UA Monks Introduces the Kensai and Tranquility Traditions

The Kensei was pretty much exactly how I expected/wanted it to be. With the exception of the bludgeoning damage. A d4 that doesn't scale? I hate d4s, and especially at higher levels it's hardly worth anything. Especially since as a monk, I could just use my bonus action to make an unarmed attack and use monk damage dice for that.

I've never been a fan of pacifist PCs, so the tranquil monk isn't my cup of tea. I understand others may feel differently though.

 

[kalani]

TBH, I prefer the Kensei/Sohei homebrew I created in 2014 (and later ported to EnWorld in 2015).

 

[phantomK9]

I agree with a lot of people who are saying the Tranquility Monk should get something more along the lines of nonviolent (or less violent) martial arts options.


I think they should get an ability at 3rd level (or maybe later) that says.

"You can take the Dodge, Disarm, Shove, or Grapple actions as bonus actions."

Maybe only limit those to just three different actions. Rogue already gets the Cunning Action ability at 2nd level which allows the choice of Dash, Disengage, or Hide as a bonus action, so allowing the Monk to do the "nonviolent" martial arts options as bonus actions at 3rd level really doesn't seem over powered. Especially since they have to put a premium on their bonus actions.

 

[hejtmane]

So much this. A grapple/control based monk would be cool - judo/aikido inspired rather than kung-fu.

As long as we get a Koshinage throw

 

[Ovarwa]

If I'm reading this right, Kensai's bonus action pummel is 1d4 free damage, not an additional attack.

 

[Mercule]

Hmm.... I don't have many thoughts on Tranquility -- I've played pacifists, had pacifists played in my games, and seen another half-dozen ways of doing them. My experience is that it depends more on the player's style than the mechanics as to whether the character feels like a pacifist and that any build intended to be a pacifist, even pacifist-lite, is going to be role-play balanced and open to abuse if that's not enforced/considered. This build looks acceptable, overall, but it doesn't excite me. (I.e. if other folks like it, I have no objections.)

My first read-through of the Kensai, on the other hand, made me want to play one. That d4 pummel is wonky and kinda WTF. I also didn't catch that a "Kensai weapon" only damages as a Monk weapon, but isn't actually a Monk weapon. I don't think I actually like the differentiation. It just feels wrong. Without the flurry of blows, it just seems tacked onto Monk instead of being integral.

As far using the Monk chassis vs, say, Fighter, it's mostly flavor and about the mythology around the character. The Fighter makes a good base for any archetype that might be considered a soldier, knight, or other "standard" warrior who wouldn't be completely out of place in the military -- even if just being press-ganged. On the other hand, the Monk is more of an aesthetic; they fold some form of contemplative focus into their art. A Kensai may be equal to a Samurai in skill with a blade. Both may say the blade becomes an extension of themselves. The Fighter is all about what the technique does to the other guy. The Monk is about what the technique does to/through themselves. At the end of the day, the bad guy is equally dead. It's the road that's different. Hopefully, the choice of which class facilitates the flavor the player is looking for.

There's a balance. Towards one end of the spectrum you have the trio of combat guy/skill monkey/spell caster. Towards the other end, you have new classes for swashbuckler, assassin, man-at-arms, and chevalier as well as each wizard school, etc. I think the 12-16 range is ideal, with some mild Venn diagram overlapping being permissible.

 

[Spinwheel]

This martial weapon is a Kensei Weapon, not a monk weapon, does this mean you don't get any of the benefits of Martial Arts while wielding it? If it does, then all of your unarmed strike abilities are worthless, because you are hitting with str+mod and 1 damage.

Bingo, this would also make your flurry of blows worthless as they would be 1+str mod as well. I asked Crawford on twitter but he refused to clarify and gave some vague response about not wanting to influence feedback.

 

[lkj]

From Mearls:

Asked about a grappling monk, replied:

"couldn't get it done in time. Still in the queue..."

 

[Sacrosanct]

If I'm reading this right, Kensai's bonus action pummel is 1d4 free damage, not an additional attack.

Correct. But my beef is that monks use bonus actions about every round. Taking away a bonus action that would normally be an unarmed attack, dodge, or move further to get that extra d4, I'm not sure is really worth it, imo.

And cuz d4s...

 

[Blue]

About the Kensai I think people are mis-evaluating the d4. It doesn't have to be *A* d4. It's a d4 to every creature you hit during the attack action. Could be 2 creatures fairly easily. Wish the ranger's whirlwind attack was an Attack action. Also there is no additional to-hit roll required, it's guaranteed damage.

Yeah, it' still a freakin' d4, but it's not as bad as people make it out to be.

 

[cbwjm]

I find this wording in the kensai a bit strange.

dealing an additional 1d4 bludgeoning damage to that target and to any other target you hit with the weapon as part of the Attack.

But you don't have abilities that allouw you to damage more then 1 target with a attack, almost making me wonder if it should be attack action instead of just atack at the end of that scentence.

Maybe this was meant to be Attack action. So if you hit someone they take d4 additional damage. Hit another and they both take an additional d4 damage.