Way of Thorns

## **Way of Thorns**

You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to harness the
power of nature. Nature has become an extension of yourself, and
you have learned to use it to great effect. By following this Way,
you learn techniques to manipulate plants, allowing them to bend
to your will and aid you both in combat and out of it.

**Disciple of the Wilds**
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn magical
disciplines that harness the power of nature. A discipline requires
you to spend ki points each time you use it.
You know the Natural Attunement discipline and one other
nature discipline of your choice, which are detailed in the "Nature
Disciplines" section below. You learn one additional nature
discipline of your choice at 6th, 11th.and 17th level.
Whenever you learn a new nature discipline, you can also
replace one nature discipline that you already know with a
different discipline.

**Casting Nature Spells.** Some nature disciplines allow you to
cast spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time
and other rules, but you don't need to provide material
components for it.
Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional
ki points to increase the level of a nature discipline spell that you
cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher
level, as slicing leaves does. The spell's level increases by 1 for
each additional ki point you spend. For example, if you are a
5th-level monk and use Nature’s Weapon to cast slicing leaves,
you can spend 3 ki points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the
discipline's base cost of 2 ki points plus 1).

The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a
spell in this way(including its base ki point cost and any
additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined
by your monk level, as shown in the Spells and Ki Points table.
Spells and Ki Points

**Monk Levels Maximum Ki Points for a Spell**
5th-8th 3 .
9th-12th 4
13th-16th 5 .
17th-20th 6

**Nature Disciplines**
The nature disciplines are presented in alphabetical order. If a
discipline requires a level, you must be that level in this class to
learn the discipline.

Breath of Pain (6th Level Required). You can spend 3 ki
points to cast spray of thorns.

Bridge of Spring. You can spend 2 ki points to cast **bridge of

branches.**

Earthen Restraints. You can spend 2 ki points to cast entangle.

Fang of the Earth (6th Level Required). You can spend 3 ki
points to cast **explosive seed**
.
Felling Strike (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 ki
points to cast **fell.**

Hidden Grove. You can spend 2 ki points to cast overgrowth.

**Natural Attunement**. You can use your action to briefly
control the natural world, causing one of the following effects of
your choice

• Create a harmless, instantaneous sensory effect related to
nature such as the smell of flowers, a rustling of tree
branches, or the brush of falling leaves.

• Cause a plant’s flowers to blossom or fruits to ripen.

• Change the color of a plant for 1 minute, choosing a portion of
the plant that can fit in a 5 ft. cube.

• Cause a plant that can fit within a 5 ft. cube to shape itself into
a crude form you designate for 1 minute.

Nature’s Commune. You can spend 2 ki points to cast rapport
spores.

Nature’s Weapon. You can spend 2 ki points to cast slicing
leaves.

Skewering Fist (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 ki
points to cast skewering branch.

Stride of the Dryad (17th Level Required). You can spend 6 ki
points to cast tree stride.

Striking Vine (6th Level Required). You can spend 3 ki points
to cast **arm of the wild.**

Treant’s Fist (17th Level Required). You can spend 5 ki points
to cast tree strike.

Wave of Thorns (11th Level Required). You can spend 4 ki
points to cast **engulfing thorns**.

Verdant Grasp (17th Level Required). You can
spend 5 ki points to cast grasping vine.

Verdant Hand. You can spend 2 ki points to cast
gaea’s hand. The hand uses your unarmed strike
damage as its damage die.
 **Spell Descriptions**
The spells are presented in alphabetical order.

**Arm of the Wild**

2nd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You transform one of your arms into an extendable vine whose
end sticks to any surface that it touches. The arm cannot be used
to wield any objects or weapons. On every turn within the
duration, including the turn that you cast the spell, you can make
either of the following actions:
Grab Creature. As a bonus action, you extend your vine arm
forward, attempting to pull one creature you choose within 20 feet
of you. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be
pulled 10 feet directly towards you.
Grab Surface. As a bonus action, you extend your vine arm
forward, pulling yourself to a hard surface such as a wall or
ceiling within 20 feet of you. If this movement would cause you
to be suspended off the ground, you remain so until you take an
action or the concentration ends.

**Bonding Vine**

Conjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 20 feet

Components: V, S, M (a small twig)

Duration: 1 minute

Choose one creature you can see within range. That creature must
succeed on a Dexterity Saving throw or become connected to you
with a magical vine. A Huge or smaller creature that you are
connected with must make a Strength saving throw whenever
they attempt to move to a point more than 20 feet away from you.
A Huge creature makes this save with advantage. On a failed
save, their speed is reduced to zero until the start of their next
turn. On a successful save, the vine snaps, and they are freed.

**Bridge of Branches**

1st-level conjuration (ritual)

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (a tree branch)

Duration: 1 hour

You cause large branches to sprout from a surface, creating a
makeshift bridge up to 20 feet in length. The bridge can hold up
to 600 pounds at once. The bridge has AC 10 and 50 hit points. If
the bridge is reduced to zero hit points, the entire bridge collapses
and immediately withers away.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of
2nd level or higher, the bridge’s length increases by 10 feet, its
weight limit increases by 100 pounds, and its hit points increase
by 25 for each slot level above 1st.

**Engulfing Thorns**

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S, M (a rose thorn)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure thorny vines which grow along a line 5 feet wide and
10 feet long emanating from you in a direction you choose,
engulfing everything they touch. At the start of each of your
turns, the length of the line increases by 5 feet in the same
direction. For the duration, these vines turn the ground in that area
to difficult terrain.
When a creature enters the affected area for the first time on a
turn or starts its turn there, the creature must succeed on a
Dexterity saving throw or take 2d6 piercing damage and be
restrained by the vines until the spell ends. A creature that starts
its turn in the area and is already restrained by the vines takes 2d6
piercing damage and is pulled 5 feet in the direction that the vines
are growing.
A creature restrained by the vines can use its action to make a
Strength or Dexterity check (its choice) against your spell save
DC. On a success, it frees itself.

**Explosive Seed**

2nd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

You conjure an explosive seed and then throw it a creature within
range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the
target takes 4d4 fire damage. On both a hit or a miss, the seed
drops to the ground and sizzles violently. At the start of your next
turn, the seed explodes. Each creature in a 10-foot radius centered
on the seed must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes
3d4 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a
successful one.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of
3rd level or higher, the initial damage and the explosion damage
each increase by 1d4 for each slot level above 2nd.

**Fell**

3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (piece of an axe blade)

Duration: Instantaneous

You cause a non-magical tree to fall, damaging all creatures in its
path. You choose the direction that the tree falls, and the area that
it effects changes depending on the height of the tree. You cannot
target a tree with a diameter greater than 5 feet. Each creature
within the line of the trunk must succeed on a Dexterity saving
throw or take 7d8 bludgeoning damage. The tree then remains on
the ground, providing partial cover for those behind it.

 **Gaea’s Hand**

1st-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You conjure a makeshift arm made of weeds and branches that
sprouts out of a point you can see within range. When within 5
feet of the arm, you may give it a one-handed melee weapon to
fight with (no action required). The weapon given to it must be a
weapon of a size you could wield.
As a bonus action on your turn, you may command the arm to
strike a foe within 5 feet of it. Make a melee spell attack. On a hit,
the target takes 1d4+your spellcasting ability modifier
bludgeoning damage. If a weapon was given to the arm, it instead
uses that weapon’s damage die and damage type.

 **Grasping Vine**

Conjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, (a seedling)

Duration: 1 minute

You conjure a small vine with a reach of 5 feet. Whenever a
creature enters its reach, you may use your reaction to have the
sprout attempt to grasp at its heels, stopping its movement. The
target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or have their
speed reduced to zero until the start of their next turn

**Piercing Thorn**

Conjuration cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a rose thorn)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You hurl a magical piercing thorn at a creature within range.
Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target
takes 2d4 piercing damage, and the thorn lodges itself into the
creature for the duration or until the thorn explodes.
If the creature is hit by a spell of 1st level or higher, the thorn
absorbs some of the spell’s magical power and explodes into a
rain of thorns, dealing 1d4 piercing damage to the creature. All
creatures within a 5 ft radius of the creature must succeed on a
Dexterity saving throw or take 1d4 piercing damage as well.
This spell's initial damage and explosion damage increases by
1d4 when you reach 5th level (3d4/2d4), 11th level (5d4/3d4),
and 17th level (6d4/5d4).

**Rapport Spores**

1st-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (30-foot radius)

Components: V, S, M (a fungal spore)

Duration: 1 hour
You conjure a 30-foot radius of spores extending from your
position. These spores can go around corners and affect only
creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or higher that aren't undead,
constructs, or elementals. For the duration, affected creatures can
communicate telepathically with one another while they are
within 60 feet of each other.

**Skewering Branch**

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

You cause a thick branch to shoot out of the ground along a line 5
feet wide and 30 feet long. Each creature in the line must succeed
on a Dexterity saving throw or be pushed along the length of the
branch as it grows in a direction of your choice. If the branch
impacts a hard surface, such as a wall, it immediately stops and
skewers all creatures that were pushed against that wall. Each
creature takes 3d4 piercing damage and is restrained, skewered to
the surface. A restrained creature can use an action to make a
Strength or Dexterity check (the creature’s choice) against the
spell’s saving throw DC. On a failed save, a creature takes an
additional 2d4 piercing damage. On a success, the creature is no
longer restrained.

 **Slicing Leaves**

1st-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 bonus action

Range: Touch
Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You touch up to 6 leaves and imbue them with magic, hardening
them and making their edges razor sharp. You or someone else
can make a ranged spell attack with one of the leaves by throwing
it with a range of 60 feet. If someone else attacks with a leaf, that
attacker adds your spellcasting ability modifier, not the attacker’s,
to the attack roll. On a hit, the target takes slashing damage
damage equal to 2d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
Hit or miss, the spell then ends on the leaf.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of
2nd level or higher, the number of leaves you can effect with this
spell increases by 2 and their damage increases by 1d4 for each
slot level above 1st.

**Spray of Thorns**

3rd-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 20-foot cone

Components: V, S, M (a rose thorn)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You shoot forth a burst of thorns from your hands which pierce
through your enemy’s defenses, making them vulnerable to
attacks. Each creature in a 20-foot cone must make a Dexterity
saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 6d6 piercing
damage, and until the start of your next turn they take an
additional 1d6 piercing damage whenever they are hit by a
weapon attack. On a successful save, a creature takes half damage
and suffers no other effect.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of
4th level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d6 for each
slot level above 3rd.

**Tree Strike**

4th-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (a small twig)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You cause a tree to grasp at a creature within 10 feet of it with its
branches, pulling and constricting that creature. The target must
succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 6d8 bludgeoning
damage, be pulled to the tree, and become restrained. At the start
of each of its turns, the restrained creature takes 2d8 bludgeoning
damage. A restrained creature can use an action to make a
Strength or Dexterity check (the creature’s choice) against the
spell’s saving throw DC. On a success, the creature is no longer
restrained.