Monastic Tradition
**Special thanks to Joshua Egolinsky for submitting this awesome class!**
Way of the Soul Knife
Soul Knives are monks that have trained themselves to manifest their ki in the physical world. They can form semi-solid weapons with a thought and use them to channel great destructive power. Their training is focused on a specific fighting style that eventually gives them an advantage over others that use the same weapon type.
Mind Blade
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain the ability to manifest a mind blade as a bonus action. You can form any melee monk weapon with which you have proficiency. You can use a single bonus action to create two mind blades if both weapons are light and they are held in separate hands. These weapons follow the normal rules for two weapon fighting. A mind blade disappears if it leaves your hands or you are incapacitated.
A mind blade is both form and function, being a product of your training but also an extension of your inner ki. As such, it is mechanically identical to a weapon with which you are proficient, but its appearance is as unique as the monk wielding it.
Psychic Strike
Your mind blade is more than just another weapon, it is a focus for your ki. Starting at 3rd level you can expend a number of ki points, to a maximum of half your monk level, rounded down, to charge your mind blade with ki as a bonus action. Your next attack with your mind blade deals an additional 1d6 force damage for each point spent. If you are fighting with a separate mind blade in each hand, each blade can be charged, expending ki points separately for each.
Fighting Style
At 6th level your training with your mind blade branches into a specific style. You may choose one fighting style and gain the benefits listed for it. These benefits apply only to your mind blade and don’t stack with any other fighting styles from other classes.
Archery. You’ve harnessed your ki to the point where you are able to make ranged attacks with your mind blade. You can create bows, crossbows, and their ammo, and you can throw your mind blade if it has the thrown weapon property. You have proficiency with weapons created in this way. The stats for each weapon are typical for their type on the weapon chart.
Defense. You’ve learned to harness your ki and form a barrier around yourself when you manifest your mind blade. Whenever you are wielding a mind blade, an invisible barrier of extra ki surrounds your body and as a result your armor class increases by 1.
Dueling. Your focus on using a single weapon in combat allows you to use more force when attacking. Whenever you are using a single mind blade and no other weapons you gain a +2 on your damage rolls.
Two-Weapon. You are able to use two blades as if they were one, your focus no longer split between the different weapons. When using two mind blades you can add your ability modifier to the damage of your second blade. In addition, you can charge both blades with a single action or bonus action, though each incurs its own cost of ki.
Improved Fighting Style
At 11th level your dedication to a fighting style has become so advanced that you have abilities beyond a normal person when using your mind blade. The fighting style you chose at 6th level improves as listed below.
Archery. You can add your Wisdom modifier to attack and damage rolls for your ranged mind blades. This stacks with your existing bonuses to those attack. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Defense. The barrier formed by excess ki when manifesting blades has become much more potent. You gain an additional +1 bonus to your armor class (to a total bonus of +2.) You can also make it visible if you wish and it can shed dim light in a 10 foot radius while visible. It does not block line of sight or obscure you in any way.
Dueling. Your mastery of single weapon combat allows you to strike enemies when it first seemed you would miss. You gain a +2 to attack rolls when using a single mind blade. In addition, you may choose to reroll an attack if it misses as your blade shifts and bends. You must finish a short or long rest before using this ability again.
Two-Weapon. You have mastered the art of dual wielding to the point where charging both blades with a psychic strike is no longer just a single action, but also a single cost. Your maximum ki expenditure is still equal to half your monk level rounded down, but now both blades benefit equally from a single charge.
Blade Wind
At 17th level you reach the pinnacle of your control over your mind blade. As an action, you can shatter your blade into several pieces and make a single attack against each enemy within your reach. Bonuses to your attack or damage, such as from the dueling fighting style or psychic strike, apply to each target. After you use this ability, you cannot do so again until you complete a short or long rest.
Changelog: 7/13/15: Mind blade now specifies that you can only create monk weapons with which you are proficient.
7/14/15: Psychic Strike: Damage changed to 1d4 and clause removed that implied that the charge expended only on a hit (points charged are intended to be lost on a miss.)
Archery: Now specifies that you are proficient with those weapons.
Defense: Grants only +2 AC total with Improved.
7/17/15: Psychic Strike: Damage changed to 1d6. I’ll refine this with further math later. I’m afraid that the ability to blow a number of points in one round and “nova” makes 1d8 too powerful, but this is subject to change when I get around to more math.
