A rebuilt version of the Monk's Way of the Four Elements subclass based on switching between four Elemental Forms.

Each Elemental Form has been individually balanced using the "Create-A-Tradition" guide by Matthew Gravelyn, which is available on DM's Guild. The features and progression of this subclass have been inspired and heavily influenced by the following Way of the Four Elements (Wo4E) versions:

• Wo4E Reborn by Steven Partridge from Nerdarchy.com: www.nerdarchy.com/way-of-the-four-elements-monk-reborn-for-5e-dd/
• Wo4E Revised by /MoNNolith on the DNDBeyond forums: www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/monk/12910-monk-way-of-the-four-elements-revised
• Wo4E Remastered by /u/SpiketailDrake archived on Reddit: www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/35yn4u/way_of_the_four_elements_remastered_a/

Please let me know any feedback you might have about the subclass in the comments below!

Disciple of the Elements

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn two of the four Elemental Forms associated with the four elements: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water. You learn an additional form of your choice when you reach 6th level and the final form at 11th level.

Starting at 3rd level, you can use a bonus action to enter any of the forms that you know, synchronizing your ki with one of the four elements. Each Elemental Form grants you specific benefits, as listed under each Elemental Form below. Each Elemental Form lasts until you dismiss it (a free action), you are incapacitated, or you switch to a new Elemental Form as a bonus action on your turn.

You unlock new features of each Elemental Form you know when you reach 6th and 11th level. When you learn a new Elemental Form, you unlock all of the features available in that Form at your current monk level.

Air Form

You have learned how to harness the power of the wind and air. You gain the following benefits while you are in Air Form:

Air's Embrace. You can cast the cantrip Gust at will.

Fist of Unbroken Air. You can summon a swirling wind and concentrate it around your fists. When you make an unarmed attack on your turn, you can choose to strike out condensed bursts of air that stretch out beyond your normal reach. Your reach increases by 10 feet for that attack.

Thunderstruck. When a Fist of Unbroken Air attack hits, you can choose to spend 1 ki point to create a thunderous boom that is audible within 300 feet of you and deal an extra 2d6 thunder damage to the target. Starting at level 6, you can spend ki points to increase this extra damage by 1d6 per additional ki point spent. Additionally, if the target is a creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone.

Earth Form

You have learned how to harness the power of earth and stone. You gain the following benefits while you are in Earth Form:

Earth's Embrace. You can cast the cantrip Mold Earth at will.

Clay Carapace. Layers of clay and dense earth collect around critical areas of your body in supple layers, providing protection from incoming attacks. Your AC increases by half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield.

Stony Spikes. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to produce stony spikes to grow out of you like small stalactites that cover you and your gear. You gain 5 temporary hit points until you leave Earth Form. If a creature hits you with a melee attack while you have these temporary hit points, the creature takes 5 piercing damage. Starting at level 6, you can spend ki points to increase both the temporary hit points and the damage by 5 per additional ki point spent.

Fire Form

You have learned how to harness the power of fire and flames. You gain the following benefits while you are in Fire Form:

Fire's Embrace. You can cast the cantrip Control Flames at will.

Fangs of the Fire Snake. Your arms and legs writhe with flames in the shape of coiling venomous snakes. When you make an unarmed attack on your turn, you can choose to deal fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage.

Flaming Snakebite. When you do fire damage using the Fangs of the Fire Snake, you can choose to spend 1 ki point to make the flames glow with a white-hot intensity, causing the attack to do an extra 1d6 fire damage. Starting at level 6, you can spend ki points to increase this extra damage by 1d6 per additional ki point spent. If the target is a creature or a flammable object, it ignites. Until a creature takes an action to douse the fire, the target takes 1d6 fire damage at the start of each of its turns.

Water Form

You have learned how to harness the power of water and ice. You gain the following benefits while you are in Water Form:

Water's Embrace. You can cast the cantrip Shape Water at will.

Ebb and Flow. You can switch between defence and offence in the blink of an eye. When you are hit with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage you take by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can choose to attempt to knock the weapon out of your attacker's hand(s). Your attacker must succeed on a Strength saving throw or the weapon falls to the ground on the opposite side of you from where they attacked.

Freezing Whirlpool. As an action, you may spend 1 ki point to cause a shallow vortex of freezing water to swirl around you in a 10-foot radius. Each creature other than you in that area must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 1d6 cold damage and is knocked prone. Starting at level 6, you can spend ki points to increase this damage by 1d6 per additional ki point spent. Until the start of your next turn, the affected area is wet and icy and is difficult terrain for creatures other than you.

Adept of the Elements

At 6th level, you have further developed your ability to use your ki to enhance the elemental forces at your command. You may now spend additional ki points to increase the effects of the ki-empowered elemental features from the Elemental Forms you know. The maximum number of total ki points you can spend each time you use a given ability is equal to your monk level divided by 3, rounded down.

Starting at 6th level, any damage caused by features of your Elemental Forms are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

When you reach 6th level in this class, you learn a third Elemental Form and you gain additional benefits from each Form you know.

A Leaf on the Wind

While you are in Air Form, a powerful wind rises up to catch you as you fall. Your Slow Fall ability no longer requires a reaction to use, and instead, you may use it automatically whenever you are conscious and not incapacitated, and it negates all falling damage regardless of the distance you fall. When you use the Slow Fall ability, you may now also glide along the air to move 5 feet in any horizontal direction for every 5 feet that you fall.

Effortless Leap

While you are in Fire Form, the air around you heats up and works in unison with your movements, helping to lift you up as you jump. Your jump height and distance are doubled (quadrupled with Step of the Wind) and you gain advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks related to jumping.

Enduring Mountain Stance

While you are in Earth Form, your body and mind become as rigid and unyielding as the ground below you. Your ki roots your feet into the ground and you become immovable. When you use the Dodge action, you cannot be moved, pushed, grappled, frightened, or knocked prone against your will until the start of your next turn, even if magically compelled to do so. You must be standing on the ground to use this ability.

Golden Snake's Icy Path

While you are in Water Form, whenever you take the Dash action, for any movement you make along a surface you can leave a 5-foot wide trail of slippery ice until the end of your turn. While leaving an icy trail in this way, you gain the benefits of the Disengage action. The ice counts as difficult terrain and lasts until the start of your next turn.

Master of the Elements

Starting at 11th level, you can cast the cantrips Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth, and Shape Water at-will, even when you are not in the associated Elemental Form.

When you reach 11th level in this class, you learn the final Elemental Form and gain additional benefits from each form.

Wreathed in Flame

As part of the bonus action used to enter Fire Form, or as a bonus action while you are in Fire Form, you can spend 2 ki points to cause flames to race across your body for 1 minute. While this ability is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You are immune to fire damage and have resistance to cold damage
• You shed bright light within a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet
• Any creature that moves within 5 feet of you for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there takes 1d10 fire damage.

Wreathed in Ice

As part of the bonus action used to enter Water Form, or as a bonus action while you are in Water Form, you can spend 2 ki points to become covered in icy frost for 1 minute. While this ability is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You are immune to cold damage and have resistance to fire damage
• You can move across difficult terrain created by ice or snow without spending extra movement
• The ground in a 10-foot radius around you is icy and is difficult terrain for creatures other than you. The radius moves with you.

Wreathed in Stone

As part of the bonus action used to enter Earth Form, or as a bonus action while you are in Earth Form, you can spend 2 ki points to become encrusted with earth and stone for 1 minute. While this ability is active, you gain the following benefits:

• You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from nonmagical attacks
• You can move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without spending extra movement
• You can move through solid earth or stone as if it was air and without destabilizing it, but you can’t end your movement there. If you do so, you are ejected to the nearest unoccupied space, this spell ends, and you are stunned until the end of your next turn.

Wreathed in Wind

As part of the bonus action used to enter Air Form, or as a bonus action while you are in Air Form, you can spend 2 ki points to become surrounded by blowing wind for 1 minute. While this ability is active, you gain the following benefits:

• Ranged weapon attacks against you have disadvantage on the attack roll
• You gain a flying speed of 60 feet. If you leave Air Form for any reason while you are flying, you fall, unless you can somehow prevent it.

Avatar of the Elements

As an ultimate display of your mastery of the elements, you can spend 5 ki points as a bonus action to have the elements of earth, fire, air, and water form a protective sphere around your body, gaining access to the benefits and features of all four of your Elemental Forms for 1 minute.

In addition to being able to use any of the features and benefits of every Elemental Form you know, while this ability is active you also gain the following benefits:

• You can use your action to create a small earthquake on the ground in a 15-foot radius centered on you. Other creatures on that ground must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.

• You can use your action to create a line of fire 15 feet long and 5 feet wide extending from you in a direction you choose. Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 4d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

• You can use your action to create a 15-foot cube of swirling wind centred on a point you can see within 60 feet of you. Each creature in that area must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 2d10 bludgeoning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If a Large or smaller creature fails the save, that creature is also pushed up to 10 feet away from the center of the cube.

• You can use your action to create a 15-foot cone of freezing wind and ice extending from your outstretched hand in a direction you choose. Each creature in the cone must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 4d6 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its save against this effect has its speed halved until the start of your next turn.