How imbalanced would it be if...

[Spiritchaser]

A Kensai could execute flurry of blows with their Kensai weapon?

My first thought is that it would be too much, particularly in low magic campaigns where a comparable fighter wouldn’t have a highly magical weapons, or in a high magic campaign where four strikes with a sharpened flame tongue weapon would be... impressive.

Still, in many cases, and in many levels, it probably isn’t that much of an upgrade.

Has anyone ever tried this?

[MaxWilson]

A Kensai could execute flurry of blows with their Kensai weapon?

My first thought is that it would be too much, particularly in low magic campaigns where a comparable fighter wouldn’t have a highly magical weapons, or in a high magic campaign where four strikes with a sharpened flame tongue weapon would be... impressive.

Still, in many cases, and in many levels, it probably isn’t that much of an upgrade.

Has anyone ever tried this?

It would make ranged kensais much stronger, perhaps strong enough to be worth the bother. Currently Kensais are quite weak.

IMO it would be an improvement.

[Thanatos 51-50]

They can, actually.

Kensai weapons count as monk weapons, and you don't actually need to make the attack with a Monk weapon to trigger flurry of blows. Your Kensai could even conceivably fire a longbow and then Flurry of Blows to kick the enemy they're adjacent to, since Flurry of Blows doesn't specify needing to be a melee attack. The only thing Flurry specifies is that the add on attacks must be made unarmed, but this becomes something of a moot point as your level up. Beyond damage type there's no mechanical change if a monk with a dagger uses flurry of blows to hit three times with their nonmagical dagger. It's mostly flavour at that point.

EDIT:
Okay. I re-read the question, you meant using your magical weapon to make all the attacks. That unbalances quickly at higher levels with magical weapons in 5e, but if you're using a nonmagical weapon with a damage die no bigger than your martial arts die, I say go for it.

[Spiritchaser]

To clarify a bit further, I would need to limit the flurry attacks to melee only. Failure to do so would open up some questionable longbow/sharpshooter shenanigans, particularly with fighter multiclass for archery, or any multiclass that can grant consistant advantage.

[Malifice]

Currently Kensais are quite weak.

Come again?

What makes them weak compared to an OHM?

[Grod_The_Giant]

It would be a substantial boost at low levels, letting your Flurry go from ~11 damage (2d4+6) to ~17 (2d10+6), but as you level the boost would become less and less impressive. I don't think I'd allow it at 3rd, but it should be okay at 6th.


Come again?

What makes them weak compared to an OHM?
Kensai Weapons provide about +1 average damage compared to normal monk ones, Agile Parry actually rewards you for not taking advantage of the subclass' main selling point, and Deft Strike is generally worse than using Flurry or Stunning Fist.

[Spiritchaser]

It would be a substantial boost at low levels, letting your Flurry go from ~11 damage (2d4+6) to ~17 (2d10+6), but as you level the boost would become less and less impressive. I don't think I'd allow it at 3rd, but it should be okay at 6th.

It’s sharpen, at 11 that concerns me in particular. With an extra +3 per attack to both hit and damage on flurry attacks as well the benefit is quite substantial. That having been said, Kensai has some headroom so maybe it’d be ok.