Way of the Four Elements - OneDND Improvements

The tradition of the Four Elements encompasses Monks who tap into the power of the Elemental Planes through their practice of martial arts. Some of these Monks focus on a single element, learning to wreathe their fists in fire and cause explosive bursts of flame, or to wield mighty gusts of icy wind.

Others weave the elements together and learn a variety of techniques to harness the appropriate elemental force for each particular circumstance.

This variant of the Way of the Four Elements also includes improvements made to the core monk class in OneD&D. 

*OneD&D Core Monk Feature

Elemental Attunement

You can use an action to create one of the following effects:

Beckon Air: You create a breeze strong enough to ripple cloth, stir dust, rustle leaves, and close open doors and shutters, all in a 5-foot cube. Doors and shutters being held open by someone or something aren’t affected.

Beckon Earth: You create a thin shroud of dust or sand that covers surfaces in a 5-foot-square area, or you cause a single word to appear in your handwriting in a patch of dirt or sand.

Beckon Fire: You create a thin cloud of harmless embers and colored, scented smoke in a 5-foot cube. You choose the color and scent, and the embers can light candles, torches, or lamps in that area. The smoke’s scent lingers for 1 minute.

Beckon Water: You create a spray of cool mist that lightly dampens creatures and objects in a 5-foot cube. Alternatively, you create 1 cup of clean water either in an open container or on a surface, and the water evaporates in 1 minute.

Elemental Body

At the start of your turn, you can spend 1 Ki Point to imbue yourself with elemental energy. The energy lasts for 10 minutes or until you have the Incapacitated condition. You gain the following benefits for the duration

• Elemental Strikes. Whenever you hit with your Unarmed Strike, you can cause it to deal your choice of Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning damage rather than its normal damage type. Additionally, Whenever you spend a ki point, your next unarmed attack deals additional damage equal to your martial arts die

• Grasp of the elements When you deal damage with an Unarmed Strike, you can also force the target to make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, you can move the target up to 10 feet toward or away from you, as elemental energy swirls around it.

• Reach. When you make an Unarmed Strike, your reach is 10 feet greater than normal, as elemental energy extends from you.

*Heightened Ability

At level 3, you gain the following benefits to Patient Defense and Step of the Wind.

• Patient Defense. You can take the Disengage action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Ki Point to take both the Disengage and the Dodge actions as a Bonus Action.

• Step of the Wind. You can take the Dash action as a Bonus Action. Alternatively, you can spend 1 Ki Point to take both the Disengage and Dash actions as a Bonus Action, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.

*Uncanny Metabolism

At level 3, when you roll Initiative, you can regain all expended Ki Points. When you do so, roll your Martial Arts die, and regain a number of Hit Points equal to your Monk level plus the number rolled.

Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a Long Rest.

*Deflect Attack

At level 3, You can use your Reaction to deflect melee and ranged attacks against you that deal Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage. When you do so, the total damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 plus your Dexterity modifier plus your Monk level.

If you reduce the damage to 0, you can spend 1 Ki Point to redirect some of the attack’s force. If you do so, choose a creature within 5 feet of you if the attack was a melee attack or 60 feet of yourself that isn’t behind Total Cover if the attack was a ranged attack.

That creature must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. The damage is the same type dealt by the attack

Environmental Burst

At level 6, you can create explosive bursts of elements as you buffet your foes. You can spend 1 ki as an action to create one of the following effects:

• Fist of Unbroken Air: A creature within 30ft of you must make a strength saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to 3 rolls of your martial arts die and be knocked away from you up to 30 feet. If the creature impacts an object or creature, they stop and take another martial arts die of bludgeoning damage.

• Flames of the Pheonix: Choose a point within 60ft of you. Creatures within a 20ft radius of that point must succeed on a dexterity saving throw or take fire damage equal to 3 rolls of your martial arts die, taking half on a success.

• Glacial Prison: Pillars of Ice erupt around a creature you can see. They must make a dexterity saving throw or take 2d10 cold damage as icicles pierce their flesh, and become restrained. A restrained creature must make an athletics check as an action to break free

• Wave of Rolling Stone: A wave of stone erupts in a 20ft radius around you as you stomp your foot into the ground. Any creature within the radius must succeed on a strength saving throw or take bludgeoning damage equal to 2 rolls of your martial arts die and be knocked prone. Additionally, the area that the wave erupted in conuts as Difficult Terrain for enemies until the start of your next turn

Stride of the Elements

When you use your Step of the Wind, you gain a Fly Speed and Swim Speed equal to your Speed for 10 minutes.

*Heightened Ki

At level 10, Your training has pushed your body and mind to new levels. Your Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind gain the following benefits:

• Flurry of Blows. You can spend 1 Ki Point to use Flurry of Blows and make three Unarmed Strikes with it instead of two.

• Patient Defense. When you spend a Ki Point to use Patient Defense, you gain a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.

• Step of the Wind. When you spend a Ki Point to use Step of the Wind, you can choose a willing creature within 5 feet of you that is Large or smaller. You move the creature with you until the end of your turn. The creature’s movement doesn’t provoke Opportunity Attacks.

*Deflect Energy

At level 11, you can now use your Deflect Attacks feature against attacks that deal any damage type, not just Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing.

Elemental Epitome

When you use the Elemental Attunement feature, you also gain the following benefits for the duration:

• Damage Resistance. You gain resistance to one of the following damage types of your choice: Acid, Cold, Fire, or Lightning. At the start of each of your turns, you can change this choice.

• Destructive Stride. When you use your Step of the Wind, your Speed increases by 20 feet until the end of the turn. For that duration, any creature of your choice takes damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die when you enter a space within 5 feet of it. The damage is the same type you chose for this feature’s damage resistance. A creature can take this damage only once per turn.