This is part of a series of posts I'm making in prep for a FFXIV x D&D sourcebook I'm writing. Other related articles are:
I've finally convinced my FFXIV buddies to play D&D. The idea pitch that worked is for us to play a D&D game using our own XIV characters. I already knew of the existence of a homebrew version of the classes (found here) so I thought that transitioning one from the other might be easier.
I started looking at this homebrew stuff in more depth and it turned out that I wasn't entirely convinced about the end result; With all due respect to the man who put it all together, it must have been a massive undertaking to do so. The following is just my take based on his work, of which I am completely grateful for.
Keep in mind, none of this belongs to me or this person.
Here's a copy of the unfinished product if you want to see it in a coherent form: https://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/BJrIkCw5QE
Way of Rhalgr
I'm starting with this Monk subclass because I thought it was short enough to get started quickly. It turned out that I wanted to make more changes than I anticipated. Let's have a look. I wrote the text description of the abilities in italic and blue.
Greased Lightning
Beginning at 3rd level, you are able to launch attacks at an incredible rate. If you use flurry of blows and successfully attack your target with both of the unarmed attacks, you may make an attack roll for one more unarmed attack with double the proficiency bonus.
I see two issues with this ability:
- The wording behind "succesfully attack" is a bit confusing. Does it mean that you need to hit with both of your flurry of blow attacks? Or is it enough to just make the attacks?
- If we look at every other level 3 Monk ability, none of them allow you to deal more damage, and instead you're offered more things to do with your flurry of blows, or even different ways to attack an opponent.
This ability, as presented, does bring out the spirit behind Greased Lightning to being, but the issue is that it kind of doesn't work along the rest of D&D 5e's design. Also, while I like the idea of putting in a prerequisite to be able to execute something, I think having to hit with both of your flurry of blows attack to trigger a fundamental ability could get frustrating if the dice isn't in your favor. So what do we do?
Why don't we implement "positionals" instead? Not in a literal sense, of course. Perhaps the Monk has to move at least 5 feet every turn in order to get their Greased Lightning bonus; It would certainly give them the feel that they have to position themselves in a different place each turn. Opportunity Attacks in this edition are now only triggered when leaving your opponents' threat range, so it's feasible to do expect players to perform maneuvers like this.
As for the benefit of Greased Lightning, I would grant advantage on Flurry of Blows attacks; This way it's like they're using the momentum of their movement to perform faster attacks, giving them advantage. It's something they'll be able to use a lot more often. It loses a bit of that combo feel, but maybe we can get that in one of the later features.
Touch of the Elements
Beginning at the 6th level, you have learned a variety of elemental attunements which dictate your day. When you complete a long rest you may select one of the following boons. You receive the benefits of that element until you next complete a short rest. You may only change your selected benefit after a short rest.
Hands of Earth. You gain proficiency in your wisdom ability checks which you do not already have proficiency in. You may change the damage of your unarmed strikes to poison. You may use 1 Ki point to use the shove action as a bonus action.
Hands of Wind. You gain proficiency in your dexterity ability checks which you do not already have proficiency in. You may change the damage of your unarmed strikes to lightning. You may use 1 Ki point to use the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.
Hands of Fire. You gain proficiency in your strength ability checks which you do not already have proficiency in. You may change the damage of your unarmed strikes to fire. You may use 1 Ki point to deal additional fire damage equal to your Wisdom modifier each time you land an unarmed strike.
- While the general idea gets across, the wording used to describe this ability can become problematic at the table. What if I take a short rest, which ends my stance, and forget to announce that I keep or change the stance? Also, forcing players to change this only at short rests kind of takes away from the fun of changing stances in the middle of a fight, and I wonder if we can somehow implement that instead.
- Hands of Earth:
- Handing out proficiency to ability checks like this is like handing out interchangeable skill bonuses. If you plan your initial skill selection around this ability then you're basically able to roll almost any skill that isn't INT based with proficiency; I understand the idea behind this ability, but it shouldn't turn monk into a limited bard or rogue.
- Monks get Ki-Empowered Strikes at this same level, so there's no real need for them to deal elemental based damage.
- Allowing the use of a Ki point to shove opponents as a bonus action is a cool idea.
- Looking at other monk abilities of the same level, it's a little too powerful to grant them three separate abilities instead of the usual one or two.
- Hands of Wind:
- This has the same issues as Hands of Earth in regards to ability checks and elemental based damage.
- Monks gain Step of the Wind at 2nd level, which not only allows them to use the Disengage and Dash actions as bonus actions at the cost of 1 Ki point, their jump distance is also doubled for that turn.
- Hands of Fire:
- This has the same issues as Hands of Earth in regards to ability checks and elemental based damage. Also, while granting a damage bonus is on par with the idea behind Fists of Fire, I think I prefer a die roll than a straight modifier bonus; we can make this fire damage to balance it out, since some creatures are resistant or immune to it.
Now here's how I'd handle this ability:
First of all, I'd change the wording so that it's easier to change boons, and I'd call them stances. I'd make it so that you can change them during the middle of a fight as well. Hands of Earth and Hands of Fire are easy enough to adjust; Hands of Wind needs a big rework since the idea behind it is to make the character faster, which is something that the D&D Monk class already does in spades.
Beginning at 6th level, you have learned a variety of elemental attunements for which you developed a fighting stance. Once you're in a stance, it's benefits last until the end of your next short or long rest. Once you change stances, you must take the benefits of the new stance. You cannot benefit from two stances at the same time. Each stance benefit is as follows:
- Hands of Earth.
- You can enter this stance as a reaction if you are being forced to roll a saving throw. While you are in this stance, whenever you make a Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution saving throw, you can spend 2 Ki Points to make a second roll. You can choose to spend your Ki Points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. Once you make a second roll, you must use the new result.
- Hands of Wind.
- You can enter this stance before you use your Step of the Wind feature. While in this stance, you don't need to spend a Ki Point to gain the effect of Step of the Wind.
- Hands of Fire.
- You can enter this stance as a bonus action if you spend 2 Ki Points. While you are in this stance, when you hit a target with an unarmed strike, you can to cause your attack to deal an extra 1d4 points of fire damage to the target.
I'm not entirely convinced with how Hands of Earth turned out, but I'll leave it like this for now.
Forbidden Chakra
Beginning the 11th level, you have gained a significant understanding of the Fist of Rhalgr style. After connecting with a successful Greased Lightning strike, you may spend 2 Ki points to deliver a powerful blow. The targeted creatures make the appropriate saving throw against your Ki save DC.
Dragon Kick. A leaping corkscrew kick aimed at the target's head, dealing 2d8 bludgeoning damage. The target must make a constitution saving throw, on a failed save, your attacks have advantage against that target for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Elixir Field. You leap into the air where you stand and unleash a wave of Ki energy downwards, suspending yourself in the air as you burn all creatures within a 10ft. radius centered on you. Affected creatures make a dexterity saving throw, receiving 4d8 radiant damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful save.
Howling Fist. You crash your fist into the ground with tremendous force, causing a shockwave of Ki powered explosions to travel in a 15ft. line in front of you. Affected creatures make a dexterity saving throw, receiving 4d8 fire damage on a failed save and half as much on a successful save.
Tornado Kick. You leap into the air and deliever a series of swift but powerful kicks to your target creating a small localized tempest. The creature makes a strength saving throw receiving 4d8 bludgeoning damage on a failed save and are knocked back 10ft, and half as much on a successful save, with no knockback.
First of all, I kind of broke this ability back when I changed Greased Lightning, but it's an easy fix; just allow a Forbidden Chakra move to be used after you hit with one of your Flurry of Blows attacks once on each of your turns. Second, I feel like there are way too many options in this ability, but I would leave this as is for now. The abilities themselves are okay, though I'd make some minor alterations to them just so they fit with D&D 5e's design better.
Perfect Balance
Beginning at the 17th level you may activate Perfect Balance as a bonus action. You can use any of the abilities offered by the Forbidden Chakra feature at any time at the cost of 6 Ki points. You may only do this once per long rest.
The wording in this is a little confusing to me. What does "at any time" mean? Does it mean that you don't need to connect a Greased Lightning attack? Does that mean it's a free action to use? Does the 6 Ki Point cost cover the 2 Ki points needed to activate a Forbidden Chakra ability? When does this ability end it's effect? I also take a bit of issue that it's so costly.
At 17th level, your training in the . You can activate a Forbidden Chakra ability after you hit with any unarmed strike you make once per turn. This ability does not replace your normal use of Forbidden Chakra, and you can still use a Forbidden Chakra ability after you hit with an unarmed stike during your Flurry of Blows on each of your turns.
Conclusion
I'm not entirely satisfied with the end result; As I kept looking into it, it turns out that the base D&D class already has a fire / earth / wind mechanic with Flurry of Blows / Patient Defense / Steps of Wind , and adding it the way we are is a bit redundant, if not forced. In a future iteration, I hope to break the Forbidden Chakra feature in two and play with the interaction between Greased Lightning and other features better.
I'm gonna keep going over the rest of the classes as I gain inspiration, going from just subclasses and races to later on, full classes. In the end I hope to this all leads to a fun game I can provide for my friends.
