The Warrior of the Four Elements: Rebuilt Class for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e)

Base Class: Monk

A 2024 update to the rebuilt version of the Monk's Way of the Four Elements subclass based on switching between four Elemental Forms. (See the legacy version of the subclass at www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/1922997-way-of-the-four-elements-rebuilt).

Each Elemental Form in the Legacy version was 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.

Each Elemental Form grants you specific benefits, as listed below, and 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 cantrips Gust and Thunderclap at will.

Thunderwave. You can expend 1 Focus Point to cast the Thunderwave spell at 1st level.

Fist of Unbroken Air. You can create brief, concentrated explosions of air in your vicinity. When you make an Unarmed Strike, your reach increases to 15 feet and you can deal Thunder damage rather than its normal damage type. When you deal Thunder damage with an Unarmed Strike, you can also force the target to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you can either move the target up to 10 feet in any direction (through unoccupied space) or knock it 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 cantrips Mold Earth and Magic Stone at will.

Earth Tremor. You can expend 1 Focus Point to cast the Earth Tremor spell at 1st level.

Clay Carapace. Layers of clay and dense earth collect around critical areas of your body in supple layers, protecting you from incoming attacks. Your AC increases by 2 while you aren't wearing armor or wielding a Shield.

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 cantrips Control Flames and Create Bonfire at will.

Burning Hands. You can expend 1 Focus Point to cast the Burning Hands spell at 1st level.

Fangs of the Fire Snake. Your arms and legs writhe with flames in the shape of coiling venomous snakes. Whenever you hit with your Unarmed Strike, you can cause it to deal Fire damage rather than its normal damage type. When you deal Fire damage with an Unarmed Strike, you can also force the target to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target starts burning.

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 cantrips Shape Water and Frostbite at will.

Ice Knife. You can expend 1 Focus Point to cast the Ice Knife spell at 1st level.

Golden Snake's Icy Path. For any movement you make along a surface on your turn, you can leave behind a 5-foot wide trail of slippery ice which lasts until the start of your next turn. The ice counts as difficult terrain, and when a creature moves onto the ice for the first time on a turn, it must succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall Prone.

Adept of the Elements

When you reach 6th level in this class, you learn a third Elemental Form and you gain additional benefits from each Form you know. In addition, any damage caused by features of your Elemental Forms is considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

At 6th level, you have further developed your ability to enhance the strength of the elemental forces at your command. You may now spend additional focus points to cast the elemental spells learned via the Elemental Forms you know at higher levels. The maximum number of total focus points you can spend each time you use a given ability (1:1 for spell levels) is equal to your monk level divided by 3, rounded down.

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. 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

The air around you heats up and works in unison with your movements, helping to lift you higher and push you further when you jump. Your jumping height and distance are both doubled (quadrupled when combined with Focused Step of the Wind), every 2 feet you jump only costs 1 foot of movement, and you gain advantage on all Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and Strength (Athletics) checks related to jumping and landing.

Enduring Mountain Stance

Your body and mind become as rigid and unyielding as the ground below you. Your focus roots your feet into the ground and you become immovable. You cannot be moved, shoved, Grappled, or knocked Prone against your will, even if magically compelled to do so, and you have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed, Frightened, or Stunned conditions. You must be standing on the ground to use this ability.

River's Ebb and Flow

You can move around, over, and under other creatures like water flowing around rocks in a river. You can move through the space of any creature without it counting as difficult terrain and without having to make a check, provided you do not stop in the creature's space. If you are using Golden Snake's Icy Path to leave an icy trail while you pass through a creature's space, you can also force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you cause the creature to fall Prone.

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 also learn the final Elemental Form and gain additional benefits from each form.

Wreathed in Flame

When you enter Fire Form, or at the start of your turn while you are in Fire Form, you can expend 2 Focus 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

When you enter Water Form, or at the start of your turn while you are in Water Form, you can expend 2 Focus Points to become covered in a rime of ice 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

When you enter Earth Form, or at the start of your turn while you are in Earth Form, you can expend 2 Focus 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 were 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

When you enter Air Form, or at the start of your turn while you are in Air Form, you can expend 2 Focus Points to surround yourself with 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 expend 5 Focus 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.

Elemental Forms

At the start of your turn, you can spend 1 Focus Point to enter an Elemental Form that you know, synchronizing your focus with the given element. While focused, you can enter a different Elemental Form that you know by switching your focus as a Bonus Action. You can maintain continuous focus on the elements for a maximum of 10 minutes, regardless of how many times you might switch forms within that period, or until you have the Incapacitated condition.