Way of the Spirit Blade

A true master of ones craft is only a master because they choose to believe that they are still a pupil, any who cease to expand on ones practice can only lead to decay. This is the mind set of one who has set to attune his body and soul into one...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               -Yashi Delgroo

 

A duty to care for ones self is far beyond nourishing meals and well accounted sleep, for something not physical what does it take to train the soul. In a monastery a student and teacher sit in silence, focusing on meditating their spirit to move in a way others who are not trained would call unnatural. This is the way of the Soul Blade. A practice that teaches patience and strength of will over bodily might. Over the course of their lives students attending to this teaching can attempt to learn how to bring forth their fighting spirit in to the physical world as a bladed weapon. Its common at this point for pupils to almost faint when ever they first form their soul weapon. This schooling also teaches students the importance of being well rounded in combat "If you were only a blade, all you would know is to cut down". So while the students are not sparing they are learning the functions of the body and the ways of meditating to remedy or even heal those around them learning from clerics and healers who sought out the monastery.

Some may not be cut out for this way of life, its no easy feat to achieve what those who have devoted all of their lives to have gained. Students have much to learn even past forming their soul blade, its something that's gained from hours and hours of meditating and sparing with their blades that they will start to feel an emotional connection with it. Even though the blade is originally part of the students spirit it happens that soul blades can develop their own personalities. When sufficient time and training has taken place, a soul blade will erupt in magic and take a new form, for some leaving the immediate area scorches in flames or some students vibrating at incredible speed for some time. When a student learns the feelings and words of their soul blade they can harness that magic to come about and their weapon to take its true form. This happens to be the stopping point for students as some leave for other monasteries or they become teacher themselves, this is not because they stop practicing but from here the next peak of the soul blade is to achieve perfection and even with continual and rigorous training, many will meet their life span before seeing what really can become of their spirit.

Rumor would have it that it takes a truly gifted pupil or a child born of a strong willed lineage to ascend to where so few have been, being able to bring forth their soul weapons secondary, most pure form. Scrolls and books will tell stories of monks being able to control storms and waves or cause the earth the crumble and break apart. Even for those not fortunate enough to achieve perfection in their spirit, a life having studying this tradition and making a connection with ones soul is something many cannot say, not is it something to be taken lightly if combat is to take place either. Patience and discipline are key components to life and those who follow in the way of the soul blade are said to no longer fear the unknown brought on by the days to come.

Soul Blade Manifestation

Starting at 3rd level you can spend a bonus action to create your Spirit Blade in hand. You can spend another bonus action to banish your spirit blade. This blade deals 1d6 slashing and is light

This weapon is a part of you therefore you can’t be disarmed of it unless you are incapacitated or unconscious. If you are incapacitated or unconscious then it disappears. This weapon counts as a monk weapon and you have proficiency with it.

At 6th level your soul weapon counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and it also gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls, this increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 17th level.

Soul Blade Release

At 6th level you can spend an action to speak a word or phrase and transform your spirit blade. Choose a martial or simple weapon that lacks the heavy or special property. When you activate Spirit Blade Release your spirit blade takes the form of the chosen weapon and gains all of its stats for the next 10 minutes. If you choose a ranged weapon you do not need to provide ammunition as it will be conjured as you ready your attack, this does not remove loading requirements.

In conjunction with transforming your spirit weapon, choose a spell of 3rd level or lower in the Cleric, Druid or Sorcerer spell list. When you transform your weapon you cast the chosen spell. The spell must be one that has a casting time of 1 action and can not be one that requires a consumable component with a gold cost (For example: Revivify requires a diamond worth 300gp to perform and thus can not be used for this ability). You do not need to provide material components for this spell as your soul weapon is your spell focus. This spell cannot directly harm you, all other rules for your selected spell, such as concentration, follow as normal.

After casting the spell from your Soul Blade, all attacks made with that weapon will instead deal the same damage type as that of the spell used. This later carries over to your martial arts die damage when you reach 11th level. If the spell you had selected does not directly hold a damage type, you can choose to assign one from the following; cold, fire, lightning, acid or necrotic. Once you choose your new weapon form and spell, they can not be changed.

After using this feature you can not use it again until you long rest.

 

• Example: If you have chosen Fireball as your released spell and for your soul blade to manifest into a great-club, after speaking the command word or phrase your Soul Blade Release spell, Fireball, would be cast and your Soul Blade would take the form of a great-club dealing fire damage instead of bludgeoning.

Soul Blade Release Spell

Choose your Soul Blade Release Spell.

Sharpened Spirit

Starting at 11th level, your mastery of your Soul Blade enables you to wield your Soul Blade with more swift and adept movement.

• You have a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with your soul weapon.
• Once on each of your turns when you hit a target with your soul weapon, you may deal extra damage to the target equal to your martial arts die.

Overwhelming Soul

As a bonus action, if you had already used your Spirit Blade Release ability, you can spend ki equal to 1 plus the spell level to regain use of it without the need of a long rest.

Perfected Soul Conjure

At 17th level you can spend an action to speak a word or phrase and transform your spirit blade. Choose a martial or simple weapon that lacks the special property. When you activate Perfected Soul Conjure your spirit weapon takes the form of the chosen weapon and gains all of its stats for the next 1 minute and gains the finesse property. If you choose a ranged weapon you do not need to provide ammunition as it will be conjured as you ready your attack, this does not remove loading requirements.

In conjunction with transforming your spirit weapon, choose a spell of 6th level or lower in the Cleric, Druid, Warlock or Sorcerer spell list, this spell will be cast at 6th level if applicable. When you transform your weapon you cast the chosen spell. The spell must be one that has a casting time of 1 action and can not be one that requires a consumable component with a gold cost. You do not need to provide material components for this spell as your soul weapon is your spell focus. This spell cannot directly harm you, all other rules for your selected spell, such as concentration, follow as normal.

After casting the spell from your Soul Blade, all attacks made with that weapon will instead deal the same damage type as that of the spell used. This applies to your martial arts die aswell. If the spell you had selected does not directly hold a damage type, you can choose to assign one from the following; cold, fire, lightning, acid, necrotic, radiant, psychic or force. Once you choose your new weapon form and spell, they can not be changed.

When first using your Perfected Soul Conjure you can use your Released Soul Blade spell as a bonus action on the same turn you used Perfected Soul Conjure. Normal rules apply if both chosen spells are concentration, you can only choose to focus on one. If you had already used your Released Soul Blade earlier and have not rested, channeling your Perfected Soul Conjure will provide you one more use of your Soul Blade Release spell at no ki cost. You may choose to keep or change your weapons damage type from your Perfected Soul Conjure to your Soul Blade Release spell damage type.

Once 1 minute has passed your weapon form and spell will end regardless of the spells stated duration. Your spirit weapon will revert to its base spirit blade form unless you channeled your Spirit Blade Release, then it will revert to that form instead.

Perfected Soul Conjure can be ended early if you spend an action to do so or are incapacitated or knocked unconscious. You can only use this feature once per long rest.