Way of the Eight Drunken Immortals

Inspired by the Daoist Zui Quan mythology, drunken masters use the techniques of the Drunken Gods to train while intoxicated, tottering on unsteady feet to present what seems like an incompetent combatant who proves frustrating to engage. 

The dunken master's erratic stumbles conceal a carefully executed dance of blocks, parries, advances, attacks, and retreats. Using these styles, monks use unbalanced movement and momentum to their advantage, often using enemy's attacks against themselves or finding inventive uses for mundane items or the world around them to defeat their foes. Drunken Masters can become adept in controlling the flow of alcohol within their body, learning advanced styles of igniting their body in flame or channelling their strikes with intoxicated Ki energy.

A drunken master often enjoys playing the fool to bring gladness to the despondent or to demonstrate humility to the arrogant, but when battle is joined, the drunken master can be a maddening, masterful foe.

Brewer's Proficiencies

Monks begin their training by learning first how to sustain a flow of intoxication by brewing their own alcohol, giving proficiency in Brewer's Supplies*, before learning of the Eight Drunken Gods. At 3rd level, you begin by learning the following style:

Lan Caihe, the drunk with a sudden deadly waist attack. You learn how to fight with the environment around you, giving proficiency in improvised weapons, which also count as monk weapons.

*Brewer's Supplies are used to craft various alcoholic drinks based on their strength, with stronger drinks giving greater benefits in combat. This is calculated using the Drunken Strength (DS) rating, representing your progression in the art of brewing: you learn to brew low-strength beverages (DS1) at 3rd level, mid-strength (DS2) at level 6, high-strength (DS3) at level 11, and pure-strength brews (DS3+) at level 17 which provide magical benefits up to the player and DMs discretion. All alcohol which was brewed by anyone other than you is considered DS1.

To brew any beverage you must first own a set of Brewer's Supplies and acquire the specific materials required. At the start of the brewing process, make a Wisdom(Brewing) check DC 10 + DS of the brew. On a total success, a keg of alcohol is brewed at full strength. On a failure, the keg of alcohol is weaker than intended (-1DS). The brewing process takes 7 days in-game to complete. A keg weighs 100lb and is 2x1ft., and each keg lasts 2 weeks in-game before any remaining alcohol loses its Drunken Strength benefits.

Drunken Flow

By intoxicating themselves and manipulating their Ki, Monks of the Eight Drunken Immortals enter an unpredictable state of motion of sways and stumbles without the negative effects of the toxin. Lu Dongbin is heralded as the leader of the 8 immortals, 'with a sword on his back that dispels evil spirits, swaying back and forth to trick the enemy, the drunken with internal strength.' You learn to enter Drunken Flow at 3rd level.

Lu Dongbin, the drunken with internal strength. As a bonus action, spend 1 Ki point to drink a bottle of brew, entering Drunken Flow for one minute. While you are in Drunken Flow you are considered poisoned and you gain the following abilities:

• You ignore the disadvantage to attack rolls and Dexterity checks imposed by the poisoned condition for one minute
• You move and flow unpredictably, feigning weakness to catch opponents off-guard when you strike: +DS to Damage rolls with melee monk weapons, and whenever you use Flurry of Blows you make DS extra attacks, e.g. a total of three unarmed strikes with a DS1 brew
• You drift in and out of focus: if you miss an attack using Flurry of Blows, roll a d8 and assign a number to each direction in a clockwise formation. You stumble 10ft. in that direction without provoking opportunity attacks. If you stumble into a large or smaller creature they must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, they are pushed 5ft. back and knocked prone, and on a successful save you are knocked prone instead.

DS (Drunken Strength) is calculated by the strength of the beverage consumed. You learn to brew low-strength beverages (DS1) at 3rd level. All alcohol consumed which was brewed by anyone other than you is considered DS1.

At the end of the minute, 2 additional Ki points may be used to extend the time by another minute. Once Drunken Flow had ended, you maintain the poisoned condition until you take a short rest. After Drunken Flow has ended, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.

Any abilities which provide immunity to the poisoned condition, such as Purity of Body, don't apply to any alcohol you have brewed.

Tipsy Sway

At 6th level, you are now experienced at exploiting enemies' momentum and turning it against them. You can now move through the space of any creature of your size or larger, risking of an attack of opportunity. You have become more adept in your brewing abilities and have learned to brew DS2 beverages, and you can choose one of the following styles on a long rest:

Han Xiangzi Style

the drunken flute player with the powerful wrists. You know how to make light of any tense situation. You gain proficiency in a musical instrument of your choice, and as a bonus action you can spend a ki point to choose one creature other than yourself within 60 feet of you who can hear you. That creature gains one Drunken Inspiration die, based on your martial arts die.

Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Drunken Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Drunken Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Drunken Inspiration die at a time.

You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of once) per short rest.

Li Tieguai Style

the drunken cripple with a powerful right leg. If a creature misses a melee attack against you, as a reaction you can spend a Ki point to do one of the following:

• You cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that is within 5ft of you, and swap places with the attacker
• You attempt to push the creature to the ground. On a failed Dexterity save the target is pushed prone, and on a successful save it is thrown 10ft in any direction
• You attempt to grapple the creature. On a failed Strength save the target is grappled, and on a successful save it has disadvantage on its next attack

Old man Zhang Style

the drunk with the swift double kicks. If you become prone, you can immediately choose either:

• You no longer have disadvantage on attack rolls you make
• Attack rolls against you no longer have advantage

And as a bonus action you can spend a Ki point to either:

• Spring upwards, dealing powerful kicks with Flurry of Blows before landing on your feet for no movement
• Roll backwards, taking the disengage action and moving up to half your walking speed

Fuelled Fury

Beginning at 11th level, you can manipulate and ignite the toxins in your body. You have learned how to brew highly potent alcohol and can now make DS3 beverages. While in Drunken Flow, you can now do the following:

Fat Han Zhongli, the drunkard holding a cauldron of wine. As an action, spend 3 Ki points to spew alcohol in a 15ft. cone and ignite it. Any creatures in the cone make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 4d8 fire damage on a failed save and half as much on a success. When a creature moves into or within the area, it takes 1d8 fire damage for every 5ft. it travels. The flames last for one minute.

Drunken Tso, the god with the powerful throat lock. As a bonus action, spend 2 Ki points to spit burning alcohol over your body, igniting you in flames. Your unarmed strikes gain the reach quality and deal one extra martial arts die in fire damage for one minute. While on fire, make a Constitution saving throw at the end of each of your turns, taking 1d10 fire damage on a failed save.

Intoxicated Mastery

At 17th level, you are now able to enter Drunken Flow without spending ki points and it lasts for a number minutes equivalent to the DS of the drink consumed. You gain the title of Brewmaster and have learned to infuse your beverages with magical properties, you can now brew DS3+ drinks which have magical effects up to the player and DM's discretion.

Miss Ho, the drunken woman flaunting her body. While in Drunken Flow, as an action you can spend 4 Ki points to harness the toxins in your bloodstream, channelling them through a potent burst of toxic Ki energy into the target with an unarmed strike. This effect ends Drunken Flow and the poisoned condition on yourself.

Make a melee attack against the target, adding your proficiency bonus. On a hit, the target takes 8d10 Necrotic damage, becoming poisoned (Ignoring any immunities to the poisoned condition), and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a fail, the poisoned condition remains and the creature feels drunk until it receives lesser or greater restoration. On a success, the creature can use its action to attempt to shrug off its drunken state, making a further Constitution saving throw and recovering from the poisoned condition on a success.