Homebrew:Way of the Four Elements (Remastered): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:43, 13 November 2023

(OOC: This is an implementation of the remastered Way of the Four Elements subclass from Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else volume 1)

Base Class: Monk

This subclass rebalances and reenvisions the Way of the Four Elements Monastic Tradition found in the Player’s Handbook.

Why These Changes?

A Note from the Designer

The original Way of the Four Elements followed a pattern. At 3rd level it got the equivalent of a nondamaging elemental cantrip, and an interesting feature it could spend its ki on. Its spells cost an amount of ki equal to 1 + the spell’s level. At higher levels, it learns 1-3 additional elemental powers it can spend its ki on. It sounds good, until you compare it to the precedent set by the other two Player’s Handbook monk subclasses: the Way of Shadow and Way of the Open Hand.
At 3rd level, the Open Hand monk gets three unique things it can spend its ki on. The Shadow monk gets four, and it learns a nondamaging cantrip. The Shadow monk’s spells cost an amount of ki equal to the spell’s level. At 17th level, the Open Hand monk gains a feature that has the damage output equivalent of a 9th level spell on a failed save, or two 6th level spells on a successful save. This feature costs 3 ki points. At the same level, the Shadow monk essentially gets an extra attack most rounds.
Compare this to the Four Elements monk, who gets no other abilities with unlimited uses (e.g. Shadow’s Shadow Step) or that have limited uses that aren’t ki (e.g. Open Hand’s Wholeness of Body). If the Four Elements monk’s main mechanical appeal is that it gets additional options to spend its fuel on, it should either A) get more fuel (ki points), B) have abilities that are more powerful per ki point spent, or C) a larger arsenal of features it can use each day. Otherwise it is significantly weaker than its Player’s Handbook counterparts. It gets none of these.
So what does the original Four Elements monk excel at?
Mechanically, it is one of the only character options in the game that gives you the option to move creatures against their will farther than 10 feet. Its Fist of Unbroken Air and Water Whip options move creatures as far as 20 or 25 feet, respectively, on a failed save.
Narratively, it is the master of all four elements.
This Remastered subclass aims to bring the Four Elements subclass up to the precedent set by the other Player’s Handbook monk subclasses in the following ways:

It recalculates the ki cost of spells and other abilities.

It restructures the Disciple of the Elements feature. Now, as an elemental master, you know all Elemental Disciplines, but can only prepare 2-5 each day, depending on your level in this class.

It gives you access to elemental cantrips. You learn one elemental control cantrip and one damaging elemental cantrip. Full casters, masters of magic, learn additional cantrips at 6th and 11th levels. As an elemental master, you also learn additional cantrips at those levels.

It provides new Elemental Discipline options. Some of these provide access to suitable spells from the Player’s Handbook, Elemental Evil Player’s Companion, or Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. Others offer passive ability options or other creative options from our design team. including passive ability options that have unlimited uses.

Elemental Acolyte

3rd-level Way of the Four Elements (Remastered) feature

You learn one of the following cantrips of your choice: control flames, gust, mold earth, or shape water. You also learn one of the following cantrips of your choice: magic stone, produce flame, ray of frost, or thunderclap. You learn an additional cantrip from either list at 6th level and again at 11th level.

Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to cast a cantrip you’ve learned from this feature as a bonus action. If you cast magic stone in this way, you can make an attack with one of the pebbles targeted by the spell as part of the same bonus action.

Disciple of the Elements

3rd-level Way of the Four Elements (Remastered) feature

You can speak, read, and write Primordial, and you know magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements. Most disciplines require you to spend ki points each time you use them.

Whenever you finish a long rest, you can prepare two Elemental Disciplines of your choice, all of which are detailed in the “Elemental Disciplines” section below. If an Elemental Discipline has prerequisites, you must meet them to prepare it. A level prerequisite refers to your monk level. You can prepare one additional Elemental Discipline at a time at 6th, 11th, and 17th levels.

Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells. See chapter 10 of the Player’s Handbook for the general rules of spellcasting. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it.

The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the Spells and Ki Points table.

Spells and Ki Points
Monk Levels	Maximum Ki Points for a Spell
5th-8th	3
9th-16th	4
17th-20th	5

Elemental Disciplines

If a discipline requires a level, you must be that level in this class to prepare that discipline.

Fangs of the Fire Snake

When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach for unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage, and deals an additional 1d4 fire damage.

Fist of Four Thunders

You can spend 2 ki points to cast thunderwave.

Fist of Unbroken Air

You can create a blast of compressed air that strikes like a mighty fist. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points and choose a creature or object within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 thunder damage, plus an extra 1d10 thunder damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can push the creature or object up to 20 feet away from you and knock it prone. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and you don’t push it or knock it prone. If your target is secured to a structure, such as a door that is secured to a wall by hinges, that object automatically succeeds on this saving throw.

Rock Block

As a reaction when a creature attacks you, you can spend 1 ki point and raise a thick wall of rock to block the attack. This wall grants you half cover and resistance to any bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage from the triggering attack.

Rush of the Gale Spirits

You can spend 2 ki points to cast gust of wind.

Shape of the Flowing River

As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to choose an area of ice or water no larger than 30 feet on a side within 120 feet of you. You can change water to ice within the area and vice versa, and you can reshape ice in the area in any manner you choose. You can raise or lower the ice’s elevation, create or fill in a trench, erect or flatten a wall, or form a pillar. The extent of any such changes can’t exceed half the area’s largest dimension. For example, if you affect a 30-foot square, you can create a pillar up to 15 feet high, raise or lower the square’s elevation by up to 15 feet, dig a trench up to 15 feet, and so on. You can’t shape the ice to trap or damage a creature in the area.

Shuriken of Winter Chill

You can spend 2 ki points to cast ice knife.

Sweeping Cinder Strike

You can spend 2 ki points to cast burning hands.

Prerequisite: 17th level

You can spend 4 ki points to cast investiture of stone.

Cloak of Wind

Prerequisite: 17th level

You can spend 4 ki points to cast investiture of wind.

Mountain Strike

Prerequisite: 17th level

You can spend 4 ki points to cast bones of the earth.

Wave of Rolling Earth

Prerequisite: 17th level

You can spend 4 ki points to cast wall of stone.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-[[file:mundanity.jpg|right|thumb|500px]]
+{{ooc note|This is an implementation of the remastered Way of the Four Elements subclass from [[Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else]] volume 1}}
-{{ooc note|This is an implementation of the Way of Mundanity subclass from [[Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else]] volume 1}}
 __NOTOC__
-{{base class|monk|blockquotestyle=width:calc(100% - 510px - 1.4em)}}
+{{base class|monk|blockquotestyle=width:100%}}
-There are those who study the arcane as a means to change the world around them. There is a certain arrogance in that concept, so in order to maintain balance there exists a group dedicated to preservation of the natural and the mundane. Monks who follow the Way of Mundanity use both the study of magic and the mastery of their own internal energies to battle those who use the arcane.
+This subclass rebalances and reenvisions the [[class:monk#WayoftheFourElements|Way of the Four Elements]] Monastic Tradition found in the ''Player’s Handbook''.
-== Arcane Detection ==
+<blockquote><h3>Why These Changes?</h3>
+<h4>''A Note from the Designer''</h4>
+The original Way of the Four Elements followed a pattern. At 3rd level it got the equivalent of a nondamaging elemental cantrip, and an interesting feature it could spend its ki on. Its spells cost an amount of ki equal to 1 + the spell’s level. At higher levels, it learns 1-3 additional elemental powers it can spend its ki on. It sounds good, until you compare it to the precedent set by the other two ''Player’s Handbook'' monk subclasses: the Way of Shadow and Way of the Open Hand.
+At 3rd level, the Open Hand monk gets three unique things it can spend its ki on. The Shadow monk gets four, and it learns a nondamaging cantrip. The Shadow monk’s spells cost an amount of ki equal to the spell’s level. At 17th level, the Open Hand monk gains a feature that has the damage output equivalent of a 9th level spell on a failed save, or two 6th level spells on a successful save. This feature costs 3 ki points. At the same level, the Shadow monk essentially gets an extra attack most rounds.
+Compare this to the Four Elements monk, who gets no other abilities with unlimited uses (e.g. Shadow’s Shadow Step) or that have limited uses that aren’t ki (e.g. Open Hand’s Wholeness of Body). If the Four Elements monk’s main mechanical appeal is that it gets additional options to spend its fuel on, it should either A) get more fuel (ki points), B) have abilities that are more powerful per ki point spent, or C) a larger arsenal of features it can use each day. Otherwise it is significantly weaker than its ''Player’s Handbook'' counterparts. It gets none of these.
+So what ''does'' the original Four Elements monk excel at?
+Mechanically, it is one of the only character options in the game that gives you the option to move creatures against their will farther than 10 feet. Its Fist of Unbroken Air and Water Whip options move creatures as far as 20 or 25 feet, respectively, on a failed save.
+Narratively, it is the master of all four elements.
+This Remastered subclass aims to bring the Four Elements subclass up to the precedent set by the other ''Player’s Handbook'' monk subclasses in the following ways:
+* It recalculates the ki cost of spells and other abilities.
+* It restructures the Disciple of the Elements feature. Now, as an elemental master, you know all Elemental Disciplines, but can only prepare 2-5 each day, depending on your level in this class.
+* It gives you access to elemental cantrips. You learn one elemental control cantrip and one damaging elemental cantrip. Full casters, masters of magic, learn additional cantrips at 6th and 11th levels. As an elemental master, you also learn additional cantrips at those levels.
+* It provides new Elemental Discipline options. Some of these provide access to suitable spells from the ''Player’s Handbook'', ''Elemental Evil Player’s Companion'', or ''Xanathar’s Guide to Everything''. Others offer passive ability options or other creative options from our design team. including passive ability options that have unlimited uses.</blockquote>
+== Elemental Acolyte ==
 ''3rd-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
-You gain proficiency in the Arcana skill if you do not already have it. Additionally, you can spend 1 ki point to cast the ''[[spell:detect-magic|detect magic]]'' spell as an action.
+You learn one of the following cantrips of your choice: ''[[spell:control-flames|control flames]]'', ''[[spell:gust|gust]]'', ''[[spell:mold-earth|mold earth]]'', or ''[[spell:shape-water:|shape water]]''. You also learn one of the following cantrips of your choice: ''[[spell:magic-stone|magic stone]]'', ''[[spell:produce-flame|produce flame]]'', ''[[spell:ray-of-frost|ray of frost]]'', or ''[[spell:thunderclap|thunderclap]]''. You learn an additional cantrip from either list at 6th level and again at 11th level.
+Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to cast a cantrip you’ve learned from this feature as a bonus action. If you cast ''[[spell:magic-stone|magic stone]]'' in this way, you can make an attack with one of the pebbles targeted by the spell as part of the same bonus action.
-== Spell Deflection ==
+== Disciple of the Elements ==
 ''3rd-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
-You can use your Deflect Missiles ability to reduce the damage you take from magical sources. When you take any magical damage that isn’t bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing, you can spend 1 ki point to reduce the damage taken as you would with Deflect Missiles. If you reduce the damage to 0, you can choose to cause your next melee attack to deal additional force damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die.
+You can speak, read, and write Primordial, and you know magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements. Most disciplines require you to spend ki points each time you use them.
+Whenever you finish a long rest, you can prepare two Elemental Disciplines of your choice, all of which are detailed in the “Elemental Disciplines” section below. If an Elemental Discipline has prerequisites, you must meet them to prepare it. A level prerequisite refers to your monk level. You can prepare one additional Elemental Discipline at a time at 6th, 11th, and 17th levels.
+Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells. See [[beyond:sources/phb/spellcasting|chapter 10 of the ''Player’s Handbook'']] for the general rules of spellcasting. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it.
+The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the Spells and Ki Points table.
+{| class="wikitable"
+|+ Spells and Ki Points
+!Monk Levels !! Maximum Ki Points for a Spell
+|-
+|5th-8th || 3
+|-
+|9th-16th || 4
+|-
+|17th-20th || 5
+|}
+=== Elemental Disciplines ===
+If a discipline requires a level, you must be that level in this class to prepare that discipline.
+==== Fangs of the Fire Snake ====
+When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach for unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet until the start of your next turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage, and deals an additional 1d4 fire damage.
+==== Fist of Four Thunders ====
+You can spend 2 ki points to cast ''[[spell:thunderwave|thunderwave]]''.
+==== Fist of Unbroken Air ====
+You can create a blast of compressed air that strikes like a mighty fist. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points and choose a creature or object within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 thunder damage, plus an extra 1d10 thunder damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can push the creature or object up to 20 feet away from you and knock it prone. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and you don’t push it or knock it prone. If your target is secured to a structure, such as a door that is secured to a wall by hinges, that object automatically succeeds on this saving throw.
+==== Rock Block ====
+As a reaction when a creature attacks you, you can spend 1 ki point and raise a thick wall of rock to block the attack. This wall grants you half cover and resistance to any bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage from the triggering attack.
+==== Rush of the Gale Spirits ====
+You can spend 2 ki points to cast ''[[spell:gust-of-wind|gust of wind]]''.
+==== Shape of the Flowing River ====
+As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to choose an area of ice or water no larger than 30 feet on a side within 120 feet of you. You can change water to ice within the area and vice versa, and you can reshape ice in the area in any manner you choose. You can raise or lower the ice’s elevation, create or fill in a trench, erect or flatten a wall, or form a pillar. The extent of any such changes can’t exceed half the area’s largest dimension. For example, if you affect a 30-foot square, you can create a pillar up to 15 feet high, raise or lower the square’s elevation by up to 15 feet, dig a trench up to 15 feet, and so on. You can’t shape the ice to trap or damage a creature in the area.
+==== Shuriken of Winter Chill ====
+You can spend 2 ki points to cast ''[[spell:ice-knife|ice knife]]''.
+==== Sweeping Cinder Strike ====
+You can spend 2 ki points to cast ''[[spell:burning-hands|burning hands]]''.
+==== Water Whip ====
+You can spend 2 ki points as an action to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a creature or object to unbalance it. A creature or object that you can see that is within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t pull it or knock it prone. If your target is secured to a structure, such as a door that is secured to a wall by hinges, that object automatically succeeds on this saving throw.
+==== Citizen of the Elements ====
+''Prerequisite: 6th level''
+When an elemental creature attacks you, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. The DC for this save is equal to your ki save DC. On a failed save, the creature must choose a different target, or the attack automatically misses. On a successful save, the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours. The creature is aware of this effect before it makes its attack against you.
+==== Clench of the North Wind ====
+''Prerequisite: 6th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:hold-person|hold person]]''.
+==== Fish Technique ====
+''Prerequisite: 6th level''
+You can breathe both air and water.
+==== Gong of the Summit ====
+''Prerequisite: 6th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:shatter|shatter]]''.
+==== Stride of Free Passage ====
+''Prerequisite: 6th level''
+Moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement.
+==== Crouching Tiger Hid In Stone ====
+''Prerequisite: 9th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:meld-into-stone|meld into stone]]''.
+==== Flames of the Phoenix ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:fireball|fireball]]''.
+==== Mist Stance ====
+''Prerequisite: 9th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:gaseous-form|gaseous form]]'', targeting yourself.
+==== Ride the Wind ====
+''Prerequisite: 9th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:fly|fly]]'' on yourself.
+==== Step of the North Wind ====
+''Prerequisite: 9th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:thunder-step|thunder step]]''.
+==== Eternal Mountain Defense ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:stoneskin|stoneskin]]'' on yourself.
+==== Greater Mist Stance ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:wind-walk|wind walk]]'', targeting yourself only.
+==== Redirection of Violent Ki ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[homebrew:Dartak's retribution|Dartak's retribution]]''.
+==== Touch of Liquid Rock ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:stone-shape|stone shape]]''.
+==== Wave of Hungry Flame ====
+''Prerequisite: 14th level''
+You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:wall-of-fire|wall of fire]]''.
+==== Bend Blood ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:dominate-person|dominate person]]''.
+==== Breath of Winter ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:cone-of-cold|cone of cold]]''.
+==== Cloak of Fire ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:investiture-of-flame|investiture of flame]]''.
+==== Cloak of Ice ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:investiture-of-ice|investiture of ice]]''.
+==== Cloak of Stone ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
-== Suppressing Ki ==
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:investiture-of-stone|investiture of stone]]''.
-''6th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
-You’ve learned to use your ki to disrupt the magical nature of other creatures or objects. You can spend 3 ki points to cast ''[[spell:counterspell|counterspell]]'', ''[[spell:dispel-magic|dispel magic]]'', ''[[spell:nondetection|nondetection]]'', or ''[[spell:remove-curse|remove curse]]'', using Wisdom as your spellcasting modifier. Beginning at 17th level, you can spend 8 ki points to cast ''[[spell:antimagic-field|antimagic field]]''. When you cast spells in this way, you ignore material components.
+==== Cloak of Wind ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
-== Magical Rending ==
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:investiture-of-wind|investiture of wind]]''.
-''11th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
-When you hit a creature that has the Magic Resistance trait with an unarmed strike, you can expend 2 ki points to nullify that trait until the end of your next turn.
+==== Mountain Strike ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
-== Coalescence ==
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:bones-of-the-earth|bones of the earth]]''.
-''17th-level {{PAGENAME}} feature''
-When you make a saving throw against a spell or other magical effect, you can use your reaction to gain advantage on the saving throw and resistance to damage from the spell. If the effect is a spell, you also regain a number of ki points equal to the level of the spell cast.
+==== Wave of Rolling Earth ====
+''Prerequisite: 17th level''
-Once you have used this ability, you may not do so again until you finish a long rest.
+You can spend 4 ki points to cast ''[[spell:wall-of-stone|wall of stone]]''.
-[[category:homebrew monk subclasses|Mundanity]]
+[[category:homebrew monk subclasses|Four Elements]]

Homebrew:Way of the Four Elements (Remastered): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:43, 13 November 2023

Why These Changes?

A Note from the Designer

Elemental Acolyte

Disciple of the Elements

Elemental Disciplines

Fangs of the Fire Snake

Fist of Four Thunders

Fist of Unbroken Air

Rock Block

Rush of the Gale Spirits

Shape of the Flowing River

Shuriken of Winter Chill

Sweeping Cinder Strike

Water Whip

Citizen of the Elements

Clench of the North Wind

Fish Technique

Gong of the Summit

Stride of Free Passage

Crouching Tiger Hid In Stone

Flames of the Phoenix

Mist Stance

Ride the Wind

Step of the North Wind

Eternal Mountain Defense

Greater Mist Stance

Redirection of Violent Ki

Touch of Liquid Rock

Wave of Hungry Flame

Bend Blood

Breath of Winter

Cloak of Fire

Cloak of Ice

Cloak of Stone

Cloak of Wind

Mountain Strike

Wave of Rolling Earth

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