Way of the Five Animals

Monks who follow the Way of the Five Animals learn from the ancient studies on the five Sacred Animals being the Crane; Monkey; Panther; Snake; and Tiger. Each Animal form requires dedicated study to achieve mastery in the Animals teachings. Whole monasteries can be dedicated to the practice of one Animal style, inhabiting the essence of their sacred Animal, in more than just their fighting, bit how they conduct themselves through life.

Animal Style

At 3rd level you gain a animal style when you devote yourself to this way, you choose an animal style and gain its feature. You practice the forms associated with the teachings of these animals. At your option, you also gain minor physical or mental attributes through your practice and focus of Ki, that correspond with your animal style. For example, if you are a monkey practitioner you might be prone to trickery, or if you're a student of the Snake, you could develop snake eyes.

Your animal style might be an animal related to those listed here but more appropriate to your campaign. Consult with your DM. For example, you could choose a Griffon for a Tiger or a Naga for a Snake.

Crane

The Way of the Crane is elegance combined with the predatory instincts of a bird. Meaning that movements are straightforward and reduced to the bare minimum for efficiency.

You utilise your arms like wings shielding you from harm, and focus on kicks and strikes from your "Crane Fist".

Crane Stands among the Reeds When you use your step of the wind ability, creatures have disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against you.

Monkey

Unorthodox and acrobatic in style, the Monkey is used to disorient and attack opponents from unusual angles and positions. Utilising kicks, elbows and strikes with the monkey fist and claw.

Monkey Climbs Tree You gain proficiency in the Acrobatics and Slight of Hand skills and gain a climb speed equal to your movement speed.

Panther

Utilising a Predatory Mind and Spirit. The Panther stylist is planner, schemer and director of encounters. They chooses the time, the place, the conditions, and the style. They are in command of any situation, not by brute power but by the breadth of their skills, abilities and cunning. It never does the expected unless that is unexpected.

Based on speed, aggressiveness and surprise attacks, Panther style techniques focus on elbow and knee strikes, low kicks and the use of the “Panther fist.”

You gain proficiency in the Stealth and Survival skills and learn the Panther Speeds Through Jungle action.

Panther Speeds Through Jungle: Once per turn, you can spend a ki point to move up to half your move speed towards an opponent and use the attack action. If you would have advantage on the attack you deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature only once per turn.

Snake

The Snake is the most flexible of the animals.  the snake style does not use hard punching techniques. When attacking, the snake stylist aims for an opponent’s vulnerable spots—e.g., eyes, throat and groin. Fingertips and palms strike with penetrating force. It uses this flexibility in smooth flowing movements to evade and tie up its opponents, finishing with precision strikes to vulnerable targets. The Snake never takes its opponents force straight on, it subtly redirects the force while pressing in to smother and restrict further attacks.

Snake Coils in Mist You gain proficiency on perception checks and darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision from your race, its range increases by 30 feet. Additionally you can spend a ki point as a bonus action to temporarily gain 20 feet of blind sight for 1 minute.

Tiger

The Tiger is the biggest and strongest of the animals of the five animal styles, its movements uses strength to conquer an opponent. The Tiger style emphasizes strong low stances and powerful clawing, grabbing and clubbing movements. The Tiger has a direct approach to conflict dealing with threats head on with its instincts and intuition.

You gain proficiency in the Athletics and Intimidation skills.

Taming the Tiger You can spend a ki point to re roll a damage die or saving throw. The attack you make must be with a melee weapon. If you use this ability, you must use the new roll regardless of outcome.

Five Animals Adept

At 6th level, you gain a benefit based on the animal style of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

Crane

Crane Glides across Pond: You can also now fly in a limited capacity, you can spend a ki point to gain a flying speed equal to twice your walking speed. You can fly only in short bursts; you fall if you end your turn in the air and nothing else is holding you aloft.

Crane Beak Barrage When you use your stunning strike ability you may spend a ki point to make an additional two unarmed attacks.

Monkey

Monkey Steals the Peach When you score a critical hit with an unarmed strike, using 2 ki points you can cause the strike to steal a part of the targets soul through its ki. The creature takes additional necrotic damage equal to your monk level. Until it succeeds on a Constitution save, its movement is halved it takes a −2 penalty to AC and it can't use reactions. On its turn, regardless of the creature's abilities or magic items, it can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn. The target also becomes permanently infertile until you heal their ki with an action.

Panther

Panther walks in grass After using your flurry of blows, you can spend a ki point to use the disengage action as a free action.

Snake

Hand of the Four Venoms: You can spend an additional ki point when using your stunning strike ability. If the creature fails the ki save against stunning strike, impose one of the following in addition or instead of the stunning strike effect:

• Snake Closes gate: You use your superior control of ki to control the flow of the opponents ki. The creature is Paralysed for 1 minute. At the end of each of the creature's turns, it can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on a success.
• Poisonous snake shoots venom: You infuse a burst of energy through your opponents ki. You deal additional necrotic damage equal to your martial arts die.
• Snake blinds prey: You thrust the strike with your snake fist towards the opponents eyes. The target is blinded for 1 minute. At the end of each of its turns, the target can make a Constitution saving throw. On a success, the effect ends.
• Snake strikes throat: Your Snake fist strikes the opponents throat. The creature is silenced for 1d6 turns. the creature cannot cast a spell that includes a verbal component or speak.

Tiger

Tiger descends mountain When you use your Step of the Wind ability, your jump distance is quadrupled. You additionally can now perform the Tiger Leaps on Prey ability.

Tiger Leaps on Prey: You can spend a ki point to use this action. You jump up to 10 ft toward a creature and either perform the attack action or attempt to grapple the creature. The attacks must be unarmed attacks and is made with advantage. If you successfully hit the creature it must make a Strength save or be knocked prone.If you choose to grapple the creature make a contested grapple check using your Dexterity Modifier instead of Strength.

Master of the Five Animals

At 11th level you gain a benefit based on the animal style of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

Crane Master

Crane Cleans Wings 11th level You can end one condition afflicting you. The condition can be blinded, deafened, paralyzed or stunned.

Monkey Master

Lost Monkey Wanders Forest When you use your patient defense ability, You can make an amount of reactions equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Panther Master

Panther watches fire

If you spend at least 1 minute observing or interacting with another creature outside combat, you can learn certain information about its capabilities compared to your own. The DM tells you if the creature is your equal, superior, or inferior in regard to two of the following characteristics of your choice:

• Dexterity score
• Strength score
• Armour Class
• Class levels (if any)

At the DM’s option, you might also realize you know a piece of the creature’s history or its fighting style, if it has any.

Snake Master

Snake Dances in Valley You use your action to use 2 ki points to extend your ki out in a 30ft. cone in front of you weaving patterns with your hands. Each creature in the cone who sees you must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature becomes charmed for the 1 minute. While charmed by this ability, the creature is incapacitated and has a speed of 0.

The effect ends for an affected creature if it takes any damage or if someone else uses an action to shake the creature out of its stupor.

Tiger Master

White Tiger Presents Claws You can use 2 ki points as a bonus action to present Claws. For the next minute, your ki forms claws on your finger tips, your unarmed strikes deal +3 Damage. When you successfully hit a target they begin Bleeding from the wounds. A Bleeding target takes slashing damage equal to your martial arts die at the start of the creatures turn. You can use a free action to end the ki claws, when you do so, the Bleeding condition ends on any creatures effected by you.

Grand Master of the Five Animals

At 17th level you gain a benefit based on the animal style of your choice. You can choose the same animal you selected at 3rd level or a different one.

Crane Grand Master

Reincarnated Crane Descends on prey 17th level If you receive a melee attack that would reduce you below 0 hit points, you can spend 3 ki points. You avoid the attack and unleash a barrage of attacks on the opponent. You make 1d6 attacks as a free action.

Monkey Grand Master

Monkey Meteor Hammer The Monkey practitioner uses their fists in an orbiting motion around the body to strike as the opponents attack misses. When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you may make a melee attack against the creature as a reaction.

Panther Grand Master

Angry Panther Crushes Rock If you hit a surprised creature with a unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to overwhelm you opponent for a devastating blow. The target must make a Dexterity Save or take 10d10 Force damage.

Snake Grand Master

Serpent Poisons Well You use 3 ki points to envelope a 30ft sphere around you with your suppressive and poisonous ki. For 3 minutes, any creature that enters the sphere friend or foe has its movement halved. Your melee attacks deal additional necrotic equal to your wisdom modifier ([modifier]Wisdom[/modifier]) and force the target to make a constitution save, on a fail the target spends its action on its next turn vomiting. If it fails a second save from another attack, it spends its next action vomiting and takes d10 necrotic damage. If it fails a third save from a third attack, it spends it's next turn vomiting and makes a final save. On a success the creature takes necrotic damage equal to your monk level. On a failure the creature takes 10d10 necrotic damage.

Tiger Grand Master

Black Tiger Steals heart If you bring a creature to 0 hit points while using your White Tiger Presents Claws, you can spend a ki point to rip out the creatures heart with your bare hand. Creatures of your choice that see this action must make a Wisdom save or become frightened. When you Do this, you gain temporary hit points equal to your monk level.