within 30 feet of you, and you were the cause of its death (through direct attack, spell, or effect), you may use your reaction to capture a fragment of its departing soul.
This fragment condenses into a Soul Token, a Tiny spectral charm or glimmering mote that orbits you.

• You can hold a number of Soul Tokens equal to your proficiency bonus.

• Each lasts until you finish a long rest, or until you use it.

• When you meditate during a short rest, you can sense faint emotions or memories from the souls lingering near you.

You can expend a Soul Token in the following ways:

1. Vital Spirit: As a bonus action, expend a Soul Token to gain temporary hit points equal to your Monk level + your Wisdom modifier.

2. Echoing Step: When you use Step of the Wind, you may expend a Soul Token to become invisible until the end of your current turn.

3. Lingering Voice: As an action, expend a Soul Token to commune briefly with the soul’s memory. Ask it one question; it answers in a language it knew in life. It is under no obligation to be truthful.

Level 6: Death’s Serenity

6th Level — Death’s Serenity

Your ki harmonizes with the energy of the fallen.

• While you carry at least one Soul Token, you gain advantage on Constitution and Death saving throws .

• When you reduce a creature to 0 HP, you regain 2 ki points (up to your maximum) once per turn. 

In addition, when a creature dies within 10 feet of you, you can choose to not require to breath or require to eat food and water for 1 hour as you subsist on spiritual residue. 

Level 11: Ghostwalk Technique

11th Level — Ghostwalk Technique

You can weave through the world like the souls you’ve bound.
As a bonus action, you can expend 2 ki points or 1 Soul Token to gain one of the following effects for 1 minute:

• Spectral Form: You become partially incorporeal; you can move through creatures and objects as difficult terrain. If you end your turn inside an object, you take 1d10 force damage.

• Death’s Reach: Your unarmed strikes gain a 10-foot reach, and you may deal necrotic damage instead of bludgeoning.

• Ethereal Step: You can move along vertical surfaces and across liquids without falling, and your movement doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks. (You do not have to keep moving for you to keep this effect)