Anyway to combine Sorcerer and Monk? Eldritch Fighter-like monk?

[Thrasher92]

I'm hoping that this has already been created. I don't want the 4 elements monk but I was looking for essentially a monk that could slowly start casting spells similar to an Eldritch Fighter or an Arcane Trickster. The monk would still get most of the regular monk things like Evasion and Stunning Strike.

Has this already been created? Would this be a bad idea/build? What would you think of this creation?

[tieren]

I'm trying a monk/ wiz now. My plan is to treat it as the low int EK build, with my int just high enough to MC and taking all spells with no DCs or attack rolls (shield, absorb elements, misty step, blur, etc...).

I'll still attack primarily with Dex, keep Wis as my secondary for stunning strike DC, min int and 12 Con, using point buy need to dump str and cha hard.

It would be too mad if you wanted to be good at hitting things with spells and making them stick, unless you went cleric or druid.

[Crgaston]

As a half elf you could point buy 10/16/14/8/14/14

Start with one level of Dragon Sorcerer for the Con save, extra HP, AC boost and magic. Then go 5 monk for all the cool monk stuff and then dip back to Sorcerer. Boost Wis then Dex, use spells for buffs like Jump, Shield, Enlarge/Reduce, Blink, etc.

Or you could do a Shadow Monk/Shadow Sorcerer build.

It’s a neat concept... Hopefully someone will drop a killer, fully developed build or two in a bit.

[MightyK]

Why not at least a wis caster?

[supergoji18]

From what I'm getting it sounds like you want to primarily focus on being a monk while the spellcasting is mostly secondary.

If this is the case, you'll want to go about level 6 in sorcerer at maximum for both the sorcerous origin feature and the access to 3rd level spells. This gives you access to Haste, which will be a really powerful buff spell for someone like yourself. It also gives you access to a lot of the other useful spells like invisibility, fireball, alter self, darkness, and others.

There are a few thematic combinations you could do:
- Sun Soul Monk and Divine Soul Sorcerer
- Shadow Monk and Shadow Sorcerer
- Drunken Master and Wild Magic

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

It sounds like you're looking for a Homebrew 1/3 caster monk subclass is that correct?

[djreynolds]

From what I'm getting it sounds like you want to primarily focus on being a monk while the spellcasting is mostly secondary.

If this is the case, you'll want to go about level 6 in sorcerer at maximum for both the sorcerous origin feature and the access to 3rd level spells. This gives you access to Haste, which will be a really powerful buff spell for someone like yourself. It also gives you access to a lot of the other useful spells like invisibility, fireball, alter self, darkness, and others.

There are a few thematic combinations you could do:
- Sun Soul Monk and Divine Soul Sorcerer
- Shadow Monk and Shadow Sorcerer
- Drunken Master and Wild Magic

These are very cool ideas, real cool

But why not arcane cleric, or sun soul monk and light cleric

But I might think about elemental monk and nature cleric, that could be very cool or even elemental monk and tempest cleric

[Thrasher92]

It sounds like you're looking for a Homebrew 1/3 caster monk subclass is that correct?

Yes, this is essentially what I want but, I've never built a class or archetype myself and not sure where to start.

I was thinking of taking the same Eldritch Knight kind of casting and keeping most of the regular monk stuff.

What I was considering was getting rid of Ki points and using spell slots for their monk abilities instead of Ki points. Something like spending a 1st level spell slot to use patient defense or flurry of blows instead of a Ki point. I do this because I understand that a lot of the game mechanics involve resource management and having 2 pools of resources to draw from and influence each other could get dicey.

[Steampunkette]

Bladesinger/Monk could get some ridiculous armor class and movement options... but have you considered Warlock?

Snag Hexblade and ignore Pact of the Blade. Go with the Tome or Chain, since you'll want to use Monk Weapons and the pact blade doesn't really give you much you're not already going to have (Unless you wanna do Moonbow for that Half-Elf!) Throw out a Warlock's curse on the BBEG and smack him 4 times in a round with a 19-20 crit range for plenty of striker power. Tack on devil-sight and darkness for advantage and nastiness! Then use your reaction to either Deflect Missles or cast Shield to avoid incoming damage (As needed).

And since Monks and Warlocks get their most important abilities back on a short rest (Ki and Spells), it makes for a great synergy in that respect.

Heck, with your Shadow Summoning at Warlock 6, you could fluff the entire build into some kind of Anime Ninja with the summoned shadows looking like Ninja that you call out of the ether to "Strike at your enemy's soul" or whatever. 8th level Warlock gets you 2 4th level spells/short rest, 4 invocations, and 3-6 (Depending on Pact) Cantrips. That's more than enough magic for an "Arcane Monk" The loss of Diamond Soul sucks a bit, but... really... s'not that bad, all things considered.

[Kadesh]

I'm hoping that this has already been created. I don't want the 4 elements monk but I was looking for essentially a monk that could slowly start casting spells similar to an Eldritch Fighter or an Arcane Trickster. The monk would still get most of the regular monk things like Evasion and Stunning Strike.

Has this already been created? Would this be a bad idea/build? What would you think of this creation?
Why not the 4 Elements Monk? If you want to snag some specific spells ask your DM for Ki Point Cost for those and switch out on a Cost / Cost basis.

[Aett_Thorn]

I'm not sure how balanced it would be, but I would think that you could create a subclass where they get the 1/3 spellcasting progression of the Eldritch Knight (including whatever school restrictions that you want for the class, if any). However, this would give Monks two non-competing resources to manage, which is likely slightly overpowering, since they'd have spells to use, and then still a full compliment of Ki to use when those are out. As such, you may want to make it so that this sub-class has reduced Ki potential. Say that they're more focused on outward-facing energies than a traditional Monk, so they get half the Ki progression or something. Either that, or make it so that they need to use Ki to power their spells somehow, similar to the Four Elements Monk.

At 6th level, maybe make it so that they can make a single unarmed attack after casting a spell on their turn.

At 11th level, maybe give them either resistance to a single type of damage, or advantage against certain types of spells?

At 17th level, maybe allow them to use their spell slots to make limited smite-like strikes with their fists, or allowing them to use spell slots to power normal Ki-using abilities


Just some basic thoughts and like I said upfront, no idea if any of this would be balanced or not.

[Citan]

Yes, this is essentially what I want but, I've never built a class or archetype myself and not sure where to start.

I was thinking of taking the same Eldritch Knight kind of casting and keeping most of the regular monk stuff.

What I was considering was getting rid of Ki points and using spell slots for their monk abilities instead of Ki points. Something like spending a 1st level spell slot to use patient defense or flurry of blows instead of a Ki point. I do this because I understand that a lot of the game mechanics involve resource management and having 2 pools of resources to draw from and influence each other could get dicey.
Well, if you're not afraid of a bit of complexity, I could push to you my (unachieved, precisely because I wanted to simplify a bit ^^) my work on making elemental gishes. :)

It should be overall balanced, and is based on the idea of mixing external and internal energy to master elements, with option to focus on one of them.

Self-publicity aside...^^

IF you want to mix Monk with CHA caster to get utility, I'd rather suggest Warlock actually: it's especially good with Shadow Monk when one wants a dedicated infiltrator, but it can be good with others.

Although Sorcerer does get shinies, between metamagics and spells.

Just be aware of one thing: this multiclass is costly, so you'll have to make a choice.
Even as an Half-Elf, you'll be starting with 8/14/14/8/14/14 and 6 points left if you want to be decent at everything (so only one starting 16), or you may push your luck and bring CON down to 12 to grasp another 16.

Anyways, unless you go pure utility on spellcasting side or pure dex on Monk side, you cannot shine everywhere, and you may probably prefer not maxing even one stat.

1. "Be a Monk first and foremost" meaning, except if you go Shadows, WIS will still be priority.
It means you'll be extra frail for quite some time, so you'll have to compensate by being extra smart on positioning or using spells like Shield, Mirror Image or Armor of Agathys (if Warlock).

2. "Be an interesting gish": meaning you can put your focus on DEX and "disregard" WIS and/or CHA (being ok with 16 max in both).
This can work fairly well though: it means you'll use Ki mainly on everything except Stunning Strike and spells on self-buff.
One greatest combination here is a Kensei Monk with Shadow Blade or Elemental Weapon.

3. "Be a magical Monk": meaning you want to be more of a caster that uses Monk's mobility to enhance safety and AOE placement.
This can actually be done by...
- either going Sorcerer and use Ki on Dodge/Dash on top of Unarmored Speed to keep away.
- or going Hexblade Warlock, ditch the Unarmored benefits, wield medium armor and shield and use Ki on Dash/Dodge (those don't depend on unarmored).
This way you can maximize CHA anyways.

TL;DR: you can have powerful enough and very fun characters with Monk+CHA caster, but this requires you to have a definite objective and be aware of everything you renounce to.

[supergoji18]

These are very cool ideas, real cool

But why not arcane cleric, or sun soul monk and light cleric

But I might think about elemental monk and nature cleric, that could be very cool or even elemental monk and tempest cleric

The OP specifically mentioned sorcerer, so that's why I was suggesting sorcerer subclass options. Other classes work obviously.

[RossN]

Have you considered the Magic Initiate feat? Two Cantrips and a 1st Level Spell from the class of your choice.

Granted it is perhaps a little too underpowered but if you are looking for a monk with a couple of magical tricks up their sleeve as against a serious spellcaster it might work and you wouldn't sacrifice anything from the monk class via multiclassing.

[th3g0dc0mp13x]

Honestly I don't see the second resource pool as too much of an issue, The other two 1/3 casters primary abilities are independent of any major resource. Fighters get even more hits and rogues get sneak attack and cunning action. With that being said I'd propose.

Warning: this is literally the first homebrew I've done.



You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to harness the Weave. When you focus your ki, you can align yourself with the forces of creation and bend it to your will, using the weave as an extension of your body.

Spellcasting:

Use the same spell-casting and spells known as the Eldritch knight table.


When you reach 3rd level, you gain the ability to cast spells. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the wizard spell list.


Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn another wizard cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Way of the Weave Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest.
For example, if you know the 1st-level spell charm person and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast charm person using either slot.


Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level wizard spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the abjuration and transmutation spells on the wizard spell list.
The Spells Known column of the Way of the Weave Spellcasting table shows when you learn more wizard spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an abjuration or transmutation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level.


The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic.


Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the wizard spells you know with another spell of your choice from the wizard spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an abjuration or transmutation spell, unless you're replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.


Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells. You use your wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.


Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.


Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.


At level three you learn how to blend an attack and a spell together. When you use your action to cast a cantrip you can spend 1 ki point to make a single unarmed attack as a bonus action.

When you cast an Abjuration spell you gain temporary HP equal to twice the spells level+your wisdom modifier.

When you cast a transmutation spell you gain resistance to non magical bludgeoning piercing, and slashing damage until the end of your next turn.

When you are concentrating on a spell of 1st level or higher use stunning strike, you can choose to channel the spell into the strike. This immediately ends the spell but forces the creature to make his save at disadvantage.

When you use your weave infused strike you can spend a Ki point to keep your spell going instead of the spell immediately ending.