I need help with executing character idea: an Eladrin 4 Elements Monk that uses a different combat style and element for each of the 4 seasons. My problem is implementing four different "modes" or strategies with the limited amount of feats available. The DM has allowed uncommon or rare magic items "within reason"
I know I want a winter grappling mode, but the other three are on the table. Level 12 btw
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Any sufficiently widespread magic is indistinguishable from technology.
The second funniest thing to make a D&D party do is explain morality
I need help with executing character idea: an Eladrin 4 Elements Monk that uses a different combat style and element for each of the 4 seasons. My problem is implementing four different "modes" or strategies with the limited amount of feats available. The DM has allowed uncommon or rare magic items "within reason"
I know I want a winter grappling mode, but the other three are on the table. Level 12 btw
This is a fun concept.
There are a number of finesse/monk weapons you could switch between.
What might be fun is to multiclass as a Warlock, take pact of the blade, and then switch back and forth between the weapons as desired. You could keep dex as your primary stat and still use it, but pact weapon would allow you to switch quickly.
Hex spell is an insane boost to Monks because of all the attacks they do.
With Warlock 2 you could take Tome of Shadows and then gain access to all cantrips in the game. You could also take Misty Visions and use it to create the illusion of elements around you as you fight. With just two levels of warlock you could take Booming Blade (thunder) and Green Flame Blade (fire) and use them with monk weapons. You could also take shocking grasp to cover lightning.
Warlock has Armor of Agathys which would grant the ability to hit with ice. There are a few other options but with a 2 level dip I would take Hex, AoA, and probably a ritual spell for utility.
As for feats, I would probably take Elemental Adept each and every time I get an ASI. Others might disagree, but I think Elemental Monks benefit uniquely from this feat because of their features.
There’s probably reasons to take other feats but I am just really thinking about the “four elements” theme of this build and that is simply what I would do. You might even justify going peak charisma with pact weapon and then just have dex +3 most of the game which can be boosted with magical items.
I am assuming if you are playing an Eladrin Elf then you have access to 2014 feats? Not sure if you are 2024 only?
Obviously a straight up monk will go peak dex/wis and in that case I would actually use 2014s elemental adept to boost wisdom for AC and then use items to boost attacks.
But if you are 2024 only, I would probably take Grappler at Monk level 4, +2 dex at Monk 8, and Fey Touched at 12 to boost wisdom (ac) and take the Hex spell. This might be the optimized choice with just the 2024 core rules and no multiclassing.
Item Suggestion:
Wraps of Unarmed Prowess (Book of Many Things): Provides a +1, +2, or +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls.
Autumn charms and it's difficult to use that in combat unless you are fighting hordes. You have to not touch them until you are ready. Still, even if it's one opponent, you could cause them to miss a turn while you prepare. This can be a theme of the enemy is slow.
Winter frightens the enemy. You want to build around grappling and a successful grapple will basically put a single target at disadvantage on all attacks.
Spring repositions an ally. This can be a theme of your allies are mobile.
Summer deals fire damage. Summer is hot. This is pretty straight forward.
Let's look at your class features:
Martial Arts
Martial Arts Die of 1D10 if you don't multiclass
Bonus Unarmed Strikes will compete with your Fey Step ability for your Bonus Action.
Unarmored Defense
Monk's Focus
Heavy competition for your Bonus Action
Unarmored Movement
Uncanny Metabolism
Elemental Attunement
Reach
Elemental Strikes. Acid, Cold, Fire, Lightning, or Thunder. We can assign Fire to Summer and Cold to Winter Spring and Autumn are harder. Maybe Spring is Lightning for storms?
Manipulate Elements
Slow Fall
Extra Attack
Stunning Strike: This fits with the enemy is slow theme of Autumn, but I wouldn't restrict it to one season.
Empowered Strikes
Elemental Burst: Same as Elemental Strikes, above.
Evasion
Acrobatic Movement
Heightened Focus
Self-Restoration
Stride of the Elements: Cool, but not really helpful for the strategies and it isn't a huge upgrade over Acrobatic Movement
Multiclass Options
Not recommended, particularly if you could go to 20
There might be some interesting options with Warlock for Pact of the Tome, but the ability score requirements for multiclassing are rough. You might be able to pick up an Invocation with Eldritch Adept, but you will need spellcasting ability from somewhere first
Feats
If there is no multiclassing, you also have 3 feats. Ideally these should be universally applicable since, if they aren't, you will be losing a decent chunk of your power as you change seasons.
Origin Feat: Tavern Brawler for the punch grapple. You may focus on Grapple during winter, but it can still be a tool the other seasons. Pick this up via Sailor.
Origin Feat: Spellfire Spark (Spellfire Initiate, bad abilities options, but can be taken later if you like it) gives you additional fire options and the ability to reduce magical damage.
Origin Feat: Zhenterim Ruffian (Zhentarim Mercenary, bad abilities again, better than Spellfire Initiate) allows you to expend heroic inspiration to give your allies Advantage on an Initiative Roll which fits the theme of allies being more mobile.
Grappler
I like Charger
Sentinel can be cool but just grapple on an Attack of Opportunity if you would use this. I'm not sure how reach from Elemental Attunement works with opportunity attacks. You may be able to grapple without retaliation.
Magic Items
+x Wraps of Unarmed Power (Uncommon+) is always good. Helps with your basic attacks.
+x Dragonhide Belt (Fizban's Treasury of Dragons, Uncommon+, requires attunement) is always good if you acknowledge that "ki abilities" are now "focus abilities". Helps with your Elemental Burst and Stunning Strike.
Bracers of Defense (Rare, Attunement) will improve your AC
Adventurer's Ring (Heroes of Faerun, Common): Torch/Antimagic Field Detection (Light will get suppressed in field's area)
Bottle of Boundless Coffee (Strixhaven Curriculum of Chaos, Common): Who doesn't want free coffee?
Clockwork Amulet (Common, get a 10 on a d20 once per day)
Everbright Lantern (Common, Eberron: Rising from the Last War) More light than an Adventurer's Ring, but directional.
Sylvan Talon (Common, Attunement) Monk weapon options and allows you to understand any Fey non-written communication. Useful.
Weapon of Warning (Uncommon, Attunement) is always good, pick a monk weapon and give everyone advantage on initiative. Or have one of your allies have one. The user needs to be attuned, but doesn't actually need to use it combat.
Rather than build option, I would try to vary the seasonal strategies around actions you can take.
Ok, so doing this with feats is a terrible idea, you don't have enough of them to really fulfill it and there just aren't a lot of good options. Take the Grappling and the Charger feat, then just boost your stats.
Instead you'll need to do it with magic items.
Load Out 1 (Spring): Bracers of Archery, Glimmering Moonbow, Eyes of the Eagle -> despite them not being "monk weapons", monks can absolutely use bows, so one of your styles could be an Archery style, you can reflavour Deflect Attack to fit this theme easily, same with the 4-Elements Elemental Burst.
Load Out 2 (Autumn) : Pipes of Haunting, Mace of Terror -> This is a melee-weapon focused build with a strong emphasis on fear.
Load Out 3 (Summer) : Flametongue shortsword, Eversmoking Bottle, Dagger of Blindsight -> smoke and fire of the summer forest fire season, this one uses Blindsight + smoke to get advantage on enemies.
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I need help with executing character idea: an Eladrin 4 Elements Monk that uses a different combat style and element for each of the 4 seasons. My problem is implementing four different "modes" or strategies with the limited amount of feats available. The DM has allowed uncommon or rare magic items "within reason"
I know I want a winter grappling mode, but the other three are on the table. Level 12 btw
Any sufficiently widespread magic is indistinguishable from technology.
The second funniest thing to make a D&D party do is explain morality
Try your hand at the Ultimate Skill Build Challenge!
This is a fun concept.
There are a number of finesse/monk weapons you could switch between.
What might be fun is to multiclass as a Warlock, take pact of the blade, and then switch back and forth between the weapons as desired. You could keep dex as your primary stat and still use it, but pact weapon would allow you to switch quickly.
Hex spell is an insane boost to Monks because of all the attacks they do.
With Warlock 2 you could take Tome of Shadows and then gain access to all cantrips in the game. You could also take Misty Visions and use it to create the illusion of elements around you as you fight. With just two levels of warlock you could take Booming Blade (thunder) and Green Flame Blade (fire) and use them with monk weapons. You could also take shocking grasp to cover lightning.
Warlock has Armor of Agathys which would grant the ability to hit with ice. There are a few other options but with a 2 level dip I would take Hex, AoA, and probably a ritual spell for utility.
As for feats, I would probably take Elemental Adept each and every time I get an ASI. Others might disagree, but I think Elemental Monks benefit uniquely from this feat because of their features.
There’s probably reasons to take other feats but I am just really thinking about the “four elements” theme of this build and that is simply what I would do. You might even justify going peak charisma with pact weapon and then just have dex +3 most of the game which can be boosted with magical items.
I am assuming if you are playing an Eladrin Elf then you have access to 2014 feats? Not sure if you are 2024 only?
Obviously a straight up monk will go peak dex/wis and in that case I would actually use 2014s elemental adept to boost wisdom for AC and then use items to boost attacks.
But if you are 2024 only, I would probably take Grappler at Monk level 4, +2 dex at Monk 8, and Fey Touched at 12 to boost wisdom (ac) and take the Hex spell. This might be the optimized choice with just the 2024 core rules and no multiclassing.
Item Suggestion:
I was looking at the 2024 4 elements monk but its fine to use a 2014 species
Any sufficiently widespread magic is indistinguishable from technology.
The second funniest thing to make a D&D party do is explain morality
Try your hand at the Ultimate Skill Build Challenge!
So, let's see
Let's look at your class features:
Multiclass Options
Feats
Magic Items
Rather than build option, I would try to vary the seasonal strategies around actions you can take.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
Ok, so doing this with feats is a terrible idea, you don't have enough of them to really fulfill it and there just aren't a lot of good options. Take the Grappling and the Charger feat, then just boost your stats.
Instead you'll need to do it with magic items.
Load Out 1 (Spring): Bracers of Archery, Glimmering Moonbow, Eyes of the Eagle -> despite them not being "monk weapons", monks can absolutely use bows, so one of your styles could be an Archery style, you can reflavour Deflect Attack to fit this theme easily, same with the 4-Elements Elemental Burst.
Load Out 2 (Autumn) : Pipes of Haunting, Mace of Terror -> This is a melee-weapon focused build with a strong emphasis on fear.
Load Out 3 (Summer) : Flametongue shortsword, Eversmoking Bottle, Dagger of Blindsight -> smoke and fire of the summer forest fire season, this one uses Blindsight + smoke to get advantage on enemies.