Way of the God Palm

by Blacklight85

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Way of the God Palm

Within the holy temple of Gaeshema, there are two ways that a practitioner of the God techniques can focus on. The way of the God Palm is the defensive focus of the God techniques. The Way of the God Palm focuses on protecting one's self and others. This is done by utilizing one's ki to create barriers and focuses their reflexes on catching and blocking powerful blows from their enemies. The stronger God Palm practitioners can even catch spells.

Divine Defense

At 3rd level, whenever you use your Patient Defense, you gain temporary hit points equal to your half Monk Level (rounded down) + your Wisdom modifier. When you reach 11th level, you can spend 1 additional ki point to double the amount of temporary hit points gained.

Stronger Deflect Missiles

Also at 3rd level, when you use your Deflect Missiles feature, you can add your proficiency bonus to the amount the damage is reduced by. If you took the Dodge action on your last turn, you can add double your proficiency bonus instead.

Protective Power

Starting at 6th level, whenever a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to transfer some of the mystic energy protecting you to that creature, absorbing some of the blow.

Choose any number of temporary hit points from your current pool of temporary hit points. The creature gains temporary hit points equal to that amount, and your temporary hit points are reduced by the same amount.

Divine Ki

Starting at 11th level, when you or a creature you can see takes is hit by an attack or fails a saving throw while it has temporary hit points granted by your Divine Defense or Protective Power features, you can use your reaction to convert the creature’s temporary hit points into a protective barrier which lasts until the start of your next turn.

The barrier grants the creature a bonus to its AC and saving throws equal to your Wisdom modifier, including against the triggering attack or effect. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

Godly Defense

At 17th level and in combat, you get a special reaction that you can take once on every creature's turn, except your turn. You can use this special reaction only to use your Deflect Missiles, Divine Ki, or Protective Power features, and you can't use it on the same turn that you take your normal reaction.

In addition, when you are hit by a spell that requires a ranged attack roll or targeted by the magic missile spell or a spell with an area of effect in a line, you can spend a number of ki points equal to the spell's level to use your Deflect Missiles feature to reduce the damage of the spell. The spell must be of 6th level or lower to use this feature.

If you reduce the spell's damage to 0, you can reflect the spell back at its caster or another creature as if you had cast the spell. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for the spell and your spell save DC is equal to your ki save DC.

If you do not reduce the spell's damage to 0 and the spell requires a saving throw, you make the saving throw after the damage is reduced for you. If the spell involves multiple attack rolls, such as the scorching ray spell, you reduce the damage of each attack that hit you, in the order they hit you, reflecting each attack individually if it is reduced to 0 damage.

Variant Rule: Godly Defense

When you catch a spell, you can spend an additional [half of the ki points you spent to catch the spell (rounded down)] to store it inside your body which you can redirect on a later turn. Every turn that ends which you keep the spell inside you, you must spend 1 ki point to keep it stable. If you do not have any more ki points to spend, the spell explodes inside you with you suffering its effects.

Way of the God Fist

Within the holy temple of Gaeshema, there are two ways that a practitioner of the God techniques can focus on. The way of the God Fist is the offensive focus of the God techniques. The way of the God Fist focuses on defeating their opponents with grand power within simple movements. This is done by creating devastating blows in which the God Fist practitioner can react with great finesse. The stronger God Fist practitioners can use their ki to create devastating blows.

Resonating Divinity

At 3rd level, you can use your action and spend a ki point to throw out a ball of divine energy that is constantly resonating to you. This special attack is a ranged attack with a range of 30 feet, which increases to 60 feet at level 8. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is radiant, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. The amount of damage dice dealt by this feature increases by 1 when you reach 5th Level (2 martial art dice), 9th level (3 martial art dice), 13th level (4 martial art dice) and 17th level (5 martial dice).

At level 8, the divine energy now perfectly resonates within you. If you hit a creature with your ball of divine energy by using your Resonating Divinity feature, you can spend another ki point (no action required) to immediately appear in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of it.

Multiple Layers of Heaven

At 6th level, when you use your Resonating Divinity feature or a different action that isn't an attack action, you can spend a ki point to make two unarmed strikes to a creature within reach. At level 10, you can spend two ki points, to make three unarmed strikes instead. At level 20, you can spend four ki points, to make four unarmed strikes instead.

Tempest Step

At 11th level, you gain the ability to create a powerful tempest of energy with your steps. As an action, you infuse your body with energy and slam your foot down on the ground, releasing a powerful shockwave around 10 feet of you.

Each creature within range must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 2d6 radiant damage and be knocked prone on a failed save, or half as much damage and not be knocked prone on a successful one. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind total cover.

You can increase the tempest's damage by spending ki points. Each point you spend, up to a maximum of 5, increases the damage by 2d6.

God's Rage

At 17th level, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 5 ki points to deal an additional 10d10 bludgeoning damage towards it. A creature hit must also make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save a creature is knocked back 30 feet into a direction of your choosing. On a success, a creature is not knocked back.

You can use this feature for every unarmed strike but using it more than once per round gives you a level of exhaustion for every use. This feature does not benefit from a critical roll, except for hitting a target.

Art Credit

Fenghua Zhong Hung Nguyen



Master Zhao

Medium celestial, neutral good


  • Armor Class 24 (natural armor)
  • Hit Points 313 (33d8 + 165)
  • Speed 60 ft., fly 100 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
20 (+5) 24 (+7) 21 (+5) 18 (+4) 24 (+7) 20 (+5)

  • Saving Throws Dex +14, Cha +12
  • Skills Insight +21, Perception +14, Persuasion +12
  • Damage Resistances necrotic, radiant
  • Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from non magical weapons that aren't adamantine
  • Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, exhaustion, frightened, poisoned
  • Senses truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 24
  • Languages All, telepathy 120 ft.
  • Challenge 24 (62,000 XP)

Deflect All Missiles. When Master Zhao is hit by a ranged weapon attack, magic missile spell, a line spell, or a spell that requires a ranged attack roll, he can use his reaction to reduce the damage by 32 (1d10 + 27 + half of his current temporary hit points). If Master Zhao reduces the damage to 0, it can catch the missile or effect. If Master Zhao catches a missile or effect in this way, hecan make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition he just caught as part of the same reaction. This attack has a 40/120 range and counts as a unarmed strike weapon attack for damage purposes. If it is a spell, he can instead redirect the spell towards a creature of his choice. The spell uses his DC and Spell Attack Bonus (DC 22, Bonus +14)

Divine Awareness. Master Zhao knows if he hears a lie.

Divine Fists. Master Zhao's unarmed strikes are magical. When Master Zhao hits with his unarmed strike, it deals an extra 2d8 radiant damage (included in the attack).

Evasion. When Master Zhao is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, he insteads take no damage if he succeeds on the saving throw, and only half damage if he fails.

Unarmored Defense. While Master Zhao isn't wearing armor, his armor class includes its Wisdom modifier.

Magic Resistance. Master Zhao has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. Master Zhao makes four unarmed strikes, four dart strikes or two Saint's Palm attacks.

Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (1d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage.

Saint's Palm. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 18 (2d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of the supreme master's next turn.

Dart. Ranged Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d4 + 7) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) radiant damage.

Divine Wrath. Master Zhao makes three unarmed strike attack against every creature within 5 feet of it.

Holy Swathe (Recharge 5-6). Master Zhao swings his palms through the air, creating a streak of golden hot light. Each creature in a 60-foot cone originating from the grandmaster must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw or take 77 (22d6) radiant damage.

Overcoming Limits (1/day). Master Zhao rushes forward with up to all of his movement and condenses all the raw divine power flowing through his body in one punch to attack a creature. That creature must succeed on a DC 22 Dexterity saving throw, taking 62 (10d10 + 7) bludgeoning damage plus 90 (20d8) radiant damage and be knocked back 50 feet plus 5 feet for every 5 feet Master Zhao moved to reach the target. In addition, each creature within 30 feet of the target must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked 50 feet away and knocked prone. After using this ability, Master Zhao loses the bonus radiant damage from his Divine Fists trait for 24 hours and is stunned until the end of his next turn. His attacks are still considered magical.

Bonus Actions

Divine Defense. An invisible barrier forms around Master Zhao's body, protecting him for 1 minute. For the duration, Master Zhao has 75 temporary hit points.

Reactions

Divine Ki (2/Day). If Master Zhao still has temporary hit points from his Divine Defense and would get damaged, he can convert the temporary hit points gained by his Divine Defense into a protective barrier which lasts until the start of his next turn. The barrier has his AC, 75 hit points, automatically fails all its saving throws and is immune to psychic and poison damage. He is immune to all forms of damage until the barrier is destroyed and excess damage does not carry over to his normal hit points.

Legendary Actions

Master Zhao can take 2 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Master Zhao regains spent legendary actions at the start of his turn.

Move. Master Zhao moves up to his speed.

Attack. Master Zhao makes one unarmed strike attack.

Saint's Palm (Costs 2 Actions). Master Zhao makes one saint's palm attack.

 

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