Way of the Kindred Soul monks are very unique. While they possess no innate spellcasting ability and have no spell slots or magic, they have sacrificed their soul and forsaken their monastery in order to gain the power of a dark deity. They may often do it out of desperation to defeat a greater foe, to get revenge on people who wronged them, or purely to gain otherworldly power out of greed. Many seek this power and believe that it is the ultimate form of pure connection with a deity, but the truth is much, much more grim.

The bond of a Way of the Kindred Soul Monk is created through the Rite of Severance.Those who see the search for this power to the end of the road discover that it is no blessing, but instead a curse. The deity takes the soul of the individual and manifests itself in their physical being. They are then given one full day, sunrise to sunrise, to complete a ritual that if failed, results in death. This ritual consists of hours of incantation and the creation of sigils in a profane location; however the ritual is not complete until the final payment is given: The soul of a family member.

Cursed Word: Manifest

At 3rd level, you learn to channel the energy of your pact entity into a physical form. As a bonus action, on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to encase your fists and feet in energy for 10 minutes. Its appearance and nature are your choice.

While active you gain the following benefits:

• Your attacks have an additional +1 to hit (Increasing to +2 at 6th level, +3 at 11th level, and +4 at 17th)
• Your attacks deal Force damage
• Your range of attack increases to 10 ft

 

Deity Bonds

As a Way of the Kindred Soul Monk, you must form a bond with a dark deity to gain your Origin of Power. There are 3 origins of Power, each with their own benefits.

Loki, The Deciever

You have bonded with Loki. Your mind is wired with the art of deception. Once per long rest you may add 1d4 to a deception or charisma check involving an intelligent being and you gain access to the Actor feat.

Actor

+1 in Charisma, advantage on Deception and Performance checks, mimic the speech of a person or the sounds made by a creature.

 

Loviatar, The Willing Whip

You have bonded with Loviatar, The Willing Whip. You have a dense agony flowing through you. You gain resistance to slashing damage and access to the Tough feat.

Tough

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level then by +2 at each level.

Tharizdun, The Chained Oblivion

You have chosen to bond with Tharizdun, The Chained Oblivion. The energy of pure death flows through your veins. You gain a resistance to necrotic damage and access to the Skulker feat.

Skulker:

You are expert at slinking through shadows. You gain the following benefits:
• You can try to hide when you are lightly obscured from the creature from which you are hiding.
• When you are hidden from a creature and miss it with a ranged weapon attack, making the attack doesn't reveal your position.
• Dim light doesn’t impose disadvantage on your Wisdom (Perception) checks relying on sight

Strengthened Bond

At 6th level you become more in tune with your pact entity, providing you with access to one of two new abilities: Visceral Nightmares and Cursed Word: Deprive.

You also gain a +1 to your wisdom.

Option 1: Cursed Word: Nightmare

Starting at 6th level, your bond with your pact entity grows stronger. On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 2 ki points to release your pact entity into the mind of an enemy and bring forth their most horrible nightmares.

After a successful strike, the creature must make a wisdom saving throw or become frightened of you for 1 hour. If the target fails the saving throw by more than 6 or with a natural 1, it becomes stunned.

Option II: Cursed Word: Deprive

Starting at 6th level, your bond with your pact entity grows stronger. On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 2 ki points to release your pact entity into the body of your foe and wreak havoc on their senses.

After a successful strike, a creature must make a Wisdom saving throw or suffer one of the following effects of your choice:

• Become blinded for up to 10 minutes. On its turn the creature may use its action to make a wisdom saving throw to fight off the effects.
• Become deafened for up to 10 minutes. On its turn the creature may use its action to make a wisdom saving throw to fight off the effects.

If the creature fails the saving throw by more than 4 they have disadvantage on saving throws to remove the blinded or deafened effect.

 

Cursed Word: Unchain

Starting at 11th level, you have started to develop a form of mutualism. You have gained the ability to manipulate the barrier between your body and their soul, allowing you to mix your inner rage and their otherworldly strength.

While Cursed Word: Manifest is active, as a bonus action you may spend a ki point(s) to activate one of the following effects:

• 1 Ki point: Your attacks this turn deal an additional 1d6 Force damage
• 2 Ki points: You slam your charged fists together creating a 10 ft circular shock wave dealing  3d8 damage.
• 3 Ki points: You channel your entities power into a dense physical manifestation, creating ethereal chains that begin constricting your foe. A creature you can see within 60 ft must make a wisdom saving throw or take 5d6 damage and become restrained.

Become One With Your Entity

Starting at 17th Level you and your entity have fully bonded. You gain a +1 to your Wisdom.

Cursed Word: Release

Starting at 17th level, you and your pact entity become one. Your bond has become so strong that you can allow your entity to completely replace your soul, granting you incredible power.

On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 5 Ki points to unleash your entity's full power for 10 minutes. This encases your body in energy. While they are released you gain the following benefits:

• Cursed Word: Manifest activates.
• Your attack range increases to 15 feet.
• Immunity to force damage
• Your voice becomes amplified
• A +2 to your armor class