Warrior of the Southern Cross

Warriors of the Southern Cross are monks who train their bodies, minds, and spirits to model the movements of birds of prey. They also look to the Southern Cross constellation, and frequently use attacks that model the constellation to carve through the air like blades, rending flesh and stone with ease. They rival the Stars school, which focuses on destroying bodies from within.

Avian Stance

Beginning at 3rd Level, you learn to harmonize your internal energy with your body, mind, and spirit, mimicking a bird’s form. As a secret technique, you enter a heightened state of focus known as Avian Stance.

As a Bonus Action, you may spend 1 Focus Point to enter Avian Stance, which lasts for 10 minutes. The effect ends early if you are Incapacitated, don armor or a shield, or if you dismiss it (no action required).

While Avian Stance is active, you gain the following benefits:

• Carving Winds. Your unarmed strikes and subclass features can deal Slashing, Piercing, or Radiant damage, instead of their normal damage type.

• Focused Speed. Your Walking speed increases by 10 feet.

• Mighty Wings. When you make a Long or High Jump, you gain extra movement equal to your Walking speed, without needing a running start.

At Higher Levels
Starting at Level 6, while Avian Stance is active, you gain Blindsight for 10 feet.

Trained Form

Also at 3rd level, you have proficiency on Acrobatics and Athletics checks. If you have proficiency in either of them already, you instead gain expertise on the check you are proficient in.

Cross Techniques

When you reach 6th level, you learn to emulate the attacks and movements of birds. Your strikes are enhanced further with precise applications of your internal energy, and their damage is treated as magical. These techniques are known as Cross Star Techniques.

You can use a Cross Technique once per turn.

Saving throws.
If a Cross Technique requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 plus your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier (your choice) and Proficiency Bonus.

Prepared Cross Techniques.
You learn all of the following techniques listed below at this level, but you can only prepare two after finishing a Short or Long rest. You may change any Cross Techniques you prepared after finishing a Short or Long Rest. The number of Cross Techniques you can prepare increases as you gain levels in this class, indicated by the table below.

 

Levels	Cross Techniques Prepared
6	2
11	4
17	6

 

Crane Hurricane

When you take the Attack action, you can expend 1 Focus Point to replace the attacks granted by that action with two special ranged attacks.

Make two special attack rolls with advantage at any creatures or objects within 60 feet of you. You are proficient with these attacks. On hit, you deal Slashing damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die plus Dexterity Modifier.

Dazzling Dance

You dazzle and confuse your opponents through a series of movements that hide your presence. As a Reaction, when a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can expend 2 Focus Points to add your Proficiency Bonus to your AC until the start of your next turn. This includes the triggering attack.

Graceful Slash

When you expend a Focus Point on Step of the Wind, you can make one unarmed strike against each creature you move within 5 feet of.  A creature can only be attacked in this way once per turn.

You can make one unarmed attack against a number of creatures equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum of 1). This movement does not provoke Opportunity Attacks.

Phoenix Cross

Once per turn, when you make an unarmed strike, you can expend 1 Focus Point to empower it, releasing golden energy in a cross-shaped burst. This strike has a reach of 10 feet, and you have advantage on the attack roll.

On hit, the target takes the strike’s normal damage plus extra Radiant damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. The creature cannot regain Hit Points until the end of your next turn.

Phoenix Glide

 At the start of your turn, you can expend 1 Focus Point to fly. Until the end of your current turn, you gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can also move through creatures as if they were difficult terrain.

Piercing Drain

Once per turn when you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can expend 1 Focus Point to pierce the opponent’s body and drain their energy.

The target takes extra Piercing damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts Die plus Dexterity Modifier, and you regain Hit Points equal to the damage dealt.

Slaughtering Kick

As an Action, you can expend 1 Focus Point to make a flying kick.

All creatures in a 30-by-5 foot line in front of you must make a Dexterity saving throw as you move up to 30 feet in a straight line without provoking opportunity attacks.

Upon failure, each creature takes one roll of your Martial Arts Die in Piercing damage, and one roll of your Martial Arts Die in Radiant damage. One creature of your choice who fails the save is knocked prone.

Upon success, they take half damage and their speed is halved until the start of your next turn. No further effect is suffered.

Soaring Grace

Once per turn when you hit a creature with an Unarmed Strike, you can expend 1 Focus Point and gracefully leap 30 feet into the air off of the opponent’s body without provoking an Opportunity Attack.

You immediately descend upon one creature that you can see within 60 feet of where you started, and the creature must make a Dexterity saving throw.

Upon failure, the creature takes one roll of your Martial Arts Die plus Dexterity modifier in Radiant damage and 2d6 in Bludgeoning damage. Upon success, the creature takes half-damage.

Whirlwind Strike

When you take the Attack action, you can spend 1 Focus Point to replace the attacks granted by that action with a Whirlwind Strike.

You can perform one unarmed strike against each creature of your choice within 10 feet of you (up to your Dexterity modifier, minimum of 1), and you have advantage on the attack rolls.

Self-Sacrificing Technique

At 11th level, you learn to empower your techniques at the cost of your own life-force.

Once per turn, when you use a Cross Technique that deals damage, you can expend 1 additional Focus Point to empower it. The target takes extra damage equal to 3 rolls of your Martial Arts Die plus Dexterity modifier.

The first time this empowered technique deals damage to a creature on your turn, you take damage equal to half of the extra damage dealt. You cannot regain Hit Points until the start of your next turn.

Phoenix Blessing

At 17th level, when you use Avian Stance, you gain additional benefits, your body coursing with divine and stellar energy:

• Divine Stance. When you first enter Avian Stance, you gain temporary HP equal to three rolls of your Martial Arts die.

• Emperor’s Body. You may add your Dexterity Modifier on Constitution saving throws. You also have advantage on saving throws that inflict the grappled, paralysis, restrained, or stunned condition.