# D&D 5e Tweaks & Fixes ## Monk Revised v2.2 By KireExion (a.k.a, u/Kire-Ikasu) ### Preface This document contains homebrew material that has been developed from my own observations as well as common player criticisms and suggested fixes made by various players and dungeon masters alike. However, this material has not been completely play-tested and should be carefully considered before implementing it into your own game. My hopes are simply to address features and traits that are considered lackluster and poorly balanced by the community and help by offering alternatives so that Players will suffer less frustration and gain more enjoyment out of the game. Use as many or as little of these revisions as you like while keeping the overall balance of your game in mind. The Dungeon Master has final say on whether or not any of this material can be implemented into your game. ## Base Class Features **Source:** Player's Handbook. * **Class Features:** *Improved* * **Martial Arts:** *Reworked* * **Ki:** *Improved* * **Unarmored Movement:** *Reworked* * **Step of the Wind:** *Replaced* * **Ki-Fueled Attack:** *Reworked* * **Slow Fall:** Unchanged * **Stunning Strike:** *Reworked* * **Evasion:** Unchanged * **Tongue of the Sun and Moon:** *Improved* * **Diamond Soul:** *Improved* * **Timeless Body:** Unchanged * **Perfect Self:** *Reworked* ## Monk Features As a Monk, you gain the following class features #### Hit Points ___ - **Hit Dice:** 1d8 per Monk level - **Hit Points at 1st Level:** 8 + Constitution Modifier - **Hit Points at Higher Levels:** 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per Monk level after 1st #### Proficiencies ___ - **Armor:** *Light armor and Medium Armor* - **Weapons:** Simple Weapons, shortswords - **Tools:** any one type of artisan's tools or any one musical instrument of your choice ___ - **Saving Throws:** Strength, Dexterity - **Skills:** Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, *Intimidation, Perception,* Religion, and Stealth. \columnbreak <div class='classTable'> ##### Monk | Monk Level | *Martial Arts | Step of the Wind (Replaces Unarmored Movement) | |:---:|:---:|:---|:---:| | 1st | d6 | — | | 2nd | d6 | +10 ft. | | 3rd | d6 | +10 ft. | | 4th | d6 | +10 ft. | | 5th | d8 | +10 ft. | | 6th | d8 | +15 ft. | | 7th | d8 | +15 ft. | | 8th | d8 | +15 ft. | | 9th | d8 | +15 ft. | | 10th | d8 | +20 ft. | | 11th | d10 | +20 ft. | | 12th | d10 | +20 ft. | | 13th | d10 | +20 ft. | | 14th | d10 | +25 ft. | | 15th | d10 | +25 ft. | | 16th | d10 | +25 ft. | | 17th | d12 | +25 ft. | | 18th | d12 | +30 ft. | | 19th | d12 | +30 ft. | | 20th | d12 | +30 ft. | </div> \pagebreak ### Martial Arts *(Improved 1st level feature)* At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don’t have the two-handed or heavy property. You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons **and you aren't wearing heavy armor:** * You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons. * When you make an Athletics checks to grapple or shove, **you can use Dexterity instead of strength for the ability check**. * You can roll a **d6** in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table. * When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn **while not wielding a shield**, you can make one additional attack with an unarmed strike **or monk weapon** as **a part of the attack action.** ### Ki *(Re-written 2nd level feature)* Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points **equal to your monk level + your Wisdom modifier (to a maximum of 20).** You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing two such features: Flurry of Blows and Patient Defense. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class. When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points. Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows: ###### **Ki save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier #### Flurry of Blows Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make one unarmed strike as a bonus action **if you are not wielding a shield**. #### Enduring Defense You can spend 1 ki point to **gain temporary hit points equal to one roll of your martial arts die + your wisdom modifier** as a bonus action. \columnbreak ### Step of the Wind *(Re-written 2nd level "Unarmored Movement" feature)* Starting at 2nd level, while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield you gain the following benefits: * **You can take the dash or disengage action as a bonus action.** * Your speed increases by 10 feet. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table. * **Your jump distance is doubled and you can use your Dexterity score, in place of your Strength, when calculating how far you can jump.** * At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. * At 15th level, **you gain the ability to move upside down along ceilings** while leaving your hands free on your turn without falling during the move. ### Deflect Attack *(Re-written 3rd level "Deflect Missiles" feature)* Starting at 3rd level, while you are not wearing heavy armor or wielding a shield, you can use your reaction to deflect a blow when you are hit by a **weapon attack**. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by **one roll of your martial arts die** + your Dexterity **or Strength modifier + your proficiency bonus**. #### Deflect Blow If you reduce the damage of a melee weapon attack to 0 and the target is Large or smaller, you can spend 1 Ki point to force the target to make a Strength saving throw against your Ki save DC. On a failed save, you can either push the target up to 5 feet away from you or knock it Prone. #### Deflect Missile. If you reduce the damage of a ranged weapon attack to 0, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 Ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack, which has a normal range of 20 feet and a long range of 60 feet. \pagebreak ### Ki-Fueled Attack *(Re-written 3rd level feature)* At 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon before the end of the turn. ### Monastic Tradition *(Moved feature gained at 11th level to 10th level)* When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition, chosen from the list of available traditions. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, **10th**, and 17th level. ### Ki-Inhibiting Strikes *(Re-written 5th level "Stunning Strike" feature)* You can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body in various ways. When you hit a creature with a monk weapon or an unarmed strike, you can spend 1 ki point to use one of the following features. You can't target the same creature more than once a turn with these features. #### Disorienting Strike You overload the target's mind, disrupting its ability to take actions. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be disoriented until the end of your next turn. While disoriented, the creature can't take reactions, and on its turn, it can use either an action or a bonus action, not both; in addition, regardless of its abilities or magic items, the creature can't make more than one melee or ranged attack during its turn, and it can't concentrate on spells or other effects that require it. A creature is immune to this affect if it is also immune to being Stunned. #### Immobolizing Strike You overload the target's joints and muscles, preventing it from moving. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be Immobolized until the end of your next turn. While immobolized, the creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed. Additionally, the creature makes Dexterity saving throws with disadvantage. A creature is immune to this affect if it is also immune to being Stunned. #### Insensating Strike You overload the target's senses and prevent them from functioning properly. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become Blinded, Deafened or Silenced (your choice) until the end of your next turn. \columnbreak ### Purity of Body *(Moved 10th level feature to 9th level)* At 9th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison. ### Improved Ki-Techniques *(Added 11th level feature)* At 11th level, your proficiency over Ki allows you to further empower your techniques. #### Improved Flurry of Blows You can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action without spending a ki point. When you spend a ki point to use Flurry of blows, you can make a total of two unarmed strikes instead of one. #### Improved Enduring Defense When you spend a ki point to use Enduring Defense as a bonus action, **you can also take the Dodge action as a part of the same bonus action**. ### Tongue of the Sun and Moon *(Improved 13th level feature)* Starting at 13th level, **you can use Wisdom, in place of Charimsa, whenever you make a Deception, Persuasion or Intimidation check.** Additionally, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you can understand all spoken languages and be understood by any creature that can understand a language. **As an action, you can touch another creature to grant it this benefit for 1 hour.** ### Diamond Soul *(Improved 14th level feature)* Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws. Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result. **You do not spend the ki point if this second result is also a failure.** ### Perfect Self *(Improved 20th level feature)* At 20th level, your Dexterity and Wisdom scores **increase by 4.** Your maximum for those scores is now **24.** Additionally, **if you start your turn with no ki points, you immediately regain 1 ki point.** \pagebreak ## Way of the Ascended Dragon **Source:** Fizban's Treasury of Dragons. * **Breath of the Dragon:** Unchanged * **Draconic Disciple:** Unchanged * **Wings Unfurled:** *Improved* * **Aspect of the Wyrm:** Unchanged * **Ascendant Aspect:** Unchanged ### Wings Unfurled *(Improved 6th level feature)* At 6th level, when you use Step of the Wind, you can unfurl spectral draconic wings from your back that vanish at the end of your turn. While the wings exist, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. **While you have no uses available, you can spend 1 ki point to use this feature again.** ## Way of the Astral Self **Source:** Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. * **Arms of the Astral Self** Unchanged * **Visage of the Astral Self:** Unchanged * **Body of the Astral Self:** *Improved* * **Awakened Astral Self:** Unchanged ### Body of the Astral Self *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* At 10th level, when you have both your astral arms and visage summoned, you can cause the body of your astral self to appear (no action required). This spectral body covers your physical form like a suit of armor, connecting with the arms and visage. You determine its appearance. While the spectral body is present, you gain the following benefits. * **Deflect Energy.** You can use your **Deflect attack feature** against an attack that deals acid, cold, fire, force, lightning, or thunder damage. * **Empowered Arms.** Once on each of your turns when you miss a target with the Arms of the Astral Self, you can make an additional unarmed strike with the arms against a different creature within reach. \columnbreak ## Way of the Drunken Master **Source:** Xanather's Guide to Everything. * **Bonus Proficiencies:** *Improved* * **Drunken Technique:** *Reworked* * **Drunkard's Luck:** *Improved* * **Tipsy Sway:** Unchanged * **Intoxicated Frenzy:** Unchanged ### Drunkard's Talents *(Improved 3rd level "Bonus Proficiencies" feature)* When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your martial arts technique mixes combat training with the precision of a dancer and the antics of a jester. You gain proficiency in the Performance skill, Brewer's supplies and improvised weapons. Improvised weapons without the heavy property count as monk weapons for you. <div class='footnote'>Kire Exion | Monk Revisions</div> ### Drunken Technique *(Improved 3rd level feature)* At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your martial arts. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn. Additionally, you can use Flurry of Blows to make an unarmed strike as a bonus action **without** needing to take the attack action first. ### Drunkard's Luck *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* Starting at 10th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll. In addition, **you can not have disadvantage on melee attack rolls from being prone** and enemies can not gain advantage on melee attack rolls against you as a result of you being prone. \pagebreak ## Way of the Kensei **Source:** Xanather's Guide to Everything. * **Path of the Kensei:** Unchanged * **One with the Blade:** Unchanged * **Sharpen the Blade:** *Improved* * **Unerring Accuracy:** *Improved* ### Sharpen the Blade *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* At 10th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This bonus lasts for **1 hour** or until you use this feature again. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls. ### Unerring Accuracy At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. Once per turn, if you miss with an attack roll while using a monk weapon, **you can make another attack with that weapon against the same target with advantage**. ## Way of Mercy **Source:** Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. * **Hands of Healing:** *Improved* * **Hands of Harm:** *Improved* * **Implements of Mercy:** Unchanged * **Physician's Touch:** Unchanged * **Flurry of Healing and Harm:** *Improved* * **Hand of Ultimate Mercy:** Unchanged ### Hands of Healing and Harm *(Improved 3rd level feature)* At 3rd level, your mystical touch can mend or inflict wounds. * **Hand of Healing.** As an action, you can touch a creature and restore a number of hit points equal to a roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can replace one of the unarmed strikes with a use of this feature. * **Hand of Harm.** When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can deal extra necrotic damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die + your Wisdom modifier. You can use this feature only once per turn. **You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of once) and regain all expended uses on a long rest. If you have no uses remaining you can spend 1 Ki point to use it again.** \columnbreak ### Flurry of Healing and Harm *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* At 10th level, you can now mete out a flurry of comfort and hurt. When you use Flurry of Blows, you can now replace each of the unarmed strikes you make on your turn with a use of your Healing hand. **This spends only one use of your hands of healing and harm feature.** In addition, you can use your harming hand **without spending a use of your Hands of Healing and Harm feature**. You can still only use Harming hand once per turn. ## Way of the Open Hand **Source:** Player's Handbook. * **Open Hand Technique:** Unchanged * **Wholeness of Body:** Unchanged * **Tranquility:** *Improved* * **Quivering Palm:** *Re-written* ### Tranquility *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a **short rest**, you gain the effect of a Sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next **short rest**. The spell can end early as normal and you use your Ki save DC for the spell's saving throw. While you are under the effects of the Sanctuary spell from this feature, you have **advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) checks as well as Charisma (Persuasion) checks**. ### Quivering Palm *(Re-written 17th level feature)* At 17th level, you gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d10 necrotic damage on a failed save **or half as much on a successful one**. You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action. Once you use this feature, **you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 5 ki points to use it again.** <div class='footnote'>Kire Exion | Monk Revisions</div> \pagebreak ## Way of Shadow **Source:** Player's Handbook. * **Disciple of Shadow:** *Added* * **Shadow Arts:** *Improved* * **Shadow Step:** Unchanged * **Cloak of Shadows:** *Improved* * **Opportunist:** *Improved* ### Disciple of Shadow *(Added 3rd level feature)* Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, it increases by 30 feet. In addition, you have advantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks you make while you are in dim light or darkness. ### Shadow Arts *(Improved 3rd level feature)* Starting at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. You gain the Minor Illusion cantrip if you don't already know it. Additionally, as an action, you can cast the Darkness, Darkvision, Pass without Trace or Silence spells without providing material components. You can see through magical darkness produced by the effects of any spell you cast this way. You can cast each spell once, and you regain the ability to cast them this way when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, **you can spend 2 ki points to cast one of these spells again.** ### Cloak of Shadows *(Improved 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* By 10th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. Once per turn when you miss with an unarmed strike while you are in an area of dim light or darkness, **you can immediately make another unarmed strike against the same target.** Additionally, when you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light. ### Opportunist *(Improved 17th level feature)* At 17th level, you know how to exploit openings in your enemies defenses. Whenever a creature within 30 feet of you is hit by an attack made by a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to **move up to half your movement speed (moving only towards that creature)** and make a melee attack against that creature if it is within reach. Additionally, a creature has **disadvantage on saving throws** to resist your Ki-inhibiting strikes if you hit the creature with an attack while **hidden from it.** ## Way of the Sun Soul **Source:** Xanather's Guide to Everything. * **Radiant Sunbolt:** *Improved* * **Searing Arc Strike:** *Re-Written* * **Searing Sunburst:** *Re-Written* * **Sun Shield:** *Relocated and Re-Written* * **Aura of Light :** *Added* ### Radiant Sunbolt *(Improved 3rd level feature)* Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your hands can produce searing bolts of magical radiance. **You know the Light cantrip** and wisdom is your spellcasting ability for it. You can use this spell to make your hands emit light. You also gain the means to fire a Radiant Sunbolt with your Attack action. This Radiant Sunbolt is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet that uses your martial arts die for damage and **can be used in place of your unarmed strikes**. You use your dexterity modifier for its attack and damage rolls, and the damage type is radiant. ### Sun Soul Technique *(Re-Written 17th level feature relocated to 6th level)* At 6th level, you have trained to effectively channel your ki into radiant energy, granting you the following techniques. You can use these abilities a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest. While you have no uses available, you can spend 2 ki points to use either ability again. **Searing Arc Strike.** When you take the Attack action on your turn, you can replace one of the attacks with a wave of radiant energy in either a 15-foot cone or a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide (your choice). Each creature in the area must make a Dexterity saving throw against your Ki save DC, taking radiant damage equal to three rolls of your Martial Arts die on a failure, or half as much damage on a success. **Sun Shield.** When you are attacked by a creature within 30 feet of you that you can see, you can use your reaction to increase your AC by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus against that attack, causing your form to be obscured by brilliant light for a brief instant. If this causes the attack to miss you, you deal radiant damage equal to one roll of your martial arts die against the attacker. A creature that can't be blinded is immune to this feature. <div class='footnote'>Kire Exion | Monk Revisions</div> \pagebreak ### Searing Sunburst *(Re-written 11th level feature moved to 10th level)* At 10th level, you gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. As an action, you can magically create an orb and hurl it at a point you choose within 150 feet, where it erupts into a sphere of radiant light for a brief but deadly instant. Each creature in that 20-foot-radius sphere must make a Constitution saving throw against your Ki save DC, taking radiant damage equal to **four rolls of your Martial Arts die** and becoming **blinded** until the end of your next turn on a failure, otherwise they take half as much damage and don't become blinded on a success. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind total cover that is opaque. Once you use this action, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 3 ki points to use it again. ### Aura of Light *(Re-written 17th level feature)* At 17th level, you can channel your ki to become a beacon of a luminous, magical sunlight. You can activate this aura as a bonus action, granting yourself the following benefits for 1 minute: * You shed bright sun light in a 30 foot radius and dim sun light for an additional 30 feet. You can extinguish or restore the light as a bonus action. * You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed. * You become immune to radiant damage and the blinded condition These benefits last for a 1 minute or until you use a bonus action to end it early. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 4 ki points to use it again. \columnbreak ## Way of the Four Elements **Source:** Player's Handbook. * **Disciple of the Elements:** *Re-Written* * **Elemental Attunement:** *Added* * **Elemental Deflection:** *Added* * **Elemental Strikes:** *Added* * **Avatar of the Elements:** *Added* ### Disciple of the Elements *(Improved 3rd level feature)* When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements. #### Disciplines Known You know three elemental disciplines of your choice. You learn two additional disciplines of your choice at 6th, 11th and 17th level. Whenever you learn a new elemental discipline, you can also replace one discipline that you already know with a different discipline. #### Elemental Ki You gain an **additional pool of ki points equal to half your monk level (rounded up)**. You can use either pool of ki points to cast your elemental disciplines but your elemental ki points can not be used for any monk ability that isn't an elemental discipline. You regain all expended elemental ki points when you finish a long rest. #### Casting Elemental Spells Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells. See chapter 10 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. Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of that spell, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level, as Burning Hands does. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend. For example, if you are a 5th-level monk and use Sweeping Cinder Strike to cast Burning Hands, you can spend 3 ki points to cast it as a 2nd-level spell (the discipline's base cost of 2 ki points plus 1). 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-12th | 4 | | 13th-16th | 5 | | 17th-20th | 6 | \pagebreak ### Elemental Attunement *(Added 3rd level feature)* When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn Primordial, the language of the elements, including all four of its dialects. In addition you learn two cantrips of your choice: Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth, or Shape Water. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for these spells. You learn an additional cantrip from this list when you reach 6th and 11th level in this class. ### Elemental Deflection *(Added 6th level feature)* Starting at 6th level, your mystical attunement allows you to call upon the elements to defend yourself from magical attacks. When you take damage from a ranged spell attack, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier (minimum reduction of 1). You can not use this feature to deflect spells that do not make an attack roll such as magic missile. ### Elemental Strikes *(Added 10th level feature)* Starting at 10th level, your strikes become imbued with the power of the elements. As a free action once on each of your turns, you can choose to magically imbue your unarmed strikes with one of the four elements. **Earth.** Your unarmed strikes deal an additional martial arts die of bludgeoning damage to objects and constructs. **Fire.** Your unarmed strikes deal fire damage, you emit bright light in a 20 foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. You can choose to ignite a flammable object that isn’t worn or carried by touching it. **Water.** Your unarmed strikes deal cold damage and creatures grappled by you are considered restrained. **Air.** Your unarmed strikes deal thunder damage and whenever you shove a creature you can push them up to 15 feet away. ### Master of the Elements *(Added 17th level feature)* Starting at 17th level, the following four spells are added to your Elemental Disciples list: * **Investiture of Fire** * **Investiture of Ice** * **Investiture of Stone** * **Investiture of Wind** You can cast one of these spells once without expending ki points. Once you do so, you can’t cast it again until you finish a long rest, unless you spend 6 ki points to cast it again. \columnbreak ### Elemental Disciplines *(Improved subclass feature)* #### Monk 3rd level * **Thunderwave** (Fist of Four Thunders) - 2 ki points * **Burning Hands** (Sweeping Cinder Strike) - 2 ki points * **Gust of Wind** (Rush of the Gale Spirits) - 2 ki points * **Armor of Agathys** - 2 ki points * **Catapult** - 2 ki points * **Earth Tremor** - 2 ki points * **Ice Knife** - 2 ki points * **Misty Step** - 2 ki points * **Levitate** - 2 ki points * **Warding Wind** - 2 ki points #### Monk 6th level * **Shatter** (Gong of the Summit) - 3 ki points * **Stoneskin** (Eternal Mountain Defense) - 3 ki points * **Flaming Sphere** - 3 ki points * **Earthen Grasp** - 3 ki points * **Scorching Ray** - 3 ki points * **Wind Wall** - 3 ki points #### Monk 11th level * **Fireball** (Flames of the Phoenix) - 4 ki points * **Gaseous Form** (Mist Stance) - 4 ki points * **Fly** (Ride the Wind) - 4 ki points * **Erupting Earth** - 4 ki points * **Tidal Wave** - 4 ki points * **Thunder Step** - 4 ki points * **Wall of Water** - 4 ki points #### Monk 17th level * **Cone of Cold** (Breath of Winter) - 6 ki points * **Wall of Fire** (River of Hungry Flame) - 5 ki points * **Wall of Stone** (Wave of Rolling Earth) - 6 ki points * **Storm Sphere** - 6 ki points * **Watery Sphere** - 5 ki points \pagebreak <div style='margin-top:30px;'></div> ### Changelog * Changed Stunning Strike to Ki-Inhibiting Strikes. * Removed changes to Ki-fueled Attack. * Removed Quickened Healing and Focused Aim. * Removed Step of the Wind as a ki cost feature and combined it with Unarmored Movement. * Improved Tongue of the Sun and Moon to allows the monk to grant the benefit to other creatures. * Addded "Advanced Martial Arts" to grant additional attacks to help compensate for low damage at higher levels. * Replaced "Deflect Missiles" with "Deflect attacks", allowing the monk to reduce damage from any weapon attack and not just ranged attacks. * Clarified that Four Elements Monk only regains Elemental ki on a long rest. #### 2.1 * Changed "Advanced Martial Arts" to "Improved Ki-Techniques" * Changed "Patient Defense" to "Enduring Defense" granting the Monk temp hp to bolster health in place of the dodge action. * Removed changes to "Dedicated Weapon". * Changed formula for "Deflect Attacks" to be balanced towards reducing damage from ranged or melee weapon attacks. * Improved "Tongue of the Sun and Moon" to allow Wisdom to be used in place of Charisma for certain skill checks. * Added "Disciple of Shadow" to Way of Shadow. * Re-written Shadow Arts to grant one free cast for each spell before requiring ki costs instead of granting a number of free uses equal to proficiency bonus. * Improved Way of the Kensei's "Unerring Accuracy" feature. * Removed Additional damage from Way of the Sun Soul's "Aura of Light" feature and Way of the four elements' "Elemental Strikes" feature. * Re-written Way of the Sun Soul's "Aura of Light" feature to cast sunlight as well as grant immunity to radiant damage and the blind condition. * Altered Perfect Self to increase Dex and Wis scores by 4, similar to Barbarian's Primal champion. This replaces the 4 ki points restored on initiative rolls. * Altered "Martial Arts" to make an additional unarmed strike as a part of the attack action, "Flurry of Blows" to make one additional unarmed strike as a bonus action, and updated Improved "Flurry of Blows" appropriately. #### 2.2 * Added changes to Ascended Dragon, Astral Self and Mercy subclasses * Altered Ki point amount to be equal to Monk level + Wisdom modifier to a maximum of 20 ki points. * Altered Step of the Wind to use Dexterity in place of Strength when calculating jump distance and doubled jump distance without requiring a bonus action to dash or disengage. \columnbreak > ##### Credits > * Inspired by and adapted from interpretations made by Nerd Immersion, "Alternate Monk" by Laserllama, "Martial Power" by Badooga and /u/Tigerkirby215 > * Made with GM Binder <div class='footnote'>Kire Exion | Monk Revisions</div> ## Why so many Changes? When I try to implement changes and tweaks to a class, I typically don't try to alter it too heavily unless I really feel it warrants the change or most players typically agree it could use a little boost. I also try not to stem too far away from the intended flavor and mechanics of the class, the fighter doesn't heal and the barbarian doesn't cast spells to name a few examples. So why is that I made an exception to that rule by heavily rewriting some of the Monk's core features? Well, give me a chance to explain why I believe these monks desperately need them. #### Poor Defense and Constitution Despite being a frontliner, the Monk has to make do with d8s for hit die and their Unarmored Defense alone. Even if a character gets lucky and starts out with +3 Dex and Wis to get an AC of 16, this still means their Con is unlikely to be more than +2, giving them an average of 24 hp at 3rd level. This isn't such a big deal for other d8 hit die classes since Rogue's can freely disengage or hide every turn and just about every other class can benefit from better armor or attacking at range. But even if they're MAD like Paladins and Rangers, the Monk doesn't get a d10 like those classes do and neither do they get additional ASI like Rogues or Fighters do. The only additional defense a Monk gains is Patient Defense which has limited uses, Deflect Missiles which only works against ranged weapons, and Evasion. Purity of Body, Stillness of Mind and Diamond Soul are all fantastic abilities, but they only come online in the late game. You could argue that Evasion makes up for all of this and thats the reason for having the same hit die as a Rogue. But unlike the Monk; the Rogue can actually afford to invest into Constitution more while the Monk doesn't get the freedom to be as diverse with their stats. I'm an advocate for allowing characters to be built a little sub-optimally so that a Barbarian for example can gain some Intelligence for the sake of roleplaying a unique or eccentric character. But if every Monk has to be built optimally just to keep up, then that's going to deter players who want to play a unique character without weighing down the party. \pagebreak ### Unnecessary Restrictions The Monk was designed with a very specific image in mind, something akin to a Shaolin style Monk with no armor and very limited weapon choices in order to become a mystically enlightened fighter who has no need for material possessions in both their lifestyle and combat. But I genuinely believe that not only is this strict idea of what a Monk should play like to be unfairly limiting in a game that is meant to be about creative freedom, it mechanically doesn't make sense for the following reasons: * Why is that a Rogue can dash or disengage in light armor but suddenly a Monk is too encumbered when they wear leather armor and either way they still can only dash or disengage a limited amount of times? * Why do Barbarians benefit from light and medium armor training if they also have the means to become an unarmored fighter? And why is it that a Barbarian's unarmored defense benefits from a shield while a Monk's wisdom can't allow them to dodge and wield a shield? * Why can the Monk only punch up to 3 times at higher level so long as they aren't wearing armor or using a heavy weapon when the Fighter can choose to make 4 attacks with a 13 pound Pike in full plate armor? If the argument for the restrictions is because historically warrior monks like the shaolin don't use any armor, then what about the [Sohei warrior monks of fuedal Japan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc5v_-GgJHc "Sohei Monks: The Japanese Buddhist Warrior - History of Japan - See U in History") who donned samurai armor? While it's true many sought out martial arts for the sake of self improvement or spiritual enlightenment, martial arts was primarily taught and used for **war**. So it stands to reason that if we were to be realistic, monks trained in martial arts would be practically prepared for warfare and bring flexible armor to the battlefield. I'm not saying a Monk should be allowed to move 120 feet up a wall in six seconds while wearing full plate mail. But I do believe the Monk is put at an unfair disadvantage because of the shaolin based identity imposed upon it and I feel the class can benefit from a bit of versatility for the sake of player freedom by drawing inspiration from the Sohei. But even if the Monk is thematically never meant to use weapons or armor, how are they expected to measure up to Fighters, Barbarians and Rogue who can take and dish out more damage? Not to mention how much larger the gap will become when these martials get magical items that the Monk can't use because of their class restrictions. If the Monk can just as easily be replaced by multi-classing Fighter, Barbarian and Rogue together in addition to picking up the mobile feat, to build a fast moving, hard hitting and durable unarmored fist fighter without as many limits as the Monk is forced to endure, then what is there left to entice players to bother playing a Monk? ### Lots of Features with Little Impact The Monk as it stands already has loads of features to gain from its class progression without even needing to be a spellcaster, making it arguably the most complicated martial class to play. But while it's great for a class to gain so many features, not very many of them ultimately allow the Monk to do all that much. Increased movement is great for closing distances but doesn't help when you can't leave melee very often. Reducing fall damage is potentially life saving but doesn't come up too often unless the character has a flying speed. Deflect Missiles helps one to avoid being bested by ranged attackers but doesn't matter that much if you don't last very long in melee either. Tasha's Cauldron of Everything did add some optional features to try and fix some of the classes weaknesses. But while I believe these features to be helpful sometimes, I don't believe these new options really fix what's fundamentally wrong with the class and I've noticed players still have a hard time keeping track of all these extra rules and how to use them effectively on top of everything else the Monk gets. The Monk doesn't need Quickened Healing if they just have enough hit points to soak up damage. Focused Aim isn't worth the Ki cost if the Monk doesn't benefit from burst damage like a Paladin or Rogue does. Step of the Wind shouldn't require a ki cost if a Rogue can do the same just as easily so it stands to reason that it would be part of the Monk's increased mobility feature. Tongue of the Sun and Moon isn't helpful to a class that doesn't benefit from Charisma, so why not allow the Monk to grant that feature to others? ### Stunning Strike is Broken The biggest reason why players consider Monk to be "overpowered" at all is specifically because Stunning Strike is such a debilitating feature. It requires only one ki point and can be used on every hit, so it could potentially stun a crowd of creatures or even stun lock a single enemy for multiple rounds. Even if a creature initially makes the save, there's nothing to keep the monk from spamming this feature until it finally takes effect except for the ki cost. From both the player's and DM's perspective, being Stunned is miserable. It completely prevents a combatant from doing anything and can easily ruin the narrative impact of a DM's threatening encounter with the BBEG or quickly fell a vulnerable player character without getting much of a chance to fight back. A lot of 5E's design is built around simple yet fair rules, but Stunning Strike is all too easy to abuse for too little cost and if the Monk doesn't use it frequently, they will ultimately find themselves underperforming compared to every other class. ## In Conclusion I do agree that every class should have weaknesses, but if every Spellcaster makes up for low endurance with incredible power then inversely every Martial should make up for low power with incredible endurance. The Monk is simply not durable or formidable enough a frontliner on its own and while Stunning Strike bumps up the class's power level, it still forces the class to be a one-trick-pony. I do hope in earnest these changes prove to make the Monk feel more fun to play, it genuinely saddens me as a DM to see players with such an earnest desire to fufill their power fantasy be left feeling frustrated and dejected because the rules did their favorite class so dirty. If you're skeptical about these changes, please feel free to playtest and submit your feedback to [u/Kire-Ikasu](https://www.reddit.com/user/Kire-Ikasu) on reddit.