Talk:Way of the Focused Fist (5e Subclass)

The original idea for this subclass was to have a monk with abilities similar to a barbarian without cross-classing, but it has since shifted to a more original idea, rather than reusing the barbarian's Rage ability, instead having a new Trance ability. Because of this new ability change, the name "Way of the Frenzied Fist" doesn't seem appropriate any more, and now I am trying to switch it to "Way of the Focused Fist", but I don't know how. Help please.

Instinctive Flow states that it can enter a trance as a free actions. Free actions don't exist in 5e. It'd be better to word it more along the lines of "If you have at least half of your ki points when you roll initiative, then you may enter a trance at a cost of 2 ki points." If you don't think that's specific enough, you should add something more along the lines of "(no action required)".--24.103.152.138 10:16, 28 September 2017 (MDT)

Ideas

I have a few ideas that could help streamline the archetype but first, some mechanical input. The damage output is roughly identical to the base monk, the bonus damage is nice with the flurry of blows but in general there is not much more to it. Ki use is minimal, all other archetypes have ways to dynamically change the flow of combat through Ki abilities, this one unfortunately just acts as a gateway to the trance and some situational survivability. The third ability is very very very situational to the point where even trying to set up a situation where this is possible it is so easily and accidentally dismantled that it was negatively impacting the players experience.