Way of the Four Elements

A Monk Archetype Variant

by Alexander Lindsay

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Monastic Traditions
Way of the Four Elements
The Way of the Four Elements teaches a monk
how to focus their ki and produce and manipulate
the four elemental forces. Some within this
tradition choose to specialize and practice with a
single element that is meaningful or expressive of
their inner self, while others may garner strength in
versatility, and utilize numerous elemental powers
to suit their needs and goals. Whichever path you
tread, the fundamental forces of creation will aid
your every step.
Disciple of the Elements
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you
learn magical disciplines that harness the power of
the four elements. A discipline requires you to
spend ki points each time you use it. You know the
Elemental Attunement discipline and one other
elemental discipline of your choice, which are
detailed in the Elemental Disciplines section
below. You learn one additional elemental
discipline of your choice at 6th, 11th, and 17th
level. Whenever you learn a new elemental
discipline, you can also replace one elemental
discipline that you already know with a different
discipline.
Some elemental disciplines allow you to
spend additional ki points to improve their effects.
Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can
spend additional ki points. The maximum number
of ki points you can spend to activate a discipline
in this way (including its base ki point cost and
any additional ki points you spend to increase its
effect) is determined by your monk level, as shown
in the Disciplines and Ki Points table. Some of the
Elemental Disciplines require targets to make a
saving throw to resist the disciplines effects. The
saving throw DC is calculated as follows:
Discipline Save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus
+ your Wisdom modifier.
In addition, some of the Elemental Disciplines
require focus to be maintained and you can only
have one of these disciplines active at any given
time. Disciplines that require focus will be labeled
as such: (Requires Focus). As soon as you begin
another discipline that requires focus, the effects of
the previous discipline that requires focus ends.
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Additionally, if you fall unconscious, the effects of
your current discipline that requires focus ends.
You can also end your discipline that requires
focus on your turn as a bonus action.
Disciplines and Ki Points
Monk Levels Maximum Ki Points to Spend
5th-8th 2
9th-12th 3
13th-16th 4
17th-20th 5
Elemental Disciplines
The elemental disciplines are presented in
alphabetical order.
Breath of Winter. As an action, you can spend 1 ki
point and release a 30 feet long and 5 feet wide
torrent of chilling wind from you. Each creature in
the line must make a Constitution saving throw. A
creature takes 1d6 cold damage on a failed save,
and it is restrained until the end of its next turn, or
half as much damage on a successful one and it is
not restrained.
Additional Ki
When you use Breath of Winter using 2 ki points
or more, the cold damage increases by 1d6 for
each ki point beyond the first.
Clench of the North Wind. (Requires Focus) As
an action, you can spend 1 ki point and freeze the
water around a large or smaller sized creature that
you can see within 60 feet. The creature must
succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw
(its choice) or be paralyzed for 1 minute. While
paralyzed by the ice, the creature repeats the
saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a
success, it frees itself and ice breaks apart.
Additional Ki
After the creature has failed its first saving throw,
you can spend 1 ki point and the creature will take
cold damage equal to your Wisdom modifier at the
beginning of its turn while it is paralyzed in this
manner.
Way of the Four Elements
Elemental Attunement. You can use your action
to briefly control elemental forces nearby, causing
one of the following effects of your choice:
Create a harmless, instantaneous sensory
effect related to air, earth, fire, or water,
such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind,
a spray of light mist, or a gentle rumbling
of stone.
Instantaneously light or snuff out a candle,
a torch, or a small campfire.
Chill or warm up to 1 pound of nonliving
material for up to 1 hour.
Cause earth, fire, water, or mist that can fit
within a 1-foot cube to shape itself into a
crude form you designate for 1 minute.
Eternal Mountain Defense. (Requires Focus) As
an action, you spend 1 ki point and a protective
layer of stone and earth encases you and your gear.
You gain 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour. While
you have these hit points, you have resistance to
bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and
you have advantage on saving throws against
effects that would knock you prone.
Additional Ki
When you use Eternal Mountain Defense using 2
ki points or more, the temporary hit points increase
by 5 for each ki point beyond the first.
Fangs of the Fire Snake. When you use the attack
action on your turn using your unarmed strike, you
can spend 1 ki point and flaming tendrils erupt
from your striking limbs. Your reach with your
unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet for this action
and the rest of the turn. A hit with such an attack
deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage,
and if the attack hits, it also deals extra fire
damage equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Additional Ki
When you use Fangs of the Fire Snake using 2 ki
points or more, the extra fire damage increases by
1 for each ki point beyond the first.
Fist of Four Thunders. Whenever you hit a
creature with one of the attacks granted by your
Flurry of Blows, you can spend 1 ki point to deal
1d6 thunder damage to the target, in addition to the
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unarmed strike damage. If the target is Large or
smaller sized, it must make a Strength saving
throw. On a failed save, you push the target up to
10 feet away from you.
Additional Ki
When you use Fist of Four Thunders using 2 ki
points or more, the thunder damage increases by
1d6 for each ki point beyond the first.
Fist of Unbroken Air. As an action, you can spend
1 ki point and create a blast of compressed air that
strikes like a mighty fist. Choose a creature within
30 feet of you, that creature must make a Strength
saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes
1d10 bludgeoning damage, and you can push the
creature up to 20 feet away from you and knock it
prone. On a successful save, the creature takes half
as much damage, and you dont push it or knock it
prone.
Additional Ki
When you use Fist of Unbroken Air using 2 ki
points or more, the bludgeoning damage increases
by 1d10 for each ki point beyond the first.
Flames of the Phoenix. (Requires Focus) As an
action, you can spend 1 ki point and wreathe your
body in flames. The flames dont harm you. For 1
minute, you gain the following benefits:
You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius
and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
The damage type for your unarmed strikes
are considered bludgeoning and fire.
If a creature hits you with a melee attack
from within 5 feet of you while you are
wreathed in flames, the creature takes 5
fire damage.
Additional Ki
When you use Flames of the Phoenix using 2 ki
points or more, the fire damage creatures take
when they hit you increases by 5 for each ki point
beyond the first.
Gong of the Summit. As an action, you can spend
1 ki point and create a burst of thunderous sound,
which can be heard 100 feet away. Each creature
other than you within 10 feet of you must make a
Way of the Four Elements
Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the
creature takes 1d8 thunder damage and is knocked
prone or half as much damage on a successful one
and the creature is not knocked prone.
Additional Ki
When you use Gong of the Summit using 2 ki
points or more, the thunder damage increases by
1d8 and the radius increases by 5 feet for each ki
point beyond the first.
Mist Stance. (Requires Focus) As an action, you
can spend 1 ki point and create a 10-foot-radius
sphere of fog centered on you. The sphere moves
with you, spreads around corners, and its area is
heavily obscured. While in the Mist Stance you
have blindsight equal to the radius of the sphere. It
lasts for 1 minute or until a wind of moderate or
greater speed (at least 10 miles per hour) disperses
it.
Additional Ki
When you use Mist Stance using 2 ki points or
more, the radius increases by 5 feet for each ki
point beyond the first.
Ride the Wind. (Requires Focus) As an action,
you can spend 5 ki points and can run on air,
effectively gaining a flying speed equal to your
walking speed for 10 minutes. When the effect
ends, you will fall if you are still aloft.
River of Hungry Flame. As an action, you can
spend 5 ki points and jet forth a stream of wicked
flames that cling greedily to whatever falls in its
path. The area of the flame consists of up to five
10-foot cubes, which you can arrange as you wish.
Each cube must have at least one face adjacent to
the face of another cube and one of the cubes must
have an adjacent face to you. Each creature in the
area must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes
5d10 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much
damage on a successful one. On a failed save, the
target also burns for 1 minute. The burning target
sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light
for an additional 30 feet. At the end of each of its
turns, the target repeats the saving throw. It takes
3d10 fire damage on a failed save, and the effect
ends on a successful one.
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Rush of the Gale Spirits. (Requires Focus) As an
action, you can spend 1 ki point and your speed
increases by 10 feet for 1 hour. During that time,
when you use your action to Dash, you can use a
bonus action to make one unarmed attack or to
shove a large or smaller sized creature. If you
move at least 10 feet in a straight line immediately
before taking this bonus action, you either gain a
bonus to the attacks damage roll equal to your
monk level (if you chose to make an unarmed
attack and hit) or push the target up to 10 feet
away from you (if you chose to shove and you
succeed).
Additional Ki
When you use Rush of the Gale Spirits using 2 ki
points or more, the push distance increases by 10
feet for each ki point beyond the first.
Shape the Flowing River. (Requires Focus) As an
action, you can spend 5 ki points and each creature
you choose within 30 feet of you must succeed on
a Constitution saving throw or take 5d6 necrotic
damage, and be given 1 level of exhaustion as
water is violently leached from their bodies. A
creature that succeeds on its saving throw takes
half as much damage and doesnt take 1 level of
exhaustion.
From that leached water, you create a
large sized mass of water in an unoccupied space
that you can see within 30 ft. You can control the
water for 1 minute, and it moves at your command.
The mass of water is an object that has AC 20 and
hit points equal to the sum of the necrotic damage
you dealt with this ability. If it drops to 0 hit
points, the effect ends.
As a bonus action, you can move the mass
of water up to 30 feet and then cause one of the
following effects with it.
Barrier Current. The water moves into
yours or another creature's space and
wraps about them, moving with them and
protecting them from harm. While using
Barrier Currents effect, they have
resistance against bludgeoning, fire,
piercing, and slashing damage. Whatever
damage they take while under the effect of
Way of the Four Elements
 Barrier Current, is also dealt to the mass of
water as it absorbs the blows dealt against
the protected creature.
Crushing Wave. The water rears up and
strikes one creature or object within 5 feet
of it. Make a melee attack for the water.
You make this attack with proficiency,
regardless of your weapon proficiencies,
and your Wisdom modifier. On a hit, the
target takes 3d8 bludgeoning damage and
is knocked prone.
Grip Tide. Moving into a creatures space,
the water attempts to engulf a Large or
smaller sized creature within 5 feet of it.
The creature must make a Strength saving
throw. On a successful save, a creature is
ejected from that space to the nearest
unoccupied space outside it. A Huge or
larger creature succeeds on the saving
throw automatically. On a failed save, a
creature is restrained and is engulfed by
the water. Only one large sized or smaller
creature can be engulfed at a time. At the
end of each of its turns, a restrained target
can repeat the saving throw. Any creature
restrained by the water moves with it. If
you use any of the other effects of Shape
the Flowing River, any engulfed creature
within is immediately ejected from that
space to the nearest unoccupied space
outside it.
Sweeping Cinder Strike. As an action, you can
spend 1 ki point and an explosion of flames erupts
from you in a fiery wave. Each creature in a 10-
foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. On
a failed save, the creature takes 1d10 fire damage
or half as much damage on a successful one.
Additional Ki
When you use Sweeping Cinder Strike using 2 ki
points or more, the fire damage increases by 1d10
and the radius increases by 5 feet for each ki point
beyond the first.
Water Whip. (Requires Focus) As an action, you
can spend 1 ki points to create a whip of water that
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shoves and pulls a creature to unbalance it. The
water whip is similar in size and shape to a whip,
and it lasts for 10 minutes. If you release your
water whip, it disappears in a puff of vapor, but
you can recall the water whip again as a bonus
action. You can use your bonus action to make an
attack with the water whip against a creature that
you can see that is within 30 feet of you. You
make this attack with proficiency, regardless of
your weapon proficiencies, and your Wisdom
modifier, instead of your Dexterity of Strength
modifier. The water whip counts as a monk
weapon for the damage, with your Wisdom
modifier added to the damage die roll, instead of
Dexterity or Strength. When you hit a creature
with the water whip, and if the target is Large or
smaller sized, you pull the creature up to 10 feet
closer to you or knock it prone.
Additional Ki
When you use Water Whip using 2 ki points or
more, the Water Whip deals 1 extra bludgeoning
damage for each ki point beyond the first.
Wave of Rolling Earth. As an action, you can
spend 5 ki points and command the very earth to
rupture in a haphazard wave of broken ground and
stalagmites. The area of the ruptured earth consists
of up to five 10-foot-by-10-foot squares on the
ground, which you can arrange as you wish. Each
square must have at least one side adjacent to the
side of another square and one of the squares must
have an adjacent side to you. Each creature in the
area must make a Dexterity saving throw. It takes
5d8 bludgeoning and piercing damage on a failed
save and is knocked prone, or takes half as much
damage on a successful one and they are not
knocked prone. The area of ruptured earth
becomes difficult terrain. When a creature moves
into or within the area, it takes 2d4 piercing
damage per five feet it travels.
Way of the Four Elements