Is there any way to make the Iatjusu focus skill useful?

[mordulin]

There is at least one other method and that is to blind your opponent. I like that IF isn't negated by things that are immune to critical hits. They have a powder bomb thing in OA that lets you blind your opponent. This is great if you have an ally throw the powder and you rush in after to strike with IF. Invisibility can be useful for this as well and Greater Invisibility allows you to get multiple IF attacks off.

 

[IcyCool]

They're like the Kakita Duelists, who are trained to use Iaijutsu in place of Kenjutsu (of course, that means using the skill, not the duel rules) and they get all kinds of bonuses against enemies with a lower initiative and/or honour.

In the L5R rules, they can also use their Iaijutsu skill in place of any other skill once per day. I was particularly fond of using it for poetry.

A sword sheathed
Cherry blossoms fall
I like swords

 

[Sejs]

In the L5R rules, they can also use their Iaijutsu skill in place of any other skill once per day. I was particularly fond of using it for poetry.

A sword sheathed
Cherry blossoms fall
I like swords

Hello. I like swords.
Welcome to Corneria.
Thank you. I like swords.

 

[Hypersmurf]

How does iatjutsu master give you a free surprise round?

Do you have Oriental Adventures?

If so, read the class description; all should become clear.

If not, borrow it off the DM who's running the Oriental game, then read the class description; all should become clear.

If you can't get access to the book, what are you doing playing in an Oriental game in the first place?

-Hyp.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

If you can't get access to the book, what are you doing playing in an Oriental game in the first place?

Probably just min-maxing. "Ooh, a Skill that makes me increase my damage, I must use that on every attack now!"

 

[Drowbane]

of course he had a Kakita blade!

How does iatjutsu master give you a free surprise round?

Crack a book once in awhile, its amazing what you can learn...

Strike with No Thought (Ex): If an iaijutsu master of 10th level begins combat (not an iaijutsu duel) within melee range of an opponent, he gains a free surprise round, even though his opponents are aware of his presence. The only action the iaijutsu master can take in this surprise round is an attack action using a katana. For example, if the iaijutsu master Kakita Timishiko and Bayushi Koro are standing on the street hurling insults at each other and the situation erupts into combat, Timoshiko can attack with his katana before Koro even rolls initiative, catching his opponent flat-footed.
This ability reflects the iaijutsu master's ability to apply the principles of the iaijutsu duel in normal melee combat. It does not give the iaijutsu master any additional benefit within an iaijutsu duel.

That's not very traditional. (Of course, the Crane create traditions).

So he wasn't fit for wielding a Kakita Blade?

I've never played L5R...

And the 3.0 Kakita Blade was just an adamantine katana, unless I'm missing something in the description..?

Its not like Kakita Jinsai was dual-wielding like a Dragon.

 

[Ranger REG]

Probably just min-maxing. "Ooh, a Skill that makes me increase my damage, I must use that on every attack now!"

I'd limit the use of the skill for once per encounter, unless otherwise noted.

If the samurai multiclass with swordsage using Diamond Mind discipline, I'd replace Concentration with IF as the key skill (although one could argue for Desert Wind discipline).

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Why am I tempted now to get Iaijutsu Focus ranks for my Swordsage? He's more or less a Shadow Warrior, after all (Faerûn doesn't know the term "ninja").

I've never played L5R...

Well, I haven't played Rokugan with the L5R rules yet, but I'm reading the book right now since I'll run a short campaign (with the option for a much longer campaign) soon.

The game system rocks!

And the 3.0 Kakita Blade was just an adamantine katana, unless I'm missing something in the description..?

I don't know. But L5R 3e has an advantage "Sacred Weapon". Each Clan gets a different weapon with that. As a crane, you can be entrusted with a Kakita Blade, which is a better Katana that grants extra bonuses if you have at least Iaijutsu rank 2 (which isn't that bad, at least not for a starting character.)

Its not like Kakita Jinsai was dual-wielding like a Dragon.

Was he? That Traitor! Turning his back on the Kakita School for that upstart Mirumoto School

 

[Question]

The level 10 ability does nothing. Free surprise round when you start within mele range of an enemy? WTH? When has this ever happened without relying on stealth or magic? No enemies lets you walk up to them and start combat, most times the enemies start the combat by showing themselves to the party.

We should totally ban sneak attack, sudden strike and skirmish attack. OMG class abilities THAT LET YOU DO DAMAGE and you can use them every round!

 

[Sejs]

The level 10 ability does nothing. Free surprise round when you start within mele range of an enemy? WTH? When has this ever happened without relying on stealth or magic? No enemies lets you walk up to them and start combat, most times the enemies start the combat by showing themselves to the party.

*facepalm* You seem to be missing a lot of the context of the class, the skill, and the setting, Question. The point of the iajutsu master, and by extension, the iajutsu focus skill is not stealthing up upon your foe and ganking them down. The whole point of iajutsu is two opponents squared off against one another, staring eachother down, fully aware of the other's presence (generally in an honorable duel, natch) and the one who is the faster on the draw is able to cut down the other guy before he's even able to clear his blade from its sheath.

It has nothing to do with jaunting down into a dungeon, killing orcs and stealing their pie. It's about samurai facing off with other samurai.