Warrior of the Blade (Kensei 5.5E)

Monks of the Blade dedicate their lives to perfecting the union between body, will, and weapon. To them, a blade—or any weapon they choose to master—is not merely a tool of war, but an extension of their very being. Through endless training, meditation, and repetition, they learn to move with their weapon as naturally as they breathe, until the distinction between wielder and weapon all but disappears.

While many monks focus on the perfection of the body alone, followers of the Blade Path believe that true martial enlightenment can also be found through steel, wood, or any instrument forged for battle. They approach their chosen weapon with the patience and care of a master artisan studying their craft. Every grip, every strike, every angle of motion is examined, refined, and practiced until instinct replaces thought.

To an outsider, their movements can appear effortless—strikes flowing seamlessly from one to the next, parries arriving precisely where needed, each motion guided by perfect control. This grace is not born of natural talent alone, but of relentless discipline and thousands of hours spent studying form, balance, and timing.

Blade Path monks do not pursue mastery for glory or conquest. For them, the weapon is a medium through which they express focus, clarity, and control. The battlefield simply happens to be where that mastery reveals itself most clearly. That such devotion produces warriors of extraordinary skill is merely the inevitable consequence of their lifelong pursuit of perfection.

Path of the Blade

When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons.

Focus Weapons. Choose two types of weapons to be your Focus weapons, one ranged & one melee. 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 Focus 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 Focus weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Weapon Mastery. You can use the standard Weapon Mastery properties of your focus weapons, or the two special properties below, depending on whether you're making a melee or ranged attack.

• Agile Parry. If you use the Attack action on your turn and are holding a melee Focus 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.
• Focus Shot. If you use the Attack with a ranged Focus weapon, you can use a Bonus Action to make another ranged attack with that weapon, or two attacks if you expend 1 Focus Point to do so.

One with the Blade

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

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

Deft Strike. When you hit a target with a Focus 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.

Fluid Fighting Style. You can adopt a particular style of fighting after meditating. Choose a Fighting Style Feat. After a level up, you can change your fighting style feat.

Focus Weapon

When you reach 6th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon — either melee or ranged — to be a Focus weapon for you, following the criteria above.

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 all Focus 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.

Focus Weapon

When you reach 11th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon — either melee or ranged — to be a Focus weapon for you, following the criteria above.

Flow Like Water

Flow Like Water. At 11th level, You can make one attack with a Focus weapon whenever you activate Patient Defense or Step of the Wind.

Swift Blade, Peerless Mastery

Swift Blade. 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 Focus weapon attacks. additionally, while your Sharpen the Blade is active and you use the attack action, you can make an additional attack with your Focus weapon.

Peerless Mastery. When you activate Sharpen the Blade and attack with a Focus weapon, you can replace your normal weapon mastery options with the Vex, Sap, or Slow property for that attack.

 

 

Focus Weapon

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.