A Foundation of Ki

Ki is a fundamental force that resides in all living and non-living things. Cultivators have learned ways to gather this power and accumulate it in an internal reservoir that they call their ‘foundation’. Drawing from this Ki reserve, they can perform secret techniques to create supernatural effects.

These techniques may have been passed on to a cultivator by an instructor or they may have learned it from an ancient manual. In rare cases, they might have even created one by themselves. Acquiring their technique is a significant event for a cultivator, as they will most likely be drawn to honing and perfecting it for the rest of their lives.

Pursuit of Perfection

"Civilize the mind, but make savage the body." Cultivators strive to grow their foundation to the highest peaks and to break through barriers in their cultivation as quickly as possible. This pursuit drives them towards combat, as the knowledge and experience gained in battle is crucial for their progress. Their single-minded pursuits cause many cultivators to live on their own, eschewing the crowds and comforts of city life. At the same time, cultivators readily join adventuring groups to meet their needs for combat, wealth and materials – all in service of further honing their craft.

Quick Build

You can make a cultivator quickly by following these suggestions. First, make Strength or Dexterity your highest ability score, depending on your choice of weapon, followed by Intelligence. Second, choose the Far Traveler Background.

Hit Points

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

Proficiencies

• Armor: Light armor, medium armor, shields
• Weapons: Simple weapons, martial weapons
• Tools: Calligrapher's Supplies

• Saving Throws: Intelligence, Constitution
• Skills: Choose three skills from Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, History, Intimidation, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Survival

Equipment

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

• (a) a martial weapon and a Shield or (b) two Martial Weapons
• (a) a Longbow and 20 arrows or (b) two handaxes
• (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Iaijutsu

A master of the Iaijutsu technique spends their training time drawing and sheathing their weapon. These cultivators are able to instantly draw their weapons to deliver punishing attacks or devastating counterattacks. A truly focused Iaijutsu user can become a wall of blades, cutting down any and all attacks.

Stances

Starting at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action.

Internal Stance

• If you have not moved since the beginning of your last turn, then as your turn begins, you may spend 1 ki point to gain blindsight and reach equal to your aura range until you move or are moved.

• You may take the dodge action as a bonus action as long as you have not moved and will not move this turn.

• As you take the attack action, you may gain a bonus to AC and saves equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up, but you take an equal penalty to your attack rolls. This bonus and penalty lasts until the beginning of your next turn.

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External Stance

• You can spend 1 ki point to gain advantage on initiative checks when rolling initiative.

• When in this stance, your AC is decreased by half your proficiency bonus, however, you add your Iai die to your weapon damage rolls.

• If you would attack a creature that has not yet acted in combat you instead add your Iai die twice to the damage rolls.

Iai-goshi

Upon reaching 7th level, you master the first position of of this technique; using a single strike to fell an army. Twice per short rest you may, as an action, make a single melee attack roll against every enemy within your reach.

Tachi-ai

When you reach 11th level, your practice has allowed you to master the next stance of this technique, capitalizing on your enemies mistakes. While in internal stance, enemies provoke opportunity attacks when they would leave any square in your reach.

Additionally, you add your Iai die to your weapon damage rolls for attacks made as reactions, and while in external stance you would instead add your Iai damage die twice.

Kennokabe

At 15th level, you have developed the perfect defense and offense. You may spend 1 ki point to gain and take a reaction any time one would be triggered. You may do this a number of times per long rest equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Additionally, when you are about to take damage from a spell, melee, or ranged attack roll, you may make a weapon attack as a reaction. If you are in external stance, this attack is always made at disadvantage. If your roll is higher, then you roll your weapon damage adding your Iai dice, and subtract that from the damage you would take. If the damage is fully negated, you can redirect the attack back to its source, forcing the attacker to target itself with its attack using your attack roll.

Conjured Phoenix

Beginning at 3rd level, you are able to conjure a small, ever burning replica of this techniques namesake. You gain the cantrip Create Bonfire, and add your Intelligence modifier to the damage dealt by it. You add double your Intelligence modifier at 5th level and triple at 11th.

Stances

Starting at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action.

Internal Stance:

• You gain resistance to fire damage as long as you are in this stance.

• You may spend 1 ki point per creature as a reaction to give those creatures within your aura fire resistance as long as they remain within your aura and you remain in this stance.

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External Stance:

• You take fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus every turn whenever you would deal fire damage with a cultivator ability or feature while in this stance. You only take this damage once per turn and it ignores resistance and immunity.

• When you would deal fire damage with a cultivator ability or feature you double the number of dice you roll. E.g. Create bonfire would deal 2d8 at 3rd level instead of 1d8.

Phoenix Fall

Starting at 7th level, you learn to rain a flock of phoenixes on a flock of foes. You may cast Burning Hands using 3 ki points.

Additionally, whenever you cast Create Bonfire, you may make an attack as a bonus action.

Phoenix's Vestment

Upon reaching 11th level, you gain resistance to fire damage. Whenever you are in your internal stance you instead gain immunity to fire damage.

Additionally, your abilities ignore fire resistance, and treat fire immunity as fire resistance.

Winged Wildfire

At 11th level, your control over fire lends you the most potent and notable aspects of the phoenix. While in your external stance you gain fiery wings and a fly speed of 60 feet.

While in internal stance you may spend 1 ki point to cast Feather Fall a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Phoenix Arisen

Beginning at 15th level, you begin to personify every aspect of the powerful phoenix. When an attack would reduce you to 0 hit points, you may instead fall out of your current stance and be reduced to 1 hit point and 0 ki remaining. The attacker takes 2d8 + 1d8 fire damage per ki point you had left before you were reduced to 0.

Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you take a long rest. The damage you deal increases to 2d10 +1d10 per ki point fire damage at level 18. This damage is not affected by the external stance.

Stances

Starting at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action

Internal Stance:

• Your movement and the movement speed of all allies within your aura is increased by 10 ft. This increases to 20ft at level 10. Allies moving through your aura retain half of this bonus upon leaving until the end of the turn.

• You may use Acrobatics, and Dexterity for high jumping and long jumping, and you no longer need a running start.

• You may spend 1 ki point to dash as a bonus action. When doing so, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

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External Stance:

You may activate one of the listed effects when switching to this stance, replace an attack, or as a bonus action, but only once per turn:

• Wind Ward - All enemies within your aura must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage and are pushed out of your aura. They take half damage and are not pushed on a success. This damage is increased to 2d6 at level 10 and 3d6 at 15th.

• Airbind - Choose an enemy within your aura. They must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save they take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and their movement is reduced to 0 until the end of their turn. On a success, they take half damage and no reduction to their movement. This damage is increased to 4d6 at level 10 and 5d6 at 15th.

• Storm Pulse - Choose an enemy within 30 feet. They must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 20 feet directly away from you.

Enemies not completely in your aura, such as huge sized creatures, have advantage on saves against Wind Ward and Airbind.

North Wind

Beginning at 7th level, you become the north wind itself. As a reaction, whenever an enemy ends their turn, you may take an extra turn. During this turn, your movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and your movement speed is doubled.

Additonally, a warding breeze guards you, blowing away any mist or gases such as Stinking Cloud or Fog Cloud. Once you have used this feature, you may not do so again until you take a long rest.

South Wind

At 11th level, using the hot southern winds you to propel yourself through the skies. You gain a fly and hover speed equal to your movement speed when in internal stance.

East Winds

Upon reaching 15th level, you may instantly call upon the destructive power of the eastern winds. You may spend 5 ki points to cast Whirlwind. You may spend an additional 2 ki points to become immune to the effects of the spell. You may use this ability once per long rest.

Ki Shields

Upon reaching 3rd level, you begin to steer your cultivation towards the arts of shield usage and creation. Shields are now a d6 light versatile (d8) bludgeoning weapon for you. You may don a shield with the same Use an object action you use to draw it. Magic shields that have bonuses to AC also apply the same bonuses to any attack and damage rolls you make with those shields.

Furthermore, you gain the ability to cast spells, using your shield as a magical foci. You now know the cantrips Blade Ward and True Strike, and you may target a number of creatures equal to your proficiency bonus within your aura whenever you cast them.

Lastly, you may spend 1 ki point and cast the 1st level spells from the list below using Intelligence as your spellcasting modifier. You may cast 2nd level spells from the list below using 2 ki points at 9th level, 3rd level spells using 3 ki points at 13th level, and 4th level spells using 4 ki points at 19th level. You may cast any spell from the list below as a bonus action.

When you gain the ability to cast higher level spells, you may spend 1 ki point per spell level to cast lower level spells at your highest level.

Shield Legerdemain

Beginning at 3rd level, you master the ability to harden sections of your aura, granting protection to yourself or those around you. You may spend a ki point cast Shield as a reaction when an ally within your aura is about to be hit by an attack. When you cast the spell in such a way, you may target the ally with the spell.

Force Shields

At 7th level, your mastery has extended to physical shields as well as metaphysical. You may make a thrown weapon attack with an energy version of your shield, with a range of 15/30 using Strength for attack and damage rolls. It deals 1d6 force damage plus your Strength modifier and additional damage equal to any magic AC bonuses imparted by the shield. The shield shatters on impact.

Additionally, you may apply the bonuses to AC granted by a single shield on your person to your saves. This effect ends when you are rendered unconscious.

Last Bastion

Upon reaching 11th level, saving your allies has become your prerogative. As long as you have 1 ki point remaining, you may use a bonus action to brace yourself. Until the end of your next turn, your movement speed becomes 0, you act as three-quarters cover for creatures medium size or smaller in a 15 foot cone behind you, and you gain a +2 to your AC and saving throws.

Destructive Shielding

Starting at 15th level, your shield usage has reached a deadly efficiency. When you hit an enemy with an attack using a shield, you may use up to 3 ki points to do an extra 1d8 damage, plus 1d8 per ki point used after the 1st. Additionally, when you land a critical hit on an enemy, you may make a single extra attack as part of that attack action.

Reclamation

Beginning at 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast absorb elements. You may do so twice per short rest. You gain a third use at level 10.

Stances

Also at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action

Internal Stance

• Once per turn, whenever you would reduce damage done using your absorb elements, you regain a number of ki points equal to half your proficiency bonus. If you have no ki points, you instead gain a number of ki points equal to your proficiency bonus.

• All allies within your aura gain advantage on saves from spells and abilities dealing fire or cold damage.

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External Stance

Whenever you would take the attack action, you may apply one ability listed below to your attacks. Additionally, you may instead spend 1 ki point to apply all of the below abilities to your attacks.

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While in this stance:

• You may use your Intelligence modifier for unarmed attack and damage rolls.

• You add your Intelligence and Strength modifier as additional damage for unarmed attack rolls.

• Your attacks within your aura ignore half and three-quarters cover.

• The range of your attacks increases to the range of your aura.

• Your attacks may use fire or cold damage instead of their original damage type.

At 6th level, all your attacks while in this stance do an extra 1d4 fire or cold damage. This increases to 1d6 at 12th level and 1d8 at 18th.

Duality

Upon reaching 7th level, you grow your knowledge of the whole of life's many aspects, allowing you to harness the world's numerous dualities. All stance abilities referring to fire and cold damage may now be changed to poison and acid, or lightning and thunder damage. At 10th level, all stance abilities referring to fire and cold damage may now also be changed to radiant and necrotic, or psychic and force damage.

Additionally, you may use absorb elements for any elemental damage type you have access to regardless of whether you have chosen that damage type or not.

You can only choose one set at a time and you may choose a different set after a short or long rest.

Elemental Void

At 7th level, you learn to drain the energy around you. Whenever you use your Absorb Elements to reduce damage you may, as a reaction, swap your chosen damage type with Duality to any other set you have access to.

Additionally, you gain resistance to the absorbed element for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.

Balance in Nature

Beginning at 11th level, you are able to enact your will upon elemental forces around you. You can cast Absorb Elements when an ally would take elemental damage. When you cast the spell in this way, the effects of absorb elements apply to all creatures within your aura range.

Furthermore, you may make an extra unarmed attack as a bonus action, as long as you have spent a minimum of 1 ki point this turn.

Wuji

Starting at 15th level, you have reached the pinnacle of balance and control. While in external stance, your attacks ignore your chosen elements damage resistances, and you treat those same immunities as resistances.

While in internal stance, as a reaction, if an ally saves against a spell or ability that would have them take half damage, you may spend 1 ki point per ally in your aura to instead have them take no damage on a success. You may use this ability a number of times per day equal to your Intelligence modifier.

9th level Constructs

Drill Tip

This arrow can be shot through stone or wood no thicker than 5 feet. Additionally, when shot directly at a creature, this arrow can pierce a number of added targets equal to your Intelligence modifier. Each additional target must be directly behind the first. When shot this way, each enemy hit takes an additional 1d6 damage.

Aura Burst

If an enemy hit by this arrow is in your aura they take an additional 3d6 weapon damage.

17th level Constructs

Aura Suspension

When you fire this shot you may instead have it hang within your aura. At the beginning of each of your turns this arrow will automatically fire at the closest enemy. Each shot takes the same amount of ki and has the same constructs as the first shot. You may end this ability as a bonus action.

Named Arrow

You may take a penalty to your attack roll to target specific body parts with this shot and cause an effect when it hits.

• Torso -2 Push the target back 10 feet.
• Legs -3 Reduces targets movement speed to 0 until the end of their next turn. A successful Dexterity save reduces this to half their movement speed.
• Arms -4 Gives the target disadvantage on all attacks for 1 minute. They make a Constitution save at the end of each turn to end this effect.
• Head -5 The target makes a Constitution save or becomes stunnned for 2 turns. The target may make another Constitution save at the end of each turn to end this effect.

Armory

When you choose this technique at 3rd level, you gain a soul space with which to house your chosen weapons, and the ability to substitute them in battle instantly. You may choose up to your proficiency bonus in magical or non-magical weapons and attune to them over a long rest. These don't count against your total three attunement slots, magical or otherwise.

You can summon a weapon by taking either stance. You may also swap weapons every time you would make an attack roll. Ending a stance makes the current weapon disappear and conjures the next if you take another stance. Your conjured weapons disappear if they are more than 5 feet away from you for 1 minute or more. They also disappear if you dismiss these weapons (no action required), or if you die.

You can attune to magic and non magical weapons by meditating while you hold the weapon. You must meditate this way over the course of a long rest. You can then dismiss the weapon, shunting it into a space formed in your core, and it appears whenever you take your stance thereafter. The weapons appear at your feet if you die, meditate over a different weapon that would replace one, or if you use a long rest to end the attunement. The weapon appears at your feet if it is in your space when the bond breaks.

Additionally, you can use your Intelligence modifier for attack and damage rolls with melded weapons. However, you attack with disadvantage for any unattuned weapons.

Weapon Forms

Also at 3rd level, your weapon mastery has granted you additional abilities with any Armory weapons. When you would take a stance with one of your attuned weapons you gain additional abilities called Forms. You may choose a Form to take, dependent on the weapon properties, whenever you would swap to, from, or attack with a weapon. You can only use one Form at a time, unless otherwise stated, even if the weapon you use would have multiple properties.

The weapon Forms are detailed at the end of this technique.

Stances

Starting at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action

Internal Stance

• You may use the Lesser Form of your Armory weapon.
• As you attack, you may spend 1 ki point to add an additional 1d4 weapon damage to your attack for each time you've swapped your weapon this turn.

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External Stance

• You may use the Lesser and Greater Forms of your Armory weapons while in this stance.

Style Master

Upon reaching 7th level, you master appropriate styles for your melded weapons. You choose an additional fighting style. Whenever you would summon or swap a weapon, you may also change this additional style to another you do not know.

Additionally, Whenever you reach a level in this class that grants the Ability Score Improvement feature, you can replace a fighting style you know with another fighting style available.

Barrage

Beginning at 11th level, your strikes have begun speeding up, becoming swifter the more you attack. You may spend 3 ki points to make an attack as a bonus action. This cost is reduced by 1 ki for each time you've swapped weapons this turn to a minimum of 1 ki point.

Master of Many Forms

At 15th level, your mastery of the Forms has become less intent and more instinct. If a weapon you would use has multiple properties, you may use one additional Form at a time, for a total of two.

Lightning Strikes

At 3rd level when you take this subclass, you leverage the forces generated from your lightning fast strikes to fuel your abilities. When you successfully hit an enemy, and your previous attack was successful, you gain a spark. You can have a maximum number of sparks equal to your proficiency bonus, losing all sparks gained beyond this number. You lose all sparks when you spend a minute without gaining or losing any sparks.

When an ability requires you to spend ki points, you may instead spend a spark instead of 1 ki point. If an ability’s ki cost exceeds the number of sparks, you must pay the remaining value in ki.

Additionally, you may use your ki points or sparks for the following abilities:

• Once per turn, you may spend 2 ki points and 10 feet of your movement to teleport 10 feet without using an action.

• You may spend 2 ki points to increase your attack range by 5 feet until the end of your next turn, to a maximum of 10 feet.

Stances

Starting at 3rd level, your technique allows you access to knowledge on how to use ki internally for defensive abilities and externally for offensive ones.

You can choose the external or internal stance before you roll for initiative, unless surprised. Otherwise, entering or switching between stances is a bonus action. Unless otherwise noted, you can only use the abilities and benefits granted by each stance while you're in it.

You are unable to use stances while you are incapacitated. If you are incapacitated while in a stance, you may regain either stance as a bonus action.

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Internal Stance

• Once per turn, as you make an attack roll, you may instead roll twice and make two attacks. Each attack does half damage rounded down.
• When you make an attack with disadvantage, you may spend 2 ki points to ignore the disadvantage.
• Once per turn, whenever you would gain a spark, you may deal additional lightning damage equal to your proficiency bonus to the attacked enemy.

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External Stance

• When you take the attack action, you may instead spend 3 ki points to blast lightning out of your hands. All creatures in a 20 foot cone, 10 foot sphere centered on yourself or 40 foot line (player’s choice) originating from your position must make a Dexterity saving throw. They take 4d8 lightning damage on a fail, or half that on a success. This damage increases by 1d8 at 7th, 11th and 15th level.

Conductive

Beginning at 7th level, your body has become extremely efficient at sending lightning through it. Once per turn, while in internal stance, when you land a consecutive hit and have already gained sparks this turn, you gain 2 sparks instead of one.

Additionally, when you gain a spark and you have the maximum amount, you may immediately spend it to deal 1 lightning damage, heal 1 hit point, and gain an extra 5 feet of movement until the start of your next turn. This movement gain can stack.

Fulminant

Upon reaching 11th level, you begin discharging excess electricity, damaging nearby foes. While in external stance you may make an attack as a bonus action, and when you spend ki or sparks to teleport, you may deal 2d4 lightning damage as part of that teleport to creatures within 10 feet of your destination.

Return Stroke

At 15th level, as you spill with electrified energy, you learn to strike like true lightning. When you start your turn in external stance with 4 or more sparks, you may spend 2 sparks to make an additional attack as part of the attack action. You may continue to pay and attack within the same turn, as long as you have 2 or more sparks.

Core Class

• Added Influx to main ki abilities
• Updated Ki incarnate to not be negated by own healing
• Updated Ki Incarnates language
• Removed uses from Aura Infusion
• Removed ki cost from Of Sound Mind...
• Updated reforge the body for long rest change
• Aura Mastery changed to short rest and clarified language
• Increased Bonus from Breakthrough
• Cultivation assault regains uses upon dropping creatures to 0

Taiji

• Combined int to attack and damage
• Reworded ability to add int and str to damage as an option
• Changed Elemental Hurricane to Elemental Void

Ki Caster

• Clarified aura cast to replace weapon dam and be affected by mag bonuses
• Updated Brake arrow language and added reactions
• Updated language on mesmer arrow

Iaijutsu

• Removed Ki cost from 3rd internal stance ability
• clarified Kennokabe

Falling Phoenix

• Clarified 1st external stance ability to only cultivator things

Four Winds

• removed ki cost from External stance
• Added option to replace an attack with an ability instead of using it as a bonus action

Ki Fortress

• Clarified Shield Legerdemain ki cost
• Clarified Str dam to force shields

Soul Arms

• Changed Forms from weak/strong to Lesser/Greater
• Removed BA from 2nd internal ability and made it affect only 1 attack per ki point
• Changed Ranged form greater to once per turn and removed BA
• Clarified Versatile Lesser

Dark Thralls

• Removed Ki cost from 2nd internal stance ability

Fulminis Soul

• Changed Conductive to clarify you can spend sparks gained over the maximum
• Updated wording on Fulminant to make lightning damage indiscriminate