Revamped Way of the Astral Self

A monk who follows the Way of the Astral Self believes their body is an illusion. They see their ki as a representation of their true form, an astral self. This astral self has the capacity to be a force of order or disorder, with some monasteries training students to use their power to protect the weak and other instructing aspirants in how to manifest their true selves in service to the mighty.

Level 3: Strength of Wisdom

You can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength modifier when making checks and saving throws involving Strength. You additionally may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Dexterity modifier for your Deflect Missiles ability.

Level 3: Arms of the Astral Self

At 3rd level, your mastery of ki allows you to summon a portion of your astral self.

As a bonus action, you can summon the arms of your astral self. For one minute, these spectral arms hover near your shoulders. You determine the arms' appearance, and they vanish early if you are incapacitated or die.

While the spectral arms are present, you gain the following benefits:

• You can use the spectral arms to make unarmed strikes
• When you make an unarmed strike with the arms, your reach for it is 5 feet greater than normal. At level 12, this additional reach increases to 10 feet.
• The unarmed strikes you make with the arms can use your Wisdom modifier in place of your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls, and their damage type is force.
• As a bonus action or as part of the bonus action you use to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you may spend 1 ki point to make each creature of your choice that you can see within reach of your astral arms make a Dexterity saving throw. If they fail, they take force damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die and are pushed back 10 feet. If they succeed they take half damage and are not pushed back. 

The arms can be dismissed early as a bonus action. They also cannot wield weapons or hold Small or larger items. The duration of your Arms of the Astral Self increases to 10 minutes at 11th level. You can summon the arms a number of times per long rest equal to your proficiency bonus.

Level 6: Visage of the Astral Self

When you reach 6th level, you can summon the Visage of your Astral Self. 

As a bonus action, or as part of the bonus action you take to activate Arms of the Astral Self, you can spend 1 ki point to summon this visage for 1 hour. It vanishes early if you are incapacitated or die.

The spectral visage covers your face like a helmet or mask, or floats behind your shoulders (your choice). You determine its appearance.

While the spectral visage is present, you gain the following benefits:

Astral Sight: You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, to a distance of 120 feet. Additionally, you can sense the presence and general direction of invisible or disguised creatures within 120 feet of you, though you do not know their exact location.

Wisdom of the Spirit: You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks. When making Wisdom (Insight) or Perception checks, you may spend 1 ki to add your Wisdom modifier to the roll, once per roll.

Word of the Spirit: When you speak, you can direct your words to a creature of your choice that you can see within 60 feet of you, making it so only that creature can hear you. Alternatively, you can amplify your voice so that all creatures within 600 feet can hear you.

The visage can be dismissed early as a bonus action.

Level 6: Cosmic Instinct

Your astral self can sense incoming danger. You can add your Wisdom modifier to initiative checks. When initiative is rolled, if you would be Surprised, you can spend 2 ki to make a Wisdom saving throw to prevent being Surprised, and to roll for initiative a second time and take the higher of the two rolls.

Level 11: Body of the Astral Self

Starting at 11th level, when you have both your Astral Arms and Visage summoned, you can cause the Body of your Astral Self to appear (no action required). This spectral body floats behind you, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance.

While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits:

Astral Parry: If you or an ally within reach of your astral arms receives damage from an attack, you may use your reaction to attempt to deflect the attack. You may also use this ability if the creature harming you or your ally is within reach of your astral arms. If you use this ability, the damage of the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier + your Monk level. If you reduce the damage of the attack to 0, you may spend 4 ki to parry it, causing the original full damage of the attack to instead be dealt to the attacking creature as Force damage. Otherwise, the attack deals the reduced amount of damage to its original target.

Empowered Arms: Once on each of your turns when you hit a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. Additionally, you may now grapple creatures using your Astral Arms. When successfully grappling a creature with the arms, you may spend 1 ki to instead stun them until the end of your next turn.

The body can be dismissed as a bonus action, and will end early if either the Arms or Visage of the Astral Self end, or you are incapacitated or die.

Level 17: True Presence

Your full astral self has awoken, and it enables you to enter an ultimate state of pure focus and speed. Starting at 17th level, if the Arms, Visage, and Body of your astral self are manifested, you may spend 10 ki points to activate the state of True Presence.

While in the state of True Presence, the following effects occur:

• All spent actions, reactions, bonus actions, and movement you have used this turn are restored, as though you had started a new turn.
• All negative conditions on you end immediately.
• All creatures and objects other than you are frozen as though by the Time Stop spell. You do not roll for duration, and it will only end once True Presence does. While other creatures are frozen, you have advantage on all attack and damage rolls against them for the duration of True Presence so long as they are unarmed strikes. You cannot trigger opportunity attacks or reactions from other creatures.
• You may spend 2 ki points to replenish 1 action and bonus action or 30 feet of movement spent during True Presence (pick one each time you do this).
• You cannot regain ki or health during True Presence, and you are vulnerable to all damage types.
• You may only make unarmed attacks and can only use your astral arms to do so. You also cannot activate magic items.
• All damage dealt to frozen creatures during True Presence will be delayed and dealt simultaneously as soon as it ends.

True presence lasts until you choose to end it or your turn, or run out of ki points. Once it ends, the Arms, Visage, and Body of your astral self dissipate. True Presence may only be used once per long rest.