This creates other restrictions on the character related to weapons and armor.  Most notably, the character may not wear any form of armor whatsoever, as his combat abilities are only truly tested by his ability to fight unprotected.  Furthermore, he may not use a magic weapon of any type within his dedication.  Although the rules for this are not always clear, a reasonable clarification is suggested in M. J. Young's Dungeons & Dragons Materials, Special Rules, Kensai Dedication and Associated Rules.

  Also of significance, the character is severely restricted in which weapons can be used beyond that covered by his dedication.  A character receives no experience for any encounter in which he uses or relies on a weapon outside his dedication.  Thus, a missile weapon, a backup weapon, a concealable weapon--these all become weapons of resort, those relied on in an emergency in which the life of the character is so severely threatened that he must fall back on some other attack form.  It is permitted that a kensai may use his dedicated weapon in one hand, and another weapon in the other.  However, this cannot be done until level seven, so it is of no consequence when creating the character.  Also, a character dedicated to a specific weapon receives so many bonuses with that weapon that it makes more sense to use two of that weapon, one in each hand, rather than use a different weapon in the off-hand.

  It is different for a kensai dedicated to a martial arts style.  If the style includes the use of any weapons (highly recommended), the kensai will include learning every weapon which can be used as part of his mastery of the style (and will probably not waste his time on weapons not included in the style).  Under the MyWorld rules, weapon-oriented styles have been adapted (usually by kensai and monks) to include every martial-arts weapon.  Other styles are usually limited to one or two weapons.  The use of these weapons is considered part of the dedication.

  It is different again for kensai dedicated to a body part, the hand or foot.  Not all DM's allow dedication to a body part.  Such a character attempts to master every martial arts form which uses that body part (all strike styles for hands, all kick styles for feet, plus all styles which use strike or kick maneuvers), but will not use weapons except as permitted in a style in which he is primarily using his body part for attacks.  Some DM's permit a character trained in weaponless combat to use gloves or tabi as protection when attacking creatures who cause damage by contact (creatures of flame, for example) with no penalty to the attacks.

  So a kensai will select his dedication first of all, and choose weapons based on that.  Note that there is no penalty for learning or using a ninja weapon which is within the dedication, but the use of such a weapon outside the dedication will result in penalties to the character's honor.

  The weapons used by the kensai include these.  As with any fighter, he may learn weapons which are not from his own milieu; however, since such weapons will not be known to him before the game begins, he will need special approval of the DM to use such a weapon as his dedication.

Oriental Melee Weapons	Martial Arts Weapons	Oriental Missile Weapons	Non-oriental Weapons
Battle Axe	Bo Stick	Blowpipe	Aklys
Hand or Throwing Axe	Chain	Short Bow	Atlatl
Boku-toh	Fang	Short Composite Bow	Bardiche
Chijiriki	Gunsen	Chu-ko-nu	Bec de Corbin
Club	Jitte	Heavy Crossbow	Bill-guisarme
Dagger	Jo Stick	Light Crossbow	Long Bow
Halberd	Kau Sin Ke	Daikyu	Long Composite Bow
Javelin	Kiseru	Dart	Hand Crossbow
Kama	Lajatang	Eggshell Grenade (Ninja)	Fauchard
Katana	Nunchaku	Hankyu (Ninja)	Fauchard-fork
Kawanaga	Sai	Lasso	Footman's Flail
Knife	Sang Kauw	Metsubishi (Ninja)	Horseman's Flail
Kumade (Ninja)	Shakujo-yari	Needle (Ninja)	Military Fork
Kusari-gama (Ninja)	Shikomi-zue (Ninja)	Pellet Bow	Garrotte
Kyoketsu-shogi (Ninja)	Siangkam	Shaken (Ninja)	Glaive
Light Lance	Tetsubo	Shuriken (Ninja)	Glaive-guisarme
Oriental Mace	Three-piece Rod	Sling	Guisarme
Man Catcher	Tui-fa (Ton-fa)	Staff Sling	Guisarme-voulge
Nagimaki			Lucerne Hammer
Naginata			Hammer
Nekode (Ninja)			Harpoon
Ninja-to (Ninja)			Hook Fauchard
Parang			Heavy Lance
Sode Garami			Medium Lance
Spear			Footman's Mace
Broad Sword			Horseman's Mace
Long Sword			Morningstar
Short Sword			Partisan
Two-handed Sword			Footman's Military Pick
Trident			Horseman's Military Pick
Uchi-ne			Awl Pike
Wakizashi			Ranseur
Whip			Sap
			Scimitar
			Spetum
			Khopesh Sword
			Bastard Sword
			Falchion Sword
			Voulge

  Tetsu-bishi (oriental caltrops) are only used by ninja; and since they are neither melee nor martial arts weapons, they cannot be included in a Kensai dedication, and the use thereof would be dishonorable.

Return to Step 10 at the proficiencies count for the Kensai.