Way of Hunger
To understand pressure is to recognize the inherent weaknesses in everything. While such a path may lead to great pessimism, these monks strive to use this knowledge to defend themselves and their goals, striking at their enemies weak points in order to impede them where it matters most.
Apply Pressure
Also at 3rd level, you know exactly where to strike in order to disrupt a creature's combat capabilities. Once per turn, when you hit a creature, you can grant them one of the following demerits of your choice.
- Head. The target has disadvantage on Intelligence and Wisdom checks until the start of your next turn. If the target is currently concentrating on a spell, it has disadvantage on Constitution saving throws made to maintain its concentration on the spell until the start of your next turn.
- Throat. The target cannot speak until the start of your next turn. If the target was holding its breath, reduce the amount of time it has left holding its breath by one minute.
- Arm. The target has disadvantage on its next weapon attack, and cannot cast spells with the Somatic (S) component until the start of your next turn.
- Torso. The target subtracts a d4 from the next Constitution saving throw it makes before the start of your next turn.
- Groin. The target takes extra damage equal to your proficiency bonus.
- Leg/Wing. The target's movement speed is halved until the start of your next turn. Additionally, until the end of its turn, it provokes opportunity attacks from you regardless of where it moves.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and regain all expended uses upon finishing a long rest. While you have no remaining uses, you can spend 1 ki point to regain a use of this feature.
If the attack was a critical hit, you can use this feature without expending a use or ki.
Exploit Weak Points
At 3rd level, your chosen path provides you greater knowledge to common pain spots. The first attack you make each turn scores a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.
Temporary Relief
Starting at 6th level, your knowledge in weak points allows you to not only exploit them, but heal through them. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points and touch a creature. A condition of your choice that is affecting them is suppressed for one minute.
Additionally, you can spend 3 ki points to cure a creature from paralysis.
Apply Critical Pressure
At 11th level, your knowledge on anatomy allows you to greatly disadvantage your foes in one fell swoop. When using your Apply Pressure feature, you can instead grant your target one of the following demerits;
- Head. The target is blinded until the start of your next turn.
- Throat. The target must succeed a Constitution saving throw or else it falls unconscious for a minute, unless it takes damage or someone uses their action to shake or slap them awake. At the start of each of its turn, the target can roll a Constitution saving throw, ending the effect early on a success.
- Arm. The target takes extra damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die, and must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, they drop an item they are holding. If they are holding one or more items, you choose which one is dropped.
- Torso. The target is poisoned until the start of your next turn. This ignores immunities to being poisoned.
- Groin. The target is incapacitated until the start of your next turn.
- Leg/Wing. The target drops prone, and standing up costs the entirety of its movement.
If this attack was a critical hit, you can grant both linked demerits instead.
Once you have used this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest. While you have no remaining uses, you can spend 2 ki points to regain a use of this feature.
Overwhelm the Nerves
At 17th level, your capabilities can leave your enemies frozen in place. Your first attack per turn now scores a critical hit on a roll of 18 to 20, and you can spend 1 ki point to have your other attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 until the start of your next turn.
Additionally, if a creature gains three demerits from your Apply Pressure or Apply Critical Pressure at once, or suffers from your Stunning Strike feature while being affected by either of the former features, they are paralyzed until the end of your next turn.
