Way of the Grasping Talon

Monks who follow the Way of the Grasping Talon practice techniques and forms designed to mimic the strength and power of fearsome birds of prey. Their training focuses on grappling and subduing opponents of all shapes and sizes. Over time, as they practice focusing their Ki energy into every strike, their defensive maneuvers become as threatening as their attacks.

Talon Defense

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your defensive maneuvers become the basis for powerful counterattacks. Whenever an attacker misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to make an attack against them with an unarmed strike or monk weapon. In addition, you can replace this attack with a grapple or a shove special attack.

Joint Locks

When grappling or shoving a Beast, Giant, Humanoid or Undead opponent, you gain the following benefits:

• You can make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check instead of the Strength (Athletics) check to determine success.
• When you succeed in shoving a creature, you deal unarmed strike damage to them as if you had hit them with an attack.
• When you move while grappling a creature, your speed is reduced by 10ft instead of being halved.

You can affect one additional monster type of your choice at 8th, 11th, 14th, and 17th levels, chosen from the following list: Aberration, Celestial, Construct, Fey, Fiend, Monstrosity

Aberration

You can now affect Aberrations with your Joint Locks class feature.

Celestial

You can now affect Celestials with your Joint Locks class feature

Construct

You can now affect Constructs with your Joint Locks class feature.

Fey

You can now affect Fey with your Joint Locks class feature.

Fiend

You can now affect Fiends with your Joint Locks class feature.

Monstrosity

You can now affect Monstrosities with your Joint Locks class feature.

Ki-Empowered Defenses

Beginning at 11th level you can suffuse your limbs with vital Ki energy, improving your defenses as you bat away all incoming attacks.

When you use your Flurry of Blows class feature, you may choose to spend an additional Ki point to raise your AC by 2 until your next turn. If you do, any opponent that misses you with a melee attack suffers damage equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Blindsense

At 17th level, if you are able to hear, you are aware of the location of any hidden or invisible creature within 10ft of you. In addition, when you use your Ki Empowered Defenses, attackers you cannot see do not gain advantage against you.