Way of the Earthbound

"The mountain does not seek conflict. Yet when struck, the world remembers its answer."

Long before kingdoms raised walls or rivers were given names, there were those who listened to the heartbeat beneath their feet. These monks wandered the untamed world carrying immense totems carved from the oldest trees, believing that earth, stone, and wood shared the same ancient spirit. Through years of discipline, they learned that true strength did not come from overpowering others, but from becoming so deeply rooted that even the world itself answered their resolve.

Earthbound Monks are builders before they are warriors. They carve mountain passes for weary travelers, redirect rivers to nourish barren lands, stabilize cliffs before villages can be built, and mend the scars left by earthquakes. Farmers consider an Earthbound Monk's visit a blessing, for it is said that crops grow richer wherever one has walked.

Their sacred totems are more than weapons. Each is carved from a single ancient trunk chosen by the monk after years of searching. As the monk grows, so too does the totem, absorbing the memories of every journey, every battle, and every mountain upon which it has rested. No two totems are alike, and to lose one is said to be like losing a piece of one's own soul.

Only when peace cannot be preserved does an Earthbound Monk unleash the fury sleeping beneath the earth. Every strike echoes like thunder through stone, every fissure reminds the arrogant that kingdoms stand only by the world's permission, and every Echo Slam is said to awaken the ancient heartbeat of the mountain itself.

Among their order is an old saying:

"A fool sees a weapon. A traveler sees a bridge. A farmer sees fertile soil. The earth gives each what they deserve."

Few ever reach the final teaching known as the Heart of the Mountain. Those who do are no longer remembered simply as monks. They become living legends whose footsteps reshape valleys, whose battles redraw maps, and whose silence is often more feared than another warrior's war cry.

It is said that if you ever discover a canyon split cleanly in two, a river flowing where no river should, or a mountain pass that seems too perfect to have formed naturally, you are not looking upon nature's work.

You are looking upon the final lesson of an Earthbound Master.

"Walk lightly. Strike only when the world itself agrees."

Earthbound Totem

You carve or discover a sacred totem that serves as your martial focus. You gain Earthbound Totem (Artifact) Weapon.

• Your totem is a monk weapon despite having the Heavy property. You can easily lift and swing it as if its just a stick.
• It deals 1d10 bludgeoning damage, increasing with your Martial Arts die if it becomes higher.
• You may use Strength instead of Dexterity for attack and damage rolls with your totem.
• While wielding your totem, you gain advantage on saving throws and ability checks against being pushed, knocked prone, or forcibly moved.

This subclass may freely use Strength for all of its subclass features.

Earthbound Training

You have been trained in the ways of the Earthbound Monks who's known for their absolute strength to even lift their sacred totem made from the densest, biggest, and heaviest weapon to be carried around, and wield it as a weapon, the earth itself communicate with you, and even falling into the ground doesn't even bother you.

• You ignore Heavy properties on weapon
• Your carrying strength is equal to a Huge size creature
• You Gain Tremorsense 30ft
• Your body reduces the amount of damage you take from falling.

Enchant Totem

As a bonus action, you channel the heartbeat of the earth through your sacred totem by slamming it into the ground increasing the damage and range of the totem.

Immediately upon doing so, Aftershock is triggered.

Instead of activating this while standing, you may leap to an unoccupied space on the ground up to half your movement speed away before slamming your totem into the earth.

Aftershock

Whenever you activate Enchant Totem, the earth answers your call.

Other Features that can trigger Aftershock when activated or used.

• Ability that use KI/Focus points
• Cantrips & Spells that deals Thunder or Force damage & spells that comes, hit, or erupt from the ground (Aftershock is triggered at the location)
• Earthbound Fissure
• Echo Slam
• Dropping the Totem to the ground (after falling at least 10ft and more, Aftershock triggers at the totem location).

Earthbound Fissure

As an action, you spend 4 Ki Points and strike the earth with your totem. Choose a point on the ground within 60 feet. A 60-foot-long, 5-foot-wide fissure erupts from that point. The fissure creates an impassable wall of jagged stone until the start of your next turn.

Whenever you trigger Aftershock, an identical Aftershock erupts from every point along one fissure you created within 60 feet.

(Additional Effect)

If your Tremorsense detects a naturally occurring cavity, cave, tunnel, or open space within the fissure's path, you may choose for the fissure to connect to it instead of merely splitting the surface.

Doing so creates a temporary tunnel formed by violently displaced earth and stone. The tunnel remains until the fissure ends, after which the surrounding earth collapses and seals the passage.

A tunnel can only be created if there is a natural or existing hollow space for the fissure to connect to. It cannot excavate an entirely new tunnel through solid stone.

Echo Slam

As an action, you spend 6 Ki Points and raise your totem before delivering a cataclysmic slam that awakens the sleeping earth. Sending shockwave that bounce to every creature in the battlefield.

After the initial impact, each creature struck releases a secondary shockwave. Every hostile creature within 10 feet of each affected creature takes force damage equal to half the damage rolled from the initial shockwave. A creature can only be damaged by one echo from each source creature.

This ability also triggers Aftershock.

Heart of the Mountain

You are no longer merely a master of the earth—you have become one with it. Every step you take echoes with the heartbeat of the world.

While you are standing on natural earth or stone:

• You cannot be knocked prone.
• You cannot be forcibly moved unless you choose to be.
• You ignore difficult terrain created by earth or stone.
• Your jump distance is doubled.

Living Mountain

The land itself replenishes your spirit.

At the start of your turn, while standing on natural earth or stone, if you have no more than half of your maximum Ki Points remaining, you regain 1 Ki Point.

This feature can restore a total of 3 Ki Points, and regains all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Worldshaper

Your connection to the earth leaves permanent marks upon the world.

• Earthbound Fissure no longer disappears after its duration. Instead, the fissure and any stone walls it creates become permanent until repaired by magic, powerful labor, or the natural passage of time.
• Any terrain permanently altered by your subclass features remains as you shaped it, allowing you to carve mountain paths, redirect rivers, raise cliffs, or reshape the landscape through repeated use of your abilities.