Sun Soul Optimization

[j_spencer93]

Theoretically, is their really any way to optimization or even create synergy with these abilities? Nothing I see stacks with them or increases them in anyway.

[Axorfett12]

Light Cleric and Undying Light Warlock stack very well.

The warlock is from a UA article

http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/light-dark-underdark

[j_spencer93]

I thought of Undying Light too but I am not seeing the stacking. Thematically it is freaking awesome, but I am not really seeing any mechanics that work together.
Radiant sun bolt wouldnt even get cha to damage.

[Specter]

Sun Soul is just meant to give you an at-will good ranged option, so it's not surprising it doesn't synergize well with anything. Guess it's not meant to.

[j_spencer93]

Thematically it is awesome and I love the class. But yea lol just thought its odd that nothing seems to work with it, which is fine. If i was playing a monk i prob wouldnt multiclass anyways. And extra DBZ flavor is just awesome.

[Kane0]

Just bend the rules a bit. I'm currently playing a Winged Tiefling Sunmonk 9 / Light Cleric 1 that uses his Sunbolts as if they were a ranged monk weapon that keyed off Wis instead of Dex, which allows me to Flurry with them too. Pretty fun and still balanced (argument of flying from level 1 notwithstanding).
It's not like using UA means it's set in stone, being Wizards endorsed homebrew and all.

[j_spencer93]

Uh. This isn't a build. I simply wanted to know if anything actually did have synergy with it.
Oops actually undying light warlock does add damage to Searing Ark since you actually cast the spell.

[Fflewddur Fflam]

Yeah, other than being a Red/Gold draconic sorcerer so you can add your CHA to the fire damage of your burning hands, there's not really anything you can add up to it. Most of the Sun Soul's damage is radiant and there doesn't seem to be another class that can add on to radiant damage.

But thematically, multi-classing to Light Cleric is a nice fit. I'm planning a Sun Soul Monk 12/Light Cleric 8 that I think should be fun.

[Foxhound438]

basically a 1 or 2 level warlock dip for hex, so you have lasers of light and shadow.

Aside from that, anything that gives you flight early on, so you can keep your distance and laser things safely. Being a monk mostly removes the danger normally tied to flying into a fight (being the lethality of a fall).

Otherwise, I wouldn't say it's really much less or more synergistic with anything else another monk subclass can get.

[j_spencer93]

Lol well thanks everyone for stating i thought right. Feels nice. lol

[PeteNutButter]

Lol well thanks everyone for stating i thought right. Feels nice. lol

If you can afford the 13 cha the hex is a massive damage increase of 4d6. Unfortunately it doesn't work with hunters make since it's not a weapon.

I'd go for hex from magic initiate feat though and save on cha. Spell sniper feat would work nicely as well as the 30ft range is pretty poor. That's all on the clsss that needs ASIs the most....

Yeah not much to do with it.

[Degwerks]

The only thing I can think of is combining with EK for Haste & 3 attacks at EK -11 to EK-14. So a Sun Soul 6/EK 14 gets you Haste & 3 attacks. Your sun bolts with haste & action surge will be 7d6+35 or 9d6+35 if you use bonus action and maxxed out dex. Grab a level warlock for Hex for additional 7 to 9d6.

[Zalabim]

The only thing I can think of is combining with EK for Haste & 3 attacks at EK -11 to EK-14. So a Sun Soul 6/EK 14 gets you Haste & 3 attacks. Your sun bolts with haste & action surge will be 7d6+35 or 9d6+35 if you use bonus action and maxxed out dex. Grab a level warlock for Hex for additional 7 to 9d6.

And your sun bolts without haste and action surge would be 3d6+15(25.5) or 5d6+25(42.5) when you use a bonus action with maxed dex.

[j_spencer93]

Well thats not a bad idea. Not one I thought to mix with Sun Soul Monk but it might work.

[RulesJD]

Pretty much what everyone's said so far:

Steps:

1. Start Variant Human to get Magic Initiate feat. Take Hex + 2 random cantrips (I recommend Minor Illusion at least).

2. Hex first round, blast away.


Up until I think level 11, you'll be doing much more average damage than an equivalent Warlock with EB due to your 2-4 attacks (remember you have to spend Ki to get that bonus attack with the Sun Bolts). But a Warlock 2/Sorc+ will still do better with Quickened EBs.

[Maxilian]

Well... if you go Druid, you could use this in any of the Animal Forms with a lot of DEX (like the Flying Snake or the Giant Constrictor Snake).

Note: That's what i'm playing right now :P (Anything but optimized)

[j_spencer93]

A flying snake that throws sun bolts....now thats sort of neat.

[Maxilian]

A flying snake that throws sun bolts....now thats sort of neat.

Its pretty neat, its more useful if your DM uses the Cover rules, you will have good AC but your HP will still be lacking, so the ability to not be a target is quite usefull (The Flying Snake is a tiny creature so its not that hard to get full cover)

[Waazraath]

Just curious: has there ever been an official confirmation that you can use the sun soul laser together with extra attack? (so, make 2 attacks in 1 round. or 3 together with fighter MC)

[Fflewddur Fflam]

Just curious: has there ever been an official confirmation that you can use the sun soul laser together with extra attack? (so, make 2 attacks in 1 round. or 3 together with fighter MC)

It's listed as an Attack action, so yes.
From SCAG: "RADIANT SUN BOLT:...You gain a ranged spell attack that you can use with the Attack action".
From PHB: "EXTRA ATTACK: Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn."

[Giant2005]

The Haste thing doesn't help because Haste only gives you an extra weapon attack and the Sun Bolt is not a weapon attack.
I'm not sure it adds much synergy considering Sun Bolt requires Dex as its primary stat, but it is a useful way of getting full scaling Monk damage while wearing Heavy Armor.

[Maxilian]

Most Feats don't work with Sun Soul Monk, cause they may be specific to a Weapon Attack, those that work with it are:

*Mobile: Let you leave the enemy reach without getting attacked, having in mind that your melee and range attack share their Hit value, it does work well...

*Crossbow Expert: Only the second point will apply (Being within 5 feet o f a hostile creature doesn’t
impose disadvantage on your ranged attack rolls.)

But you could just use a normal attack (Having in mind that your Sun Bolt and your normal hit do the same damage, so no real point on getting this)

*Defensive Duelist: You could get a weapon that you will rarely use, but that will, in the end, let you take advantage of this feat

*Dual Wielder: You could use 2 one handed weapon and still shoot your lasers, so you could get the +1 AC, but that´s hardly relevant

*Mage Slayer: first option requires a Melee weapon attack so... no, but the disadvantage of CON saves and the Adv on Saves for spell of someone that is at 5 feet still work (Still i don't see this usefull, as a Sun Soul Monk there's no much reason for you to go melee and this is what this feat requires)

*Magic Initiate: Could be quite useful, even more if you go with spells like Hex (sadly the only 1 per SR is a problem)

*Sharpshooter: Everything here requires a Ranged Weapon Attack (you're using ranged spell attacks) so no.

*Skulker: If you miss an attack while hidding, you will reveal your position, it only works with ranged weapon attacks, so no...

*Spell Sniper: You ignore Half Cover and Third-quarters cover now (Yay!), the Sun Soul Bolt is a Range Spell Attack, you also get the extra range to your attacks!

[j_spencer93]

Hopefully if they make this class option official, they reword it a little to have more synergy with other classes and feats.

[Degwerks]

There is that fighting style from a UA Underdark article, called Close Quarters Shooter that a Sun Soul should grab a fighter level for. It works with ranged spell attacks too.

[j_spencer93]

I did see that. It isn't bad.

[Joe the Rat]

I'm not sure it adds much synergy considering Sun Bolt requires Dex as its primary stat, but it is a useful way of getting full scaling Monk damage while wearing Heavy Armor.Laser Tank!

[8wGremlin]

Rod of the Pact Keeper give bonus to spell attack rolls.

it also allows you to replenish a warlock spell

[Degwerks]

Rod of the Pact Keeper give bonus to spell attack rolls.

it also allows you to replenish a warlock spell

Wand of the War Mage as well.

[Foxhound438]

Hopefully if they make this class option official, they reword it a little to have more synergy with other classes and feats.

except it is an official class option...

[j_spencer93]

....did i really say that. Wow...i actually own the book even. Someone hit me

[Plaguescarred]

Just curious: has there ever been an official confirmation that you can use the sun soul laser together with extra attack? (so, make 2 attacks in 1 round. or 3 together with fighter MC)Jeremy Crawford did on his twitter https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/status/672591289838252033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw


@vikke064 Can you make both a weapon attack and an attack with Radiant Sun Bolt with the same attack action (assuming Extra Attack)?
@JeremyECrawford Yes.