Yeast don't spheroplast any faster
Well, I have an hour to kill while my yeast spheroplast so...
My opinion on your proposed revision: it's underpowered. That's right: underpowered. Good job! Most people who create new subclasses and such go way, way overboard with their level of power, so kudos to you for not falling into that trap.
However, one thing to be wary of is inclusion of abilities that grant a fixed bonus to damage. While abilities like this are mechanically simple to implement, they lack the flavor that one expects from subclass options (and you'll notice that it's rare for a subclass choice to increase damage output directly - usually it's a class feature instead). Also, the timing of the improvements you suggest, as well as the language involved in defining their usage/duration need a bit more clarity.
If you'll allow me (
and you will, because it's the internet), I'd like to offer a look into how I go about designing subclasses, and then provide you with an example of how I'd make a dragon monk.
First things first: let's look at how the game designers made the Monk subclasses, and what kinds of abilities are granted at each appropriate level
[note: 4 Elements monks get to choose whatever they wish at each level, which may be why the developers were conservative with its design - they get to break these conventions!]
- The 3rd level ability should be broadly applicable in combat
- The 6th level ability gives a powerful healing and/or utility ability (note: healing is ALWAYS powerful in 5e)
- The 11th level ability protects the user, but doesn't do too much to boost combat prowess (in fact, it's more of a passive ability for both Open Hand and Shadow)
- The 17th level ability should be a cool capstone that boost combat prowess again (some notes about Quivering Palm are below)
Were I in your shoes, I would take a path similar to "The Path of the Totem Warrior" for the Barbarian, but using
The Way of Open Hand and
Way of Shadow as a measuring stick to compare what level of power should be available at each level. The Totem Warrior concept is particularly fitting because there are so many species of dragon in existence. I'll try to provide some possibilities for each improvement here (I'm just spitballing) and I'm away from my MMs, so I might get some dragon characteristics wrong (like which element to assign a given dragon, or the character attributes/lifestyles of each dragon type). Please correct me or suggest improvements when I'm wrong.
Note: I'm avoiding including a breath weapon attack because that gets a bit messy with dragonborn monks. My idea is that the dragon disciple monks should instead weave dragon-like magic into their combat, not physically transform into dragon-like beings, but that's just my interpretation.
The Way of the Dragon Disciple:
As a disciple of the Way of the Dragon you have spent years studying the draconic magics, and how to weave their powers into your martial arts. At each indicated level below, you may choose one of the following dragon options, which may differ from previous dragons you have chosen. These simply represent the draconic styles you have chosen. As you progress along the Way of the Dragon Disciple, your features and appearance may change to match the dragons whose power you emulate.
As part of this discipline, you may learn to use a number of spells which you can cast with ki. You use your wisdom modifier as your casting stat for these spells per the description given in the PHB.
Level 3: Draconic Initiation
- Brass Dragon: Whenever you attack with your unarmed strike or a monk weapon, you may choose to inflict fire damage instead of the damage type the attack would normally inflict. Additionally, you may cast Burning Hands as a bonus action for 2 ki points.
- Bronze Dragon: Whenever you attack with your unarmed strike or a monk weapon, you may choose to inflict lightning damage instead of the damage type the attack would normally inflict. Additionally, you may cast Thunderwave as a bonus action for 2 ki points.
- Copper Dragon: Whenever you attack with your unarmed strike or a monk weapon, you may choose to inflict acid damage instead of the damage type the attack would normally inflict. Additionally, you may cast Fog Cloud as a bonus action for 2 ki points.
- Silver Dragon: Whenever you attack with your unarmed strike or a monk weapon, you may choose to inflict cold damage instead of the damage type the attack would normally inflict. Additionally, when you hit with a melee weapon attack or unarmed strike, you may reduce your target's speed by 10 feet until the beginning of your next turn. This slow effect may not stack multiple times on the same creature, but may apply to multiple creatures that you hit. [note: I used Ray of Frost as inspiration here; doesn't seem overly powerful...]
In addition to the abilities you choose at this level, you also become fluent in Draconic, if you aren't already.
Level 6: Draconic Attunement
- Brass Dragon: You gain resistance to fire damage. Additionally, you gain the ability to protect your allies against fire, granting friendly creatures within 5 feet of you resistance to fire damage as well.
- Bronze Dragon:You gain resistance to lightning damage. You also gain the ability to redirect lightning: whenever you are targeted by any attack which inflicts lightning damage, you may choose a target within 60 feet, and that target (and other creatures in the line) must make a dexterity saving throw or suffer the same amount of damage that you did (half on a successful save). Additionally, if the lightning-based effect were to continue past you (as with the Lightning Bolt spell), the effect ends in your square.
- Copper Dragon: You gain resistance to acid damage. Additionally, you may spend a ki point as a bonus action to quadruple your speed for one round. While this effect is active, attacks of opportunity against you are made at a disadvantage. You may only use this ability once per short or long rest. [note: this builds on the cleverness theme; and yes, this could theoretically allow a monk to move 8x their speed (if they action-dash), which is pretty on par with the Way of Shadow]
- Silver Dragon: You gain resistance to cold damage. Additionally, as a bonus action, you may shroud your body in icy power for 3 ki points, granting yourself 10 temporary hit points for up to one minute. While you have these hit points, creatures that hit you with a melee attack suffer 10 points of cold damage. [note: basically, this is a 2nd level casting of Armor of Agathys]
Level 11: Stoic Dragon Stance
You may add 3 to your armor class as long as you have not expended any ki points.
[note: I ran out of time here, but I feel content with this ability as it stands - it matches the benefit of the open-hand monk well.]
Level 17: Touch of the Dragon
- Brass Dragon: Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee attack, you may spend 5 ki points to force your target to make a dexterity saving throw. On a failure, the creature suffers 10d6 of fire damage [note: quivering palm requires the monk to spend an action on the next round to inflict the 10d10; having it occur in the same round is its own brand of powerful, so less damage and higher cost is appropriate]
- Bronze Dragon: Once per round, when you hit a creature with a melee attack, you may spend 3 ki points to create a linkage of lightning between yourself and your target until your next turn. While this link exists, you have resistance to all damage, and your target takes the same amount of damage that you do, as though it had suffered the attacks itself.
- Copper Dragon: As an action you may spend 4 ki points to cast Disintegrate with a range of touch. This effect can apply to both living creatures as well as inanimate objects, just like the spell
- Silver Dragon: Whenever you hit a creature with a melee attack, you may spend 4 ki points to force the target to make a strength saving throw. If the creature fails, on your next turn, you may spend your action to channel icy winds that buffet the target, causing them to suffer 10d6 cold damage, and launching them into the air as though they had suffered the effects of the Reverse Gravity spell. You must concentrate to maintain the effects of Reverse Gravity. On a success, the creature simply takes 10d6 cold damage.
[note: here are the themes I referred to in making these abilities; feel free to contest my choices
Brass/Gold: Fire; protection
Bronze: Lightning;
Copper: Acid, cleverness
Silver: Cold, slowing
/note]
