Way of the 4 Elements Monk as a 1/3 caster

[WrittenInBlood]

This is an attempt to reshape Element Monk subclass to be more in line with the rest of partial-caster archetypes, as Eldritch Knight and Arcane Trickster, because I don’t like idea of fancy named spells and roughly stitched resource management submechanic of original Wot4E tradition.
Way of the four elements is widely considered unimpressive, so I gave it a boost in subclass features. To keep the flavor of weaving magic through flow of the Ki, I’ve borrowed Flexible Casting mechanic from Sorcerer class. That gave Element monks major increase of their base resource (potentially doubled Ki pool!) and (again, potentially) about twice as much low level spell slots than available for equally experienced Wizards and Land Druids with their Arcane/Natural recovery. So I rebalanced Ki flood and a ton of weak spell slots by giving Element Monks ability to fuel those latter with the former. Ta-da!

Monastic tradition features:
Spellcasting. When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements, in your surroundings and in your own body as well.
Cantrips. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.
Spell Slots. The Element Monk Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell fire bolt and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast fire bolt using either slot.
Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the transmutation and evocation spells on the sorcerer spell list. The Spells Known column of the Element Monk Spellcasting table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an transmutation or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an transmutation or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since you learn your spells through inner discipline and intuitive grasp on magical powers. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier


Spellcasting focus. You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.

Flexible Casting. You can use your Ki points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional Ki points.
Creating Spell Slots. You can transform unexpended Ki points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Sorcerer class Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 4th. The created spell slots vanish at the end of a short rest.
Converting a Spell Slot to Ki Points. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend one spell slot and gain a number of Ki points equal to the slot’s level. Ki points created this way cannot exceed your Ki points maximum.

Ki-empowered Spells. After reaching 6th level, when you cast a damaging spell of 1st level or higher with Instantaneous duration, you can spend Ki points to reroll spell damage dice. 1 reroll costs 1 Ki point, you must keep new result, and once rerolled die can’t be rerolled again.

Combat Magic. Beginning at 11th level, when you use Cast a spell action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Antimagic Stance. At 17th level you wield the magical forces with prowess that allows you to treat spell effects like mundane missiles. Whenever you’re the target of a ranged spell attack, you can use your reaction to spend 2 Ki points per that spell’s level to deflect it and ignore it’s effect entirely.


ELEMENT MONK SPELLCASTING

Level	Cantrips known	Ki points	Spells known	1th spell slots	2nd spell slots	3rd spell slots	4th spell slots
3rd	1	3 (5)	3	2 (3)	0 (1)	0 (1)	0 (0)
4th	1	4 (7)	4	3 (5)	0 (2)	0 (1)	0 (1)
5th	1	5 (8)	4	3 (5)	0 (3)	0 (1)	0 (1)
6th	1	6 (9)	4	3 (6)	0 (2)	0 (1)	0 (1)
7th	1	7 (15)	5	4 (8)	2 (5)	0 (3)	0 (2)
8th	1	8 (16)	6	4 (8)	2 (6)	0 (3)	0 (2)
9th	1	9 (17)	6	4 (9)	2 (6)	0 (3)	0 (2)
10th	2	10 (20)	7	4 (12)	3 (6)	0 (4)	0 (3)
11th	2	11 (21)	8	4 (12)	3 (7)	0 (4)	0 (3)
12th	2	12 (22)	8	4 (13)	3 (7)	0 (4)	0 (3)
13th	2	13 (29)	9	4 (16)	3 (9)	2 (6)	0 (4)
14th	2	14 (30)	10	4 (17)	3 (10)	2 (6)	0 (5)
15th	2	15 (31)	10	4 (17)	3 (10)	2 (7)	0 (5)
16th	2	16 (34)	11	4 (19)	3 (12)	3 (8)	0 (5)
17th	2	17 (35)	11	4 (20)	3 (13)	3 (8)	0 (5)
18th	2	18 (36)	11	4 (20)	3 (13)	3 (8)	0 (6)
19th	2	19 (40)	12	4 (23)	3 (15)	3 (9)	1 (7)
20th	2	20 (41)	13	4 (23)	3 (15)	3 (9)	1 (7)

(Numbers in parenthesis are the highest possible number of given resource, after exchanging all other resources to gain them.)

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Given that Ki points restore on a short rest, that could potentially give the monk too much casting stamina. Also, you need a clause to stop people investing their spare ki into spell slots, taking a short rest, then converting spell slots back into ki (giving them ki for nothing).

Overall though, I really like this, and would be badgering dms to let me play one if I wasn't already vacillating between Sun Soul and Undying Light anyway.

[WrittenInBlood]

Security clauses added to "Flexible casting" feature.

[WrittenInBlood]

Finally got myself to correct the balance, taking short/long rest differences into account. Benchmarked against equal level Sorcerer and number of 4-th level Fireballs castable per long rest.

Way of the 4 Elements Monk as a ⅓ caster (now with balance done right)

Spellcasting
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you learn magical disciplines that harness the power of the four elements, in your surroundings and in your own body as well.

Cantrips. You learn one cantrip of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. You learn an additional sorcerer cantrip of your choice at 10th level.

Spell Slots. The Element Monk Spellcasting table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. For example, if you know the 1st-level spell fire bolt and have a 1st-level and a 2nd-level spell slot available, you can cast fire bolt using either slot.

Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You know three 1st-level sorcerer spells of your choice, two of which you must choose from the transmutation and evocation spells on the sorcerer spell list. The Spells Known column of the Element Monk Spellcasting table shows when you learn more sorcerer spells of 1st level or higher. Each of these spells must be an transmu-tation or evocation spell of your choice, and must be of a level for which you have spell slots. For instance, when you reach 7th level in this class, you can learn one new spell of 1st or 2nd level. The spells you learn at 8th, 14th, and 20th level can come from any school of magic. Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of the sorcerer spells you know with another spell of your choice from the sorcerer spell list. The new spell must be of a level for which you have spell slots, and it must be an transmutation or evocation spell, unless you’re replacing the spell you gained at 8th, 14th, or 20th level.

Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your sorcerer spells, since you learn your spells through inner discipline and intuitive grasp on magical powers. You use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Wisdom modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a sorcerer spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.

Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier

Spellcasting focus. You can use an arcane focus as a spellcasting focus for your sorcerer spells.

Flexible Casting
You can use your Ki points to gain additional spell slots, or sacrifice spell slots to gain additional Ki points.

Creating Spell Slots. You can transform unexpended Ki points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 4th. Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a short or long rest.

Spell Slot Level	Ki Cost
1st	3
2nd	6
3rd	9
4th	12

Converting a Spell Slot to Ki Points. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend any number of spell slots to gain an equal number of Ki points. Ki points created this way cannot exceed your Ki points maximum.

Ki-empowered Spells
After reaching 6^th level, when you cast a damaging spell of 1^st level or higher with Instantaneous duration, you can once in a round spend a number of Ki points to reroll the same amount of that spell damage dice. You must keep new result.

Combat Magic
Beginning at 11^th level, when you use Cast a spell action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

Antimagic Stance
At 17^th level you wield the magical forces with prowess that allows you to treat spell effects like mundane missiles. Whenever you’re the target of a ranged spell attack, you can use your reaction to spend 2 Ki points per that spell’s level to deflect it and ignore it’s effect entirely.

Spellcasting table

Level	Cantrips known	Spells known	1st level slots	2nd level slots	3rd level slots	4th level slots	Ki
3	1	3	2				3
4	1	4	3				4
5	1	4	3				5
6	1	4	3				6
7	1	5	4	2			7
8	1	6	4	2			8
9	1	6	4	2			9
10	2	7	4	3			10
11	2	8	4	3			11
12	2	8	4	3			12
13	2	9	4	3			13
14	2	10	4	3	2		14
15	2	11	4	3	2		15
16	2	11	4	3	2		16
17	2	11	4	3	3		17
18	2	11	4	3	3		18
19	2	12	4	3	3	1	19
20	2	13	4	3	3	1	20

[sandmote]

Purely formatting commentary:

fire bolt is a cantrip, not a first level spell. Were you thinking of burning hands?

Formatting for Creating Spell Slots to match the sorcerer's version:

You can transform unexpended ki points into one spell slot as a bonus action on your turn. The Creating Spell Slots table shows the cost of creating a spell slot of a given level. You can create spell slots no higher in level than 4th.

Any spell slot you create with this feature vanishes when you finish a short or long rest.

Ki-empowered Spells should probably specify the timing. Specifically, would a player be allowed to keep rerolling individual dice until they get the damage roll they want, or would they have to decide on rerolling a given number of dice when they decide to reroll?

Mechanical commentary:

Letting the PC convent "any number of spell slots" as one bonus action seems a bit strong; they can burn through their ki, then convert their spells slots as a single bonus action to keep fighting. If you haven't accounted for how this impacts boss fights where the monk can spend a bonus action and get all their ki back, I'd limit it to one spell slot at a time (a la the sorcerer). Currently the action economy biases the spells slots toward acting as a ki reserve rather than for casting spells.

[WrittenInBlood]

Thanks! So, to the point: there's Fireball. Known spell, easily upcastable, so can be compared clearly with other spellcasters.

As for Creating spell slots, apparently changes were not thought through enough (cough, cough ;) ). I forgot that it enables converting "spare" Ki before SR to slots, that will stay after.

You're also right about Ki-empowering. Just imagined a player rerolling single dice to get exactly the number to finish a monster, that's not what I meant... so, precised.

But I'm staying with creating Ki the way it is. I think it's a fair deal, sacrificing versatility of a spell slots for regular Monk features. Note, its different form Sorcerers - converts slots by their number, not level, so it's at most 11 (at 19th level). And there's not many ways to use Ki points en masse - except as a spell fuel by this archetype, so turning all slots to Ki is counterproductive, yet still for a player to decide.

[sandmote]

I'm staying with creating Ki the way it is. I think it's a fair deal, sacrificing versatility of a spell slots for regular Monk features. Note, its different form Sorcerers - converts slots by their number, not level, so it's at most 11 (at 19th level). And there's not many ways to use Ki points en masse - except as a spell fuel by this archetype, so turning all slots to Ki is counterproductive, yet still for a player to decide.

For the sake of clarity, that is indeed the error I made.

1 ki point per spell slot is probably fine.

[Yakk]

Flexible Casting:
* I'd just drop it. It is a bunch of mechanical noise and balance headache that isn't core to the concept.

Spellcasting focus:
* Permit using monk weapons as a spellcasting focus.

Spells known:
* Should gain a spell known every time you gain a spell level at least. This doesn't happen at 19th level. (Yes, I know, retraining)
* You don't learn a spell at all of 8th, 14th, and 20th level, so your "non-eocation" spells don't work.

Ki-empowered Spells
* "once a round" seems strange; it isn't possible to cast a spell of 1st level or higher more than once a round usually.

Cantrips:
* I think you should do more to encourage using cantrips mixed with monk abilities
* Let you cast a cantrip as a bonus action for ki? Let you flurry after casting a cantrip?

Antimagic Stance
* Note that spell attacks are rare by level 17.
* I'd be tempted to move this lower, and tie it into the deflect arrows mechanics

[WrittenInBlood]

*Flexible Casting: Casting using Ki is the very core of this concept.

*Spellcasting focus:
At the time you can deal higher damage with Unarmed Strike than a weapon, it becomes irrelevant. Just hold your magic orb and headbutt everything around.

*Spells known:
You're right, error in table filling, corrected now. But 8 and 14 are OK.

*Ki-empowered Spells
It's there to prevent "rerolling just some more dice" by the player on a single spell.

*Cantrips:
Unarmed Strike is main Monk "cantrip", IMHO should stay like this.

*Antimagic Stance
Not sure what you mean. Rare by what measure? It was thought as an ultimate caster-boss defence.

Thanks for response anyway, always appreciated :)

[Arkhios]

In fact, Four Elements Monk as-is gets up to 5th level spells through their sub-class, so personally I'd try to keep it that way and make them a ½-caster instead.

That said, the idea behind your build is interesting.

[Yakk]

*Flexible Casting: Casting using Ki is the very core of this concept.

Then I'd rebuild it as a short-rest 1/3 caster instead of a long-rest caster.

*Spellcasting focus:
At the time you can deal higher damage with Unarmed Strike than a weapon, it becomes irrelevant. Just hold your magic orb and headbutt everything around.

Sure, but at level 3 that isn't true. And casting by using monk weapon is awesome visually.

*Ki-empowered Spells
It's there to prevent "rerolling just some more dice" by the player on a single spell.

Ah. Then make it once per spell?

*Cantrips:
Unarmed Strike is main Monk "cantrip", IMHO should stay like this.

Monks attack with a weapon or unarmed as their action, then as a bonus action do 1 or 2 unarmed strikes.

A 4 elements monk that shoots off a firebolt/shocks someone/etc is pretty flavourful.

*Antimagic Stance
Not sure what you mean. Rare by what measure? It was thought as an ultimate caster-boss defence.

As worded it doesn't work if the spell forces a save, just if it causes an attack roll.

There is a very limited list of spell attacks. Scorching ray is pretty much the "top" one you see in actual play.

There is one 7th level spell (plane shift), one useless 7th level spell (arcane sword), and a smattering of 1 through 5th level spells.

Maybe you intended it to work on more than just spell attacks?