Monks singing chants in tight leather pants

[Coffee_Dragon]

The Shadow Arts ability allows a monk to "duplicate the effects of certain spells", specifically that "as an action, you can [...] cast [a list of spells]". There seem to be two ways to read this.

1. The "duplicate the effects of certain spells" part is fluff. It says you cast the spells, so that's what you do: you invoke external magic the same way any other spellcaster would do it (minus material components), with the same targeting options.

2. The "duplicate the effects of certain spells" part tells us the ability is intended to be closer to a spell-like ability than the ability to cast spells, a convenient way to represent the monk's affinity for shadows rather than the results of studying conventional spellcasting. It then seems not unreasonable to also drop the verbal component for these stealth-related spells, and disallow counterspelling, but apply a range of self to Darkvision: a shadowy monk has no business transferring their shadowmonkness to others.

It seems 1 is strictly RAW but 2 is more in line with how I would have imagined darkmonkiness to work. Thoughts?

[Crgaston]

The wording is definitely self-contradictory. I'd go with v. 2, personally.

Although, I can see how granting darkvision to an ally would be both handy and in keeping with shadow monk badassery. After all, PWT grants stealth to allies.

[Grod_The_Giant]

2 may be more fitting, but it's a subtle-but-definite power uptick. Your mileage may vary.

[Coffee_Dragon]

Although, I can see how granting darkvision to an ally would be both handy and in keeping with shadow monk badassery. After all, PWT grants stealth to allies.

That would probably be something I'd like to remove as well - I'm not sure why kung fu mastery means any random joe within 30 feet can be made soundless and trackless - but I guess it's harder to argue that the intent may have been to confine these effects to the monk's own person.


2 may be more fitting, but it's a subtle-but-definite power uptick. Your mileage may vary.

I was more concerned it might be a downgrade. Do you think scrapping VS components and no counterspelling might be balanced by the inability to make others benefit from either Darkvision or Power Word Tiptoe?