Kensei Monk for 2024 rules

I always liked the concept of Kensei Monk from XGE, but thought it was a clumsy implementation. I've been thinking about how to fix it and update it for 2024 rules, and thought I'd throw it out here to get some feedback.

Level 3

Kensei Weapons. Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons. 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. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can change the kinds of weapons you chose.

You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. 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.

The only change here is that you no longer have to pick one melee and one ranged weapon. Felt like the kind of awkward restriction Arcane Trickster and Eldritch Knight used to have, which were also removed in '24. EDIT: Added a line to let you replace your choices on a long rest, in line with other classes that have Weapon Mastery.

Weapon Mastery. You can use the mastery properties of your kensei weapons. Once on each of your turns, you can replace a kensei weapon's mastery property with one of the following properties, depending on whether you're making a melee or ranged attack.

• Agile Parry (melee). 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 Shot (ranged). You can use a Bonus Action to make another ranged attack with this weapon, or two attacks if you expend 1 Focus Point to do so.

This is the main feature. Weapon Mastery opens up a lot of possibilities, but notably, Nick gives you an extra attack for free when dual wielding (albeit without the ability bonus to damage, but still using your chonky Martial Arts die!).

Agile Parry no longer requires an unarmed strike, so the weapon specialist subclass is actually free to use its weapons now! Kensei's Shot lets you make the same number of attacks as you could with unarmed strikes/Flurry of Blows. The once per turn restriction means you can't do a melee attack with one hand and a ranged attack with the other to get both benefits.

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

Unchanged.

I was considering giving it Fighting Style as well, but decided against it so that dipping into Fighter or Ranger remains a tempting option.

Level 6

Empowered Kensei Weapons. Whenever you deal damage with your kensei weapons, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type.

Updated to match the '24 version of Empowered Strikes.

Deft Strike. When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 focus 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.

Unchanged, could maybe add WIS bonus to the damage like Hand of Harm, but maybe not since you have your weapon masteries to make up for it.

Level 11

Sharpen the Blade. You gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your focus. As a bonus action, you can expend up to 3 focus points to grant all kensei weapons you're wielding a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with them. The bonus equals the number of focus points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. A magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls will have its bonus replaced for the duration.

Still takes a Bonus Action since it's a minute-long buff, but it can now apply to both weapons when dual wielding, and affects magic items. Note however that taking a +2 magic weapon to +3 still takes 3 focus points, on the assumption that the weapon might have other properties that make the +1 to hit/damage worth the cost.

Level 17

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

Unchanged.

Overall is good, but I always felt like the level 17 ability was a bit lackluster. It effectively gives you advantage on one attack roll, but monks focus on using many attacks, not a few strong ones, so it kinda stinks. I think it should either be an improvement to another kensei feature. my idea is:

Swift Blades. At 17th level, your masterful use of weapons grants you extraordinary agility. When you use flurry of blows, you can replace the unarmed strikes with kensei weapon attacks. additionally, while your Sharpen the Blade is active, you can make an additional attack with your kensei weapon.

It might be a bit strong, but kensei isn't a great subclass at high levels anyway, so I think it's fine.

Quote from StereotypicalDungeonMaster >>

Overall is good, but I always felt like the level 17 ability was a bit lackluster. It effectively gives you advantage on one attack roll, but monks focus on using many attacks, not a few strong ones, so it kinda stinks. I think it should either be an improvement to another kensei feature. my idea is:

Swift Blades. At 17th level, your masterful use of weapons grants you extraordinary agility. When you use flurry of blows, you can replace the unarmed strikes with kensei weapon attacks. additionally, while your Sharpen the Blade is active, you can make an additional attack with your kensei weapon.

It might be a bit strong, but kensei isn't a great subclass at high levels anyway, so I think it's fine.

 You're probably right, I honestly didn't give the level 17 reward much thought because nobody plays D&D at that level. :P

I do like your suggestion, here's a couple more. Some could possibly be combined to grant the appropriate amount of power.

Peerless Mastery. When you activate Sharpen the Blade, you can grant each kensei weapon you're wielding an additional weapon mastery of your choice. You can use this weapon mastery together with the weapons' original mastery options.

Precise Critical. Once per turn when you land a critical hit with an unarmed strike or kensei weapon, the target takes extra damage equal to your Monk level.

Flow Like Water. You can make one attack with a kensei weapon whenever you activate Patient Defense or Step of the Wind.

Perfect Technique. Agile Parry's AC bonus increases to +4. Kensei's Shot grants you an additional attack.

Focused Strike. Whenever you use Deft Strike, you can expend up to half your current Focus Points at once, rolling your Martial Arts die once for each point expended.

You should really make and post this to DnDBeyond's homebrew subclasses!!

I made the Homebrew too

Warrior of the Kensei
Level 3: Martial Training
You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, except those with the heavy (melee) or loading (ranged) properties.

Level 3: Path of the Kensei
Your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. You gain the following benefits:

Kensei Weapons. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can choose two types of weapons you are proficient with—one melee and one ranged—to be your Kensei weapons. For you, these weapons are Monk weapons. You can choose one additional weapon type (melee or ranged) at Monk levels 6, 11, and 17.

Agile Parry. If you're holding a melee Kensei weapon and make an Unarmed Strike or an attack with a Kensei weapon as part of the Attack action, you gain a +2 bonus to your Armor Class. This bonus lasts until the start of your next turn, provided you remain holding the weapon and don't have the Incapacitated condition.

Kensei’s Shot. As a Bonus Action, you can empower your ranged attacks. Until the end of the current turn, when you hit a target with a ranged Kensei weapon and deal damage, you deal an extra 1d6 damage of the same type.

Way of the Brush. You gain proficiency with Calligrapher's Supplies or Painter's Supplies.

Level 6: One with the Blade
You extend your focus into your weapons, granting you the following benefits:

Empowered Weapons. Whenever you deal damage with a Kensei weapon, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type.

Deft Strike. Once per turn when you hit a target with a Kensei weapon and deal damage, you can expend 1 Focus Point to deal extra damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die. The damage is the same type dealt by the weapon.

Level 11: Sharpen the Blade
As a Bonus Action, you can expend up to 3 Focus Points to touch one Kensei weapon. For 10 minute, you gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls made with that wea pon equal to the number of Focus Points expended. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Level 17: Unerring Accuracy
Your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. Once on each of your turns, if you miss with an attack roll using a Monk weapon, you can reroll it, and you must use the new roll.
Additionally, when you use your Deft Strike feature, the extra damage increases to two rolls of your Martial Arts die.

Quote from RixaGrace >>

Warrior of the Kensei – Design Notes

Level 3 – Martial Training: So instead of just saying "proficiency with the Longbow or finesse and versatile melee (Melee martial without Heavy properties)," You gain proficiency with all martial weapons, except those with the heavy (melee) or loading (ranged) properties." The reason is pretty simple – 2024 WOTC seems to be moving away from calling out specific weapons by name in feature descriptions, so I tried to match that style.

Level 3 – Path of the Kensei:

Kensei Weapons: I added the ability to swap your Kensei weapon choices on a Long Rest. Honestly, it just feels bad when you find a cool new weapon mid-adventure and can't use it as a Kensei weapon because your slots are already taken. The 5e 2024 design is all about flexibility, so this felt like a natural fit. I also changed the requirement to just "a weapon you're proficient with" – so if you picked up proficiencies outside of the Monk class, those count too. Heavy melee weapons still need STR 13 to avoid disadvantage, so it's not like it's totally open-ended. I think most players would agree this is a fair change.

Agile Parry: I tweaked this so that making an Unarmed Strike or attacking with a Kensei weapon as part of your Attack action also counts as the trigger. Before this, it felt really awkward – especially before you get Extra Attack – where you'd basically just be drawing your Kensei weapon with nothing to show for it offensively.

Kensei's Shot: Bumped the bonus damage die from 1d4 to 1d6. Since Martial Arts in 5e 2024 now starts at 1d6, keeping it at 1d4 just felt outdated.

Way of the Brush: No changes here.

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Level 6 – One with the Blade:

Empowered Strikes: Brought this in line with the base Monk's level 6 feature – so it now deals Force damage, same as the updated framework.

Deft Strike: No changes.

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Level 11 – Sharpen the Blade: Changed the duration from 1 minute to 10 minutes. Monk Bonus Action economy is already super tight, and a 1-minute buff just doesn't feel great when you might spend half of it trying to get into position. I want this to be something you can pop before a fight rather than scrambling to activate it mid-combat. Devotion Paladin and Barbarian already got the same treatment in 2024 (their buffs going up to 10 minutes), so it feels fair to give Kensei the same love.

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Level 17 – Unerring Accuracy: Mostly the same, but I added Deft Strike's bonus damage on top. The original 5e 2014 version of this feature always felt a bit underwhelming for a level 17 capstone, so this is just a small bump to make it actually feel worthy of that level.