Way of the Iron Fist

The way of the Iron Fist is a challenging path for any prospective martial artist to follow, let alone master. They focus on perfecting their martial art style to the exclusion of almost everything else, seeking understanding of themselves and others through combat. Voluntarily taking more rigorous training than other ways and advanced defensive techniques to protect themselves and others from melee weapon attacks.

Dedicated Martial Artist

Starting at level 3 when you select this Way, you train your body to new heights of physical ability. Iron Fist monks focus on unarmed strikes and perfecting the body more than other monks.

Martial Art Expertise. You gain a +1 bonus for attack rolls made with unarmed strikes. At monk level 11 this bonus increases to +2. At monk level 17 this bonus increases to +3. You do not gain this benefit if you have a weapon or shield in your hands.

Iron Fist Technique. Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target:

• It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
• It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
• It must succeed on a Strength(Althetics) or Dexterity(Acrobatics) check contested by your melee attack roll. If it fails, it is grappled.

Blade Stop

You can use your reaction to reduce the damage of a melee attack that hits you or an ally within 5 feet of you by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level, however any excess damage is taken by you. If you reduce the damage to 0 you can spend a Ki point to do one of the following:

• Change the target of the attack to another creature within range.
• Make an unarmed strike against the creature who attacked you or an ally.
• Attempt to disarm the attacker, make an attack roll that is contested by the target's Strength(Athletics) or Dexterity(Acrobatics) check.

At level 12 when you reduce the damage to 0 you may spend a Ki point and attempt to break the weapon by making a melee attack against it as part of your reaction. The armor class of the item will be based on the material type, with a +3 modifier for each level of magical enchantment placed on it. The Hit Points of the item are based on the weight class of the weapon.

| Substance   | AC  | Magic | AC  | Weight | HP |
|:------------|:---:|:-----:|:---:|:------:|:--:|
| Wood, bone  |  15 | +0    |  +3 | Light  | 10 |
| stone       |  17 | +1    |  +6 | Finesse| 12 |
| Iron, steel |  19 | +2    |  +9 | Medium | 15 |
| Mithral     |  21 | +3    | +12 | Heavy  | 19 |
| Adamantine  |  23 |

Ki Strike

Ki Strike. When you reach level 11, you learn to empower your unarmed strikes with devastating force. After you hit a creature with an unarmed strike you can spend up to 3 Ki points to empower it, dealing an extra unarmed strike damage die per Ki point.

Opening the Six Gates

At level 17 you learn a technique that loosens the restrictions your body has. In all living creatures ki flows through the body at specific points, and is regulated to prevent creatures from harming unintentionally themselves. By spending 2 ki points and using an action to open a Ki gate you gain one of the following benefits until you take a short rest. When a gate is opened the negative effects of all exhaustion levels are suppressed for one minute, but you gain a level of exhaustion.

Gate of Rage. Bypassing the natural suppression placed on your muscles, you can strike with full force. Your attacks deal +4 damage but you take 1 point of damage for every attack made.

Gate of Wind. Controlling your breath grants a surge of unnatural speed. Your movement speed is doubled, Step of the Wind does not cost a ki point, and you gain one extra action on each of your turns. That action can be used to make an Attack (one unarmed attack only), Hide, or Use Object Action.

Gate of Eyes. You read and clearly understand your opponent's fighting style, intuiting their weaknesses. As a bonus action you apply your focus to a single target which persists until you place it on another target, you finish a short rest or you lose sight of the target. This focus allows your unarmed attack rolls to have advantage on them, and effects from the target which require saving throws are rolled with advantage.

Gate of Life. The body is capable of rapidly healing, but has a limited supply of energy that can be quickly depleted. You can spend one hit die at the end of each of your turn to regain 1d8 hit points. You do not add your Constitution modifier to this roll.

Gate of Mind. The mind has control over the body, and the body has control over the mind; each creature is one whole that reinforces itself. You have advantage on all saving throws..

Gate of Soul. The soul is the source of ki, and unshackling the gate which restricts it grants the greatest power, at the most severe cost. All of your expended ki points are drawn back into yourself and can be used once again, in addition all of your attacks that hit deal damage as though they were critical hits. One minute after opening this gate you die, even if your exhaustion levels are removed, and you cannot be resurrected except by Divine Intervention or Wish. Even when returned to life you remain at 5 levels of exhaustion.