Way of the Thread (Monk subclass)

Way of the Thread
This tradition's namesake is a metaphor for the woven fabric of the multiverse, and the monks who follow this tradition dedicate themselves to an arcane path that allows them to exert some control over the weaving that either binds or separates the dimensions and their otherworldly denizens.

Good-aligned orders might act as guardians of a gateway to a different plane, or might operate as hunters of rogue fiends or fey, attempting to banish them to their plane or oblivion before they wreak havoc, or exact justice for such crimes. Neutrally-aligned orders may simply provide services related to planar travel, or may hold knowledge of planar creatures or locations that is available for all (but under their protection). Orders of evil alignment may seek to subjugate planar entities for their powers or artifacts, or may be in service of a malicious fiend, aberration or Great Old One.

Individuals who don’t belong to any order may simply have been affected by planar magic, or that they entered the service of an extraplanar being. Whatever their leanings, individuals who follow this path value the arcane knowledge of the planes as paramount and are often willing to die to obtain or protect it.

Note: ''This is a homebrew class and is untested! There might need to be changes depending on the circumstances, for better or for worse...''

Dimensional Weapons

Starting at 3rd level, you learn a ritual that creates a magical bond between yourself and one weapon. You perform the ritual over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest. The weapon must be within your reach throughout the ritual, at the conclusion of which you touch the weapon and forge the bond.

Once you have bonded a weapon to yourself, you can’t be disarmed of that weapon unless you are incapacitated or choose to do so. You can summon that weapon as a bonus action on your turn, even if it is on a different plane of existence, causing it to teleport instantly to your hand. You must have been to that plane in order to summon it, and it cannot be summoned through a barrier that protects against planar creatures or travel (such as a Magic Circle or Forcecage, for instance).

You can have up to two bonded weapons, but can summon only one at a time with your bonus action. If you attempt to bond with a third weapon, you must break the bond with one of the other two. A bonded weapon must be a monk weapon or a weapon with which you are proficient.

Also at 3rd level, you must choose a damage type to imbue your bonded weapons with from the following types: force, necrotic, psychic, or radiant. This choice extends from your soul and cannot be changed later. You can only choose one damage type. Once chosen, you can activate the imbued power by spending 1 ki point (per weapon). For one minute, an imbued dimensional weapon deals an additional 1d4 of the chosen type on a successful strike.

Planar Study

At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Arcana skill. If you are already proficient, choose one of either History or Religion.

Aberrant Protection

Starting at 6th level, at the end of a short rest, you can choose one of the following creatures: aberrations, celestials, fey, or fiends. You are protected from such creatures as under the effect of a Protection from Evil and Good spell. This effect ends if you attack one of these creatures or its allies, or target one of them with a spell that requires it to make a saving throw.

Arcane Disciplines

At level 11 you can choose one of the following disciplines, allowing you to spend ki points to cast the spells listed without providing material components. The spells cannot be cast at higher levels, you utilize your ki save DC for any saving throws required, and the spells can only be used to target specific creature types: aberrations, celestials, fey, and fiends. Otherwise all other rules for casting the spells are indicated in the spell’s description.


 * Unstable Touch: You have the ability to cast Banishment (4 ki points) and Hold Monster (5 ki points).
 * Binding Command: You have the ability to cast Magic Circle (3 ki points) and Planar Binding (5 ki points).
 * Gatekeeper: You have the ability to cast Dimension Door (4 ki points) and Teleportation Circle (5 ki points).

Additionally, as an action, you can spend one ki point to cast the spell Plane Shift without needing material components. You can spend additional ki points to target other willing creatures (1 ki point per creature to a maximum of 4 additional creatures) who must join hands in a circle as per the requirements of the spell.

Dimensional Embodiment

At 17th level, your attunement to the planes allows you to temporarily alter your form. As a bonus action you enter a state of being that draws energy from the very planes themselves. While in this form you become translucent and glow with energy, producing dim light in a 10 foot radius centered on yourself and gaining the following features:


 * You cannot turn or be turned invisible by any means. If you are invisible when you enter this form you become visible.
 * You gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
 * Your dimensional weapon damage die turns to a d8 and bypasses any resistance to its damage type.
 * If you are hit by a melee attack by a creature within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to deal damage to that creature. This damage is equal to your Wisdom score (minimum of 1) and is of your dimensional weapon type.
 * You can end this form on your turn at will (no action required).

While in this form your physical self takes a toll. You take damage at the end of each of your turns equal to one quarter your character level (rounded down). The damage is necrotic and cannot be prevented or lessened in any way (such as through resistance or immunity) until this state ends. If this damage reduces you to 0 Hit Points you must immediately make a Constitution saving throw with a DC equal to your monk level. On a success you fall unconscious and proceed to make death saving throws at the start of each of your subsequent turns as normal. On a fail, you die instantly. Being reduced to 0 Hit Points as per normal circumstances causes the effect to end.

You can also use this ability while under the form of astral projection (see level 18 class feature), however your astral form and physical body both take the damage the dimensions wreak on you. If your physical form ever takes the full amount of damage brought on by the dimensional embodiment (unless you end it willingly before the full minute expires) you must immediately make a Wisdom saving throw with a DC equal to your monk level. On a fail, you take 4d6 psychic damage and lose your astral form instantly on a fail and are transported back to your physical form immediately and suffer one point of exhaustion. On a successful save, you take half damage and your astral form remains intact, however the tethering cord is weakened: after one hour, your astral form dissipates and you return to your physical body, suffering one point of exhaustion.

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