Way of the Dog (5e Subclass)

Way of the Dog

Monk Subclass

Certain monastaries in the forgotten parts of the world train in an obscure form of martial arts. Each monk is gifted a puppy of a highly specialized dog breed and the two are raised together. The monk takes care of the pup and trains it himself, forging a lifelong friendship. As they grow up together, the dog is infused with the same Ki that its master learns to harness, binding their souls together as they learn to fight in total synchronicity, using one another as an extension of their respective bodies. The result of years of arduous training is a formidable team and an unshakable bond. Foes are treated to a flurry of combined strikes, bites, and grapples as monk and dog work in perfect harmony to take down any enemy. The core of this Monastic Tradition is the bond between man and beast; with each journeying to greater heights of power and skill, all while learning from one another. As one attains greater strength, so does the other in turn, encouraging one another's path to transcendence. A goal they shall reach together.

Inudo

Starting at 3rd level, your dog companion is not only your best friend, but an integral component of your martial arts. Your dog is always one size smaller than you (If you are Medium, your dog is Small. If you are small, your dog is Tiny.) Utilizing the precise training you and your dog have undergone, your dog occupies the same space as you in combat, positioned either between your legs, on your back, or balanced on your shoulders. Once per turn, you can replace one of your unarmed attacks with one of your dog's attacks. Your dog's attack damage utilizes your martial arts die scaling but the die is rolled twice. Your dog's attacks have the Reach trait and inflicts bleed status (detailed at the end of the subclass description), representing advanced techniques where your dog might leap off your shoulders or dart out from between your legs to harry a creature.

Inudo Martial Arts

Level	Martial Arts Die
1	2d4
2	2d4
3	2d4
4	2d4
5	2d6
6	2d6
7	2d6
8	2d6
9	2d6
10	2d6
11	2d8
12	2d8
13	2d8
14	2d8
15	2d8
16	2d8
17	2d10
18	2d10
19	2d10
20	2d10

Who's A Good Boy?

Let's face it, your dog is absolutely adorable and everyone knows it. Starting at Level 3, charisma skill checks (Persuasion) you make have advantage when your dog is within 5ft of you.

Fused Souls

Starting at 3rd level, your years of training together in the martial applications of ki have bound you and your dog emotionally but it was the rite of Soul Merging, your monastery's esoteric tradition, that forged yourselves into a single soul, binding your destinies forever. Your dog shares your Hit Points and Armor Class, any attacks or damage directed at it are reflected back to you. Additionally, any later Class Features that directly affect your physiology (i.e. Timeless Body or Empty Body etc.) apply to your dog as well, representing your shared seat at the table of true power and enlightenment.

Flurry of Fangs

Starting at 5th level, when you spend a bonus action and 1 ki points to perform Flurry of Blows, you can replace both unarmed attacks with two of your dog's attacks, inflicting bleed status.

Ki-Empowered Bites

Starting at 6th level, further training and bonding with your dog imparts increased levels of ki into the beast, channeling greater power and accuracy into its bite. Your dog's attacks count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage as well as gaining an additional +4 to hit (you do not gain this attack bonus if you have disadvantage on the attack roll).

Ravage

Starting at 7th level, instead of using your dog's attack, you may choose to have your dog grapple a creature instead. Regardless of your dog's size, it is always able to grapple Medium and Large sized creatures (A Gnome Monk's tiny dog is able to achieve this through clever manipulation of Ki that magically enlarges the dog's jaws to fit its targeted creature.) This works as a traditional grapple (Athletics vs Athletics/Acrobatics). While the target is grappled, they receive 2d8 piercing damage per turn, representing the dog's fangs buried in their arm. Any damage dealt to the dog while it is grappling a creature is reflected onto the monk, representing their joined souls. The grapple is broken if you move more than 20ft away from the targeted creature as this prompts your dog to return to your occupied space. If the grapple is broken by the targeted creature, the dog returns to your occupied space. Your dog is vulnerable to attacks of opportunity (and you by proxy) when returning to your occupied space.

At higher levels, the number of damage dice increases by 1 at 11th level (3d8), 15th level (4d8), and 17th level (5d8).

Menacing Posture

Starting at 13th level, as a bonus action, your dog perches itself atop your shoulders and projects some of your shared ki into a terrifying growl. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC=8+WIS+PROF) or be Frightened. The target creature may attempt to shrug off this status at the end of their turn each round by making a Wisdom saving throw with same DC. This feature may be used three times before requiring a long rest to replenish its uses.

Astral Pack

Starting at 17th level, you can spend 5 ki points to have your dog channel its Ki to create an astral projection of itself. The astral projection has 100 hit points and shares your Armor Class. The astral projection has its own action and uses the same attack and damage rolls as your dog but the damage type is Force and it does not inflict bleed status. While the astral projection is within 5ft of the player, all attacks directed at the player or dog have disadvantage and melee weapon attack rolls made towards a creature have advantage. The astral projection lasts for 1 minute unless it is destroyed, you become incapacitated or die, or you dispel it early with a free action. This feature has 3 uses before requiring a long rest to replenish its uses.

Bleed Status

If a creature is targeted with "Bleed" they must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 8+STR+PROF, Max. 20). Upon failure, the target takes 2d4 necrotic damage at the end of each round. The effect ends when the target takes 30 total necrotic damage, where they will fall asleep for 2 hours. Upon waking up, they will have 1 hit point. The target can make a Wisdom (medicine) check DC 17 at the end of their to determine if they stop the bleeding or take the necrotic damage. Undead and Constructs cannot suffer from this status effect.

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