Way of the Kensei
Monks of the Way of the Kensei train relentlessly with their weapons, to the point where the weapon becomes an extension of the body. Founded on a mastery of sword fighting, the tradition has expanded to include many different weapons.
A kensei sees a weapon in much the same way a calligrapher or painter regards a pen or brush. Whatever the weapon, the kensei views it as a tool used to express the beauty and precision of the martial arts. That such mastery makes a kensei a peerless warrior is but a side effect of intense devotion, practice, and study.
Path of the Kensei
When you choose this tradition at 3rd level, your special martial arts training leads you to master the use of certain weapons. This path also includes instruction in the deft strokes of calligraphy or painting. You gain the following benefits.
Kensei Weapons. Choose two types of weapons to be your kensei weapons: one melee weapon and one ranged weapon. Each of these weapons can be any simple or martial weapon. You gain proficiency with these weapons if you don't already have it. Weapons of the chosen types are monk weapons for you and you can replace any unarmed strikes with an attack made with a melee weapon, so long as it's one of your kensei weapons. Many of this tradition's features work only with your kensei weapons. When you reach 6th, 11th, and 17th level in this class, you can choose another type of weapon—either melee or ranged—to be a kensei weapon for you, following the criteria above.
Agile Parry. If you make an attack with a kensei weapon, you can use it to defend yourself if it is a melee weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to AC while the weapon is in your hand and you aren't incapacitated. If you are hit with an attack you can us a reaction to gain additional AC equal to a roll of your martial arts die against that creature potentially causing that attack to miss.
Kensei's Shot. You can use a bonus action on your turn to make your ranged attacks with a kensei weapon more deadly. When you do so, any target you hit with a ranged attack using a kensei weapon takes extra damage of the weapon's type equal to your martial arts die. You retain this benefit until the end of the current turn.
Way of the Brush. You gain proficiency with your choice of calligrapher's supplies or painter's supplies.
One with the Blade
At 6th level, you extend your ki into your kensei weapons, granting you the following benefits.
Magic Kensei Weapons. Your attacks with your kensei weapons count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
Deft Strike. When you hit a target with a kensei weapon, you can spend 1 ki point to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target equal to your Martial Arts die. You can use this feature only once on each of your turns.
Sharpen the Blade
At 11th level, you gain the ability to augment your weapons further with your ki. As a bonus action, you can expend a number of ki points up to your proficiency bonus to grant one kensei weapon you touch a bonus to attack and damage rolls when you attack with it. The bonus equals the number of ki points you spent. This bonus lasts for 1 minute or until you use this feature again.
Unerring accuracy
At 17th level, your mastery of weapons grants you extraordinary accuracy. Once per turn, if you miss with an attack roll using a monk weapon, you can reroll it and use the higher roll. You get a +5 bonus to this attack roll.
Additionally, if you roll a 1 on a d20 but your attack meets or beats the target's armor class, the attack hits and when you make an attack with kensei weapons, your weapons score a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.