Path of the Kensei 2025 Homebrew

# Warrior of the Kensei **Monk subclass redesign.** *Homebrew 2025 by DarthBanjo to bring the class up to 2024 redesign levels.* ## Level 3: Path of the Kensei - **Kensei Weapons.** Choose one melee and one ranged weapon to be your Kensei weapons. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don’t already have it. Your Kensei weapons are considered monk weapons for you, and they lose the Heavy property for you. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this subclass, you can choose another type of weapon – either melee or ranged – to be a Kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above. - **Kensei Mastery.** Your training with weapons allows you to use the mastery property of one melee and one ranged Kensei weapon of your choice. Whenever you finish a Long Rest, you can practice weapon katas and change one of those weapon choices. - **Agile Parry.** When you make an Unarmed Strike and are holding a melee Kensei Weapon, you can use it to parry. You gain a +2 bonus to AC until the start of your next turn, while the weapon is in your hand and you aren’t incapacitated. - **Kensei's Shot.** You can use your Bonus Action to make your ranged attacks with Kensei weapons more deadly. Until the start of your next turn, when you hit with a ranged attack using a Kensei weapon, you deal additional damage equal to your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). - **Way of the Brush.** You gain proficiency with Calligrapher's Supplies and Painter's Supplies. ## Level 6: One with the Blade Your focus infuses your weapons, granting the following benefits: - **Empowered Kensei Weapons.** When you deal damage with a Kensei weapon, it can deal your choice of Force damage or its normal damage type. - **Deft Strike.** Once per turn when you hit a creature with a Kensei weapon and deal damage, you can expend 1 Focus Point to deal additional damage equal to one roll of your Martial Arts die plus your wisdom modifier (minimum 1). ## Level 11: Cut in Half Adjusing your footing and grip, you become a ribbon of death. As an action, you can spend 3 Focus Points to draw a straight line up to your Unarmored Movement distance, teleporting to the end. Each creature in your path must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take damage equal to two rolls of your Martial Arts die plus your Dexterity modifier. If your movement would end in an obstacle or result in a condition that restrains you, you stop at the last unoccupied space. ## Level 17: Unerring Accuracy Once per turn, when you miss an attack roll with a Kensei weapon, you may reroll it, and you must use the new roll. <br><br><br><br> ### Boring Bits - Explainers and Rationales - This version retains the original spirit of the Kensei Subclass and cleans it up for 2024. - The Kensei gains weapon mastery, but it is limited to one ranged and one melee Kensei weapon so as not to step on Fighter's toes. - Removed the Heavy and Special prohibitions on Kensei weapons, and removed the Heavy property if chosen. This gets around the need for strength-or-disadvantage and also prevents the extra damage stacking with Great Weapon Master feat. - **Agile Parry** now triggers based on unarmed strikes that result from either the monk's primary attack action or bonus action attack. - **Kensei's shot** now does reliable damage instead of 1d4, and gives more incentive to put points in Wisdom. - **Empowered Kensei weapons** was rewritten to match 2024 wording. - **Deft Strike** boosted to deal an extra bit of damage based on Wis modifier. There is precedent for this based on the Hand of Harm from Mercy subclass. - **Sharpen the Blade** was the hardest to balance, as players often have magic weapons by level 11. So I removed it and added **Cut in Half**. Looking at other 2024 subclasses, most have a movement utility around this point, so I added one for an cool cinematic anime-style mobility and offensive move. ### Research - http://dnd5e.wikidot.com/monk:kensei - https://www.reddit.com/r/onednd/comments/1d3c9r8/what_would_you_change_in_the_kensei_to_use_it/ - https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/class-forums/monk/118861-homebrew-way-of-the-keen-edge-modified-kensei - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b-8jLkYuOxQJIEyUHK4yAK8FBpwaSpgROjp7Tmb6hwg/mobilebasic#h.pme1qn2fz6nx - https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/1fnbnht/improving_the_kensei_pt_2/ - https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/unearthed-arcana/189782-how-would-you-update-non-phb-subclasses-for-2024 - https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/1fedwtv/55e_monk_hb_update_to_the_kensei_phb_has_been/