Monk Archetype: Way of the Sacred Sigil

[Garresh]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JaCwa-LXcs6an-yCUi-L-zvL6PNidWFdm16lJXfZ2h8/edit?usp=sharing

Working on a monk homebrew and I need feedback. This is a first draft, but I'll be making more changes soon. The major focus is to make this archetype feel like a hybrid caster, who uses his ki and bonus actions to cast in between melee hits. The focus is less on damage and nuking, and more on utility and control. Just looking for any feedback you can provide before I do my next design pass.

[Ziegander]

This is a really flavorful, interesting subsystem. I can't comment on balance at the moment, but I love the idea and the execution seems good at a first glance.

[CunningKindred]

Let me preface everything I say here by congratulating you on a really interesting and thematic notion for a monk. I think the whole concept is quite inspiring. The placing of sigils and the way that each has a negative and positive effect could make for some really interesting encounters. Overall there really is nothing I can see which had me thinking "oh, no, that's way too powerful" or "that's far too weak" so I can't make any suggestions for things I think you really should change. There were a few things that I suspect might prove to be less than optimal when it comes down to the game but its sometimes difficult to predict how a mechanic will actually work once players become involved. The Soul Seals are awesome.

My first suggestion would be to add some description for what Sigils look like and what a monk does to draw them.

On a mechanical front there were a few things:

Should it not cost a bonus action to place a sigil - it seems a little cheap for them to be placed as a free action. I know they have limited utility and the monk doesn't know many but you are doing something quite significant.

Also, several of the Sigils probably need maximum ranges at which they can be activated. I would suggest something like 60 ft. for all sigils unless they specify otherwise.

Sigil of Lapsing especially probably needs a range or it becomes a very cheap teleport home option for an attack at a distance. Also, you didn't make it clear if a monk can put sigils such as this one on himself. Sigil of Negation also really needs a range or it becomes a very very good version of counterspelling even with its limitations.

Sigil of Wounding seems very powerful. Being able to boost the damage would make it one of the most powerful boosts you could give some at mid-range levels.

Compared to the Disciple of the Elements, the Ki costs are perhaps also a little low in places. In general a monk based spellcaster should probably be equivalent to a tertiary caster and some of the levels you allow access to these ability might also be a little low (closer to a half-caster) and in my experience ki cost for spells are roughly equivalent to level + 1. Of course, I would only advice you to go through and compare these guidelines to the costs you have actually used and make some tweaks where necessary. Obviously it takes an attack (and possible a bonus action) to place a sigil and then a bonus action or reaction to activate so these are massive limitations probably worthy of a drop in effective spell level and cost but in some cases these limitations are not really sufficient to warrant deviating too far from the general guidelines outlined for Way of the Four Elements monks and in some others I think a sorcerer or wizard would give their right hand to be able to cast their equivalent spell in the same manner as a sigil monk.

Sigil of Striking Death seems a good example. Perhaps it would be better to have a variable cost for this one based on range. Say 2 ki to activate it if the sigil is within 60 ft. but 5 ki to activate it up to a distance of one mile. It can rather negate the potency of some very high level spells otherwise but following individuals with mighty magic at their disposal.

Over-all though, very good stuff... I look forward to seeing any future drafts you put up.

[SilverStud]

I'm going to add my praise to the pile. This subclass does a lot more to add variety to its base class than the vast majority of homebrew subclasses. Most monk subclass homebrews are just better or edgier versions of what's already there, if you get down to it. This is super cool though.