Kensai Battlemaster

Kensai Battlemasters are monastic warriors who train for years to develop extraordinary abilities with the chosen weapons of their order, so as to fulfill the core mission of their particular order. They are exceptional guides, guards, and scouts, and they live to develop their abilities to the fullest, in the service of their order's mission.

Way of the Kensai

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. (Most Kensai Battlemasters choose longswords or quarterstaffs for their melee weapons, though this is not required.) 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 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 are holding a kensei melee weapon, you can use it to defend yourself as well as to attack. You gain a +2 bonus to AC while 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.

Level 3: Master of Battle

Your experience on the battlefield has refined your fighting techniques. You learn maneuvers that are fueled by special dice called Martial Superiority Dice. They are not the same as your martial arts dice.

Maneuvers. You initially learn one maneuver of your choice. Many maneuvers enhance an attack in some way. You can use only one maneuver per attack.

You learn an additional maneuvers of your choice when you reach monk levels 6, 9, 12, and 15. Each time you learn new maneuvers, you can also replace one maneuver you know with a different one.

Martial Superiority Dice. Using a maneuver requires the use of a martial superiority die. You begin with four d6, and the number of dice and the type of dice increase with your levels. You regain all expended Martial Superiority Dice when you finish a Short or Long Rest.

You gain an additional Martial Superiority Die when you reach monk levels 11 (five dice total) and 15 (six dice total).

You may expend a focus point to recover a martial superiority die, but not the other way around.

Saving Throws. If a maneuver requires a saving throw, the DC equals 8 plus your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice) and Proficiency Bonus.

Disarming Attack

When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can expend one martial superiority die to attempt to disarm the target. Add the martial superiority dice roll to the attack’s damage roll. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or drop one object of your choice that it’s holding, with the object landing in its space.

Distracting Strike

When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can expend one martial superiority die to distract the target. Add the martial superiority dice roll to the attack’s damage roll. The next attack roll against the target by an attacker other than you has Advantage if the attack is made before the start of your next turn.

Evasive Footwork

As a Bonus Action, you can expend one martial superiority die and take the Disengage action. You also roll the die and add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.

Feinting Attack

As a Bonus Action, you can expend one martial superiority die to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of yourself as your target. You have Advantage on your next attack roll against that target this turn. If that attack hits, add the martial superiority die roll to the attack’s damage roll.

Goading Attack

When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can expend one martial superiority die to attempt to goad the target into attacking you. Add the martial superiority die to the attack’s damage roll. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have Disadvantage on attack rolls against targets other than you until the end of your next turn.

Lunging Attack

As a Bonus Action, you can expend onemartial superiority die and take the Dash action. If you move at least 5 feet in a straight line immediately before hitting with a melee attack as part of the Attack action on this turn, you can add the martial superiority die  to the attack’s damage roll.

Menacing Attack

When you hit a creature with an attack roll, you can expend onemartial superiority die to attempt to frighten the target. Add the Superiority Die to the attack’s damage roll. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Frightened condition until the end of your next turn.

Parry

When another creature damages you with a melee attack roll, you can take a Reaction and expend onemartial superiority die  to reduce the damage by the number you roll on your Superiority Die plus your Strength or Dexterity modifier (your choice).

Precision Attack

When you miss with an attack roll, you can expend one martial superiority die, roll that die, and add it to the attack roll, potentially causing the attack to hit.

Riposte

When a creature misses you with a melee attack roll, you can take a Reaction and expend one martial superiority die to make a melee attack roll with a weapon or an Unarmed Strike against the creature. If you hit, add the martial superiority die  to the attack’s damage.

Sweeping Attack

When you hit a creature with a melee attack roll using a weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can expend one martial superiority die to attempt to damage another creature. Choose another creature within 5 feet of the original target and within your reach. If the original attack roll would hit the second creature, it takes damage equal to the number you roll on your martial superiority die. The damage is of the same type dealt by the original attack.

Trip Attack

When you hit a creature with an attack roll using a weapon or an Unarmed Strike, you can expend onemartial superiority die and add the die to the attack’s damage roll. If the target is Large or smaller, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or have the Prone condition.

One with the Blade

At 6th level, you extend your Focus 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.

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.

Crescendo of Steel

Successive successful strikes with a kensai weapon have the potential to leave the enemy open for extra attacks. 

If a Kensai Battlemaster hits twice in succession in the same round with a kensai weapon, then if they expend a focus point, their opponent must make a successful strength or dexterity check (Kensai Battlemaster's choice) of DC equal to 8+ the Kensai Battlemaster's attack bonus or leave themselves open to an extra attack as part of the same action or bonus action. This extra attack is done with advantage and the Kensai Battlemaster adds one martial arts die to the damage done by a successful hit. If this attack is successful, the crescendo continues until the Kensai Battlemaster misses or the total number of attacks for that action equal the proficiency bonus for the Kensai Battlemaster. For example, an 8th level Kensai Battlemaster gets two attacks per action. If both hit, he gets an extra (third) attack (with advantage) as part of that action. His proficiency bonus is 3, so three attacks is the maximum for that action. At 9th level, however, the proficiency bonus is 4, so if that third consecutive attack hit as part of that action, then he would get a fourth attack, also with advantage, also doing a martial arts die of additional damage on top of the normal weapon damage. This feature is particularly powerful when used in conjunction with a flurry of blows, as flurry of blows can be executed with a monk weapon (a kensai weapon counts as a monk weapon), enabling the Kensai Battlemaster to unleash a veritable storm of attacks on his/her turn. 

A crescendo of steel requires one focus point to initiate, however many extra attacks there are. 

Sharpen the Blade

At 11th level, 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 one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of Focus points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again. This feature has no effect on a magic weapon that already has a bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Extra Weapon, Extra Attack

When you reach 11th 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.

Also, you gain an extra attack per action, so long as you are using a kensai weapon or making an unarmed attack. 

Unerring Accuracy

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

Extra Weapon, Extra Attack

When you reach 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.

In addition, you gain an additional extra attack per action (for a total of 3 attacks per action) when using a kensai weapon or making an unarmed attack.