Ki & Spells: Should this be allowed?

[jaappleton]

Thanks to Four Elements and Shadow, we have a decent basis for how much the Ki equivalent is for spells.

There's numerous other subclasses for other classes which enable you to cast spells, such as Fey Wanderer Rangers getting Summon Fey as their 11th level feature.

And of course the Dragonmarked Races all getting spells, not to mention bonus spells granted from the Ravnica backgrounds.

I now present this question to the playground: If a feature grants a spell to the Monk character, but not granted by its subclass (For example, getting spells by being a Dragonmarked race), would you allow them to cast those spells by spending Ki?

Why or why not?

[KorvinStarmast]

Thanks to Four Elements and Shadow, we have a decent basis for how much the Ki equivalent is for spells. Well, for my money, spells cost too much ki, but that's perhaps not a universal position.

I now present this question to the playground: If a feature grants a spell to the Monk character, but not granted by its subclass (For example, getting spells by being a Dragonmarked race), would you allow them to cast those spells by spending Ki? I think I'd need to play test before I answered that. A lot of features (to include racially based spells like for the drow) are on a once per long rest basis.
I'd be wary of messing with that.

[Psyren]

Is the goal to try and help monks? Because there are much easier ways to go about it.


Well, for my money, spells cost too much ki, but that's perhaps not a universal position.

Agreed, or at least monks should get more of it.


I think I'd need to play test before I answered that. A lot of features (to include racially based spells like for the drow) are on a once per long rest basis.
I'd be wary of messing with that.

Agreed here too. Ki is replenished on a short rest, so you run the risk of a x/long rest ability becoming 3x-5x per long rest or more. (Of course, they're giving up everything else they'd have done with that ki in exchange, and they're probably picking a crappy monk race for the privilege too since those tend to be the ones that get racial spellcasting, so maybe it's a wash?)

[Bobthewizard]

As a general rule, probably not. In a specific campaign where I didn't think it would overshadow any of the other players, absolutely.

[jaappleton]

This has been in my head since the whole 5e shift to, "You can cast these spells once per long rest. Or you may spend a spell slot to cast them again." with the Tasha's feats like Fey Touched and Shadow Touched, plus new races like Fairy. Or are they Pixies?

I kept thinking, "Ok... but... Ki CAN be used to cast spells... so... why not?"

If you think they should be restricted to spells gained by your race, or by a Feat... That's typically magic learned innately by your character, and if you'd want to restrict it to that, I totally understand.

That's likely how I'd rule it, as opposed to taking a level in Wizard and then saying "I can cast Shield for 2 Ki all the time!"