Monks of the The Way of the Crane are masters of mental discipline in addition to the physical training any monk goes through. They are, contrary to many monks, charismatic, and believe that interacting with other life forms is the best way to truly follow the will of the Ki, a force that flows through all living things. Through this training, the followers of the way of the Crane are able to manifest the power of Ki through their mind into physical expressions of their will, as well as to modify the flow of Ki in others for their benefit.

Well Honed Mind

While the body and self should not be neglected, those that follow the Way of the Crane realize that neither should the mind, nor interaction with others. Through intense mental and physical training, you have attuned your mind to be able to see the Ki flowing not just through you, but also through all other beings that the Ki flows through. You gain slight mental powers and abilities some might think unnatural.

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you open your mind to others' Ki and the ability to manipulate it, gaining Proficiency in either Persuasion or Deception, and also gain the ability to establish a Mental Link, a lesser telepathic link which momentarily strengthens when you manipulate your own Ki in a Flurry of Blows.

• Mental Link - Through your training, you've developed the ability to modify another's Ki such that they may hear thoughts you direct toward them, and them towards you conversely. As an action or bonus action, you are able to create a mental link between you and one creature of your choice that you can see. The creature may make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency + Cha) to prevent the link. You may spend 1 Ki point to force disadvantage on this saving throw. This mental link will last for one full day, or until you rest. If you hit a Linked target with an attack from your Flurry of Blows, you feel the flow of Ki through you strengthen and are able to impose your will onto the target through the link as you make the final blow. You may impose one of the following effects on the target:
  • It must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency + Charisma) or else be knocked prone.
  • It must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + Proficiency + Charisma), with advantage, or be charmed.
  • It can’t take reactions until the end of your next turn.

Deception

You have chosen to study the art of telling lies, and as such gain proficiency in Deception.

Persuasion

You have chosen to study the art of making people do what you want without them knowing, allowing you proficiency in Persuasion checks.

Strength of Mind, Strength of Body

At 6th level, you gain the ability to focus intently in order to bend the flow of Ki into currently or previously living objects, storing life force that you are able to call on later. You may meditate for at least one and up to four hours per long rest in order to Store Strength into a currently or previously living thing (for example raw or lightly treated wood). For each hour meditated, you store 1 + Proficiency life force. You may store up to 2 * monk level (for small objects like rings), 4 * monk level (for medium objects like bracelets or greaves), or 6 * monk level (for large objects like a staff) in a single object.

Later, as a bonus action, you may Draw Strength to channel life force from that thing back into your body to strengthen yourself. You must be directly touching it in order to do so. While channeling life force, you gain a status effect that grants your choice of up to 2 * monk level temporary HP, and you gain advantage on Constitution saving throws for the duration of the effect if you choose to gain at least monk level HP.

You drain, from whichever object you are channeling, life force equal to the amount of temporary HP you chose to gain every 2 rounds. The status effect lasts until you choose to stop it, the pool of life force you are drawing from is depleted, or you are no longer directly touching the item from which you are drawing life force.

Project Stillness

Beginning at 11th level, you can spend one Ki point to channel the stillness of your mind into the Ki within a 5 foot radius around you, creating something of a tangible medium. This medium slows the velocity of anything that enters it and allows you to more effectively dodge attacks. Add AC equal to your Proficiency modifier for the duration of the ability. To maintain this effect, you must succeed in a WIS saving throw each time you are attacked while the effect is active. For each subsequent saving throw, add 1 to the required DC.

Using Step of the Wind while Project Stillness is active will allow you to use both benefits of the ability simultaneously, i.e. you may Dash with the effects of Disengage as well.

Cease Flow

At 17th level, you gain the ability to sense and mark the critical flow of Ki into creatures. When you hit with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 Ki points (+1 for each currently marked target) to strike once more and apply a mark along the critical Ki flow point on the target. Outside of combat, you may do this by forcefully hitting the point on the target; you must succeed in a Cha saving throw or have the target become angered by the action.

 

The mark lasts for a number of hours equal to your monk level and you may mark up to your Proficiency modifier number of targets.

As an action you can spend a number of Ki points equal to the number of marked targets to reach out with your mind and rip out the Ki flow in each of the targets' bodies at the location of the mark, replacing it with your own. The targets must be on the same plane of existence. Each target must make a Cha saving throw (DC 8 + Cha + Proficiency bonus, with disadvantage if the target also has a Mental Link established on them). If it fails, it is paralyzed until it succeeds in a Cha saving throw with disadvantage (taken on each subsequent turn). If it succeeds, it takes 5d10 (plus 1d10 for each extra Ki point spent, up to proficiency modifier extra points) psychic damage.

You can choose to end the mark harmlessly without using an action.