tigerpuppy
2017-05-08, 09:28 PM
Long time lurker, first time poster. I'm always surprised at how little love the 3e Sohei got, so I've tried my level best to recreate it as a 5e monk archetype. Balance not guaranteed, and in fact I'd like feedback on that very thing. Without further ado, the Way of the Steel Soul.
-T
PS: I have searched high and low for an explanation of the acronym PEACH to no avail. Could someone please enlighten me?
Way of the Steel Soul
Monks of the Way of the Steel Soul are warrior monks, soldiers who protect the monasteries of their orders. These monks, who are also called sohei, also sometimes act as bodyguards for itinerant monks. Few orders exist which focus exclusively on this Monastic Tradition. Rather, sohei are trained alongside monks of other traditions, learning how to wield martial weapons and armor, as well as techniques which allow them to heighten their strength and speed in battle, and to shrug off physical harm and magical effects.
Bonus Proficiencies
At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, you gain proficiency in light and medium armor and three martial weapons of your choice. Martial melee weapons with which you are proficient and which do not have the Heavy or Two-Handed property are treated as monk weapons for the purposes of your Martial Arts ability. Traditional weapon choices are the naginata (glaive), katana (longsword), and yumi (longbow). While wearing light or medium armor, you lose the benefit of Unarmored Defense and Unarmored Movement.
Ki Frenzy
At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, you gain the ability to direct your Ki into a state of extraordinary focus, ignoring many of your usual physical limitations. On your turn, you can enter a ki-frenzy as a bonus action. While in a ki-frenzy, you gain the following benefits if you are not wearing heavy armor:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases with your level as shown in Table 1, below.
You regain your speed bonus, as though you were benefiting from Unarmored Movement.
On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 1 ki point to gain your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to AC. This bonus last until the end of your ki-frenzy. You may spend this ki point as part of the bonus action you use to begin your ki-frenzy.
If you are able to cast spells, you cannot cast them or concentrate on them while in ki-frenzy.
Your ki-frenzy lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your ki-frenzy on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you ki-frenzy a number of times in a day equal to your proficiency bonus, you must finish a long rest before you can ki-frenzy again.
Table 1: Ki-Frenzy Damage Bonus
Level Range
Damage Bonus
3rd-8th
+2
9th-15th
+3
16th-20th
+4
Strength of Mind
At 6th level, you become immune to the stunned condition and spells or magical effects which would cause you to become unconscious (such as the sleep spell). Additionally, if you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points and not killed outright, you remain conscious and may take either a Move or an Action every round on your turn. You make death saving throws as normal during this time (see PHB page 197). You still die if you accrue three failed death saving throws or your hit point total equals negative your hit point maximum.
Mettle
At 11th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only take half damage if you fail.
Additionally, while in your ki-frenzy, you now also gain the following benefits:
You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 3 ki points to gain proficiency with Constitution saving throws. This proficiency lasts until the end of your ki-frenzy. You may spend these ki points as part of the bonus action you use to begin your ki-frenzy.
Kiai
At 17th level, you can cow lesser foes with a powerful shout as an action. Select one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. You may spend up to 5 ki points to augment this ability, targeting one additional creature within 30 feet of you per ki point spent. If these creatures can hear you, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Ki save DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened creatures until the end of your next turn. This effect ends on a creature if the creature ends its turn more than 60 feet away from you or no longer has line of sight to you.
If a creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.
-T
PS: I have searched high and low for an explanation of the acronym PEACH to no avail. Could someone please enlighten me?
Way of the Steel Soul
Monks of the Way of the Steel Soul are warrior monks, soldiers who protect the monasteries of their orders. These monks, who are also called sohei, also sometimes act as bodyguards for itinerant monks. Few orders exist which focus exclusively on this Monastic Tradition. Rather, sohei are trained alongside monks of other traditions, learning how to wield martial weapons and armor, as well as techniques which allow them to heighten their strength and speed in battle, and to shrug off physical harm and magical effects.
Bonus Proficiencies
At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, you gain proficiency in light and medium armor and three martial weapons of your choice. Martial melee weapons with which you are proficient and which do not have the Heavy or Two-Handed property are treated as monk weapons for the purposes of your Martial Arts ability. Traditional weapon choices are the naginata (glaive), katana (longsword), and yumi (longbow). While wearing light or medium armor, you lose the benefit of Unarmored Defense and Unarmored Movement.
Ki Frenzy
At 3rd level, when you choose this tradition, you gain the ability to direct your Ki into a state of extraordinary focus, ignoring many of your usual physical limitations. On your turn, you can enter a ki-frenzy as a bonus action. While in a ki-frenzy, you gain the following benefits if you are not wearing heavy armor:
You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
When you make a melee weapon attack using Strength, you gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases with your level as shown in Table 1, below.
You regain your speed bonus, as though you were benefiting from Unarmored Movement.
On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 1 ki point to gain your Wisdom modifier as a bonus to AC. This bonus last until the end of your ki-frenzy. You may spend this ki point as part of the bonus action you use to begin your ki-frenzy.
If you are able to cast spells, you cannot cast them or concentrate on them while in ki-frenzy.
Your ki-frenzy lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your ki-frenzy on your turn as a bonus action.
Once you ki-frenzy a number of times in a day equal to your proficiency bonus, you must finish a long rest before you can ki-frenzy again.
Table 1: Ki-Frenzy Damage Bonus
Level Range
Damage Bonus
3rd-8th
+2
9th-15th
+3
16th-20th
+4
Strength of Mind
At 6th level, you become immune to the stunned condition and spells or magical effects which would cause you to become unconscious (such as the sleep spell). Additionally, if you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points and not killed outright, you remain conscious and may take either a Move or an Action every round on your turn. You make death saving throws as normal during this time (see PHB page 197). You still die if you accrue three failed death saving throws or your hit point total equals negative your hit point maximum.
Mettle
At 11th level, when you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Constitution saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only take half damage if you fail.
Additionally, while in your ki-frenzy, you now also gain the following benefits:
You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
On your turn, as a bonus action, you may spend 3 ki points to gain proficiency with Constitution saving throws. This proficiency lasts until the end of your ki-frenzy. You may spend these ki points as part of the bonus action you use to begin your ki-frenzy.
Kiai
At 17th level, you can cow lesser foes with a powerful shout as an action. Select one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. You may spend up to 5 ki points to augment this ability, targeting one additional creature within 30 feet of you per ki point spent. If these creatures can hear you, they must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your Ki save DC or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to extend the duration of this effect on the frightened creatures until the end of your next turn. This effect ends on a creature if the creature ends its turn more than 60 feet away from you or no longer has line of sight to you.
If a creature succeeds on its saving throw, you can’t use this feature on that creature again for 24 hours.