[DnD 3.5]Samurai Rework[DnD 3.99 Project] P.E.A.C.H.

[Drako_Beoulve]

Samurai that relies on Iaijutsu focus skill.

This is an Alpha version, I think it needs more work.

THE SAMURAI
Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Features|Max Weapon bonus|XP Cost**
1|1|0|2|2|Samurai Blades||
2|2|0|3|3|Kiai Shout (1/Encounter)||
3|3|1|3|3|Iaijutsu Strike||
4|4|1|4|4|Uncanny Dodge||
5|5|1|4|4|Ancestral link, Bonus Feat|+1|40
6|6|2|5|5|Kiai Shout (2/Encounter)||
7|7|2|5|5|Indomitable Warrior|+2|160
8|8|2|6|6|Samurai Mastery|+3|360
9|9|3|6|6|Bonus Feat||
10|10|3|7|7|Kiai Shout (3/Encounter)|+4|640
11|11|3|7|7|Improved Uncanny Dodge|+5|1,000
12|12|4|8|8|-||
13|13|4|9|8|Bonus Feat|+6*|1,440
14|14|4|9|9|Kiai Shout (4/Encounter)|+7*|1,960
15|15|5|9|9|Supreme Iaijutsu||
16|16|5|10|10|-|+8*|2,560
17|17|5|10|10|Bonus Feat|+9*|3,240
18|18|6|11|11|Kiai Shout (5/Encounter)||
19|19|6|11|11|Maximize Iaijutsu|+10*|4,000
20|20|6|12|12|-||

*: * A weapon can’t actually have an enhancement bonus higher than +5, but it can have special abilities that are the equivalent of additional bonuses. Use these lines on the table to determine the XP cost when special abilities are added to a signature weapon. Example: A 13th-level Samurai who has a Masterwor Katana can imbue it with the power to be a +5 keen Katana at a cost of 1,440 XP, since the keen special ability is equivalent to a +1 bonus.
** The XP cost presented here assumes that the blade being imbued does not already have an enhancement bonus. If it does, the cost to imbue it with additional power is reduced. For instance, if a Samurai has a +1 Tanto and wants to imbue it with the power to be a +3 Tanto, he may do so by paying the difference in XP cost between creating a +1 weapon and a +3 weapon (360 minus 40, or 320 XP).

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills
The Samurai’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance(Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft(Weaponsmithing) (Int), Craft(Armorsmithing) (Int), Craft(Bowmaking) (Int),Diplomacy (Cha), Iaijutsu Focus (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (History) (Int),Listen (Wis), Profession() (Wis),Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) ×4.
Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features

All the following are class features of the Samurai.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
Samurais are proficient with all simple martial weapons and Samurai blades (see below); with light, Medium and heavy armor. Samurais doesn't have proficiency with shields.

Samurai Blades(Su)
Samurais gains Weapon Focus(Samurai Blades). Samurai blades are: Katana(Exotic Bastard Sword), Wakizashi(Exotic Short Sword), Tanto(Exotic Dagger) and No-Dachi(Exotic Greatsword, 10' Reach). The Samurai Blades are considered signature weapons to Samurai, also all samurai blades the Samurai crafts are considered masterwork.

Ancestral Link(Su)
Starting at level 5th, The character focuses part of his life energy on a Samurai blade, making it more effective in the hands of the Samurai, others see and feels the Samurai blade as a regular weapon when seeing or using it.the Samurai can create a spirit link with a Samurai blade imbuing it with an enhancement bonus or special weapon property according to the Samurai's feature table; to doing so, the Samurai must find a quiet, safe spot to meditate and pray to it's ancestors' spirits for 24 hours. At the end of this meditation, the Samurai sacrifices a number of experience points, essentially shifting some of his life force into the Samurai blade. The blade then becomes a magic weapon (if it wasn’t already) and gains an enhancement bonus and/or special abilities. His current class level limits the amount of enhancement a Samurai can place into the blade. A Samurai cannot imbue a blade if doing so would cost enough experience points to reduce his character level. Use the feature table determine XP costs and class level limits.

If the ritual is interrupted, it can be begun again at any time, but it must run for a full 24 hours for the signature weapon to be imbued. The Samurai pays the XP cost as soon as the ritual has been completed. A Samurai’s blade weapon has a caster level equal to the character’s class level + 10.

Bonus Feats (Ex)
Starting at 5th level and every Four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), the Samurai gets an additional bonus feat from the following list: Quick Draw, Weapon Focus(Samurai blades), Weapon Specialization (Samurai Blades), Greater Weapon Focus(Samurai Blades), TWF, ITWF, GTWF, Skill Focus(Iaijutsu Focus), Power Attack, Cleave, Alertness and Improved Initiative. You must meet feat prerequisites; treat levels in Samurai as levels of Fighter class for purposes of meet Figther level prerequisites.

Iaijutsu Strike(Ex)
Once per round, when doing an attack, make a Sleight of Hand Bluff Vs Sense Motive contest with your target (If your target has no Sense Motive ranks you automatically win the contest), if you win the contest treat your signature weapon as if it where just drawed this turn and the target is considered flat-footed for this attack. Iaijutsu Strike does not provoke attacks of oportunity.

Indomitable Warrior(Su)
The Samurais are know for their willpower to continue fighting when there is so much hurt done to them. At 7th level you add your CHA modifier as a bonus to HP the same way as your CON modifier bonus.

Uncanny Dodge(Ex)
As Rogue Uncanny Dodge feature.

Kiai Shout(Ex)
As a free action, the Samurai can shout a word that invigorates him. Add a Morale bonus to Attack and Damage Roll equal to your CHA modifier (min +1) for 1 round plus any number of rounds equal to your CHA modifier if it's positive. This feature can be once per day; you gain an additional use of Kiai Shout every four levels (6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, etc)

Samurai Mastery(Ex)
Add your level in Samurai as a class bonus to all your class skill's checks.

Improved Uncanny Dodge(Ex)
As Rogue Improved Uncanny Dodge feature.

Supreme Iaijutsu(Ex)
Your Iaijutsu Strike effect applies to all attacks done to a target that you had previoulsy won the Iaijutsu Strike contest for the rest of the encounter.

Maximize Iaijutsu(Ex)
Maximize the rolls of your damage bonus of Iaijutsu focus skill check. You can use this feature CHA times per day.

[B]Prestige Classes
Levels In Iaijutsu Master counts as levels of Samurai for the purposes of calculating Samurai features.

[Kyuu Himura]

Kodashi(Short Sword

I think you mean the wakizashi, which is the shortsword traditionally paired with the katana, I would treat a kodachi as a different kind of weapon, maybe making stats for it.


The Samurai’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance(Dex), Concentration (Con), Craft(Samurai Blade) (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Forgery (Cha), Iaijutsu Focus (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Knowledge (Local) (Int), Knowledge (History) (Int),Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Run (Str), Sleight of Hand (Int), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis) and Tumble (Dex).

I see no reason for forgery in there, Samurai were supposed to be honest and truthful warriors, forgery and other such activities are below a true warrior. Why is there no Sense Motive in there??


Honorable Kill(Su)
Whenever the Samurai attacks and leaves with 0 or less hit points an enemy that is equal or greater than his Character level, the Samurai heals itself 1d4 hp per two Samurai levels (rounded down) plus CHA mod.


Do you add your CHA mod to every d4 or just once?? please clarify.

Also, there are a lot of class features you aren't explaining.

Other than that, it actually looks pretty good

[Drako_Beoulve]

I think you mean the wakizashi, which is the shortsword traditionally paired with the katana, I would treat a kodachi as a different kind of weapon, maybe making stats for it.
I'll change the name to wakisashi, the kodashi seems to be the same as wakisashi. Also adding the Masamune (Two-Handed Sword with reach little reach), stats later.

I see no reason for forgery in there, Samurai were supposed to be honest and truthful warriors, forgery and other such activities are below a true warrior. Why is there no Sense Motive in there?? good catch, I'll remove forgery and add sense motive.

Do you add your CHA mod to every d4 or just once?? please clarify.just once, I'll clarify this with an example.


Also, there are a lot of class features you aren't explaining.

Other than that, it actually looks pretty good
thank you for your review

[Drako_Beoulve]

Some updates:

-Removed the 1st level bonus Feat as Samurai already gains Weapon Focus at the same level.

-Added missing Blade defense, Unanny dodge and Improved Uncanny Dodge's missing description.

-Bonus feat list redone

-Iaijutsu Smite becomes Iaijutsu Smiting and now is usable times per day and adds it's bonus equal to CHA modifier. Also speed is decreased to Swift action rather than free action on the first levels.

-Added the Ancestral Link feature and modify the table to show the weapon bonuses and Xp costs (Like Kensai's feature).

[JadePhoenix]

I really don't think a samurai class should be only focused on iaijutsu. It's too narrow. Not all samurai were skilled in iai. Mounted archery is a big part of samurai mythos, as is dual wielding, and none of it is focused upon with this class.
You have a typo on weapon proficiencies - marital instead of martial weapons. You also have samurai proficient with light and heavy (but not medium) armor.
Since when is Run a skill? Sleight of Hand is a Dex skill... and also something that samurai shouldn't get. Samurai should get all Craft skills as class skills (caligraphy springs to mind), and there is no 'samurai blade' craft (it's weaponsmithing).
Masamune is the name of a blacksmith. The type of sword is called no-dachi.
The class features seem too generic and bland. When they don't, they feel too powerful and forced. The one thing I really did like was Samurai getting uncanny dodge.
Sorry but as written I see no point to this class. The Iaijutsu Master fills the role a lot better. You really should add different fighting styles (zen archery, mounted archery, two-handed brute (Kojiro), dual wield (Musashi) and of course iaijutsu), scale down the iaijutsu skills (you keep multiplying everything by X!), review that messed up skill list and add some fluff. This really does need a lot of work, but it looks like you're willing to put work into it.

[Drako_Beoulve]

I really don't think a samurai class should be only focused on iaijutsu. It's too narrow. Not all samurai were skilled in iai. Mounted archery is a big part of samurai mythos, as is dual wielding, and none of it is focused upon with this class.
You have a typo on weapon proficiencies - marital instead of martial weapons. You also have samurai proficient with light and heavy (but not medium) armor.
Since when is Run a skill? Sleight of Hand is a Dex skill... and also something that samurai shouldn't get. Samurai should get all Craft skills as class skills (caligraphy springs to mind), and there is no 'samurai blade' craft (it's weaponsmithing).
Masamune is the name of a blacksmith. The type of sword is called no-dachi.
The class features seem too generic and bland. When they don't, they feel too powerful and forced. The one thing I really did like was Samurai getting uncanny dodge.
Sorry but as written I see no point to this class. The Iaijutsu Master fills the role a lot better. You really should add different fighting styles (zen archery, mounted archery, two-handed brute (Kojiro), dual wield (Musashi) and of course iaijutsu), scale down the iaijutsu skills (you keep multiplying everything by X!), review that messed up skill list and add some fluff. This really does need a lot of work, but it looks like you're willing to put work into it.

Thank you for the feedback. As you can see in the very top of the post I wrote that this homebrew it's an alpha version, this idea was sppited out of my mind while at work and no book for references; as a half cooked idea there is almost all fluff missing.

This Homebrewed CLass was intended to have all the prerequisites to do a clean multiclassing with the Iaijutsu Master class.

You're right, Samurais have a world of combating to cover, I'll try to assemble an idea to reflect the diferent combat styles including archery and mounting, maybe changing the Samurai Blades feature to Samurai Weapons and divert into bows, lances, etc. not only in swords.

The Iaijutsu Focus skill was the star of this homebrew and I tried the class to use it often with the Sleight of Hand skill, but seems that Bluff is the right skill to use. Maybe I'll move the Iaijutsu to a combat style and reduce the skill that relies on Iaijutsu focus.

[Drako_Beoulve]

Updates:

- Skill list redone.
- Some typos corrected.

[Drako_Beoulve]

More Updates:

- Removed Blade defense, replaced with Indomitable warrior.

- Replaced Sleight of Hand for Bluff in the Iaijutsu Strike entry

- Removed Sleight of Hand from the class skills.

[Empedocles]

This class is good for what it's trying to accomplish. Flavor wise, you have a fighter who jumps into combat, shouts loudly, then makes a slash that deals obscene amounts of damage.

But...what if the enemy is flying? There's a magic wall up? The enemy has a bow? You're subject to an illusion? This class has literally no alternative options. No versatility. Even the fighter is more versatile then this, since it can at least be optimized for specific situations. This is like a fighter who's been optimized for fighting for you.

EDIT: Also, don't cross stuff out if you remove or change it in the base class itself. Just delete it for ease of reading, and so it looks nicer :smallbiggrin: