Base Class: Monk
Monks of the Way of the Crashing Wave channel the unyielding, destructive power of the ocean—that of massive tidal waves and powerful undersea currents—allowing them to devastate their foes with crushing blows and pushing them across the battlefield as easily as a hurricane tosses around a ship. Of all the monk traditions, the Wave of the Crashing wave is perhaps the most direct. These monks don’t rely on elaborate tricks or magic, just raw force.
One with the Sea
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain a deep affinity with water. You gain a swimming speed equal to your walking speed, and can breath underwater. In addition, you learn the shape water cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for this spell.
Crashing Waves
Also at 3rd level, powerful streams of water flow with your strikes. Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or monk weapon, you can blast it with a jet of water, imposing one of the following effects on that target:
- It must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
- It is pushed 10 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice.
- It takes extra bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
Once on each of your turns, when you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of these effects, even if you’ve already used this feature that turn.
Riptide
At 6th level, you can surprise foes that leave themselves vulnerable with a sudden surge of water. When a creature you can see ends its turn within 15 feet of you, you can use your reaction to force it to make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you can impose one of the following effects on it:
- The creature’s guard is broken. The next attack roll against the creature by an attacker within 5 feet of it has advantage.
- The creature is pushed 10 feet horizontally in a direction of your choice.
- The creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.
Ocean’s Might
Beginning at 11th level, your Crashing Waves improve in the following in the following ways:
- If a creature fails its saving throw against being knocked prone by your Crashing Waves, you can grapple the creature as part of the same action. A creature that attempts to escape the grapple must make its ability check against your ki save DC, instead of being contested by your Strength (Athletics) check.
- Immediately before and after a creature is moved by your Crashing Waves, you can push it an additional 5 feet horizontally. You can move it in the same direction or a different one.
- The damage of your Crashing Waves increases to three rolls of your Martial Arts die. It increases again at 17th level, to four rolls of your Martial Arts die.
Harbinger of Waves
At 17th level, you learn to harness the full might of the ocean, transforming the water you wield into a massive wave. You can spend 2 ki points to cast the tidal wave spell as a bonus action, or 8 ki points to cast the tsunami spell as an action, with a range of 500 feet. While you’re concentrating on this spell, you can’t use your Crashing Waves feature.
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Posted Jan 11, 2022Subclass Analysis
Thematics
Thematically, this subclass revolves around the strength and power of the ocean, evoking tsunamis, hurricanes, and other such powerful oceanic phenomenon. It isn’t similar to many other monks, which rely on finesse and technique; this subclass’s virtue is in raw power.
Class Overview
The main strength of this subclass is its ability to deal damage and control the battlefield. This is different from the abilities of the normal monks, who have low damage and lack battlefield control (unless Stunning Strike is counted). However, this subclass still has the disadvantage other monks have of very poor durability, with a low AC and few hit points.
The following graph show the damage per round of the Crashing Wave monk (using the damaging option for both Crashing Waves and Riptide), compared to a subclassless monk (the same as a Crashing Wave monk using its non-damaging options for Crashing Waves and Riptide), both with and without the use of Flurry of Blows, an Arcane Trickster rogue (a subclass with similar damage and defensive capabilities), and a subclassless warlock, for reference. (The hit rate used was 60%, assuming that the relevant ability score was increased at 4th and 8th level. The failure rate of Strength saving throws used was 50% with the same assumption.)
As can be seen, this monk deals considerable damage when using Flurry of Blows, comparable to the Arcane Trickster, although the damage at lower levels is deceptively high, as Flurry of Blows will be unable to be used all the time. The class also has similar defensive capabilities as the Arcane Trickster, with a comparable AC, although the Arcane Trickster can make up for its shortcomings with spells such as shield and mirror image, which this subclass can only do to a lesser degree with Patient Defense.
However, this class also provides the option to forfeit some of this damage for battlefield control options. While doing so and dealing damage is mutually exclusive with dealing high damage, the subclass is able to switch between the two as needed. These battlefield control options will likely see the most use in a party which has spells that affect and area with a duration, such as the spike growth or web spells.
3rd Level: One with the Sea
This feature is generally ribbon, but has the small mechanical advantage of a swimming speed. I don’t think it’s likely that you’ll find yourself in a situation where a swim speed in necessary in most sessions, but if you do, this will prove very useful.
3rd Level: Crashing Waves
This is subclass’s defining feature. Somewhat similar to the Swarmkeeper’s Gathered Swarm feature, it can applied it once per turn, or twice per turn if Flurry of Blows is used. Note that even if it hasn’t used it yet that turn, it can’t be use it on both Flurry of Blows hits, although the chance of missing both attacks with an Attack action, then hitting both with a Flurry of Blows is only about 6%.
The first option is knocks the target prone if they fail a Strength. Strength saved generally tend to be fairly strong, but the prone condition is also fairly strong, so this is a good option. If you have a ranged weapon option via Dedicated Weapon, or are using a thrown weapon, this is also a good option against flying creature that can’t hover. However, it will otherwise be a poor ranged option, as attacks against prone creatures have disadvantage at distances of greater than 5 feet.
The second option pushes a creature. This is likely to be a more situational option, but is likely to be extremely useful as part of a “push-and-pull” party. Otherwise, it will at least be useful as an option to retreat without provoking opportunity attacks.
The third option deals damage. This damage will be made to scale as levels increase, due to the 11th level feature. This options allows this monk to be a strong damage dealer, although it will lose its battlefield control options, and the monk’s low AC means that dealing this damage is a risky endeavor.
6th Level: Riptide
This feature is essentially a weaker version of the Crashing Waves feature that can be used as a reaction. Note that all the effects require a Dexterity saving throw this time.
The first option provides advantage on a single attack roll. This could be your attack roll or that of another creature. On average, this will deal less damage if used to grant yourself advantage than the third option. That being said, there are many circumstances where it will deal more damage, and/or allow an increased probability of hitting the creature with a negative effect. This will tend to scale somewhat poorly, as most classes/subclasses get more attacks, but the difference won’t be huge.
The second option is equally situational, and like its normal version, is most useful in a “push-and-pull” party.
The third option is damage, albeit only a small amount. Still, it’s better than nothing.
11th Level: Ocean’s Might
This feature is a simple improvement to the 3rd level feature.
The improvement to the first option, grappling a creature, is useful, considering that a creature must use its movement to stand up from prone, thus forcing it to use its action to free itself before it can get up. The fact that the grappled creature needs to make its check against your ki save DC prevents it from being to easy to escape (as most monks will have low Strength).
The improvement to the second option effectively doubled the distance pushed, and allowing for a sort of zigzag motion.
The improvement to the third option features is a simple damage increase. This increase, and the increase at 17th level, allow the class to deal good damage at these levels.
17th Level: Harbinger of the Waves
The tidal wave spell will likely do a point or so more damage than a simple Flurry of Blows (with the knocking prone option chosen for comparison, and likely less if magic items come into play. This is usually not work 1 additional ki point in cost, but if multiple creatures can be hit, then its is likely a good use of ki.
The tsunami spell is actually quite useful, considering its casting time is changed from 1 minute to 1 action. The range was decreases, as being able to cast a high-level spell with is sight range as an action might be too strong. It will deal considerably more damage than using normal weapon attacks, even considering the fact that you can’t use your Crashing Waves feature. Using Flurry of Blows, with the pushing option for both Crashing Waves and Riptide, over the course of three turns will deal about 79 damage, and push that creature back up to 45 feet each turn. Over three turns, tsunami will deal about 50 damage to each creature it hits, and automatically push them back 50 feet each turn, in addition to the 26 damage the monk deals on each of these turns, with no additional ki spent. However, the considerable ki cost and the possibility to lose concentration compensates for this advantage. The spell’s range was changed to 500 feet, as having a damaging spell with an action casting time and a range of sight is quite strong.
Recommended Builds:
The Crusher feat is excellent on this build; it adds to the battlefield control abilities which supplement those the subclass already has. Defensive abilities may also be useful, as this subclass is extremely fragile, as are most monks. Multiclasses with subclasses like the Swarmkeeper ranger are useful for the same reason. Additionally, multiclasses that grant access to battlefield control spells are useful, although there are better provided by other party members.
This subclass synergies especially well with “push-and-pull” battlefield control parties, due to its strong control abilities. Such parties (or at the least individual characters) are fairly common in the current meta, so this monk will likely be able to contribute to most parties it joins. Likewise, this subclass will also synergize well with grappling builds. Even if the party it join isn’t a “push-and-pull” party, the control abilities are still useful. Moreover, the subclass’s ability to deal damage will always be useful. The subclass’s lack of defense is difficult to remedy, but a party with certain spells (such as shield of faith) or other abilities (such as an artificer creating bracers of defense) can help solve this issue.
Any feedback on this subclass is welcome!