Martial Stances
5-Level Monk Feature
Beginning at 5th level, you can channel your ki into your entire body and enter martial stances that empower your martial prowess.
Each stance provides you with abilities and benefits that enhance existing monk features and may provide you with new features. Starting at 5th level, you master two of the stances which are detailed here. You master one additional stance at 8th level and 11th level.
As a free action on your turn, you can enter a martial stance
that you know. (You can only use 1 free action a turn.) You
retain the benefits of any stance that was active during the
turn until the end of your turn. When you first enter a martial
stance this combat, it costs 2 ki. You can switch into and out
of that stance for 1 minute.
All stances allow you to end your stance early by performing
a martial flourish. Your martial flourish ends the effects of the
stance at the end of your current turn or when you switch
stances. After performing a martial flourish for a stance, you
cannot use that stance again until you have completed a short
or long rest.
Your martial stances ends if you run out of ki points, or are
knocked unconscious. You can only have two stances
available at a time.
The ki control, body awareness, and mental focus that is
required to maintain ki circulation for different martial
stances in combat is incredibly high. Your martial stances
automatically end if you are raging or in a wild shape. If you
have an active martial stance, you have a -10 penalty on
concentration checks.
Ease of movement and range of motion is imperative for a
monk who is performing martial stances during combat. If
you are wearing heavy armor, you will not be able to enter
new martial stances or perform martial flourishes.
Martial Waltz After entering a martial stance, you are able to maintain ki
circulation of one other martial stance. This allows you to
dynamically adjust your combat strategies and your tactics
when learning new information about your foes, the terrain,
and your allies.
Changing stances for different situations allows you to
maintain offense whilst also maximizing your defenses and
evasive abilities. A master monk is cognizant of both their
internal ki and the ki of the world around them. This
technique will place a burden on your ki expenditure and
require you to make split-second decisions when things go
awry. The usage of your martial flourishes will drastically
change the tides of battle, but will expend the ki you have
invested in that stance. Will your monk plunge into the fray
with their martial flourishes or will they play it safe and
maintain their defensive strategy?
