Monastic Tradition:

Way of the Sword

You follow a monastic tradition that demands you train relentlessly until your blade becomes a stylish and graceful extension of your body and will.

Monks of the Way of the Sword typically serve either as elite guardsmen for influential noble houses, or as elite soldiers in the service of powerful empires. In some noble houses it is customary for its members to have at least some instruction in the way of the sword. Often the most talented followers of the Way of the Sword retire to become aggressively sought-after teachers for their deadly art.

Sword Mastery

When you chose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn how to wield the sword as an extension of your body. You gain proficiency with the longsword, and it counts as a monk weapon for you. In addition, your damage rolls with swords is increased by 1d4. This die increases as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. Attacks made using this feature cannot be used to attempt Stunning Strikes.

Practice of Form

At 3rd level, you gain skill in the deft strokes of art, granting you proficiency in your choice of either calligraphy or painting.

Deflect Blows

Starting at 6th level, while wielding a sword, you can use your reaction to deflect a blow when you are hit by a melee weapon attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your dexterity modifier + your monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 ki point to make a single melee weapon attack using your sword against the creature that just hit you, as part of the same reaction.

You may use this feature a number of times equal to your wisdom modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Refinement of Style

At 11th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

One with the Blade. You can spend 3 ki points to become one with the blade as a bonus action on your turn. Until the start of your next turn, you can use your Deflect Blows feature without expending any uses, the additional damage granted by your Sword Mastery feature increases to 2d10, and you gain an extra reaction that can only be used to Deflect Blows.

Combined Offensive. When you hit a creature with two attacks using your sword in a single turn, that creature has disadvantage on the next saving throw it makes against your Stunning Strike before the end of your next turn. Additionally, when a creatures fails its saving throw against your Stunning Strike, you can choose to push it up to 10 feet away from you or knock it prone.

Legendary Technique

At 17th level, you gain one of the following features of your choice.

Killing Blow. When you hit a creature with a melee weapon attack using your sword, you can spend 9 ki points to attempt a Killing Blow. The additional damage granted by your Sword Mastery feature increases to 9d10 for the hit. If this damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, it dies and is either decapitated or cut in half, your choice.

Steel Wind Frenzy. As an action, you can spend 5 ki points to make up to five melee weapon attacks using your sword during your turn. Each attack must target a different creature. In addition, until the start of your next turn, the additional damage granted by your Sword Mastery feature increases to 4d10.