Way of the Arcane Fist (5e Monastic Tradition)
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Invented four thousand years ago by a pair of friends with opposite problems - A wizard who got tired of being defenseless, and a monk who envied arcane might - The Way of the Arcane Fist was created to combine their two opposing skillsets into a seamless whole. Modern practitioners of the discipline are taught that everything is connected, no matter how scarcely, and that you can achieve any goal through that connection if you can unravel its secrets.
| Level | Cantrips Known |
Spells Known |
Max Spell Level Known |
Max Ki Per Spell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 3 | 1st | 2 |
| 4th | 2 | 4 | 1st | 2 |
| 5th | 2 | 4 | 1st | 2 |
| 6th | 2 | 4 | 1st | 2 |
| 7th | 2 | 5 | 2nd | 3 |
| 8th | 2 | 6 | 2nd | 3 |
| 9th | 2 | 6 | 2nd | 3 |
| 10th | 3 | 7 | 2nd | 3 |
| 11th | 3 | 8 | 2nd | 3 |
| 12th | 3 | 8 | 2nd | 3 |
| 13th | 3 | 9 | 3rd | 4 |
| 14th | 3 | 10 | 3rd | 4 |
| 15th | 3 | 10 | 3rd | 4 |
| 16th | 3 | 11 | 3rd | 4 |
| 17th | 3 | 11 | 3rd | 4 |
| 18th | 3 | 11 | 3rd | 4 |
| 19th | 3 | 12 | 4th | 5 |
| 20th | 3 | 13 | 4th | 5 |
Contents
Arcane Disciple[edit]
At 3rd level, you learn to shape your Ki into spells.
Spells of the Fist[edit]
The Way of the Arcane Fist allows its disciples learn spells from any class spell list, via special rituals and ancient practices. However, the spells they learn must abide by certain restrictions, as the Arcane Fist's teachings limit the range of spells cast using their methods. Each time a disciple of the Arcane Fist learns a spell, it must fit into one of the following categories, and abide by the specified conditions:
- A spell that requires a melee spell attack roll;
- A spell with a range of Touch;
- A spell with a range of Self (A Self-range spell that affects an area originating from you, such as Lightning Bolt, can only cast using the Grasping Mark option of your Hands-On Casting feature);
- A spell that requires a ranged spell attack roll (These spells may only be cast using the Form of the Claw option of your Hands-On Casting feature);
- A spell with a range of 120ft or less that affects individual creatures, such as Bane (These spells may only be cast using the Channeling Touch option of your Hands-On Casting feature).
- A spell with a range of 120ft or less that affects an area of effect (These spells may only be cast using the Grasping Mark option of your Hands-On Casting feature).
Cantrips Known[edit]
At 3rd level, you learn two Cantrips of your choice; You learn an additional Cantrip at 10th level. These Cantrips must abide by the rules defined by your Spells of the Fist feature.
Each time the Monk class grants you the Ability Score Improvement feature, you may replace one Cantrip granted to you by this feature with another Cantrip of your choice; The new cantrip must also abide by your Spells of the Fist feature.
Spells Known[edit]
At 3rd level, you learn three 1st-level spells of your choice. These spells must abide by the rules defined by your Spells of the Fist feature.
As you reach higher levels, you learn additional spells of your choice, as shown in the "Spells Known" column of the Arcane Fist Spellcasting table. Each spell you learn must abide by the rules defined by your Spells of the Fist feature. Additionally, you can only learn spells whose spell level is equal to or less than your "Max Spell Level Known" for your level, as defined in the column of the same name of the Arcane Fist Spellcasting table.
Each time you gain a level in this class, you may replace one Ki spell you know with another Ki spell of your choice; The new spell's level must be equal to or less than your "Max Spell Level Known" for your level, as defined in the column of the same name of the Arcane Fist Spellcasting table, and the new spell must abide by the rules defined by your Spells of the Fist feature.
Casting Ki Spells[edit]
In order to cast a Ki Spell, you must expend a number of Ki Points, as shown on the Ki Point Costs table below. The spell is cast as if from a spell slot, the level of which is based on the number of Ki Points you spend; The maximum number of Ki Points you can expend on a single casting of a spell is shown in the "Max Ki Per Spell" column of the Arcane Fist Spellcasting table.
| Spell Slot Level |
Ki Point Cost |
|---|---|
| 1st | 2 |
| 2nd | 3 |
| 3rd | 4 |
| 4th | 5 |
Spellcasting Ability[edit]
Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Arcane Fist spells, so you use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a Arcane Fist spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Hands-On Magic[edit]
At 3rd level, you learn to channel your magic through your hands directly, rather than casting it normally. This grants you the following benefits.
- Arcane Fist Strike: When you successfully hit a creature with a melee spell attack originating from a spell - Or when you target a creature with a spell that has a range of touch, and the target fails its first saving throw against the spell - You can choose to deal damage to the target as if you'd struck that target with an unarmed strike.
- Grappling Touch: While grappling or being grappled by a creature, when you cast a spell with a range of touch or a spell that requires a melee spell attack, if you cast the spell on a creature grappled by you or a creature that is grappling you, you have advantage on the first melee spell attack you make as part of that spell, and/or the target has disadvantage against the first saving throw it makes against that spell.
- Form of the Claw: When you cast a spell that requires a ranged spell attack roll, you must make a melee spell attack instead.
- Channeling Touch: When you cast a spell with a range of 120ft or less that affects individual targets rather than an area, the spell's range becomes Touch.
- Grasping Mark: When you successfully land an unarmed strike against a creature, you may choose to leave a Grasping Mark on the target; Alternatively, when you enter a square, you may choose to leave a Grasping Mark on a solid surface within the square. Your Grasping Marks are handprint-shaped arcane marks that last up to one minute. You may create a number of Grasping Marks at one time up to a number equal to your Proficiency Bonus, and creating a Mark that exceeds your limit causes the oldest Mark to vanish harmlessly.
- When you cast a spell that affects an area, such as Fireball, instead of its normal area of effect, the spell's effects instead take place in a 5ft-radius sphere centered upon each Grasping Mark that is active at the time the spell's effects take place; Thus, you could Mark a space on the floor and subject any creature within that space to the effects of Fireball, or Mark a number of creatures and subject them all to the effects of Rime's Binding Ice.
Enhanced Ki Magic[edit]
Beginning at 6th level, your Ki is enhanced with arcane power, granting you new Ki abilities.
- Crushing Grasp: When you make an Athletics heck to Grapple a target, you can expend 1 Ki Point to roll your Martial Arts Die once, and add the result to your Athletics check. Additionally, when you successfully Grapple a target, you may expend 1 Ki Point to deal Force damage to the target equal to one roll of your Martial Arts Die. You may also inflict this damage upon a target by spending 1 Ki Point as a bonus action while successfully maintaining a Grapple upon the a creature.
- Elemental Escape: Whenever you use your Patient Defense or Step of the Wind features, you can expend 1 additional Ki Point to select one damage type from among Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, Poison or Thunder damage, and gain Resistance to that type of damage until the beginning of your next turn.
- Ki Shield: Whenever you would be hit by an attack, you may spend 1 Ki Point to roll 1d4 and add the result to your AC until the beginning of your next turn, including against the triggering attack. When you reach 5th level in this class, you gain an additional +1 AC (Against the triggering attack only) when you use this feature. This increases to +2 at 11th level, and to +3 at 17th level.
- Combat Magic: Whenever you take the attack Action on your turn, you may choose to spend 1 Ki Point in order to cast a Cantrip you know in place of one of your attacks; You may replace no more than one attack per turn in this way.
Seize Arcana[edit]
Beginning at 11th level, you can spend 1 Ki Point to cast the Counterspell spell, snatching arcana from the air. Whenever you successfully counter a spell using this feature, you regain Ki Points equal to 1 + the level of the spell you successfully countered (A cantrip refunds 1 Ki Point).
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.
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