strangebloke
2017-08-10, 11:50 AM
Reading through the thread for the UA that introduced that Kensai, I'm considering playing one.
So, the Kensai as it currently stands is kind of poorly written. Martial weapons that you're proficient with become 'kensai weapons.' However martial arts won't apply to any unarmed strikes you make while wielding a kensai weapon, since martial arts only applies if you are either unarmed, or wielding a monk weapon. (Kensai weapons are not monk weapons.)
So this seems to be kind of wonky. you can't flurry worth crap while wielding your kensai weapon, for one thing.
Moreover, there's a kensai ability that just really doesn't seem to function as intended. If you make an unarmed strike as part of your attack action while holding a kensai weapon, you get +2 AC. So in order to get that +2 AC you effectively need to burn a weapon attack on a 1+STR attack, which seems kind of horrible.
So there's a few ways to avoid making crappy unarmed strikes, but I just wanted to be clear that the method I had thought of worked:
round 1: close with enemy, flurry, attack using martial arts, use item interaction to draw your weapon, get +2 to AC.
round 2: attack using weapon, use item interaction to sheathe weapon, flurry.
(if you have multiple attacks, you can draw/sheathe partway through your attack action for +2 AC and bonus damage)
Does this work? Should I just ask my DM to allow martial arts to function while I am wielding a monk weapon?
So, the Kensai as it currently stands is kind of poorly written. Martial weapons that you're proficient with become 'kensai weapons.' However martial arts won't apply to any unarmed strikes you make while wielding a kensai weapon, since martial arts only applies if you are either unarmed, or wielding a monk weapon. (Kensai weapons are not monk weapons.)
So this seems to be kind of wonky. you can't flurry worth crap while wielding your kensai weapon, for one thing.
Moreover, there's a kensai ability that just really doesn't seem to function as intended. If you make an unarmed strike as part of your attack action while holding a kensai weapon, you get +2 AC. So in order to get that +2 AC you effectively need to burn a weapon attack on a 1+STR attack, which seems kind of horrible.
So there's a few ways to avoid making crappy unarmed strikes, but I just wanted to be clear that the method I had thought of worked:
round 1: close with enemy, flurry, attack using martial arts, use item interaction to draw your weapon, get +2 to AC.
round 2: attack using weapon, use item interaction to sheathe weapon, flurry.
(if you have multiple attacks, you can draw/sheathe partway through your attack action for +2 AC and bonus damage)
Does this work? Should I just ask my DM to allow martial arts to function while I am wielding a monk weapon?