Solar Soul Z / Way of the Sun Soul (Ajusted)

As someone who actually appreciate playing as Monk, Way of the Sun Soul is fun and brought some good ideas to the table, but as most monk subclasses, this has inspirations on anime. A really popular one. For this reason, this subclass feels underwhelming and flavorless. For this reason, me and some friends spend some time trying to make this subclass, somehow, more interesting, flavorful and (why not) stronger.

"In the description of each ability I'll explain the changes, and most important, the reason for such changes and what those changes brought in terms of gameplay and flavor."

Radiant Sun Bolt

Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you have learned how to channel and manifest the power of the sun through your ki.

You can hurl searing bolts of magical radiance.

You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet (ca. 9 meters) plus your unarmored movement distance, accordingly with the monk table. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is radiant, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.

When you take the Attack action on your turn and use this special attack as part of it, you can spend 1 ki point to make the special attack twice as a bonus action.

When you gain the Extra Attack feature, this special attack can be used for any of the attacks you make as part of the Attack action.

“Radiant Sun Bolt is a mostly good ability with only one problem, its range. 30 feet (9 meters) are less than the movement of the monk because of the Unarmored Movement ability, making a better choice simple attacking melee with a monk weapon. For this reason, we change the range to 30 feet (9 meters) plus Unarmored Movement bonus following the monk table. This way the monk increasing their range while leveling, bringing the flavor of becoming more powerful leveling up (getting stronger). This increase of power is represented by the increase of range.”

 

Sun Brightness

At 3rd level, you learn to channel the sunlight and manifest it.

You learn how to cast Dancing Lights as an action.

"In addition, we also let the monk learn the spell Dancing Lights. The reason is simple, why not! But for real, in terms of anime flavor gain the ability to fire ki blasts on your opponents is fine, but beyond the anime references, this subclass is about to wield the power of the sun. So why can you create a shining radiant blast, but can't simply make a ball of light? Now you can. This ability brigs flavor and give to the subclass a new ability that not make it more powerful and bring some utility/roleplay variety."

Searing Arc Strike

At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel your ki into searing waves of energy. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to cast the Burning Hands spell, dealing radiant damage, as a bonus action.

You can spend additional ki points to cast Burning Hands as a higher level spell. Each additional ki point you spend increases the spell's level by 1. The maximum number of ki points (2 plus any additional points) that you can spend on the spell equals half your monk level.

“Use Burning Hands as a bonus action is actually good, but have one single fire damage ability in an entire radiant kit falls flat. So the only change in Searing Arc Strike is to change the damage from fire to radiant."

Solar Flash

At 6th level as a reaction to a melee attack, you can spend 1 ki point, the attacking creature must make a constitution saving throw. If it fails, the creature will suffer blindness until the end of your next turn.

"The first time red the Searing Arc Strike ability description, my reaction was, “that's it?”. The ability by itself is not bad at all, but to do only this at level 6. Level 6 is when subclasses star do crazy stuff. Despite this ability actually work, it still fills lacking. So we create a new ability to bring more flavorful gameplay, Solar Flash. Simply a defensive ability as reaction that bring more ki abilities variety to your monk. And it's also an anime reference, because flavor.”

 

Searing Sunburst

At 11th level, you gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. As an action, you magically create an orb and hurl it at a point you choose within 150 feet (45 meters), where it erupts into a sphere of radiant light for a brief but deadly instant.

Each creature in that 20-foot-radius sphere (6 meters) must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind total cover that is opaque.

You can increase the sphere's damage by spending ki points. Each point you spend, up to a maximum of 3, increases the damage by 2d6.

“Searing Sunburst, it's the most on point ability in this entire subclass kit. Powerful, flavorful, fun. No changes. 10/10."

Solar Aura

At 11th level, you learn how to ignite your inner solar power.

You can spend 3 ki points as a bonus action, igniting a glowing aura that empowers your attacks as long as you concentrate it up to 5 minutes. 

Your Unarmed Strikes and Radiant Sun Bolts gain an additional 1d4 radiant damage.

You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet (9 meters). You can extinguish the aura with a bonus action.

“Searing Sunburst is awesome, But not enough! But Level 11 need more, more power. That's the point of Solar Aura, rise up your ki and increase your power! But we can't ignore that balance still a thing, so can only have 1d4 more damage, nothing special for classes with spells like Elemental Weapon. Keeping flavor and balance at the same time, to sustain the raw power, you have to use 3 ki points and concentrate up to 5 minutes. So, now you have more power but with boundaries.”

Dawn of Soul

At 17th level, you can unleash your true potential through the heat of battle, reaching the ultimate solar form.

When your hit points go down to 0, you can as a reaction ignite the power of the sun deep inside your soul, making you rise up with 1 hit point and your Solar Aura up for 1 minute. Take an extra turn.

While your Dawn of Soul is up, you have an additional 1d4 of radiant damage in all your damage rolls, twice of your Unarmored Movement bonus, accordingly with the monk table and can use your Solar Flash reaction consuming no ki.

“OK, here thinks star to actually change, the original Sun Shield ability is simply lame, in the best case with +5 wisdom, you can deal 10 radiant damage as a reaction against melee attacks... At level 17! That's the most underwhelming ability you could possibly get at level 17. So we totally scratch this ability and replace it to Solar Aura at level 11. Then we make an improved super powerful transformation. Make an ability the only works as reaction when reach 0 hit points is interesting to say the least. Dawn of Soul, one again, bring some anime flavor. Only when close to death you unleash your full potential.”

“You stand once again with your Solar Aura up, to represent your surge of power in a moment of despair. The additional 1d4 of radiant damage, represented your increase of power. The increase of Unarmored Movement, represent your increase of speed. The free use of Solar Flash, represent your improved reflex.” 

“For 1 minute, you can incarnate the powers of the legendary solar monk.”

“This ability intended to be at first Awesome and powerful, but not broken. So to limit this form you con only use when reach 0 hit points, to goad the monk into the battle, rising once again with only 1 hit point, so good look.”