Long time lurker, first time poster.

Confession time: I actively dislike homebrewed classes, subclasses and items, because I find they are generally unbalanced and slow games down. As a result, I don’t allow them in games I DM, and avoid playing in games that allow them.

However!

The talk about Tasha’s CoE and the recent thread on unused subclasses got me thinking about subclasses that I would want to see, and my creative juices started flowing, and needed an outlet.

In particular, I got intrigued by the ideas several posters raised of a Divine Monk subclass, and mocked the following up. I’d appreciate your thoughts.

The context for my goals and inspiration is the following: I have tried to closely follow the Four Elements chassis, both for balance reasons and also to make obvious my perspective on what sort of changes would make the Four Elements monk more satisfying in the first two Tiers.

My choices on the spell-list and abilities have been made to lean into the potential of the monk as a controller/debuffer, while maintaining its martial arts oriented play-style, which I see as core to the class concept and “feeling” like a monk.

While I think this build has the potential to be ki hungry at all levels, I think that with this subclass it will feel more like a choice and less like a necessity.

The key mechanical distinctions I introduce are that your first use of each “Divine Blessing” (spell) per day is free, but subsequent uses cost ki, and that you can use a bonus action after casting a spell to make an unarmed attack.

But enough talk, here’s the subclass:

Spoiler: The Blessed
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Level 3

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your deep meditations on the divine unlock a font of inner Divine Blessings that manifest as the ability to cast certain divine spells.

You may use each of these abilities once per day. Subsequent uses require you to expend ki in order to fuel their divine power. WIS is your spellcasting modifier for your divine spells.

When you choose this tradition you are blessed with Divine Discipline, and you may prepare two Blessings from the list below. You can change these prepared Blessings after completing a long rest.

You can prepare one additional Blessing at 6, 11 and 17 level.

The Blessings allow you to cast spells. To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it.

Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of a Blessing spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level. The spell’s level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend.

The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the Spells and Ki Points table.

If you use your Divine Discipline, or a Blessing that requires an action, you may make one unarmed attack as a bonus action.

Spells and Ki Points

Monk Levels 5-8, max Ki Points for a Blessing: 3
Monk Levels 9-12, max Ki Points for a Blessing: 4
Monk Levels 13-16, max Ki Points for a Blessing: 5
Monk Levels 17-18, max Ki Points for a Blessing: 6

Divine Discipline: You learn either the Word of Radiance or Toll the Dead cantrip. You may change this choice when you gain a level in this class.

Level 6
Divine Strikes: The damage done by your unarmed attacks becomes radiant or necrotic. You choose which when you receive this feature.

Level 11
Inner Calm: When making a saving throw to maintain concentration, after seeing the result of your roll, you may roll your martial arts die and add it to the result. Once you do this, you may not do so again until you complete a short rest.

Level 17
Avatar of Holiness: You may now use each of your Blessings once per short rest without paying any ki.

Divine Blessings (rather than write out a bunch of flavor text, I’m just listing the spells, including their ki cost for subsequent castings, under the heading of the monk level at which you can access them. That is, a 3rd level you could choose two of the spells listed in the 3rd level row, and cast each of them as an action for free once per day, but that subsequent castings of either would cost you 2 ki).

3rd level (2 ki): Bane, Bless, Cure Wounds, Detect Evil/Good, Guiding Bolt, Inflict Wounds, Protection from Evil/Good.

6th level (3 ki): Aid, Blindness/Deafness, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Silence, Zone of Truth

11th level (4 ki): Beacon of Hope, Bestow Curse, Dispel Magic, Sending, Spirit Guardians

17th level (5 ki): Banishment, Death Ward, Freedom of Movement, Guardian of Faith