Modular Monk
the iconic Martial Arts class,
now with expanded capability

The Monk

Level	Prof. Bonus	Martial Arts	Techniques	Features
1st	+2	1d4	—	Martial Arts, Unarmored Defense
2nd	+2	1d4	2	Ki, Monastic Tequniques
3rd	+2	1d4	3	Monastic Tradition
4th	+2	1d4	3	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	1d6	4	Extra Attack, Stunning Strike
6th	+3	1d6	4	Monastic Tradition Feature
7th	+3	1d6	5	—
8th	+3	1d6	5	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	1d8	6	—
10th	+4	1d8	7	–
11th	+4	1d8	8	Monastic Tradition Feature
12th	+4	1d8	8	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	1d10	9	—
14th	+5	1d10	9	Diamond Soul
15th	+5	1d10	10	—
16th	+5	1d10	10	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	1d12	10	Monastic Tradition Feature
18th	+6	1d12	11	Master's Techniques
19th	+6	1d12	11	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	1d12	12	Perfect Self

A New Form of Martial Arts

The traditional monk class offers a myriad of fun, thematic abilities, but not all players enjoy every feature provided by the class. To solve this problem, this alternate class features Monastic Techniques, which function the same way as Eldritch Invocations (but are gained through rigorous training, not as a gift from a patron).

Class Features

As a monk, you gain the following class features.

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords, improvised weapons
Tools: Choose one type of artisan’s tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Wisdom, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
(a) 10 darts

Martial Arts

At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords, improvised weapons, and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property.

You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield:

You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn.

Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon in Chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook.

Unarmored Defense

At 1st level, you learn a stance that allows you to fight effectively without armor.

While you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity or Constitution modifier (your choice) + your Wisdom modifier.

Ki

Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. The number of ki points you have would be shown in a column of the Monk table, but it's literally just your Monk level so it's not that hard to keep track of.

You can spend these points to fuel various ki features, such as Flurry of Blows. When you spend a ki point, it is normally unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.

Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature’s effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:

Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Flurry of Blows

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.

Monastic Techniques

You have the ability to refine your training by developing certain techniques, detailed at the end of this document.

At 2nd level, you gain two Monastic Techniques of your choice. A list of the available Techniques can be found at the end of this document. When you gain certain monk levels, you gain additional Techniques of your choice, as shown in the Techniques column of the Monk Table.

Additionally, when you gain a Technique, you can choose one of the Monastic Techniques you know and replace it with another Technique that you could learn at that level.

If a Monastic Technique has prerequisites, you must meet them to learn it. You can learn the Technique at the same time that you meet its prerequisites. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Monastic Tradition

When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.

Details on Monastic Traditions are available in Player's Handbook, Xanathar's Guide to Everything, and Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

If your DM allows the use of feats, you may instead take a feat.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Stunning Strike

Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. Once per turn when you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 2 ki points to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

Diamond Soul

Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.

Master Techniques

At 18th level, you gain powerful new Monastic Technique options. You can only use one such technique, as these are very difficult techniques to learn and master.

Perfect Self

At 20th level, you regain one ki point at the start of each of your turns.

Monastic Techniques

Ascent of the Flowing Ki

As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to begin levitating, as if you had cast levitate. Doing so requires your concentration as normal.

Dedicated Weapon

Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.

You must be proficient with the weapon, and it must lack the heavy and special properties.

Deflect Missiles

As a reaction reaction when you are hit by a ranged weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki points and catch the missile, provided you have at least one free hand. If you catch a missile in this way, you take no damage from the attack, and you can make a ranged attack (range 20/60 feet) with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught as part of the same reaction.

You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.

Eremite's Incantation

Choose one cantrip from the following: Druidcraft, Prestidigitation, or Thaumaturgy. You learn this cantrip and can cast it without using verbal or somatic components.

When you reach 11th level, you learn the Guidance cantrip and can cast it in the same way.

Patient Defense

You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.

Quickened Healing

As an action, you can spend 1 or more ki points and roll a number of Martial Arts dice equal to the number of ki points you spent, regaining a number of hit points equal to the total.

The maximum number of ki points you can spend with this feature equals your proficiency bonus.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon

You learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.

Unarmored Movement

Your speed increases by 5 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the table below:

Level	Bonus Speed
2-5	+10 ft.
6-9	+15 ft.
10-13	+20 ft.
14-17	+25 ft.
18-20	+30 ft.

You can use your bonus action to focus your ki into your steps, allowing you to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.

Slow Fall

You can use your reaction when you fall to take no falling damage.

Step of the Wind

You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

Focused Aim

Prerequisite: 5th level

When you miss with an attack roll, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your attack roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially turning the miss into a hit.

Ki-Fueled Attack

Prerequisite: 5th level

If you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn, and you can perform your Fury of Blows if you wish.

Stunning Strikes

Prerequisite: 5th level

You can make a Stunning Strike by spending 1 ki point. You can do so any number of times per turn.

Evasion

Prerequisite: 7th level

When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Ki-Centered Stance

Prerequisite: 7th level

When you make an ability check or saving throw using your Strength modifier, the roll gains a bonus equal to your Wisdom modifier.

Ki-Empowered Strikes

Prerequisite: 7th level

Your unarmed strikes ignore damage resistances and immunities.

Ki-Focused Fortitude

Prerequisite: 7th level

Your focus on your body has acclimated you to extreme climates. You have resistance to fire and cold damage.

When you reach 15th level, you gain immunity to these damage types.

Disciplined Sense

Prerequisite: 10th level

You have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks, and you can add your Wisdom modifier to your initiative rolls.

Furious Flurry

Prerequisite: 11th level

When you use Flurry of Blows, you can spend an extra ki point and make a total of 3 unarmed strikes.

When you reach 20th level, you can spend two extra ki points when you use Flurry of Blows and make 4 unarmed strikes in total.

Furious Flurry requires complete focus, so you cannot concentrate on any spells while you use it.

Enchantment of Spirit

Prerequisite: 15th level

As a reaction when a creature within 5 feet of you begins casting a spell, you can make an unarmed strike or monk weapon attack against the creature, and you can simultaneously cast counterspell on the creature, using Wisdom as your spellcasting ability. All of your attacks impose disadvantage on saving throws made to maintain concentration on spells.

You can spend 1 or more ki points as an action to touch another creature, endowing them with a magical enhancement. Their concentration on the next spell they cast can't be broken as a result of taking damage. This effect ends if you use it on a different creature.

Purity of Body

Prerequisite: 15th level

Your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to poison damage, immune to disease, and immune the following conditions: blinded, deafened, paralyzed, and poisoned.

You can spend 1 ki point as an action to touch another creature, curing any diseases and any of the above conditions affecting them.

Sanctitude of Soul

Prerequisite: 15th level

Whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.

You can spend 1 ki point as an action to touch another creature and give it advantage on the next saving throw it makes. This effect ends if you use it on a different creature.

Sempiternity of Life

Prerequisite: 15th level

Your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age and cannot die of old age. You cannot be aged magically, and you no longer need food, water or sleep, although you still still benefit from finishing short and long rests. You can recover a level of exhaustion by completing a short rest.

You can spend 1 ki point as an action to touch another creature and reverse any magical aging done to them.

Stillness of Mind

Prerequisite: 15th level

You gain immunity to psychic damage, and you cannot be charmed or frightened.

You can spend 1 ki point as an action to touch another creature and end any effect causing them to be charmed or frightened.