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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Monastic Traditition - Way of the Storm's Fury



RoninLoganX
2019-02-14, 12:01 AM
Had this idea for a Monastic Tradition that I'd like to share, get feedback on. I like the idea of a Monk capable of channeling elemental powers, Lightning and Thunder in this case, into their bodies and into their strikes, so this is what I came up with. I'm open to constructive criticisms and suggestions, so please let me know what you think, if you might have a better idea on how to improve a feature, or perhaps a better feature to replace a faulty one.

Thank you for your time.

Monastic Tradition – Way of the Storm's Fury

3rd Level:

Stormstrike – You can infuse your strikes with the might of the storm. On your turn, when making an unarmed attack, before you attack, you may choose either Lightning or Thunder damage. All unarmed attacks you make deal the chosen damage type until the end of turn.

Lightning Speed – You can channel the power of the storm and move with the speed of lighting. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Wisdom modifier.

6th

Thunderstruck - You gain resistance to Lightning and Thunder Damage. Additionally, when you use your Stormstrike feature and you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you may spend 2 Ki. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. The target takes an additional 2d6 of the chosen Stormstrike damage and becomes Stunned until the start of your next turn on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one and resists the Stunning effect. When you reach certain levels in this class, you may spend additional Ki on this feature to increase the damage by an additional die per the Ki spent, increasing to 3 Ki at 10th level, 4 Ki at 15th level, and 5 Ki at 20th level.

10th

Ride the Lightning - You are capable of maneuvering about the battlefield in flashes of lightning. When you take the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack to an unoccupied space you can see. If you attack at least two different creatures with the action, you can make one additional attack with it against a third creature.

17th

Fury of the Storm - You gain Immunity to Lightning and Thunder damage. Additionally, when you hit a creature with an unarmed strike. you can spend 3 ki points to strike a pressure point, channeling Lightning or Thunder energy into the creatures body. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, the energy erupts from its body and it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, the eruption instead deals 10d10 damage of the chosen type.
You can only use this feature once per turn.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1). Once all uses of this feature has been expended you must finish a long rest before you may use this feature again.

nickl_2000
2019-02-14, 08:39 AM
Stormstrike I don't see a huge issue here. Considering that it only applies to unarmed strikes, it nerfs the versatility power of it somewhat.

Lightning Speed - My gut says this is to powerful. You have a class that is dexterity based already and lives on being able to act early and move around. Now, you are making it even easier for them to go first and stun lock the enemy caster into oblivion. However, it may be fine, you would have to play test to see how it goes.

Thunderstruck - My initial though on the resistance was that it was to much on a very powerful monk chassis. However, when you get evasion at level 7 and prof in all saves at level 14, that resistance and immunity to these damage type really isn't that great. I'm not sure how often I would be using the 2+ ki version to stun. Stun is a really, really powerful effect on it's own. So, being able to do it twice as often with using stunning strike would be a better use of resources (at least in my mind).

Ride the Lightning - First thing: This should be 11th level, not 10th. However, this one is flat out to powerful. So, almost every round in combat I get 3 attacks (Same as the fighter at level 11), and I can bonus action flurry of blows for 2 more attacks. Plus, before every attack I can teleport 10 feet, which causes no AoO. So, I get 50 feet movement base + (10*# attacks) = minimum 90 feet of movement a round? And to boot, there is no cost whatsoever. If you like this ability, that is fine, but give it a Ki cost. Make the PC spend a resource to do it. I would say somewhere around 4 ki per use. Also, as I said below, consider making this the capstone ability instead of fury of the storm.

Fury of the Storm - Immunity to lightning and thunder - See thunderstruck. The rest is effectively a 5 times a day con save or die ability similar to quivering palm. I'm not a huge fan of taking quivering palm. That ability is pretty much the best capstone in the game, and part of what makes open hand special.

I would look at different options here.

Spend 4 Ki to become to embodiment of the storm for 1 minute. During that time, when you are struck your opponent takes 1d8 lightning damage, anyone within 5 feet of you is deafened by the thundering booming around you, and all your strikes do and extra 1d6 damage. Hair stands on end, eyes crackle with energy, fun fluffy stuff here.
Throw lightning - As an action you may cast the spell Lightning Bolt for 3 Ki or Chain Lightning by spending 5 Ki. You may upcast them by spending an addition 1 ki per upcast level.
Make Ride the Lightning the level 17 ability (with the Ki cost). I still think it is overpowered at level 17, but almost everyone is overpowered at level 17.



If you do make Ride the Lightning the level 17 ability, you can do spell casting of lighting spells the level 11 (upcasting only allowed to the max caster level they would have as a full caster). You could also do some non-combat ability like using an action to be able to teleport through conductive material as a being of pure energy (basically turn into electricity and can travel at the speed of light through metal or water, popping out on the other side). Or maybe you could give an ability to be a personal flashbang. Spend 2 ki to causing lightning to flash from your body in a bright flash and thunder to boom. Anyone within 30 feet must make a con save or be blinded/deafened for 1 round. Anyone who has experienced this ability before can use a reaction to close their eyes and cover their ears to automatically succeed on the save (this nerfs the ability to once per combat against people and helps out your allies. At a cost though).

Actually I really like the flashbang ability.