Monastic Traditions

Way of the Tangled Chain

Kytons, or Chain Devils, use fluid movements and a little mysticism to control their chains as if they were alive. Their whirling movements and chains can look like dancing, but it is closer to a martial art as it tends to have lethal consequences, which their baatezu audiences are just as likely to find entertaining. Some monks have studied their movements and that of chains to emulate their style. Wrapping themselves in chains, the monk appears constricted, but their use of chains as added reach, grappling line and anchors allows them surprising mobility once they begin to fight.

Non-Devil Chain Monks Not only Kytons use chains, this archetype can easily be reflavored to be a monastic tradition that did not learn by emulating chain devils. Perhaps instead it represents a street gang usage of chains in fights, or dock workers that learnt to use the chains they work with as weapons.

Art of the Chain

Starting as level 3 when you choose this archetype, you may use lengths of chain as a monk weapon. These chains count as light melee weapons, have a 10 ft reach and deal 1d6 slashing damage.

When you hit a creature within 5 ft using the chains, you may grapple them with the chain instead of dealing damage. If you do, the target is grappled and may attempt to escape the grapple by making a Strength check against your Ki Save DC. While you are using a chain to grapple, you cannot attack with it.

Unchained Mobility

Starting at level 6, you are able to use your chains to gain increased mobility on the battlefield and anchor yourself at a moment's notice.

Grappling Chain. You may use a bonus action on your turn to move 10 ft to a point your chain can reach and anchor itself to. If you target a creature with this, you may switch places with them. The target must make a Strength saving throw against your Ki Save DC, on a failure, it switches places with you. On a success, you land within 5 ft of it

Slingshot. You may use a pair of chains to fling yourself forward. You may expend use a bonus action on your turn to fly 10 + Proficiency Bonus x 5 ft. The chains must be able to be anchored 10 ft in the direction of movement.

Anchor. You may use a reaction to anchor yourself with your chains, fastening to your current location. While anchored, your speed is 0 ft. You may end the anchor as an action. Dropping or being disarmed of the chains stops the anchor effect on you, but you must still use an action to remove the chains from the location you anchored them to. Attempts by other creatures move you must succeed on a Strength check (DC 20) to remove the chains, while effects that would move you fail.

Animate Chain

Starting at level 11, you have learnt to channel your ki through the chains to control them from afar.

You may use a bonus action to spend 2 ki points to animate a chain within 10 ft of you. You may onlly animate one chain at a time. An animated chain is an object with AC 20, 20 hit points, resistance to piercing damage, and immunity to psychic and thunder damage. When you use your martial arts feature, you cn use you reaction to cause the chain to lash out, making an additional attack with the animated chain. An animated chain can grapple one creature of its own but can't be used to make more attacks while grappling. An animated chain reverts to its inanimate state if reduced to 0 hit points or if the monk is incapacitated or dies.

Chain Animation Given that the archetype borrows from a monster in its Animate Chain ability, DMs should be prepared for how to rule if players and Kytons struggle over possession of chains or even try to gain control of those wielded. A suggested way of resolving this is ability contests.

Additionally, the rules for this animated object are specific, if the Dungeon Master wishes to use a creature statblock more in line with what Animate Object may create, a monster statblock is included in the Devil Bestiary.

Binding Torture

Starting at level 17 you have learnt ways of causing as much pain as possible with your chains. When you are grappling a creature, it takes 1d6 piercing damage at the start of each of its turns. You may use an action attempt to dig in to a creature you are grappling with your chains, causing it to make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, breaking the grapple causes it to take 10d6 slashing damage. On a success it takes 2d6 slashing damage immediately, but may break the grapple without taking additional damage.