#RPGaDAY – August 8, 2025 (EXPLORE)

 

#RPGaDAY – August 8, 2025 (EXPLORE)

Explore– Continuing yesterday’s journey, we will continue to explore the next chapter of the Way.

Chapter 2: The Guardian's Challenge (Level 6)

 Story:

As Alzary’s journey takes her deeper into the unexplored wilderness, she encounters the Guardian of the First Step—an ancient and wise creature tasked with testing the worthiness of those seeking enlightenment. To proceed, Alzary must face a series of trials that will push her limits and force her to confront her deepest fears. The Guardian's cryptic guidance hints at the profound teachings awaiting her along The Way.

 

Training Focus: Physical endurance, mental fortitude, and overcoming personal limitations.

 Having accepted the call, the monk encounters the Guardian of the First Step, a wise and ancient dragon that tests the monk's resolve and worthiness. The trials set by the guardian challenge the monk physically, mentally, and spiritually, ensuring that only those with true dedication can progress.

Requires a level 6 or greater Monk. To gain the benefits of Chapter 2 requires a DC 14 Insight and a DC 14 Religion Check. If either check is failed, after a new level is gained, reader can attempt the failed check again with advantage.

 Benefits:

1.      Gain proficiency and/or expertise in the other skill (Insight or Religion) not selected in Chapter 1 benefits.

2.      With continued practice and experience, the reader begins learning to become aware of their immediate surroundings while meditating. The reader’s Passive Perception skill remains active while meditating.

 3.      Reader can meditate for one hour and possibly throw off the body and mind’s accumulated stress, abuse, and fatigue. If their meditation is undisturbed, user can heal 1 HD and make DC10 constitution check to remove one point of exhaustion.

This can only be done 1TLR.  The reader must have the 1 HD available and its use counts towards their HD pool accumulated.  Regardless, the point of exhaustion can potentially be removed, even if the healing is not done.

4.      Begin learning techniques, stances, and katas (martial arts forms) for the Dragon Stance fighting style.

When it attacks, all parts of the mighty dragon can be used as weapons.  In addition to their fearsome claws and bite and legendary breath weapon, the beast can strike out with its wings, tail, and even its head against its opponents.

As you assume your dragon stance and begin combat, you emulate the mighty dragon and begin preparing to use various maneuvers and techniques against your opponents.

Dragon Stance – In the first round, at the beginning of close melee combat with an individual opponent, if the reader gains the initiative before them, they may adopt the dragon stance as part of their initial attack against them. This is considered a free action.

Otherwise, they can enter this stance as part of their move action on their turn, taking 5’ of movement. Once in the stance, reader can continue it as long as they keep fighting any opponent within 10 feet.  If they must move more than that, they leave the stance and then go back into it as above, when they reach a new opponent.

While in the dragon stance, when a creature they can see makes a melee attack against them and misses that attack, as a reaction they can distract them, which lowers their opponents AC by 2 versus any melee attacks made against them until the start of your next turn. Only 1 opponent can be distracted this way a round.

If you have used your reaction during a round, for 1 Ki point, you can choose to make a second reaction when needed. Only a single Ki point may be used in this way per encounter.

You also learn 2 of the following maneuvers and techniques:

• Dragon’s Endurance – While in the dragon stance, your training and focus enable you to better defeat your enemies.  Choose 1 of the following advantages, each of which can only be taken once, although Dragon’s Endurance can be selected multiple times.

A.      Gain +1 to AC and all saves, versus all attacks made against you.

B.      Regain 1 Ki point energy when a critical hit is made against an opponent.  You cannot exceed your Ki point maximum or gain more than 1 Ki point a round.

C.      Gain 5 Temporary Hit points at the beginning of an encounter. This can be used 1TLR per proficiency bonus and automatically kicks in upon assuming the dragon stance for the first time during that encounter.

D.     Harness your inner power and expend 1 Ki point as a bonus action, to heal 1 martial arts dice of your wounds or use 2 Ki points as an action to touch and heal someone else 1 of their HD. This can only be used 1TLR.

E.      When an opponent scores a critical hit against you, you gain 1 additional bonus action, which must be used before the end of your next turn. You can only have 1 bonus action at a time, even if multiple critical hits are scored against you.• Flying Kick – Flying through the air, as if on the wings of a dragon, you run toward your opponent and do a flying leap to kick a medium sized target in the head. To do this powerful kick you must have 10 or more feet to run toward your target. On a successful strike, you do the maximum of 1 martial arts dice, in addition to your normal damage (like a normal critical hit) and if a critical hit is scored or maximum damage is rolled, the opponent must make a Dexterity Save or fall prone.  After the impact, you must make an acrobatics check DC 14 to land on your feet, anywhere within 5’ of your opponent. If the target is knocked prone or killed, this acrobatics check is made with advantage.  If successful on the acrobatics check and you have further attacks left to make for the round, you can continue your attacks as normal.

If the acrobatics check is failed, you fall to the ground prone taking no damage and are unable to continue with any further attacks. If a critical failure is rolled, you take a D4 in damage and are stunned until the start of your next turn. If you are knocked prone, but not stunned and have sufficient movement left for the round (1/2 of your movement speed) you can choose to jump to your feet, although this does give the target and any other opponents within striking range a chance to make an opportunity attack, if available.

If the flying kick does not hit the target and if the attack is within 4 points of the target’s AC, the opponent can make an opportunity attack as you go by. If the attack is not within 4 points of the targets AC and any other opponents are within striking range, they can attempt an opportunity attack if appropriate based on circumstances.

If not struck by an opportunity attack, you must make an acrobatics check DC 14 to land upright. If struck by an opportunity attack, this acrobatics check is made with disadvantage. If the acrobatics check is failed, you fall prone which is handled as indicated above.

• Heart of the Beast – Through various mantras and mental exercises, you can steel your mind to better resist any fear affects you encounter and all fear saves are made with advantage. Furthermore, as a full action you can expend 1 Ki point as you touch a frightened ally and give them another save with advantage to end the effect.

• Kamae Strike – This attack is a quick sudden headbutt strike against an opponent you are engaged with, within 5 feet of you. The first time this move is made during an encounter, after attacking an opponent, as a bonus action you can make this attack with advantage.  Otherwise, this technique counts as 1 normal attack during user’s round.

Additionally, while being grappled by an opponent, as a reaction you can make this attack against them.

A successful hit does 1 martial arts dice + proficiency bonus in damage, which can be rolled with advantage.  On a critical hit or on a normal hit that inflicts maximum damage, you take 1 HP of damage yourself and do a stunning strike against your opponent (does not take a Ki point.) If a critical failure is rolled, you take a D4 in damage and are stunned until the start of your next turn.

The Kamae strike can only be used a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per LR. Using this head butt does not provoke an opportunity attack. 

•Sweeping Kick – Just as a mighty dragon’s tail can knock an enemy’s feet out from underneath them, as 1 normal attack action you can attempt to sweep your melee opponent’s legs knocking them prone. This will only work against medium size or smaller creatures standing on solid ground.  Using this kick does not provoke an opportunity attack. 

This maneuver can be made as part of your bonus action, flurry of blows, taking the place of 1 of your 2 attacks. Additionally, for 1 more Ki point, it can be added to the flurry of blows as a 3^rd attack.

On a successful hit, the sweep does 1 martial arts dice + proficiency bonus in damage and forces the opponent to make a Dexterity Save. For every successful strike you have made against them this round prior to sweeping their legs adds +1 to the save DC.