My own 4E variant is simply to take the discarded Wu-jen mystic and its discipline and reforge it as a monk archetype:
3:
Elemental Disciplines
At 3rd level, you learn an elemental disciplines of your choice. You gain one more at level 6, 11 and 17.
The maximum number of ki points you can spend to use a discipline in this way (including its base ki point cost and any additional ki points you spend to increase its level) is determined by your monk level, as shown in the Discipline and Ki Points table. At 5th level, you may spend up to 3 ki points; this increases to 4 ki points at 9th level, 5 at 13th level, and 7 at 17th level.
| Monk Levels | Maximum Ki Points for a Discipline |
|---|
| 5th-8th | 3 |
| 9th-12th | 4 |
| 13th-16th | 5 |
| 17th-20th | 7 |
Hermit's Study
At 3rd level, you gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Arcana, History, Insight, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Religion, or Survival.
6:
Elemental Attunement
Starting at 6th level, when a creature's resistance reduces the damage dealt by a elemental discipline of yours, you can spend 1 ki point to cause that use of the discipline to ignore the creature's resistance. You can't spend this point if doing so would increase the discipline's cost above your ki limit.
11:
Arcane Dabbler
At 11th level, you learn three wizard spells of your choice and always have them prepared. The spells must be of 1st through 3rd level. Wisdom is your spellcasting ability for the spells.
As a bonus action, you can spend ki points to create spell slots that you can use to cast these spells, as well as other spells you are capable of casting. The ki point cost of each spell slot is detailed on the table below.
Spell Slot Level ki Cost
1st 2
2nd 3
3rd 5
4th 6
The spell slot remains until you use it or finish a long rest. You must observe ki psi limit when spending ki points to create a spell slot.
Whenever you gain a level in this class, you can replace on of the chosen wizard spells with a different wizard spell of 1st through 3rh level.
17:
Elemental Mastery
Starting at 14th level, if you have resistance to a type of damage, you can spend 2 psi points as a reaction when you take damage of that type to ignore that damage; you gain immunity to that damage type until the end of your next turn.
Disciplines:
| Adaptive Body |
|---|
|
You can alter your body to match your surroundings, allowing you to withstand punishing environments. With greater psi energy, you can extend this protection to others.
Psychic Focus. While focused on this discipline, you don't need to eat, breathe, or sleep. To gain the benefits of a long rest, you can spend 8 hours engaged in light activity, rather than sleeping during any of it.
Environmental Adaptation (2 psi).
As an action, you or a creature you touch ignores the effects of extreme heat or cold (but not cold or fire damage) for the next hour
Adaptive Shield (3 psi).
When you take acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage, you can use your reaction to gain resistance to damage of that type—including the triggering damage—until the end of your next turn.
Energy Adaptation (5 psi; conc., 1 hr.).
As an action, you can touch one creature and give it resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice), which lasts until your concentration ends.
Energy Immunity (7 psi; conc., 1 hr.).
As an action, you can touch one creature and give it immunity to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice), which lasts until your concentration ends |
| Corrosive Metabolism |
|---|
|
Your control over your body allows you to deliver acid or poison attacks.
Psychic Focus. While focused on this discipline, you have resistance to acid and poison damage
Corrosive Touch (1-7 psi).
As an action, you deliver a touch of acid to one creature within your reach. The target must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 1d10 acid damage per psi point spent on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Venom Strike (1-7 psi).
As an action, you create a poison spray that targets one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 1d6 poison damage per psi point spent and is poisoned until the end of your next turn. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and isn't poisoned.
Acid Spray (2 psi).
As a reaction when you take piercing or slashing damage, you cause acid to spray from your wound; each creature within 5 feet of you takes 2d6 acid damage.
Breath of the Black Dragon (5 psi).
You exhale a wave of acid in a 60-foot line that is 5 feet wide. Each creature in the line must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 6d6 acid damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. You can increase the damage by 1d6 per additional psi point spent on it.
Breath of the Green Dragon (7 psi).
You exhale a cloud of poison in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in the line must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 10d6 poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. |
| Iron Durability |
|---|
|
You transform your body to become a living metal, allowing you to shrug off attacks that would cripple weaker creatures.
Psychic Focus. While focused on this discipline, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Iron Hide (1-7 psi).
As a reaction when you are hit by an attack, you gain a +1 bonus to AC for each psi point you spend on this ability. The bonus lasts until the end of your next turn. This bonus applies against the triggering attack.
Steel Hide (2 psi).
As a bonus action, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage until the end of your next turn.
Iron Resistance (7 psi; conc., 1 hr.).
As an action, you gain resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage (your choice), which lasts until your concentration ends. |
etc etc (add Mastery of Air, Fire, Weather, Wood, Water and Ice)
