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.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Wait, am I wrong on thinking that a Kensai could wield a greatsword/greataxe/polearm with Dexterity, take GWM, and use their double proficiency bonus to compensate for the -5 to become a surprising damage beast even dumping Strength?

 

[gyor]

If Kensai all are monks and those Martial Weapons that the Kensai have profiency in count as Kensai weapons, then by definition they ARE Monk weapons.

 

[MechaPilot]

They should either make it a monk weapon or completely rethink how it's written. This and the fighter archetype felt very sloppy trying to read. I trust that they'll fix these things before they're added to any future books.

I think the intent was that it becomes a monk weapon.

"When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you
learn to extend your knowledge of the martial
arts beyond the standard array of monk
weapons."

This implies that the three weapons you choose are an extension of your monk weapon list.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Unarmed attack can be a kick even states that in phb

Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk

Certainly true, but can that unarmed strike be a Martial arts or flurry of blows attack if you are wielding a greatsword as a kensei weapon?

 

[Sir Brennen]

Completely destroys any synergy when using unarmed attacks between the base class and the subclass. It wouldn't allow a bonus action unarmed attack but would allow the use of flurry of blows but at 1+strength mod, why bother. Plus what you've already listed above in Way of the Kensei.

Unless you wield a shortsword, which is both a Monk weapon and, being martial, a potential Kensei weapon. So you can get that extra unarmed strike in, or get the +2 AC bonus. But having your full Monk MA die for unarmed strikes makes that auto d4 less attractive, except in cases where you don't want to risk missing with an unarmed strike, but already hit with your weapon (needing conscious min-maxing on the fly).

Even though shortsword is the most flexible option, no matter what you pick, you don't really get to utilize all the features of the monk and the tradition to their full extent. So, yeah, overall, Kensei needs work.

 

[Fritzo]

I think the intent was that it becomes a monk weapon.


"When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you
learn to extend your knowledge of the martial
arts beyond the standard array of monk
weapons."


This implies that the three weapons you choose are an extension of your monk weapon list.

You're probably right, but as read they sound like additional weapons not additional monk weapons. I'm going to add it to the survey anyway just so they're aware of it and i recommend any body else does to who's worried about the RAW.

 

[Sir Brennen]

This implies that the three weapons you choose are an extension of your monk weapon list.

Except they specifically called kensei weapons in the rest of the tradition text. And if they are monk weapons, it sort of negates a couple of the traditions features.

 

[MechaPilot]

Except they specifically called kensei weapons in the rest of the tradition text. And if they are monk weapons, it sort of negates a couple of the traditions features.

Kensei weapons can very easily mean "those weapons added to your monk weapon list by virtue of the 3rd level kensei feature." Lord knows "kensei weapons" is certainly a shorter way to say it.

Also, what tradition features does it negate?

 

[cbwjm]

Since martial weapons were deliberately called out as Kensei weapons, I believe they are separate from monk weapons. It also notes that martial weapons count as kensei weapons if you are proficient in it so you could expand beyond the initial 3 quite easily via racial weapons or multiclassing.

 

[Patrick McGill]

Kensei weapons can very easily mean "those weapons added to your monk weapon list by virtue of the 3rd level kensei feature." Lord knows "kensei weapons" is certainly a shorter way to say it.

Also, what tradition features does it negate?

Rereading it, I'm not sure I agree. They could have easily just said they become monk weapons. They seem to spend a lot of words to not say that. By RAW, all monk weapons are kensei weapons, but not all kensei weapons are monk weapons from my reading.