Decided to make an attempt at designing a monastic tradition loosely based on the "the glow" from Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon. Constructive criticism is always welcomed. Enjoy!
Way of Forgotten Fury
The Way of Forgotten Fury is a discipline that was practiced by ancient warlords to aid them in conquering kingdoms. It taught the use of Ki for destructive purposes rather than defense. It was deadly to its enemies, but also quite harmful to the wielder. While there were a few who could practice this art safely, most fell victim to its powerful nature, eventually destroying themselves. Though this practice was banned over a thousand years ago, some still find a way to teach this deadly tradition.
The Glow
3rd Level
At 3rd level, when you spend at least 1 Ki point, you can cause an eerie crackling glow in the color of your choice to surround your body, shedding a dim light out to 5 feet from you for 1 minute. You can do this a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a long rest to use it again.
While glowing, you gain the following benefits:
Your unarmed strikes deal extra lightning damage equal to half your wisdom modifier rounded up.
All bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage you take is reduced by an amount equal to half your dexterity modifier rounded up. As a reaction, you can spend 2 Ki points to double the damage reduction until the end of your next turn.
Aspect of Fear
6th Level
At 6th level, your monastic tradition’s reputation grants you proficiency in the intimidation skill. While glowing, you have advantage on charisma (intimidation) checks.
Fury Arc
11th Level
At 11th level, your glow now appears to behave somewhat erratically and has the chance to travel through your foe and leap to another creature. While glowing, whenever you hit a creature with an attack from your flurry of blows feature, roll a martial arts die. If you roll a 6 or higher, your glow arcs from your target dealing lightning damage equal to your wisdom modifier to another creature within 5 feet of it. If you are the only creature within 5 feet, you take this damage instead. This damage can only be dealt once per turn. You can also spend 1 Ki point to reduce this damage to 0.
Reckless Fury
17th Level
At 17th level, you are a master of the forgotten tradition and gain the ability to channel your Ki into a font of destruction. While glowing, you can forgo your attacks and spend up to 10 Ki points to deal damage to every creature within a 10 foot radius centered on you. Each creature must make a dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC. A creature takes 1d10 lightning damage for each Ki point spent on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. You have resistance to lightning damage while using this ability.
I love the flavour of lightning powered monk! I also like the idea of not having to spend Ki beyond the initial charge to enter your 'charged mode'. I have not experienced your inspiration so my recommendations may stray from your concept... I think it could be a little underpowered at the moment as everything is centered around 'The Glow' but as your started with PB I say keep going with that and encourage this subclass for multiclassing also!
The Glow (3rd Level)
At 3rd level, when you spend at least 1 Ki point on your turn, you can cause an eerie crackling glow in the color of your choice to surround your body, shedding bright light out to five feet and dim light to ten feet from you for 1 minute. You can do this a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a short rest to use it again.
While glowing, you gain the following benefits:
Your unarmed strikes deal additional lightning damage equal to your proficiency bonus
Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage you take is reduced by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus. As a reaction, when you take damage, you can spend 2 Ki points to double the damage reduction until the end of your next turn.
Additionally, the Capstone could do with a tune up, if you used all 10 of the Ki on this ability, you could do 55 average damage to every creature within 10ft. Which seems nice, but some will make that save, and at 17th level, 27 damage is not going to kill anything, and it also leaves you with very little resources. You could make this way more exciting an ability perhaps like the following:
At 17th level, you are a master of the forgotten tradition and gain the ability to channel your Ki into an arking font of destruction. While glowing, as an action you may spend 10 Ki points to deal damage to every creature within a 15 foot cube centered on you. Each creature must make a dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC. A creature takes 10d10 lightning on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. This ability repeats until atleast one creature dies.
I would introduce lightning damage resistance as a constant, earlier on in the subclass, perhaps even at lv3.
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D&D, Youth Work and the Priesthood sadly do not typically interact... I do what I can!
You have some very good points. Despite wanting to somewhat force the character to choose to pump Wis for extra damage or Dex for extra damage reduction (going along with the whole "While there were a few who could practice this art safely" section, your version just scales better. I did toy with using Wis or Dex modifier outright but thought that might get too strong too fast. Maybe, maybe not. I also got rid of the double damage reduction since it will eventually hit 6 points. I did decide to go with lightning resistance at 3rd level as you suggested.
As far as the capstone, I wanted it to be similar to a 9th level fireball. When using all 10 Ki points, it's slightly more powerful, but I wanted to give the player the controlled as well as the nova option. I do like the 15 cube idea. Brings it a little closer to the fireball. Also decided to make it useable a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a long rest.
I would get rid of the “half (rounded up) and just use the DEX or PB straight up. I don’t think it would be overpowered as the abilities are not so strong as to be broken.
And I would even venture to say for the arcing bit if there are no other enemies, if you roll that 6 or higher, instead of you taking the damage you absorb the lightning and recharge a Ki point. So you can keep unleashing the fury
Since i posted this, I have made a few changes including using straight up PB but only on the 3rd level ability. I like your idea about the Ki point recharge. Maybe as a reaction. But limited to once or twice a day or something like that.
Maybe you could update the name "the glow"? Maybe you could call it something like the wrath. And then you could make it so if a creature attacks you if you decide to attack back you do extra lightning damage? Maybe you could find a way to make it so it's not completely centered around the glow. Just some ideas.
"...or you can find the secret tunnel that leads to the Vault of Dickish DM which is filled with 10,000,000 copper coins and a 5,000 pound solid gold statue of a middle finger that is too big to fit through the door."
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Decided to make an attempt at designing a monastic tradition loosely based on the "the glow" from Berry Gordy's The Last Dragon. Constructive criticism is always welcomed. Enjoy!
Way of Forgotten Fury
The Way of Forgotten Fury is a discipline that was practiced by ancient warlords to aid them in conquering kingdoms. It taught the use of Ki for destructive purposes rather than defense. It was deadly to its enemies, but also quite harmful to the wielder. While there were a few who could practice this art safely, most fell victim to its powerful nature, eventually destroying themselves. Though this practice was banned over a thousand years ago, some still find a way to teach this deadly tradition.
The Glow
3rd Level
At 3rd level, when you spend at least 1 Ki point, you can cause an eerie crackling glow in the color of your choice to surround your body, shedding a dim light out to 5 feet from you for 1 minute. You can do this a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a long rest to use it again.
While glowing, you gain the following benefits:
Aspect of Fear
6th Level
At 6th level, your monastic tradition’s reputation grants you proficiency in the intimidation skill. While glowing, you have advantage on charisma (intimidation) checks.
Fury Arc
11th Level
At 11th level, your glow now appears to behave somewhat erratically and has the chance to travel through your foe and leap to another creature. While glowing, whenever you hit a creature with an attack from your flurry of blows feature, roll a martial arts die. If you roll a 6 or higher, your glow arcs from your target dealing lightning damage equal to your wisdom modifier to another creature within 5 feet of it. If you are the only creature within 5 feet, you take this damage instead. This damage can only be dealt once per turn. You can also spend 1 Ki point to reduce this damage to 0.
Reckless Fury
17th Level
At 17th level, you are a master of the forgotten tradition and gain the ability to channel your Ki into a font of destruction. While glowing, you can forgo your attacks and spend up to 10 Ki points to deal damage to every creature within a 10 foot radius centered on you. Each creature must make a dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC. A creature takes 1d10 lightning damage for each Ki point spent on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. You have resistance to lightning damage while using this ability.
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I love the flavour of lightning powered monk! I also like the idea of not having to spend Ki beyond the initial charge to enter your 'charged mode'. I have not experienced your inspiration so my recommendations may stray from your concept... I think it could be a little underpowered at the moment as everything is centered around 'The Glow' but as your started with PB I say keep going with that and encourage this subclass for multiclassing also!
The Glow (3rd Level)
At 3rd level, when you spend at least 1 Ki point on your turn, you can cause an eerie crackling glow in the color of your choice to surround your body, shedding bright light out to five feet and dim light to ten feet from you for 1 minute. You can do this a number of times equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a short rest to use it again.
While glowing, you gain the following benefits:
Additionally, the Capstone could do with a tune up, if you used all 10 of the Ki on this ability, you could do 55 average damage to every creature within 10ft. Which seems nice, but some will make that save, and at 17th level, 27 damage is not going to kill anything, and it also leaves you with very little resources. You could make this way more exciting an ability perhaps like the following:
At 17th level, you are a master of the forgotten tradition and gain the ability to channel your Ki into an arking font of destruction. While glowing, as an action you may spend 10 Ki points to deal damage to every creature within a 15 foot cube centered on you. Each creature must make a dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC. A creature takes 10d10 lightning on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. This ability repeats until atleast one creature dies.
I would introduce lightning damage resistance as a constant, earlier on in the subclass, perhaps even at lv3.
Thanks for the feedback Cheeky.
You have some very good points. Despite wanting to somewhat force the character to choose to pump Wis for extra damage or Dex for extra damage reduction (going along with the whole "While there were a few who could practice this art safely" section, your version just scales better. I did toy with using Wis or Dex modifier outright but thought that might get too strong too fast. Maybe, maybe not. I also got rid of the double damage reduction since it will eventually hit 6 points. I did decide to go with lightning resistance at 3rd level as you suggested.
As far as the capstone, I wanted it to be similar to a 9th level fireball. When using all 10 Ki points, it's slightly more powerful, but I wanted to give the player the controlled as well as the nova option. I do like the 15 cube idea. Brings it a little closer to the fireball. Also decided to make it useable a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus rounded up before needing a long rest.
I would get rid of the “half (rounded up) and just use the DEX or PB straight up. I don’t think it would be overpowered as the abilities are not so strong as to be broken.
And I would even venture to say for the arcing bit if there are no other enemies, if you roll that 6 or higher, instead of you taking the damage you absorb the lightning and recharge a Ki point. So you can keep unleashing the fury
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Since i posted this, I have made a few changes including using straight up PB but only on the 3rd level ability. I like your idea about the Ki point recharge. Maybe as a reaction. But limited to once or twice a day or something like that.
Maybe you could update the name "the glow"? Maybe you could call it something like the wrath. And then you could make it so if a creature attacks you if you decide to attack back you do extra lightning damage? Maybe you could find a way to make it so it's not completely centered around the glow. Just some ideas.
Sho 'nuff!
#OpenD&D #ORC
"...or you can find the secret tunnel that leads to the Vault of Dickish DM which is filled with 10,000,000 copper coins and a 5,000 pound solid gold statue of a middle finger that is too big to fit through the door."