Alabaster Marilith - 5e Genasi Monk of the Four Elements

Charisma Stanyder, Inspiration for this Build

The basic concept here is that someone has been affected by a blast of transformative magic that is slowly changing them into something progressively less human. This is based on the idea of the elemental snake person art I had commissioned a long while back. There are a couple of different ways that this can be represented including Warlock and Sorcerer, but I am going with the Four Elements Monk for this case.

Normally, Monk represents a character that has received training in some arcane discipline that allows them to develop incredible physical abilities. In this case, however, the abilities like the martial arts, unarmed damage and the like are based on the idea that the character is physically transforming from what she used to be into something else.

The elemental marilith (marilith in appearance, but elemental rather than fiendish in nature) is just one option, this concept could be done towards other transformations as well.

For Background, I am going to go with a variation of Entertainer using a Storyteller and taking Insight rather than Acrobatics. It's a bit of a moot point given I took Acrobatics from Monk anyway, but it gives a flavor I want since the original character was a gamemaster transformed and dumped in a D&D world.


For this I am using my typical theoretical 30 pt array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10.

1st Level Fire Genasi Monk

Str: 10

Dex: 14

Con:  13

Int: 14

Wis: 15

Cha: 12

HP: 9

AC: 14
Save DC: 12

Speed: 30

Proficiency Bonus: +2


Darkvision 60ft
Fire Resistance
Reach to the Blaze

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Artist's Brushes

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Languages: Common, Primoridial, Elvish, Orcish

Proficient Skills
Acrobatics (Monk) +4
Athletics (Monk) +2
Performance (Storyteller) +3
Insight (Storyteller) +4

Background: Storyteller

Unarmored Defense (Speed, Alabaster Skin and Ruby Scales)
Martial Arts: 1d4 (Claws)

Cantrip: Produce Flame

Reasoning: My reasoning for these choices is already presented above in the introduction, but I'll repeat it here. Genasi represents the first stage of her change. She will be heavily earth and fire both, but we'll start with Fire for the moment.

2nd to 5th Level

2nd Level - Ki, Unarmored Movement, +6 HP (15)

3rd Level - Monastic Tradition: Four Elements, Deflect Missiles, Disciplines: Elemental Attunement, Fangs of the Fire Snake, +6 HP (21)

4th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +1 Wis, +1 Con, +10 HP (31)

5th Level - Proficiency Bonus: +3, Extra Attack, Stunning Strike, +7 HP (38)

Reasoning: The first set of Elemental Disciplines you have access to are attack disciplines, so I went with the one that was more fiery given that their wasn't one that was precisely what I wanted from an Earth aspect. I considered the Burning Hands (Sweeping Cinder Strike) ability but decided to opt for the Fangs. I will note the physical mutations I am assuming will come with each ability in the stats.

5th Level Statistics

5th Level Fire Genasi Monk of the Four Elements

Str: 10

Dex: 14

Con:  14

Int: 14

Wis: 16

Cha: 12

HP: 38

AC: 15
Save DC: 14

Speed: 40
Ki: 5

Proficiency Bonus: +3


Darkvision 60ft
Fire Resistance
Reach to the Blaze

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Artist's Brushes

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Languages: Common, Primoridial, Elvish, Orcish

Proficient Skills
Acrobatics (Monk) +5
Athletics (Monk) +3
Performance (Storyteller) +4
Insight (Storyteller) +6

Background: Storyteller

Unarmored Defense (Dex - increased physical speed, Wis - Alabaster Skin, Ruby Scales, other supernatural defenses)
Martial Arts: 1d6 (Claws)
Ki
Flurry of Blows
Patient Defense
Step of the Wind
Unarmored Movement (Longer Legs)
Deflect Missiles
Four Elements Tradition
Disciplines: Elemental Attunement, Fangs of the Fire Snake
Slow Fall
Extra Attack (Four Arms)
Stunning Strike

Cantrip: Produce Flame
1st Level Spell: Burning Hands

6th to 10th Level

6th Level - Sweeping Cinder Strike, Ki-Empowered Strikes +7 HP (45)

7th Level - Evasion, Stillness of Mind, +7 HP (52)

8th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Dex, +7 HP (59)

9th Level - Proficiency Bonus +4, Unarmored Movement improvement, +7 HP (66)

10th Level - Purity of Body, +7 HP (73)

Reasoning: I ultimately went with Sweeping Cinder Strike because while she gets something similar from her Genasi abilities, that is limited to a first level version and this allows more flexibility. The choice between Dex and Wis was a bit problematic, but I decided to up Dex for use with attacks.

 

10th Level Statistics

10th Level Fire Genasi Monk of the Four Elements

Str: 10

Dex: 16

Con:  14

Int: 14

Wis: 16

Cha: 12

HP: 73

AC: 16
Save DC: 15

Speed: 50
Ki: 10

Proficiency Bonus: +4


Darkvision 60ft
Fire Resistance
Reach to the Blaze

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Artist's Brushes

Saving Throws: Strength, Dexterity
Languages: Common, Primoridial, Elvish, Orcish

Proficient Skills
Acrobatics (Monk) +7
Athletics (Monk) +4
Performance (Storyteller) +5
Insight (Storyteller) +7

Background: Storyteller

Unarmored Defense (Speed, Alabaster Skin and Ruby Scales)
Martial Arts: 1d6 (Claws)
Ki
Flurry of Blows
Patient Defense
Step of the Wind
Unarmored Movement (Longer Legs)
Deflect Missiles
Four Elements Tradition
Disciplines: Elemental Attunement, Fangs of the Fire Snake, Sweeping Cinder Strike
Slow Fall
Extra Attack (Four Arms)
Stunning Strike
Ki-Empowered Strikes (Nails become obsidian)
Evasion
Stillness of Mind
Improved Unarmored Movement (Serpentine lower body, legless)
Purity of Body (Elemental Physiology)

Cantrip: Produce Flame
1st Level Spell: Burning Hands
 

11th to 15th Level

11th Level - Mist Stance, +7 HP (80)

12th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Dex, +7 HP (87)

13th Level - Proficiency Bonus +5, Tongue of the Sun and Moon, +7 HP (95)

14th Level - Diamond Soul, +7 HP (102)

15th Level - Timeless Body, +7 HP (109)

Reasoning: I was originally going to take the Eternal Mountain Defense and consider it to be her alabaster skin turning even thicker and more resilient, but then I had this idea of her turning into a cloud of dust and ash and it was an interesting idea, so I picked up Mist Stance instead. I'm aware that's probably supposed to be a water thing, but I already explained how I imagined it from an Earth/Fire perspective.

15th Level Statistics

15th Level Fire Genasi Monk of the Four Elements

Str: 10

Dex: 18

Con:  14

Int: 14

Wis: 16

Cha: 12

HP: 109

AC: 17
Save DC: 16

Speed: 55
Ki: 15

Proficiency Bonus: +5


Darkvision 60ft
Fire Resistance
Reach to the Blaze

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Artist's Brushes

Saving Throws: All
Languages: Common, Primoridial, Elvish, Orcish

Proficient Skills
Acrobatics (Monk) +9
Athletics (Monk) +5
Performance (Storyteller) +6
Insight (Storyteller) +8

Background: Storyteller

Unarmored Defense (Speed, Alabaster Skin and Ruby Scales)
Martial Arts: 1d8 (Claws)
Ki
Flurry of Blows
Patient Defense
Step of the Wind
Unarmored Movement (Longer Legs)
Deflect Missiles
Four Elements Tradition
Disciplines: Elemental Attunement, Fangs of the Fire Snake, Sweeping Cinder Strike, Mist Stance
Slow Fall
Extra Attack (Four Arms)
Stunning Strike
Ki-Empowered Strikes (Nails become obsidian)
Evasion
Stillness of Mind
Improved Unarmored Movement (Serpentine lower body, legless)
Purity of Body (Elemental Physiology)
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Diamond Soul (More pronounced Elemental Physiology and Mind)
Timeless Body (Stone ages but slowly and Fire burns eternal)

Cantrip: Produce Flame
1st Level Spell: Burning Hands

16th to 20th Level

16th Level - Ability Score Improvement +2 Wis, +7 HP (116)

17th Level - Proficiency Bonus +6, Eternal Mountain Defense, +7 HP (123)

18th Level - Empty Body, +7 HP (130)

19th Level - Ability Score Improvement: +2 Dex, +7 HP (137)

20th Level - Perfect Self, +7 HP (144)

Reasoning: I went with Eternal Mountain Defense here even though Empty Body is similar but I'm not certain if you can attack with Empty Body without breaking the invisibility. If you can, wonderful, otherwise it would be a more expensive alternative to Mountain Defense. If I knew the invisibility of Empty Body was sustained even if you attack, I would take Fires of the Phoenix, Wave of Rolling Earth, or River of Hungry Flame instead. I opted to max Dex rather than Wis since she doesn't use many effects that depend on forcing people to roll a saving throw, differences in chosen disciplines might have caused that to go differently.

20th Level Statistics

10th Level Fire Genasi Monk of the Four Elements

Str: 10

Dex: 20

Con:  14

Int: 14

Wis: 18

Cha: 12

HP: 109

AC: 19
Save DC: 18

Speed: 60
Ki: 20

Proficiency Bonus: +6


Darkvision 60ft
Fire Resistance
Reach to the Blaze

Armor Proficiencies: None

Weapons: Simple Weapons, Short Swords

Tools: Artist's Brushes

Saving Throws: All
Languages: Common, Primoridial, Elvish, Orcish

Proficient Skills
Acrobatics (Monk) +11
Athletics (Monk) +6
Performance (Storyteller) +7
Insight (Storyteller) +10

Background: Storyteller

Unarmored Defense (Speed, Alabaster Skin and Ruby Scales)
Martial Arts: 1d10 (Claws)
Ki
Flurry of Blows
Patient Defense
Step of the Wind
Unarmored Movement (Longer Legs)
Deflect Missiles
Four Elements Tradition
Disciplines: Elemental Attunement, Fangs of the Fire Snake, Sweeping Cinder Strike, Mist Stance, Eternal Mountain Defense
Slow Fall
Extra Attack (Four Arms)
Stunning Strike
Ki-Empowered Strikes (Nails become obsidian)
Evasion
Stillness of Mind
Improved Unarmored Movement (Serpentine lower body, legless)
Purity of Body (Elemental Physiology)
Tongue of the Sun and Moon
Diamond Soul (More pronounced Elemental Physiology and Mind)
Timeless Body (Stone ages but slowly and Fire burns eternal)
Empty Body
Perfect Self

Cantrip: Produce Flame
1st Level Spell: Burning Hands

Some 5e Builds