Kensei Warrior

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.

Kensei Weapon Training

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. Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. The longbow is also a valid choice. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don’t already have it and unlock the Weapon Mastery for these weapons. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you. Many of this tradition’s features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon — either melee or ranged — to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Agile Parry. If you make the attack action on your turn with a melee kensei weapon in hand, you gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn. This is maintained as long as the weapon is in your hand, and you aren’t incapacitated.

Kensei’s Shot. You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes an extra 1d4 damage of the weapon’s type. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn.

Way of the Brush. You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher’s supplies or painter’s supplies.

 

Kensei Armor Training

Your experiences have led to a mastery of your body and your gear. You gain Armor Training in Light Armor, Medium Armor, and Shields. Additionally, you are no longer restricted when wearing armor to use your Martial Arts and Unarmored Movement features.

Honed Edge

At 6th level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits.

Focus-Infused Kensei Weapons. Whenever you deal damage with you Kensei weapons, it can deal force damage in place of its normal damage.

Deft Strike. 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.

Like Ink in Water

To you, the use of weaponry is art, ever-changing and brilliant. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can choose any of the kinds of Mastery weapons you’re using and replace the Mastery property of each with another Mastery property. The chosen kind of weapon must qualify for the new property. For example, you could replace the Longsword’s Sap property with the Push property. These property changes apply only for you, not for others, and the changes end for you when you finish your next Long Rest.

Unerring Accuracy

At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you attack with a kensei weapon and miss, you roll again with advantage.