Here is a monk tradition I am working on in order to simulate the various weapon-master monks, such as the Kensei, sohei, or shaolin monk. Feedback and suggestions are welcome.
Way of the Bushi
Monks of the Way of the Bushi follow a tradition that blends martial arts, philosophy and armed combat into a seemless whole. These monks might be called Kensei, or Sohei, and they serve as frontline warriors on the battlefield.
Bonus Proficiencies
Starting at 3rd level when you choose this tradition, you gain proficiency with the glaive, longbow, longsword, scimitar, shortbow, and with light armor. In addition, you add the glaive, longsword and scimitar to your list of monk weapons for the purposes of the Martial Arts class feature, and other class features.
Flurry of Blades
At 3rd level, you retain the benefits of your Martial Arts ability while wearing armor you are proficent with. In addition, when you make one (or more) unarmed strikes as a bonus action, you may pay 1 additional Ki point to make the attack(s) with a monk weapon instead. When using this ability to attack with a glaive, it loses the heavy property for the purpose of resolving the effects of feats, spells, or abilities (but not for the purpose of whether you suffer disadvantage due to size). If an enemy disarms you of a monk weapon you wield, you may spend 1 Ki point to not be disarmed of your weapon.
Iaijutsu Strike
At 6th level, you have learned how to strike unexpectedly, and with lethal force. You may make a feinting attack (as the Battle Master Fighter Maneuver) by paying 1 ki point. For the purpose of making this attack, you gain one superiority die, which is a d12. Once you have used this ability, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. At 11th level, you can use this ability twice between rests. At 17th level, you can use it three times instead.
Improved Flurry of Blades
At 11th level, you no longer expend Ki points when using your Flurry of Blades to make an attack, or when using a reaction to prevent yourself from being disarmed.
Frightful Presence
At 17th level, you may spend 3 ki points to fill one enemy within 30 feet with mortal dread. The target must make a Wisdom saving throw (DC 8 + Wisdom Modifier + proficiency bonus) or be frightened for one minute. The target can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if you are within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the creature succeeds on its saving throw, or the effect ends, that creature is immune to your Frightful Presence for 24 hours.
This ability can target multiple creatures, although you must pay 2 ki points for each additional target, all of which must be within 60 feet. Once you have used this ability, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.
I feel a irresistible wish to add the "ki" maneuvers from "Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords" to the "oriental" classes (monk, ninja, samurai, sohei.. and kensai), and some ideas from "Magic of Incarnum" about chakras (body slots for magic items) and points of fithessentia.
Kensai means "saint sword".... the background is like a D&D monk with a sword. The background of a D&D kensai would be very closer to jedis from Star Wars..(I imagine a psionic D&D version of the jedis, with the name "cofrater").
A D&D kensai doesn´t wear armour because he isn´t like samurai, but neither is a 3.5 swashbuckler.
My suggestion is to mixture monk and the swordsage from "Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords".
In an earlier draft, I gave the monks maneuvers from a reduced list at 3rd level, and allowed them to recharge their superiority dice using ki.... I later amended the feature to be very similar to that of the Martial Adept feat.
Ultimately, I scrapped the idea completely as I felt that it tread too closely into Battle Master territory. Instead, I refined the idea of Iaijutsu strike to be a limited-use form of the feinting attack maneuver (but with a really good superiority die).
If the monk wants manuevers in order to simulate being a true "kensei", they can either multi-class, or take the Martial Adept feat. There is no need to make a second subclass which grants maneuvers, especially in addition to other features.
P.S - its spelt kenSEI not kenSAI.
I am well aware what kensei means, as I have been exposed to (and studied) japanese lanugage and culture since I was 7yo*... However I find it somewhat irrelevant for the purpose of this discussion, as all that matters is whether the class abilities evoke the flavor of the kensei and sohei, and whether said class abilities are balanced.
*My mother has a BA in Modern Asian Studies (majoring in Japanese language) and taught me basic Japanese at the age of 7.... I later took 2 years of Japanese in high school, and have an avid interest in japanese culture, language, and entertainment.
I think I would actually make the kensei and the sohei two different subclasses. I do agree that the kensei should get longsword and I would allow it as a fineese weapon also. I wouldnt even look at him as a samurai, more like chow yun phat in crouching tiger hidden dragon as I feel you could use fighters and pallys to make samurai. The sohei would get glaive as a monk weapon and maybe some cleric sytle ki options taking away from the 3rd edition sohei which was kinda a monk/ cleric hybrid. Other than that you are off to a good start.
masterfat78 wrote:
Kalani wrote:
Is it really needed to limit iajutsu by both use limit and ki-cost?
as for level 17, cit restores a ki point and you may spend a ki point to enhance damage by your wis mod for 1 round?
As I've said in other topics, this looks really good, and I think you've hit on something missing from the base game that a lot of people are going to want, but I'm not sure if you're overvaluing the impact of multiple attacks with even an expanded list of Monk weapons here. 3 ki points is quite substantial for what is essentially flurry of blows. I'd be more inclined to cost that ability at maybe 2, and maybe let them use the original version of Flurry of Blades (the attack, not the disarm thing) for free at that point, as Fighters are close to getting their third attack at this point and the Martial Arts dice are getting larger.
For the 17th level ability, a possibility would be something playing off the idea of sakki, commonly (awkwardly) translated as "Killing Intent". A prototype could be something like "At 17th level, you gain the ability to use your ki to fill your enemy with mortal dread. As an action, you may spend 3 ki points to direct your ki at a creature within 30 feet. The target must make a wisdom saving throw. If it fails, it is Frightened of you for one minute. It may repeat this save at the end of each of its turns to end this effect. If a creature succeeds on its saving throw, it cannot be affected by your sakki again for 24 hours".
CaptainPicard wrote:
Added Frightful Presence (based on CaptainPicards suggestion, and the description in the Tarrasque stat block).
I think the Sohei should be a paladin oath.
Brock_Landers wrote:
Kalani wrote:
Brock_Landers wrote:
Kalani wrote:
Don't forget to add katanas to the weapon table. They should probably be finessable, deal 10d4 damage (exploding!), and hit on touch attacks/ignore armor (since they are so sharp)...
CaptainPicard wrote:
I agree on your approach to flurry of blades here - the multiple attacks don't get as crazy, and the other abilities stay relevant. I think. Let me see if I have it straight.
At third level, the Kensei can:
1. Make an attack with a monk weapon
2a. MA for an unarmed strike as a bonus action (no cost)
2b. Flurry o' Blows for two unarmed strikes as a bonus action (1 ki)
2c. Flurry o' Blades for one weapon attack (with all damage bonuses) as a bonus action (1 ki)
Yeah, I don't think that ki-powered second weapon attack will break anything, particularly using a short rest resource. The Glaive and two-handed Longsword are the worst of it, as you have potential 2d10 vs. the 1d10 + 2d4 from ki expenditure. Add in attribute -based damage bonuses, and that's still fairly even - or in fact a 'softer' choice once higher unarmed strike dice kick in.
Is Flurry of Blades usable in armor? I thought the other abilities specified in each, rather than as a blanket prohibition for monks. I can see this either way - and allowing armor would open up some thematically appropriate synergies with martial classes.
ChrisCarlson wrote:
Kalani wrote:
Ok issues with the level 3 abilities:
1.) Why is losing the heavy aspect of the glaive a thing because it seems a very odd rule.
2.) Is there any advantage really gained by having this ability? I mean ok there's a small advantage early on to being able to use weapons compared to unarmed strike because the damage of unarmed strike is once again level based, but as the martial arts damage increases only the reach weapon actually has any value at higher levels. Simply being able to do monk things with a glaive is not really all that good of an ability, you need to back that up with somehting interesting that keeps the subclass on par with the alternative sub-classes.
3.) Armor use is pretty niche for a monk sub-class. I mean unless they're gonna drop valuable feats into expanding the armor they're proficient with their armor potential is higher relying on dex and wis.
4.) Disarm isn't even a standard maneuver so for the most part that ability is gonna be useful primarily against battlemasters.
Basically levels 3 and 11 translate to the ability to use a a reach monk weapon. Which is frankly underwhelming compared to the 3rd level powers of the other three, to say nothing of th e other sub-classes' 11th level abilities.