Way of the Tamed Beast | Kara-Tur Setting

The Way of the Tamed Beast - Kara-Tur Setting is a subclass specifically designed to be played in the Kara-Tur setting, where Honor is an in-game mechanic and with the Beasthide Shifter species, as the 17th level feature that refers to SHIFTED MODE. Other than that, there is no reason it can’t be played in another setting or with any other species. 

Monks of the Way of the Tamed Beast walk a razor's edge between civilization and the wild. They carry within them a primal fury—a beast that yearns to break free—and their martial training is a constant act of suppression, channeling that inner storm into precise, devastating techniques. To fight one of these monks is to wrestle with something barely contained: every calm movement hides coiled tension, every missed strike invites the beast to lunge from its cage. They do not merely grapple their foes; they dominate them, imposing their hard-won self-mastery upon the chaos of battle.

Level 3: The Cage Opens

You begin your training in the art of containing the beast within while learning to impose that same control upon your enemies.

Coiled Ferocity

A creature you have in the Grappled condition takes your Martial Arts damage at the start of each of its turns, as your grip tightens with barely restrained power, squeezing the fight from them like a constrictor.

Predator's Patience

When a creature you can see hits you with a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to add your Wisdom modifier to your Armor Class against that attack. If this causes the attack to miss, you can immediately attempt to Shove the attacker 5 feet or knock it Prone.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Level 6: Leash and Chain

Your control over both the beast within and your enemies deepens. You become impossible to move from your chosen ground.

Immovable Presence

You have advantage on saving throws to avoid being moved against your will or knocked Prone. Additionally, when you are Grappling a creature, your Speed is no longer halved, and you can move that creature with you without the usual movement penalty.

Lashing Counter

When a creature within 5 feet of you misses you with a melee attack, if the creature is not already grappled by you, you can spend a ki point and use your Reaction to make an Unarmed Strike against it. If this Unarmed Strike hits, you can choose to either grapple the target or knock it Prone, in addition to dealing damage. If you already have the creature grappled, you can use this ability without spending a ki point.

Level 11: Master of the Wild

You have learned to extend your mastery to protect your pack and to turn a grapple into a moment of absolute dominance.

Protector’s Duty

When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your Reaction to interpose yourself. The attack targets you instead. If the attack is a melee attack, you can use your Predator's Patience feature as part of this same Reaction.

Takedown Flow

When you successfully grapple a creature, or when a creature you are Grappling starts its turn Grappled by you, you can spend 1 Focus Point as a Bonus Action to make a special Unarmed Strike against it. On a hit, the creature must make a Strength saving throw against your Ki save DC. On a failed save, you choose one of the following effects:

• Slam. The creature takes additional bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die and is knocked Prone.
• Joint Lock. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn.

Level 17: Alpha's Dominance

You have achieved perfect harmony with the beast within. It no longer threatens to escape—it obeys. This absolute self-mastery translates into overwhelming dominance over any foe.

The Leash Slips

You can grapple creatures up to two sizes larger. Your Coiled Ferocity feature now also allows you to automatically inflict the Restrained condition on a creature you are Grappling as an action (no save) while maintaining the Grapple. You cannot use this on more than one creature at a time. While a creature is Restrained in this way, your Flurry of Blows attacks against it have advantage.

Beast Unleashed

When you use your Predator's Patience feature and successfully cause an attack to miss, you can spend 2 Focus Points to make it a Beast Unleashed. The attacker takes force damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die + your WIS modifier, and you can immediately move them up to 20 feet, if you are in your SHIFTED MODE, 10 feet, if you are not, in any direction and knock them Prone. If they strike an object or another creature during this movement, both take damage as if from a fall.

Subclass Feature Summary

Monk Level	Feature
3rd	Coiled Ferocity, Predator's Patience
6th	Unshackled Roots, Lashing Counter
11th	Unbroken Watch, Takedown Flow
17th	The Leash Slips, Beast Unleashed

 Shogun Approved

Coiled Ferocity

A creature you have in the Grappled condition takes your Martial Arts damage at the start of each of its turns, as your grip tightens with barely restrained power, squeezing the fight from them like a constrictor

Predator's Patience

When a creature you can see hits you with a melee attack, you can use your Reaction to add your Wisdom modifier to your Armor Class against that attack. If this causes the attack to miss, you can immediately attempt to Shove the attacker 5 feet or knock it Prone.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a Short or Long Rest.

Honor Interaction: Inner Restraint

Gain +1 Honor Point or (advantage on your next social check) when you choose not to finish off a helpless or defeated enemy, or when you spare a foe you have Grappled.

Risk losing 1 Honor Point when you Execute a helpless foe or lose control in rage (DM-adjudicated).

Immovable Presence

You have advantage on saving throws to avoid being moved against your will or knocked Prone. Additionally, when you are Grappling a creature, your Speed is no longer halved, and you can move that creature with you without the usual movement penalty.

Lashing Counter

When a creature within 5 feet of you misses you with a melee attack, if the creature is not already grappled by you, you can spend a ki point and use your Reaction to make an Unarmed Strike against it. If this Unarmed Strike hits, you can choose to either grapple the target or knock it Prone, in addition to dealing damage. If you already have the creature grappled, you can use this ability without spending a ki point.

Honor Interaction: Immovable Presence

Gain +1 Honor Point if you:
• Hold your ground to protect others
• Refuse to retreat while defending a charge

Protector's Duty

When a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack, you can use your Reaction to interpose yourself. The attack targets you instead. If the attack is a melee attack, you can use your Predator's Patience feature as part of this same Reaction.

Takedown Flow

When you successfully grapple a creature, or when a creature you are Grappling starts its turn Grappled by you, you can spend 1 Focus Point as a Bonus Action to make a special Unarmed Strike against it. On a hit, the creature must make a Strength saving throw against your Ki save DC. On a failed save, you choose one of the following effects:
• Slam. The creature takes additional bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die and is knocked Prone.
• Joint Lock. The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks until the start of your next turn.

Honor Interaction: Protector's Duty

Gain +1 Honor Point if you take damage for another creature using Protector's Duty (possibly more if protecting a superior, elder, or innocent).

The Leash Slips

You can grapple creatures up to two sizes larger. Your Coiled Ferocity feature now also allows you to automatically inflict the Restrained condition on a creature you are Grappling as an action (no save) while maintaining the Grapple. You cannot use this on more than one creature at a time. While a creature is Restrained in this way, your Flurry of Blows attacks against it have advantage.

Beast Unleashed

When you use your Predator's Patience feature and successfully cause an attack to miss, you can spend 2 Focus Points to make it a Beast Unleashed. The attacker takes force damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die + your WIS modifier, and you can immediately move them up to 20 feet, if you are in your SHIFTED MODE, 10 feet, if you are not, in any direction and knock them Prone. If they strike an object or another creature during this movement, both take damage as if from a fall.

Honor Interaction: Mastery of Self

Gain major Honor reward (+2 or more) If you:
• Defeat a powerful foe without killing them
• Or subdue instead of destroy

Risk significant Honor loss (-2 or more) if you:
• Abuse power (humiliate, torture, dominate excessively)