Monks who follow the Way of the Martial Stance learn martial arts positions to assist them in battle. These postures help them in combat providing a variety of uses including the ability to hit better, counter attacks, and reduce damage.

Martial Postures

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, on your turn you can spend 1 ki point to adopt one of the following postures when you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield (no action required). You can not be in more than one posture at once and your posture lasts until you move, are incapacitated, knocked prone, cast a spell with somatic components, wield a weapon that is not a monk weapon, wield a shield, don armor, or choose a new posture. You can use multiple postures on the same turn. The Martial Postures are listed below:

Shizen

While in this posture, you gain a +2 to damage rolls, you reduce any damage you take by 1, and gain a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution saving throws.

Ichimonji

While in this posture, the first attack roll made against you each round has disadvantage and you gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity saving throws.

Jumanji

While in this posture, you have advantage on attack rolls you make when taking the attack action.

Hira

While in this posture, if a creature attacks you and misses, you can make a melee attack against the creature as a reaction, provided the creature is within your melee reach.

Nimble Grappling

At 3rd level, whenever you make a grappling check, you can use Acrobatics instead of Athletics.

Seated Postures

Starting at 6th level, as a reaction when you are knocked prone, you can adopt on of the two seated postures shown below, gaining the benefits of that posture. Alternatively, on your turn you can spend 1 ki point to adopt one of these postures:

Seiza

While you are in this posture, you are prone, but creatures attacking you do not have advantage on attack rolls against you if they are within 5 feet of you. You only require 5 feet of movement to stand up, rather than half your movement.

Fudoza

While you are in this posture, you are prone, and may move up to 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks on your turn. You only require 5 feet of movement to stand up, rather than half your movement.

Judo Throw

At 6th level, if a creature is Grappled by you, as an attack you may force the creature to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is knocked prone and takes damage equal to your Martial Arts die + your Dexterity Modifier.

Swift Reflexes

Beginning at 11th level, you can take two reactions each round, instead of one.

Advanced Martial Postures

At 17th level, you learn the following Martial Postures:

Doko

While in this posture, you gain a +2 bonus to armor class and when an enemy hits you with an attack, you can use a reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Kosei

While in this posture, you gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls and if you take the attack action on your turn, you can use Flurry of Blows as a bonus action without expending a ki point.

Hoko

While in this posture, the first attack roll made against you each round has disadvantage and if a creature attacks you and misses, you can make an unarmed strike against the creature as a reaction, provided the creature is within your melee reach.