Way of the Senses

Monastic Tradition for Monks

Many people often assume that sensitive senses are something that they are born with and thus unable to be developed. An understandable assumption? Yes. Wrong? Definitely.

Monks that commit themselves to this tradition must endure rigorous, often painful, training while they are students at the monastery with many students giving up on this tradition in favour of a less intense tradition. The students that do survive the training are often regarded as some of the bravest; surviving the training also garners respect among the teachers and higher-ups that reside in the monastery.

The more accomplished monks of this tradition can also manipulate senses other than their own, giving them extra advantages in battle and enabling them to overwhelm their opponents. Alternatively, they can also use this ability to aid their allies, albeit temporarily.

Sensory Training

Upon choosing this tradition at 3rd level, you have now honed your senses to the the point that if any one of them becomes unavailable, the rest will pick up the slack. Whenever you make a Wisdom (Perception) check, you can spend 1 ki point to block off your hearing or sight, allowing you to hear distant footsteps or see further into the distance, giving you advantage on the roll.

Sensory Blocking

Beginning at 3rd level when choosing this tradition, when in combat with an opponent and you strike the right areas, you can block one of your opponent's senses. Whenever you hit a creature with at least two attacks in one round, you can spend 1 ki point to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you block one of the target's senses (player's choice) for 1 minute. The target makes additional saving throws at the start of their turns while the effect lasts.

Upon reaching 6th level, if the target fails their saving throw, you can choose two senses to block. This increases to three at 11th level and four at 17th level.

"You must block out all visual distractions and focus on one sound. Now, I want you to hear me coming and block my attack " Morgan Arcuri, Master of the Auricular

Sensory Training Improvement

At 6th level, when you use your Sensory Training ability, your senses can now become enhanced for 1 minute and you no longer need to block out one of your senses to gain advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks.

Visual Enhancement

At 6th level, you have learned to fight without the use of light and can use the lack of light to your advantage. If you find yourself blinded by natural darkness, you can spend 2 ki points to gain Darkvision with a range equal to your Wisdom modifier multiplied by 10 (minimum of 10ft). The effect lasts for a number of minutes equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). If you already have Darkvision, this ability increases the range of your natural Darkvision while the effect lasts.

At 11th level, you can spend 3 ki points to allow this effect to work on magical darkness. In addition, while this effect lasts, you no longer have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks or attack rolls while in darkness. In addition, you can choose to grant these effects to an ally instead.

At 17th level, you can spend 3 ki points to use this ability to temporarily extend the range of your permanent Truesight by an extra amount of feet equal to your Wisdom modifier multiplied by 10 (minimum of 10ft).

Sensory Overload

Beginning at 6th level, you have gained the ability to further manipulate a creature's senses. When you hit a creature twice in one round, you can spend 1 ki point to force the target to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, you enhance one of the target's senses so that they become super sensitive to any stimulation. The target takes 1d6 psychic damage per sense on its turn for the duration and the effect lasts for 1 minute. Aditionally, if the overloaded sense is touch, you may roll an extra damage die.

Upon reaching 11th level, if the target fails their saving throw, you can choose two senses to overload. This increases to three senses at 17th level.

Sensory Immunities

Beginning at 11th level, through training to fight without the use of your sight or hearing, you have now become immune to both the blinded and deafened conditions.

At 17th level, you can choose to spend 2 ki points to grant these immunities to an ally for 1 minute.

Vibrational Sensitivity

At 11th level, your sense of touch has become so enhanced that it is now hyper sensitive and you are able to feel the slightest of vibrations. You can now spend 2 ki points to gain the Tremorsense ability for 10 minutes with a range equal to your walking speed.