PDA

View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next 5e Monastic Tradition: Way of the Invisible Hand



Astofel
2016-12-29, 09:23 PM
So I was sitting around one day and I thought to myself, "You know what would be cool? If there was a way to play a Jedi-style character in 5e." Looking at the classes, Monk seemed like the obvious choice for a chassis, so I sat down and spat this out after some thought. This is my first real attempt at homebrewing anything like this, so some things might be imbalanced. As we go through the features, I'll try to provide some insight as to my thought processes as I was making them. Now, let's get down to business.

Way of the Invisible Hand

Bonus Proficiency: At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in longswords, which count as a monk weapon for you.

My thoughts: Since D&D is fantasy, I can't really have a monk swinging around a laser sword, so longswords will have to do. Sure, it's a d10 of damage when two-handed, but I don't think that's too much of an increase over other monks two-handing a quarterstaff for a d8.

Use the Power: Starting when you chose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Suggestion, Thunderwave, or Detect Thoughts as 2nd-level spells. You can also spend 1 ki point to cast Shield as a reaction. Additionally, you also gain the Mage Hand cantrip, if you don’t already know it.

My thoughts: I based this off the Way of Shadow's spellcasting, trying to pick spells that would suit a force-user. Suggestion and Detect Thoughts are obviously Jedi mind-tricks, while Thunderwave and Shield are meant to represent shoving someone or something with the Force. I'm a bit iffy about Shield, though.

Improved Deflection: At 6th level, your ability to deflect attacks improves thanks to your attunement to the cosmic power. While you are wielding a longsword and you are targeted by a Magic Missile spell or a line spell, you can use your Deflect Missiles feature to reduce the damage from these attacks. The caster of the spell must then make a saving throw against their own spell save DC, or take damage equal to the amount of damage you reduced, of the same type that the spell deals. In addition, you no longer need a free hand to catch and throw a missile if you are wielding a longsword.

My thoughts: Deflecting bolts of blaster energy or force lighting is an iconic Jedi thing, so I had to find a way to fit it in. The wording might be a bit awkward, but the intention is that when you are targeted by multiple MM darts you can use this to reduce the total damage and reflect it back at the caster. When you are hit by a line spell, for example Lighting Bolt, I realized that you'll never reduce 8d6 to zero, so I decided that the caster would have to make a saving throw against their own spell DC (LB uses Dex, so it's a Dex save in this case), and if they fail they take damage equal to the amount the monk reduced.

Cosmic Lifting: At 11th level, your attunement to the cosmic power allows you to lift objects that would be impossible to lift by yourself. As an action, you can expend 5 ki points to cast the Telekinesis spell. Once you have cast the spell in this way, you cannot do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

My thoughts: It's Yoda lifting Luke's ship out of the swamp! The ki cost is equal to the spell's level, which at the level you get it is almost half your total ki. The short rest restriction is because other caster's at this level aren't going to be casting 5th level spells more than once a day, but since it's this monk's only high-level spell I let it recharge on a short rest, similar to the warlock.

Future Sight: At 17th level, your connection to the cosmic power has become so strong that you have a limited vision into the future. When you finish a long rest, you may spend 10 ki points to cast the Foresight spell on yourself. Ki points expended in this way cannot be regained until you finish another long rest.

My thoughts: This is the one I'm most unsure about balance-wise. Foresight is an incredibly powerful spell. Sure, this comes online at the same level other casters would get access to Foresight, but it just might be too good in the monk's capable fists. It does consume half or more of your ki resource for the whole day, though, and it's essentially cutting out the middleman of the wizard casting this on you, but at this point I feel like I'm trying to justify its brokenness to myself. Some advice on how well this works would be appreciated.

clash
2016-12-30, 07:12 PM
I would change the third level ability to be something akin to an Eldritch knights weapon bond except have your blade materialize and deal force damage. I would move spells to level six as something like mind tricks and stick to only a few like suggestion and similar and I would replace telekinesis with bigbys hand and make the hand invisible. It allows more Jedi tricks like Jedi choke and push but takes a bonus action which balances against monk abilities. Open hand pretty much had a ninth level spell for it's capstone so foresight should be fine

Arkhios
2016-12-30, 07:20 PM
I would change the third level ability to be something akin to an Eldritch knights weapon bond except have your blade materialize and deal force damage. I would move spells to level six as something like mind tricks and stick to only a few like suggestion and similar and I would replace telekinesis with bigbys hand and make the hand invisible. It allows more Jedi tricks like Jedi choke and push but takes a bonus action which balances against monk abilities. Open hand pretty much had a ninth level spell for it's capstone so foresight should be fine

Yeah, this could work. Although technically a non-jedi could get their hands upon a lightsaber, it's still kind of their signature weapon and a symbol of rite of passage from a padawan to a jedi; when a padawan is ready to build his own lightsaber, he is ready to become a jedi, and so forth.

Other than that, I kinda liked what you did for improved deflection, it makes sense, and it is flavorful. You could probably have both the invisible bigby's hand and improved deflection at 6th level.

Astofel
2016-12-30, 09:12 PM
Ugh, I'm so annoyed that I didn't think of Bigby's Hand, especially since it's one of my personal favourite spells. I don't want to put it at 6th level, though, since Bigby's is a 5th level spell and other characters don't get those until 9th level. I think I'll also switch around Improved Deflection and the spells, since the monk's regular deflection comes online at 3rd and can be instantly upgraded now that you have your new lightsaber. The new spell list at 6th level would probably something like Mage Hand, Suggestion, Calm Emotions, Detect Thoughts, Detect Evil and Good.

I also love the idea of the lightsaber having a weapon bond-type feature, so I had a go at writing one up:

Cosmic Bonding: At 3rd level you gain the ability to form a supernatural bond with a weapon by enhancing it with your ki. Choose one weapon, which can be a longsword, shortsword, or rapier. You can create a magical bond to this weapon by performing a 1-hour ritual over it. The weapon must be within your reach during the entire ritual, after which to touch it to solidify the bond. You are proficient with your bonded weapon, which counts as a monk weapon for you. While you are wielding your bonded weapon, it sheds dim light in a 5 foot radius and deals force damage instead of its regular damage type. In addition, if your bonded weapon is within 60 feet of you and you can see it, you can use a bonus action and expend one ki point to cause it to fly into your hand and make one attack with it.

Although now that I have this new feature, I worry about this tradition's balance compared to the others, which only get one new feature at 3rd level. Nor do I really want to drop any of the features I currently have since I feel like the subclass would be missing a large portion of its Jedi-ness without them.

clash
2016-12-31, 03:51 PM
Reduce improved deflection to only work against spell attack rolls not lines and get rid of all the wordiness there. Then make it a property of the cosmic bond as right now it is mostly fluff. Rolling into one feature like that should be balanced.

Astofel
2017-01-02, 01:35 AM
That does make a lot of sense, the only reason I had Improved Deflection work on line spells was so that it could deflect Lightning Bolt, a.k.a. Force Lightning. With spell attack rolls there's Witch Bolt, which is honestly closer to Force Lightning in terms of how it works. So, new archetype:

Cosmic Bonding: Same as previous post, but there's a new paragraph.

Your ability to deflect attacks also improves thanks to your special bond to your weapon. While you are wielding your bonded weapon and you are targeted by a Magic Missile spell or are hit by a ranged spell attack, you can use your Deflect Missiles feature to reduce the damage from these attacks. In addition, the caster of the original spell must make a ranged spell attack against their own AC. On a hit, they take damage equal to the amount you reduced, of the same type the original spell dealt. If you are hit by more than one Magic Missile dart, you may deflect multiple darts with the same roll. In addition, you no longer need a free hand to catch and throw a projectile if you are wielding your bonded weapon.

Mind Tricks: At 6th level, your attunement to the cosmic power allows you to affect the minds of others. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast Calm Emotions, Detect Evil and Good, Detect Thoughts, or Suggestion without material components. You also learn the Mage Hand cantrip, if you don't already know it. The hand is invisible when cast using this feature.

Invisible Hand: At 10th level, your attunement to the cosmic power increases to the point where it allows you to accomplish feats many would deem impossible. As an action, you may spend 5 ki points to cast Bigby's Hand without material components. The hand is invisible when cast in this manner.

Future Sight: Same as before.

clash
2017-01-02, 10:26 AM
I think I would still remove the clause about the caster attack roll against their own ac and just have it work like normal deflection but the rest looks good