D&D 5E 1st Attempt at an Archetype Monk - Way of the Dragon

[Greenmtn]

Good point. I was originally basing the wings on the dragon sorcerer so it will probably end up permanent.

The Dragon Fury is just reflavoring devine smite and having it work off ki rather than spell slots.

 

[Thurmas]

I was also thinking, to help the Breath Weapon tie in to the monk class a bit more, you could have the breath weapon damage die increase using the Monk weapon die.

You could also, or alternatively, move the level 11 ability to the level 3 ability and have the number of maximum Ki spent scale per tier. You'd have to come up with a new Level 11 ability.

Levels 1-5: 1 Ki
Levels 6-10: 2 Ki
Levels 11-15: 3 Ki
Levels 17-20: 4 Ki

Or swap the level 6 and 11 abilities so that the Breath Weapon Ki boost happens earlier. Maybe it looks like this:

Levels 6-10: 2 Ki
Levels 11-15: 4 Ki
Levels 17-20: 6 Ki

This is just me spit balling.

 

[Thurmas]

I'm really interested in this subclass, so I keep adding things. Something to consider, the Monk's Diamond Soul ability is very similar to the Draconic Resilience. What if instead of saving throws, you give them Immunity in their Breath weapon damage type, similar to the immunity actual dragons have.

 

[Greenmtn]

Way of the Dragon Take 2

Took feedback into account. 1 question in bold. Thanks for all the feedback guys!

3rd
Dragon’s Breath (Ki 1)
You may channel your Ki to recharge your breath weapon. You may not spend more than 1 Ki in this way per turn.

6th
Dragons Fury
When using your breath weapon you may spend Ki points to increase the power of your breath weapon attack by 1d6 per Ki point for this round. Limits on Ki spent are as follows
Levels 6-10: 2 Ki
Levels 11-15: 4 Ki
Levels 17-20: 6 Ki
How do we feel about using Monk Damage dice here? I REALLY like the idea thematically and feel wise but I'm not much of a crunch guy and am worried about over powering it.(11th lvl d8's, 17th lvl D10's just so no one has to look it up.)

11th
Draconic Resilience (Ki 2) Basically the same as Diamond Soul just 2 levels earlier and weaker. I'll think of something different for this level.
At 6th Level you gain the ability to channel your Ki to resist most anything. Activating this ability allows roll any saving throw with Advantage (Or negate Disadvantage)

14th
Dragon Wings
At 14th level, you grow a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed.

17th
Draconic Presence (Ki 5)
Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the dread presence of your dragon ancestor, causing those around you to become awestruck or frightened. As an action, You draw on this power and exude an aura of awe or fear (your choice) to a distance of 60 feet. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (if you chose awe) or frightened (if you chose fear) until the aura ends. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.


Should there be anything dependent on your dragon type?

 

[EarlyBird]

I had more of a fluff/theme question: Is this option only for dragons and dragonborn characters? Like the way bladesinger is only for elves and half-elves?

If yes maybe this is a way for dragonborn to have them transform into dragons, and for dragons to ascend into godhood? Maybe Bahamut was the first Way of the Dragon Monk to reach 21st lvl.

If they are transforming into dragons with their gaining wings, a stronger breath weapon, plus a frightful presents, then you gear most of the abilities towards the transformation and add in changing their base AC to 12 (a natural armor ability).

Go 6th lvl - gain natural armor and the resistance to almost everything abilities, Draconic Resilience

Then 11th change the breath weapon dice: change the dice to d8s and add in the ki focus to up the damage by 1d8 per point
11th-15th lvl max +2 ki (6d8)
16th-20th lvl max of +4 ki points (9d8)

Food for thought.

 

[Greenmtn]

I like that. And yes thats the basic fluff. The back story for the character I talked to you about is that he found long lost scrolls from either the first Master of this art or someone who came up with the philosophy that it could happen and he is chasing down the rest of the techniques and trying to master them.

 

[EarlyBird]

I could see an old gold dragonborn looking into transforming into a dragon and searching for that "enlightment" would be truly fun stuff.

 

[Greenmtn]

Funny you mention that the character is up in the One Shot RG and is indeed a Gold Dragonborn seeking the path to enlightenment.

Ok so Take 3?

3rd
Dragon’s Breath (Ki 1)
You may channel your Ki to recharge your breath weapon. You may not spend more than 1 Ki in this way per turn.

6th
Dragon Hide - Your training has hardened your scales, your base AC is now 12 instead of 10

11th
Dragons Fury
Your breath weapon damage increases to 1d8. When using your breath weapon you may spend Ki points to increase the power of your breath weapon attack by 1d8 per Ki point for this round. Limits on Ki spent are as follows.

Levels 11-15: 2 Ki
Levels 17-20: 4 Ki
Note this doesn't change to d10's like the monk weapons thats why I didn't word it that way. I don't think there is any need for that 9d8 is already a LOT of damage potential.

14th
Dragon Wings
At 14th level, you grow a pair of dragon wings from your back, gaining a flying speed equal to your current speed.

17th
Draconic Presence (Ki 5)
Beginning at 18th level, you can channel the dread presence of your dragon ancestor, causing those around you to become awestruck or frightened. As an action, You draw on this power and exude an aura of awe or fear (your choice) to a distance of 60 feet. For 1 minute or until you lose your concentration (as if you were casting a concentration spell), each hostile creature that starts its turn in this aura must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be charmed (if you chose awe) or frightened (if you chose fear) until the aura ends. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw is immune to your aura for 24 hours.

 

[Thurmas]

3rd
Dragon’s Breath (Ki 1)
You may channel your Ki to recharge your breath weapon. You may not spend more than 1 Ki in this way per turn.

6th
Dragon Hide - Your training has hardened your scales, your base AC is now 12 instead of 10

11th
Dragons Fury
Your breath weapon damage increases to 1d8. When using your breath weapon you may spend Ki points to increase the power of your breath weapon attack by 1d8 per Ki point for this round. Limits on Ki spent are as follows.

I think doing this makes it clear when you can do it, and helps to prevent spending a Ki only to not end up using it later:

"As an action on your turn, you may spend 1 Ki to activate your breath weapon."


I think you should word the armor increase differently to avoid confusion with the Monk ability:

Dragon Hide
Your training has hardened your scales to resist even the worst of blows. Beginning at 6th level, while you are wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 12 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.


For the Dragon's Fury, the more I think about it, the more I want to have the damage increase as per the Monk damage die than to have Ki increase the damage. I think it ties it into the monk class very well, it gives a slight damage bump and it doesn't go crazy, and will allow for more uses then if they had spent all their Ki on one bigger use. If you still want to give it something to spend Ki points on, what about "When you use your breath weapon, you may spend 1 Ki point to make your Breath Weapon ignore any damage resistance to its damage type until the end of your turn."

 

[EarlyBird]

I think doing this makes it clear when you can do it, and helps to prevent spending a Ki only to not end up using it later:

"As an action on your turn, you may spend 1 Ki to activate your breath weapon."

I get you there. I hate it when people would use their second wind to regain hp right before settling into a short rest. I tried to explain that was getting something for nothing, that you at least needed to use an action up, so only usable during combat. If the monk was about to get a short rest he could spend a ki get the breathweapon back then get all his ki back at the end of the rest, so again something for nothing. I like the fix.

What about the saving throw resilience? I liked it as a weaker Legendary Resistance, that older dragons get. Having it be say...

6th lvl As a reaction your character may spend 1 ki point to gain advantage on saving throws made till the beginning of their next turn.

You change Dragon's Fury the ignore resistance tag and you risk it coming to bite you back when the DM uses it against you. Just uping the damage helps deal with swarms of monsters and such.