Monks that follow the Way of the Marked Warrior are tattoo bearing martial artists that rely on stance based hand-to-hand fighting, aiming to push the boundaries of the body and further enhance it with minor arcane augmentation from the markings they adorn themselves with. Followers of this monastic tradition value flexibility and the ability to adapt their fighting style to various situations. Some monks of this tradition even begin developing personality traits much like the animals represented in their markings.

Monastic Marking

At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, you adorn your body with two monastic markings and gain their benefits. There are five markings, each representing a different stance and style of fighting — bear, crane, dragon, leopard, and serpent. These markings may take on the image of the actual animal itself or some form of symbolism representative of it — such as a claw-mark for a bear, a reptilian eye for a serpent, or a feather for a crane. The markings you choose grant you access to their benefits while you are in the stance related to it, additionally, you choose one of your markings to focus on, granting you a Focus Benefit specific to that marking. You can change your focus to another marking you have by spending 10 minutes to do so during a short or long rest, meditating on the new marking. You gain an additional Monastic Marking at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

 

Bear

Those that adorn themselves with the Marking of the Bear focus on a grapple-centric style of fighting and the use of mighty blows and intimidation.

Focus Feature:

While focused on the Marking of the Bear you gain the following benefits:

• Your Strength Score becomes equal to your Dexterity Score if your Dexterity Score is higher.

• You count as one size larger than you would normally when making grapple checks and you do not automatically fail grapple checks against creatures one size larger than you.

• When making Charisma (Intimidation) rolls, you may add your Strength modifier to the total. If you make a successful Charisma (Intimidation) check against another creature's Wisdom (Insight), the creature is frightened of you until the end of its next turn.

Bear stance:

As a bonus action, you can enter bear stance, granting you access to the following features:

Bearhug. As an action you can spend 1 ki point to lock a creature you are grappling into a bearhug, dealing an amount of bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your martial arts die + your Strength modifier. The number of martial arts die dealt by the damage increases to three at 11th level and four at 17th level.

Mighty Slam. As a bonus action you can spend 1 ki point to release a creature you are grappling, slamming them to the ground and dealing an amount of bludgeoning damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die + your Strength modifier. bludgeoning damage. Additionally, the creature falls prone and the grapple ends. The creature cannot take reactions until the start of your next turn.

Commanding Roar. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the Command spell. A creature that is frightened of you has disadvantage on their saving throw against it.

 

 

 

Crane

Those that adorn themselves with the Marking of the Crane focus on a balance and control, preferring kicks and striking from range.

Focus Feature:

While focused on the Marking of the Crane you gain the following benefits:

• You gain immunity to the Prone condition, unless you choose to fall prone on your own.

• Once per turn, you can re-roll the result of any damage dealt by an unarmed strike, taking either result.

Crane stance:

As a bonus action, you can enter crane stance, granting you access to the following features:

Careful Maneuver. As a bonus action you can spend 1 ki point to gain the benefits of the Disengage action whenever you use any of your movement during your turns for 1 minute.

Kick of Cutting Wind. As an action you can spend 2 ki points to kick, releasing a wave of force in a 20-foot line. Each creature that the wave passes through must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes an amount of force damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die + your Dexterity modifier and is knocked prone. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and suffers no additional effects. The number of martial arts die dealt by the damage increases to three at 11th level and four at 17th level.

Guardian Gale. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the Warding Wind spell. When cast in this way, the spell lasts for 1 minute and does not require your concentration.

 

Dragon

Those that adorn themselves with the Marking of the Dragon focus on a vengeance and force, utilizing counterattacks and the power of elements.

Focus Feature:

While focused on the Marking of the Dragon you gain the following benefits:

• You gain a +1 to your AC

• You gain advantage on any Charisma checks against Dragons or Dragonoid creatures. Additionally, you can speak Draconic if you could not already.

• You gain advantage on saving throws against the frightened condition.

Dragon stance:

As a bonus action, you can enter dragon stance, granting you access to the following features:

Steady Guard. As a reaction against a melee attack against you, you can spend 2 ki points to impose disadvantage on the attack. If the attack still connects, you can immediately make an unarmed strike against the attacker.

Elemental Assault. As an action you can spend 1 ki point to swathe your fist in an elemental aura and make an unarmed strike against a target within range. Instead of bludgeoning damage, the strike deals your choice of acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage on hit. The attack deals an additional amount of damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die.

Elemental Vengeance. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the Absorb Elements spell. When cast in this way, you may immediately make one unarmed strike against a target within range.

 

Leopard

 Those that adorn themselves with the Marking of the Leopard focus on a speed and acrobatics, focusing on hit and run tactics and maneuverability.

Focus Feature:

While focused on the Marking of the Leopard you gain the following benefits:

• You are unaffected by difficult terrain.

• You gain advantage on Acrobatic checks.

• You only need to spend 5 feet of movement to recover from being Prone.

• If you move at least 20 feet in one direction before making an unarmed strike, you gain an additional 1d4 damage to the attack.

Leopard stance:

As a bonus action, you can enter leopard stance, granting you access to the following features:

Evasive Footwork. You can spend 2 ki points to take the dodge action as a free action on your turn.

Soaring Strike. As an action you can spend 1 ki point to make a leaping strike. Choose a target within 20 feet that you can see and make an unarmed strike against them, returning to your initial position afterward if you choose by bounding off them.

Agility of the Hunt. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the Expeditious Retreat spell. When cast in this way the spell lasts for 1 minute and does not require your concentration.

 

Serpent

Those that adorn themselves with the Marking of the Serpent focus on a precision and deceptive attacks, preferring to fake out their foes or even cripple them.

Focus Feature:

While focused on the Marking of the Serpent you gain the following benefits:

• You gain resistance to poison damage and have advantage on saving throws against the poisoned condition.

• You gain darkvision up to 60 feet if you do not already have darkvision. If you do already have it, your range increases to 120 feet.

Serpent stance:

As a bonus action, you can enter serpent stance, granting you access to the following features:

Mist of Choking. As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to disappear into a cloud of green smoke. You become invisible until the start of your next turn and can immediately move up to half of your movement speed without provoking attacks of opportunity. The cloud of smoke occupies a 10 ft radius and the area is heavily obscured. Any hostile creature that starts their turn within the radius of the smoke takes poison damage equal to your Wisdom modifier. The smoke lingers for three rounds.

Fangs of the Snake. As an action you can spend 2 ki points, making an unarmed strike against a target within range. On hit the creature takes an amount of poison damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die. This poison damage ignores the resistances and immunities of the target. Additionally, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw or become poisoned until the end of your next turn. The number of martial arts die dealt by the damage increases to two at 11th level and three at 17th level.

Beguiling Gaze. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the Charm Person spell. When cast in this way, when the spell ends the target does not know it was charmed by you. If the spell fails, a creature is unaware that you attempted to influence it with magic.

 

Wild Flurry

When you reach 6th level, your Monastic marking begins to manifest new arcane strength that augments your Flurry of Blows feature. Your flurry of blows gains a bonus effect based on which stance you are in when you perform it.

• Bear. When you use your Flurry of Blows, on hit you can push the target back 10 feet. If you use your Flurry of Blows against a Prone target, you can stomp them, reducing their movement speed to 0 until the start of your next turn.

• Crane. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can deal force damage instead of bludgeoning damage. Additionally, your Flurry of Blows range increases by 5 feet.

• Dragon. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can force a target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target gains vulnerability to either acid, cold, fire, lightning, or poison damage (your choice) until the end of your next turn.

• Leopard. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can strike an additional target within 5 feet of the initial target.

• Serpent. When you use your Flurry of blows, you can mark them with a gleaming poison, granting you advantage on your next melee attack against that target.

  Additionally, with each stance you can spend 1 ki point to change stances and make a Flurry of Blows attack against a target within range.

Monastic Spirit

When you reach 11th level, your marking develops mild sentience, gaining the ability to manifest as a spiritual being. As a ritual you are able to cast the commune with nature spell. When you do so you choose one of the creatures of the markings you possess to manifest as a spirit to convey the information you seek.

Additionally, you adorn yourself with a third monastic marking.

Marked Mastery

At 17th level you have achieved mastery over your markings and stances. You gain an additional focus feature and a finishing attack based on your chosen markings. Your finishing attacks cost 10 ki points and can be performed after a successful unarmed strike.

Bear

Focus Feature: After a creature hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to make a grapple check against them immediately after. 

Bear Stance Finisher. You force a creature grappled by you to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you attempt to crack the creatures spine, dealing it 10d10 bludgeoning damage and paralyzing it until the end of your next turn on failed save. On a successful save the creature takes half as much damage and suffers no additional effects. After performing this finisher you change to a different stance immediately after.

 

Crane

Focus Feature: When you take the dash action, you gain a flying speed equal to your walk speed as a pair of ethereal wings sprout from your shoulders.

Crane Stance Finisher. You cast steel wind strike making a normal melee attack instead of a melee spell attack. After performing this finisher you change to a different stance immediately after.

 

Dragon

Focus Feature: Your increase in AC increases to +2 and you gain resistance to you choice of fire, cold, lightning, acid, or poison damage.

Dragon Stance Finisher. You cast fireball at 7th level, choosing which creatures in range are affected, and the damage type (fire, cold, lightning, acid, or poison.) After performing this finisher you change to a different stance immediately.

 

Leopard

Focus Feature: You are able to move at normal speed while prone, running on all fours.

Leopard Stance Finisher. You choose up to four creatures within range of the initial target, dealing each target 5d6 magical slashing damage and reducing their movement by 20 feet until the end of your next turn.

 

Serpent

Focus Feature: You gain immunity to the charmed condition and gain the ability to see normally in magical darkness.

Serpent Stance Finisher. You strike your target, poisoning them for 1 minute and causing them to fail the next saving throw they make during the duration of the poison.