Kensei

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Roles in dNetHack
Roles in notdNetHack

In dNetHack, notdNetHack and notnotdNetHack, the Kensei is one of the roles from NetHack that is available to the hero.

Kensei can be humans, elves, drow, githyanki, githzerai, incantifiers, or yuki-onna, and may be of any alignment.

Starting equipment

All Kensei begin with knowledge of all weapon and armor classes and know martial arts. Their specific starting equipment varies by race and alignment.

Common equipment

Every Kensei starts with the following:

Human Kensei

  • Lawful:
    • Starting weapon: macuahuitl
    • First gift: Boreal Scepter
    • Gains access to great-weapon skills
  • Neutral:
    • Starting weapon: the base weapon of the first gift
    • First gift: Green Destiny
    • Gains access to great-weapon skills and knight-form skills
  • Chaotic:

Human Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Incantifier Kensei

  • Lawful:
  • Neutral:
    • Starting weapon: mace
    • First gift: Kishin Mirror
    • Gains nonstandard saber-form skills
  • Chaotic:
    • Starting weapon: rod of force
    • First gift: Epitaph of Wongas
    • Gains standard saber-form skills

Incantifier Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook:

Elven Kensei

Elven Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Drow Kensei

  • Starting weapon: droven greatsword
  • First gift: Anguirel
  • Gains access to great-weapon skills
  • Receives black torches in addition to standard equipment

Drow Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Githyanki Kensei

  • Starting weapon: two-handed sword
  • First gift: the Silver Sky
  • Gains access to great-weapon skills and knight-form skills

Githyanki Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Githzerai Kensei

  • Starting weapon: katana
  • Nameable artifact: the Sky Reflected
    • Any metal weapon can be named "the Sky Reflected"
  • Gains access to great-weapon skills
  • Has a reduced base skill cap for their starting weapon
    • Naming the Sky Reflected will uncap the default weapon skill for that base item type to expert.

Nota bene: Unlike other kensei kits, which emphasize an artifact given as a first gift, this kit emphasizes a nameable artifact.

Githzerai Kensei receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Yuki-onna Kensei

  • Lawful:
    • Starting weapon: katana
    • First gift: Kiku-Ichimonji
  • Neutral:
    • Starting weapon: nagamaki
    • First gift: Seven-Star Sword
  • Chaotic:
    • Starting weapon: rapier
    • First gift: Winter Reaper

All Yuki-onna Kensei gain access to great-weapon skills and receive one random blessed spellbook, chosen with equal probability:

Kensei weapons

A Kensei’s special fighting moves and many role mechanics only function while wielding a kensei weapon. What qualifies as a kensei weapon depends on the Kensei’s starting kit, which is determined by their race and alignment.

Starting kit Kensei weapons
Lawful Human Kensei Any weapon that uses the club skill
Neutral Human Kensei long swords
Chaotic Human Kensei Any weapon that uses the broadsword skill
Lawful Incantifier Kensei Any weapon that uses the short sword skill, or any non-lightsaber future weapon
Neutral Incantifier Kensei Any weapon that uses the mace skill
Chaotic Incantifier Kensei Any lightsaber-type weapon, including rods of force
Elven Kensei Any weapon that uses the scimitar skill, or any weapon with the wrathful object property
Drow Kensei droven greatswords
Githyanki Kensei Any weapon with the gith silver sword object property
Githzerai Kensei Any mercurial weapon
Lawful Yuki-onna Kensei Any katana-type weapon
Neutral Yuki-onna Kensei Any weapon that uses the two-handed sword skill
Chaotic Yuki-onna Kensei rapiers and sabers

Intrinsics

Kensei gain the following intrinsic properties upon reaching the given experience levels:

Attributes

Kensei have 75 points to distribute among their starting attributes like most roles.

Their starting attribute minimums and distribution weights are as follows:

Attribute Strength Intelligence Wisdom Dexterity Constitution Charisma
Minimum 13 7 13 10 10 13
Distribution % 20% 10% 20% 20% 15% 15%

Skills

Kensei have the following skills available to them before racial and alignment-based adjustments:

Kensei skills
Max Skills
Expert
Skilled
Basic
Grand Master

Additional fighting-form skills may be granted depending on race and alignment. The "kensei weapon" skill is determined by race and alignment.

Special rules

Weapon restrictions

Kensei can only use their special abilities when wielding weapons matching their starting kit's kensei weapon type.

Alignment penalties

  • Digging up graves: -10 alignment, +1 sin, +1 Hod wantedness.
  • Using poison when lawful: -5 alignment, +1 sin, +1 Hod wantedness.
  • Attacking neutral monsters: -5 alignment, +2 sins, +1 hod wantedness.

Armor restrictions

  • -20 accuracy when wearing heavy armor
  • When not wearing upper-body armor of any type:
    • Halves the AC penalty from low dexterity
    • Gain two further bonuses to AC: the first is based on their wisdom and is equal to WIS-1⁄2 - 5 (with a floor of 0), and the second bonus is level-based and equal to XL⁄6 + 1.
    • A Kensei that meets these conditions, has drunk at least one potion of booze per experience level, and is also currently confused gains an AC bonus equal to 1 + (booze drunken/9).

Attribute exercise

  • Exercise wisdom when hitting in combat.
  • Exercise intelligence when successfully using fighting moves.

Attribute penalties

Over attachment: Abuse wisdom while burdened. Gluttony: Abuse wisdom while satiated.

Jumping

Can jump when not polymorphed and wielding a kensei weapon. Jump distance is the same as for a spell of jumping cast using the kensei's martial arts skill.

Does not cost nutrition to jump.

Mid-air combat

Gifted artifacts will be "safe"

Artifact generation restricts to "kensei-safe" artifacts.

  • Artifact armor and rings
  • Fire and Frost brand, which can be reshaped into usable weapons.
  • Weapons of that would count as kensei weapons for you.

Kiai shout

A special move triggered from the #abilities/shift-B (or ctrl-B) menu. Gain 1 point of encouragement per rank of kensei.

"Knight" weapon styles

Can use some of the weapon styles of the knight role.

  • All Kensei can use great weapon fighting
  • Githzerai can use pommeling and half-swording if they chose a long sword to name the Sky Reflected.
  • After 14th level:
    • All Kensei can use holy weapon style.
    • Lawful Yuki-onnas can use Eldritch style with fireball and firestorm.
    • Chaotic Yuki-onnas can use Eldritch style with cone of cold, blizzard, and finger of death.

Meditation

Resting via . causes a Kensei to "meditate": meditation improves energy regeneration while resting to slightly more than twice the normal rate, and slows hunger to half the normal rate.

Spellcasting

Kensei have greatly reduced spell failure (same as the robe bonus, and stacks with a robe) when wielding a kensei weapon.

Fighting moves

As with Monks, Kensei have access to special fighting moves that are triggered by certain combinations of movements and/or attacks.

Starting kit Wielded weapon / condition ⇒⇒ / ⇘⇘ ⇒⇘ / ⇗⇒ ⇑⇒ / ⇗⇘ ⇑⇘ / ⇖⇒ ⇐⇒ / ⇖⇘
Boreal Scepter
(Lawful Human) 		Boreal Scepter Shove Boreal blast Sweep Scorn Rising blow
Macuahuitl Throw Aura slash Cyclone slash Scorn Rising cut
Other clubs Throw Aura slash Sweep Scorn Rising blow
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Scorn Pummel
Green Destiny
(Neutral Human) 		Long sword Throw Aura slash Cyclone slash Judgement/Dawn breaks Flurry
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Judgement/Dawn breaks Pummel
Malice
(Chaotic Human) 		Broad sword Defensive flourish Aura slash Cyclone slash Send away Flurry
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Send away Pummel
Anguirel
(Lawful Drow) 		Drow greatsword Shove Aura slash Rising cut Fear below Sweep
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Fear below Pummel
Ringil
(Elf) 		High elven warsword Windmill strike Aura slash Cyclone slash Flurry Millwheel strike
Other scimitars or wrathful weapons Throw Aura slash Cyclone slash Flurry Flurry
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Pummel Pummel
Ansermee
(Lawful Incantifier) 		Ansermee Flash scan Overload Static shriek Debilitate Mirror self
Other short sword / future weapon
(non-lightsaber) 		Vacuum bolt Repulsing slash Short sword: Sudden strike
Other: Cyclone slash/smash 		Hubris Flurry
Unarmed Vacuum bolt Repulsing blast Roundhouse punch Hubris Life drain
Kishin Mirror
(Neutral Incantifier) 		Kishin Mirror Kishin sparks Aura slash Cyclone slash Cleansing strike Defensive flourish
Other maces Vacuum bolt Repulsing slash Cyclone smash Cleansing strike Flurry
Unarmed Vacuum bolt Repulsing blast Roundhouse punch Cleansing strike Life drain
Epitaph of Wongas
(Chaotic Incantifier) 		Lit lightsaber Vacuum bolt Repulsing slash Cyclone slash Hubris Flurry
Unlit lightsaber Vacuum bolt Life drain Roundhouse strike Hubris Flurry
Unarmed Vacuum bolt Repulsing blast Roundhouse punch Hubris Life drain
The Silver Sky
(Githyanki) 		Gith-silver weapon Default: Repulse/Repulsing shove
Penetrating edge: Triple thrust
Cold edge: Freezing hate
Defensive edge: Defensive flourish
Anti-magic edge: Mage slayer
Resonant edge: Commander's strike 		Psionic slash Pommel/Half-sword form: Sudden strike
Other two-handed weapon: Rising cut/blow
Other weapon: Cyclone slash/smash 		Soul cut Two-handed weapon: Sweep
Other weapon: Flurry
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Soul smash Pummel
The Sky Reflected
(Githzerai) 		Mercurial weapon Throw
Scripture of steel: Amalgam shards 		Insight ≤ 10: Vacuum bolt
Streaming: Elemental slash
Chained: Chain magic
Kinstealing: Talon strike 		Pommel/Half-sword form: Sudden strike
Two-handed piercing: Lance thrust
One-handed piercing: Triple thrust
Other two-handed: Sweep
Other one-handed: Cyclone slash/smash 		Anarch's strike Streaming: Spacewarp slash
Chained: Rising cut/blow
Kinstealing: Sudden strike
Unarmed Throw Vacuum bolt Roundhouse punch Anarch's strike Pummel
Kiku-ichimonji
(Lawful Yuki-onna) 		Sky Render Throw Dragon flash Cyclone slash Cross slash Ichimonji
The Mortal Blade Throw Aura slash Mortal draw Sudden strike Ichimonji
Other Katana-like weapons Throw Aura slash Cyclone slash Cross slash Ichimonji
Unarmed Throw Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Avalanche Pummel
The Seven-Star Sword
(Neutral Yuki-onna) 		Seven-Star Sword Lance thrust Aura slash Cyclone slash Avalanche Triple thrust
Other two-handed swords Icicle rush/Bloody snow Aura slash Cyclone slash Avalanche Flurry
Unarmed Icicle rush/Bloody snow Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Avalanche Pummel
Winter Reaper
(Chaotic Yuki-onna) 		Winter Reaper Icicle rush/Bloody snow Aura slash Bloody sickle Avalanche Flurry
Rapier or saber Icicle rush/Bloody snow Aura slash Rapier: Triple thrust
Saber: Cyclone slash 		Avalanche Flurry
Unarmed Icicle rush/Bloody snow Aura bolt Roundhouse punch Avalanche Pummel

Move summaries

The following summaries describe what each move does when it successfully triggers. Unless stated otherwise:

  • Moves that require a target will not trigger if the only available targets are peaceful (and you are not hallucinating).
  • Most melee-area targeting checks will refuse to pick a petrifying target (cockatrice-class monsters, Medusa) unless you have stoning protection (e.g. Stone resistance) or the move is explicitly using a weapon/gloves-safe touch check.
  • Beam-like moves stop when they hit solid terrain or closed doors, and (for Kensei beams) do not bounce.

Amalgam shards

  • Fires volleys of shuriken constructed from each material currently incorporated into the Sky Reflected’s amalgam (iron first, then additional materials if present).
  • Each volley uses your current weapon’s enchantment and blessing/curse status, and benefits from multishot.

Anarch's strike

  • Makes one or more melee elemental strikes against a single adjacent target, each strike randomly choosing from several elements (elemental fire/cold/electricity, poison, acid, disintegration, or water).
  • The number of elemental strikes increases at very high XL, against mind flayers, and with certain Sky Reflected upgrades.
      • +1 hit at XL ≥ 30.
      • +2 hits if the target is a mind flayer.
      • +2 hits if the Sky Reflected has the Focus upgrade.
      • +2 hits if the Sky Reflected has the Patience upgrade.
    • Damage per hit: (XL + 23)d3, with a random element chosen separately for each hit from: AD_EFIR, AD_ECLD, AD_DISN, AD_EELC, AD_POSN, AD_EACD, AD_WET.
    • The sequence stops early if the target dies or the melee routine stops combat (e.g. the defender dies mid-combo).

Aura bolt

  • Fires a short ray of holy energy (if alignment record ≥ +4) or unholy energy (if alignment record ≤ -4). The ray can hit multiple monsters in a line, does not bounce, and will not fire if it could strike a peaceful monster.
  • Damage is (XL + 23)d4.
  • Cannot be used while your alignment record is between -3 and +3 inclusive.

Aura slash

  • Kensei variant of Aura bolt while wielding a Kensei weapon: fires a very short “slash-like” ray (typically range 2; longer with certain artifacts).
    • Ringil: range 3
    • Sky Render: range 4 (this is Dragon flash)
  • Damage is based on your wielded weapon’s damage dice, and the ray may change element depending on the artifact (including potentially affecting floor squares for some elemental types).
  • Usable even at neutral alignment with certain Kensei artifacts/variants (notably including Kishin Mirror, Malice, Seven-Star Sword, and Winter Reaper).
    • Winter Reaper role variant: forces the ray to cold.
    • Ringil: Silver Stars
    • Malice: Always unholy
    • Seven-Star Sword: Always holy
    • Sky Render: Vorpal wind
    • If the artifact’s intrinsic damage type is cold/fire/electric/sleep, the ray uses that type and the ray affects the floor.
      • This will affect Fire Brand and Frost Brand
    • Kishin Mirror: if your alignment record is between -3 and +3 inclusive, the ray becomes electric; if it is not unholy, it can also blind.
    • Kamerel Vajra: electric.
  • The ray does not bounce and is unreflectable.

Avalanche

  • A cold melee claw attack against one adjacent target, dealing (XL + 23)d6 cold damage.
  • If it hits and the target fails a resistance check, the target is frozen (immobile) for 2d3 turns.

Bloody sickle

  • A sweeping melee attack that can strike multiple adjacent targets in a forward half-circle.
  • Each struck target is hit with your weapon and is forced to bleed.

Bloody snow

  • A vampiric bite against one adjacent target.
  • If it reduces the target’s HP, you heal for the amount of HP actually lost by the target from the bite.

Boreal blast

  • A short fan-shaped burst centered on the square in front of you: it can affect the monster directly ahead and up to three additional monsters on nearby squares around that point (must be in sight).
  • The exact effect depends on your active “Face” (e.g. sonic blast with item destruction; liquifying blast vs. organics; petrifying blast vs. spiritual beings; or a blinding/confusing blast), and the damage component is based on your weapon damage plus an additional (XL + 23)d3 bonus.
    • Per-target base damage: For each affected target, compute:
      • Weapon damage roll (using your current weapon’s dice) + your weapon enchantment (uwep->spe) + (XL + 23)d3, minimum 1.
    • Face-dependent effects (applied separately to each target hit in the fan):
      • Eagle: damage is treated as physical/sonic; destroys items via sonic destruction.
      • Fish: only affects organic targets; if the target is organic and not spiritual, damage is doubled, then treated as non-physical energy damage; applies water damage to inventory and liquify-item destruction.
      • Ant: only affects spiritual beings; damage is doubled then treated as non-physical energy damage. Also attempts petrification if the target fails two consecutive resistance checks; if the target would be killed by the damage, it is petrified.
      • Man: no damage; instead blinds (2d3 turns), forces the target to forget your position, and confuses.
  • The sonic-face variant is loud enough to wake nearby monsters.

Chain magic

  • Projects “phantasmal chains” down a line, attempting to hit monsters along the path.
  • On hit, deals blunt damage and may cancel the target (on failed resistance), and can also reduce the movement budget of targets farther down the line.
  • Damage increases with certain Sky Reflected upgrades and can also scale with your carried weight.

Cleansing strike

  • A melee weapon strike against one adjacent target that forces bleeding.
  • If the strike hits, it also attempts to “cleanse” visible hostile monsters in a large radius, with the affected creature types depending on extreme alignment:
    • At high positive record: attempts to destroy undead (and, at sufficiently high XL, demons).
    • At high negative record: attempts to destroy elementals (and, at sufficiently high XL, angels).
  • Creatures that resist destruction will attempt to flee.

Commander's strike

  • Orders your tame, peaceful followers who can see the adjacent target to attack it immediately.
  • The move succeeds if at least one follower lands a hit.

Cross slash

  • Makes two consecutive weapon attacks against one adjacent target.
  • If at least one of the two attacks hits and the target is wielding a weapon, the target is disarmed and drops that weapon.

Cyclone slash/Cyclone smash

  • A spinning melee attack that strikes adjacent enemies around you.

Debilitate

  • A non-damaging “scan” against one adjacent target that identifies (and records) a randomly chosen elemental sensitivity for that monster.
  • The scan can report/record a vulnerability related to cold, fire, electricity, acid, or magic.

Defensive flourish

  • A flourish that steadies you defensively (applying negative XL + 23 study, capping at -XL).
  • If triggered before you have attacked this turn and there is an adjacent target, it also includes a quick weapon strike.

Dawn breaks

  • The “wounded” version of the Breaker move: makes a weapon attack against one adjacent target.
  • If it hits, you heal for the amount of damage actually dealt, and the target may be canceled on a failed resistance check.

Dragon flash

  • Aura slash while wielding Sky Render: a longer-ranged and more lethal aura-ray (range 4).
  • Damage is weapon-based, the ray is unreflectable and does not bounce, and is vorpal.

Fear below

  • A melee weapon strike against one adjacent target.
  • Deals double damage if you are standing in darkness.
  • If it hits, the target may be frightened and forced to flee.
  • If the target dies and you are below half HP (2×HP < HPmax), you heal by an amount equal to the target’s initial HP value before the move started.

Flash scan

  • Fires a long, non-bouncing beam that “scans” monsters along its path, probing them and possibly blinding the target like an expensive camera.
  • Will not fire if it could hit a peaceful monster.

Flurry

  • Two rapid melee strikes against one adjacent target using your weapon; if two-weaponing, the second strike can use the off-hand weapon.
  • With a polearm, Flurry becomes a reach flurry: it attacks a target two squares away up to three times (as long as a valid target remains at reach).

Freezing hate

  • Only usable against an adjacent monster that has attacked or hurt you.
  • Attempts up to three unholy-cold touch strikes; if the full combo lands, it unleashes an additional burst of unholy cold in your facing direction.

Hubris

  • A high-risk melee strike against one adjacent target: first reduces the target’s current HP by XL (cannot kill), then makes a weapon attack.
  • If the weapon attack hits, you lose XL HP (cannot kill), and the target may be canceled on a failed resistance check.

Icicle rush

  • The “healthy” version of the ICICLES move: a cold touch attack against one adjacent target, with damage (XL + 23)d3.
  • If you are not clumsy, it immediately repeats for a second cold touch strike.
    • Clumsy check: You are considered clumsy if:
      • You have Fumbling, OR
      • Your remaining carry capacity is low enough to trigger one of several random fumble chances (with additional guaranteed clumsiness at extremely low remaining capacity), OR
      • You are wearing heavy armor (not light/medium) and fail a Dex-based random check.

Ichimonji

  • A precision weapon strike against one adjacent target.
  • If you are clumsy or below XL 14: performs a single strike (double damage once you are at least XL 10).
  • If you are not clumsy and XL ≥ 14: performs a double-damage strike followed by a second normal strike if the target survives.
    • Clumsy check: You are considered clumsy if:
      • You have Fumbling, OR
      • Your remaining carry capacity is low enough to trigger one of several random fumble chances (with additional guaranteed clumsiness at extremely low remaining capacity), OR
      • You are wearing heavy armor (not light/medium) and fail a Dex-based random check.

Judgement

  • The “healthy” version of the Breaker move: first reduces the target’s current HP by XL (cannot kill), then makes a weapon attack.
  • If the weapon attack hits, the target may be frozen for 2d3 turns on a failed resistance check, and you lose XL HP (cannot kill).

Kishin sparks

  • Fires a short (range 2) single-target bolt from the Kishin Mirror.
  • The bolt’s type depends on alignment: holy/unholy at extreme records, but at neutral records it becomes electric; non-unholy variants can also blind.

Lance thrust

  • A thrusting attack that forces a joust-style check.
  • With a polearm, it can strike a target two squares away; otherwise it strikes an adjacent target.

Life drain

  • Requires a free hand.
  • Makes two life-draining touch attacks against one adjacent target.

Mage slayer

  • A melee strike against one adjacent magical creature.
  • Deals double damage and, if the target would be vulnerable to a sneak attack, grants +1 sneak attack die.

Millwheel strike

  • Strikes in a straight line both in front of you and directly behind you (two squares total if occupied), making one weapon attack against each valid target.

Mirror self

  • A special melee attack against one adjacent target that uses the target's own attacks against them.

Mortal draw

  • A fast multi-target draw cut in a forward fan: it checks three forward directions (front-left, front, front-right) and can strike at both 1-tile and 2-tile distance in each direction.
  • Targets at the farther (2-tile) distance take double-damage weapon hits.

Overload

  • Fires a short (range 3) line attack of “sparks and snarling energies.”
  • On hit, typically deals (XL + 23)d8 elemental damage with vulnerability adjustments; 5% it triggers a catastrophic energy surge for extreme damage (100 HP vs magic or death resistant targets, 400 damage otherwise).
    • Metroids will instead bud.

Psionic slash

  • Sends a psionic wave down a medium-length line (half bolt limit), damaging hostile, thinking targets it intersects for (XL + 56)d15.
  • Each impacted target also emits “ripples” that can converge on other enemies elsewhere on the level, potentially damaging them as well (as for a mind blast).

Pummel

  • Two rapid unarmed melee strikes against one adjacent target.
  • If two-weaponing with an off-hand weapon, the second strike may be replaced by an off-hand hit (when applicable).

Repulse

  • An auto-hit melee repulsion against one adjacent target.
  • If the target is psychic/telepathic (or otherwise qualifies), it can also trigger a mind blast against the target.

Repulsing shove

  • A melee psionic shove against one adjacent target.
    • Deals reduced damage and knocks the target back one square.
  • Called "repulse" in-game.
  • If the target is psychic/telepathic (or otherwise qualifies), it can also trigger a mind blast against the target.

Repulsing blast/Repulsing slash

  • A short line “blast” (Kensei/monk knockback beam) that attempts to hit monsters in front of you.
  • On hit, deals (XL + 23)d12 and forcibly hurls the target away while heavily reducing its movement budget.

Rising blow/Rising cut

  • A single adjacent weapon hit that deals double damage.
  • With a polearm, this becomes a reach “falling strike” at 2 squares that deals double damage.
  • If you are a Drow/Anguirel Kensei and wield an obsidian weapon the strike also forces bleeding.

Roundhouse punch

  • A heavy unarmed strike against one adjacent target that deals double damage.

Roundhouse strike

  • A heavy weapon strike against one adjacent target that deals double damage.

Scorn

  • A melee weapon strike against one adjacent target.
  • If it hits and the target fails a resistance check, the target’s movement budget is reduced by 2d3, with a floor of -12.
  • If wielding the Boreal Scepter the scepter's special effect will trigger for the active face.

Send away

  • A touch attack against one adjacent target.
  • If it hits and the target fails a resistance check, you lose XL HP (cannot kill). The target is then removed by either:
    • Forcing it to migrate up one dungeon level (if possible at that location), or
    • If that isn’t possible, you lose an experience level and the target is erased.

Shove

  • A melee weapon strike against one adjacent target that deals reduced damage and knocks the target back one square.

Soul cut/Soul smash

  • A melee weapon strike against one adjacent target.
  • If it hits, it can deal a large follow-up “soul” damage burst (dice scale with XL, up to 5d15 at XL 30).
    • Deals double damage to mind flayers.
    • Deals half damage to monsters without telepathy.
    • Has a 10% chance to deal +200 damage (effectively a "vorpal blow").

Spacewarp slash

  • Strikes a hostile target up to 2 squares away in a straight line (line must be clear).
  • Makes a weapon hit against the first hostile creature in that short range; some high-Insight mercurial weapon states can add an extra “streaming” hit.

Static shriek

  • A point-blank sonic blast that can hit all adjacent enemies.
  • Deals (XL + 23)d4 damage (increased by weapon enchantment if wielding), and also attempts to destroy items via sonic damage effects.

Sudden strike

  • A sneak attack against one adjacent target that only triggers when the target is helpless, unaware, fleeing, confused, stunned, trapped, blind, asleep, etc. (a broad “off-guard” check).
  • When it triggers, it deals double damage and gains +1 sneak attack die.
  • With a polearm, the move can be performed at 2-square reach (“Sudden poleax” messaging), with the enhanced bonus applied when the target is off-guard.

Sweep

  • A wide melee sweep that can strike multiple adjacent enemies in a broad arc around you (up to 7 adjacent squares), making one weapon hit per affected square.
  • With a polearm, Sweep instead becomes a long-reaching sweep that attacks a wide wedge (all but the three squares behind the move direction) of squares at distance 2 around your facing.
    • The polearm sweep only triggers if you did not attack this turn.

Talon strike

  • A short fan-shaped strike centered on the square in front of you: it can affect the monster directly ahead and up to three additional monsters on nearby squares around that point (must be in sight).
    • Wrath bonus damage: If the target does not have magic resistance and the Sky Reflected has the Wrath upgrade, deal extra damage of (XL + 23)d8 (reduced by reduce_dmg(FALSE, TRUE)); this damage can kill.
    • Drain: If the target lacks drain resistance, reduce its max HP and current HP by rnd(hd_size(mon)), minimum 1, and reduce its monster level by 1 (or kill if it cannot be reduced further).
    • Armor shredding: If the target lacks shred resistance and is not protected by preservation:
      • Repeatedly damages or destroys worn armor a number of times equal to rnd(2×(your madness count)+1), choosing pieces via some_armor().
    • Theft: If the target has an inventory, performs up to three theft attempts.

Throw

  • Throws your quivered weapon (or a returning snare), but only if there is at least one valid hostile target somewhere along your line of fire and no peaceful monster would be hit.
  • Uses your normal throw mechanics; this move consumes time as a “moved” action rather than a pure free toggle.

Triple thrust

  • A multi-hit forward-arc technique that attempts up to three separate weapon hits against enemies in the three squares in front of you (front-left, front, front-right), preferring available targets.
  • With a polearm, it instead attempts up to three reach thrusts across the forward reach-2 positions.

Vacuum bolt

  • Fires a long beam that attempts to hit monsters in a line; on hit, deals 1d12 damage.
  • Hit targets are pulled toward you (stronger pull the farther away they were) and have their movement reduced.
  • Will not fire if it could hit a peaceful monster.

Vajra sparks

  • Fires a short (range 2) single-target electric bolt.

Windmill strike

  • An elf warsword technique that strikes up to six surrounding positions around you, making one weapon attack against each valid target.
  • Cannot be used if you have already attacked this turn, and it is instantaneous (does not consume normal move time when it triggers).

Rank titles

The status line displays one of the following ranks for the corresponding experience levels:

  • XL 1–2: Ikkyu
  • XL 3–5: Shodan
  • XL 6–9: Renshi
  • XL 10–13: Kyoshi
  • XL 14–17: Hachidan
  • XL 18–21: Hanshi
  • XL 22–25: Kengo
  • XL 26–29: Meijin
  • XL 30: Kensei

Gods

Main article: Religion

The Kensei pantheon differs from that of the Monk and draws from martial and guardian figures, emphasizing discipline, wrath, and protection.

Akuma serves as the chaotic unholy deity for vampire heroes that worship within the pantheon, though vampires cannot normally be Kensei.

Quest

Main article: Kensei quest

The Kensei's quest sees them fighting the Blue-Eyed Fox for The Eye of Jiroshin, an artifact soul-lens.

All Kensei kits have the same overall plot, although many have distinct locate levels.

Strategy

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Detail to match the layout of other NetHack and dNetHack role strategy sections if possible."

Origin

A user has suggested improving this page or section as follows:

"Wire-fu (particularly Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), D&D, kit-specific sources, and other dNethack roles."


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