Way of Sendō (5e Subclass)
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Way of Sendō[edit]
| “ | What is 'courage'? 'Courage' is knowing fear and making that fear your own! Losing your breath is fear! But when you control your fear, you can breathe regularly! Hamon breathing is the result of courage! Human praise is the praise of human courage! Human greatness is the greatness of human courage!. | ” |
| —William Antonio Zeppeli | ||
The Way of Sendō is one not known by many monasteries, let alone practiced; only 1 in 1,000 know the secrets to the fighting style known as Sendō. The art of Sendō is one that focuses on ripples created through calm and collected breathing, manifesting an ability known as "Hamon", containing powers similar to the energy of the sun. Hamon masters usually use this art to either harm or heal, manifesting as yellow crackles of lightning or a soft multicolored glow, usually around their arms.
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| Will A. Zeppeli, demonstrating Hamon waves. (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood anime, Episode 4: Overdrive) |
Upon choosing this Monastic Tradition at 3rd level, whether a master has taught you, a stranger jabbed their little finger in your diaphragm, or it began to manifest, you gain access to the mystical ability known as "Hamon." Minor uses for Hamon could be holding a liquid within an upside down container, hardening dead leaves to the toughness of cloth, or healing minor cuts. However, to use it to its fullest potential requires courage, steady breathing, and ki.
Hamon[edit]
As a bonus action, you can spend 1 ki point to infuse your unarmed strikes or any conductive object with Hamon for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier + half your proficiency bonus (minimum of 1). Whenever you attack, you deal additional damage equal to your Martial Arts die roll. This damage counts as radiant damage. You can spend additional ki points for additional damage dice. Objects made of metal hold their conductivity for only 1 round.
These are some items that are conductive to Hamon:
- Living creatures (human, elf, dwarf, animals, etc.)
- Organic material (organs, hair, plants, cloth, etc.)
- Liquids (water, oil, blood, etc.)
- metals (iron, steel, silver, etc.)
While seemingly minor, this ability can be very useful to those who are creative. This can be used as a ranged attack with a range of 60/240, so long as you are touching conductive material that is within 5 feet of the target. If you are clever enough, this could even grant advantage on the attack roll, as the Hamon strikes them from an unseen location.
As an example, if your opponent were standing in a puddle of water 30 feet away, you could infuse your Hamon through the puddle with a touch, rolling to hit his AC as you would a normal attack, and every round for the duration they remain in the puddle, you may make this attack again.
You can also infuse a cluster of conductive objects, such as blades of grass, strands of hair, or splinters of wood to create a protective barrier. As a reaction, you can spend 2 Ki points while holding conductive material to add your proficiency bonus to your AC for the rest of the round.
If you cannot breathe properly, you can't use Hamon features. While grappled, restrained, or frightened, you cannot control your breathing properly.
Overdrive[edit]
Beginning at 6th level, your Hamon has become potent enough to harness different manifestations of it. You can use the following Overdrives:
- Scarlet Overdrive
- Your Hamon glows a brilliant red and crackles like an intense flame. As a bonus action, you may spend 3 ki points to create scarlet Hamon. Your next unarmed attack deals an additional 4d(Martial art size) [fire damage]. You can spend additional ki points for additional dices. Any flammable objects that are struck with this attack immediately catch on fire.
- Turquoise Blue Overdrive
- Your Hamon glows a brilliant blue and roars like an incredible tempest. As an action, you may spend 3 ki points to create turquoise Hamon and make a ranged attack that equals your Martial Arts die and 3d(Martial art size) [force damage]. If the attack hits, the enemy is pushed back 10 feet. You can spend additional kis point for additional d4s and push the enemy back 5 feet farther. The range of this attack is 15 feet times your wisdom modifier.
- Metal Silver Overdrive
- You conduct your Hamon to anything that seems metal and crackles with a silver shine. As a bonus action, you may spend 3 ki points to infuse whatever weapon you hold with Hamon. Your next Attack with that weapon deals an additional 4d(Martial art size) [radiant damage]. You can spend additional ki points for additional damage dice.
- Sunlight Yellow Overdrive
- Your Hamon shines a golden yellow, as bright as the sun itself. As a bonus action up can spend 6 ki points to empower one of your attacks to devastating effect. Doing so adds 4 Martial Arts dice of Bludgeoning damage and 4 Martial Arts dice of Radiant damage to the next successful attack roll you make within the next minute. Creatures with the Undead Type are vulnerable to this damage. Once you perform this Overdrive, you must wait until you finish a short or long rest before you can do so again
Hamon Possession[edit]
At 11th level, your conductive abilities increase to allow you to control creatures or objects infused with your Hamon.
Objects:
Your ability to infuse your Hamon into a collection of size tiny objects has grown, allowing you to spend 5 Ki points to create a unique Overdrive. As an action, you can choose one spot within 200 feet and throw your collection of Hamon infused objects. Each creature in a 20 foot radius must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC, taking 8d6 Radiant damage and being blinded until the end of your next turn on a failed save, or half as much on a success.
People:
You can spend 7 Ki points to attempt to take over a creature's body within 40 feet using your Hamon as an action. The target must make a Charisma saving throw against your Ki DC or be charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed this way, you can take total control of the creature. Until the end of your next turn, the creature takes only the actions you choose, and doesn't do anything that you don't allow it to do. During this time, you can also cause the creature to use a reaction, but this requires you to use your own reaction as well.
Each time the target takes damage, it makes a new Wisdom saving throw against the Possession. If the saving throw succeeds, this effect ends and you can't use it again on this creature until you complete a long rest.
Perfected Hamon Breathing[edit]
At 17th level, you master the art of breathing. As an action, you can grant yourself the following abilities for 1 munute: •You are resistant to all damage
•Your speed increases by 10 feet
•Your Martial Arts attacks deal additional radiant damage equal to 2 rolls of your Martial Arts die
Additionally, you gain the ability to perform the Deep Pass Overdrive. This ability allows you to grant a target the permanent ability to use the Hamon feature, an extra 3d8 HP and Hit Dice, as well Ki points equal to their wisdom modifier that replenish at the end of a short or long rest. Doing so however should always be a last resort, as it gives them the entirety of your life energy. This reduces you to 0 HP and gives you three failed death saving throws.
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