Way of Corporal Knowledge (5e Subclass)
Way of Corporal Knowledge[edit]
Way of Corporal Knowledge monks are specialists in the study of the bodies of both themselves and their enemies, seeking self improvement and looking for weaknesses with a keen eye and sharp mind. Monasteries of corporal knowledge tend to double as educational institutions for those wanting to further their knowledge in the medical arts, specially anatomy, and for those seeking better training methods to improve their physical attributes. Some monasteries of corporal knowledge are also places of devotion for certain divinities, in special for gods with Strength or Life on their portfolio (such as Kord and Ilmater). These monks are also masters in inflicting pain and debilitating wounds, since they can pinpoint the areas in the body of creatures in which their attacks would cause the desired outcome.
- Anatomist
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in Medicine and Nature. In addition, you gain advantage on Wisdom (Medicine) checks to discover some type of injury or characteristic on the body structure of a creature.
Finally, whenever you make a Medicine check, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll the check, and choose either result.
- Anatomical Strike
Starting at 3rd level, you become able to target the vulnerable spots in the body of your targets in order to cause pain or disable your opponents. When you hit a humanoid with a unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to perform an anatomical strike. You can choose one ability score. The creature must roll your martial arts die and subtract from any ability check, attack roll or saving throw made using the chosen score until the end of your turn.
Alternatively, you can hit a willing creature by spending 1 ki point, to end one of the following conditions on it: paralyzed, stunned, or to end any effect that causes the movement speed of that creature to be reduced. If the effect is a spell, you must make a Wisdom saving throw against the spell DC to end that effect. When you hit a willing creature, you cause no damage.
- Body Control
Also at 3rd level, you can use your ki to control your body. Whenever you make an attack roll, ability check or saving throw using your Strength, Dexterity or Constitution, but before you know if you failed or succeeded a check, you can spend 1 ki point to add your martial arts die to the result of your roll.
In addition, when you do so, if your Wisdom modifier is higher than the ability modifier used for that roll, you can use it instead.
- Target Weaknesses
At 6th level, whenever you make your anatomical strike against a creature, you cause their bones to splint a break, causing internal damage. Once in each of its turns, the target take piercing damage equal to your martial arts die any time it moves or takes an action.
This additional damage ends after the target regains at least 1 hit point, or if the target decides to spend one hit die as an action on its turn.
- Corporal Mastery
Starting at 11th level, you have reached the peak of your corporal techniques, and you gain the following benefits:
- Anatomical Flurry. Once in each of your turns when you use your Flurry of Blows, you can apply the Anatomical Strike to one of the successful unarmed strikes, without spending additional ki.
- Body Perfection. When you use your Body Control ability, you can add your martial arts die to the chosen roll for 1 minute, or until you use this ability again, but not more than once per turn.
- Touch of Pain
Starting at 17th level, when you use your anatomical strike against a creature, you can also subject that creature to a crippling pain. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw.
On a failed save, the target can't move more than 10 feet and must roll your martial arts die and subtract from any ability check it makes until the end of your next turn. In addition, if the target tries to cast a spell, it must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against your ki save DC or the spell is wasted.
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