Can kensei monks attack with a weapon teitw and then bolster ac by 2? Or do I have to make an unarmed strike? It seems better thematicly to use the first, but it may be unbalanced?
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
Why do you consider it actively discouraging it? It's a tradeoff, until level 5 you choose if you want to deal more damage (using a longsword with two hands [perfectly within the rules] 1d10 is a hell of a lot more potential damage than 1d6) OR increase your AC until your next turn. Neither is automatically better than the other, it just depends on what you think it's best based on the situation.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
Why do you consider it actively discouraging it? It's a tradeoff, until level 5 you choose if you want to deal more damage (using a longsword with two hands [perfectly within the rules] 1d10 is a hell of a lot more potential damage than 1d6) OR increase your AC until your next turn. Neither is automatically better than the other, it just depends on what you think it's best based on the situation.
exactly this. If it wasn't a choice it would be an automatic +2 to your AC which is crazy. ((although after lvl 5 thats basically what it is lol)) Also once your Martial Die increases your going to be using your kensei weapon as a shield eventually anyway.
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
Why do you consider it actively discouraging it? It's a tradeoff, until level 5 you choose if you want to deal more damage (using a longsword with two hands [perfectly within the rules] 1d10 is a hell of a lot more potential damage than 1d6) OR increase your AC until your next turn. Neither is automatically better than the other, it just depends on what you think it's best based on the situation.
It's two damage per round for two AC. Not exactly a great trade and that's the best case scenario in terms of weapon choice here. The numbers get worse with most other weapons.
Admittedly the issue here is less numbers specifically and more that the Kensei advertises itself as a weapon-wielding Monk, yet it has class features encouraging you to not use your weapon. With flurry and extra attack you make four attacks in a round and more often than not only one of them is going to be with the weapon that supposedly is the cornerstone of your archetype's concept. I find that a bit silly. It'd be like if Storm Sorcerers had class features that buffed Fireball or if Arcane Archers got buffs for swinging a sword instead of shooting a bow.
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
Why do you consider it actively discouraging it? It's a tradeoff, until level 5 you choose if you want to deal more damage (using a longsword with two hands [perfectly within the rules] 1d10 is a hell of a lot more potential damage than 1d6) OR increase your AC until your next turn. Neither is automatically better than the other, it just depends on what you think it's best based on the situation.
It's two damage per round for two AC. Not exactly a great trade and that's the best case scenario in terms of weapon choice here. The numbers get worse with most other weapons.
Admittedly the issue here is less numbers specifically and more that the Kensei advertises itself as a weapon-wielding Monk, yet it has class features encouraging you to not use your weapon. With flurry and extra attack you make four attacks in a round and more often than not only one of them is going to be with the weapon that supposedly is the cornerstone of your archetype's concept. I find that a bit silly. It'd be like if Storm Sorcerers had class features that buffed Fireball or if Arcane Archers got buffs for swinging a sword instead of shooting a bow.
Need I remind you of the Onewith the Blade feature at level 6, which basically let's you add another unarmed strike on top of a landing weapon strike? As long as you hit with your weapon attack, you can get 1d10+Monk unarmed dice+Str/Dex, in one single attack, still leaving you with another 3 potential attacks.
It costs 1 Ki, sure, but is sure additional damage that you choose to add after you see if you hit or not, while FoB, which costs the same 1 Ki, is not sure damage. At that level and with that damage output, fights usually last shortly enough for you not to run out of Ki points.
But I get it's a matter of perception, most probably. You ARE using your weapon when you decide to use Agile Parry, only it is in a defensive capacity rather than offensive. EDIT: due to this, your comparisons do not seem fitting, to me, as you are still using your chosen weapon to do it, itsi not like you are forced to use something which is outside of what the subclass is focused on.
LeK has it right. Agile Parry is all about using your weapon defensively as a shield, rather than offensively as a weapon. In either case, you're still using your weapon. This is a feature that non-Kensei monks don't have because it is an ability tied to their use of weapons.
It is entirely thematically appropriate and doesn't detract from or discourage the use of your weapon.
Can kensei monks attack with a weapon teitw and then bolster ac by 2? Or do I have to make an unarmed strike? It seems better thematicly to use the first, but it may be unbalanced?
You mean with the Agile Parry ability, right?
As long as ONE of the attacks that you make as part of the ATTACK action is an unarmed attack, then this works.
At lower levels, when you only have one attack per round, then that one attack needs to be unarmed.
At higher levels, when you have multiple attacks, you can make weapon attacks, as long as one of the attacks is unarmed.
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That's not what I was asking I was wondering if the unarmed strike can be as a bonus action
No. A Bonus action is different from the Attack action. Stormknight is correct.
Stormknight is right.
That said I think it's really silly that the Kensei is actively discouraged from using their weapon at all until level 5 even though weapon wielding monk is the tradition's pitch.
Why do you consider it actively discouraging it?
It's a tradeoff, until level 5 you choose if you want to deal more damage (using a longsword with two hands [perfectly within the rules] 1d10 is a hell of a lot more potential damage than 1d6) OR increase your AC until your next turn. Neither is automatically better than the other, it just depends on what you think it's best based on the situation.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
exactly this. If it wasn't a choice it would be an automatic +2 to your AC which is crazy. ((although after lvl 5 thats basically what it is lol)) Also once your Martial Die increases your going to be using your kensei weapon as a shield eventually anyway.
It's two damage per round for two AC. Not exactly a great trade and that's the best case scenario in terms of weapon choice here. The numbers get worse with most other weapons.
Admittedly the issue here is less numbers specifically and more that the Kensei advertises itself as a weapon-wielding Monk, yet it has class features encouraging you to not use your weapon. With flurry and extra attack you make four attacks in a round and more often than not only one of them is going to be with the weapon that supposedly is the cornerstone of your archetype's concept. I find that a bit silly. It'd be like if Storm Sorcerers had class features that buffed Fireball or if Arcane Archers got buffs for swinging a sword instead of shooting a bow.
Need I remind you of the Onewith the Blade feature at level 6, which basically let's you add another unarmed strike on top of a landing weapon strike? As long as you hit with your weapon attack, you can get 1d10+Monk unarmed dice+Str/Dex, in one single attack, still leaving you with another 3 potential attacks.
It costs 1 Ki, sure, but is sure additional damage that you choose to add after you see if you hit or not, while FoB, which costs the same 1 Ki, is not sure damage. At that level and with that damage output, fights usually last shortly enough for you not to run out of Ki points.
But I get it's a matter of perception, most probably. You ARE using your weapon when you decide to use Agile Parry, only it is in a defensive capacity rather than offensive. EDIT: due to this, your comparisons do not seem fitting, to me, as you are still using your chosen weapon to do it, itsi not like you are forced to use something which is outside of what the subclass is focused on.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
LeK has it right. Agile Parry is all about using your weapon defensively as a shield, rather than offensively as a weapon. In either case, you're still using your weapon. This is a feature that non-Kensei monks don't have because it is an ability tied to their use of weapons.
It is entirely thematically appropriate and doesn't detract from or discourage the use of your weapon.
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