Monk, Monastic Tradition: Way of the Aura

Overview & Creation

Similar to how Ki is an energy flowing through all living creatures in the world of D&D, every living thing in these realms have Aura, a unique, magically-concentrated soul that develops along with the holder, forming and morphing as the creature’s life goes on.

As a Monk chooses the Way of the Aura, they begin intense and structured study to understand the complex and mystical ways of the aura. Before learning to harness its power in battle, one must understand its inner workings and logic, how aura develops with you and becomes a diary recounting of your whole life. As one learns about auras, one becomes more in tune with their own, and therefore strengthens their own. Once perfectly in step with one’s soul, you are officially ready to wield your aura on the battlefield.

Weapons that are extensions of themselves are best suited for these monks, most notably their own fists, brass knuckles, darts, or staffs. Aura flows through every attack they make, adding an elemental punch to, well, every punch. As piercing or psionic are damage types, so is aura, a damage type one cannot be resistant to unless they don’t possess an aura of their own.

Class Features

At Level 2, use the same rules for Aura as you would for Ki in typical D&D.   At Level 3 feat, Aura Search: After coming into contact with a memorable character or creature, you may find and track their aura so long as they stay within 100 miles of you. This scales to 200 at Level 9, and 300 at Level 15.   Level 6 feat, Meditate: Similar to Wholeness of Body from Way of the Open Hand, spend an action in-battle or a moment out of battle to replenish hit points equal to 3 times your Monk level. Alternatively, pick one other creature to meditate on and give them these hit points instead. This scales to up to 3 other creatures at Level 12.   Level 11 feat, Replenishing Aura: Similar to Healing Hands from Way of Tranquility, gain a hit point pool equal to 10 times your Monk level to spend however you please healing others or yourself. Replenishes after a long rest, Spend an Action to heal.   Level 17 feat, Accuracy of the Soul: Similar to Unerring Accuracy from Way of the Kensei, you are now able to re-roll missed Attack rolls once per turn, does not count for Unarmed Attacks.

Starting Equipment

(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

10 darts

Spellcasting

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. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.

You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.

When you spend a ki point, it is 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.  

Patient Defense

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

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.

Subclass Options

Archetype Additions:

You have an aversion to technology and most weaponry

You have a resistance to attacks with an aura damage type

Along with the obvious battle presence the Monk class typically takes on, your connection to Aura and life-essence makes you an exquisite source of healing and restoration for your party.

Best suited for any race, but especially Kemmen or Zekari