Way of The Claw

Monks of the Way of the Claw serve as covert agents of the divine Ivory Empress. They are infiltrators, interrogators, trackers, and executioners—trained to locate threats, dismantle networks, and ensure no quarry escapes imperial judgment.

Level 3: Predator’s Discipline

Bonus Proficiencies

You gain proficiency in:

• Stealth
• Deception

You also gain proficiency with:

• Disguise Kit
• Forgery Kit

You learn Draconic.

If you already have any of these proficiencies, choose another skill from:

• Investigation
• Insight
• Perception
• Sleight of Hand

Level 3: Imperial Quarry

As a Bonus Action, you may spend 1 Focus Point to cast Hunter's Mark without material components.

Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this casting.

When cast this way:

• The spell does not require concentration.
• Duration is 1 minute.
• You can move the mark as normal without spending additional Focus Points.

You may only have one active Imperial Quarry at a time.

Level 3: Exploit Weakness

Once per turn, when you hit your Imperial Quarry with an Unarmed Strike, choose one:

• Reduce its speed by 10 feet until start of your next turn
• It cannot take Reactions until start of your next turn
• It has disadvantage on the next ability check or saving throw it makes before start of your next turn

Operative’s Eye

Your training allows you to gather information with frightening efficiency.

You gain the following benefits:

Read the Room

After observing a creature for at least 1 minute outside combat, you can learn one of the following of your choice:

• Highest ability score
• Lowest ability score
• Whether its CR/level is higher, lower, or equal to yours
• Whether it is currently frightened, charmed, or under magical influence

No action required; once per creature per long rest.

Level 6: Shadow Step Assault

You become an expert at repositioning around prey.

When you move at least 15 feet toward your Imperial Quarry, you gain one of the following benefits until end of turn:

• Your next attack against it has advantage
• Your speed increases by 10 feet
• Opportunity attacks against you are made with disadvantage

Additionally, by spending 1 Focus Point as a Bonus Action, you can teleport to an unoccupied space within 15 feet of your Imperial Quarry that you can see.

This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Level 11: Interrogator’s Precision

You know exactly where to apply pressure.

When making:

• Insight checks
• Intimidation checks
• Investigation checks to uncover hidden information, lies, coded writing, or concealed objects

You may spend 1 Focus Point to gain advantage.

Additionally, if a creature is restrained, charmed, frightened, or otherwise unable to flee, you have advantage on Charisma checks made to extract information from it.

Level 11: Claw Lockdown

Your prey finds escape nearly impossible.

When you hit your Imperial Quarry, you may spend 2 Focus Points to force it to make a saving throw against your Focus Save DC.

Choose one effect:

Break Momentum (Strength Save)

On a failure:

• Creature is Restrained until the end of your next turn.

Mental Fracture (Wisdom Save)

On a failure:

• Creature cannot take Bonus Actions and has disadvantage on attack rolls until end of next turn.

Opened Guard (Dexterity Save)

On a failure:

• Attacks against the creature have advantage until start of your next turn.

You may use Claw Lockdown once per turn.

Level 17: Network Erasure

Your training allows total operational cleanup.

Over 10 minutes, you can do one of the following:

• Hide or destroy evidence of a fight, search, or assassination
• Conceal tracks for up to 8 creatures, giving disadvantage to attempts to track them for 24 hours
• Create a convincing false trail leading elsewhere

Level 17: Apex Predator

As a Bonus Action, spend 4 Focus Points to enter Apex Predator for 1 minute.

While active:

• Your Imperial Quarry cannot benefit from the Disengage action.
• You ignore difficult terrain.
• When your Imperial Quarry moves willingly, you may move up to half your speed as a Reaction.
• Once per turn, when you hit your Imperial Quarry, add extra damage equal to two Martial Arts dice.

Additionally, if your Imperial Quarry drops to 0 HP, you may immediately move Hunter’s Mark to a new creature within 60 feet without using a Bonus Action.