The Way of the Butterfly

MONASTIC TRADITION OPTION

Monks who study the Way of the Butterfly believe that social grace is of equal importance to physical perfection. A monk studying the Way of the Butterfly strives to excel no matter what the situation they may find themselves in, from a tavern brawl to a dinner ceremony with a Head of State.

Colorful Creativity

Students of the Way of the Butterfly learn to think of weapons not as a specific set of pre-defined instruments, but as whatever tool (including words) they happen to have near when it is needed.

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you may use your proficiency bonus while wielding improvised weapons in melee, and your melee improvised weapons count as monk weapons.

You also gain proficiency in Persuasion. If you are already proficient, you instead gain expertise in Persuasion.

Flutter

Also at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Charm Person, Compelled Duel, Detect Poison and Disease, Disguise Self, or Illusory Script without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the Friends cantrip if you don't already know it. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Gentle Breeze

At 6th level, your step is light as a butterfly's. While falling, you are able to continue horizontal movement at half your normal speed, and the distance you fall does not count against your movement.

Graceful Dance

By 11th level, you are able to apply the grace of a butterfly to nearly any situation. You may spend 2 ki points to gain a bonus equal to your Charisma modifier to any Ability Check, or Saving Throw, to the Attack and Damage rolls of an attack, or to the Save DC of a spell you cast.

Butterfly Effect

When you reach 17th level your ideas, like the simple flap of a butterfly's wings, can have a profound impact on others. As you apply this impact to your own designs, you are able to effect change on a grand scale.

By spending 5 ki, you may begin to nurture an idea you have planted within the minds of others through dialogue, argument, or other forms of speech. As time passes, those affected discuss your idea, spreading it and finding it more agreeable. If the idea is something that can be accomplished by NPCs in the world, it will eventually come to fruition, though not necessarily in the way that you expect.

Art Credits Ayane Ninja Gaiden, copyright © Tecmo

Creator Damned Mage

The DM has great latitude in ruling what occurs when you create this effect; the greater the idea, the greater the likelihood that something goes wrong. For example, planting the suggestion that a villain should die might cause the social circle you are a part of to ensure that you are provided an advantageous opportunity to kill that villain. Similarly, suggesting that you should come into possession of a legendary magic item or artifact might see you being given resources and support in the journey to find the item in question, but you still have to face whatever guardians the object has.

Suggesting something which the NPCs have absolutely no control over (such as planting the idea that the sun will explode, or that the Earth is flat) will result in spent ki, and NPCs believing that such an event will come to pass, soon, but as time wears on they will slowly lose interest in it.

The butterfly effect only rarely takes effect quickly. An effect can come to pass within a matter of minutes, hours, days, or weeks, depending upon what the DM judges most likely. Once the scale of the duration is determined, the DM rolls 2d6 to determine the exact length of time.

While your idea is being circulated, you may not use this ability again until the idea comes to fruition, and you have completed a long rest.