How to Make a Bow-Kata Monk/Fighter?

[Cry Havoc]

The hand crossbow hilariously counts as a legal option for the Kensai (its a one handed martial weapon that lacks the heavy and special qualities).

You take Crossbow master feat at 4th level (1st if you're a Human) to ignore the loading property, and attack in melee with it.

If guns are allowed, the Pistol and 1h firearms and so forth also qualifies as a Kensai weapon.

Multiclass options include levels of Ranger or BM Fighter for zero MAD and Archery + Sup dice/ Hunters mark.

[Zalabim]

I have no idea what that means for the record.

Waffle - Verb
Informal
North American: fail to make up one's mind.
British: speak or write, especially at great length, without saying anything important or useful.

Compare the original paragraph with what I cut the quote down to. I cut the waffle.

I had not realized this when I posted it. Kensei is basically the most "martial" of the Monk subclasses? I thought that was the Way of the Open Hand?
Note: I have not yet played a Monk in 5e so I've not put a great deal of research into the class. This would be pretty much my first attempt.

Open Hand is the monkest of the monks. It gets more of the mystical kung fu powers, like meditative healing and the five point palm exploding heart technique. The Kensei just uses weapons better.

[Sorinth]

What's so bad about Kensei?

The only problem with the Kensei is that people have misconceptions about it. They see the +2 AC bonus and assume that they need it active every single round. As a result they don't attack very much with their weapon and end up playing a weapon master who doesn't attack much with his weapon and are disappointing.

In reality unless you are going for some sort of max-AC build where you multiclass with Bladesinger then for the most part a Kensei shouldn't be using Agile Parry all that much. It's similar to Flurry of Blows vs Patient Defence, most of the time you'll use Flurry, but there are times that Patient Defence is really good. Agile Parry just builds on that, when you want to be defensive you are now really defensive. On top of that the times you can't decide whether Flurry or Patient Defence is better you have a middle ground option where you flurry or just martial arts attack for your BA but also increase your defence with Agile Parry. Just don't always use that middle ground option unless your character's fighting style is supposed to cautious/defensive.

[SociopathFriend]

The only problem with the Kensei is that people have misconceptions about it. They see the +2 AC bonus and assume that they need it active every single round. As a result they don't attack very much with their weapon and end up playing a weapon master who doesn't attack much with his weapon and are disappointing.

In reality unless you are going for some sort of max-AC build where you multiclass with Bladesinger then for the most part a Kensei shouldn't be using Agile Parry all that much. It's similar to Flurry of Blows vs Patient Defence, most of the time you'll use Flurry, but there are times that Patient Defence is really good. Agile Parry just builds on that, when you want to be defensive you are now really defensive. On top of that the times you can't decide whether Flurry or Patient Defence is better you have a middle ground option where you flurry or just martial arts attack for your BA but also increase your defence with Agile Parry. Just don't always use that middle ground option unless your character's fighting style is supposed to cautious/defensive.

I mean I'm personally sitting on the idea of:
Bonus Action - Kensei's Shot
Action - Unleash hell
Action Surge to Unleash hell again
And throwing Battlemaster dice in there as-needed

Even without the resources I think I can do the Kensei shot as much as I want. That's pretty useful to just keep popping people for consistent damage.

Compare the original paragraph with what I cut the quote down to. I cut the waffle.

And they say D&D doesn't teach you anything.