Way of the Mantra
A Monk tradition that casts through the voice: Cleric or Sorcerer cantrips, Mantra spells paid for with Ki, an ally buff, elemental strike damage, repeating spells and a thunder blast.
Identity
The Way of the Mantra is the Monk tradition that uses the voice to direct Rift Energy. Its teachers hold that breath, voice and intention make a single instrument, and that a tuned voice projects Rift Energy as cleanly as a wizard's gesture. It is practiced in religious orders, where it doubles as public liturgy, by stage-trained channelers, and by frontier preacher-fighters who picked it up from someone passing through. A Mantra monk cannot work in silence, because every spell is spoken aloud.
Features
- L3 Mantra Spells
You learn 2 cantrips of your choice from the Cleric or Sorcerer cantrip lists, and three 1st-level spells from the Mantra Spell list, which is every spell that lists Monk among its classes. You learn one more Mantra spell at Monk levels 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19, of any level you can cast. You cast Mantra spells with Wisdom, so your spell save DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier and your spell attack modifier equals your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier. A Mantra spell costs Ki instead of a spell slot: 2 Ki for a 1st-level spell, 3 Ki for a 2nd-level spell and 4 Ki for a 3rd-level spell. You can cast 1st-level spells from Monk level 3, 2nd-level spells from level 7 and 3rd-level spells from level 13. When you gain a Monk level, you can swap one cantrip or Mantra spell you know for another you could learn. Every Mantra spell requires an audible, sustained recitation as its verbal component, so you cannot cast it silently.
- L7 Mantra of Awakening
Once per short rest, as an action, you intone a Mantra of Awakening. Each ally within 30 feet of you who can hear you gains the following benefits for 1 minute. Their walking speed increases by 10 feet. They have advantage on the next saving throw they make against being Charmed, Frightened or Stunned. The first attack roll they make on each of their turns has a +1 bonus. The Mantra ends early if you are silenced, fall Unconscious or end it as a free action. You do not gain its benefits.
- L11 Elemental Strike
Once per turn, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or monk weapon, you can spend 1 Ki to deal an extra 2d8 damage of a type you choose when you hit: fire, cold, lightning, thunder, radiant, force or rift. An opposing channeler within Close range who can hear you can identify the damage type with a successful Arcana check, or another check the GM allows, against a DC equal to your spell save DC.
- L15 Echo Spell
When you cast a leveled spell from your Mantra Spell list, you can spend 2 additional Ki to make the spell Echo. An Echo spell stays at its point of effect for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). At the start of each of your turns until the Echo expires, the spell takes effect again at its origin, and creatures still in the area make new saving throws and take newly rolled damage. The Echo ends early if you are silenced for a full round of the Echo or cast another Mantra spell. You can have only one Echo active at a time.
- L18 Final Mantra Capstone
Once per long rest, as an action, you can spend 6 Ki to speak a Final Mantra, a single syllable that rings through every conducting surface within 60 feet of you. Each creature of your choice within 60 feet makes a Constitution saving throw against your Ki save DC. A creature takes 12d8 thunder damage on a failure or half as much on a success, and is Deafened until the end of its next turn. All sound-based illusions and concealment effects within 60 feet end. For 1 hour, or until your next long rest if that comes sooner, you cannot speak louder than a murmur. Silent communication such as gestures, telepathy and writing is unaffected.
