So at third level you can choose 1 ranged and 1 melee for it to become a kensei weapon. Now, if I take a long sword as a kensei weapon and used it two handed, will it be a d10 or d4 at level 3*? My guessing it'll change if i understood martial arts correctly.
If I am wrong please correct me and if I am right, does it still scale with dex? Will I have a d10 long sword from level 3*?
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You can use Dexterity instead of Strength for the attacks and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes and monk weapons.
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
since it says "you can" it optional. So in this case you probably want the first option to use dex mod and not the second option since your weapon damage die higher then your monk die at this level which totaly fine.
Martial arts tells you that you can use martial arts die. It does not automatically change it. So you would choose to use the higher in most cases:
You can roll a d4 in place of the normal damage of your unarmed strike or monk weapon. This die changes as you gain monk levels, as shown in the Martial Arts column of the Monk table.
The ability to use DEX instead of STR is a separate part of the feature, and is not dependant on using the Martial Arts die. So you can use DEX with a 2-handed long sword for 1d10 damage as a Kensei who has chosen the longsword.
Does that mean your Kensei scales with the Martial die? Would a spear go higher that 1d6 one handed at higher monk levels?
That is indeed how it works, any weapon you choose as your Kensei weapon follow the same rules as any other monk weapon, therefore their damage increases as the Martial Arts damage die increases.
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Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
So if I choose a versatile weapon (like a longsword) as a Kensai monk, and I wield it two-handed, I STILL can utilize my unarmed strike as a bonus action, right?
So if I choose a versatile weapon (like a longsword) as a Kensai monk, and I wield it two-handed, I STILL can utilize my unarmed strike as a bonus action, right?
Yes, and you don't need to be a Kensei to do it - all monks have been doing that with spears since 5E dropped, and thanks to Tasha's, all monks proficient in longswords, battleaxes, and warhammers can use them two-handed as well without losing anything. The weapon will count as a monk weapon in all ways while in two hands, and you can unarmed strike with a foot, tail, nose (if you're a Loxodon), or other appendage (if you're e.g. a Simic Hybrid). The only body parts you can't use for an unarmed strike are the ones explicitly banned from doing so, and I only know of one example: the new UA race Plasmoid can extend a noodly pseudopod that can't make unarmed strikes (in fact, it can't make any attacks, although it can deliver non-attack Touch spells).
So at third level you can choose 1 ranged and 1 melee for it to become a kensei weapon. Now, if I take a long sword as a kensei weapon and used it two handed, will it be a d10 or d4 at level 3*? My guessing it'll change if i understood martial arts correctly.
If I am wrong please correct me and if I am right, does it still scale with dex? Will I have a d10 long sword from level 3*?
Born under the watch of something from the furthest corners of the far realms.... It knows all.... it sees all... and it asks: "What is it that you want to see?"... and my answer is... ALL"
From martial art description
since it says "you can" it optional. So in this case you probably want the first option to use dex mod and not the second option since your weapon damage die higher then your monk die at this level which totaly fine.
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Martial arts tells you that you can use martial arts die. It does not automatically change it. So you would choose to use the higher in most cases:
The ability to use DEX instead of STR is a separate part of the feature, and is not dependant on using the Martial Arts die. So you can use DEX with a 2-handed long sword for 1d10 damage as a Kensei who has chosen the longsword.
Does that mean your Kensei scales with the Martial die?
Would a spear go higher that 1d6 one handed at higher monk levels?
That is indeed how it works, any weapon you choose as your Kensei weapon follow the same rules as any other monk weapon, therefore their damage increases as the Martial Arts damage die increases.
Born in Italy, moved a bunch, living in Spain, my heart always belonged to Roleplaying Games
So if I choose a versatile weapon (like a longsword) as a Kensai monk, and I wield it two-handed, I STILL can utilize my unarmed strike as a bonus action, right?
Yes, and you don't need to be a Kensei to do it - all monks have been doing that with spears since 5E dropped, and thanks to Tasha's, all monks proficient in longswords, battleaxes, and warhammers can use them two-handed as well without losing anything. The weapon will count as a monk weapon in all ways while in two hands, and you can unarmed strike with a foot, tail, nose (if you're a Loxodon), or other appendage (if you're e.g. a Simic Hybrid). The only body parts you can't use for an unarmed strike are the ones explicitly banned from doing so, and I only know of one example: the new UA race Plasmoid can extend a noodly pseudopod that can't make unarmed strikes (in fact, it can't make any attacks, although it can deliver non-attack Touch spells).
Thanks. I keep forgetting to check Tasha's for some of the newer class features.