MrStabby
2023-08-08, 07:09 PM
For a while I have wanted to explore some modifications to the monk base class. his is revisiting some changes I first looked at a few years ago (before Tasha's at least - this version includes the ACF content there.
I think the monk is a really well designed class with a lot of cool features, that doesn't always quite fit into games well with other classes. I have a few issues to fix/aims here.
1) The monk isn't a damage dealer and probably shouldn't be - or at least not in the same way any other martial class is. It has OK damage, but its real identity is in doing so much more in combat than just doing damage. Under many circumstances though, the monk trades too much for this.
2) The monk doesn't benefit like other classes do from addition of feats and magic items to the game. Giving fighters access to feats like sharpshooter or Pole Arm Mastery is a huge boost - monks get nothing of that level. Feats like Fey Touched let any class get monk-type mobility at least on those few occasions where it really matters. The same with magic items - a fighter getting a magic weapon reduces one of the primary defensive attributes of things like fiends to a ribbon and takes away the special nature of the monk. Even against enemies not resistant, a magic weapon that adds damage to 100% of attacks is going to do a little better than one that adds a bonus to 50% to 75% of attacks as a monk uses unarmed strikes for the rest. Monks being MAD also means fewer feats free anyway. Letting the monk not be overshadowed in games that use these rules is an aim.
3) The monk looks a busy class but a lot of its benefits are really stopgaps. A class like a fighter or a paladin doesn't need a class feature like unarmoured efence as they hae access to armour, nor do they need martial arts as they just natively come with weapons that do that amount of damage anyway, without a bonus action. This redesign won't be afraid of making the class a bit busier.
At a first pass, I don't think I have quite got there. The grappling/thowing martial arts elements are somewhat mitigated by needing to sacrifice an attack. Still worth it sometimes for sure, but not just a simple upgrade. It in part fills the control role well enough. Other elements are a flat upgrade, which probably offsets enough any real gap in power between monks and other classes in fealess games.
Where I think this sucks is that it doesn't address things like the fey touched feat. When you special thing was mobility to reach enemies other martials couldn't, what do you do when it isn't special anymore and others can teleport to that same target and still hit it harder? There are some mobility upgrades added, but they don't really fix the problem - without feats you can do something others couldn't when it really mattered, with this it just means you can keep doing it, even when it doesn't.
Some additions do help - picking up expertise as a feat will make grappling/shoving/throwing better, letting a monk still get something from the addition of feats to the game.
I also feel the monk at high levels gets a bit boring. I gets good abilities, but they tend to be either very passive, and not let you actively do something new or the new thing is a minor upgrade that doesn't feel cool. From stillness of mind at 7th level through to 18th level and empty body, the core monk can't do anything new (subclasses can add some elements). Stillness of mind is not only relatively niche but is still reactive and relies on the DM making some very specific choices. I have done nothing about this but should do. Another ability at level 13 or so that takes Ki would close that gap. Monks being MAD even means its a bit harder to spare the feats to take fun new actions there.
Class Features
As a monk, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
10 darts
Monastic Focus
Beginning at 1st level you chose either Wisdom or Intelligence as your ability score that your class abilities use, this is your Focus modifier
Intelligence is a less good stat than wisdom, but why not open up the class to be scholastic warriors?
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Focus modifier.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon.
No change here
Ki
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Focus modifier
Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Step of the Wind. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
No change... the early levels ar mostly fine
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Grappling Arts
At 2nd level, your training allows you to use your speed and agility to effectively grapple an enemy, rather than raw strength. You may use your dexterity bonus rather than your strength bonus when amking an athletics check to initiate or break a grapple or to shove an enemy. You may replace any unarmed attack with a grapple or shove attempt not just those undertaken as part of the attack action.
The first big change. I feel that martial artists should be better grapplers than the rules supports. I furthermore feel that this leans into the 'martial character doing more than damage' focus and filing out the melee controller role. Supporting a grapple instead of an unarmed strike allows alternative moves as the puches, kicks, headbutts fall behind attacks with powerful magical weapons. This also interacts with shoving, which matters later.
Dedicated Weapon
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.
The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
You must be proficient with it.
It must lack the heavy and special properties.
The additional class feaure is now baked in
Monastic Tradition
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Deflect Missiles
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon or spell attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it was part of a weapon atack and if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
Can now catch spells. Its a situational ability, unlike other martial classes getting more HP or whatever so making it a little less situational is good.
Ki-Fueled Attack
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn. At level 10 you may instead chose to gain a number of temporary hitpoints equal to a roll of your mrtial arts die.
The temp HP is added. This lets monks have just a little bit of a defensive boost instead of an attack (say if there are no more enemies within reach or they are burning Ki to make an excape)
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Slow Fall
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.
Graceful Throw
At 4th level, when you shove an enemy you may shove them an additional 5ft if you move them in a horizontal direction. Furthermore, when you succeed on the athetics check you do not have to chose beween knocking them prone and pusing them but may do both instead.
Throws, as much as grapples or strikes are part of matial arts. Again, it lets monks be a bit more of a controller. These are somewhat modest abilities but I think they will add up. 10ft throw and half movement for an enemy to stand and monk mobility can help you keep some enemies out of a fight quite nicely. It should help monks sometimes feel special.
Ths is the level where other matrials that can take Big Feats can start to open up a lead on monks in terms of usefulness. Holding some of this power to here wasn't an accident. The monk is still pretty good here, mostly because everyone has a single attack so the bonus action really shines
Quickened Healing
Also at 4th level, as an action, you can spend 2 ki points and roll a Martial Arts die. You regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus.
Another ACF
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stunning Strike
Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Focused Aim
Also at 5th level, when you miss with an attack roll or fail an opposed ability check, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially changing the result.
ACF, but with the additon of supporting ability checks
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened and you have advantage on saving throws against these conditions.
Added advantage. In my experience this is about the lowest level where magic defences start to show up in games. Monks are less likely to pick up magic armour so some bolstered defences vs fear/charm is a defensive boost instead.
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.
Pressure Points
At 11th level, whenever you hit an enemy with a critical hit, you may chose to inflict one of folowing conditions on that enemy until the end of their next turn:
Blinded
Deafened
Prone
A new ability that is a straight upgrade. A no-save condition inficted should feel special, even if its relatively rare and very short lived
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Meteroric Grace
At 13th level, your jump distance doubles and is considered trippled if the step of the wind ability is used. You also count as one size category larger when determining what bonuses or penalties or capabilities you might have when atempting to grapple or shove a creature.
A small mobility boost. Given you could spend Ki to do this anyway, its very minor. The boost to grappling is to offset some of how bad it can get at higher levels where between immunity and size a lot of enemies are just not going to be impacted. This should hopefully keep you being able to get some benefits from key abilities
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.
Timeless Body
At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water and gain resistance to necrotic damage.
Necrotic damage resisance added
Empty Body
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.
Additionally, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.
Perfect Self
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 6 ki points.
Buffed from 4 to 6
I think the monk is a really well designed class with a lot of cool features, that doesn't always quite fit into games well with other classes. I have a few issues to fix/aims here.
1) The monk isn't a damage dealer and probably shouldn't be - or at least not in the same way any other martial class is. It has OK damage, but its real identity is in doing so much more in combat than just doing damage. Under many circumstances though, the monk trades too much for this.
2) The monk doesn't benefit like other classes do from addition of feats and magic items to the game. Giving fighters access to feats like sharpshooter or Pole Arm Mastery is a huge boost - monks get nothing of that level. Feats like Fey Touched let any class get monk-type mobility at least on those few occasions where it really matters. The same with magic items - a fighter getting a magic weapon reduces one of the primary defensive attributes of things like fiends to a ribbon and takes away the special nature of the monk. Even against enemies not resistant, a magic weapon that adds damage to 100% of attacks is going to do a little better than one that adds a bonus to 50% to 75% of attacks as a monk uses unarmed strikes for the rest. Monks being MAD also means fewer feats free anyway. Letting the monk not be overshadowed in games that use these rules is an aim.
3) The monk looks a busy class but a lot of its benefits are really stopgaps. A class like a fighter or a paladin doesn't need a class feature like unarmoured efence as they hae access to armour, nor do they need martial arts as they just natively come with weapons that do that amount of damage anyway, without a bonus action. This redesign won't be afraid of making the class a bit busier.
At a first pass, I don't think I have quite got there. The grappling/thowing martial arts elements are somewhat mitigated by needing to sacrifice an attack. Still worth it sometimes for sure, but not just a simple upgrade. It in part fills the control role well enough. Other elements are a flat upgrade, which probably offsets enough any real gap in power between monks and other classes in fealess games.
Where I think this sucks is that it doesn't address things like the fey touched feat. When you special thing was mobility to reach enemies other martials couldn't, what do you do when it isn't special anymore and others can teleport to that same target and still hit it harder? There are some mobility upgrades added, but they don't really fix the problem - without feats you can do something others couldn't when it really mattered, with this it just means you can keep doing it, even when it doesn't.
Some additions do help - picking up expertise as a feat will make grappling/shoving/throwing better, letting a monk still get something from the addition of feats to the game.
I also feel the monk at high levels gets a bit boring. I gets good abilities, but they tend to be either very passive, and not let you actively do something new or the new thing is a minor upgrade that doesn't feel cool. From stillness of mind at 7th level through to 18th level and empty body, the core monk can't do anything new (subclasses can add some elements). Stillness of mind is not only relatively niche but is still reactive and relies on the DM making some very specific choices. I have done nothing about this but should do. Another ability at level 13 or so that takes Ki would close that gap. Monks being MAD even means its a bit harder to spare the feats to take fun new actions there.
Class Features
As a monk, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d8 per monk level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 8 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per monk level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Simple weapons, shortswords
Tools: Choose one type of artisan's tools or one musical instrument
Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Skills: Choose two from Acrobatics, Athletics, History, Insight, Religion, and Stealth
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
(a) a shortsword or (b) any simple weapon
(a) a dungeoneer's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
10 darts
Monastic Focus
Beginning at 1st level you chose either Wisdom or Intelligence as your ability score that your class abilities use, this is your Focus modifier
Intelligence is a less good stat than wisdom, but why not open up the class to be scholastic warriors?
Unarmored Defense
Beginning at 1st level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Focus modifier.
Martial Arts
At 1st level, your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property.
You gain the following benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:
You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action. For example, if you take the Attack action and attack with a quarterstaff, you can also make an unarmed strike as a bonus action, assuming you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn.
Certain monasteries use specialized forms of the monk weapons. For example, you might use a club that is two lengths of wood connected by a short chain (called a nunchaku) or a sickle with a shorter, straighter blade (called a kama). Whatever name you use for a monk weapon, you can use the game statistics provided for the weapon.
No change here
Ki
Starting at 2nd level, your training allows you to harness the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this energy is represented by a number of ki points. Your monk level determines the number of points you have, as shown in the Ki Points column of the Monk table.
You can spend these points to fuel various ki features. You start knowing three such features: Flurry of Blows, Patient Defense, and Step of the Wind. You learn more ki features as you gain levels in this class.
When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at the end of which you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at least 30 minutes of the rest meditating to regain your ki points.
Some of your ki features require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Ki save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Focus modifier
Flurry of Blows. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action.
Patient Defense. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.
Step of the Wind. You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn, and your jump distance is doubled for the turn.
No change... the early levels ar mostly fine
Unarmored Movement
Starting at 2nd level, your speed increases by 10 feet while you are not wearing armor or wielding a shield. This bonus increases when you reach certain monk levels, as shown in the Monk table.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move.
Grappling Arts
At 2nd level, your training allows you to use your speed and agility to effectively grapple an enemy, rather than raw strength. You may use your dexterity bonus rather than your strength bonus when amking an athletics check to initiate or break a grapple or to shove an enemy. You may replace any unarmed attack with a grapple or shove attempt not just those undertaken as part of the attack action.
The first big change. I feel that martial artists should be better grapplers than the rules supports. I furthermore feel that this leans into the 'martial character doing more than damage' focus and filing out the melee controller role. Supporting a grapple instead of an unarmed strike allows alternative moves as the puches, kicks, headbutts fall behind attacks with powerful magical weapons. This also interacts with shoving, which matters later.
Dedicated Weapon
Also at 2nd level, you train yourself to use a variety of weapons as monk weapons, not just simple melee weapons and shortswords. Whenever you finish a short or long rest, you can touch one weapon, focus your ki on it, and then count that weapon as a monk weapon until you use this feature again.
The chosen weapon must meet these criteria:
The weapon must be a simple or martial weapon.
You must be proficient with it.
It must lack the heavy and special properties.
The additional class feaure is now baked in
Monastic Tradition
When you reach 3rd level, you commit yourself to a monastic tradition. Your tradition grants you features at 3rd level and again at 6th, 11th, and 17th level.
Deflect Missiles
Starting at 3rd level, you can use your reaction to deflect or catch the missile when you are hit by a ranged weapon or spell attack. When you do so, the damage you take from the attack is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0, you can catch the missile if it was part of a weapon atack and if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have at least one hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, you can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with a range of 20/60 using the weapon or piece of ammunition you just caught, as part of the same reaction. You make this attack with proficiency, regardless of your weapon proficiencies, and the missile counts as a monk weapon for the attack.
Can now catch spells. Its a situational ability, unlike other martial classes getting more HP or whatever so making it a little less situational is good.
Ki-Fueled Attack
Also at 3rd level, if you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon as a bonus action before the end of the turn. At level 10 you may instead chose to gain a number of temporary hitpoints equal to a roll of your mrtial arts die.
The temp HP is added. This lets monks have just a little bit of a defensive boost instead of an attack (say if there are no more enemies within reach or they are burning Ki to make an excape)
Ability Score Improvement
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
Slow Fall
Beginning at 4th level, you can use your reaction when you fall to reduce any falling damage you take by an amount equal to five times your monk level.
Graceful Throw
At 4th level, when you shove an enemy you may shove them an additional 5ft if you move them in a horizontal direction. Furthermore, when you succeed on the athetics check you do not have to chose beween knocking them prone and pusing them but may do both instead.
Throws, as much as grapples or strikes are part of matial arts. Again, it lets monks be a bit more of a controller. These are somewhat modest abilities but I think they will add up. 10ft throw and half movement for an enemy to stand and monk mobility can help you keep some enemies out of a fight quite nicely. It should help monks sometimes feel special.
Ths is the level where other matrials that can take Big Feats can start to open up a lead on monks in terms of usefulness. Holding some of this power to here wasn't an accident. The monk is still pretty good here, mostly because everyone has a single attack so the bonus action really shines
Quickened Healing
Also at 4th level, as an action, you can spend 2 ki points and roll a Martial Arts die. You regain a number of hit points equal to the number rolled plus your proficiency bonus.
Another ACF
Extra Attack
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Stunning Strike
Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.
Focused Aim
Also at 5th level, when you miss with an attack roll or fail an opposed ability check, you can spend 1 to 3 ki points to increase your roll by 2 for each of these ki points you spend, potentially changing the result.
ACF, but with the additon of supporting ability checks
Ki-Empowered Strikes
Starting at 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Evasion
At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.
Stillness of Mind
Starting at 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect on yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened and you have advantage on saving throws against these conditions.
Added advantage. In my experience this is about the lowest level where magic defences start to show up in games. Monks are less likely to pick up magic armour so some bolstered defences vs fear/charm is a defensive boost instead.
Purity of Body
At 10th level, your mastery of the ki flowing through you makes you immune to disease and poison.
Pressure Points
At 11th level, whenever you hit an enemy with a critical hit, you may chose to inflict one of folowing conditions on that enemy until the end of their next turn:
Blinded
Deafened
Prone
A new ability that is a straight upgrade. A no-save condition inficted should feel special, even if its relatively rare and very short lived
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Starting at 13th level, you learn to touch the ki of other minds so that you understand all spoken languages. Moreover, any creature that can understand a language can understand what you say.
Meteroric Grace
At 13th level, your jump distance doubles and is considered trippled if the step of the wind ability is used. You also count as one size category larger when determining what bonuses or penalties or capabilities you might have when atempting to grapple or shove a creature.
A small mobility boost. Given you could spend Ki to do this anyway, its very minor. The boost to grappling is to offset some of how bad it can get at higher levels where between immunity and size a lot of enemies are just not going to be impacted. This should hopefully keep you being able to get some benefits from key abilities
Diamond Soul
Beginning at 14th level, your mastery of ki grants you proficiency in all saving throws.
Additionally, whenever you make a saving throw and fail, you can spend 1 ki point to reroll it and take the second result.
Timeless Body
At 15th level, your ki sustains you so that you suffer none of the frailty of old age, and you can't be aged magically. You can still die of old age, however. In addition, you no longer need food or water and gain resistance to necrotic damage.
Necrotic damage resisance added
Empty Body
Beginning at 18th level, you can use your action to spend 4 ki points to become invisible for 1 minute. During that time, you also have resistance to all damage but force damage.
Additionally, you can spend 8 ki points to cast the astral projection spell, without needing material components. When you do so, you can't take any other creatures with you.
Perfect Self
At 20th level, when you roll for initiative and have no ki points remaining, you regain 6 ki points.
Buffed from 4 to 6