D&D 5E Monk, Way of Tooth and Claw

So, I want to make a subclass for the monk that combines Druidic tradition with monastic discipline and martial prowess. Obviously, Monk and Druid synergise better than Druid and almost any other class (Barbarian, I guess?), but I like the idea of subclasses that create a new facet of a class, that puts characters of a given type into the narrative space of another class, and create opportunities to play a concept that would otherwise be a multiclass, without messing with the MC rules, which I don't particularly like using as a player.

So, what is the story of the Way of Tooth and Claw?

Well, firstly, this narrative space is more prominent in my homebrew world than in other worlds, but it can fill similar roles to something like a Scout Rogue who is part of an enclave but gifted with no magical power, or a Paladin of The Ancients who serves the will of the same natural spirits as any Druid or Ranger. They could also simply be known in-world as a Ranger of a peculiar order.

In the secluded groves and enclaves of the Druids and Rangers there are those whose lives are dedicated to the goal of attaining a perfect understanding of natural forms. These mystics seek to attain a malleable physical state that defies classification, moving fluidly between forms, and even permanently altering their "natural" form, and ultimately becoming a manifestation of nature itself.

Next, what is the best mechanical side of the inspiration for this/the mechanical goal here?

What I think this concept needs mechanically is simply a Monk with Wildshape, and perhaps Alter Self, and then some weird stuff? Like, the simple answer would be to just give it wildshape, Alter Self, and a CR progression in between the base Druid and the Moon Druid. Shorter duration than an actual druid, but able to use wildshape as a bonus action.

The more interesting way to go might be to have a CR progression that doesn't blow, but instead of trying to add value primarily via higher CR, maybe the subclass could have some strange ability to change the nature of their beast form? Use Alter Self while in Beast Form, for a start, but then also stuff like becoming something like a treant or dryad?

What about something like the ability to create a vine whip that counts as a monk weapon, with a 15 ft reach, that comes out of your physical body? Just, weird stuff, that blurs the lines between mortal and an avatar of the fantastical, magical, nature that exists in the dnd world.

Backstory, for anyone who hasn't messed around with Monk/Druids.

Mechanically, it's very good.

A level 2 Moon Druid can turn into a Brown Bear or a Lion, and retains all class and race features, so long as their new form can physically do them. A Monk with Wildshape can use all of their unarmed stuff, Unarmored Defense, Unarmored Movement, Deflect Missiles (minus the redirect missile part in most forms), Evasion, Stunning Strike, etc, all work just fine in animal form.

On the Other Hand, the Monk isn't gaining anything that other subclasses don't gain from Wildshape itself. It's situational damage boosts, durability boosts, and utility stuff like being small enough to get into places others can't or move super fast, etc.

Now, if it costs Ki to use Wild Shape, there is a little more room to play with, here. Gotta be careful with the cost of it, lest we make another Four Elements Monk. I'd look more to the Shadow Monk and the Sun Soul monk in terms of balancing cost. It should have something that is added value, as well as new things to do with ki.

I think that gaining a roughly 1/4 monk level CR beast form 2/rest at the cost of 1 ki, and Alter Self at 1 ki, is probably good? That feels equal, to me, with what the Shadow Monk gets at level 3, or what the Sun Soul monk gets. I'd add the vine whip idea as a special use of ALter Self, or something you can do when you use Flurry of Blows, essentially equal to gaining a cantrip.

I'd be fine with starting at 1/2 CR at level 3, and then switching to 1/4 your monk level, rounded down, starting at level 6, and the ability to cast Enlarge/Reduce on yourself for 2 ki?

Maybe the lvl 11 ability is Alter Self while in Animal Form?

level 17 is hit or miss with monk subclasses, so I'm just going to ignore any subclass with a bunk endcap, tbh. We're talking a balance range from Shadow to Open Hand. Some cool Fey forms? No more 2/rest limit?


I'd also be fine with less powerful wildshape, and instead have more druid spells, especially ones that aren't really making the monk more powerful, like Magic Stone. Definately not Shillelegh, bc a straight Wis/Con monk is powerful enough that adding it on top of a bear monk is too much.

But spells like magic stone, alter self, enlarge/reduce, jump, longstrider, enhance ability, and classics like spike growth and entangle, which are fun, but come with the trade off of not being able to cast them AND make unarmed strikes.

Some would come online at a later level than one might expect, like if Haste is on the table, it should be later tier than speak with plants, for instance.


Either way, Guardian of Nature would be a great spell for the subclass in the end tier.

The idea with spells would be to heighten the connection to changing the physical state to be more like a spirit of nature, without necessarily pumping up the Wildshape.

I do think that there is room for that 1/4 monk level from level 6 on is fine, balance-wise, but anything past that leaves little room at all for anything else in the subclass.

I’d like to see it also have synergy with races that have natural weapons (e.g. Tabaxi)

What is it that you are hoping to achieve with a monk that Wildshapes? Some of the abilities like pack tactics or grapples as part of an attack are useful. But I don't know that the physical changes or damage make the monk that much better. And if you use multiattack, that technically doesn't qualify for abilities like flurry of blows.

An ability to change your damage type to slashing, piercing, or maybe poison would be useful. Changing into smaller creatures or ones more mobile with climbing and flying would be helpful in scouting, as well as the different senses.

Hawk Diesel said:

What is it that you are hoping to achieve with a monk that Wildshapes? Some of the abilities like pack tactics or grapples as part of an attack are useful. But I don't know that the physical changes or damage make the monk that much better. And if you use multiattack, that technically doesn't qualify for abilities like flurry of blows.

An ability to change your damage type to slashing, piercing, or maybe poison would be useful. Changing into smaller creatures or ones more mobile with climbing and flying would be helpful in scouting, as well as the different senses.

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I think it’s pretty clear in the OP?

A monk loses next to nothing by being in wildshape, so it’s a bonus to durability, and depending on shape will be a speed boost, other exploration boost, etc.

A monk in wolf form is starting at 40ft of movement, plus their Unarmored Movement. A monk in cat form is losing no damage, and can gain cover or concealment from a potted plant.

It’s generally small boosts, which is why it isn’t the whole subclass concept mechanically.

Ultimately, the purpose is to allow players to play a monk that can adopt animal forms and take on animal aspects (alter self), by melding their mind and body with the natural world and it’s spirits.

Elfcrusher said:

I’d like to see it also have synergy with races that have natural weapons (e.g. Tabaxi)

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Just a line that says you treat natural weapons as monk weapons?

doctorbadwolf said:

Just a line that says you treat natural weapons as monk weapons?

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I guess what I meant was that I'd like to see such a subclass be designed with single-class monks with natural weapons in mind, not just the monk/druid multiclass you envision. So it's for "monks with tooth and claw", however they acquire them.

Elfcrusher said:

I guess what I meant was that I'd like to see such a subclass be designed with single-class monks with natural weapons in mind, not just the monk/druid multiclass you envision. So it's for "monks with tooth and claw", however they acquire them.

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The subclass isn’t for multiclassing. It should work in a way where a character can Mc Druid without it breaking the game or screwing up their enjoyment of the character with klunky mechanics, but the point is to be a wildshaping monk, not a Druid/monk. Just like an Eldritch Knight can benefit from wizard levels, but doesn’t need or assume them.

As for races with natural weapons, I’m not sure what you mean, but I’d love to workshop it if you can clarify? If it’s just whatever the ruling regarding natural weapons and unarmed strikes, I’m happy to just housefuls that, but certainly a feature for this subclass that explicitly fixes that issue would be fine.

doctorbadwolf said:

I think it’s pretty clear in the OP?

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Well, I guess the clarity I'm asking for is what specifically you are hoping to achieve outside of a subclass that just gives monks Wildshape. What about wildshape is it that you want?

Personally, I don't think Wildshape as a whole should be offered to classes outside of druid. It is one of the defining features of the class, and so I personally think that it should remain firmly in the druid's identity. This would be akin to a fighter subclass granting sneak attack, or a cleric domain that grants smite.

You may be of a different mindset in your design philosophy, which is fine. But this is why it is helpful to try and be more specific about what you are looking for the monk to do. This way, we can provide abilities that are mechanically or flavorwise similar to Wildshape, while not giving them everything that Wildshape provides.

But then, I have to also state my own bias towards Wildshape as a mechanic. But putting that aside, if you want a monk that gets Wildshape as it is, then just give the monk a modified version of the Moon Druid subclass. But if you want something like wildshape, but not a true wildshape, then I need some help about what it is about wildshape you want to prioritize most. Is it the additional movement modalities? The access to different senses and Keen senses? The enhanced damage dice of attacks? Knowing this can help us break down the bits you want most, and determine where things can fit within the design space of a typical monk subclass.