Here is a simple homebrew fix for monks that i think helps with action economy and will keep the monk up to speed with other classes. It replaces both patient defense and step of the wind. Flurry of blows is still the same.
Ki Fueled Action. You can spend 1ki point to gain an extra action on your turn. This action can only be used to take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash Action. When you use this feature to Dash or Disengage your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
There is precedent for taking an extra action (haste, action surge) so i dont think its unreasonable. The monk of course wont get much benefit from this at lower levels. To do this and flurry in the same round would cost too much but as the monk gains more ki it becomes more viable and would help the monk be less squishy while keeping up reasonable damage.
At first I didn’t think it made much sense as you are already spending a Ki to do those things. But then I realized that it still allows you to make a BA unarmed strike or FoB BA so you are not losing out on damage potential.
Question is would this trigger Ki Fueled Strike so you can BA attack with a monk weapon? The feature says if you spend Ki as part of your action. This is spending a Ki to gain an additional action. Not that it matters too much but some might like to use their mom monk weapon instead.
At first I didn’t think it made much sense as you are already spending a Ki to do those things. But then I realized that it still allows you to make a BA unarmed strike or FoB BA so you are not losing out on damage potential.
Question is would this trigger Ki Fueled Strike so you can BA attack with a monk weapon? The feature says if you spend Ki as part of your action. This is spending a Ki to gain an additional action. Not that it matters too much but some might like to use their mom weapon instead.
Thats a good point. I did not think about ki fueled attack. As written i guess it would not work. But it is homebrew after all and it should not be too hard to alter the wording to make that work. Thanks for picking that up!
At first I didn’t think it made much sense as you are already spending a Ki to do those things. But then I realized that it still allows you to make a BA unarmed strike or FoB BA so you are not losing out on damage potential.
Question is would this trigger Ki Fueled Strike so you can BA attack with a monk weapon? The feature says if you spend Ki as part of your action. This is spending a Ki to gain an additional action. Not that it matters too much but some might like to use their mom monk weapon instead.
Hmm... could go either way depending on how one looks at it, I think.
On the one hand, the Ki isn't being used as part of an action. It's, instead, being used to grant an action. On the other hand, one could argue that spending a Ki to gain, and subsequently use, the "extra" action would constitute the Ki having been used as part of that action.
Only issue I see is that it still burns right through ki.
That is true, but this way, if you were planning on burning a Ki point anyway you don’t take such a hit to your damage output as you can still use your BA for the unarmed strike.
Only issue I see is that it still burns right through ki.
That is true, but this way, if you were planning on burning a Ki point anyway you don’t take such a hit to your damage output as you can still use your BA for the unarmed strike.
True. I can see it being a lot better at higher levels, when there is a big enough ki poll to use the extra action and flurry of blows more than just once per short rest.
I think that's actually a great idea. I've thought for a while now that Step of the Wind and Patient Defense could easily be combined into a single action which further streamlines their basic actions; but the idea of it being an extra action limited to those three actions would be great. Even if it chips a bit at the almighty action economy, I'd argue that it fits the concept of at a monk (speed, flexibility, fast reflexes, control.) and further differentiates them from other martial classes and I don't think it would overpower them. It gives the player a way to cover for the class' current weaknesses (long term damage output, low hp.) with a feature tied to a depletable resource. It does seem like a mechanic that could be a Ki hog, but ultimately I don't see how it would be all that different from how it is now. Even if you don't Flurry of Blows as your BA, just being able to make a BA attack (and I think that Ki fueled attack synergy, even if unintentional, makes it sound even better.) still bolsters your damage output.
In concept, its like you're attacking furiously while being able to block or dodge an attack at the same time, attacking while running around, or attacking while disengaging (like kicking away from someone) which all fits the thematic concept imo.
It probably wouldn't go over well with a few, even the slightest break of the action economy is absolutely unacceptable to some people, but I think it's a good idea and I don't think it breaks anything. This class needs more unique mechanics like that going forward imo.
I think that's actually a great idea. I've thought for a while now that Step of the Wind and Patient Defense could easily be combined into a single action which further streamlines their basic actions; but the idea of it being an extra action limited to those three actions would be great. Even if it chips a bit at the almighty action economy, I'd argue that it fits the concept of at a monk (speed, flexibility, fast reflexes, control.) and further differentiates them from other martial classes and I don't think it would overpower them. It gives the player a way to cover for the class' current weaknesses (long term damage output, low hp.) with a feature tied to a depletable resource. It does seem like a mechanic that could be a Ki hog, but ultimately I don't see how it would be all that different from how it is now. Even if you don't Flurry of Blows as your BA, just being able to make a BA attack (and I think that Ki fueled attack synergy, even if unintentional, makes it sound even better.) still bolsters your damage output.
In concept, its like you're attacking furiously while being able to block or dodge an attack at the same time, attacking while running around, or attacking while disengaging (like kicking away from someone) which all fits the thematic concept imo.
It probably wouldn't go over well with a few, even the slightest break of the action economy is absolutely unacceptable to some people, but I think it's a good idea and I don't think it breaks anything. This class needs more unique mechanics like that going forward imo.
I really don’t think it harms the action economy in any way. Unless someone can explain why it does. But Action Surge exists, Haste exists. These give another action (Action Surge being one of the most powerful class features in the game) but the “Ki Fueled Action” is much more restrictive (Dash, disengage, dodge only) and costs Ki. So yes, you can do it more often, but you can do less with it. And you are right, it does feel thematic to the monk.
I don't think it harms it either, because like you said there's already precedent for it.
You know how it is though, some people are so sensitive about the action economy, unless its WotC themselves adding something (And even then.). Like giving a class a free action like a Perception check or something is suddenly going to shatter the game balance.
But anyways I'm ranting, whatever it's a great idea!
I am thinking about how this synergizes with some subclasses. In particular the drunken fist. At level 6, if you do not want to flurry to disengage you can do this and still get 3 attacks take the dodge action and if the big guy misses you spend 1 more to force him to hit his ally.
I am thinking about how this synergizes with some subclasses. In particular the drunken fist. At level 6, if you do not want to flurry to disengage you can do this and still get 3 attacks take the dodge action and if the big guy misses you spend 1 more to force him to hit his ally.
Yes! Excellent, i never even thought about that combo but it does synergize well!👍
I will say a problematic synergy is acended dragon. It has spectral wings that trigger off step of the wind and without step of the wind it doesn't work anymore. Best bet is to just change patient defense and step of the wind into 2 different abilities that do as suggested here.
When you use your Step of the Wind Ki fueled Action, you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back that vanish at the end of your turn. While the wings exist, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.
With any "fix" or homebrew you might have to make adjustments. The feature only requires when you use SotW, so allowing it to be used with Ki Fueled Action wouldn't be too much of an adjusment.
except with your change you can fly when you dodge now as well not just disengage or dash.
Is it really an issue though? Wings unfurled only lasts until the end of your turn, and you can already BA dodge and use your full monk movement to get around the battlefield and then make attacks with your action. I don’t see the “on your turn only” fly that much different, that’s why the ability is one of the bad features of Ascendent Dragon monk. Edit: if it was a full minute of flight or something I would agree, but as basically an enhanced jump, I don’t think it’s overpowered at all.
Here is a simple homebrew fix for monks that i think helps with action economy and will keep the monk up to speed with other classes. It replaces both patient defense and step of the wind. Flurry of blows is still the same.
Ki Fueled Action. You can spend 1ki point to gain an extra action on your turn. This action can only be used to take the Dodge, Disengage or Dash Action. When you use this feature to Dash or Disengage your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
There is precedent for taking an extra action (haste, action surge) so i dont think its unreasonable. The monk of course wont get much benefit from this at lower levels. To do this and flurry in the same round would cost too much but as the monk gains more ki it becomes more viable and would help the monk be less squishy while keeping up reasonable damage.
Thoughts?
It’s a nice idea.
At first I didn’t think it made much sense as you are already spending a Ki to do those things. But then I realized that it still allows you to make a BA unarmed strike or FoB BA so you are not losing out on damage potential.
Question is would this trigger Ki Fueled Strike so you can BA attack with a monk weapon? The feature says if you spend Ki as part of your action. This is spending a Ki to gain an additional action. Not that it matters too much but some might like to use their
mommonk weapon instead.EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Thats a good point. I did not think about ki fueled attack. As written i guess it would not work. But it is homebrew after all and it should not be too hard to alter the wording to make that work. Thanks for picking that up!
Hmm... could go either way depending on how one looks at it, I think.
On the one hand, the Ki isn't being used as part of an action. It's, instead, being used to grant an action.
On the other hand, one could argue that spending a Ki to gain, and subsequently use, the "extra" action would constitute the Ki having been used as part of that action.
Only issue I see is that it still burns right through ki.
That is true, but this way, if you were planning on burning a Ki point anyway you don’t take such a hit to your damage output as you can still use your BA for the unarmed strike.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
True. I can see it being a lot better at higher levels, when there is a big enough ki poll to use the extra action and flurry of blows more than just once per short rest.
I think that's actually a great idea. I've thought for a while now that Step of the Wind and Patient Defense could easily be combined into a single action which further streamlines their basic actions; but the idea of it being an extra action limited to those three actions would be great. Even if it chips a bit at the almighty action economy, I'd argue that it fits the concept of at a monk (speed, flexibility, fast reflexes, control.) and further differentiates them from other martial classes and I don't think it would overpower them. It gives the player a way to cover for the class' current weaknesses (long term damage output, low hp.) with a feature tied to a depletable resource. It does seem like a mechanic that could be a Ki hog, but ultimately I don't see how it would be all that different from how it is now. Even if you don't Flurry of Blows as your BA, just being able to make a BA attack (and I think that Ki fueled attack synergy, even if unintentional, makes it sound even better.) still bolsters your damage output.
In concept, its like you're attacking furiously while being able to block or dodge an attack at the same time, attacking while running around, or attacking while disengaging (like kicking away from someone) which all fits the thematic concept imo.
It probably wouldn't go over well with a few, even the slightest break of the action economy is absolutely unacceptable to some people, but I think it's a good idea and I don't think it breaks anything. This class needs more unique mechanics like that going forward imo.
I really don’t think it harms the action economy in any way. Unless someone can explain why it does. But Action Surge exists, Haste exists. These give another action (Action Surge being one of the most powerful class features in the game) but the “Ki Fueled Action” is much more restrictive (Dash, disengage, dodge only) and costs Ki. So yes, you can do it more often, but you can do less with it. And you are right, it does feel thematic to the monk.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
I don't think it harms it either, because like you said there's already precedent for it.
You know how it is though, some people are so sensitive about the action economy, unless its WotC themselves adding something (And even then.). Like giving a class a free action like a Perception check or something is suddenly going to shatter the game balance.
But anyways I'm ranting, whatever it's a great idea!
I am thinking about how this synergizes with some subclasses. In particular the drunken fist. At level 6, if you do not want to flurry to disengage you can do this and still get 3 attacks take the dodge action and if the big guy misses you spend 1 more to force him to hit his ally.
Yes! Excellent, i never even thought about that combo but it does synergize well!👍
I will say a problematic synergy is acended dragon. It has spectral wings that trigger off step of the wind and without step of the wind it doesn't work anymore. Best bet is to just change patient defense and step of the wind into 2 different abilities that do as suggested here.
With any "fix" or homebrew you might have to make adjustments. The feature only requires when you use SotW, so allowing it to be used with Ki Fueled Action wouldn't be too much of an adjusment.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
except with your change you can fly when you dodge now as well not just disengage or dash.
Is it really an issue though? Wings unfurled only lasts until the end of your turn, and you can already BA dodge and use your full monk movement to get around the battlefield and then make attacks with your action. I don’t see the “on your turn only” fly that much different, that’s why the ability is one of the bad features of Ascendent Dragon monk. Edit: if it was a full minute of flight or something I would agree, but as basically an enhanced jump, I don’t think it’s overpowered at all.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?