The Battousai (Class option)(Homebrew) opinions

[Vox Silentii]

What do people think about this class option.

http://gaiusludusen.blogspot.is/2016...k-sub.html?m=1

Is it op or underwhelming?
Would you rather just take Samurai instead?

[nickl_2000]

For the most part it seems fine, until you get to this

Sainthood of Speed: Re-roll any roll of 1 when attacking with a sword. Also, receive +1 to your margin of critical (normally, this means your attacks crit on a 19 and 20). When you achieve a critical hit, roll 1 extra weapon damage. You also can make opportunity attacks against creatures that move into your reach (and not just out of your reach), and you can make any number of opportunity attacks during a combat's round (they don't count as the usage of your reaction). All these bonuses apply also to martial arts if you are a monk.

Make AoOs against anyone who go into reach or leaves reach and you get infinite possible AoOs? Combine that with what sounds like the ability to walk all over the world without provking AoOs it seems to much.



I also don't like that there isn't a single non-combat ribbon ability. It seems to completely ignore the social tier of the game.

[strangebloke]

Reasonable, although those high-level abilities are pretty awesome. I would note that if the character is going to take all the kenjutsu, iajutsu may not really be an interesting option for many characters.

I'm also a little confused by how you've restricted weapon options. I'd see a greatsword as a pretty normal weapon for a sword-saint type. I mean, the Japanese had some big-ass swords. I can see you not wanting to pigeon-hole the class into "Yet another GWM fighter" but it feels like there should be some way to work this in.

I'd advise, in general, against trying to make this a monk subclass as well. We already have the kensei, which does many of these same things already. (disengaging, longsword as a finesse/monk weapon, etc.)

There's some unclear wording and issues... what is the DC for Kiai base off of?

I would just make Iajutsu a bonus to initiative, or something like we discussed in the other thread, and make the longsword finesse from the beginning.

Shukuchi is a bit too good. It lets you dash and disengage and attack. At higher levels it won't be OP, but at lower levels it's most of three actions for the price of one, as many times a day as you want. I would just give a speed bonus if you're not wearing medium or heavy armor, and the usual "nobody who you attack gets an OA against you."

Saint of speed infinte OA ability should require at least a bonus action to set up, like tunnel fighter.

Ribbons are fun. Add some.

[Grod_The_Giant]

Short swords are already Monk weapons, and both the Monk and Fighter are already proficient, so that bit is wasted space.

Kiai doesn't specify a save DC, and is probably too strong for a short rest ability. Keying it off Cha makes a Monk entry very MAD.

Happo Giri's function is unclear-- presumably it only works when you attack multiple foes?

Iajutsu is awful. It's a tiny damage boost, and if you're going in as a Monk it will be overshadowed by your martial arts die.

Shukuchi is too good-- I'd reduce it to something like "make one attack as a bonus action after Dash, and you don't provoke attacks of opportunity when using Dash."

Sainthood of Speed is a huge pile of random bonuses, while Sainthood of Power is, BEST CASE, +5 damage, and then only if you've got a truly rediculous stat distribution or a magic item.

You've also got a false choice in the worst way: you will get all options by high levels, but they're all are open from level 3. That means you'll get the best ability, the one you want most, first, and every subsequent choice will be less and less exciting. And less and less level appropriate. I suggest either coming up with more options, preferably including some level-gated ones (like Warlock invocations) or sticking to a traditional "x ability at level y" design.

(And, as noted, the Kensi already covers the "Monk with a sword" archetype pretty well, while a Dex-based Battle Master handles the Fighter entry)

[strangebloke]

Happo Giri's function is unclear-- presumably it only works when you attack multiple foes?

Battle Master handles the Fighter entry)

When you hit someone with Happo Giri, you get to deal that damage against anyone in your threatened space, distributed however. I didn't comment on this earlier, but it leads to some potential abuse. Stab a rat in your pack, deal damage to the tarrasque sitting next to you.

"Battle Master" handles pretty much all interesting fighter styles, because it's literally the "do cool fighter moves" subclass. People criticize arcane archer, samurai, champion, and even cavalier for being 'better modeled by battlemaster.'