Way of the Back Hand

The Way of the Back Hand teaches its students to add insult to injury by striking foes sharply with the back of their hand. Masters of the back hand can strike down foes and blows alike with well placed strikes to redirect and guide all that come within range. This style is primarily focused on a single well placed strike, and optimizing your defensive capabilities to react quickly and keep a firm hand.

Bonus Proficiencies

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain Proficiency in the Intimidation skill if you don't already have it.

Stinging Strike

Upon choosing this tradition at 3rd level, you can expend a ki point to empower a single strike. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can expend 1 ki point to add the following effects.

• You deal an additional damage die equal to the die shown in the Martial Arts table.
• You force your opponent to make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you knock it prone.

Guiding Back Hand

Starting at 6th level, you hone the defensive properties of the back hand. You gain the following benefits.

Reactionary Strike

If an opponent comes within 5ft of you, you can expend 2 ki points to gain an additional reaction once per round. This reaction must immediately be used to perform an unarmed strike against the opponent.

Redirect Blow

When using your reaction to Deflect Missiles, you can choose to redirect the missile instead of catching the missile. You can choose a target within 5ft of you to be the new target of the missile or direct it harmlessly to the floor. If you choose to redirect the missile to a new target, make a ranged weapon attack following the same rules of Deflect Missiles without expending a ki point.

Mastery of Respect

Having achieved a deep understanding of respect at 11th level, your Persuasion and Intimidation checks have advantage and your influence seeps into your fighting. You apply an additional bonus equal to your Charisma modifier to your unarmed strikes and initiative.

Echoing Back Hand

At 17th level, you empower your strike with finely honed ki. Upon landing a successful hit, you can expend 5 ki points do deal 5d10 bludgeoning damage to the target and cause a thunderous sphere of sound causing all creatures within a 10ft radius centered on the target (excluding yourself) to make a Constitution Saving Throw. On a failed save they take an additional 5d10 thunder damage or half as much on a success. You can expend additional ki points to add 1d10 bludgeoning and 1d10 thunder damage for each additional ki point expended.