Spiral Monk (5A)

Starfox's 5th Edition Fan Page

This is an original Monk monastic tradition for 5A.

One of the scariest things possible is when a serene monk suddenly finds enlightenment in an entirely new path, one that seems mad and destructive to sane creatures. This is the path of the spiral monk. Dancing to the notes of discordant otherworldly music, they leave the rational and disciplined paths of other monks. This is not merely a question of leaving law or goodness behind, even the most evil monk finds the path of the spiral monk abhorrent.

Greyhawk: During the Greyhawk Wars, many Scarlet brotherhood monks were seduced by the lure of Tarizdun. This path offers complete freedom from the chains of order and discipline that the spiral monk realizes they had been slaving under.

Psionic Subclasses

In 5E, psionics does not have its own classes, it is instead expressed through subclasses. The this subclass uses psionic powers, along with a number of other subclasses in the game, the artificer Archivist and Psychometrist, bard College of Whispers and Psychic, cleric Spiritualist, fighter Psi Warrior, monk Way of the Soft Whisper, Spiral Monk, rogue Soulknife, sorcerer Aberrant Mind and Mystic, and wizard Arcane Horizon and Mentalist.

Subclass Features

A monk of another monastic tradition change change to the way of the spiral monk at any time, forsaking their old monastic tradition for this one.

Free Mind

Starting when you choose this monastic tradition at 3rd level, you free yourself from any codes of conduct or morality. Any effects on you when you become a spiral monk ends. You develop your mind to resist any attempt at manipulation or restraint. You gain resistance to psychic damage.

Confounding Strikes

Starting at 6th level, your unarmed attacks can cause enemies to act irrationally. When you use the Stunning Strike ability, you have the option to confuse instead of stun. The target must make a Charisma saving throw or be Confused for 1 minute. An affected target can’t take reactions and must roll a d10 at the start of its next turn to determine its behavior for that turn.

d10	Behavior
1	The creature uses all its movement to move in a random direction. To determine the direction, roll a d8 and assign a direction to each die face. The creature doesn’t take an action this turn.
2-6	The creature doesn’t move or take actions this turn.
7-8	The creature uses its action to make a melee attack against a randomly determined creature within its reach. If there is no creature within its reach, the creature does nothing this turn.
9-10	The creature can act and move normally.

At the end of its turns, an affected target can make a Wisdom saving throw. It it succeeds, this effect ends.

Hidden Truth

At 6th level you can cast Nondetection at will and end the effect with an action and a touch. You also gain proficiency with Wisdom and Charisma saves.

Impossible Koan

At 11th level you can pose philosophical questions that shake the hearer's belief in rational reality. As a bonus action you can spend 2 points of ki to pose a question to a creature within 30 ft. who can hear and understand you. The creature is confused, as Confounding Strikes, except that there is no initial saving throw against this ability, the target is automatically confused for at least 1 round, but is allowed additional saving throws at the end of each round as with Confounding Strikes. A creature must have an Intelligence of 6 or more to be affected by this ability.

Physical Disconnection

At 17th level, you can detach your limbs from your body. They hover around you, disappearing only to reappear in different places. This gives you the following abilities:

• Your unarmed attacks have a reach of 15 feet.
• You gain a climb speed equal to your land speed.
• As a bonus action you can teleport up to 30 feet, even into places you cannot see. If the spot you arrive in is occupied, you arrive in the nearest legal space.

See Also

• Apath Spiral Monk