Way of the Mountain Lotus

Adapted from this homebrew.

Not all who live in the peaks of Highspire are farmers. A small but notable group gather above the cloud tops, forming the monastery of the Mountain Lotus. They train their bodies and minds in the ways of serenity, and espouse peace before all things. They have even learned methods of subduing even powerful opponents without bringing them harm.

Vows of Serenity

Followers of the Way of the Mountain Lotus take vows which hold them to a higher standard of existence.

• Peace: "Only by being at peace with yourself can you aspire to instil peace in others."
• Empathy: "To love all is to love life, for life is all, and all is you."
• Duty: "Each of your steps should sprout the seeds of kindness and compassion."
• Sacrifice: "When gentle words fail, and violence is unavoidable, your body shall be a temple of peace, your spilled blood be the medicine to those you protect."
• Forgive: "All life holds value, for with a caring hand, a wilted flower can be nurtured back to health."

Emissary of Peace

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn to impart calmness through soft words and a gentle disposition, easing the way for peace. Whenever you make a Charisma check to attempt to calm violent emotions or counsel peace, you can treat it as a Wisdom check. You also gain proficiency in the Performance or Persuasion skill (choose one).

Serene Force

Starting at 3rd level, and following your vows of non-violence, you learn to aim your Unarmed Strikes at specific pressure points, allowing you to manipulate the ki of other creatures without causing any harm. Serene Force attacks deal no damage, but instead, offer various benefits: you use your Wisdom modifier for attack rolls, and when you hit a creature on your turn you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target. Furthermore, whenever you hit a single creature three times in one round, it must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes more succeptible to your words and is considered charmed by you until the end of your next turn or until you or your companions do something harmful to it. Additionally, whenever you hit a creature with Serene Force via the Flurry of Blows ability, you can roll your martial arts die to impose one of the following effects on that target (you may only apply each effect once per turn):

• The creature subtracts the number rolled from its next attack roll
• The creature regains Hit Points equal to the number rolled + your Wisdom modifier
• The creature subtracts the number rolled from it's next saving throw
• The creature can only target you on its next turn, and adds the number rolled to the damage dealt on its next attack.
• The creature subtracts 3x the umber rolled from it's walking speed.

Lotus Guardian

At 6th level, you master the use of your own body as a shield for others. After taking the dodge action (including using the Patient Defense feature), you can impose disadvantage on any attacks made by a creature you can see against another creature that is within 5 feet of you. Additionally, whenever a creature successfully makes an attack roll against an ally within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction and spend 1 ki point to swap spaces with the target and receive the attack instead. You must do this before damage has been rolled. As part of this reaction, you may spend an additional 2 ki points to do one of the following:

• Reduce the damage of melee attacks by the attacker by half this round, and push the attacker 10 feet away from you, as long as it is no more than one size larger than you and within melee reach.
• Use your Deflect Missiles ability on a ranged weapon attack, ignoring the ki cost associated.

At 11th level, the range on both aspects of this ability increases to 10 feet.

Path of Tranquility

Beginning at 11th level, you become an island of calm in even the most chaotic of situations. At the end of a short or long rest you may gain the effects of the sanctuary spell, which uses your Ki save DC. This lasts until the ends of your next rest, but can still end early as stated in the spell description.

Martyrdom

Beginning at 17th level, you gain absolute control over your own ki, allowing you to focus all your energy into one final act of sacrifice. Choose one of the following paths:

Gift of the Martyr

You have mastered the transfer of ki between creatures, and can commit yourself to the ultimate sacrifice. Whenever a creature that is within 60 feet of you fails its last death saving throw, you can use your reaction and spend all your ki points to grant it your life force, thus negating its death. The creature immediately regains all of its hit points, and until the end of its next turn gains advantage on all attack rolls, saving throws, and ability checks. It also adds your martial arts dice to all damage rolls. As a result of the traumatic transfer of energy, you instantly die and your body turns to dust, leaving behind all of your equipment.

Pain of the Martyr

You release your ki in the purest form possible, forsaking your vows and making the ultimate sacrifice. You use your action and spend all your remaining ki points to unleash a powerful, concentrated blast of your own life energy, which encompasses everything in a 30ft radius sphere centred on you. Each creature in the area becomes blinded and deafened until the end of its next turn and must make a constitution saving throw. Roll as many d12s as you spent ki points. On a failed save, a creature takes this much force damage, or half as much damage if it is successful in the save. As a result of this brilliant explosion, you instantly die and your body turns to dust, leaving behind all of your equipment.

Type

Religious, Monastic Order

Location

Highspire