My attempt at a Way of the Four Elements rework

[Llama513]

The homebrewery for the rework is here (http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/HJS5qVLNq9l).

I also designed an archetype to give monk a caster archetype to fill the role that Way of the Four Elements filled, Enlightened Fist (http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/rkOd-Sqcx)

[Cybren]

Why drop the spellcasting angle?

[Llama513]

As what I was looking for with the archetype was not a caster, but something that gave something closer to an elemental striker, not quite the extent of Avatar the Last Air bender, as they are much more of a caster, but based on that in their ability to constantly have access to elemental attacks, thus the elemental fists ability not costing Ki for their Base Level, and i felt that having them be both the caster and an elemental character, split the focus in a way that lead to issues, so I focused on just the elemental manipulation side of the class, as I felt that was the best way to make the class a elemental class that would be fun to play and balanced with the other archetypes

To word it better, the way of four elements tried to be both a caster, and have elemental manipulation, and because it split its focus it was not able to do either well, as such I decided to focus on just the elemental manipulation, in order to create what I feel does a better job of being a fun class with elemental manipulation, as its focus is not split between two aspects

[wilhelmdubdub]

There were a lot of great ideas in there, I have been thinking long and hard about a rework for the 4 elements monk. The monk class is meant to fly around the battlefield, and unleash martial arts against multiple foes; so what I would do is enhance those abilities and give more choices on how to spend Ki, as well as give some concentration type abilities. Some of the things I would bring to the 4elements monk would be inspired by elementals. For balancing purposes would it help to convert spells to spell points from the DMG? Should you only be able to channel one element at a time? I haven't specified all relevant info because I need a lot of help balancing. Here's what I have so far: (edits to come)

3rd: martial arts, (makes magic attack earlier if you use one of these)
Fire: Fire punch, 1Ki, add 2D8 fire damage to an unarmed strike. Basically fire smite, balanced because of a lot of resistances, and scales with number of uses similar to paladin except ki replenishes on a short, may consider 2Ki. I probably wouldn't allow overcasting because I feel like monks are meant to deal a lot of light attacks as opposed to the paladin being a heavy hitter.
Water: water whip, 1ki, reskinned thorn whip, standard action, 30', Make a melee spell attack against the target. If the attack hits, the creature takes 1d6 piercing damage, and if the creature is Large or smaller, you pull the creature up to 10 feet closer to you. 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
Earth:Fist of stone, 1 ki, bonus action, can do a slam attack= double martial arts die, if hits initiate a grapple DC = 8+Wis+profeciency.
Air: Air cutter, 1Ki, your unarmed strikes become slashing and get a reach equal to your unarmed movement bonus for one round

6th: movement (self only)
Fire: jump spell, 2ki, jump height and distance tripled (+ firey flavor)
Water: Freedom of movement spell, 2 Ki, 1min, concentration
Earth: earth glide, 2k, 1 round burrow speed= land speed
Air: levitate spell, 2Ki, concentration,

11th:Defense
Fire: Fire shield, 3Ki, 10min, 2D8 fire damage if a melee attack within 5 ft.
Water: Water shield, 3ki, 10min, +2AC
Earth: Stoneskin spell, 3ki, 10min, resistance to physical damage
Air: Gust of wind spell, 3ki, strength save or be pushed away 15'

16th: Area of Effect (15' cone), 4 ki, save vs. wisdom score for 1/2 damage
Fire: Burning hands (7D6) Dex 1/2, Avg 12/24.5 each
Water: Tidal wave (4D8) Dex 1/2 Avg 9/18 and prone each
Earth: Erupting earth (4D12) and uneven terrain Dex 1/2 Avg 13/26
Air: Shatter (5D8) Con 1/2 Avg. 11/22.5 each

Would this be fun to play? overpowered?
Edit: I decided at 16th level the AOE's should probably be =4-5th level spell slot as wizards have 5 4th and 5th spell slots combined at 16 and Paladins have 4 4th and 5th spell slots at 17.

[wilhelmdubdub]

Also, for balancing purposes I tried to figure out what a base monk would do for damage output, assuming at 8th you have enough ki to flurry often enough to consider it standard:

1st: Attack D6 +3, Bonus D4 +3 =avg 12 DPR
4th: Attack D6 +4, Bonus D4 +4 =avg 14 DPR
5th: Attack 2D6 +8, Bonus D6 +4 =avg 22.5 DPR
8th: Attack 2D6+10, Bonus 2D6+10 =avg 34 DPR
11th: Attack 2D8 +10, Bonus 2D8 +10 =avg 38 DPR
17th: Attack 2D10 +10, Bonus 2D10 +10 =avg 42 DPR

[Talionis]

My thought would be to give them a cantrip like buff. Maybe it could use the recharge mechanic that Monsters use for breath weapons. It should scale with Monk levels and be different with different elements.

Other option is give Elemental Monk some better mechanism to recharge Ki.

[Llama513]

Some rewording of abilities is coming, I plan to keep the elemental fists where they are, but I forgot to set the limit on the ki that you can spend, as being half your monk level

[Llama513]

fixed the wording on some of the abilities, and specified the limit on ki spent to up elemental fist, and made it clear that the dc for those abilities is your ki dc.

Changed Elemental Master to be once per long rest as it is a 6th level spell

[Specter]

That 6th level ability is much better than any other monk's ability. Tone it down.

[Llama513]

Should I make it cost ki to gain the benefit of one of the elements for a minute, would that be better

[Specter]

Should I make it cost ki to gain the benefit of one of the elements for a minute, would that be better

I guess you could push those benefits to 17th level; at that level, two permanent resistances, bonus speed and tremorsense are cool, but not game-breaking. In fact, at that level the earth ability could be changed to an always-on spider climb, or analways-on stone walk and it would be alright.

That way you move the elemental blast to 6th level, toning down the damage.

[Llama513]

I guess you could push those benefits to 17th level; at that level, two permanent resistances, bonus speed and tremorsense are cool, but not game-breaking. In fact, at that level the earth ability could be changed to an always-on spider climb, or analways-on stone walk and it would be alright.

That way you move the elemental blast to 6th level, toning down the damage.

Oh you misread or I need to clarify, you only gain one of those abilities at a time