Hello, everyone! Today’s subclass is a monastic tradition focused around agility, urban navigation, and the occasional willingness to take a dive when the situation demands.
Monastic Tradition
Way of the Traced Path
“Blast!” Aldric scowled, “There’s no way we’ll get to the duke in time to warn him.”
Indeed, all hope seemed lost to the party; the assassins were well underway to their quarry across the city, and there was simply no way to close the distance on foot. At least no way for anyone other than Noa.
Beneath her porcelain mask, she smirked at her armored companion’s hasty assessment and looked up where Aldric would have looked forward. Typical paladin thinking. It may have been several winding streets to the duke’s abode, but it was only a handful of rooftops, and Noa was climbing a building well before Aldric could curse their fate again.
Not all monks live cloistered in silent monasteries – some take on a more connected life, living in cities and learning the landscape of their surroundings. Rumors spread quickly of these urban navigators, whose skills are highly prized as couriers, messengers, assassins, and guides in the sprawling cities they call home.
Urban Navigator
Starting when you take this monastic tradition at 3rd level, you learn to assess your environment even as you are in motion. Your jump distance and height are determined by your Dexterity instead of your Strength.
Additionally, while moving, you can harness your ki to focus your movements along the path you intend to travel. If you are moving at least 15 feet, you can expend a ki point to gain one of the following effects:
- You have advantage on any Dexterity checks or saving throws you make until the start of your next turn.
- Until the start of your next turn, all opportunity attacks made against you have disadvantage.
- You may ignore the effects of difficult terrain until the end of your turn. Additionally, climbing does not cost you any additional movement.
Rolling Fall
At 6th level, you gain the ability to conserve some momentum when falling. When you fall at least 10 feet, your movement speed increases by 5 feet for every 10 feet you’ve fallen until the start of your next turn.
Rushing Strikes
Beginning at 11th level, you capitalize on the momentum from your blinding fast movements to deliver devastating blows. When you use your Flurry of Blows ability, your attacks deal 1 additional point of damage for every 10 feet you have moved this turn.
Meteoric Landing
At 17th level, you gain the ability to hone a midair strike, colliding with your foes to deal impressive damage. When you would take falling damage, you may spend 4 ki points as a reaction. If you do so, each creature within 10 feet of where you land must make a Constitution saving throw. If any creature fails, you take no falling damage and instead, each creature which failed the saving throw takes the damage and falls prone, or takes half as much damage on a success.
Some artwork © 2015 Dean Spencer, used with permission. All rights reserved.