Delvebound 5.5: Monk Subclasses
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Monks pursue the perfection of body, mind, and spirit through unwavering discipline and mastery of ancient martial traditions. Rejecting the confining limitations of armor, and in some traditions, even conventional weapons, Monk rely on their own hands, feet, and inner strength to overcome their foes with devastating efficiency.
Guided by intense focus and self-control, they dedicate themselves to martial enlightenment through monasteries, secluded adeptoriums, and secretive traditions of combat passed down over generations. Monks refine their physical abilities and mental awareness until their bodies become an extension of their will, allowing them to move with unmatched grace, speed, and precision.
A Monk Subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain levels, as specified in the subclass. This section presents the Warrior of the Desert Wind, Warrior of the Exposed Palm, and Warrior of the Whispering Fang subclasses.
In the Basic Rules, we're saying goodbye to the Way of the Voice (which would be styled as Warrior of the Voice in 5.5e) and welcoming the Warrior of the Desert Wind in their place. This doesn't mean that subclass is going away, we still plan on creating an updated release for the Dragon Shouters some other time.
You might notice some pretty major reworks of the Exposed Palm and the Whispering Fang. In the older editions, these subclasses were a lot of other 5e monk subclass features mashed together for our project. In this update, they get fully original features, all inspired from TES lore.
For example, the lore behind the Exposed Palm martial arts style is created around each finger on the hand representing a fundamental belief: concentration, reaction, equilibrium, speed, and breath control. Similarly, the Whispering Fang (or Whispering Claw, if you prefer) has five essential elements, known as the Five Fingers: Soft as a whisper, quick as a shout; Shadows consume curiosity, time, and interest; Distance is greater than any weapon; Command the space to move through it unseen; and the claw that passes a whisper is the mark of the master. Every feature in these subclasses implements at least one of these ideals.
Tell us what you think about the updated subclasses in the comments or join the conversation in Discord!
Comments