Monks and Warding Wind

[elyktsorb]

How much synergy is there in a Monk being able to use Warding Wind? (Note this is not via 4-Elements monk but a Druid/Monk multiclass) Deafens creatures 10 ft around them, makes enemies spend 20ft to move to the monk once they get to the winds area, gives disadvantage on ranged attacks against the monk, ability to extinguish any torch you pass by. Basically I'm just wondering if you can think of any scenario's this might be particularly helpful in to use.

[loki_ragnarock]

It synergizes pretty well with monk kiting abilities. Plays more ineffable than invulnerable.

Run up, smack, run back works alot better when you can effectively move further than your actual movement rate would indicate for the purposes of opponents chasing you for melee. And using a ranged attack is inherently more difficult... unless it's a spell attack.

Foiled to an extent by reach - assassin vines could effectively bypass the difficult terrain by smacking you from outside the aura, for instance.

But against gnolls? They'll never touch you.

[Vogie]

There's decent synergy depending on the fight. It gives the monk immunity to all spells that have the "provided the target can hear you" rider in their text, it increases the power of Deflect Missiles without additional resource expenditure, and gives the monk an area of difficult terrain that follows them around. Having your monk hug a target to shave off 20 ft of movement speed from one or more targets is really useful, depending on the Monk's ability to take a hit, and the style of monk. An Open hand monk can knock their targets prone, then effectively grapple them, while a Drunken master can lock multiple targets in and make them hit each other.

There is some value in occasionally deafening your targets - they can't hear commands from the other creatures in the encounter, they may not hear a spell being cast, et cetera - but that is even more situational. It won't be as valuable for a Shadow Monk who can cast Silence.