Cossack of Chardastes (Monk subclass)
by Marc SaindonSkill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Animal Handling (focus on Riding). Cossacks perform acrobatics on horseback.
Monasteries: Cossacks don't have monasteries, but a nomadic Camp. The leader of all the Camps is the Ataman. Camps integrate religious elements (Clerics of Chardastes, who take care the camp's Icon of their patron Immortal) and entertainment (Bards known as Kobzars)
Level 1:
Martial Arts: the practiced martial is a mix of wrestling and harsh, direct bare-knuckle boxing, with the fabled Cossack Atman (leader) rumored to brawl with bears every morning before breakfast. They also integrate dance routines (Hopak) to work on balance and flexibility, rather than do katas in a dojo.
Unarmed Defense: the Cossacks of Chardastes originally couldn't afford costly armor, so learn a fighting style more convenient to their resources. Nowadays fighting bare-chested, it's also a means of showing off their build and their various tattoos (think of russian vory tattoos or see Witcher 3 for examples).
Level 2:
Ki is called “Panache”.
Unarmed Movement: training acrobatics and dance increase to Cossack's movement rate.
Dedicated Weapon: Cossacks train with spears, cavalry sabers, darts and throwing knives, both as martial weapons and dance props. More exotic weapons like the whip and lasso are possible choices.
Level 3:
Way of the Cossack (Monastic Tradition): “Nu Pogodi!”(Just you wait!) - the Cossack can convert Bardic Inspiration into Ki (Panache) points. It's not much, but Cossacks do get Dedicated Weapon as a Feature at level 2. It also explains some synergy with the Kobzars.
Deflect Missiles: works as normal, but is more along the lines of Addams Family's Mamushka dance scene.
Level 4:
Ability Score Improvement – usually Dexterity, Strength or Charisma.
Slow Fall – a by-product of their “circus acrobat” training more than wu xia
Level 5:
Extra Attack
Stunning Attack – cost one Ki (Panache) point, usually as part of a brutal stunt (like headbutting or even Captain Kirk's double-handed punch)
Level 6: Blessing of Chardastes (Ki-Empowered Strikes): attacks count as magical as per Monk.
Tipsy Sway: a per Xanathar's Guide from the Way of the Drunken Master
Level 7:
Evasion
Stubborn as an Ox (Still of Mind): more in a line with being bad-ass than self-focus of meditation
Level 8:
Ability Score Improvement
Level 9:
Level 10:
Tough as a Bear (Purity of Body): increased stamina due a lifestyle of drinking vodka
Level 11:
Way of the Cossack Feature (to be determined)
Level 12:
Ability Score Improvement
Level 13: (replace Tongue of Sun and Moon with a more theme-aligned feature)
Level 14:
Heart of the Bogatyr (Diamond Soul)
Level 15:
Eternal Rider (Timeless Body)
Level 16:
Ability Score Improvement
Level 17:
Way of the Cossack Feature (to be determined)
Level 18:
(replace Empty body with a more theme appropriate feature)
Level 19:
Ability Score Improvement
Level 20:
Perfect Self (“What? Me? I'm just an average Cossack”; maybe also tied to Rasputin's hard-to-kill reputation)
