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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chaosmancer" data-source="post: 9398427" data-attributes="member: 6801228">I feel it is because they needed to limit the range, and make sure it didn't feel useless in specific situations. For example, they didn't want to figure out if an arrow shot 600 ft away by a sharpshooter could be thrown 600 ft back, while a dagger could only be thrown back 30 ft. Hence, everything is 60 ft for range and 5 ft for melee. You can't have the damage of the reflected attack based off the attack itself, because deflecting smaller attacks like a 1d4+2 shouldn't feel like a waste of ki compared to deflecting big attacks like 2d12+6. SO the damage is standardized. This also makes it easier to run at the table.Then, you have to consider Deflect Energy. Since it is possible for a mage to use Firebolt from 120 ft away, and the only viable target for your redirect could be a fire elemental summoned by that mage, it makes a lot of sense that, to keep the ability useful, you can't have the deflected attack use the same damage type. Combine that with Ki damage being Force damage, per the level 6 ability, and now you have force damage equal to two rolls of the martial arts dice, with a range of either 60 ft or 5ft. And the save recognizes the fact that you are already rolling a few times as the player, and swapping to the DM gives them the chance to dodge the redirection.</blockquote>