Way of Six Elements

Air. Storm. Earth. Frost. Water. Fire. The six primary elements that comprise offensive and defensive magic. Understanding the connections between these elements and Ki is pivotal to any Elemental Monk's ability to wield them successfully.

Most monasteries specializing in the Way of Six Elements build their temples in places of elemental connection throughout the world, such as underwater volcanoes or perpetual ice storms. Regardless of their location, these monasteries press the understanding that the elements are most powerful when used together. In addition to powerful abilities allowing them to influence the elements, monks following this path can expect to be taught about the water cycle, the seasons, and the Elemental Planes.

(This subclass is designed for use in the Gilded Sun campaign setting, where there are six Elemental Planes instead of the typical four. It is designed to fit the setting first, and improve upon Way of the Four Elements Monk second. This is my first published homebrew class, so please feel free to give constructive feedback!)

Fist of the Elements

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn how to harness the three offensive elements to empower your fists.

When you spend a Ki Point to use Flurry of Blows, you can change the damage type of your Unarmed Strikes to Fire, Cold, or Lightning damage for one turn. This property does not apply to your weapon or spell attacks.

Innate Connections

Your attunement to the elements allows you to bend them to your needs. Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can choose two cantrip spells that allow you to influence the Six Elements. You gain two additional cantrips at 6th level and 11th level.

Connection to Earth

You gain the Mold Earth cantrip.

Connection to Fire

You gain the Produce Flame cantrip.

Connection to Frost

You gain the Ray of Frost cantrip.

Connection to Storms

You gain the Shocking Grasp cantrip.

Connection to Water

You gain the Shape Water cantrip.

Connection to Winds

You gain the Gust cantrip.

Elemental Defense

At 6th level, you gain the ability to create barriers from the natural world. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to create a wall of elemental force. This wall can be made of earth, water, or air, your choice. Regardless of the composition, the wall can be up to 30 feet long, 10 feet high, and 5 feet thick, and must start within 60 feet of where you conjure it. If the wall cuts through a creature's space when it appears, the creature is pushed to one side of the wall of your choice.

A wall made of earth has the following properties:

• It blocks sight and movement.
• It conforms to the materials of the ground it was formed from, such as dirt, sand, or granite.
• It can be climbed with a Strength (Athletics) check equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier.
• It can be broken down by mining equipment, or by spells such as Mold Earth. Otherwise, it remains permanently.

A wall made of water has the following properties:

• It reduces visibility. Creatures on opposite sides of the wall benefit from three-quarters cover.
• The space the wall occupies counts as difficult terrain, but can otherwise be passed through.
• Non-magical flames that pass through the wall are extinguished. Magical fire that passes through the wall deals half damage.
• Spells that deal cold damage cause a five-foot section of the wall to freeze solid.
• Each 5-foot-square frozen section has AC 5 and 15 hit points. Reducing a frozen section to 0 hit points destroys that section of the wall.
• The wall lasts for one minute before turning into normal water.

A wall made of air has the following properties:

• Projectiles from weapon attacks that interact with the wall are caught in the wind and become useless.
• A creature attempting to pass through the wall must make a Strength saving throw equal to 10 + your Wisdom modifier. On a failure, it takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage.
• Gaseous effects such as Fog Cloud or Storm Sphere cannot pass through or over the wall. Creatures with a gaseous form are similarly effected.
• The wall lasts for ten minutes before dissipating.

Antipode Expert

By 11th level, you have learned how to defend yourself against the six elements. Your deflect missiles feature now works on some ranged spell attacks. The spell must deal fire, cold, lightning, poison, bludgeoning, or force damage. When you spend a ki point to make a counter-attack with a caught spell, its damage type changes to the opposite of the spell's damage. For instance, fire would become cold, lightning would become poison, and bludgeoning would become force.

Master of the Six

At 17th level, you have gained mastery over the six elements. As an action, you can choose any 10 ft cube of any of the six elements within 60 ft of you, and transform it into a different element. You can use this feature six times per Long Rest.