WayOfTheFourElements
Hero
As I'm sure we all know, the Way of the Four Elements archetype has problems.
However, I feel like the Remastered fix goes too far in correcting these shortcomings. Take a Remastered Wot4E monk at 11th level. It has 11 ki points to spend per short rest. With 2 short rests per day, the Remastered monk can cast a total of 9 fireballs and attempt to stun 6 opponents. Compared with an Eldritch Knight (four 1st level and two 2nd level spell slots) or even a Ranger (four 1st level, three 2nd level, and three 3rd spell slots), the Wot4E monk has just a little too much blasting power.
The way I see it, the Wot4E monk lacks three things: damage (attack + flurry of blocks is much more damaging than any elemental discipline in a 2+ round fight), versatility, and a way to synthesize its elemental disciplines with its other monk abilities.
Therefore, I propose this fix:
1. All ki costs of the monks elemental disciplines remain as per the PHB.
2. At 3rd level, the monk learns Elemental Attainment and other two elemental disciplines of his/her choice. The monk learns one additional discipline at 6th, 11th, and 17th levels.
3. When the monk uses an elemental discipline, he/she can make one unarmed strike attack as a bonus action any time before the end of his/her turn.
After running numbers of in a 3+ round fight, my Wot4E monk still deals slightly less damage than the Open Hand monk when using the same number of ki points, even when the Wot4E monk catches 2 opponents with its Elemental Disciplines. To me, this seems about right: added battlefield control and nova capability (and the ability to mix martial arts & blasting), but less power overall.
So, what do you all think? Underpowered? Overpowered? About right?
However, I feel like the Remastered fix goes too far in correcting these shortcomings. Take a Remastered Wot4E monk at 11th level. It has 11 ki points to spend per short rest. With 2 short rests per day, the Remastered monk can cast a total of 9 fireballs and attempt to stun 6 opponents. Compared with an Eldritch Knight (four 1st level and two 2nd level spell slots) or even a Ranger (four 1st level, three 2nd level, and three 3rd spell slots), the Wot4E monk has just a little too much blasting power.
The way I see it, the Wot4E monk lacks three things: damage (attack + flurry of blocks is much more damaging than any elemental discipline in a 2+ round fight), versatility, and a way to synthesize its elemental disciplines with its other monk abilities.
Therefore, I propose this fix:
1. All ki costs of the monks elemental disciplines remain as per the PHB.
2. At 3rd level, the monk learns Elemental Attainment and other two elemental disciplines of his/her choice. The monk learns one additional discipline at 6th, 11th, and 17th levels.
3. When the monk uses an elemental discipline, he/she can make one unarmed strike attack as a bonus action any time before the end of his/her turn.
After running numbers of in a 3+ round fight, my Wot4E monk still deals slightly less damage than the Open Hand monk when using the same number of ki points, even when the Wot4E monk catches 2 opponents with its Elemental Disciplines. To me, this seems about right: added battlefield control and nova capability (and the ability to mix martial arts & blasting), but less power overall.
So, what do you all think? Underpowered? Overpowered? About right?
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