Homebrew:Way of the Four Elements (Remastered)
(OOC: This is an implementation of the remastered Way of the Four Elements subclass from Tasha's Crucible of Everything Else volume 1, plus the additional options included in volume 2)
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.
| 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.
Floating Dodge Retreat
As a reaction when a creature first comes within 5 feet of you or starts its turn within 5 feet of you, you can spend 2 ki points to jump a distance equal to your walking speed. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Prison of Ice
As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to attempt to restrain a creature in ice. You target a creature you can see that is within 30 feet of you, which must succeed on a Strength saving throw or else be restrained. A creature restrained in this way can use its action to repeat this saving throw, ending the effect on a success. A creature that starts its turn encased in this ice takes 1d6 cold damage. For every additional ki point you spend, you can target an additional creature.
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.
Shroud of the Clouds
You can spend 1 ki point to cast fog cloud.
Shuriken of Winter Chill
You can spend 2 ki points to cast ice knife.
Stance of Shaking Worlds
You can spend 1 ki points to cast earth tremor.
Sweeping Cinder Strike
You can spend 2 ki points to cast 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 hold person.
Cyclone of the Seven Winds
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast dust devil.
Fish Technique
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can breathe both air and water.
Fist of the Earth
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast Maximilian’s earthen grasp.
Glory of the Morning Sun
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast scorching ray.
Gong of the Summit
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast shatter.
Sight of the Clouds
Prerequisite: 6th level
Fog, mist, rain, snow, and similar substances do not obscure your vision.
Sight of the Metal Master
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 1 ki point to gain tremorsense for a range of 30 feet for 1 minute. For every additional ki point you spend, the radius increases by 30 feet.
Stride of Free Passage
Prerequisite: 6th level
Moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs you no extra movement.
Vestment of the Southern Wind
Prerequisite: 6th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast warding wind.
Crouching Tiger Hid In Stone
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast meld into stone.
Mist Stance
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast gaseous form, targeting yourself.
Ride the Wind
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast fly on yourself.
Step of the North Wind
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast thunder step.
Swell of Rising Waters
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast tidal wave.
Wave of Angered Wind Spirits
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast wind wall.
Wave of Blinding Sands
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast wall of sand.
Wave of Slowing Waters
Prerequisite: 9th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast wall of water.
Eternal Mountain Defense
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast stoneskin on yourself.
Flames of the Phoenix
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast fireball.
Greater Mist Stance
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast wind walk, targeting yourself only.
Mastery of Water
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast control water.
Redirection of Violent Ki
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast Dartak's retribution.
Sphere of Storm
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast storm sphere.
Sphere of Water
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast watery sphere.
Touch of Liquid Rock
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast stone shape.
Vestment of the Northern Lights
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast fire shield.
Wave of Hungry Flame
Prerequisite: 14th level
You can spend 3 ki points to cast wall of fire.
Bend Blood
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast dominate person.
Breath of Winter
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast cone of cold.
Cloak of Fire
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast investiture of flame.
Cloak of Ice
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast investiture of ice.
Cloak of Stone
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.
Cyclone of the Seven Seas
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast maelstrom.
Dance of the Four Winds
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast steel wind strike.
Grasp of Hungry Fire
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast immolation.
Mastery of Air
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast control winds.
Mastery of Earth
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast move earth.
Mountain Strike
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast bones of the earth.
Prison of Earth
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 5 ki points to cast flesh to stone.
Sphere of Ice
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast Otiluke’s freezing sphere.
Vestments of the Elements
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast primordial ward.
Wave of Frozen Tears
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast wall of ice.
Wave of Rolling Earth
Prerequisite: 17th level
You can spend 4 ki points to cast wall of stone.