The Way of the Flying Fist (Monk)
This content can also be found at its most updated version in The Elements and Beyond, a free 246-page compendium that you can download right here, filled with 23 subclasses, 8 spellcasting feats, 134 spells, 213 spell variants, 85 monsters, 30 magic items, 4 races plus 12 new subraces each with racial feats, and even more goodies for both players and DMs!
The jumping strike -- a leap through the air followed by a strike that uses the momentum of the jump to empower the blow -- is a classic staple of fictional martial artists, especially in Kung Fu Movies. Heck, huge leaps in general -- and even sometimes actual flight -- are themselves a staple. In light of that, as part of the air-theme in The Elements and Beyond, we have a new monk subclass that focuses on great wuxia leaps and the leaping strikes that go with them: The Way of the Flying Fist.
Art Credit: https://www.deviantart.com/kiddo428/art/Monk-of-the-Shaolin-Temple-406753612
Level 3: Carrying the Team. This feature is relatively minor in terms of combat power, but gives a great deal of flavorful interaction and exploration opportunities to the monks of this subclass.
Level 3: Leaping Strike. This is the bread-and-butter feature for this monk subclass. Leaping Strikes are meant to be slightly more potent than spending a ki point and bonus action on Flurry of Blows, with the minor requirement that the monk must be able to move and jump. Since Step of the Wind can be used to disengage instead of dash, it means the monk often doesn't have to worry about opportunity attacks for doing so. The Flying Fist monk will be leaping and backflipping back and forth over the battlefield!
Level 6: Interception. This fairly simple ability is also similarly costed (damage-wise) as Flurry of Blows -- it costs 1 ki point and grants you one extra unarmed attack, just as Flurry of Blows does, but it can be used on the same round as either that or Leaping Strike, though not on the same round as Deflect Missiles of course. It carries the bonus effect of stopping an enemy's movement, so its more than just a free attack. Think carefully before you use your reaction for the round!
Level 11: Fleet of Foot. Now that they've reached 11th level, the monk has an easier time avoiding being locked down. After all, if they can't move, they can't use Leaping Strike! While this feature seems to contain a lot of different benefits, it's important to note that both the ability to move through enemy spaces and the ability to avoid difficult terrain are less impactful for the monk class and especially the Flying Fist monk who already specializes in jumping over obstacles, and they'll become even more redundant once the monk finally reaches their subclass capstone...
Level 17: Empty and Become Wind. There are myriad fictional examples of Martial Artists mastering the ancient and secret art of flying through the air, whether through such means as letting go of your earthly tether or just by learning to jump on air itself. Now you can do it too! As many 17th-level monk features do, this one offers a great deal of extra combat power by boosting the damage of Leaping Strike to such a degree as to make it almost always worth using over Flurry of Blows. The ability to hover means that being knocked prone won't cause you to fall -- that's the benefit of flying via a technique that makes you weightless!
