Any good Kensai builds

[Rahdjan]

Hey all, I've been looking at the Kensai and I love the concept. I really dig the signature weapon ability, but I'm not sure what to make of the other abilities. Also, I find it odd that its a D10 class with 3/4 BAB. Lastly, are there other classes that can do/mimic the Kensai's sig wep?

[limejuicepowder]

I always though the kensai was fairly strong, but that's partially a function of the games I typically play in: extremely low WBL. In a game like that, having guaranteed access to a custom-tailored weapon is nice.

The other abilities are pretty good too, mainly power surge.

The main problem with the kensai is it doesn't dip very well. If you're not planning on at least 5 or 6 levels, it's probably not worth it at all.

Ultimately, if you are playing with ToB, kensai is definitely kind of a weak option. Most of it's ability is something that is (usually) gotten though wealth, and even if it's not, it's not as strong as maneuvers. If ToB is banned though, kensai is one of the better mundane options. In particular, I would consider it builds that rely on having specific weapons, like an archer that needs a splitting bow.

[Jeff the Green]

Vow of poverty Warforged Totemist 6/Kensai 10/Totemist 4. Enchant all your natural weapons with throwing + returning.

Probably not insanely powerful, but entertaining.

[Piggy Knowles]

There's a Warchanter/Kensai build floating around somewhere that can grant characters a +30 BAB using a few minor shenanigans, if my memory doesn't fail me... When I'm on an actual computer, I'll try to look it up and edit in the link.

EDIT: That was easier to find than I thought, but it is also a little different than I'd remembered. "Believe in me who believes in you," (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=91.0) by Prime32. Unfortunately, it doesn't combine both elements at once and needs a cohort to pull off. I'll keep looking - I could have sworn there was build somewhere that is similar in function.

[thethird]

I don't think that you can pull the kensai/warchanter combo without two characters, as the ability needed are gained at level 10 (warchanter) and 8 (kensai). Still with leadership it becomes... awesomely borked.

edit: swordsaged I guess.

[WhatBigTeeth]

Lastly, are there other classes that can do/mimic the Kensai's sig wep?
There's Psychic Weapon Master (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d), but it doesn't mimic the part of the Kensai's signature weapon that makes it really good (natural attacks). Plus the prereqs are awful. Best case scenario is something like Human Ardent 10/PWM 10 with Conflict mantle and every feat until level 15 tied up just in PWM entry/Practiced Manifester.

[123456789blaaa]

There's Psychic Weapon Master (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040827d), but it doesn't mimic the part of the Kensai's signature weapon that makes it really good (natural attacks). Plus the prereqs are awful. Best case scenario is something like Human Ardent 10/PWM 10 with Conflict mantle and every feat until level 15 tied up just in PWM entry/Practiced Manifester.

This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/29473649/) Psychic Weapon Master build is quite nice.

[aphoticConniver]

Vow of poverty Warforged Totemist 6/Kensai 10/Totemist 4. Enchant all your natural weapons with throwing + returning.

Probably not insanely powerful, but entertaining.

The first thing that came to my mind when I read this
was rocket fists.

[Jeff the Green]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read this
was rocket fists.

Uh huh! :smallbiggrin: It's a warforged that grows teeth, claws, tentacles, and more arms and then throws them at his enemies!

[RunicLGB]

One of the tricks I read for making a Kensai stupid sick is playing a Thri-Keen Monk/Kensai. This way you can enchant your claws and due to the way the kensai calculates cost on multiple natural weapons you get Four magic weapons for just 130% of the exp cost (which is rather low). Put spell storing (and other goodies) on each claw and have the friendly caster put vampiric touch or other nasty touch spells in each hand. Boom.

[Fyermind]

I like Kensai on my soulbows. I like having splitting and luck on all my shots.

Soul Knife 4 / Fighter 1 (targeteer varient if possible, hit and run fighter too) / Soulbow something / kensai 6

Those six levels get splitting, magebane, and force.

[Arc_knight25]

I have a 1/2 orc build I want to try with the Kensai and Exotic Weapon master.

It would look something like 7 fighter/ 3 Exotic Weapon master/ 10 Kensai (not at home for actual level progression)

This of course going the TWF path so needs a good Dex and Strength mod.

Other Option was making those 7 levels of Fighter, Ranger instead and go TWF.

Kensai has alot of RP restrictions needing you to swear an oath to a lord and all that. Doesn't make much sense for an adventurer with no ties to any paticular Lord to take it. But if you want the RP challenge roll with it.

[Deox]

One that I enjoy coupling with Kensai is the Revenant Blade.

Something like:
Ranger 2 / Fighter 2 / Warblade 1 / Revenant Blade 5 / Eternal Blade 2 / Kensai 8

Add in Ancestral Relic and enchanting that double scimitar is a cake walk (not to mention crazy power attack with both ends...).

[Vaz]

Dip Swordsage, and get Dex to Damage with Shadow Hand weapons and Sneak Attack +2d6, and TWF with a pair of Keen Shortswords.

The problem with Kensai I find is that is has no real major benefits over what money does for its signature weapon, while its abilities elsewhere are nothing much to write home about. Throw in alignment restrictions, 3 typically Cross-Class skills, and the requisite to jump through hoops with 2 Vows to uphold which may well come at odds with one another... I don't like it.

[Snowbluff]

Vow of poverty Warforged Totemist 6/Kensai 10/Totemist 4. Enchant all your natural weapons with throwing + returning.

Probably not insanely powerful, but entertaining.

Wait, like your totemist natural weapons? What happens when you unshape them?:smalleek:

[Greenish]

Wait, like your totemist natural weapons? What happens when you unshape them?:smalleek:Natural weapons automatically regain their Kensai enhancement at no cost when you regain them.

The rule was clearly written with dismemberment and regeneration in mind, but it's non-specific enough that it should work with soulmelds.

[Jeff the Green]

Natural weapons automatically regain their Kensai enhancement at no cost when you regain them.

The rule was clearly written with dismemberment and regeneration in mind, but it's non-specific enough that it should work with soulmelds.

Unfortunately I just reread the class and it doesn't work like I thought it did. They have to be all the same type, so you can't enchant a slam, a bite, and two claws, and I don't think there are any soulmelds that give you a slam.

[Talionis]

Mostly, you are looking for natural attacks and as many the same as possible. Spell storing is really good. I've heard people also suggest Sizing to increase base damage.

I like the give BAB and saves away thing. This can match well with Warblade or Swordsage since they have access to Diamond Mind save replacement and touch attack maneuver to help not miss your BaB so much. Also there is a lot of Concentration synergy with Diamond Mind and Kensai.

A trick to remember is that the 1st level Bard spell Undersong (Spell Compendium) can cheaply be put on a ring and allow you Perform Skill checks to replace your Concentration checks. There may also be a trick with Weapon Drill that makes that even more interesting.

[Talderas]

Dip Swordsage, and get Dex to Damage with Shadow Hand weapons and Sneak Attack +2d6, and TWF with a pair of Keen Shortswords.

The problem with Kensai I find is that is has no real major benefits over what money does for its signature weapon, while its abilities elsewhere are nothing much to write home about. Throw in alignment restrictions, 3 typically Cross-Class skills, and the requisite to jump through hoops with 2 Vows to uphold which may well come at odds with one another... I don't like it.

Depending on how you interpret Instill that ability is meh or one of the best abilities ever created. The ability doesn't actually state what or how the subject base attack bonus is added to the recipient, only that it is added. If the ability adds to the base attack bonus then you can have a level 20 fighter that is instilled by a Kensai with 6 attacks in a full attack action since its base attack bonus would be 30. Of course the Kensai (assuming originally having a 20 BAB as well) would be reduced to a 10 BAB and consequently 2 attacks.

[Vaz]

Unfortunately I just reread the class and it doesn't work like I thought it did. They have to be all the same type, so you can't enchant a slam, a bite, and two claws, and I don't think there are any soulmelds that give you a slam.

Warshaper or Impure Prince, Kensai with Tentacles.

Edit; you can't get more than 3 iterative attacks.

[Soranar]

I'll second the vow of poverty soulbow

sure, you're just a gun but you're a really effective gun

and in Dnd, it's usually better to be really good at what you do if you want to remain an effective member of your group

vow gives you +5 to hit and damage (over 20 levels), good aligned weapons
kensai gives you +10 enchantment on your mind arrows
and if you follow soulbow to level 10 you get another +3 or 4 of enchants on your mind arrows, giving you access to an extremely effective weapon

everything is also based on Wisdom

[Talderas]

kensai gives you +10 enchantment on your mind arrows
and if you follow soulbow to level 10 you get another +3 or 4 of enchants on your mind arrows, giving you access to an extremely effective weapon

No. Assuming you go Kensai 10 you'll be Soulknife(5), Soulbow(5). Those levels stack together for determining the innate bonus of a mindblade/mindarrow and you'll have a +1 mind blade with +1 worth of enchantments and +1 mind arrow with +1 worth of enchanments.

So if you want to have highest total enhancement bonus on the weapon you would have a +1 Mind Arrow with +9 of enhancements from Kensai and a +2 Mind Arrow with +2 of enhancements from SoulBow.

Effectively you'll have a +2 Mind Arrow with +11 of enhancements but the enhancments from kensai and mind arrow must be determined separately.

The enhancement bonuses gained from kensai and soulbow will not stack together so you'd get the highest of the two.