YARN KENSAI
"Appearances are deceiving my friend."
The catfolk have had surprisingly little influence on the development of the Cat Burglar Guilds, but one of their Guilds do produce some unique warriors: The Yarn Kensai. Dedicated martial artist who practice the use of chain and rope weapons, they carry enchanted balls of yarn with them. After all who suspects the little kitty playing wif yarn to be a serious assassin.
BECOMING A YARN KENSAI
Being a hardcore martial arts type and a Catfolk usually works.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Race: Catfolk
Class Abilities: Kitty Form, any one 2nd Level Setting Sun Maneuver
Skills: Hide 4 ranks, Martial Lore 4 ranks, Sense Motive 4 ranks
Feats: Combat Expertise and one of the following: Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, or Improved Trip
Class Skills
The Yarn Kensai's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Bluff (Cha), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con). Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (local)(Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Tumble (Dex), Use Magic Device (Cha), and Use Rope
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Hit Dice: d8
Code:
BAB Fort Ref Will Abilities
1. +1 +0 +2 +0 Enchanted Yarn
2. +2 +0 +3 +0 Yarn Fu
3. +3 +1 +3 +1 Battle Readiness +1
4. +4 +1 +4 +1 Enchanted Yarn
5. +5 +1 +4 +1 Yarn Fu
6. +6 +2 +5 +2 Battle Readiness +2
7. +7 +2 +5 +2 Enchanted Yarn
8. +8 +2 +6 +2 Yarn Fu
9. +9 +3 +6 +3 Battle Readiness +3
10.+10 +3 +7 +3 Yarn Fu Master
Weapon Proficiencies: You become proficient with Yarn Weapons.
Maneuvers: At each odd numbered level you gain a new Maneuver from the Feline Way, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand discipline. You must meet the Maneuver's Prerequisite to learn it. You add your full Yarn Kensai Levels to your Initiator Level to determine your total Initiator Level, and your highest level Maneuvers Known. At 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels you gain an additional Maneuver readied per day.
Stances Known: At 5th level you learn a new Stance from the Feline Way, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand disciplines if you meet it's Prerequisites.
Enchanted Yarn (Su): At Level 1 you may spend 300 GP during a 4 hour ritual to attune yourself to a ball of yarn, which thereafter becomes a magical weapon in your hands. You always know the location of the ball of yarn, and if it is within 30' you may teleport it into your hand as a Swift Action. It is considered an associated weapon regardless of what discipline you are using. As a Free Action you may decide once per round what kind of weapon it becomes. It is considered a +1 weapon. At 1st level you can use it to mimic a Light Flail, Nunchaku, or Whip. At 4th Level it can become a Bolas, Flail, or Net. At 7th Level it can become a Dire Flail or Spiked Chain.
At 4th Level it can become a Sweeping or Chargebreaker Weapon (see Magic Item Compendium).
At 7th Level it can be come a Disarming Weapon (see Magic Item Compendium).
Yarn Fu (Ex): At Levels 2, 5, and 8 you may choose a Stance or Maneuver from the Yarn Fu Discipline. It's associated weapons are your enchanted yarn ball, and it's Key Skill is Use Rope.
Battle Readiness (Ex): At Level 3 you get a +1 Bonus to all Opposed Checks on the first round of combat, and a +1 Bonus to Initiative Checks. This increases to +2 at Level 6, and +3 at Level 9.
Yarn Fu Master (Ex): You may now always Take 20 on all Use Rope Checks, and you gain two additional Yarn Fu Maneuvers/Stances.
PLAYING A YARN KENSAI
You are one with the yarn. Okay so some of the more traditional warrior types giggle at you and make jokes about knitting, but after you whoop them bad a few times they give that stuff up. Nobody wants to get beat with yarn.
Combat: You are sadly somewhat reliant on weapons, and without yours fleeing is generally good advice. It's the price of studying furiously to specialize in one style.
Advancement: You're a buttkicker. This is your purpose in life. Your reason for existence. Hence you do what is necessary to enhance your abilities at said buttkicking.
Resources: Your temples are well known among the catfolk. They aren't rich by any means, but you do better than some monks.
YARN KENSAI IN THE WORLD
"Awwww...Mr. Piddums wuvs his yarn!! Yes he do!!"
You spend a lot of time hanging out with little old ladies who unwittingly give you the materials to create weapons of mass destruction. If only they knew. Then again you often defend them from bandits, so maybe they do know...
Daily Life: Practice, practice, practice. That's all you do is practice. Just once you wish you'd go on a mission lasting more than a few hours so you could end the boring daily grind of practice.
Notables:
Organizations: As with all Cat Burglars you belong to a Guild (and in your case a martial arts school/temple).
NPC Reaction
NPC's don't take stories of you seriously, which is just the way you want it.
YARN KENSAI IN THE GAME
This is a little weird as concepts go, but then so is the core class it's based on.
Adaptation: This is most definitely intended for silly campaigns.
Encounters: PC's will generally encounter you if they attend martial arts schools, or by chance during one of your missions. Or maybe even in a random street fight.
Sample Encounter
EL 12: The PC's are having tea with an old woman who is said to be quite knowledgeable of the area when Orcs burst through the door and begin tearing up the place. All of a sudden the little kittens who were playing with yarn turn into towering catlike kung fu warriors who kick the Orcs a new one. The PC's feel left out to say the least.
Name
alignment/Gender/Race/Levels
Init +0,
Senses: Listen +, Spot +,
Languages
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AC , touch , flat-footed ()
hp ( HD)
Fort +,
Ref +,
Will +
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Speed ft. ( squares)
Melee
Base Atk +,
Grp +
Atk Options
Combat Gear
Spells Prepared
Supernatural Abilities
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Abilities Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
SQ
Feats
Skills
Possessions
EPIC YARN KENSAI
Hit Die: d8
Skills Points at Each Level : 6 + int
Yarn Fu Your Initiator Level increases with Epic Levels. You learn one more Yarn Fu, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand Maneuver at Level 22 and every 3 Levels thereafter.
Battle Readiness Your Battle Readiness Bonus increases by +1 at Level 23 and every 3 Levels thereafter.
Bonus Feats: The Epic Yarn Kensai gains a Bonus Feat every 4 levels higher than 20th
YARN FU
3rd Level
Down Low (Strike): Your Strike does +2d6 damage, and if it is successful you may immediately perform a Trip Attack as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity. Your opponent does not try to get to Trip you back.
Waiting Stance (Stance): Gain Bonus to Attack and Damage rolls against moving opponents.
Yarn Wrap (Strike): If your attack is successful you may immediately make a Grapple Check as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity.
4th Level
Bull Bludgeon (Counter): Free Attack of Opportunity against Charging Opponents (whether they would normally be subject to an AoO or not) doing bonus damage depending on their movement.
Momentum (Boost): You may re-roll missed attacks against opponents Fighting Defensively or using Total Defense.
Yarn Snatch (Strike): Attack with 5' greater reach, get Disarm attempt as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity if successful.
5th Level
Quick Strike (Strike): Does +4d6 damage and your opponent is Denied his Dexterity Bonus to AC.
Wrapping Stance (Stance): You gain a Bonus on Disarm, Grapple, and Trip Checks.
Yarn Choke (Strike): Strike does 4d6 damage, and opponent is Sickened and Mute for 1d6 rounds.
6th Level
Defensive Whirl (Counter): Until the end of the round you get 1 Attack of Opportunity against anyone who moves into a square you threaten, and are not limited in the amount of Attacks of Opportunity you can make.
Yarn Allergies (Boost): Opponents hit with your Yarn weapon must Save or lose 1d6 Constitution.
Bull Bludgeon
Yarn Fu (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
You're adept at using opponents speed against them. When an opponent charges you, you get 1 free Attack of Opportunity (whether you would normally be allowed one or not) against him. For every 5' he has moved in this round your attack does +1d6 damage if it is successful (maximum additional d6 is equal to half your Initiator Level.
Defensive Whirl
Yarn Fu (Counter)
Level: Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Immediate Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
It's always difficult to move in on some one whirling a chain. Until the end of the round you get 1 Attack of Opportunity against anyone who moves into a square you threaten, and are not limited in the amount of Attacks of Opportunity you can make.
Down Low
Yarn Fu (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: 1 Feline Way, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Your Strike does +2d6 damage, and if it is successful you may immediately perform a Trip Attack as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity. Your opponent does not try to get to Trip you back.
Momentum
Yarn Fu (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
If you miss with one end of the chain you can use the momentum to bring the other end to bear. You may re-roll missed attacks against opponents, and if the new roll hits you do +2d6 damage.
Quick Strike
Yarn Fu (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
You can attack quickly, and at odd angles. Does +4d6 damage and your opponent is Denied his Dexterity Bonus to AC.
Waiting Stance
Yarn Fu (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: 1 Feline Way, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
While in this stance you gain a +2 to Attack rolls and a +4 to Damage rolls against any opponents who has moved that round.
Wrapping Stance
Yarn Fu (Stance)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Stance
While in this Stance you gain a +6 bonus on all Disarm, Grapple, and Trip Checks.
Yarn Allergies
Yarn Fu (Boost)
Level: Swordsage 6, Warblade 6
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Swift Action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: End of Turn
Until the end of the turn, opponents hit with your Yarn weapon must make a Fortitude Save or lose 1d6 Constitution (Save DC s 10 plus 1/2 Hit Dice plus Charisma Modifier)..
Yarn Choke
Yarn Fu (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 5, Warblade 5
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Perform a single melee strike, if it is successful it does 4d6 damage, and opponent must make a Fortitude Save (DC is 10 plus 1/2 HD plus Strength Modifier) or be Sickened and Mute for 1d6 rounds.
Yarn Snatch
Yarn Fu (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 4, Warblade 4
Prerequisite: 2 Feline Way, Setting Sun, Shadow Hand or Yarn Fu Maneuvers
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
You perform a single attack with 5' greater reach, get Disarm attempt as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity if successful.
Yarn Wrap
Yarn Fu (Strike)
Level: Swordsage 3, Warblade 3
Prerequisite: 1 Feline Way, Setting Sun, or Shadow Hand Maneuver
Initiation Action: 1 Standard Action
Range: Melee Attack
Target: One creature
Make a single attack, and if your attack is successful you may immediately make a Grapple Check as a Free Action without provoking an Attack of Opportunity. If successful, you may do your Yarn weapons damage each turn you maintain the Grapple.
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Angry kitty. 
