Lightning Draw Chain.

[Firael]

A feat chain that I have allowed some of my players to use.

Iai Strike. [General]
The character can preform lightning fast cuts to vulnerable targets.
Prerequisite: Quick Draw, Dex 15+

Benefit: Whenever the character's weapon is not drawn, he may opt to draw the weapon and attack the enemy once at his highest base attack bonus.
This attack is considered in all aspects to be a normal attack, except it recieves an Sneak Attack damage equal to what a rogue of 1/2 of your character level would deal (Minimum +1d6).
Example: A Level 10 Fighter with this feat would deal sword damage+3d6 points of sneak damage.
You may only use this feat with a Longsword, Bastardsword (with Exotic Weapon Proficiency), Short Sword or Scimitar.
You can not use any of these swords two-handed while making this attack.
This damage does not stack with the rogue's class ability.
You may use this ability against the same enemy once per combat, but if any other hostiles see you preform the Iai strike (Spot DC13+Your Dexterity+Half your character level rounded down.), you will not be able to preform it on them.

Normal: No Iaijutsu for you!

Improved Iai Strike.
The character can preform lightning fast cuts to vulnerable targets.
Prerequisite: Iai Strike, Quick Draw, Dex 17+, BAB+6

Benefit: Whenever the character's weapon is not drawn, he may opt to draw the weapon and attack the enemy twice. Once at his highest base attack bonus and once at his highest base attack bonus -5. This attack is considered in all aspects to be a normal attack, except it recieves an Sneak Attack damage equal to what a rogue of 1/2 of your character level would deal (Minimum +1d6).
Example: A Level 10 Fighter with this feat would deal sword damage+3d6 points of sneak damage. You may only use this feat with a Longsword, Bastardsword (with Exotic Weapon Proficiency), Short Sword or Scimitar. You can not use any of these swords two-handed while making this attack. This damage does not stack with the rogue's class ability. You may use this ability against the same enemy once per combat, but if any other hostiles see you preform the Iai strike (Spot DC15+Your Dexterity+Half your character level rounded down.), you will not be able to preform it on them.

Greater Iai Strike.
The character can preform lightning fast cuts to vulnerable targets.
Prerequisite: Improved Iai Strike, Quick Draw, Dex 19+, BAB+11

Benefit: Whenever the character's weapon is not drawn, he may opt to draw the weapon and attack the enemy three times.
Once at his highest base attack bonus and once at his highest base attack bonus -5, and once at his highest base attack bonus -10.
This attack is considered in all aspects to be a normal attack, except it recieves an Sneak Attack damage equal to what a rogue of 1/2 of your character level would deal (Minimum +1d6).
Example: A Level 10 Fighter with this feat would deal sword damage+3d6 points of sneak damage.
You may only use this feat with a Longsword, Bastardsword (with Exotic Weapon Proficiency), Short Sword or Scimitar.
You can not use any of these swords two-handed while making this attack.
This damage does not stack with the rogue's class ability.
You may use this ability against the same enemy once per combat, but if any other hostiles see you preform the Iai strike (Spot DC17+Your Dexterity+Half your character level rounded down.), you will not be able to preform it on them.

Well that's about it. If anyones Interested Master Iai strike and Epic Iai strike follow the same pattern.

Feedback and constructive criticism is expected.

Cha.

 

[Ferret]

If the extra damage is is mean to be half the level then why isn't the damage 5d6? I also don't think it's balanced at all. Way to much damage without a cap. If it was caped at 5d6 it might be ok damage.

I'd rather go for it starting a crit, but you still need to confirm, on you first attack with a one handed bladed weapon given that you've drawn it as well.

Good idea.

 

[Firael]

Ah I understand what you mean. I misworded it. I meant you deal sneak damage equal to a rogue of 1/2 of your level would deal. If it would start a critical instead, it would lose much of it's usefulness at higher levels, or become overly powerful. Imagine with Greater Iai Strike... Three Criticals? Let's say a Magical +5 Bastardsword...

 

[domino]

What if you aready ARE a rogue? Does it stack?

What if you have iajutsu focus as a skill?

 

[Firael]

This damage does not stack with the rogue's class ability.

...

What if you have iajutsu focus as a skill?

Err, there is a skill like that? I'm unfamiliar with this. From which book is it from?

 

[Inari]

The Iaijutsu focus skill is in Oriental Adventures, a 3.0 book.

It's been there for a while man

 

[domino]

Well, that's what I get for not completely reading the post.

And like Inari said, it's in the OA book. It basically allows you to make a skill check against your opponent, and whoever wins the check draws and attacks first, and does extra damage based on how much he won the check by.

 

[genshou]

Oriental Adventures is a good book for this–I'm using it even in my Forgotten Realms games (for Kara-Tur), and one of the NPCs in my story hour (Evendur) took the regional feat Cosmopolitan (Iaijutsu Focus) to get it as a permanent class skill and get a bonus to it, and he regularly uses the skill.

The basic rundown of the skill is this: if you draw a weapon and attack a flat-footed opponent in the same round, you deal extra d6 damage dice based on the result achieved on your skill check. So, if you get the first action in a fight, have several attacks, and have Quick Draw, you could conceivably do a great deal of damage, provided you are within 5 feet of the enemy(ies) in question. You can also draw your weapon as part of a move action (such as a charge or partial charge) if you don't have the feat, but the skill's at its best at high levels when Quick Draw is used.

Alternatively, the rules also provide Iaijutsu duels, an honorable duel (normally for samurai) which the combatants must agree to beforehand. If you've watched any samurai movies, you've seen these speed-draw duels.

IMC's I don't limit the weapons used, but most weapons penalty to the check. Since the art of the speed draw is designed for a curved weapon such as a katana, it's a bit harder to imagine how one would effectively do so with a bastard sword, axe, or hammer.

 

[genshou]

Also, Iaijutsu damage is derived mostly from the speed of the draw, so it's not subject to sneak attack or critical hit immunity. It's very effective for slicing a low-HD golem clean in two, or quickly dropping pesky undead.

If you have any other needs or wants for Eastern D&D content, I would greatly encourage you to pick up a copy of Oriental Adventures. I can't get my friends to STOP requesting that I run an Asian campaign setting.

 

[Firael]

Well I only worked with 3.0 corebooks for a year and then turned to 3.5 edition. So I haven't had the chance to read Oriental Adventures.

As for sneak damage vs. normal damage, it doesn't make sense. Lightning Draw essentialy allows you draw your sword realy fast and attack the enemy into a unprotected weak-spot, such as eyes, openings in armor and so on. I don't understand how you could do this to a ooze or undead. They just don't have these kinds of locations.

Oh well. But overall, what do you think? Is it overpowered/balanced/underpowered?

P.S. I don't allow 3.0 material in my games unless it's cleared with me. 3.5 Core+Complete books are always fine for me (except Leaping Attack from Complete Adventurer, nasty buisness), anything else, again if it's cleared with me.