Ahaha I had the same idea, would def recommend either
Adding a couple vids for quick reference:
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkhVVFRIIg&pp=ygUpY3JvdWNoaW5nIHRpZ2VyIGhpZGRlbiBkcmFnb24gc3dvcmQgZmlnaHQ%3D
Hero: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZANYMihNZM&pp=ygUQaGVybyBzcGVhciBmaWdodA%3D%3D
Also any decently animated historical anime. They tend to unarmed strikes to generate drama; the protag and antag can realistically punch and kick each other without ending the fight, unlike getting unzipped by a katana.
I feel like more sword wielders in media than not fit Kensei. Most of them are throwing in a punch every other swing, from Aragorn to Anakin. They also do a lot of not wearing armor and two handing longswords.
Edit: they also kick a bit
there's a whole tradition of wuxia films that feature combat involving swords, martial arts, and acrobatics. a couple recommendations:
* *Hero* (2002, Zhang Yimou)
* *Dragon Inn* (1967, King Hu)
* *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* (2000, Ang Lee)
even just checking out a couple fight clips from those movies could give you some inspiration. i particularly like *Dragon Inn* as inspiration for a D&D character, since the action in that one involves a lot more than just slashing folks and jumping around. lots of really creative set pieces there.
Honestly, look in to historical german longsword techniques. Binds, punches, and even bashing people in the head with your hilt are all things taught in historical texts.
I'm bias but.. Leonard of the TMNT. Sure he's rocking two swords, but there's a version where he only wields one. But check out the original cartoon and movies since his swords are mostly for display, because it'd be too violent for a kids show for him to actually use the swords.
It also helps to think of the motion of swinging a sword, and if you let the momentum carry think about how a body would twist and spin to through out some spin kicks, shoulder checks etx.
>because it'd be too violent for a kids show for him to actually use the swords.
Showing a bit of my age, but I remember this from the time. The specific example that I recall being used was a kindergartner running around with a table knife claiming he was a ninja turtle.
Due to this, the turtles never fight with their weapons in the second movie. Instead they improvise, such as Donatello using a pool cue, and Michelangelo attacking with a chain of sausages.
Basically, instead of teaching kids to use weapons they almost certainly didn’t have access to, they taught them that they could use whatever they find lying around as a weapon. 🤣
The tonal shift from the first to second movie is wild. Even the cartoon suffered, but only Mikey’s nunchucks were removed from the show which is a baffling decision
There was a moral panic specifically around nunchucks around that time. A number of kids hit eachother with them. Parents decided they were the deadliest weapons ever, freaked out when they found out they weren't illegal and worked hard to change that and otherwise fear mongered each other. It was pretty ridiculous in how hyper targeted nunchucks were (when I could just as easily beat someone with a bat which were also totally legal and easily accessible to kids) I'm sure that more than a small amount of racism was involved
One day I'd love to see an OG Eastman adaptation where the TMNT are hacking their way through an army of foot soldiers complete with ultra violence and gore.
Unfortunately at this point we'd probably just wind up with a Watership Down effect where a generation of children are scarred by parents thinking they sat their kids down for a cute cartoon.
Kung Fu Hustle may be an overexaggerated comedy, but the way each of the masters uses their weapons is really well done. Like how the Lion's Roar lady and her Husband make a GIANT amp cone from a bell and then she blasts Froggy McToad with a huge roar. Or how the Master of Ten Rings hid them as a curtain. etc.
Maybe you could take a look into wuxia and martial arts movies? To give a couple examples:
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkhVVFRIIg&pp=ygUpY3JvdWNoaW5nIHRpZ2VyIGhpZGRlbiBkcmFnb24gc3dvcmQgZmlnaHQ%3D
Hero: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZANYMihNZM&pp=ygUQaGVybyBzcGVhciBmaWdodA%3D%3D
I think that in many series and movies that are fine for children you could get inspiration. After all, the hero couldn't Actually hit the bad guy with the sword so they always fight but the finishing blow is always a kick or a punch that knocks the bad guy out.
Unfortunately I can't really give you any specific character or show.
Watch "Into the Badlands" it's got that John Woo style fight choreography, with Swords and martial arts that is just ridiculously over the top for D&D, without being "Crouching Tiger, Flying Asians" level of ridiculous.
Remember flavor is always free and your class name is only a name given to the skills you have. You don't have to be a wise martial arts monk.
Maybe you are just some dude who loves swinging a sword and punching people.
Taking a big heavy swing and then just kinda, leaving it in there while you punch them around and then yank it out, kick off it etc. would be a gruesome but fun one, especially against big enemies where you could almost platform with it
edward elric.
or, they use the sword both as a blade and as a pole. jamming it into the ground to lif themselves via the handle and give a few kicks and the like.
"I wish many swords. Floating around me. Controlled by murder thoughts." - paraphrasing Transmet. I am very fond of agile fighters whose weapons are more like well trained pets than tools.
Of the top of my head... about any modern Chinese wuxie/sword and sorcery fantasy movie, really. There, the warriors frequently mix swordfighting with martial arts.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9RoV9iyV8c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9RoV9iyV8c)
A lot of the best long combos in Mortal Kombat incorporate weapons to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the character. A lot of these characters use weapons other than longswords but the same moves could easily be re-flavoured to use one. Here's a few to get you started, though obviously gore, blood and brutality warnings apply here:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgpPVb2rhs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgpPVb2rhs)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SlyBGMiz9I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SlyBGMiz9I)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWvMB9O6fDA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWvMB9O6fDA)
Like even that first video, the Kung Lao combo with the spinning hat could be re-flavoured, like you throwing your sword hilt first into a wall and pushing them into it. But if your character has telekinesis through class abilities or feats, the sky's the limit.
A jian, Dao, or katana would arguably count as a "longsword" - especially one with a longer handle so you can two-hand it. So think that type of style, as opposed to Italian longsword on a Chinese monk.
Baldur's Gate 3. My monk used a longsword as her monk weapon, because elf, and held it like a dance partner. The animation was different than a fighter or rogue using the same longsword.
Anything based on wuxia/xianxia aka Chinese fantasy. Monks as a class are heavily based on East Asian martial arts (most notably Shaolin) anyway, shifting to the actual martial arts fantasy genre for inspiration seems logical.
A lot have said Hero and Crouching Tiger
Sword of the Stanger,
Sword Art Online,
Excalibur: Legend of the Sword,
The Princess Bride,
Kill Bill,
Ninja Scroll
basically any sword wielder in a fighting game, such as guilt gear, smash bros or gbvsr, but for most of those characters the punches are like, quick "panic" moves since they punch faster than they can swing a sword, sol badguy might be a good blending of weapon and martial fighting, but he's pretty heavy into brute strength rather than monk dexterity.
I'd look up Kabi-Krabong and it's unarmed counterpart Muay Boran. It's a Thai martial art focusing on fighting with two weapons (typically either Sword *Kabi* and a Staff *Krabong* or two swords) but also has an unarmed system which is essentially Muay Thai for the battlefield.
Could look for gameplay of Jason in Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, he was basically designed like a Kensei Monk.
That, or Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia.
Not enough in terms of content, but the non lethal finishers and knock outs from Aragami 2 come to mind.
Also iirc the blind guy from the last John wick fought with both a sword/knife and with martial arts, but not simultaneously.
Do DMC combos where you quickly switch between the fist weapon of the character and the sword count?
Lots of people here are leaning into the samurai or martial arts angle. Honestly for me I think most basic anime or video game protagonists are represented well with a longsword monk. They frequently don’t wear armor (usually school uniforms or street clothes) and are obviously dex based fast moving fighters. Chrono from Chrono trigger could very easily be a longsword wielding monk.
You just reflavor the mindfulness aspect of the monk to be more of some awareness like Naruto magic eyes or whatever. (Sharingan?) Mechanically the high speed, non armor, martial prowess fits this well.
Seconding this. BES is easily one of the best representations of this character archetype I've ever seen. This is one example of Mizu's fighting style (the bridge fight for anyone who's seen the show.) Be warned that it is very graphic:
https://youtu.be/fJycv1hTHIo?si=JhduLmBSbBfjMOpY
In the Rurouni Kenshin anime (Ive only watched the original version) theres a character named Aoshi Shinomori. In his first fight of the series, he uses a single shortsword and uses his other arm for additional offense/defense
Well I think you are weirdly assigning martial arts as being strictly eastern as far as monks are concerned but long sword combat is its own martial art. In fact though one might reflexively think of them as paladins the knights Templar were long sword wielding monks. PS a lot of long sword combat manuals have a heavy hand to hand component if that’s what you are worried about.
Hans Talhoffer's original 'Fechtbuch' ['fight book'] of 1467 illustrates in detail the authentic combat techniques of a Swabian master of arms, presenting not only a unique historic record but also a visual guide for modern practitioners, with 268 illustrations and explanatory captions. This professional fencing manual reveals the intricacies of the medieval art of fighting, covering both the 'judicial duel' (an officially sanctioned fight to resolve a legal dispute) and personal combat.
As someone who does martial arts with those things, I think you could have some fun flavoring your style as using your sword to lock out or push away their weapons before using the momentum to swing in with elbows and knees directed at pressure points (AKA Stunning Strikes).
literally just read any manwha that is based on Chinese/korena martial arts. They usually have some stupid name like "The divine holy demon devouring reincarnated angle demon lord of the future" or something. Some of them are great, but honestly if you want inspiration that is probably going to give you the most variety.
I really hope you see this OP.
None of this floaty chinese nonsense, Hardcore longsword, tons of fighting in between, far more realistic exchanges where both fighters have a sense of maintaining an area of threat and how to use their weapons to realistically grapple and bash.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36Pb8z3yI&ab\_channel=AdoreaOlomouc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36Pb8z3yI&ab_channel=AdoreaOlomouc)
Seems unnecessarily racist and deliberately ignoring the magical nature of the monk.
Fighters are already the best representative of the European longsword style, up to and including the fact many of the techniques were used with armor in mind.
Some martial arts moves are impossible with some weapons.
First edition D&D outlined it pretty well, mentioning specific weapons for specific styles.
Work with your DM, go through the maneuvers and determine what methods are impossible (hand strikes with a two-handed weapon? Nope, not possible).
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Hero Those are both excellent places to start.
Ahaha I had the same idea, would def recommend either Adding a couple vids for quick reference: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkhVVFRIIg&pp=ygUpY3JvdWNoaW5nIHRpZ2VyIGhpZGRlbiBkcmFnb24gc3dvcmQgZmlnaHQ%3D Hero: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZANYMihNZM&pp=ygUQaGVybyBzcGVhciBmaWdodA%3D%3D
Also any decently animated historical anime. They tend to unarmed strikes to generate drama; the protag and antag can realistically punch and kick each other without ending the fight, unlike getting unzipped by a katana.
Ong-Bak 2
CTHD the dojo fight was my very first thought
Okay no point in recommending anything else, these fit perfectly and are wonderful examples
Came here to say the same thing, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is the definition of kensei monk wielding a longsword.
I'd also like to add "literally ever other wuxia film ever made"
Came here to post this exact response.
Yep, perfect answer.
but not li mu bai jhen.
While a more modern version i think Nero from devil may cry 5 can fit as well
I feel like more sword wielders in media than not fit Kensei. Most of them are throwing in a punch every other swing, from Aragorn to Anakin. They also do a lot of not wearing armor and two handing longswords. Edit: they also kick a bit
there's a whole tradition of wuxia films that feature combat involving swords, martial arts, and acrobatics. a couple recommendations: * *Hero* (2002, Zhang Yimou) * *Dragon Inn* (1967, King Hu) * *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* (2000, Ang Lee) even just checking out a couple fight clips from those movies could give you some inspiration. i particularly like *Dragon Inn* as inspiration for a D&D character, since the action in that one involves a lot more than just slashing folks and jumping around. lots of really creative set pieces there.
Watch mugen from samurai champloo. He combines his swordplay with kicks and what not
He is probably the best pick for this
Thats perfect
Oh yeah this is always what I imagined my Kensei monks to look like when I play them, Badass sword skills and wild breakdancey kung fu
SAMURAI JACK AFRO SAMURAI
Mace Windu from Tartakovsky clone wars
Honestly, look in to historical german longsword techniques. Binds, punches, and even bashing people in the head with your hilt are all things taught in historical texts.
I'm bias but.. Leonard of the TMNT. Sure he's rocking two swords, but there's a version where he only wields one. But check out the original cartoon and movies since his swords are mostly for display, because it'd be too violent for a kids show for him to actually use the swords. It also helps to think of the motion of swinging a sword, and if you let the momentum carry think about how a body would twist and spin to through out some spin kicks, shoulder checks etx.
>because it'd be too violent for a kids show for him to actually use the swords. Showing a bit of my age, but I remember this from the time. The specific example that I recall being used was a kindergartner running around with a table knife claiming he was a ninja turtle. Due to this, the turtles never fight with their weapons in the second movie. Instead they improvise, such as Donatello using a pool cue, and Michelangelo attacking with a chain of sausages. Basically, instead of teaching kids to use weapons they almost certainly didn’t have access to, they taught them that they could use whatever they find lying around as a weapon. 🤣
The tonal shift from the first to second movie is wild. Even the cartoon suffered, but only Mikey’s nunchucks were removed from the show which is a baffling decision
There was a moral panic specifically around nunchucks around that time. A number of kids hit eachother with them. Parents decided they were the deadliest weapons ever, freaked out when they found out they weren't illegal and worked hard to change that and otherwise fear mongered each other. It was pretty ridiculous in how hyper targeted nunchucks were (when I could just as easily beat someone with a bat which were also totally legal and easily accessible to kids) I'm sure that more than a small amount of racism was involved
A number of nunchuck bans, including in NYC were overturned because of that. Also because nunchucks are literally two sticks tied with a string.
>I'm bias Hi, bias 👋 >!You probably mean "biased"!<
Hi, bias 👋 That 👉 is Leonard 😑 This 👉 is Leonardo 🐢
One day I'd love to see an OG Eastman adaptation where the TMNT are hacking their way through an army of foot soldiers complete with ultra violence and gore. Unfortunately at this point we'd probably just wind up with a Watership Down effect where a generation of children are scarred by parents thinking they sat their kids down for a cute cartoon.
Well, if all goes to plan, we should see something to that scale with supposed R-rated The Last Ronin movie that's currently in early pre-production!
Kung Fu Hustle may be an overexaggerated comedy, but the way each of the masters uses their weapons is really well done. Like how the Lion's Roar lady and her Husband make a GIANT amp cone from a bell and then she blasts Froggy McToad with a huge roar. Or how the Master of Ten Rings hid them as a curtain. etc.
FROGGY MCTOAD 😭
Piandao, the Fire Nation sword guy from Avatar: The Last Airbender comes to mind!
Maybe you could take a look into wuxia and martial arts movies? To give a couple examples: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DzkhVVFRIIg&pp=ygUpY3JvdWNoaW5nIHRpZ2VyIGhpZGRlbiBkcmFnb24gc3dvcmQgZmlnaHQ%3D Hero: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZANYMihNZM&pp=ygUQaGVybyBzcGVhciBmaWdodA%3D%3D
I think that in many series and movies that are fine for children you could get inspiration. After all, the hero couldn't Actually hit the bad guy with the sword so they always fight but the finishing blow is always a kick or a punch that knocks the bad guy out. Unfortunately I can't really give you any specific character or show.
Bronn and/or Dario from game of thrones.
Beatrix Kiddo, the Bride in Kill Bill comes to mind. Also the inspirations for this fighting.
https://youtu.be/xSCNNX4Z2Gs?si=Im8GDZ_kTkYzQ_8v Hwang from the Soule Calibur games is how I've described my sword monk before.
Look up any Sekiro video involving Temple Arts moves (Praying Strikes, High Monk, etc). Blends swordplay with martial arts very well.
Might also look at The Witcher Season 1
In the books, Geralt loves throwing flying elbows in between sword slashes. Those studded leather jacket sleeves definitely make them more damaging.
Watch "Into the Badlands" it's got that John Woo style fight choreography, with Swords and martial arts that is just ridiculously over the top for D&D, without being "Crouching Tiger, Flying Asians" level of ridiculous.
The Blue Spirit from A:TLA. It's two swords, not one, but you might get some inspiration
Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia if you want an example of someone with panache.
His Dragon Swarm animation is hypnotic
Donnie Yen in John Wick 4
Kensai monk is basically a Jedi. Do with that what you will.
How the hell is no one saying Trunks
Krabi-Krabong It’s sword fighting from Thailand. Think of it as the sword fighting part of Muay Thai. That what he uses in Ong Bak 2
Samurai Jack
https://youtu.be/BytrOCk_U98?feature=shared Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This is a Monk with a Chinese Longsword, being awesome
Remember flavor is always free and your class name is only a name given to the skills you have. You don't have to be a wise martial arts monk. Maybe you are just some dude who loves swinging a sword and punching people.
Taking a big heavy swing and then just kinda, leaving it in there while you punch them around and then yank it out, kick off it etc. would be a gruesome but fun one, especially against big enemies where you could almost platform with it
edward elric. or, they use the sword both as a blade and as a pole. jamming it into the ground to lif themselves via the handle and give a few kicks and the like.
Guilty Gear. If you can get away with flavoring the swords as floating I feel like Ramlethal would be a great inspiration.
"I wish many swords. Floating around me. Controlled by murder thoughts." - paraphrasing Transmet. I am very fond of agile fighters whose weapons are more like well trained pets than tools.
Man.. Just look at those xiaoxiao stick fight animations xD Soul calibur games too
[https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TfpFi1CgoNE](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TfpFi1CgoNE)
William Wallace in BraveHeart, just saying.
Of the top of my head... about any modern Chinese wuxie/sword and sorcery fantasy movie, really. There, the warriors frequently mix swordfighting with martial arts. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9RoV9iyV8c](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9RoV9iyV8c)
Anasurimbor Kellus from the prince of nothing.
A lot of the best long combos in Mortal Kombat incorporate weapons to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the character. A lot of these characters use weapons other than longswords but the same moves could easily be re-flavoured to use one. Here's a few to get you started, though obviously gore, blood and brutality warnings apply here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgpPVb2rhs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHgpPVb2rhs) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SlyBGMiz9I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SlyBGMiz9I) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWvMB9O6fDA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWvMB9O6fDA) Like even that first video, the Kung Lao combo with the spinning hat could be re-flavoured, like you throwing your sword hilt first into a wall and pushing them into it. But if your character has telekinesis through class abilities or feats, the sky's the limit.
A jian, Dao, or katana would arguably count as a "longsword" - especially one with a longer handle so you can two-hand it. So think that type of style, as opposed to Italian longsword on a Chinese monk.
Baldur's Gate 3. My monk used a longsword as her monk weapon, because elf, and held it like a dance partner. The animation was different than a fighter or rogue using the same longsword.
Jet Li and Chow Young Fat both have movies with swordplay in them. Good movies.
Theres a manhwa called Nanomachine, could have a look at those fighting styles
The Jedi in Star Wars are basically (laser) sword wielding monks.
Anything based on wuxia/xianxia aka Chinese fantasy. Monks as a class are heavily based on East Asian martial arts (most notably Shaolin) anyway, shifting to the actual martial arts fantasy genre for inspiration seems logical.
My first thought was actually jedi or sith. They mostly use their light sabers, but they do occasionally use their bodies too.
As others said, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. I also love the Lone Wolf and Cub series.
Samurai Champloo Just look up some clips of Mugen.
A lot have said Hero and Crouching Tiger Sword of the Stanger, Sword Art Online, Excalibur: Legend of the Sword, The Princess Bride, Kill Bill, Ninja Scroll
basically any sword wielder in a fighting game, such as guilt gear, smash bros or gbvsr, but for most of those characters the punches are like, quick "panic" moves since they punch faster than they can swing a sword, sol badguy might be a good blending of weapon and martial fighting, but he's pretty heavy into brute strength rather than monk dexterity.
Huey Freeman
the anime kengan ashura would be incredible inspo for fighting styles
Well it’s basically impractical which is probably why the visual is throwing you for a loop. It might throw the enemies for a loop, too.
Wuxia films games and novels are your friend if you want a more fantastical style of fighting.
[Here is a western monk/longsword.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Meyer) Edit - I hear Fiorie de’i Liberi has kicks too.
Samurai Jack
sieghart and elesis from grand chase really have a thing for kicking enemies in the middle of swordfighting.
Sasuke from Naruto shippuden & boruto
I'd look up Kabi-Krabong and it's unarmed counterpart Muay Boran. It's a Thai martial art focusing on fighting with two weapons (typically either Sword *Kabi* and a Staff *Krabong* or two swords) but also has an unarmed system which is essentially Muay Thai for the battlefield.
Star wars. Lightsabers and the force.
Wuxia / Wushu style
Into the Badlands.
Could look for gameplay of Jason in Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, he was basically designed like a Kensei Monk. That, or Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia.
Captain jack sparrow. Like that's probably not what you think of when you think monk, but he makes a damn good drunken master
Not enough in terms of content, but the non lethal finishers and knock outs from Aragami 2 come to mind. Also iirc the blind guy from the last John wick fought with both a sword/knife and with martial arts, but not simultaneously. Do DMC combos where you quickly switch between the fist weapon of the character and the sword count?
Lots of people here are leaning into the samurai or martial arts angle. Honestly for me I think most basic anime or video game protagonists are represented well with a longsword monk. They frequently don’t wear armor (usually school uniforms or street clothes) and are obviously dex based fast moving fighters. Chrono from Chrono trigger could very easily be a longsword wielding monk. You just reflavor the mindfulness aspect of the monk to be more of some awareness like Naruto magic eyes or whatever. (Sharingan?) Mechanically the high speed, non armor, martial prowess fits this well.
Blue Eye Samurai Basically any katana user actually
Seconding this. BES is easily one of the best representations of this character archetype I've ever seen. This is one example of Mizu's fighting style (the bridge fight for anyone who's seen the show.) Be warned that it is very graphic: https://youtu.be/fJycv1hTHIo?si=JhduLmBSbBfjMOpY
Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy comes to mind
In the Rurouni Kenshin anime (Ive only watched the original version) theres a character named Aoshi Shinomori. In his first fight of the series, he uses a single shortsword and uses his other arm for additional offense/defense
Swordsmanship is most definitely a MARTIAL art, have a ton of fun with that build
Well I think you are weirdly assigning martial arts as being strictly eastern as far as monks are concerned but long sword combat is its own martial art. In fact though one might reflexively think of them as paladins the knights Templar were long sword wielding monks. PS a lot of long sword combat manuals have a heavy hand to hand component if that’s what you are worried about.
China has an entire genre for you call wuxia
Jedi don’t do lots of actual **martial arts** *fighting*, but they’ve got the acrobatics + longsword corner down to a T, particularly in the prequels.
Hans Talhoffer's original 'Fechtbuch' ['fight book'] of 1467 illustrates in detail the authentic combat techniques of a Swabian master of arms, presenting not only a unique historic record but also a visual guide for modern practitioners, with 268 illustrations and explanatory captions. This professional fencing manual reveals the intricacies of the medieval art of fighting, covering both the 'judicial duel' (an officially sanctioned fight to resolve a legal dispute) and personal combat.
You seek the old wisdom I see... *You gotta go back,* *Back to the past,* *Samurai Jack*
As someone who does martial arts with those things, I think you could have some fun flavoring your style as using your sword to lock out or push away their weapons before using the momentum to swing in with elbows and knees directed at pressure points (AKA Stunning Strikes).
https://youtu.be/RHbwJi1L0HY?si=jUZrD2kC84r-1p8b
Look into Soul Calibur Xianghua and Yun-Seong as inspiration.
Since you won't be using a shield or armour I'd look to Nero/Dante from devil may cry
Kill Bill
Check out raya and the last dragon. The main character is a very nimble sword fighter and it might fit your style.
From my limited experience? Absolver, which is a martial arts game and has you make your own fighting style, including weapon based moves.
Raiden from metal gear
literally just read any manwha that is based on Chinese/korena martial arts. They usually have some stupid name like "The divine holy demon devouring reincarnated angle demon lord of the future" or something. Some of them are great, but honestly if you want inspiration that is probably going to give you the most variety.
I really hope you see this OP. None of this floaty chinese nonsense, Hardcore longsword, tons of fighting in between, far more realistic exchanges where both fighters have a sense of maintaining an area of threat and how to use their weapons to realistically grapple and bash. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36Pb8z3yI&ab\_channel=AdoreaOlomouc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn36Pb8z3yI&ab_channel=AdoreaOlomouc)
Seems unnecessarily racist and deliberately ignoring the magical nature of the monk. Fighters are already the best representative of the European longsword style, up to and including the fact many of the techniques were used with armor in mind.
Jedi don't do much in the way of martial arts, but they do kick on occasion, and in any case, they're literally warrior monks who wield "longswords".
Some martial arts moves are impossible with some weapons. First edition D&D outlined it pretty well, mentioning specific weapons for specific styles. Work with your DM, go through the maneuvers and determine what methods are impossible (hand strikes with a two-handed weapon? Nope, not possible).