Monks of the Way of the Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point where the weapon becomes an extension of their body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different types of weapons.

A Kensei sees a weapon in much the same way as a calligrapher or painter sees a pen or a brush. Whatever the weapon they choose, the Kensei views it as a tool to express the deadly precision and beauty of the martial arts.

Path of the Kensei

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your martial arts training leads you to master not only the use of your body, but also 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 and one ranged. These weapons can be any simple or martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special properties. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don’t already have it, and they count as monk weapons for you. You can choose a third kensei weapon at level 6. Many of this tradition’s features work only with your kensei weapons.

Agile Parry. If you make an unarmed strike as part of the Attack action on your turn and are holding a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated.

Kensei’s Strike. You can use a bonus action on your turn to make attacks with your kensei weapons more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with your kensei weapon takes an extra 1d4 damage of the weapon’s type. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn. This extra damage improves to a d6 at 6th level, a d8 at 11th level and a d10 at 17th level

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

One with the Blade

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

Magic Kensei Weapons. Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

Kensei Flurry. Once per short rest, when you use your flurry of blows feature, you can choose to spend 2 ki points instead of 1 to use your kensei weapon instead of your unarmed strikes for the attacks. If you are wielding a ranged weapon, you can make a number of additional ranged attacks granted by your flurry of blows as long as you have the ammunition to do so. You can use this feature twice per short rest once you reach 17th level in this class.

Ki Bonded Weapons. You share a special bond with your kensei weapons. If you ever become disarmed or are otherwise separated from your kensei weapon, you can use a bonus action and spend 1 ki point to call your weapon to your hand as long as it is within 30 feet of you and the path to you is unobstructed.

Kensei Weapon

When you reach 6th 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.

Improved Kensei Strike

Also, when you reach 6th level in this class, the extra damage from your Kensei Strike increases to 1d6

Ready the Blade

At 11th level, you gain the ability to enter a defensive stance with your melee kensei weapon as a bonus action. While in this stance you gain the following benefits.

Counter Strike. When you are the target of a melee attack by an opponent you can see, you can spend a ki point to impose disadvantage on the attack. If it misses, you can make a single counterattack with your kensei weapon.

Deflect Attack. If your opponents attack hits, you can instead reduce the damage you take by your martial arts die + your kensei weapon die.

Improved Kensei Strike

Also, when you reach 11th level in this class, the extra damage from your kensei strike increases to 1d8.

Unerring Accuracy

At 17th level, your mastery of your kensei weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. If you miss with an attack using your kensei weapon on your turn, you can reroll the attack. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.

Kensei Flurry

When you reach 17th level in this class, you can use Kensei flurry twice per short rest instead of once.

Improved Kensei Strike

Also, when you reach 17th level in this class, the extra damage from your kensei strike increases to 1d10