Many martial artists base their training, and their ways of life, on the lessons they can learn from animals. Monkeys are limber and dexterous, panthers are lithe and stealthy, and bears use their size to overpower their opponents. There are many different martial arts styles based on animals, and in the world of Faerûn, these martial arts are amongst the most popular, and the most personal. There is no singular "Way of the Beast"; instead, each martial artist must choose a specific beast to study and learn from, as their own personal guide. These martial artists travel the world to various temples dedicated to their specific beasts, to pray, train, and attempt to commune with their chosen spirit. Eventually, with enough training and mental tranquility, a beast spirit may even appear before the monks and journey alongside them.

By selecting this subclass, you have chosen to follow the Way of the Panther Spirit, and base your martial arts on the teachings of the Panther. Panthers are known for being excellent hunters; their stealthy footsteps allowing them to stalk their prey and surprise them with vicious pounce attacks.

**For the purpose of balancing this subclass, your monk does not gain its Extra Attack feature at 5th level.**

 

Panther Companion

At 3rd level, you gain a panther companion that will travel and fight alongside you. This panther uses the stat block for a Panther listed in the Player's Handbook, but with the following changes:

• The panther obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls its own initiative in battle, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your companion acts on its own.
• The panther's proficiency bonus is always the same as yours.
• The panther uses its Strength modifier for its bite attacks. It claws are considered finesse weapons, and can use either Strength or Dexterity for their attacks.
• The panther uses its proficiency bonus for its attack rolls, skills in which it is proficient, and the save DC for its pounce feature (8 + STR + proficiency bonus).
• The panther also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC.
• The panther gains the Slow Fall, Stunning Strike (using your Ki points), Ki-Empowered Strikes, Evasion, Stillness Of Mind, Purity Of Body, and Timeless Body features at the same levels as your monk.
• For each level you gain after 3rd, the panther gains an additional hit die and increases its hit points accordingly.
• Whenever you gain the Ability Score Improvement class feature, your panther's abilities also improve. Your panther can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or it can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, your panther can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature unless its description specifies otherwise.

If your panther is ever slain, its body disappears instantly and it cannot be resurrected until after you complete a long rest. At the end of a long rest, you can call forth your companion's spirit again, and it reappears alongside you.

Bonus Proficiencies

At 3rd Level, you and your panther both gain darkvision with a range of 60 ft.

You gain proficiency with the Stealth skill. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses that skill. Additionally, you gain a climbing speed equal to half your walking speed.

Fluid Step

Additionally at 3rd level, you and your panther both gain the ability to use your Step of the Wind feature as a bonus action, without expending a Ki point.

Sneak Strike

At 6th level, you and your panther can deal extra damage when they hit an enemy with a sneaky attack.

If the first attack you or your panther make on your turns is a claw attack or an unarmed strike, and the attack hits, it deals an additional 2d6 damage. This only applies if you have advantage on the attack roll; or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.

The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class. At 11th level, the damage increases to 3d6. At 17th level, the damage increases to 4d6.

Surprise Pounce

At 11th level, you learn how to surprise your enemies with a pounce.

If you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then the first attack you make against it hits, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. You also gain this benefit if you jump or fall at least 10 feet through the air before hitting the target with your first attack.

When you target a creature that is surprised, you gain this benefit for every attack you make on your turn, rather than just the first attack.

Feline Flexibility

At 17th level, you've trained your body to become as limber as a cat's.

Your panther gains proficiency in all saving throws.

When falling from heights of 10 feet or more, you and your panther always land on your feet if you're conscious and not incapacitated.

You and your panther can move through a space one size smaller than yourselves without squeezing.

Finally, you and your panther can't be surprised while at least one of you are conscious.