[RPG] The Kensei’s level 6 features seem lackluster compared to other ways of spending a ki point; what is its niche

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The Way of the Kensei monk gets the One with the Blade feature at 6th level (Xanathar's Guide to Everything, p. 34-35):

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.

So at level 6 a monk would use a ki point to add 1d6 dmg? This is instead of a Stunning Strike or Flurry of Blows? Is the damage bonus continuous through the turn with further weapon strikes?

Best Answer

It gives you an extra opportunity to spend a ki point for one extra martial arts die's worth of damage (potentially ranged) per turn

You seem to have two major concerns:

1d6 is rather little damage compared to the other available ways to spend a ki point

The damage potential of Flurry of blows is no doubt a lot higher, and the way it is written it clearly applies to only a single attack. However, Deft strikes' trigger is when you hit with a kensei weapon, which means there are some trade-offs that can potentially make Deft strikes situationally good:

  1. The extra damage is guaranteed
  2. This can be used after you land a critical hit, which would double the dice
  3. You can deal the damage at range, if the weapon you're using is ranged
  4. Extra damage is extra damage. If your target needs to go down now, this might make a difference

When the Martial Arts 1d6 die becomes up to a 1d10 later on, it obviously does so too for the extra attacks from Flurry of blows, so that's a moot point.

You can use both Flurry of blows and Deft strikes in the same turn

Flurry of blows allows you to spend one ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action. The trigger for it is: "after you take the Attack action on your turn". Nothing bars you from still doing so after using Deft strikes.