Kensai Mage Build BG2
Kensai Mage or Kensage is a Baldur's Gate build in BioWare's cRPG of 2000, Baldur's Gate 2. In a nutshell, Kensai Mage dual-class builds pair the martial prowess of Kensai BG2 with the arcane spellcasting prowess of Mage BG2.
We can dual-class Kensai into Mage at level 7, 9 or 13. This particular Kensai duals at level 13 and reaches 31st level Mage, making it very powerful but increasing its dual-downtime. If you're new to BG2, you should go with the 9th level build laid out in the dual-classing write-up, linked to above.
Mode of operation is as follows: Buff up with the BG2 Best Spells and then choose how to slay the enemy: by means of arcane-augmented damage (+bursty kai crits), by means of arcane spellcasting, or by means of a combination of the two. It's our choice.
Kensai Mage Dual-class Guide
Obvious 13th level warrior perks aside [1], 12 Kensai levels grant THAC0 +4/dmg +4 as well as four uses of Kai for maximum weapon damage roll, at-will. Thus, in wielding a katana, that 1d10 range becomes 10 flat. The innate weapon speed factor increases of the Kensai represent a cool perk, too, in that they allow us to almost always strike first. This is good for spellcaster disruption. Also, if that first hit happens to be a kai-crit, then it can devastate even a tanky rival immediately.
Unlike their Kensai Thief BG2 cousins (who gain Use Any Item BG2), Kensai Mages can never, ever use armor, gauntlets/bracers, shields or helms (though they can wear robes along with Ioun stones and quest helms for crit protection). The lack of armor for the Kensai (such as elven chain) is not a huge deal in that the benefits bestowed by combat protection spells such as Mirror Image, Stoneskin and PfMW outstrip those of the Best Armor BG2, but the lack of shields and gauntlets is detrimental in that the Shield of Harmony BG2 and Shield of Balduran [WA2SHIEL] easily ward off annoying negative status effects, and gauntlets add to THAC0, damage and even ApR BG2.
In order to enhance survivability and truly become a juggernaut, we can employ Tenser's Transformation which reduces our THAC0 BG2 and increases our hit point pool greatly (max -7, 340), but this disables spellcasting for TT duration. That said, it's enough to wipe the floor with anything due to BG2's easy-going encounter design.
28 Mage levels grants us an incomparably flexible arcane circle spell range of 20-22-24-24-23-24-20-15-20 and arcane circle spell slots of 5-5-5-5-5-6-6-6-4.
Occasionally crucial to Kensai Mages is the Spell Immunity arcane ward with sub-selection of Enchantment. This is because Kensai Mages lack mindshield status.
See, Berserker Mages have mindshield through their Enrage modal ability, and any Fighter Mage can just switch to the Shield of Harmony until the threat has passed, but Kensai Mages? No. We need that spell.
Or we need to have a Cleric companion ward us against crippling mind-affecting status effects with Chaotic Commands. Otherwise, we are relying on magic resistance or saving throws, which, as a rule, are not guaranteed to succeed.
If we don't take the above measures in certain encounters, then our godly Kensai Mage is suddenly going to become a liability. To spell that out, it will either be running around like an idiot, standing there doing nothing, or attacking our companions. Worst of all, it gets itself killed. And that's embarrassing even in a single-player game.
[1] THAC0 +13 from warrior levels; THAC0 +1, dmg +2, ApR +½ from Specialization; ApR +1 from warrior 7th and 13th; full warrior HD from 9 warrior levels.
Kensai Mage XP Cost
The XP cost is 1,250,000 for Kensai 13th, 1,500,000 in downtime for Mage 14th and 6,375,000 for Mage 31st.
Kensai Mage Chargen
Must be Human. Cannot be Chaotic. Must have at least 15 Strength and 17 Intelligence. Recommended stats:
18/91-18-18-18-dump-dump (Imports are 19-19-19-19-dump-dump).
Kensai Mage Weapon Proficiency
Specialization in Katana, Specialization in Flail, Proficiency in Two Weapon Style and Specialization in Two Weapon Style.
Note that Grandmastery BG2 is nerfed GM. For the price of GM we can get Specialization in another weapon and Proficiency in yet another.
Kensai Mage Leveling
Work from Kensai 7th to 13th. Recommend Proficiency in Quarterstaff at Kensai 9th and then Specialization in Quarterstaff at Kensai 12th. Dual at Kensai 13th and work to Mage 14th. Recommend Proficiency in Scimitar and Warhammer as the Mage is leveled.
In leveling the Mage, it is notable that utility experience points are dished out for scribing spells to our spell book. Moreover, spell-scribing is also open to abuse: find stacks of spell scrolls and Memorize, Erase, Rinse repeat until fire retardant.
(Some merchants sell infinite quantities of high-level spell scrolls.)
Kensai Mage Weapon Progression
When dual-wielding BG2, our on-hand weapon should be Flail of the Ages BG2 for its on-hit Slow or Celestial Fury BG2 for its on-hit Stun (it depends on the situation), and our off-hand weapon should be Belm BG2 for +ApR or Crom Faeyr BG2 for Titan strength. Again, it depends on the situation. We get a feel for what works best as we play.
When not dual-wielding, we switch between Staff of the Ram BG2 for its Knockback/Stun and Staff of the Magi BG2 for its on-hit Dispel that leaves Carsomyr BG2 in the dust.
Note that Kensai can erroneously wield Azuredge Axe from range, pre-UAI. Thus, despite their inability to fire from slings, bows and crossbows, Kensai are not confined to melee-only.
Kensai Mage Item Progression
Remember that Kensai Mages can never, ever use armor, gauntlets/bracers, shields or helms. But Kensai may wear Ioun stones for crit protection and certain bonuses, and so I recommend the usage of those culminating in Wong Fei's [HELM34].
Key items for Fighter Mages include those that reduce spellcasting times and add to spell slots, such as Ring of Wizardry BG2 and Robe of Vecna BG2.
Kensai Mage Spells
The choices are manifold in regard to arcane spellcasting. For more info on spells that augment tanking and physical-based damage, see Fighter Mage spells and Best Baldur's Gate Spells.
Kensai Mage Notes
Remember that Fighter Mages have the ability to run two Strongholds by reason of developer oversight: the Planar Sphere and the de'Arnise Keep BG2. To pull off the exploit simply acquire the sphere before the keep.
The first level conjuration, Find Familiar BG2, bestows a one-off and permanent HP bonus equal to 50% of the familiar's HPs. A Pseudo Dragon, for example, grants +12 HPs if summoned in SoA and +24 HPs if summoned in ToB. A cute but ultimately unimportant fact for readers to ponder, as they get ready to rip through BG2.
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