Monk Elemental Fist

[Final Hyena]

A new Monk archetype, somewhat as a replacement for Way of the Four Elements.

I was in the middle of a project for items that altered class features when I reach the Way of the Four Elements and knew I had to start from scratch.

This was done in the middle of a fairly big project so is a little rushed. Balance comments are greatly appreciated.

Elemental Fists

At 3rd level you know Elemental Forms.
In addition at 3rd and again at 6th level, 11th level, and 17th level you learn one Elemental style.

Elemental Forms
At the start of your turn you may choose to activate an elemental form surrounding your fists/feet in a single element. Until the start of your next turn your unarmed attacks deal either acid, lightning, fire or cold damage. Placing your skin against an object or creature as an action you can deal damage equal to your martial arts die (at the DMs discretion the damage may ignoring certain damage thresholds).

Elemental Styles


Burning Remains
Once per turn when you hit a creature with an unarmed attack you may spend 1 ki to deal fire damage equal to your martial arts die.

Rocket Boost (6th level required)
Once per turn you can spend 1 ki to propel yourself with fire (no action required by you). You have a 30 feet fly speed for the rest of your turn. If at the start of your next turn you do not use Rocket Boost again you immediately fall.

Blazing Fist (11th level required)
If you choose fire for your elemental form you can further heat your hands for the turn by spending 1 ki (no action required). This causes your unarmed attacks to affect creatures in a 15 foot line.

Regenerating Flame (17th level required)
As an action you can spend 5 ki to enter a state of regeneration for the next minute. If you fall below 0 hit points in this state you are treated as if Heal was immediately cast on you. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


Frost Aura
As an action costing 1 ki you can create a chilling aura around you. Every other creature within 5 feet of you must make a Constitution save or take 3 martial arts die of cold damage or half as much on a success, this increases to 4 marital arts die at 5th level.

Ice Glide (6th level required)
Once per turn you can spend 1 ki to create ice underneath your feet, allowing you to slide with speed (no action required by you). Your Unarmored Movement bonus is doubled for the rest of your turn.

Icy Prison (11th level required)
If you choose cold for your elemental form you can enhance your Stunning Strike. Upon hitting another creature with a melee weapon attack you can spend 2 ki to attempt to freeze them in an icy prison. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of your next turn.

Ice Wall (17th level required)
As a bonus action costing 5 ki you can cast Wall of Ice (no components required) except that it has 50 hit points per 10-foot section. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


Disabling Electricity
As a bonus action costing 1 ki point you can target one creature within 30 feet of you. It must make a Dexterity saving throw or be restrained until the start of your next turn. During their turn the creature may make a Constitution save as an action to end the affect.

Lightning Phase (6th level required)
Once per turn you can spend 1 ki to disappear in a spark of lightning before reappearing in any location within 20 feet of you (no action required by you).

Deafening Storm (11th level required)
As a bonus action costing 1 ki you can create a storm around you as big as 20 feet and as small as 5 feet, this lasts until the start of your next turn. Every spell cast in the area by a creature other than you that has a verbal component has a 50% chance of failing, doing nothing, but not expending a slot.

Split Storm (17th level required)
As an action costing 5 ki you can cast unleash the power of the storm. Every creature you choose within a 100 foot cone from you must make a Dexterity saving throw. Creatures take 15d8 lightning damage on a failed save and half as much damage on a successful one. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


Rock Skin
Sacrifice as many points of ki as you wish (no action required), for each ki sacrificed in this fashion roll a martial arts die. You gain temporary hit points equal to the total rolled.

Broken Ground (6th level required)
Once per turn you can spend 1 ki to cause, a 20 foot square within 60 feet of you becomes difficult terrain for 1 minute (no action required by you). If you use this again before the minute ends the previous broken ground affect ends.

Melting Strike (11th level required)
As an action costing 1 ki you can make a single melee attack which if hits deals acid damage equal to 8 martial arts die and at the start of that creatures next turn he must make a Constitution save or take 8 martial arts die of acid damage.

One With the Earth (17th level required)
As an action costing 5 ki you can cast Bones of the Earth (no components required) except that each pillar has a height of 60 feet, 50 hit points and deals 12d6 bludgeoning damage. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


Elemental Resistance
You gain resistance against the type of damage currently active from your Elemental Forms feature.

Elemental Bolt (6th level required)
When your Elemental Form is active you gain a ranged spell attack that you can use with the Attack action. The attack has a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage type is whichever Elemental Form you are using, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you use the Attack action on your turn to use this special attack, you can spend 1 ki point to make two additional attacks with it as a bonus action.

Elemental Aura (11th level required)
When you choose an Elemental Form at the start of your turn you can also imbue that power into one willing ally within 20 feet, this lasts until the start of your next turn or until they move more than 20 feet away from you. All damage they deal through weapons or spells is converted into the same Elemental Form damage you are using.

Elemental Bomb (17th level required)
As an action you can cause a 20 foot cube within 60 feet to explode. Creatures in the area must make a Dexterity saving throws or take 6 martial arts die of damage. The damage type is the same as the currently active Elemental Form.

[R.Shackleford]

I feel like a lot of these should activate or be based around using "Step of the Wind" as your bonus action.

Whenever you use "Step of the Wind you X"

Example

Ice Glide (6th level required)
Whenever you use "Step of the Wind" (bonus action, 1 ki) you create ice underneath your feet, allowing you to slide with increased speed and mobility. You gain the benefit of both the Dash and Disengage action.

(your ice glide doubes you Unarmored Movement bonus... Which isn't as good as dashing as your normal movement + unarmored bonus is included in the dash).

Edit

Some of these working off Patient Defense would be fantastic too. These two features don't get enough love.

Edit 2

Just realized your lightning ability is way OP. Incapacitate is a really strong debuff, you could just restrain them instead... No actions or reactions is a steep price to pay for a low level ability...


Edit 3

It was on my mind so I decided to make these in the idea of basing the monk around the Patient Defense/Step of the Wind.


These are just some spitball first draft things that wouldn't get out of my head.


FIRE
Burning Winds of the Eastern Sun
When you use Step of the Wind you deal fire damage with unarmed attacks until the start of your next turn.

Dance of the Northern Sun (6th level required)
When you use Step of the Wind you may propel yourself with your flames. You gain a fly speed of 30' until the start of your next turn. If you do not use this feature on your next turn you fall.

Reflections of the Western Sun (11th level required, Burning Winds of the Eastern Sun)
You may cast Burning Hands once per short rest as an action. You cast this as a 5th level spell.

Additionally, creatures who have resistance to fire do not against the fires from your "Burning Winds of the Eastern Sun".

Rise of the Southern Sun (17th level required)
Once per long rest whenever you roll a death saving throw you may decide to use this feature. When you use this feature your body bursts into flames and you rise from the ashes with half your max HP. You expend 5 ki using "Rise of the Southern Sun", if you do not have the ki necessary this feature fails.


ICE

Frost of the Eastern Tundra
Whenever you use Patient Defense all creatures within 5' of you feel the tempeture drop as ice forms on them. Creatures within 5' of you can not use the disengage or dash action until the start of your next turn. A successful Constitution save negates this effect

Wonderer of the Western Tundra (6th level required)
Whenever you use "Step of the Wind" (bonus action, 1 ki) you create ice underneath your feet, allowing you to slide with increased speed and mobility. You gain the benefit of both the Dash and Disengage action.

Prison of the Northern Tundra (11th level required, Frost of the Eastern Mountain)
Any creature effected by your "Frost of the Eastern Mountain" is also restrained as ice envelopes them. The effected creatures gain a Strength save at the end of each of their turns to negate this effect.

Shaper Southern Tundra (17th level required)
Once per long rest as an action you may cast Animate Objects as a 5th level spell by expending 5ki. You do not target objects, you create ice sculptures from water or moisture in the air.

The duration for Shaper of the Southern Tundra is 1 minute and doesn't require concentration.



LIGHTNING
Flash from the Eastern Skies
Whenever you use Step of the Wind you may select one creature within 30' of you. A streak of lightning races out and causes the target to take disadvantage on their next attack roll. A successful dexterity save negates this effect.

Traveler of the Western Skies (6th level required)
Whenever you use Step of the Wind you may forgo the normal benefits and instead teleport up to 20' away.

Storm of the Northern Skies (11th level required)
Once per long rest you may cast Call Lightning as a 5th level spell.

Additionally whenever you use "Traveler of the Western Skies" while in a natural or magical lightning storm you may teleport 40' instead of 20'.

Retreat to the Southern Skies (17th level required)
Once per long rest you may cast "Word of Recall" as an action by expending 5 ki.

By expending 10 ki you may cast "Word of Recall" as a bonus action.

You do not have to prepare or select a sanctuary in order to use this feature. This feature will take you to a monestary of your choice that you have visited within the last year.





EARTH

Caustic Touch of the Eastern Land
Whenever you use Patient Defense your unarmed attacks deal Acid damage until the start of your next turn.

Durability of the Western Land (6th level required)
Whenever you use Patient Defense you have resistance to bludgeoning, slashing, and piecing damage until the start of your next turn.

Strut of the Northern Land (11th level required)
You may cast Earth Tremor once per short rest as an action. You cast this as a 5th level spell.

Additionally, creatures who have resistance to acid do not against the damage from your "Caustic Touch of the Western Land" feature.

Rise the Southern Land (17th level required)
As an action costing 5 ki you can cast Bones of the Earth (no components required) except that each pillar has a height of 60 feet, 50 hit points and deals 12d6 bludgeoning damage. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.


(feel free to ignore these, you just got this idea stuck in my head and now I want to make a Patient Defense/Step of the Wind based monk subclass lol)

[Final Hyena]

Just realized your lightning ability is way OP. Incapacitate is a really strong debuff, you could just restrain them instead... No actions or reactions is a steep price to pay for a low level ability...
I suspect you're right.


(feel free to ignore these, you just got this idea stuck in my head and now I want to make a Patient Defense/Step of the Wind based monk subclass lol)
That is half the point of these forums inspiring others.
I'm not overly crazy about making this a step of the wind monk as that's not quite the theme I was after.

[R.Shackleford]

I suspect you're right.


That is half the point of these forums inspiring others.
I'm not overly crazy about making this a step of the wind monk as that's not quite the theme I was after.

A lot of the things you made were either... Strong or off for their level. Other abilities were already better done with SotW/PD. Having abilities based off Step of the Wind or PD allows you to factor in those abilities so that you don't have overlapping abilities (like your Ice Glide). You don't have to use SotW/PD but you need to remember they are there as bonus actions for 1 ki.

I would make each element more consistent (even more so than I did) with each other


Level 3: Gain ability to change damage (all damage) to element.

Monks already do lower (and magical) direct damage, giving them the option to change their damage type would be great to target weaknesses or just look cool.

Level 6: Movement ability (remember SotW is around)

Fire: Speed (flight at a higher level, sorcerers gain constant flight late) dash + disengage.
Lightning: Teleport
Ice: When you move you ignore diff terrain and abilities that would slow your movement.
Earth: When you move you cause difficult terrain.

Level 11: Improve your 3rd level feature.

When you convert damage to your element you may add [modifier] to your damage. Perhaps only with Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows...

Cast a spell 1/short rest as 5th level spell.

Level 17: Cast a thematic 5th - 7th level spell for 5 (or more) ki 1/long rest. Or have a thematic high level feature that is about as powerful as a 6th-7th level spell. Animate Objects is pretty strong but other spells in that range work out well. Spells that have multiple uses are the best bet.

Small upgrade to level 6 feature.

Note: The monk is a pretty solid class all around, a bit lacking in direct damage but still not a bad class.

[Final Hyena]

Level 3: Gain ability to change damage (all damage) to element.

Monks already do lower (and magical) direct damage, giving them the option to change their damage type would be great to target weaknesses or just look cool.
That is already a feature. It is why the other level 3 features are side grades for your ki.


Level 6: Movement ability (remember SotW is around)

Fire: Speed (flight at a higher level, sorcerers gain constant flight late) dash + disengage.
Lightning: Teleport
Ice: When you move you ignore diff terrain and abilities that would slow your movement.
Earth: When you move you cause difficult terrain
Step of the wind is a bonus action, my level 6 abilities take no action.



Level 11: Improve your 3rd level feature.

When you convert damage to your element you may add [modifier] to your damage. Perhaps only with Martial Arts or Flurry of Blows...
Adding another modifier onto damage would be a minor (and if wisdom too strong) buff that isn't overly interesting.


Cast a spell 1/short rest as 5th level spell.

Level 17: Cast a thematic 5th - 7th level spell for 5 (or more) ki 1/long rest. Or have a thematic high level feature that is about as powerful as a 6th-7th level spell. Animate Objects is pretty strong but other spells in that range work out well. Spells that have multiple uses are the best bet.
That is what they are.

[R.Shackleford]

That is already a feature. It is why the other level 3 features are side grades for your ki.


Step of the wind is a bonus action, my level 6 abilities take no action.


Adding another modifier onto damage would be a minor (and if wisdom too strong) buff that isn't overly interesting.


That is what they are.

That list was an example of making things consistent. On yours you have different mechanics for the same level.

For example...
Rock Skin and Disabling Lightning work off different mechanics even though they are the same level. The elemental monk is one subclass but it is designed as if it was 4 different subclasses.

The battle master has different effects but they all follow the same basic mechanic. Attack + Roll Die + Effect or Attack + Roll Die + Offer Save + Effect.

The point of that list was to give an example of consistency between the elements.

Ice Glide is still fiddly (doubling only unarmored bonus to speed) and should cost a bonus action (or perhaps a reaction of worded correctly) to be more consistent with what the monk already has. For example, Open Hand monks don't gain abilities that just work. You have to perform a different action or bonus action in order use your ki to modify your initial ability. Even the Shadow Monk's teleport which is 0 ki uses up a bonus action. Ice Glide needs to be less fiddly, needs at least a bonus action, needs to ride off another ability, or needs to be changed to fall in line with how the monk works.

Also you should write out Bones of the Earth so that you don't have to say "except that...". Also, I think force cage could be a great spell to replicate with the earth and is a bit more simple/intuitive.

[Final Hyena]

That list was an example of making things consistent. On yours you have different mechanics for the same level.
Level 3 ~ a way to use ki that is a sidegrade to an attack & flurry.
Level 6 ~ movement
Level 11 ~ a new way to punch people (with the exception of lightning where I drew a blank)
Level 17 ~ a once per long rest powerful ability

The main one that is different is the Form Mastery tree.

Never the less I wanted a class with many options for you to choose from when you levelled, keeping options will inevitably result in features that are not using the same mechanics, just like totem warrior.


Ice Glide is still fiddly (doubling only unarmored bonus to speed) and should cost a bonus action (or perhaps a reaction of worded correctly) to be more consistent with what the monk already has. For example, Open Hand monks don't gain abilities that just work. You have to perform a different action or bonus action in order use your ki to modify your initial ability. Even the Shadow Monk's teleport which is 0 ki uses up a bonus action. Ice Glide needs to be less fiddly, needs at least a bonus action, needs to ride off another ability, or needs to be changed to fall in line with how the monk works.
Tranquillity just works, Mastery of Death just works.
It's very simple, use a ki get a boost to speed.


Also you should write out Bones of the Earth so that you don't have to say "except that...". Also, I think force cage could be a great spell to replicate with the earth and is a bit more simple/intuitive.
That would take more text.
Both are reasonable I just went with Bones of earth as it was already thematically appropriate (Force cage creates a cage that is indestructible and blocks teleportation).

[Foxhound438]

one issue/concern

the verbage used by the OP here seems to indicate something quite powerful:


In addition at 3rd and again at 6th level, 11th level, and 17th level you can learn one of the Elemental Styles.

If i'm interpreting this right, this means you gain everything from the elemental style you chose at each point you get a style. This would make this subclass incredibly powerful if that were the case since you ultimately get four subclass features at each relevant level instead of the standard one. Individually no effect stood out to me as inherently broken (although in a few cases perhaps the damage OP placed may be a little lot high), but when you get more features than you're supposed to have, the power creep sets in fast. Now instead of having those few abilities that can more or less solve a specific type of encounter, you have four times as many of those. Granted, spellcasters more or less end up getting there due to spell selection, but at a much steeper cost than a few points that return on a short rest. It messes with the balance against the existing material for monks.

[R.Shackleford]

That would take more text.
Both are reasonable I just went with Bones of earth as it was already thematically appropriate (Force cage creates a cage that is indestructible and blocks teleportation).

Laziness is never the better option. Yes it takes more text but it looks better on a finished product

I wasn't saying copying it word for word, take it and make it your own feature. Something new and something cool instead of using "except".

I used an "except" on the Ice capstone because it's mostly fluff and because I wasn't working on a finished piece, just a spot ball.

Have a magical earth cage spear that can trap enemies. The magic from the plane of earth/you prevents teleportation. Fluff is easy to manipulate.

@Foxhound

Holy crap I think your right... I missed that part. Way too strong at that point.

[Final Hyena]

Snip
I was concerned if people would read it like that and seeing as you did I have reworded it.

[Final Hyena]

Laziness is never the better option. Yes it takes more text but it looks better on a finished product
I would rather wait for more feedback on them before writing them out, the 17 abilities are what I'm most concerned with.