Monks following the Way of the Primordial Gates have trained their bodies and minds to withstand the unrelenting force of the core elements of the multiverse: fire, water, wind, and earth. These monks are able to enhance their training through the bending and weaving of elemental forces, some of them donning marks or tattoos representing their connection to the primordial forces of the world, others finding their physical forms changing to reflect a strong connection. As they become more connected to the elements, these monks surpass limitations in their own body, known as “gates” that - once open - allow for more enhanced uses of ki. 

Perhaps you spent time fasting and meditating in an elemental node connecting the Material to the primordial. Perhaps you were exposed to forces of elemental chaos that affected how your ki manifests - or maybe, you spent time in isolation with only the forces of nature to commune with.

First Gate Opened: The Root

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you feel the Primordial energies infuse themselves into your ki. You are able to understand all dialects of Primordial, and you gain a resistance to one element of your choice. At 11th level, you can choose a second resistance from this list.

Air

You gain resistance to thunder damage

Earth

You gain resistance to bludgeoning damage. 

Fire

You gain resistance to fire damage.

Water

You gain resistance to cold damage.

Elemental Control

You are able to exert minor control over the elements. You gain access to the mold earth, gust, shape water, control flames cantrips.

Second Gate Opened: The Core

At 6th level, your monk abilities become enhanced by the elements you choose to attune to. You can choose one of the following four Elemental Disciplines every short rest. You must declare the change on the short rest, or keep  the prior Discipline you had.

Air: Whirlwind

When you use Step of the Wind as your Bonus Action, your movement does not provoke opportunity attacks, and you have advantage on one attack roll taken during this turn, dealing an extra 1d8 thunder damage on a hit.

Earth: Catch and Release

 You can now handle much larger projectiles. When you use Deflect Missiles as a reaction, it can now be used to catch larger projectiles. Whenever you or an ally within 5 ft of you are targeted a large projectile that cannot be held in a single hand (i.e., boulders, barrels), you can catch the projectile using earthen hands. You reduce the damage by 2d10 + your Dexterity, Wisdom, and Strength modifiers, plus your monk class level. You can reduce damage by an additional 2d10 per added ki point spent on this reaction. If you reduce the damage to 0,, you can spend 1 ki point to throw the projectile (50/100), making an attack roll as if it was a monk weapon. On a successful hit, you deal half the amount of total damage the original attack would have done.

Fire: Backfire

When a melee attack made against you misses, you can use your reaction to make a strike that takes their kinetic energy and returns it as a gout of flame back at the attacker. Make an Unarmed Strike attack roll against that target that deals your monk die attack as fire damage, dealing an an extra 1d10 fire damage, which pushes a Large or smaller enemy up to 15 feet away from you. You can spend an additional ki point to add an additional 2d10 fire damage and 15ft push.

Water: Ebb and Flow

When you use your Bonus Action to use your Flurry of  Blows, your strikes draw out the energy of your opponent. You can choose the damage type to be bludgeoning or cold. Additionally, on a successful strike, you interrupt the flow of your opponent's movements, imposing disadvantage on your target's next attack roll.

Third Gate Opened: The Heart

At 11th level, you enhance your Primordial resistance. Additionally, you can choose to manipulate your ki during every long rest to gain one of four Elemental Adaptations. You must spend at least an hour of meditation during this rest with a focus on the element of your choosing.

One With the Earth

You gain a burrow and climbing speed equal to your walking speed and can burrow through nonmagical, unworked earth and stone. While doing so, you don’t disturb the material you move through.

One with the Flame

Tapping into the heat of others’ ki, you gain the ability to see invisible creatures within 30 ft of you. If you spend 3 ki points, you gain truesight at this same range for an hour. 

One With the Seas

You gain a swim speed equal to your walking speed, and can spend 3 ki points to gain water breathing for eight hours.

One With the Skies

You gain a fly speed equal to your walking speed, and gain the hovering property when you do so. 

Fourth Gate: The Crown

At 17th level, you unlock the final gate of your Primordial-touched ki, but can only do so for a short time. You become able to adopt a form representing a primal force of nature by integrating your elemental connections. You choose one of four primordial forces at 17th level, and can spend 3 ki points as an Action to unlock this chosen form for a minute. You can enter this form a number of times equal to your WIS modifier per short rest. 

Aspect of the Blizzard

You are fully grounded in your connection to the complex depths in yourself and in the forces of the world.

Immediately after this form is activated, any movement for the remainder of the turn does not provoke opportunity attacks as a streak of ice follows your feet. When you move past an enemy that is Large or smaller, they must succeed on a DEX save against your monk DC or take 1d12 cold damage and be knocked prone. On a success, they take half damage with no other effects. Any distance crossed during this movement becomes difficult terrain for everyone until the end of your next turn. In this form, you can add 2d6 cold damage to one successful attack per turn.

Aspect of the Hurricane

You can become unbound entirely. Your connection to the physical world becomes more about its changeability and flow. As you walk, the storm follows soon after.

Immediately after this ability is activated, any movement for the remainder of the turn does not provoke opportunity attacks- when you move past an enemy, they must make a DEX save against your monk DC or take 1d12 lightning damage - the next attack against them has advantage as they are marked with your lightning. On a success, they take only half damage with no other effects. While in this form, you can add 2d6 lightning damage to one successful attack per round.

Aspect of the Sandstorm

You are empowered to have an impact on the physical world. You instinctively understand the flow of nature and have the will use this knowledge to produce change.

Immediately after you enter this form, you emit a wave of corrosive sand, either in a 15 ft radius around you or a 30ft cone in front- anyone in this range must make a DEX save or be blinded and restrained by the sand until the end of your next turn. In this form, you can add 2d6 acid damage to one successful attack per turn.

Aspect of the Volcano

You are closely attached to the physical world, experiencing it with full passion and tenacity - always pursuing the new, undaunted by negativity. Your energy, while grounded, cannot be contained. 

When you enter this form, your skin manifests as stone, your ki magma underneath. Until the start of your next turn, you have a +2 Bonus to AC and any melee attack that hits you causes a small ki eruption that hits an enemy within 5 ft of you for 2d8 fire damage.  In this form, you can add 2d6 fire damage to one successful attack per turn.