Rather than focus inward, some Monks attune themselves to the forces of nature. Known as Wu Jens, these primal sages augment their skills with the power of the five elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Wood. Through meditation, they can learn to channel their Ki into displays of elemental power.
Disciple of the Elements
3rd-level Way of the Wu Jen feature
You learn ancient monastic arts that allow you to cast spells.
Cantrips. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the Wu Jen spell list at the end of this Tradition description. You learn one additional Wu Jen cantrip at 10th and 17th level.
Spell Slots. The Wu Jen Spellcasting Table shows how many spell slots you have, and the level of those slots. All of your spell slots are the same level. To cast a Wu Jen spell of 1st-level or higher, you must expend a spell slot. You use the spell’s casting time and other rules, but your body becomes the spellcasting focus for these spells, and you don’t need to provide any material components. You regain all expended Wu Jen spell slots when you finish a short or long rest.
For example, at 7th level, you have two 2nd-level spell slots. To cast the 1st-level spell burning hands, you must spend one of these Wu Jen spell slots, and you cast it as a 2nd-level spell.
Ki Casting. You can draw upon your Ki to regain your elemental powers. As a bonus action on your turn, you can expend a number of Ki Points equal to 1 + your Slot Level to regain one of your expended Wu Jen spell slots.
Spells Known of 1st-Level and Higher. You learn two 1st-level spells of your choice from the Wu Jen spell list at the end of this Tradition. The Spells Known column of the Wu Jen Spellcasting table shows when you learn more Wu Jen spells. A spell you choose must be of a level no higher than what’s shown in the table’s Slot Level column for your level.
Whenever you gain a Monk level, you can choose one Wu Jen spell you know and replace it with another spell of your choice from the Wu Jen spell list, which must be of a level for which you have spell slots on the Wu Jen Spellcasting table.
Spellcasting Ability. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for your Wu Jen spells, so you use your Wisdom whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability, when setting a saving throw DC, and when making a spell attack roll.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier
Wu Jen Spellcasting Table
| Monk Level | Spells Known | Spell Slots | Slot Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2 | 1 | 1st |
| 4th | 2 | 2 | 1st |
| 5th | 3 | 2 | 1st |
| 6th | 3 | 2 | 1st |
| 7th | 4 | 2 | 2nd |
| 8th | 4 | 2 | 2nd |
| 9th | 5 | 2 | 2nd |
| 10th | 5 | 2 | 2nd |
| 11th | 5 | 2 | 2nd |
| 12th | 5 | 2 | 2nd |
| 13th | 6 | 2 | 3rd |
| 14th | 6 | 2 | 3rd |
| 15th | 6 | 2 | 3rd |
| 16th | 6 | 2 | 3rd |
| 17th | 7 | 2 | 3rd |
| 18th | 7 | 2 | 3rd |
| 19th | 7 | 2 | 4th |
| 20th | 7 | 2 | 4th |
Fist of the Five Ways
6th-level Way of the Wu Jen feature
You can infuse your fists with the power of the five elements. Whenever you make an unarmed strike, you can choose for it to deal bludgeoning, cold, fire, poison, or thunder damage.
In addition, when you empower an unarmed strike in this way, your reach with that unarmed strike increases by 5 feet.
Finally, when you use your action to cast a Wu Jen spell, you can make one unarmed strike attack as a bonus action.
Spiritual Flow
10th-level Way of the Wu Jen feature
You weave your martial arts with spiritual magic. When you cast a Wu Jen spell with a casting time of 1 action, you can expend 2 Ki Points to cast it as a bonus action instead.
Master of the Elements
17th-level Way of the Wu Jen feature
As an action, you can draw all five elements into yourself to take on an Elemental Form, gaining the following benefits:
- You gain a flying speed equal to your walking speed.
- You resist bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
- Critical hits against you become normal hits.
- Opportunity attacks against you have disadvantage.
- You can gain temporary hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum of 1) at the start of each of your turns.
Your Elemental Form lasts for 1 minute, but it ends early if you are incapacitated or use a bonus action to end it. Once you use this feature you must finish a long rest before you can use it again. When you have no uses remaining, you can expend 6 Ki Points to take on your Elemental Form again.
Wu Jen Spell List
Here’s the list of spells you consult when you learn a Wu Jen spell. Spells are organized by spell level, not character level. The spells below are from the Player’s Handbook, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything*, and Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything**.
Spells marked with LL are found in the laserllama Spell Compendium, which includes both new and alternate spells.
Cantrips (0-Level)
blade ward, control flames*, create bonfire*, druidcraft, frostbite, gust, light, magic stone*, mold earth*, produce flame, ray of frost, shape water*, thorn whip, thunderclap** LL*
1st-Level
absorb elements*, armor of agathys, burning hands, create or destroy water, earth tremor*, ensnaring strike, entangle, fog cloud, frost fingers**, hail of thorns, hellish rebuke, ice knife*, sanctuary, thunderwave, witch bolt LL*
2nd-Level
barkskin, continual flame, dust devil*, earthbind*, earthen grasp*, flame blade, flaming sphere, gust of wind, hold person, levitate, misty step, scorching ray, shatter, snowball swarm**, spike growth, warding wind***
3rd-Level
call lightning, erupting earth*, fireball, fly, gaseous form, lightning bolt, meld into stone, minute meteors*, plant growth, sleet storm, speak with plants, thunder step*, tidal wave*, wall of sand*, wall of water*, wind wall
4th-Level
control water, elemental bane*, fire shield, freedom of movement, grasping vine, guardian of nature (tree)*, ice storm, resilient sphere, stone shape, stoneskin, storm sphere*, wall of fire, watery sphere***