Hey, all. As it happens, I really like the monk class and my favorite flavor is the four elements monastic tradition. It fits very well with an idea I have for a dwarf background that leans on tibetan aesthetics and taoist thought, rather than the norse folklore origin for the race. However, that tradition feels really broken (in a bad way) when you put it to use.
I'll paste below an idea I had for a HB subclass with the same elemental theme, but with some tweaking of the subclass table and some key changes in optional feats (rewrote it entirely twice, actually). I am aware I changed a lot of things, including some I maybe shouldn't tinker with, but my point was to first draw this subclass with everything I wished it to have, and leave the balancing for a second moment.
Well, this is the second moment. Could you guys help me out with this? Any thoughts, criticism and suggestions are welcome!
I also made two character sheets to illustrate what a level 5 character would be like on each of the subclass' schools. Here and here.
The Path of Ten Thousand Mirrors
“From one comes two, from two comes three, and from three come ten thousand little dragons”
An offshoot of the Four Elements monastic tradition, the Path of Ten Thousand Mirrors focuses on the dissolution of false dichotomies by using ki to master two apparently opposing elements.
Monks trained in this tradition start their spiritual quest for balance choosing between two martial arts schools, each yielding feats related to two elements.
The Palace of the Two Dragons school is a bundle of faux-spellcasting feats related to Water and Fire, while The Heavenly Dale school contains a set of melee and ranged buffs related to Earth and Air.
From the 17th level and forward, monks of each of the two schools develop awareness of the oneness of all things, and may access abilities of any school within this monastic tradition, provided that they have taken a student under their guidance (see more below).
Subclass table and feats: Palace of the Two Dragons
Level
Prof Bonus
Martial Arts
Ki
Unarmored Movement
Features
1
+2
d4
-
-
Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts
2
+2
d4
2
+10ft
Ki, Unarmored Movement
3
+2
d4
3
+10ft
Monastic Tradition Feat (MTF), Deflect Missiles
4
+2
d4
4
+10ft
ASI, Slow Fall
5
+3
d6
5
+10ft
Quickened Healing
6
+3
d6
6
+15ft
Ki-Empowered Strikes, MTF
7
+3
d6
7
+15ft
Evasion, Stillness of Mind
8
+3
d6
8
+15ft
ASI, MTF
9
+4
d6
9
+15ft
Unarmored Movement Improvement
10
+4
d6
10
+20ft
Purity of Body, Extra Attack
11
+4
d8
11
+20ft
MTF
12
+4
d8
12
+20ft
ASI
13
+5
d8
13
+20ft
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
14
+5
d8
14
+25ft
Diamond Soul
15
+5
d8
15
+25ft
Timeless Body
16
+5
d8
16
+25ft
ASI
17
+6
d10
17
+25ft
Perfect Self*, Elemental Enlightment
18
+6
d10
18
+30ft
Empty Body
19
+6
d10
19
+30ft
ASI
20
+6
d10
20
+30ft
MTF
* Alternate text: At 17th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain ki points equal to your martial arts roll.
Monastic Tradition Features: Palace of the Two Dragons
At 3rd level, the monk may choose two of the following feats for their Monastic Tradition, and one more at 6th, 8th, 11th and 20th levels:
Shape Water
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: 30ft
Duration: 1 hour
You choose an area of water that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You may spend one action to manipulate it in one of the following ways:
You cause the water to form into simple animated shapes. This change lasts for 1 hour.
You change the water’s color or opacity. The water must be changed in the same way throughout. This change lasts for 1 hour.
You freeze the water, provided that there are no creatures in it. The water unfreezes in 1 hour.
You instantly vaporize the water. This effect does not cause damage to creatures or objects.
Produce Flame
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: Self
Duration: Concentration, 10 minutes
You may spend one action to conjure a flickering flame floating in the palm of your hand. The flame remains there for the duration and harms neither you nor your equipment. The flame sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
You may also use one action to attack with the flame, starting from the next turn after you conjured it. Doing so extinguishes the flame. The target must pass a DEX save to your ki feats DC in order to dodge the fiery projectile. On a hit, the target takes fire damage equal to your martial arts roll.
Vapor Cloud
3rd level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Self; 20ft cube
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
By conjuring and combining water and fire, you may spend one action to fill a cube of 20ft around yourself with a thick vapor cloud that offers half cover (+2 AC) to all creatures within the effect area. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed disperses it.
Two Dragons Elemental Investiture
6th level monk feature
Ki cost: 3
Range: Self; 5-15ft radius
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to choose one of the following effects:
For the duration, ice rimes your body, and you are immune to cold damage and have resistance to fire damage. The ground in a 15ft radius around you is icy and is difficult terrain for creatures other than you. The radius moves with you.
For the duration, you are immune to fire damage and have resistance to cold damage. Any creature that moves within a radius of 5ft of you for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there takes fire damage equal to your martial arts roll. The radius moves with you.
Boiling Tsunami
8th level monk feature
Ki cost: 4
Range: Self; 60ft in a 25ft wide line
Duration: Instant
You may spend one action to conjure a wall of boiling water 10ft high and 25ft wide, that then crashes into a wave in a line up to 60ft long in any direction from your position. All creatures of medium or smaller size in the wave’s path must make a STR save to your ki feats DC. On a fail, they’re knocked prone and are pushed back to the end of Boiling Tsunami’s effect, and take two rolls of your martial arts dice in fire and bludgeoning damage. If the creatures in the wave’s path are large or above in size or pass the save, they take half as much damage and are not pushed or knocked prone.
Two Dragons Elemental Staff
11th level monk feature
Ki cost: 8
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to imbue one non-magical quarterstaff with elemental magic, granting it three charges for the duration. Once the staff is imbued, you may spend one action and one charge of the staff to cast one of the following spells: Create Bonfire, Acid Arrow or Fireball.
Each spell can be casted only once per staff imbuement.
Spells cast this way originate at the tip of the staff, and have effects as if its minimal slot was spent.
Saving throws and checks for spells casted with this feat are made using your ki save DC and WIS (Insight).
Subclass table and feats: Heavenly Dale
Level
Prof Bonus
Martial Arts
Ki
Unarmored Movement
Features
1
+2
d4
-
-
Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts
2
+2
d4
2
+10ft
Ki, Unarmored Movement
3
+2
d4
3
+10ft
Monastic Tradition Feat (MTF), Ki-Fueled Attack
4
+2
d4
4
+10ft
ASI, Slow Fall
5
+3
d6
5
+10ft
Stunning Strike
6
+3
d6
6
+15ft
Ki-Empowered Strikes, MTF
7
+3
d6
7
+15ft
Evasion, Stillness of Mind
8
+3
d6
8
+15ft
ASI, MTF
9
+4
d6
9
+15ft
Unarmored Movement Improvement
10
+4
d6
10
+20ft
Purity of Body, Extra Attack
11
+4
d8
11
+20ft
MTF
12
+4
d8
12
+20ft
ASI
13
+5
d8
13
+20ft
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
14
+5
d8
14
+25ft
Diamond Soul
15
+5
d8
15
+25ft
Timeless Body
16
+5
d8
16
+25ft
ASI
17
+6
d10
17
+25ft
Perfect Self*, Elemental Enlightment
18
+6
d10
18
+30ft
Empty Body
19
+6
d10
19
+30ft
ASI
20
+6
d10
20
+30ft
MTF
* Alternate text: At 17th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain ki points equal to your martial arts roll.
Monastic Tradition Features: Heavenly Dale
At 3rd level, the monk may choose two of the following feats for their Monastic Tradition, and one more at 6th, 8th, 11th and 20th levels:
Supporting Gust
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: 150ft
Duration: Instant
As a reaction to a ranged weapon attack made by an ally, you may conjure a strong gust of wind starting at your ally’s position to grant their projectile extra speed and damage against targets up to 150ft. The affected ranged attack gains a bonus to attack and damage equal to a roll of your martial arts dice.
If the attack’s original range was inferior to the range of Supporting Gust, the projectile gets carried to the limit of the feats range; if you opt to do this, the affected ranged attack doesn’t get bonuses to attack and damage.
Lesser Stoneskin
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 round
You may spend one action to grant a creature you touch with a hardened skin. Until your next turn, the affected creature has resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Enhance Ability
3rd level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to grant a creature you touch one of the following effects:
The target has advantage on CON checks and saving throws. It also gains 2d6 temporary hit points, which are lost when the effect ends.
The target has advantage on DEX checks and saving throws. It also doesn't take damage from falling 20 feet or less if it isn't incapacitated.
Heavenly Dale Elemental Investiture
6th level monk feature
Ki cost: 3
Range: Self; 15ft radius
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to choose one of the following effects:
For the duration, wind whirls around you, and ranged weapon attacks made against you have disadvantage on the attack roll. You gain a flying speed of 60 feet. If you are still flying when the effect ends, you fall.
For the duration, you can use an action to create a small earthquake in a 15-foot radius centered on you. Other creatures in that area must succeed on a DEX saving throw against youur ki feat DC or be knocked prone. You may also move across difficult terrain made of earth or stone without spending extra movement.
Conjure Stone Guardian
8th level monk feature
Ki cost: 4
Range: Sight
Duration: Concentration; 1 hour
A stone elemental servant of challenge rating 5 or lower emerges from the ground in a 5ft square within your sight.
The elemental has its own initiative roll and is friendly to you and your companions. It obeys verbal commands that you issue to it (no action is spent doing this). If you don't issue any commands to the Stone Guardian, it will position itself between the party and hostile creatures to protect the group, but otherwise takes no actions.
The creature’s sheet is reserved for GM eyes only.
If your concentration is broken, you lose control over the elemental and it becomes hostile towards you and your allies. It may attack normally from this moment on.
The elemental disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or in one hour time.
Heavenly Dale Elemental Staff
11th level monk feature
Ki cost: 8
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to imbue one non-magical quarterstaff with elemental magic, granting it three charges for the duration. Once the staff is imbued, you may spend one action and one charge of the staff to cast one of the following spells: True Strike, Shatter or Dispel Magic.
Each spell can be casted only once per staff imbuement.
Spells cast this way originate at the tip of the staff, and have effects as if its minimal slot was spent.
Saving throws and checks for spells casted with this feat are made using your ki save DC and WIS (Insight).
Ten Thousand Mirrors: true mastery
At level 17, monks of both Two Dragons and Heavenly Dale schools are granted the Elemental Enlightenment feat, describe as such:
Elemental Enlightenment
17th level monk feature
Ki cost: -
Range: -
Duration: -
The next time you are granted a Monastic Tradition Feat as result of leveling up, you may learn Monastic Tradition feats from either Palace of the Two Dragons or Heavenly Dale schools, independently of which school you choose at 3rd level. According to the Ten Thousand Mirrors creed, at this point of mastery, the monk must take a student desiring to multiclass into the monk class. If they fail to do so, the student leaves or dies, they do not receive an extra Monastic Tradition feat at level 20.
That means that, starting at level 17, the monk has achieved such a level of understanding and attunement to the elemental forces of nature that they can now unify both school’s teachings into one combined practice. The opportunity to do so will come at level 20, with an extra Monastic Tradition feat that is conditioned to the taking of an student under the monk’s guidance. To yield this feat, the student must remain in the monk’s presence under their instruction for the entire time until they reach level 20. If the student dies or leaves the teacher, they cannot be replaced.
Hey, all. As it happens, I really like the monk class and my favorite flavor is the four elements monastic tradition. It fits very well with an idea I have for a dwarf background that leans on tibetan aesthetics and taoist thought, rather than the norse folklore origin for the race. However, that tradition feels really broken (in a bad way) when you put it to use.
I'll paste below an idea I had for a HB subclass with the same elemental theme, but with some tweaking of the subclass table and some key changes in optional feats (rewrote it entirely twice, actually). I am aware I changed a lot of things, including some I maybe shouldn't tinker with, but my point was to first draw this subclass with everything I wished it to have, and leave the balancing for a second moment.
Well, this is the second moment. Could you guys help me out with this? Any thoughts, criticism and suggestions are welcome!
Here's a link for a Google Docs version of the same text.
I also made two character sheets to illustrate what a level 5 character would be like on each of the subclass' schools. Here and here.
The Path of Ten Thousand Mirrors
“From one comes two, from two comes three, and from three come ten thousand little dragons”
An offshoot of the Four Elements monastic tradition, the Path of Ten Thousand Mirrors focuses on the dissolution of false dichotomies by using ki to master two apparently opposing elements.
Monks trained in this tradition start their spiritual quest for balance choosing between two martial arts schools, each yielding feats related to two elements.
The Palace of the Two Dragons school is a bundle of faux-spellcasting feats related to Water and Fire, while The Heavenly Dale school contains a set of melee and ranged buffs related to Earth and Air.
From the 17th level and forward, monks of each of the two schools develop awareness of the oneness of all things, and may access abilities of any school within this monastic tradition, provided that they have taken a student under their guidance (see more below).
Subclass table and feats: Palace of the Two Dragons
Level
Prof Bonus
Martial Arts
Ki
Unarmored Movement
Features
1
+2
d4
-
-
Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts
2
+2
d4
2
+10ft
Ki, Unarmored Movement
3
+2
d4
3
+10ft
Monastic Tradition Feat (MTF), Deflect Missiles
4
+2
d4
4
+10ft
ASI, Slow Fall
5
+3
d6
5
+10ft
Quickened Healing
6
+3
d6
6
+15ft
Ki-Empowered Strikes, MTF
7
+3
d6
7
+15ft
Evasion, Stillness of Mind
8
+3
d6
8
+15ft
ASI, MTF
9
+4
d6
9
+15ft
Unarmored Movement Improvement
10
+4
d6
10
+20ft
Purity of Body, Extra Attack
11
+4
d8
11
+20ft
MTF
12
+4
d8
12
+20ft
ASI
13
+5
d8
13
+20ft
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
14
+5
d8
14
+25ft
Diamond Soul
15
+5
d8
15
+25ft
Timeless Body
16
+5
d8
16
+25ft
ASI
17
+6
d10
17
+25ft
Perfect Self*, Elemental Enlightment
18
+6
d10
18
+30ft
Empty Body
19
+6
d10
19
+30ft
ASI
20
+6
d10
20
+30ft
MTF
* Alternate text: At 17th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain ki points equal to your martial arts roll.
Monastic Tradition Features: Palace of the Two Dragons
At 3rd level, the monk may choose two of the following feats for their Monastic Tradition, and one more at 6th, 8th, 11th and 20th levels:
Shape Water
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: 30ft
Duration: 1 hour
You choose an area of water that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You may spend one action to manipulate it in one of the following ways:
Produce Flame
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: Self
Duration: Concentration, 10 minutes
You may spend one action to conjure a flickering flame floating in the palm of your hand. The flame remains there for the duration and harms neither you nor your equipment. The flame sheds bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for an additional 10 feet.
You may also use one action to attack with the flame, starting from the next turn after you conjured it. Doing so extinguishes the flame. The target must pass a DEX save to your ki feats DC in order to dodge the fiery projectile. On a hit, the target takes fire damage equal to your martial arts roll.
Vapor Cloud
3rd level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Self; 20ft cube
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
By conjuring and combining water and fire, you may spend one action to fill a cube of 20ft around yourself with a thick vapor cloud that offers half cover (+2 AC) to all creatures within the effect area. It lasts for the duration or until a wind of moderate or greater speed disperses it.
Two Dragons Elemental Investiture
6th level monk feature
Ki cost: 3
Range: Self; 5-15ft radius
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to choose one of the following effects:
Boiling Tsunami
8th level monk feature
Ki cost: 4
Range: Self; 60ft in a 25ft wide line
Duration: Instant
You may spend one action to conjure a wall of boiling water 10ft high and 25ft wide, that then crashes into a wave in a line up to 60ft long in any direction from your position. All creatures of medium or smaller size in the wave’s path must make a STR save to your ki feats DC. On a fail, they’re knocked prone and are pushed back to the end of Boiling Tsunami’s effect, and take two rolls of your martial arts dice in fire and bludgeoning damage. If the creatures in the wave’s path are large or above in size or pass the save, they take half as much damage and are not pushed or knocked prone.
Two Dragons Elemental Staff
11th level monk feature
Ki cost: 8
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to imbue one non-magical quarterstaff with elemental magic, granting it three charges for the duration. Once the staff is imbued, you may spend one action and one charge of the staff to cast one of the following spells: Create Bonfire, Acid Arrow or Fireball.
Each spell can be casted only once per staff imbuement.
Spells cast this way originate at the tip of the staff, and have effects as if its minimal slot was spent.
Saving throws and checks for spells casted with this feat are made using your ki save DC and WIS (Insight).
Subclass table and feats: Heavenly Dale
Level
Prof Bonus
Martial Arts
Ki
Unarmored Movement
Features
1
+2
d4
-
-
Unarmored Defense, Martial Arts
2
+2
d4
2
+10ft
Ki, Unarmored Movement
3
+2
d4
3
+10ft
Monastic Tradition Feat (MTF), Ki-Fueled Attack
4
+2
d4
4
+10ft
ASI, Slow Fall
5
+3
d6
5
+10ft
Stunning Strike
6
+3
d6
6
+15ft
Ki-Empowered Strikes, MTF
7
+3
d6
7
+15ft
Evasion, Stillness of Mind
8
+3
d6
8
+15ft
ASI, MTF
9
+4
d6
9
+15ft
Unarmored Movement Improvement
10
+4
d6
10
+20ft
Purity of Body, Extra Attack
11
+4
d8
11
+20ft
MTF
12
+4
d8
12
+20ft
ASI
13
+5
d8
13
+20ft
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
14
+5
d8
14
+25ft
Diamond Soul
15
+5
d8
15
+25ft
Timeless Body
16
+5
d8
16
+25ft
ASI
17
+6
d10
17
+25ft
Perfect Self*, Elemental Enlightment
18
+6
d10
18
+30ft
Empty Body
19
+6
d10
19
+30ft
ASI
20
+6
d10
20
+30ft
MTF
* Alternate text: At 17th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain ki points equal to your martial arts roll.
Monastic Tradition Features: Heavenly Dale
At 3rd level, the monk may choose two of the following feats for their Monastic Tradition, and one more at 6th, 8th, 11th and 20th levels:
Supporting Gust
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 1
Range: 150ft
Duration: Instant
As a reaction to a ranged weapon attack made by an ally, you may conjure a strong gust of wind starting at your ally’s position to grant their projectile extra speed and damage against targets up to 150ft. The affected ranged attack gains a bonus to attack and damage equal to a roll of your martial arts dice.
If the attack’s original range was inferior to the range of Supporting Gust, the projectile gets carried to the limit of the feats range; if you opt to do this, the affected ranged attack doesn’t get bonuses to attack and damage.
Lesser Stoneskin
1st level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 round
You may spend one action to grant a creature you touch with a hardened skin. Until your next turn, the affected creature has resistance to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Enhance Ability
3rd level monk feature
Ki cost: 2
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to grant a creature you touch one of the following effects:
Heavenly Dale Elemental Investiture
6th level monk feature
Ki cost: 3
Range: Self; 15ft radius
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to choose one of the following effects:
Conjure Stone Guardian
8th level monk feature
Ki cost: 4
Range: Sight
Duration: Concentration; 1 hour
A stone elemental servant of challenge rating 5 or lower emerges from the ground in a 5ft square within your sight.
The elemental has its own initiative roll and is friendly to you and your companions. It obeys verbal commands that you issue to it (no action is spent doing this). If you don't issue any commands to the Stone Guardian, it will position itself between the party and hostile creatures to protect the group, but otherwise takes no actions.
The creature’s sheet is reserved for GM eyes only.
If your concentration is broken, you lose control over the elemental and it becomes hostile towards you and your allies. It may attack normally from this moment on.
The elemental disappears when it drops to 0 hit points or in one hour time.
Heavenly Dale Elemental Staff
11th level monk feature
Ki cost: 8
Range: Touch
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You may spend one action to imbue one non-magical quarterstaff with elemental magic, granting it three charges for the duration. Once the staff is imbued, you may spend one action and one charge of the staff to cast one of the following spells: True Strike, Shatter or Dispel Magic.
Each spell can be casted only once per staff imbuement.
Spells cast this way originate at the tip of the staff, and have effects as if its minimal slot was spent.
Saving throws and checks for spells casted with this feat are made using your ki save DC and WIS (Insight).
Ten Thousand Mirrors: true mastery
At level 17, monks of both Two Dragons and Heavenly Dale schools are granted the Elemental Enlightenment feat, describe as such:
Elemental Enlightenment
17th level monk feature
Ki cost: -
Range: -
Duration: -
The next time you are granted a Monastic Tradition Feat as result of leveling up, you may learn Monastic Tradition feats from either Palace of the Two Dragons or Heavenly Dale schools, independently of which school you choose at 3rd level. According to the Ten Thousand Mirrors creed, at this point of mastery, the monk must take a student desiring to multiclass into the monk class. If they fail to do so, the student leaves or dies, they do not receive an extra Monastic Tradition feat at level 20.
That means that, starting at level 17, the monk has achieved such a level of understanding and attunement to the elemental forces of nature that they can now unify both school’s teachings into one combined practice. The opportunity to do so will come at level 20, with an extra Monastic Tradition feat that is conditioned to the taking of an student under the monk’s guidance. To yield this feat, the student must remain in the monk’s presence under their instruction for the entire time until they reach level 20. If the student dies or leaves the teacher, they cannot be replaced.
Continuing efforts to visualize this subclass in action, I made sheets for a level 10 and a level 20 monks in this monastic tradition.