KENSAI, Baldur's Gate 2

Kensai BG2: Damage Lord

Kensai is a BG2 Best Class in BioWare's cRPG of 2000, Baldur's Gate 2. The Kensai build is the best Fighter BG2 kit and one of my fave kits in BG2. To my mind, there is nothing cooler than warriors that wear no armor but inflict massive damage.

In a duel to the death, and if they had any sense, Berserker BG2 such as Korgan BG2 would run in fear from Kensai because Kensai are all about accuracy and damage. How does THAC0 -44 sound? Or 90 damage kai criticals?

As with Archer BG2, it's their scaling to-hit and damage bonuses that put Kensai over the top. Berserker BG2, Barbarian BG2 and Wizard Slayer BG2 can never make up for this. Ever.

Remember that. Kensai are King when it comes to damage.

Kensai Kit Description

This class is also known as the 'Sword Saint', and consists of a warrior who has been specially trained to be one with his sword. They are deadly and fast and trained to fight without encumbrance.

Kensai Kit Advantages

• Bonus +1 to-hit and +1 damage for every 3 levels
• Bonus -2 to AC
• Bonus -1 to speed factor for every 4 levels
• May use 'kai' ability one time per day for every 4 levels (starts at 1st level with one use): this ability lasts 10 seconds and makes all attacks do maximum damage.

Kensai Kit Disadvantages

• May not wield bows or crossbows
• May not wear armor or helms (no Vhailor's Helm BG2)
• May not wear gauntlets or bracers
• Kensai may not be of Chaotic alignment. However, they should be Lawful Good in order to yield Draw Upon Holy Might.

Kensai Max THAC0 & Damage

When we talk about Best THAC0 BG2 and Maximum Damage BG2, we talk about Kensai.

When played by experts, Kensai > Berserker or any physical-based damage dealing class. But we need to flank and also buff them with Spirit Armor BG2 or they will be ripped apart by mobs. That's right: Kensai may not wear armor or equip shields. That means no Full Plate Mail BG2 or Shield of Harmony BG2. This is what scares away most players. Kensai may not wear helms but they can wear ioun stones or "quest helms" in order to protect against the double damage incurred by crits.

It's also very important to ward Kensai with the Cleric's Chaotic Commands, as we don't want such a lethal combat unit turning hostile on our party.

Kensai Speed Factor

Due to their innate speed factor bonuses, Kensai wield even the slowest weapon at fast speed. Kensai wield big two-handers, such as greatswords, as if they were daggers. This isn't about ApR. It's about who hits first when a combat round begins. Hitting first in a round is a bigger deal than most people think. Kensai generally hit in the first segments of a round. The Berserker hasn't even lifted his weapon and the Kensai has already landed a big one. And if that first hit is a kai critical, it devastates the opponent immediately (chunk, morale-fail or "last legs").

If an enemy instantly dies in the first segments of a round (before even getting to lift its weapon), then it doesn't matter that we are armorless.

Kensai speed factor also facilitates spellcaster disruption even on short duration incantations. This is a big deal, too.

Kensai Kai

Kai is a modal ability that maximizes the weapon damage roll. That 1d12 warblade BG2 [SW2H09] usually inflicts 1-12 dmg but with kai that range becomes 12 flat. Now throw a crit on top (10% chance with Two-Handed Weapon Style) and that's 24 dmg already without having yet factored in the Strength modifier, weapon enchantment, weapon proficiencies BG2 and other damage sources.

Kensai Damage

• Damage (Kai + Critical Strike BG2): 12 (maxed weapon roll) + 4 (enchantment) + 5 (grandmastery) + 13 (kensai dmg) + 14 (Strength 25) = 96 dmg.

Note that Kensai can execute a maximum of 3 successive, at-will Kai Critical Strikes under 10 ApR. However, if we save the game straight after activating Kai, reload, and then activate Critical Strike, we can execute 5 (exploit).

Best Weapons for Kensai

The Best Weapons BG2 for Kensai include the likes of on-hand Celestial Fury BG2, Flail of Ages BG2, Foebane BG2 or Blackrazor BG2 with off-hand Belm BG2. 

The Staff of the Ram BG2 is brutal as well:

Kensai Ranged Weapons

While Kensai cannot fire from bows or crossbows, they may erroneously wield ranged weapons such as throwing axes, knives and darts. Thus, in addition to clear-cut melee supremacy, Kensai contend with Archer BG2 for ranged supremacy when wielding the likes of Azuredge Axe and K'logorath. Best of all, we keep them out of harm's way when attacking from range.

Note that Kensai may not wear the Gauntlets of Extraordinary Specialization BG2. However, they don't need it.

Kensai HLAs

Kensai should have access to the following BG2 HLAs:

• Power Attack BG2
• Critical Strike BG2
• Greater Whirlwind Attack BG2
• Hardiness BG2
• Smite BG2

Kensai Dual-classing

Dual-classing: Kensai are typically dualed to Kensai Mage and Kensai Thief.

Baldur's Gate 2 Walkthrough Guide

Best Classes BG2

Fighter BG2

Kensai BG2

Berserker BG2

Wizard Slayer BG2