Chapter 4: New Player Options
Following are various new options created for play in this timeline. The new subclasses are designed in mind for the 2024 rules of 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, using
Subclasses Revivified for balance comparison and inspiration. They can work for other settings and timelines with minimal effort.
Lightning Draconian by Jason Engle
Noble Draconians: A variant breed of draconians originating from chromatic dragon eggs, the term "Noble Draconians" originated among members of the Brazen Horn, noting that such varieties create a greater-than-normal amount of individuals who work against the Dragonarmies by defending the oppressed and engaging in other honorable behavior.
The noble draconians are subraces of the base draconian race from
Tasslehoff's Pouches of Everything Revised. Consult that book for further information regarding draconian Player Characters.
Flame Draconian
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution increases by 1.
Size. Flame draconians typically stand just over 7 feet tall and weigh 260 to 320 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Death Throe. When you die, you explode in a flash of fire, dealing 1d6 points of fire damage to all creatures within 10 feet of you. A successful Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half.
Essence of Flame. You have Resistance against Fire damage, and you can see in and safely breathe smoke and toxic fumes generated by fire, magma, and other forms of extreme heat.
Frost Draconian
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution increases by 1.
Size. Frost draconians average around 5 feet tall with lean bodies around 100 to 140 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Death Throe. When you die, you freeze and explode in a flurry of icy shards, dealing 1d6 points of piercing damage to all creatures within 10 feet of you. A successful Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half.
Essence of Ice. You have Resistance against Cold damage, and can see normally in blizzards and walk upon ice without risk of unbalance.
Lightning Draconian
Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma increases by 1.
Size. Most lightning draconians are over 7 feet tall and have heavy frames ranging from 250 to 350 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Death Throe. When you die, your body explodes in arcs of electricity, dealing 1d6 points of lightning damage to all creatures within 10 feet of you. A successful Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half.
Divine Inspiration. You know the Thaumaturgy cantrip. When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn Heroism and Prayer of Healing respectively. You always have such spells prepared, can cast them once without a spell slot, and regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. You choose either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for spells you cast with this trait.
Vapor Draconian
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom increases by 1.
Size. Most vapor draconians are around 6 feet tall and are more muscular than frost and venom draconians, weighing around 180 to 240 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Death Throe. When you die, your flesh turns into clouds of corrosive vapor, dealing 1d6 points of acid damage to all creatures within 10 feet of you. A successful Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half.
Nature's Bond. You know the Druidcraft cantrip and Resistance against a particular damage type based on your Natural Bond. When you reach character levels 3 and 5, you learn two more spells based upon your Natural Bond. You always have such spells prepared, can cast them once without a spell slot, and regain the ability to cast it in that way when you finish a Long Rest. You can also cast the spell using any spell slots you have of the appropriate level. You choose either Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for spells you cast with this trait.
| Natural Bond | Level 1 | Level 3 | Level 5 |
| Air | Lightning Resistance | Fog Cloud | Gust of Wind |
| Animal | Poison Resistance | Animal Friendship | Animal Messenger |
| Earth | Acid Resistance | Thunderwave | Heat Metal |
| Plant | Necrotic Resistance | Goodberry | Barkskin |
Venom Draconian
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity increases by 1.
Size. Most venom draconians are around 6 feet tall with thin builds, averaging 170 to 200 pounds. Your size is Medium.
Death Throe. When you die, your body dissolves into a rapidly-expanding foul-smelling pool, dealing 1d6 points of poison damage to all creatures on the ground within 10 feet of you. A successful Dexterity saving throw reduces this damage by half.
Poisonous Bite. You have a bite attack that is treated as an Unarmed Strike with the Finesse property, dealing 1d6 points of Piercing damage. Upon a successful hit, you can release venom stored in your saliva glands as a free action, dealing a further 2d6 Poison damage. Once used this way, you cannot use this venom until the end of your next Short or Long Rest. Venom draconians are immune to their own venom as well as that of other venom draconians.
Artificer Gnome OC by DiogoYY
Barbarian Path of the War Machine
The onset of the Dark Queen's War didn't reach the gnomish homeland of Sancrist, but they took notice of the Dragonarmy threat to the east all the same. Many gnomes who specialize in warfare and weaponsmithing visited the mainland, coming to the aid of invaded kingdoms. Conventional fortifications and tactics proved impractical against dragons and other monsters marching under the Dragonarmy banners. Instead of imagining such creatures as enemy combatants, gnomish scientists likened them instead to living mobile siege engines. To best counter their assault, the gnomes of Mount Nevermind created constructs that could serve the same role! The diaspora after the destruction of said homeland put many of these military scientists in contact with various resistance groups. While far from subtle, Barbarians of the Path of the War Machine are gaining a fearsome reputation on both sides of battle.
Level 3: Personal Vehicle
You are fluent in the Gnomish language if you are not already so. You also gain proficiency with Tinker's Tools, and add twice your Proficiency Bonus on tool checks with such tools.
You gain a War Machine. It is an object with an Armor Class of 13 + your Constitution modifier; Speed of 40 Feet; Hit Points equal to 5, plus 5 times your Barbarian level; immunity to poison and psychic damage; and resistance to cold, fire, and lightning damage. The War Machine becomes Broken if reduced to 0 hit points. The War Machine recovers the same amount of damage that you do when you expend Hit Dice to heal during a Short Rest, and fully recovers on a Long Rest.
The War Machine is Large sized and has one of two Forms: a mech, which is a bipedal construct with limbs capable of fine manipulation; or a tank, which is a construct with treads that ignore difficult terrain. The War Machine has a Primary Weapon and a Secondary Weapon, and such weapons can be changed to another of their type at the end of a Long Rest. You can choose to add either your Strength or Dexterity modifier to the attack and damage rolls of these weapons, and you add your Rage Damage to these weapons.
Should you wish to transport your War Machine somewhere otherwise inaccessible, you can spend 1 minute disassembling it into foldable parts. The weight of these parts is negligible, and one other creature can assist you in the disassembly by halving the time. It takes an equivalent amount of time to reassemble the War Machine.
If you ever lose your War Machine or it's destroyed, you can build a new one as part of a Long Rest. A War Machine is clearly the result of unstable gnomish technology and is thus worthless in value to most marketplaces. Even in cultures that appreciate such work, vendors are more interested in your personal capabilities than the vehicle in and of itself.
Buzzsaw [Primary Weapon]: 1d12 slashing; Cleave Mastery
Cannon [Primary Weapon]: 1d12 piercing; Ammunition (range 40/120; cannonball/shell), Loading; Sap Mastery
Drill [Primary Weapon]: 2d6 piercing; Graze Mastery
Flamethrower [Primary Weapon]: 1d12 fire; Ammunition (20 foot cone; canister), Loading, Special (targets catch on fire on failed Dexterity save)
Storm Gun [Primary Weapon]: 1d12 lightning; Ammunition (range 80/240; battery), Loading, Special (deals half damage to 1 adjacent target); Vex Mastery
Wrecking Ball [Primary Weapon]: 2d6 bludgeoning; Push Mastery
Double-Bolt Launcher [Secondary Weapon]: 1d10 piercing; Ammunition (range 60/180; bolts), Special (Cleave Mastery works at range instead of melee); Cleave Mastery
Grapnel Launcher [Secondary Weapon]: 1d10 piercing; Ammunition (range 120/360; bolts) Special (target struck is pulled 30 feet towards War Machine if smaller size); Slow Mastery
Megaton Punch [Secondary Weapon]: 1d10 bludgeoning; Topple Mastery
Spiked Limbs/Treads [Secondary Weapon]: 1d10 slashing; Graze Mastery
Level 3: Custom Job
At the end of a Long Rest, you can fit two Attachments to the War Machine. At 7th level you can fit up to three Attachments at a time, and 4 Attachments at 15th level. You must be piloting your War Machine in order to use its Attachments.
Ablative Plating [7th level requirement]: You can cast Protection from Energy on yourself as a Reaction. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Aerial Thrusters [15th level requirement]: Your War Machine gains a Flying speed equal to its walking speed, and its interior is airtight and provides an indefinite amount of breathable atmosphere.
Amphibious: Your War Machine gains a Swimming speed equal to its walking speed, and its interior is airtight and provides an indefinite amount of breathable atmosphere.
Atmospheric Sealing: Your War Machine is immune to all damage from nonmagical environmental hazards, and provides this immunity to anyone inside it. The War Machine's interior is airtight and provides an indefinite amount of breathable atmosphere.
Burst Fire Capability: choose one of your Primary Weapons or Secondary Weapons with the Loading property. It loses this property while you have this Attachment active.
Decoy Flare [7th level requirement]: When you or a target within 60 feet of you is targeted by a ranged weapon or spell attack or hostile area of effect, you can spend a Reaction to counter the attack. You add your Proficiency Bonus plus your Strength modifier and compare it either to the attack roll or save DC. On an equal or higher result, the attack is nullified and doesn't take effect. You can use this ability once per Short Rest.
Floodlights [7th level requirement]: as an Action, your War Machine can emit a 30 foot cone of bright light and dim light for an additional 30 feet. You can also turn these lights off as an Action. If you turn on the floodlights and there are creatures within the bright light Area of Effect, they must make a Dexterity saving throw or be Blinded until the end of your next turn. Merely walking into or witnessing the floodlights after they're already on doesn't blind creatures.
Ghost Vision [7th level and Night Vision requirements]: you gain the constant benefits of See Invisibility while inside your War Machine, and can see ethereal creatures and objects up to 60 feet away. If this See Invisibility is dispelled, you can reactivate it as a Bonus Action.
Internal Forge: your War Machine is equipped with non-removable gear that is treated as a set of Alchemist's Supplies, Glassblower's Tools, Mason's Tools, Potter's Tools, Smith's Tools, and Tinker's Tools for the purposes of crafting items, and they grant advantage on relevant ability checks using said tools. Your War Machine can autonomously craft items using the appropriate tools for up to 8 hours a day without your direct input or oversight, provided that you have the appropriate materials of what is to be crafted ahead of time within your vehicle.
Magnetic Field: as an Action, you can generate a short burst of intense magnetism originating from your War Machine. All objects containing or consisting of ferrous metals of Large or smaller size within 30 feet move adjacent to your War Machine if they are not blocked by existing creatures or objects . If an applicable creature or object is held, worn, or primarily made up of ferrous metals, they must succeed on a Strength saving throw, moving adjacent to your War Machine on a failure. The magnetic force is strong enough to rip nails and smaller metal items from fastenings and containers, potentially causing damage to objects and rendering them unable to be properly used. You can use this ability once per Long Rest.
Mecha-Tank: You gain the benefits of the other form not chosen for your War Machine: limbs for fine manipulation or ignoring difficult terrain.
Night Vision: you gain Darkvision out to 60 feet while inside your War Machine. If you already have Darkvision, extend its range by 60 feet.
Personal Thrusters: Your Speed increases by 20 feet, and you can cast the Jump spell without expending a spell slot.
Radio [7th level requirement]: you learn the Message cantrip, and can cast Sending once per Long Rest. Neither set of spells require material components. When casting Message using this Attachment, its range increases to 600 feet and is instead blocked by at least 5 feet of stone, metal, or wood.
Remote Control: you can remotely pilot your War Machine. You can use your normal sense types as though you were piloting it, but are Blinded and Deafened while controlling it in this matter. Any actions or attacks the War Machines makes require the expenditure of your own relevant actions in order to use. You do not gain any benefits from being inside the War Machine when remote-controlling it, and must remain within 300 feet of the War Machine in order to continue controlling it in such a manner.
Roomy: up to a total of 4 Medium or Small creatures (including yourself) can fit into inside your War Machine. If your War Machine is Huge, you can fit up to 8 Medium or Small creatures, and if Gargantuan (see Titanic Attachment below), can fit up to 16 medium or Small creatures. A Large creature counts as 4 Medium creatures, and Tiny creatures are small enough to not count for the purposes of fitting creatures inside the vehicle.
Siege Equipment [7th level requirement]: you can choose a single piece of Siege Equipment as a Secondary Weapon. The Siege Equipment is integrated with the War Machine itself and thus has no size nor takes up additional space, although it still requires creatures to load, aim, and fire it. You can choose from Ballistae, Gatling Crossbows, Flamethrower Coaches, Keg Launchers, Rams, and Suspended Cauldrons. At 10th level you can also choose from Mangonels and Lightning Cannons. At 13th level, you can choose from Cannons and Trebuchets, although your War Machine must be Huge size in order to have a Trebuchet installed.
Spy Drone: you can cast the Find Familiar spell without expending a spell slot. The familiar's type is a Construct, and when seeing through its senses via Telepathic Connection you can make an attack with one of your War Machine's Primary or Secondary Weapons. If a target doesn't have cover from your familiar, then it doesn't have cover from these weapon attacks in such a manner. If your familiar is within 100 feet of the target, then you also don't suffer disadvantage on attack rolls against the target when using these weapons. If you replace this Attachment with another, then your familiar disappears.
Shield Deflectors: as a Reaction, you can grant the damage Resistances of your War Machine (and Barbarian Rage if activated) to any adjacent targets of your choice until the end of your next turn. The targets must remain adjacent to you in order to benefit from these Resistances.
Stun Rounds [15th level requirement]: you can choose to knock out rather than kill creatures with your Primary and Secondary Weapons, even if they're ranged or spell attacks. Once per Short Rest, a creature struck by one of these weapons must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Stunned for up to 1 minute. They can make a new saving throw at the end of each of its turns to recover from the condition.
Titanic [10th level requirement, Huge size]: your War Machine is now Gargantuan in size. It adds 5 feet to its natural reach, and adds a total of two bonus damage dice to its weapon attacks.
Trample: as an Action, your War Machine can move up to its speed. Any object or creature within its path must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 damage plus your Strength modifier and be knocked prone. A successful save halves the damage. Your War Machine automatically moves through the spaces of equal and smaller sized objects and creatures, but your movement automatically ends if it collides with a creature or object of larger size which is not reduced to 0 hit points as the result of your Trample.
Turbo Boost: as a Bonus Action, you can quadruple your War Machine's speed types. At the end of your turn, your War Machine's speed types become 0 until the end of your next turn.
Versatile Arsenal: you can add a single Secondary Weapon to your War Machine. You can only use one such weapon at a time per turn.
Level 6: Next-Generation Design
Whenever you deal damage with your War Machine's Primary and Secondary Weapons, they can deal your choice of either their normal damage type or Force damage.
You can also choose your War Machine to become Huge size at the end of a Long Rest, and can change its size back to Large the same way. While Huge, your Primary and Secondary Weapons deal an additional weapon die of damage, and its Hit Points are 6, plus 6 times your Barbarian level.
Level 10: Structural Improvements
Your War Machine adds +2 to its Armor Class, and has Resistance either to Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. You can change this Resistance at the end of a Long Rest.
At the end of a Long Rest, you can choose one of your War Machine's Primary Weapons or Secondary Weapons to be portable. They can be attached or removed to the War Machine as an Action. While removed they can be wielded by you, but only when you are in a Barbarian Rage.
Level 14: BFG
You add a new unique weapon added to your War Machine at no cost; it is neither a Primary or Secondary Weapon. As an Action, you can fire this weapon, releasing a powerful blast of energy. Choose a point within 600 feet that you can see. All creatures and objects in a 20 foot radius take a number of d10 Force damage equal to half your Barbarian level (rounded down) plus 2. A Dexterity save halves this damage. Once you use this ability, you cannot use it again until you finish a Long Rest.
Laurana Kanann Fanart by Mike Perry
Fighter Officer Martial Archetype
People of all professions and walks of life can lead others in battle, but only Fighters of the Officer archetype prove both competent and courageous enough to turn their warriors into a stellar fighting force. Such people can be found all across Ansalon, and even should they not be renowned, Officers have a knack for attracting eager followers inspired by their actions and demeanor.
Level 3: Grit
You have advantage on all saving throws to avoid or end the Charmed and Frightened conditions.
Level 3: Able-Bodied Recruits
As part of a Long Rest, you can make contact with a group of up to four creatures known as Recruits who will answer your summons. In a village or larger population center, they will arrive at the end of your next Long Rest. Recruits use your choice of Bandit, Guard, or Warrior Infantry stats upon arrival in any combination, will be Friendly to you and your party, obey your orders provided they're not blatantly self-destructive, and have Advantage on ability checks and saving throws to avoid acting against your interests. Alternatively, you can instead recruit up to eight Commoners or a single Priest Acolyte. They will remain with you until they die, you're inexorably separated from each other, or until you use this ability again. In regards to the final circumstance, any lost Recruits are replaced with newcomers, and existing Recruits must depart your presence to make room if the amount exceeds the maximum number you can have at a time.
The DM might allow you to recruit other ally types of different stat blocks. Such Recruits must be capable of sharing a language with which you speak, be reasonably "humanoid" (opposable thumbs, intelligent and free-willed, and capable of maintaining a civilization), and follow the following CR guidelines: 0 for 8 allies, CR ⅛ for 4 allies, and CR ¼ or less for a single ally.
At 7th level, you can instead gain up to 4 Recruits with the Scout or Tough stat blocks (CR ½), or a single Recruit with the Cultist Fanatic, Druid, Mage Apprentice, or Priest stat block (CR 2). At 11th level, you can recruit up to 4 allies with the Pirate or Spy stat blocks (CR 1), or a single ally with the Knight, Scout Captain, or Warrior Veteran stat blocks (CR 3). At 15th level you can now recruit 4 allies with the Bandit Captain or Berserker stat blocks (CR 2), or a single ally with Guard Captain or Tough Boss stat blocks (CR 4). As usual, Recruits using other stat blocks with the same CR range can be allowed per DM discretion.
Level 7: Defensive Countermeasures
When a target within 60 of you who can see or hear you is subject to an attack or effect requiring a saving throw, you can spend a Reaction to grant disadvantage on the incoming attack or grant advantage on the saving throw. Alternatively, you can use the Help action on the ally, ignoring its normal range limitation. You can use this a number of times equal to your Proficiency Bonus per Long Rest.
Level 10: Follow My Lead
When you take the Attack action, you can voluntarily give up any number of attacks performed by your Attack action to grant an equal number of allied targets within 60 feet who can see or hear you the ability to spend a Reaction in order to make a single attack or cast a damaging cantrip.
Level 15: Lead By Example
When you succeed on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can spend a Reaction and choose a target within 60 feet who can see you. If they then perform the same action or are affected by the same effect, they can forgo rolling a D20 Test and choose to use your result instead. Once you use this ability, you can no longer use it until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 18: Warlord
Any allied target who is affected by your Follow My Lead feature gains 20 Temporary Hit Points. Additionally, you double the number of Recruits you can summon when using Able-Bodied Recruits.
Flying Guillotine Concept Sketch by Ubermonster
Monk Way of the Hydra
Originating among the reclusive Ran-Eli people of the Misty Isle of eastern Ansalon, the Way of the Hydra represents a practitioner of multiple forms of martial arts. By mastering a variety of weapons and stances, a warrior can adapt to any situation. Also known as Hydra Warriors, they make use of Combos, special abilities that require particular attacks and maneuvers to be used to build up to a devastating strike.
Level 3: Fighting Stances
You learn your choice of 2 Fighting Stances. Fighting Stances can be activated either as a free action once initiative is rolled or after you perform a Finisher, but you can only have one Fighting Stance at a time. You learn one more Fighting Stance of your choice at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels, and you can trade in one Fighting Stance you know for another one any time you gain a level.
Level 3: Combos
You have a Combo Meter, which makes use of special abilities known as Combos which help you accumulate Combo Points. Combos are separated into three types: Opener, Chain, and Finisher. You can only use Chains in a Stance which you currently have active. When you use a Chain or appropriate Monk class feature, you add 1 Combo Point to your Combo Meter, even if the action involving the Chain is unsuccessful. Your maximum Combo Meter is equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You need a minimum of 2 Combo Points in order to perform a Finisher, which resets your Combo Meter to 0 upon activation.
These Actions serve as Chains which can be used to add to the Combo Meter: Attack, Disengage, Dodge, Grapple, and Shove.
These Monk class features can also be used to add 1 Combo to the Combo Meter: Deflect Attacks, Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, Step of the Wind, Stunning Strike.
Class features which replicate the effects of a specific action type, such as Flurry of Blows replicating Attacks, aren't cumulative. They only add 1 Combo to the Combo Meter per use in a round.
Openers are performed as part of activating a Fighting Stance. Their benefits last for the duration of combat, until the last hostile creature reaches 0 hit points or is otherwise rendered unable to fight back, or until you switch to a new Fighting Stance. Like Combos, you can only use Openers part of your current Fighting Stance.
All Openers, Chains, and Finishers use the below format:
[Name]: Opener/Chain/Finisher; [action type]; [Focus cost]; [effect description]
Level 6: Learn by Observation
You learn to apply the versatility of the Hydra to more peaceful pursuits. You have a floating proficiency in one skill and one tool each, both of which are chosen at the end of a Long Rest. In order to gain proficiency in an appropriate skill or tool, you must observe its use or instruction by an allied creature as part of the Long Rest.
Level 11: Diverse Style
You can make use of any Chains not part of a currently activated Fighting Stance for the purposes of gaining Combo Points.
Level 17: Many-Headed Perspective
You can freely mix and match Openers, Chains, and Finishers of any Fighting Stances you know in any combination. You can still only have a single Fighting Stance and a single Opener's benefits active at a time.
Drunken Master Stance
From alcoholic beverages to hallucinogenic drugs, this stance teaches one how to derive strength from otherwise intoxicating substances. While you have this stance active, you gain Resistance against Poison damage and advantage on saving throws against effects that inflict the Poisoned condition. If you already have one or both benefits, you instead can delay the effects of Poison damage or the Poisoned condition until the end of your next turn, at which point they take effect.
Liquid Courage: Opener; you immediately Utilize a drinkable item on your person, such as a magic potion or beverage. You have Resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing as long as you have 1 point in your Combo Meter.
Stumbling Strike: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; move up to your Speed and make a single melee or thrown weapon attack. This movement avoids Opportunity Attacks, and the targeted creature must succeed on a Dexterity save or suffer the Prone condition.
Revitalize: Chain; 1 bonus action; 1 Focus Point; spend a number of Hit Dice equal to twice your Proficiency Bonus, adding your Constitution modifier to each die, to a minimum result of 1 hit point per Hit Die. You heal that amount of damage. These Hit Dice are deducted from your total for the purposes of healing during a Short Rest and the amount of Hit Dice recovered during a Long Rest.
Inebriated Clarity: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; all targets of your choice within 30 feet take 2d6 Poison damage and suffer -2 to their Armor Class until the end of your next turn. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Hunting Owl Stance
This stance opens the monk's awareness into the opponent's spiritual essence. With this, they can target their weaknesses and supernaturally follow their movements. While you have this stance active, you can substitute your Wisdom modifier in place of Intelligence for Arcana, History, Investigation, Nature, and Religion checks, and gain expertise in one of those skills of your choice.
Lock On: Opener; you can cast Hunter's Mark without the use of a spell slot for as long as this Opener is active. If you have spell slots, you can use them to cast the spell with a higher-level spell slot. Using a Bonus Action to move the mark to a new creature adds 1 to your Combo Meter.
Stalk Prey: Chain; 1 reaction; 1 Focus Point; if a creature you Studied or is affected by your Hunter's Mark moves away from you, you move up to your Speed towards them.
Know Your Enemy: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a weapon attack or Unarmed Strike against a creature. Hit or miss, you then immediately Study them.
Exploitable Opportunity: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; choose an opponent that you Studied this combat within 60 feet. They take 2d6 psychic damage and suffer disadvantage on a saving throw of your choice until the end of your next turn. The damage increases for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Iron Hand Stance
From money to weapons to spells, those in power throughout history have ready-made excuses for why they deny the very tools they use to the common folk. The Iron Hand was developed to equalize the playing field, teaching people how to turn the tools of commoners into deadly weapons and traps. While you have this stance active, you are proficient in improvised weapons, which deal 1d8 damage of a type the DM thinks appropriate for the object, have the Finesse property, and have a normal range of 30 feet and a long range of 120 feet when thrown. You can also choose one Mastery of your choice from the following list to apply to improvised weapons while you have this Fighting Stance active: Sap, Slow, or Topple.
A World of Harm: Opener; you designate a number of 10 foot by 10 foot squares within 120 feet equal to your Proficiency Bonus to have harmful potential. You or any allied creature can activate any of these squares with the Utilize action. The first form of activation turns a square into a trap that deals 2d6 damage to anyone who passes through them, imposing the Prone condition on a failed Dexterity saving throw until the end of the creature's next turn, with a successful save halving the damage and avoiding the condition. Alternatively, a square can be activated to turn into a number of improvised weapons equal to your Proficiency Bonus. Such alterations are temporary, and become harmless once initiative is no longer being tracked.
Bleeding Counter: Chain; 1 reaction; 1 Focus Point; you deal slashing damage equal to your weapon damage dice to a single hostile target that attacked you and is within your natural reach. The target takes this damage again at the start of their next turn, or if they receive magical healing or a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) check.
Traitorous Blade: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; you make an opposed Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against a target creature's escape DC as if this were a grapple (DC= 8 + Proficiency Bonus + Strength modifier). On a success, you deal damage to the target with its own Unarmed Strike, held melee weapon, or natural weapon as though it successfully attacked itself.
Sunder: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a weapon attack against a single target. The attack deals 4d6 Force damage to both the target and one held item, armor, shield, or weapon. If the item is destroyed, it violently splinters and deals that much damage to an adjacent creature or object of your choice. Consumable magic items can be destroyed this way, but permanent magic items instead become nonfunctional until the next Short Rest. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Primal Glow Stance
This stance focuses on drawing from the elemental building blocks of creation, empowering the monk with metaphysical energies. While you have this stance active, you gain Resistance to your choice of either acid, cold, fire, lightning, necrotic, or radiant damage. This damage type is treated as your affiliated damage type for your Openers, Chains, and Finishers.
Elemental Light: Opener; emit a glowing aura from your body, shedding bright light of a color of your choice in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. Creatures within the dim light radius lose their Resistance to your affiliated damage type if they have it, and those within the bright light radius gain Vulnerability to this damage type if they are not already Resistant or Immune.
Energy Aura: Chain; 1 bonus action; 1 Focus Point; All hostile creatures who move adjacent to you or remain adjacent at the start of their turns take 1d6 affiliated damage.
Energy Blast: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; you gain a special ranged weapon attack using your choice of your Dexterity or Wisdom modifier for attack and damage rolls, with a range of 80/320 feet. On a hit, it deals 1d6 affiliated damage. You can perform an additional Energy Blast when using this Chain at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels, rolling separately for each attack.
Energy Dash: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; you move up to your Speed in a direction of your choice. You automatically pass through any creatures and objects as your form temporarily becomes incorporeal energy, dealing 2d6 affiliated damage to affected targets. Targets can halve the damage with a Dexterity save. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Subtle Cut Stance
This stance teaches the art of misdirection, taking advantage of enemy perception to weather away their morale. While you have this stance active, you gain Darkvision out to 60 feet. If you already have Darkvision, you instead add 60 feet to the current value.
Shadowstep: Opener; you move up to half your Speed and Hide, avoiding Opportunity Attacks.
Dazing Strike: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a melee or ranged weapon attack against a creature. On a hit, either yourself or an allied creature within 60 feet gains the benefit of Half Cover against the struck creature until the end of your next turn.
Frightful Vision: Chain; 1 bonus action; 1 Focus Point; create an illusionary sensory effect within 30 feet. A creature of your choice within 30 feet that witnesses the effect must make a Wisdom save or suffer the Frightened condition until the end of your next turn in regards to that effect. The illusion lasts until the target creature is no longer Frightened of it.
Darkness Falls: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point. Make a single Unarmed Strike attack, affecting all targets of your choice within 15 feet. On a hit, the attack deals 2d6 Force damage, and the targets must make a Constitution save or suffer the Blinded condition until the end of your next turn. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Titan's Charge Stance
This stance teaches the monk to turn their grace into a strength all its own, using a creature's size and brute force against them. While you have this stance active, you are proficient in the Athletics skill and can substitute your Dexterity modifier in place of Strength for checks using this skill. If you're already proficient in Athletics, you gain expertise in it instead.
Inner Strength: Opener; you add your Wisdom modifier to Strength checks and Strength saving throws, to a minimum of a +1 bonus, as long as this Opener is active. You are treated as a Large creature for the purposes of performing and resisting grapple and shove attempts. At 5th level, you're treated as a Huge creature, and Gargantuan at 11th level for these same purposes.
Uppercut: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make an Unarmed Strike against a creature. On a hit, you vertically move the creature up to 20 feet straight up or 15 feet diagonally. The creature takes appropriate falling damage and suffers the Prone condition.
Wrathful Throw: Chain; 1 bonus action; 1 Focus Point; throw a grappled creature or held object up to 20 feet away. If it hits another creature or object, they and that creature/object take 2d6 + your Strength or Dexterity modifier damage. The damage type is usually bludgeoning, but can be other types as per DM discretion.
Crater Strike: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a weapon attack against a single target. This attack deals 4d6 bonus damage of the weapon's damage type, and one 5 foot cube below them dissolves if it contains nonmagical solid material. If the cube below them is empty air (for instance, standing on top of a rickety bridge) the target begins to fall; otherwise they become Restrained until the end of your next turn. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Vigilant Eye Stance
This stance emphasizes guarding one's allies in battle, giving the monk enhanced awareness and reflexes against all manner of dangers. While you have this stance active, you gain Blindsight out to a number of feet equal to 10 times your Proficiency Bonus.
Chosen Charges: Opener; you choose a number of allied creatures equal to your Proficiency Bonus to be your Chosen Charges. As long as you and a Chosen Charge are on the same plane of existence, you are aware of their location, their current Hit Points, and any conditions they currently have.
Take the Blow: Chain; 1 reaction; 1 Focus Point; if one of your Chosen Charges would be subject to an attack or dangerous effect, you can use this ability to move up to your speed, avoiding Opportunity Attacks. If they are within your natural reach at the end of this movement, you can swap places with them to take the effect instead.
Team Attack: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a melee weapon attack or Unarmed Strike against a target. One of your Chosen Charges can then make an Opportunity Attack against that target if they are also within reach.
Shield Wielded By Many: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; all hostile creatures adjacent to your Chosen Charges must make a Strength save. On a failure, they take 2d6 Force damage and move 10 feet away from the Chosen Charge. A successful save halves the damage and negates the forced movement for the creature that made the save. A target can only be damaged this way once per use of this Finisher. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
Windcaller Stance
This stance focuses around the use of ranged weapons, manipulating air currents that better guide their strikes. While you have this stance active, you are proficient in all martial and improvised ranged weapons.
Far Channel: Opener; you can apply the benefits of your Martial Arts Die, Stunning Strike, and Empowered Strikes to ranged weapons. You reduce the benefits of Cover by one step (Total to Three-Quarters, Three-Quarters to Half, Half to none) to any targets you attack with ranged weapons.
Overwatch: Chain; 1 reaction; 1 Focus Point; make a ranged weapon attack against a creature within normal weapon range.
Pinning Strike: Chain; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; make a ranged weapon attack against a creature. On a hit, the target also suffers the Restrained condition until the end of your next turn.
Rain of Arrows: Finisher; 1 action; 1 Focus Point; choose a point that you can see within normal range of a thrown or ranged weapon you are wielding. All objects and creatures within 20 feet of that point take 2d6 Force damage, and make a Dexterity saving throw for half damage. The damage increases by 2d6 for every additional Combo Point above the minimum required amount to spend.
New Equipment
Gatling Crossbow (Siege Equipment):
Large Object; Armor Class 17; Hit Points 75
Crossbow Volley (Requires Load and Aim). Dexterity Saving Throw: DC 15 each creature in a 20-foot-by-20-foot square within 120 feet. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
A Gatling Crossbow is six heavy crossbows arranged in a vertical circle on a wheeled cart, with ammunition fed into the cartridges via an intricate looping network of belts. Loading a Gatling Crossbow requires the Utilize action, and aiming it requires another Utilize action. Then a crew member can take the Crossbow Volley action.
New Spells
Extract Information
4th-level divination (Bard, Cleric, Wizard)
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 10 feet
Components: V, S, M (a fist-sized glass orb worth 200 gold pieces)
Duration: Instantaneous
You forcefully delve into a conscious target's mind. You verbally state a question or desired piece of knowledge at the start of casting this spell. At the end of the casting time, you retrieve the knowledge from the target's mind, which is embedded within the material component. The target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a success, the information is fragmented, appearing as dark wisps inside the orb. Such information is impossible to discern without the use of a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check by a spellcaster that takes place over a Long Rest, at which point the orb shatters. On a failure, the information is as clear as it is in the target's mind, appearing as clear visual fragments on the orb's surface. The information can be perceived in detail by anyone using Detect Magic, Detect Thoughts, or similar spells on the material component. Telepathy and Truesight also count as such spells for the purposes of viewing the contained information.
Intercept Divination
3rd-level divination (Bard, Wizard)
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: 300 feet
Components: S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You subtly "hijack" a perceived target's casting of a spell of the divination school within this spell's range. You can perceive what the target perceives for as long as they maintain casting of the hijacked divination spell or until the end of Interception Divination's duration, whichever comes first.
