Way of the Tooth and Claw
One of the wild monastic traditions, monks of the Way of the Tooth and Claw focus on connecting with an instinctual wisdom, filtered through the lens of beasts.
With no formal monasteries no one is taught to master the Way, simply initiated into a pack by a senior. Whether they are lycanthropes seeking peace, scholars, devotes of nature, outcasts, or feral children, every student of the Way of Tooth and Claw learns by doing, and is characterized by a savage laughing joy.
Way of the Tooth and Claw Features
| Monk Level | Feature |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Beast Spirit, Shift, Growl |
| 6th | Skin Walk |
| 11th | Animal Cunning |
| 17th | Prince of the Wilds |
Beast Spirit
Starting at 3rd level, deep mediation has connected you with a bestial spirit. Whether this is a universal ideal embodied in a spirit or totem, the type of connection is your choice. You may connect with a new spirit using a week's long meditation ritual.
See the Beast Spirit example table for examples of beast spirits.
Beast Spirit Example Table:
| 1d6 | Creature |
|---|---|
| 1 | Wolf |
| 2 | Bear |
| 3 | Wild Cat |
| 4 | Snake |
| 5 | Jackal |
| 6 | Coyote |
Shift
Also at 3rd level, by spending 1 Ki as a free action you channel your beast spirit to shift into a predator. This shift lasts for 10 minutes. While in this Bestial Form you gain the following benefits:
- Your hands and feet shift into claws. Your unarmed attacks can now deal piercing and slashing damage.
- Savage instinct takes over. You may add your wisdom modifier to all strength checks and saves.
- Your teeth grow sharp. Your bite can be used as a simple weapon, dealing your unarmed damage dice and counting as a monk weapon. If you kill a small or larger creature using your bite, gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).
- Double your jump distance
Growl
At 3rd level, when you deal damage with your Flurry of Blows ability you may let loose a mighty growl. All enemies in a 10 feet radius must make a charisma save against your Ki DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 2 ki point to use this feature again.
Also, if you fail a Charisma (Intimidation) check you can use your reaction to reroll the check. Once this feature turns a failure into a success, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
Skinwalk
Becoming better in tune with your Beast Spirit, at 6th level you can freely shift between a humanoid, bestial, and beast appearance while your Shift feature is activated. All carried items seamlessly flow into your form and your stats remain the same. Only your appearance changes. To discover if you are anything other then what you seem requires a Wisdom (insight) check against your Ki DC. When your Shift feature ends chose if you remain in animal or humanoid form. Add Shapechanger to your creature type.
Additionally, in all forms you learn to move like the wild beasts do. While using your Step of the Wind feature, if any melee attacks you make deal damage, you may immediately make a shove attack against the target.
Animal Cunning
At 11th level you learn how to meld the best of your beast spirit and yourself, gaining a supernatural cunning. As a bonus action spend 1 to 3 ki points. For the rest of your turn every Ki point you had spent lowers your attacks' critical hit threshold by one. If you have advantage on the target and score a critical hit, increase the damage die you roll by the number of Ki points you have spent.
Additionally, and regardless of form, you gain Darkvision out to 30 feet and advantage on Wisdom (Perception), and Intelligence (Investigation) checks that rely on either hearing or smell.
Credits and Info
Monk subclass v001, created by u/Gentle_Tiger
Art crdits:
- Lycanthrope By Manzanedo (https://www.deviantart.com/manzanedo/art/ Lycanthrope-712095308)
- Rage By Carlos Guerrero (https://www.artstation.com/artwork/VdZPGX)
Prince of the Wilds
Through your Bestial Spirit you attain a moment of enlightenment. Stating at 17th level, spend an additional 4 ki when activating Shift to change into a grander form. Once your Shift feature ends you will shift back to your regular beast or humanoid form. While shifted this way you are clearly supernatural and cannot pass for a regular animal or humanoid. While shifted this way you gain the following benefits in addition to normal Shift benefits:
- You grow one size larger in all forms, unless constrained by the environment.
- You gain advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
- Your teeth and claws grow sharper, dealing an extra 1d4 damage, and scoring a critical hit on 19-20 with unarmed strikes and bites.
- You are always under the effect of the speak with animals spell, and gain advantage on intimidation and persuasion rolls while dealing with beasts.
- Your Growl feature's range extends to 20 feet.
