Monk - Archetypes
Duncehack Edition
Part 2
Skipping the preamble because this is Part 2 of the Monk redesign.
See Part 1 if any of the introductory stuff matters to you.
Obligatory Natural Crit Plug
Someone else made a thing that lets me make homebrews without having to post them on pastebin or something. They deserve a lot of credit for that.
Obligatory /tg/ Plug
The feedback I got from various Anons on this helped me build it into something that wasn't bad and stupid.
I love you all in a way only abused spouse can possibly understand.
Special Mention
My Way of the Four Elements stuff heavily rips off someone who already did a damn good job of addressing the issues with the archetype.
If you think I've overdone the changes for that archetype, use their version.
I won't list their disciplines here (size issues and the fact there's no point repeating them), so grab that document for further discipline options.
What if I think these are too much?
Quite a few things here, but I'll narrow it down to a couple key things.
- Drop the Ki point cost of Four Elements disciplines by 1 across the board.
- (Or just use the version of Way of the Four Elements linked in the "Special Mention" section.)
- Long Death, your 17th level feature heals you for half the damage done. This way it's not just a worse Quivering Palm.
- Allow Kensei to attack with their weapon for the Agile Parry Bonus. The restriction does nothing but arbitrarily punishes Kensei in the early game anyway (when Monks need ore survivability the most).
- Sun Soul treats its bolts like the Martial Arts feature (i.e. gets the single bonus attack without spending ki, 2 if they spend ki). You can also add the stunning strike to the bolts if you don't think it's too much.
Way of the Open Hand
Monks of the Way of the Open Hand are the ultimate masters of martial arts combat, whether armed or unarmed. They learn techniques to push and trip their opponents, manipulate ki to heal damage to their bodies, and practice advanced meditation that can protect them from harm.
Thoughtful Form
You gain the guidance cantrip. This version of the cantrip may only be used on yourself, however you may use it as a bonus action.
Open Hand Technique
You can manipulate your enemy's ki when you harness your own. Whenever you hit a creature with one of the attacks granted by your Flurry of Blows, you can impose one of the following effects on that target.
- It must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or be knocked prone.
- It must make a Strength saving throw. If it fails, you can push it up to 15 feet away from you.
- It can't take reactions until the end of your next turn.
In addition, when you roll a 20 on a weapon attack roll with your monk weapons or an unarmed strike, you may use your Stunning Strike feature against that creature without spending its Ki point cost.
Wholeness of Body
At 6th level, you gain the ability to heal yourself. As an action, you can regain hit points equal to three times your monk level. You must finish a long rest before you can use this feature again.
Tranquility
Beginning at 11th level, you can enter a special meditation that surrounds you with an aura of peace. At the end of a short or long rest, you gain the effect of a sanctuary spell that lasts until the start of your next long rest (the spell can end early as normal). The saving throw DC for the spell equals 8 + your Wisdom modifier + your proficiency bonus.
Sanctuary gives this effect: You ward a creature within range against attack. Until the spell ends, any creature who targets the warded creature with an attack or a harmful spell must first make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, the creature must choose a new target or lose the attack or spell. This spell doesn't protect the warded creature from area effects, such as the explosion of a fireball.
If the warded creature makes an attack or casts a spell that affects an enemy creature, this spell ends.
Quivering Palm
At 17th level, You gain the ability to set up lethal vibrations in someone's body. When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike, you can spend 3 ki points to start these imperceptible vibrations, which last for a number of days equal to your monk level. The vibrations are harmless unless you use your action to end them. To do so, you and the target must be on the same plane of existence. When you use this action, the creature must make a Constitution saving throw. If it fails, it is reduced to 0 hit points. If it succeeds, it takes 10d10 necrotic damage.
You can have only one creature under the effect of this feature at a time. You can choose to end the vibrations harmlessly without using an action.
Thoughtful Form
The guidance thing was more to give Way of the Open Hand some more utility outside of combat.
Bonus action means if you're out of Ki points, you can spend your bonus actions making your Shove and Grapple attempts more reliable - as the archetype loses so much of its ability to function when Ki points run dry.
Why a Cantrip Though?
Precident set in Way of Shadow.
Also, it was the easiest change for the theme I was after.
If you're wondering what I'm getting at, it's that whole Karate Kid thing about painting that fence.
Free Stunning Strikes on Nat 20s?
Most of my issues with the archetype I addressed in the base class.
The only thing left is the fact they're meant to burn their ki into Flurry of Blows, when Stunning Strike is often the superior use of Ki.
Tranquility on Short Rest?
I've heard this feature described as a dead level. Personally, I see it as a 'get into the fight as safely as possible' feature as you're effectively ignored by enemies until you punch someone.
Making it short rest should make it much more appealing.
Way of Shadow
Monks of the Way of Shadow follow a tradition that values stealth and subterfuge. These monks might be called ninjas or shadowdancers, and they serve as spies and assassins. Sometimes the members of a ninja monastery are family members, forming a clan sworn to secrecy about their arts and missions. Other monasteries are more like thieves' guilds, hiring out their services to nobles, rich merchants, or anyone else who can pay their fees. Regardless of their methods, the heads of these monasteries expect the unquestioning obedience of their students.
Shadow Arts
At 2nd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells. As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, or silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don't already know it.
In addition, while in dim light or darkness, your Deflect Missiles feature works against all attack rolls against you, including spell attack rolls, not just ranged weapon attacks.
Assassin's Stride
At 2nd level, you may hide as a bonus action.
If you are completely hidden from a creature at the beginning of your turn, and you are in dim light or darkness, you can use your Flurry of Blows feature against it without paying its Ki cost. You have to successfully hide to benefit from this feature again.
Shadow Step
At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.
Cloak of Shadows
By 11th level, you have learned to become one with the shadows. When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible. You remain invisible until you make an attack, cast a spell, or are in an area of bright light.
Opportunist
At 17th level, you can exploit a creature's momentary distraction when it is hit by an attack. Whenever a creature within 5 feet of you is hit by an attack made by a creature other than you, you can use your reaction to make a melee attack against that creature.
Shadows
I think it needs more actual incentives to be more like a ninja. See at present it doesn't really encourage actually acting and playing like a ninja. There's the tools to be sneaky, but there's no payoff.
Shadow Arts extra line
To really encourage the Shadow Monk to stick to the darkness. If you're out there, chances are you're seperated from most of your party, hence the extra layer of safety.
Assassin's Stride
So if you're wondering why it's built the way it is:
You should be agressively spending ki on your features that aid in getting around in the dark. Means you won't have very much Ki left over to actual combat. This is meant to ease that off a little.
Way of the Four Elements
You follow a monastic tradition that teaches you to harness the elements. When you focus your ki, you can align yourself with the forces of creation and bend the four elements to your will, using them as an extension of your body. Some members of this tradition dedicate themselves to a single element, but others weave the elements together.
Many monks of this tradition tattoo their bodies with representations of their ki powers, commonly imagined as coiling dragons, but also as phoenixes, fish, plants, mountains, and cresting waves.
Casting Elemental Spells
Some elemental disciplines allow you to cast spells.
To cast one of these spells, you use its casting time and other rules, but you don’t need to provide material components for it.
Spells cost their spell slot level in Ki points.
Once you reach 5th level in this class, you can spend additional ki points to increase the level of an elemental discipline spell that you cast, provided that the spell has an enhanced effect at a higher level. The spell's level increases by 1 for each additional ki point you spend.
The maximum number of ki points you can spend to cast a spell in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is 3, increasing by 1 at 6th, 11th and 17th levels.
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.
Whenever you learn a new elemental discipline, you can also replace one elemental discipline that you already know with a different discipline.
In addition, you gain your choice of two of the following Cantrips: Gust, Shape Water, Control Flames or Mold Earth. You gain the other two at 6th level.
Elemental Disciplines
The elemental disciplines are presented in alphabetical order. If a discipline requires a level, you must be that level in this class to learn the discipline.
You gain the Elemental Attunement discipline, along with one of the listed Basic Disciplinee. At 6th, 11th and 17th levels, you gain another Basic Discipline.
In addition, you gain two other disciplines of your choice from the appropriate level lists when you begin this archetype at 3rd, and at 6th, 11th and 17th levels.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can also replace one elemental discipline that you already know with a different discipline.
All Way of Four Elements Monks Gain:
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.
Basic Disciplines
- Water Whip. You can spend 1 ki points as an action to create a whip of water that shoves and pulls a creature to unbalance it. A creature that you can see that is within 30 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, and you can either knock it prone or pull it up to 25 feet closer to you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage, and you don’t pull it or knock it prone.
- Fangs of the Fire Snake. When you use the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki point to cause tendrils of flame to stretch out from your fists and feet. Your reach with your unarmed strikes increases by 10 feet for that action, as well as the rest of the turn. A hit with such an attack deals fire damage instead of bludgeoning damage, and also deals an extra 1d10 fire damage.
- Shape the Flowing River. As an action, you can spend 1 ki point to choose an area of ice or water no larger than 30 feet on a side within 120 feet of you. You can change water to ice within the area and vice versa, and you can reshape ice in the area in any manner you choose. You can raise or lower the ice’s elevation, create or fill in a trench, erect or flatten a wall, or form a pillar. The extent of any such changes can’t exceed half the area’s largest dimension. For example, if you affect a 30-foot square, you can create a pillar up to 15 feet high, raise or lower the square’s elevation by up to 15 feet, dig a trench up to 15 feet deep, and so on. You can’t shape the ice to trap or injure a creature in the area.
- Unbroken Air. You can create a blast of compressed air that strikes like a mighty fist. As an action, you can spend 1 ki points and choose a creature within 30 feet of you. That creature must make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d10 bludgeoning damage, plus an extra 1d10 bludgeoning damage for each additional ki point you spend, 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 don’t push it or knock it prone.
3rd Level Disciplines
- Fist of Four Thunders. You can cast thunderwave.
- Rush of the Gale Spirits. You can cast gust of wind.
- Sweeping Cinder Strike. You can cast burning hands.
- Gale's Motion You can cast zephyr strike.
- Salamander's Spite You can cast searing smite.
- The Calming Dew You can cast fog cloud
6th Level Disciplines
- Clench of the North Wind. You can cast hold person.
- Gong of the Summit. You can cast shatter.
- Fingers of Stone. You can cast earthbind.
- Dragon's Disdain. You can cast dragon's breath, targeting yourself.
- Gale's Tumult. You can cast dust devil.
- Gale's Passage. You can cast levitate.
11th Level Disciplines
- Flames of the Phoenix. You can cast fireball.
- Eternal Mountain Defense. You can cast stoneskin, targeting yourself.
- Mist Stance. You can cast gaseous form, targeting yourself.
- Ride the Wind. You can cast fly, targeting yourself.
- Desert's Furor You can cast wall of sand
17th Level Disciplines
- Breath of Winter. You can cast cone of cold.
- Gale's Discipline. You can cast control winds
- River of Hungry Flame. You can cast wall of fire.
- Wave of Rolling Earth. You can cast wall of stone.
- Dragon's Composure You can cast fire shield
Duncehack Disciplines
- Gale's Motion
- The Calming Dew
- Salamander's Spite
- Fingers of Stone
- Dragon's Disdain
- Gale's Tumult
- Gale's Passage
- Desert's Furor
- Dragon's Composure
Notes
Replaced the clunky wording with 'spells cost their spell slot level in ki points'.
This also worked to buff the archetype because high ki point costs were part of the problem - the change effectively cuts the global cost of all abilities by 1 without making any of them free by accident.
Also cut the costs of the now-Basic Disciplines features (Water Whip, Fist of Unbroken Air, Fangs of the Fire Serpent) down to 1 ki.
The reason for this was because they were otherwise poorly costed as far as features are concerned.
Basic Disiplines?
Exactly what is says on the tin. I figure 4E Monks need to have some guaranteed feature from each element to actually be able to call themselves "FOUR Elements" Monks.
Way of the Long Death
Monks of the Way of the Long Death are obsessed with the meaning and mechanics of dying. They capture creatures and prepare elaborate experiments to capture, record, and understand the moments of their demise. They use this knowledge to guide their understanding of martial arts, yielding a deadly fighting style.
Touch of the Long Death
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your touch can channel the energy of death into a creature. As an action, you touch one creature within 5 feet of you, and you expend any number of ki points, up to your Ki point maximum. The damage of each Ki point spent on this feature is equal to two of your Martial Arts dice (so at 3rd level, it is 2d4, while at 5th, it is 2d6). The target must make a Constitution saving throw, and it takes necrotic damage based on the number of ki points spent on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
You restore hp equal to half the damage done this way.
In addition, your study of death allows you to extract vitality from another creature as it nears its demise. When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier + your monk level (minimum of 1 temporary hit point).
Stay Death
You gain the spare the dying cantrip. For you, this cantrip has a range of 30 feet and can be used as a bonus action.
When you stabalise a creature with this cantrip, you can spend 1 ki point to heal them for 1d4 + Your Wisdom Modifier in hit points.
Hour of Reaping
At 6th level, you gain the ability to unsettle or terrify those around you as an action, for your soul has been touched by the shadow of death. When you take this action, each creature within 30 feet of you that can see you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of you until the end of your next turn.
For each creature frightened this way, you may spend 1 ki point to extend this effect on them to 1 minute. They may reroll this save at the end of each turn.
In addition, when you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you restore 1 ki point.
Mastery of Death
Beginning at 11th level, you use your familiarity with death to escape its grasp. When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can expend 1 ki point (no action required) to have 1 hit point instead.
The Way of All Flesh
At 17th level, your mastery of death and all its manifestations shows, as you can move with blinding speed from one enemy to another.
When you reduce a creature within 5 feet of you to 0 hit points, you gain another action and bonus action on your turn.
You cannot benefit from this feature more than once per turn.
Touch of the Long Death
A bad rip off of Quivering Palm that costs more Ki. Yeah, sure, Quivering Palm needs to have a successful attack action (which isn't hard for a Monk), and then you need to spend the next action doing it. Except you're spending 3 Ki points on a failed Constitution save to do the same damage as a successful 5 Ki point Touch of the Long Death.
So instead, I decided it should be a scaling feature, that goes with the monk on his journey. Long Death monks are meant to be the tankiest monks out the box, but they features they had weren't great at it.
Stay Death
Way of the Long Death Monks in the fluff are all about prolonging death to study it in more detail. So why aren't they given a feature that actively allows them to do that?
Hour of Reaping
At first I was going to make it more like the Conquest Paladin feature... except that it's spammable.
So instead I just gave an option to extend the frightened condition at cost.
As for the Ki point refund, it makes sense thematically. I'm doing Ki point reductions across other archetypes, but for Long Death I wasn't quite sure how to handle it otherwise.
The Way of all Flesh
Wanted a better capstone, and the image of a Long Death Monk drawing on the dying breath of an enemy to give themselves a supernatural speed boost just appeals to me.
Way of the Kensei
Monks of the Way of the Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point where the weapon becomes an extension of the body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different weapons.
A kensei sees a weapon in much the same way a calligrapher or painter regards a pen or brush. Whatever the weapon, the kensei views it as a tool used to express the beauty and precision of the martial arts. That such mastery makes a kensei a peerless warrior is but a side effect of intense devotion, practice, and study.
Path of the Kensei
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits.
Kensei Weapons. You gain two extra Monk Weapon proficiencies, and another when you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th levels. You have no restrictions on what you can choose as your Kensei Weapons.
- Agile Parry. If you make a weapon attack as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a monk weapon, you can use it to defend yourself. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren't incapacitated.
- The Dance of Battle. Using Patient Defence, Distant Eye and Step of the Wind costs no ki points for you. Using a shield no longer prevents you from gaining bonus action attacks from your Martial Arts feature.
- Archer's Prowess. When you strike with a thrown or ranged monk weapon attack, you may spend Ki to use your Stunning Strike feature.
Way of the Brush
You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies.
One with the Blade
At 3rd level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons. When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
You do not suffer disadvantage when using a ranged weapon against targets within 5 ft of you. In addition, you can stow a weapon and draw a new one in the same action on your turn.
Unerring Accuracy
At 6th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon on your turn, you can spend 1 ki to reroll it. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
Sharpen the Blade
At 11th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons or a shield further with your ki. Once on each of your turns, you can expend up to 3 ki points to grant one monk weapon or shield you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. A weapon or shield cannot exceed a +3 bonus in this manner.
Perfection in Form
At 17th level, you have honed your ability to use the weapons in your grasp to perfection. Your One with the Blade, Unerring Accuracy, and Sharpen the Blade features no longer cost ki.
General Notes
Weapon masters broaden their horizons, right? At least, that's the rationale for removing restrictions for Kensei weapons.
Agile Parry You pick a Monk that masters weapons to be told not to use the weapon. Why?
You could argue "oh, it's a tradeoff between safety or damage" - except the tradeoff doesn't matter in later levels anyway and Monks will always choose safety because of problems I cited in the base class.
Dance of Battle Instead of making Kensei have weird refund conditions on their Ki points, I figured the better solution would be making them cheaper to run.
Archer's Prowess In moving Kensei shot over, ranged monks still have the downside of being unable to snning strike. Had to bring in something to make archery Kensei meaningful over their non Kensei counterparts.
Where'd Kensei Shot go? It's in the base class now.
One with the Blade The change in the Class Options UA (where all monks basically get Kensei weapons). This feature scales with Martial Arts dice anyway, so it shouldn't be that much of an early game boost.
Unerring Accuracy Moving it down but making it cost Ki to make way for a new 17th level feature.
Sharpen the Blade Wording changed so that it's not instantly useless the moment you pick up a magic weapon. Changed it off bonus action to make 'hotswapping' it more appealing (in case you need a critical thrown weapon attack to go off).
Removed Magic Kensei Weapon? I didn't make a sidebar about it in the Base Class (ran out of room), but monk weapons are already magical because of a change I made over there. Gave the weapon swapping line instead.
Perfection in Form This does two main things: Makes Unerring Accuracy become its original RAW form, and makes Sharpen the Blade worthwhile after you get your main +3 weapon (hint: thrown weapons, stunning strike). With One with the Blade it's a flat damage increase.
Way of the Sun Soul
Monks of the Way of the Sun Soul learn to channel their life energy into searing bolts of light. They teach that meditation can unlock the ability to unleash the indomitable light shed by the soul of every living creature.
Illumination
You gain the light cantrip. Wisdom is your spellcasting modifier for it.
Radiant Sun Bolt
Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can hurl searing bolts of magical radiance.
You gain a new attack option that you can use with the Attack action. This special attack is a ranged spell attack with a range of 30 feet. You are proficient with it, and you add your Dexterity modifier to its attack and damage rolls. Its damage is radiant, and its damage die is a d4. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
When you take the Attack action on your turn and use this special attack as part of it, you can make the special attack as a bonus action. At 11th level, you can make the special attack twice in your bonus action. If you spend 1 ki point, you may make the special attack an extra time during your bonus action.
When you gain the Extra Attack feature, this special attack can be used for any of the attacks you make as part of the Attack action.
When you strike opponents with your Radiant Sun Bolt, you may spend Ki on Stunning Strikes as if they were melee attacks.
Searing Arc Strike
At 6th level, you gain the ability to channel your ki into searing waves of energy. Immediately after you take the Attack action on your turn, you can spend 2 ki points to cast the burning hands spell as a bonus action.
You can spend additional ki points to cast burning hands as a higher-level spell. Each additional ki point you spend increases the spell's level by 1. The maximum number of ki points (2 plus any additional points) that you can spend on the spell equals half your monk level.
Searing Sunburst
At 11th level, you gain the ability to create an orb of light that erupts into a devastating explosion. As an action, you magically create an orb and hurl it at a point you choose within 150 feet, where it erupts into a sphere of radiant light for a brief but deadly instant.
Each creature in that 20-foot-radius sphere must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 radiant damage. A creature doesn't need to make the save if the creature is behind total cover that is opaque.
You can increase the sphere's damage by spending ki points. Each point you spend, to a maximum of 3, increases the damage by 2d6.
Sun Shield
At 17th level, you become wreathed in a luminous, magical aura. You shed bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. You can extinguish or restore the light as a bonus action.
If a creature hits you with a melee attack while this light shines, you can have them suffer radiant damage equal to 5 + your Wisdom modifier.
Light Cantrip?
You're throwing balls of radiant energy at people! The question is: why don't they get this?
Radiant Sun Bolt
Basically it was given Flurry of Blows rather than the half-of-Flurry-of-Blows it had before.
Sun Shield
When a first level spell (armor of agathys) does much the same thing as your late game feature without the need to spend your reaction, you've gotta ask some questions.
Allowing Stunning Strike on Radiant Sun Bolt?
Yeah, it's the most numerous suggestion for mending this archetype out there. I worried at first it'd be too powerful but forcing the Sun Soul to get in close for any of its utility is turning the 3rd level feature into a dead level.
Not dropping the price on Searing Arc Strike?
Bonus action. That's a fairly important detail. If it was an Action ability, I would've.
Way of the Drunken Master
The Way of the Drunken Master teaches its students to move with the jerky, unpredictable movements of a drunkard. A drunken master sways, tottering on unsteady feet, to present what seems like an incompetent combatant who proves frustrating to engage. The drunken master's erratic stumbles conceal a carefully executed dance of blocks, parries, advances, attacks, and retreats.
A drunken master often enjoys playing the fool to bring gladness to the despondent or to demonstrate humility to the arrogant, but when battle is joined, the drunken master can be a maddening, masterful foe.
Bonus Proficiencies
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you gain proficiency in the Performance skill if you don't already have it. If you do, you gain another skill of your choice from the monk skill list. Your martial arts technique mixes combat training with the precision of a dancer and the antics of a jester. You also gain proficiency with brewer's supplies if you don't already have it.
Drunken Technique
At 3rd level, you learn how to twist and turn quickly as part of your Flurry of Blows. Whenever you use Flurry of Blows, you gain the benefit of the Disengage action, and your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the current turn.
Redirect Attack
At 3rd level, when a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can spend your reaction to cause that attack to hit one creature of your choice, other than the attacker, that you can see within 5 feet of you.
Tipsy Sway
Starting at 6th level, you can move in sudden, swaying ways. You gain the following benefits.
- Leap to Your Feet. When you're prone, you can stand up by spending 5 feet of movement, rather than half your speed.
- Disarming Flourish. Your Deflect Missiles feature can also be used on melee weapon attacks. If you reduce the damage to 0 and you have a free hand, you disarm the creature and may use their weapon as a thrown weapon for the purposes of the Deflect Missiles free attack.
Drunkard's Luck
Starting at 11th level, you always seem to get a lucky bounce at the right moment. When you make an ability check, an attack roll, or a saving throw and have disadvantage on the roll, you can spend 2 ki points to cancel the disadvantage for that roll.
In addition, you may spend 1 ki point to use Deflect Missiles and Disarming Flourish instead of your reaction.
If you are taking the Dodge action, Redirect Attack also no longer costs your reaction.
Intoxicated Frenzy
At 17th level, you gain the ability to make an overwhelming number of attacks against a group of enemies. When you use your Flurry of Blows, you can make an extra attack against every creature within your melee weapon range (on top of the two extra attacks provided by your Flurry of Blows), provided that each Flurry of Blows attack targets a different creature this turn.
In addition, Deflect Missiles and Disarming Flourish no longer costs your reaction, or ki points, to reduce the damage (you still must spend 1 ki point, or your reaction, to make the attack provided by either feature).
In addition, Redirect Attack no longer costs your reaction.
Redirect Attack at 3rd?
Where it should have been, because this is the core of what Drunken Boxing is in meatspace. I'll grant that Free Disengage is powerful though.
Redirect Attack ki cost removal
Similar rationale to removing the ki point cost off Deflect Missiles. To make it more reliable, the Drunken Master has to be spending Ki in Patient Defense.
Disarming Flourish/Drunkard's Luck/Intoxicating Frenzy
Trying to strengthen Drunken Fighting's niche of trolling people in a fight.
This archetype is competing with Open Hand for its utility. Drunken Master is more for hordes, while Open Hand is better at single target. The problem is, with Open Hand's 3rd level features, they can break up hordes better than the Drunken Master's 17th level feature.
So that's what lead to the changes in these features.