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Introduced in Exalt Version 2.2.0.0 (Dec 2021), the Kensei is a katana class focused on using his ability, the Sheath, to dash past enemies and boost his stats. His UTs, while similar in function, have unique quirks, either boosting different stats, having different projectiles, or inflicting debuffs on enemies.
Due to the aggressive and risky nature of the Kensei, it is important to understand the nature of his ability to effectively use it.
The Kensei offers a balanced 65 ATK and 65 DEX for decent damage output, 60 SPD for decent mobility, and 720 HP, 25 DEF and 60 VIT for decent survivability. However, he has a low base MP and WIS cap, having 252 MP and 50 WIS.
The Kensei’s weapon of choice is the Katana. Katanas are short-ranged piercing weapons dealing the same DPS as daggers. UT katanas often trade the piercing aspect for higher damage output, or have quirks that make them stand out.
Tiered katanas are solid options for Kensei due to their decent damage output, piercing and range.
Masamune, dropping from Oryx the Mad God 2, is weaker but easier to get than most top-tier options. Sadamune deals more damage than Masamune but is slightly harder to obtain as it drops from various endgame bosses, notably the Void Entity and The Forgotten King. Kusanagi deals the highest damage out of all tiered katanas, but is also hard to obtain as it drops from Oryx the Mad God 3, and is also 
Soulbound.
The Doku no Ken is a sidegrade to tiered katanas dropping from Son of Arachna, trading off damage per shot for slightly higher fire rate and range, and an area-of-effect proc dealing 1000 damage over 6 seconds and triggering every 3 seconds. This katana is most effective for safely clearing hordes, due to the long range and AoE proc.
The Void Blade is a peculiar katana dropping from Gulpord the Slime God, as its shots initially linger in place before accelerating to where it was initially aimed. This katana is most effective against targets that have predictable movement, as you can set up the shots for them to run into. It is also effective as a pre-firing weapon during enemy invulnerability periods, since they will take some of the lingering high-damage shots once they go vulnerable.
The Ray Katana, dropping from the Rock Dragon, is another sidegrade to tiered katanas, trading off some damage output for higher range, as the shots have 6.2 range. This katana is decent for dealing damage more safely.
Valor, dropping from The Bridge Sentinel, is yet another sidegrade to tiered katanas, sacrificing fire rate for a huge bump in damage per shot. However, when put In Combat, the katana loses significant damage output for the entire IC duration, due to the 
ATT decrease (-15 ATT). This katana is most effective for players with decent dodging capabilities.
It is also notable that tiered Sheaths provide an 
ATT boost multiplier, which at its maximum, can fully negate the ATT decrease.
The Enforcer, dropping from Chief Beisa, is the clear-cut winner in terms of DPS, beating every katana at low-mid DEF. Compared to the Kusanagi, this katana beats it whole in DPS, but it lacks the piercing aspect, making it ineffective for clearing hordes.
The Kensei’s ability is the Sheath. The Sheath’s mechanic can be split into two main parts: channeling and dashing. Channeling is simply the act of charging up the sheath to allow dashing. Dashing is the main mechanic of the sheath, providing mobility and damage for Kensei.
The dash mechanic can be split into three main mechanics: the trail, stat multiplier, and projectile. Upon using the ability with a dash still active, you dash at the direction of your cursor up to either the sheath’s maximum tile limit, your cursor, or an obstacle. Note that when dashing, you are 
Invulnerable until the dash ends, allowing you to dash past enemy projectiles and still survive.
The trail spawns from your initial location to your final location and usually deals damage to enemies. Hitting an enemy with the trail provides a stat buff, which multiplies your current stat by a percentage, increasing for every enemy you hit (although this is capped at 5). Upon reaching your final location, you fire out projectiles dealing damage to enemies.
It is important to note that while you are Invulnerable during the dash, you are not immune to damage when the dash ends. Another thing to note is the cooldown in between dashes, preventing you from chaining the dashes and be effectively immune to damage. Lastly, 
Silenced, 
Paralyzed, and Petrify temporarily prevent dashing, while 
Quiet immediately removes all dashes. Caution is important, as you can be put in a bad situation where you have to Nexus or you die.
A good tip for sheaths is to put your cursor ahead of the enemy, as enemies usually fire towards you, allowing you to avoid the attacks and deal damage at the same time. Avoid placing your cursor directly on the enemy, especially when they have highly dangerous shotgun or radial attacks.
In a scenario where dashing is not ideal and you just want to spam your sheath’s projectiles, then you should place your cursor close to your character in the direction of your target.
Tiered sheaths are solid options for Kensei, providing 3 dashes, high trail damage, consistent projectiles, long dash distance, extra survivability, and an ATT boost multiplier.
The Great Shinobi Sheath, dropping mainly from Oryx the Mad God 2, is decently consistent. The Sonic Wave Sheath, however, is much more powerful, but is harder to obtain as it drops from Oryx the Mad God 3, and is also Soulbound.
The Volcanic Sheath, dropping from Archdemon Malphas, can be considered as a sidegrade to tiered sheaths, as it has similar amount of dashes, trail damage, and travel distance. However, instead of providing an ATT boost, it provides a 
WIS boost. It also fires an AoE explosion that becomes more powerful as WIS increases, unlike most sheaths which fire projectiles. This sheath is ideal for clearing hordes of enemies, as the AoE blast has a decent 4 tile radius.
The Labyrinth Dweller’s Sheath, dropping from the Swarm Tree, is unlike tiered sheaths, dealing less damage overall, but providing a 
SPD boost. This sheath is ideal for rushing, especially when rushing to rooms filled with enemies, as you can boost your SPD and rush to boss much faster.
Kaiken, dropping from Daichi the Fallen, is similar to tiered sheaths, dealing high trail damage and providing an offensive stat boost. Unlike tiered sheaths, Kaiken provides a 
DEX boost, has a shorter travel distance at 5 tiles, and fires 8 shots inflicting 
Slowed that circle after reaching 4.48 tiles. The trail also inflicts Slowed for two seconds. Kaiken is a viable (and more risky) alternative to tiered sheaths, with the added bonus of slowing enemies for a few seconds.
The Quartermaster Scabbard, dropping from Davy Jones, is unlike most sheaths, as it spawns a decoy on your location lasting for 4 seconds when channeling, provides 
Healing for 5 seconds when dashing, and applies 
HP Boost. The shots are narrower and also boomerang, making it easier to hit the shots and deal maximum damage. This sheath is a safer alternative to tiered sheaths, providing a cushion with the HP Boost while still dealing decent damage
The decoy on channeling also allows more strategy with how the sheath is used. You can channel near an enemy and dash past them, so that the enemy will be focused on the decoy and not on you, allowing you to deal damage safely.
The Blitz Sheath, obtained via the Shards of the Intern, is unlike any other sheath, as it provides 4 dashes instead of 3. It also provides a 
DEF boost both on getting hit (+10 DEF) and hitting enemies with the trail. However, this sheath deals lesser damage than most sheaths. This sheath, being true to its name, is ideal for rushing, especially in areas filled with alot of enemies, as it provides a cushion for rushing while having more dashes, allowing you to travel much further.
The Irradiance Sheath, dropping from the minibosses spawned by the Crystal Entity, is arguably the most powerful option for damage, as the shots deal higher and more consistent damage than the Sonic Wave Sheath, and the ATT boost is much more potent than any other sheath. However, precise positioning is required to maximize damage output, as the shots are harder to hit against fast-moving targets. Overall, this sheath is effective for maximizing damage output, and would be a great choice in scenarios calling for high DPS.
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