Kensai?

[HidesHisEyes]

Anyone have either a homebrew kensai class/subclass or an inventive way of building one using the PHB? It's a wonderful trope but there's no obvious way of doing it in 5E. Fighter/Monk seems conceptually right but I can't imagine it being hugely effective. Any ideas, anyone?

For the uninitiated, kensai is Japanese for "sword saint" and in earlier editions was a fighter subclass in D&D who didn't wear armour and took a sort of zen approach to mastering a weapon (not necessarily a samurai sword, but that's the classic version). All about speed, huge damage and monk-like discipline.

[Naanomi]

It would likely be a monk subclass that opens up another weapon as a 'monk weapon' as its first ability. I've seen a few homebrew versions floating around

[HidesHisEyes]

It would likely be a monk subclass that opens up another weapon as a 'monk weapon' as its first ability. I've seen a few homebrew versions floating around

Thanks, I'll look for them. I hadn't thought of that, I'd assumed it would be best as a fighter subclass, but monk makes a lot of sense.

[Naanomi]

Thanks, I'll look for them. I hadn't thought of that, I'd assumed it would be best as a fighter subclass, but monk makes a lot of sense.
Pickup a weapon of choice as a monk weapon, allow martial arts attacks to be weapon attacks instead of unarmed, and allow stunning blow (and the like) with weapons. Maybe pickup some battlemaster maneuvers (usable with ki) at a higher level.

Seems more elegant than finding out the balance of unarmored defense and mobility boosts as a fighter to me; but likely workable the other way as well

[Ninja_Prawn]

Submortimer did a great Kensai a while back. It was a martial archetype (fighter subclass). I keep a modified version of it in my sig, that's how good it is.

[CNagy]

I make version of the Kensai available to my players as a Monk subclass. It's pretty straightforward and simple. It trades pretty much all of the Monk's usual subclass versatility for better DPR, and while it hasn't been used often enough to know for certain, the times my players have opted to go Kensai, the Kensai did not outshine the other damage dealers.

3rd:
Weapon of Choice: Pick one weapon that does not have the Heavy or Two-handed property. This weapon counts as a Monk weapon for you. You can spend 1 ki as a bonus action to make this weapon magical for 1 minute.

6th:
Kensai Arts: Your martial arts bonus action attack can now be made with your weapon of choice.

11th:
Kensai Focus: You add your Wisdom ability modifier to damage for attacks made with your weapon of choice.

17th:
Kensai Flurry: When you use Flurry of Blows, you may use your weapon of choice for the bonus attacks.

[Twelvetrees]

Have some links:

Kensai fighter subclass, for great justice by Gnomes2169 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369939-Kensai-fighter-subclass-for-great-justice)

Martial Archtype: Kensai by Submortimer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?422749-Martial-Archtype-Kensai)

Monk Subclass: The Kensai by AgentPaper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?379284-Monk-Subclass-The-Kensai)

5e Kensai class (with 5 archetypes) by altfuldisch (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?414130-5e-Kensai-class-(with-5-archetypes)-PEACH)


Hope these are useful!

[MrStabby]

Probably a simple answer - but dex based battlemaster with a refluffed rapier might work well?

[Malifice]

Struggling to see how a Monk/ BM Fighter (or Paladin) doesnt do the job?

[djreynolds]

An unarmored fighter, a barbarian could be lawful. His rage could be refluffed very easily and called something else.

Or monk/battle-master.

But you must be careful, this kensai, from old Oriental Adventures has tenets and such. You would have to limit his weapon to perhaps just a single weapon. And having dexterity based monks running around with GWM and GWS style could be very powerful. The above barbarian's stuff just has to be renamed actually.

[Spacehamster]

To me it would be fighter chassis that looses armor prof + shield prof and gain AC13 + DEX, and his whole thing would revolve around choosing one weapon and one combat style and when using that weapon he would get some bonus and the combat style would be slightly better then the normal style. Then give him focus points, amount would equal his WIS bonus. They would fuel a couple of maneuvers and recharge on a short rest. :)

Might homebrew it when I get off work. :)

[Kane0]

Seconding Submortimer's fighter subclass, my group loves it.

[Foxhound438]

this fighter archetype might be just what you're looking for

Different fighters choose different approaches to perfecting
their fighting prowess. The martial archetype you choose to
emulate reflects your approach.

Kensai

The archetypical Kensai is an honorable swordsman,
possessing great power and mastery over her single chosen
weapon. An expert in controlling her life energies, a Kensai
imbues her chosen weapon with her own Chi and bonds to
it, allowing her to wield it with greater finesse than a
normal warrior.

Extension of Body
Beginning when you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you
may attune to a weapon that you are proficient with by
meditating for 24 hours. By imbuing a weapon with your
own Chi, the weapon forms a special link with you and
becomes your signature weapon. You may only have a
single signature weapon at a time. It is now considered a
magical weapon which grants a +1 bonus to attack rolls.
Additionally, if you can see your weapon and it is within 30
feet, you may have your signature weapon fly to your hand
as a bonus action. If you try to make an attack with any
weapon other than your signature weapon, you may not
apply your proficiency bonus to attacks.

Extension of Soul
At 7th level you learn to extend your Chi to affect others.
You gain advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) and
Charisma (Deception) checks while you are within 5ft of
your signature weapon if you are proficient in these skills.
After using this ability to gain advantage on a roll, you
cannot use it again until you complete a short or long rest.

Extension of Blade
At 10th level, through countless battles and days of
maintenance, you have gained the ability to wield your
weapon with precise control. You may now apply an
additional half your proficiency bonus (rounded down) to
attack rolls using your signature weapon.

Power Surge
At 15th level as a bonus action, you can channel your Chi
to guide your blade. While wielding your signature
weapon, you may double your proficiency bonus to attack
rolls and add your proficiency bonus to damage with your
signature weapon for the rest of the round. After using this
ability, you cannot use it again until you complete a short
or long rest.

Extension of Mind
At 18th level, you can impart a shard of your consciousness
into your signature weapon as a 1 hour ritual requiring
concentration and grant it sentience for 1 day. While your
signature weapon has sentience, by closing your eyes and
concentrating on your weapon as an action, you can enter a
Zen State for one minute. Until you lose concentration or
choose to end the Zen State as a bonus action, you have
blindsight with a range of 30 feet and cannot use your
normal sight. You move at half speed and cannot be
surprised. While in a Zen state, you may not attack
normally, though you can launch a single precise attack
each round. As an action, you may make a single weapon
attack with advantage using your signature weapon. If this
attack hits, you may add your total attack bonus as damage
to your damage roll. You may not use Power Surge if you
are in a Zen State. After you enter a Zen state, you may not
enter it again until you complete a long rest.

source: CLASS PACK 1 Middle Finger of Vecna

[JellyPooga]

Fighter, Monk or Rogue; pick your poison. Any one of these three classes or pretty much any combination of them can do "Kensai" without any need for homebrew.
- Fighter does the [weapon of choice]-master with all the tricks of the trade.
- Monk does the unarmoured thing.
- Rogue has the lightning strike, one-big-hitter deal down pat.

If I were building a "Kensai", I might go;

Class: Open Hand Monk 4/Battlemaster Fighter 11/Swashbuckler Rogue 5.
Ability Scores: Dex>Wis>Cha>Con>Str>Int
Equipment: Shortsword
Feats: Alert, ASIx4 (I might be tempted by Sentinel)
Maneuvers: Disarming, Distracting, Feinting, Goading, Lunging and Trip Attack, Riposte (not necessarily in that order)
Fighting Style: Duelist

AC = 10+Dex+Wis
Initiative = +(Dex+Cha+5)

Lvl.1: Monk (Unarmoured Defence, Martial Arts)
Lvl.2-4: Rogue (Sneak Attack (2d6), Cunning Action, +Cha to Initiative)
Lvl.5-7: Fighter (Fighting Style, Action Surge, Combat Superiority)
[At this point, you've got all the meat of the concept; everything from here is just gravy]
Lvl.8-10: Monk
Lvl.11-12: Rogue
Lvl.13+: Fighter

[djreynolds]

I think, humbly, IMO, they got rid of the weapon master (I miss her) for a reason. Too much math, and stats, and crit fishing and who had spells that stopped critical hits. Now we see anyone can get hit by a sneak attack or critical hit. That's why champions at 15th level only score one on an 18 or above. Melee weapon bonus, are gone, we do have archery stlye but many of the melee classes have the ability to get advantage, which I'm told amounts to +5 basically.

So the kensai is there, an unarmored barbarian/paladin could give you something. Or a monk/warlock could net you something. But bonuses to melee weapons could make GWM really powerful, and bless spells and inspiration can do that as well. Even a monk or fighter could take magic initiate for blade ward and bless and guidance, for a boost to classes with no magic.

For those who want GWM for dexterity based melee types, its not in the cards. Finesse long sword is there, but no finesse heavy weapons.

[silveralen]

I've let a character make a kensai by altering and trading out a few abilities with open hand monk:

Martial Arts: Prof with any single type of melee weapon, which now counts as a monk weapon. When used as a monk weapon, it replaces it's normal weapon damage die with a die one step larger than your unarmed damage (ie d4 unarmed-> d6 chosen weapon, d10 unarmed -> d12 weapon). You may use martial arts to attack with this weapon rather than make an unarmed strike.

Flurry of blows + patient defense: These abilities can only be used with the chosen weapon type.

Ki Empowered strikes: This only works with your chosen weapon type.

Open Hand Technique: Only works with chosen weapon type.

Wholeness of Body -> Deflect Blows: When wielding your chosen weapon, you may now use the deflect missiles ability on melee weapon attacks as well as ranged weapon attacks by spending one ki point and using your reaction. If the damage of the melee attack is reduced to zero, you may make a single melee attack of your own with your chosen weapon as part of the same reaction.

Tranquility -> Weapon Focus: When you finish a long rest, you may spend two hit die to gain the benefits of either great weapon or defense weapon style while wielding your chosen weapon. You ignore the normal requirements for the fighting styles and may change between the two styles at the start of your turn. This ability does not work if the monk is using any other weapon styles, and

Quivering Palm: Can only use this ability when you hit with an attack with chosen weapon. The player preferred to have it be appear as a cut which didn't open or start bleeding until triggered, rather than the standard vibrations, but mechanically it worked the same.

It's not anything that different. The basic monk changes offer slightly more damage and the ability to benefit more from magic weapons, but suffers if denied weapons (to a degree, martial arts, stunning blow, and unarmed damage increases were all left alone deliberately, so they are not helpless). The open hand monk changes are to make it a bit more thematic. Deflect Blows allows you to prevent rather than heal damage, and eats into your reaction rather than your action, while weapon focus allows you to gain the benefits of a fighting style without the need to multiclass (it also coincides with many other classes gaining their second damage feature).

However, as both new kensai features feel flat out better than what they replace, they also come with a higher cost. Deflect blows eats into monk's ki, unlike wholeness of body, while weapon drills has a unique cost. Trading hit dice away is meant to mimic the monk spending time with his weapon, focusing and practicing, rather than resting, and mostly makes up for the fact it is replacing a borderline useless ability.