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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Alternative Monk Class Feature: Zen Archery



weaseldust
2015-10-17, 09:29 AM
Zen Archer - an alternative Monk

The class is exactly the same as the Monk, except in the ways noted below.


Zen Archery

This feature replaces the Monk's weapon proficiencies and Martial Arts class feature.

You are proficient with shortbows, longbows, darts, slings, blowpipes, javelins, handaxes, and daggers. (Any use of ‘ammunition’ in what follows also refers to thrown weapons.)

When you attack with a ranged weapon and target a creature, object, or location, whether or not you hit, you may use your bonus action in one of the following ways:


To return the ammunition used to your hand
To make another attack with the same ammunition against any target you can see within 30ft of the first as if you were standing in the first target’s space



Nimble Arrows

This option replaces Flurry of Blows.


Whenever you target an object or creature with a ranged weapon attack and hit it, you may spend 1 ki to make another ranged weapon attack with the same ammunition, against a different creature you can see within 30ft, as if you were standing in the first target’s space.
Whenever you target a location with a ranged weapon, you may spend 1 ki to attack another target within half your weapon’s maximum range of that location, with the same ammunition, as if you were standing there.

The amount of ki spent on each piece of ammunition each turn with this feature must not exceed your wisdom modifier.


Stunning Strike

This option is the same, except it now applies to ranged weapon attacks instead and uses your bonus action.


Ki-Empowered Strikes

This feature is the same, except it now applies to ranged weapon attacks and no others.


The rules on ranged weapon attacks explicitly make this possible, but they give no further information that I can find, except that targeting an unseen creature means targeting their location and then attacking them with disadvantage. My assumption as to how this works, which you may also take as a rule specific to Zen Archery if you think it normally works otherwise, is that a location must be a 5ft square of a surface or a 5ft cube of empty space, and you automatically succeed in getting your weapon or ammunition there when you target it, so long as it is visible and within range.

Both Zen Archery and Nimble Arrows allow for ricochets, to replace the Monk’s bonus action attacks and Flurry of Blows. Of course, being able to do it at range is a bonus, but in general that seems to be balanced by being at a disadvantage in close quarters. Notably, Rogues and Rangers are pretty much just as good at range as close up. Allowing Stunning Strike at will at range surely is too much, though, so it now uses a bonus action.

The second part of Nimble Arrows is to allow for increased range without a drop in accuracy. Monks can’t get the Archery fighting style, and Zen archery should allow for spectacular long shots, so this only seemed fair.


Archetypes:

Way of the Open Hand


Renamed ‘Way of the Distant Hand’
Open Hand Technique is renamed ‘Distant Hand Technique’ and applies to ranged attacks and uses of Nimble Arrows instead of melee attacks and Flurry of Blows
Quivering Palm is renamed ‘Quivering Arrow’ and requires a ranged weapon attack instead

Otherwise, the archetype is the same.


Way of Shadow

Opportunist is replaced by the ability Exploit Distraction: whenever a creature you can see is hit by an attack, you may use you reaction to become invisible to that creature until the end of your next turn.
It didn’t seem fair to allow the existing ability at range since that makes it so much more powerful.
Otherwise, the archetype is the same.


Way of the Four Elements


You can use any existing discipline; if it affects your attacks, it now affects ranged weapon attacks and no others
You gain access to the additional disciplines below


Otherwise, the archetype is the same.

Arrow of Elemental Destruction (level 3)
You use your bonus action and spend 1 ki to imbue a single piece of ammunition with elemental energy. Until the start of your next turn, every time you hit an object or creature with it they take an additional d6 fire, cold, thunder, acid, or lightning damage (your choice when you use the discipline).

Arrow of Exotic Passage (level 3)
You take the Cast a Spell action and spend 2 ki. You launch a single piece of ammunition through the air, earth, or water with orders to reach a creature or object you know the direction to. It travels at 500ft/round or 60 miles/hour and, when it arrives, it attaches itself harmlessly to the target, from which it can be removed without effort. It may carry a load up to 1 pound in weight.

Arrow of Thunderous Repulse (level 3)
When you use the attack action and hit your target with a ranged attack, you may use your bonus action and spend 2 ki to cause the ammunition to disintegrate in a thunderous shockwave. After the attack is resolved normally, every creature in a 15ft cone originating at the target and pointing away from you must then succeed on a strength save or be pushed to the end of the cone and take 2d6 thunder damage. Loose objects also take damage and are pushed away.


Arrow of Frosty Restraint (level 6)
You use your bonus action and spend 3 ki to imbue a single piece of ammunition with clinging frost. Until the start of your next turn, any creature or object hit by the ammunition while on a solid surface is fixed to it by ice for one minute. An affected creature has its speed reduced to 0. A creature must use its action and succeed on a strength check against the save DC for your disciplines to free itself or another affected creature or object.

Arrow of Wailing Winds (level 6)
You use your bonus action and spend 3 ki to imbue a single piece of ammunition with screaming wind. Until the start of your next turn, when this ammunition is used to make a ranged attack, it deals an additional d6 magical slashing damage. Further, any creature besides you within 5ft of the line joining its source and target takes 2d6 magical slashing damage and must succeed on a wisdom save or become frightened of the line until the end of your next turn. You may choose for the arrow to scream a particular message of no more than 6 words.

Radiant Phoenix Arrow (level 6)
You take the Cast a Spell action and spend 3 ki. You choose a single unoccupied location you can see within the range of one ranged or thrown weapon you wield. You target that location with that weapon, and the ammunition that lands there is transformed into a phoenix for 1 minute or until destroyed (use the statistics of a giant owl, but with the elemental type and Ignan and Common as its languages). It acts immediately after your turn each round and you can give it commands when it transforms, or as a bonus action on later turns. Whenever a creature moves within 5ft of the phoenix or starts its turn there, that creature must succeed on a constitution save or take 2d6 fire damage. This discipline requires your concentration and the phoenix disappears when it ends.


Arrow of Potent Fire (level 11)
When you take the attack action and hit an object or location with a ranged weapon attack, you may use your bonus action and spend 4 ki to turn the ammunition into an unnaturally hot jet of flame. The jet burns through all non-magical materials along a line up to 60ft in length (your choice) and 3 inches in radius that extends from the target away from you. Creatures whose space the line passes through must succeed on a dexterity save or take 8d6 fire damage, which ignores fire resistance. Objects on the line also take damage, even if they are immune to fire damage. The jet ignites flammable materials.

Dizzying Vortex Arrow (level 11)
You take the Cast a Spell action and spend 4 ki to generate a vortex of elemental energy from your weapon. You make a single ranged weapon attack against any target, which deals an additional 4d6 fire, cold, thunder, acid, or lightning damage (your choice) and destroys the ammunition. The region within 5ft of the line joining you to the target is difficult terrain until the start of your next turn. Creatures besides you that move into the vortex or start their turn there must make a constitution save. If they fail, they take 4d6 elemental damage of the same type as the target and are knocked prone.

Sky-Piercing Arrow (level 11)
You take the Cast a Spell action and spend 4 ki to launch a single piece of ammunition directly upwards. You must be outdoors and under the open sky. Any clouds overhanging the region within 1 mile of you immediately dissipate and any winds within that region cease. If you were directly underneath a raincloud, it bursts and releases water in a 100ft-radius cylinder centred on you, making that region lightly-obscured difficult terrain until the start of your next turn and extinguishing all fires there. If the sun is revealed from behind the clouds, all creatures in its light have disadvantage on perception checks using sight for 12 seconds (2 rounds) as they adapt.


Arrow of Planar Incursion (level 17)
You take the Cast a Spell action and spend 5 ki. You choose a single unoccupied location you can see within the range of one ranged or thrown weapon you wield. You target that location with that weapon, and the ammunition that lands there is transformed into a number of friendly elementals as per the spell Conjure Minor Elementals for 1 hour. This discipline requires your concentration, and the elementals disappear when it ends.

Elemental Curtain Arrow (level 17)
You use your bonus action and spend 5 ki to imbue a single piece of ammunition with an elemental aura. If it is used to make a ranged attack before the start of your next turn, it deals an additional 2d6 fire, cold, thunder, acid, or lightning damage (your choice) and leaves a 10ft-high haze of elemental energy in every square it passes over. The haze lightly obscures objects and creatures behind it, and any creature entering or starting its turn in an affected square must succeed on a dexterity save or take 6d6 elemental damage of the same type as the target. The haze lasts for 1 minute and is dissipated by strong winds. This discipline requires your concentration, and the aura and haze disappear when it ends.

Seed Drill Arrow (level 17)
When you use the attack action and hit your target with a ranged attack, you may use your bonus action and spend 5 ki to push the target deep into the earth. After the attack is resolved normally, so long as the target is above solid ground, a cylindrical pit 10 feet in radius and 60 feet deep opens underneath it and, if it fits, it is pushed to the bottom. To climb up or down the pit’s walls requires an Athletics check against the save DC for your disciplines.


Note: Some of these disciplines are intended to work with Nimble Arrows to potentially hit multiple targets (e.g. Elemental Destruction or Frosty Restraint) and some are not (the ones that destroy or transform the ammunition).