A well-meaning thread that degenerated into "is the OA Samuari historically accurate"

[LGodamus]

Gfunk,in the Dervish example you gave the base attacks of the scimitars were 1d4.What gives?Did they lower the base damage,or was the sample character a halfling or a gnome,so they had the small version?Hehe,I can just picture it.The halfling Dervish standing short( ) in front of the rampaging orc horde!With blades spinning he dives into the orcs' front ranks.The only thing the bewildered human defenders of the land is orcs falling down left and right,clutching their bleeding slashed anckles,as if an invisible scythe has passed below them.

Yeah the dervish is a midget, err halfling.

 

[Corinth]

Samurai Jack and all the other samurai out there wielding their katana two-handed basically wasted a feat; they should just be using great swords.

No, they didn't. A katana is a martial weapon when used with two hands; you don't need to buy the EWP unless you want to use it one-handed without that penalty. The EWP grants a good deal of flexibility to one that takes it, though that flexibility isn't obvious.

 

[Banshee16]

Eh, don't see where all the fear-mongering abilities are core to the samurai especially. I'm a bit torn on the 2-weapon fighting. On the one hand, it's not appropriate to assume all samurai wield an off-hand weapon. OTOH, with D&D's current weapon system, that's the only sensible way for someone using a bastard sword to fight. Samurai Jack and all the other samurai out there wielding their katana two-handed basically wasted a feat; they should just be using great swords.

Why did they waste a feat? Using a Bastard Sword doesn't require a feat...*unless* you use it in one hand. All the movies I've seen, and photos of practice techniques or whatever, featured samurai wielding their katana in two hands, with their wakizashi sheathed at their waists.

Banshee

 

[gfunk]

Hey everyone! Unfortunately, I gave my "Complete Warrior" book to our DM since I would not be getting much mileage out of it. Hopefully, someone else who has the text can help you out. However, I can try to answer some of your final questions based on what I remember.

FRENZIED BERSERKER--How's it looking? It's improved Power Attack abilities have definitely been affected by the new love that the revised Power Attack gives two-handed weapons. Any changes there?

Yes. Improved Power Attack = for every -1 to hit, you get +3 dmg for two-handed weapon. With Supreme Power attack you get +4. And yes, it still has Deathless Frenzy.

What about the devoted defender?

I could be dead wrong, but I really don't recall seeing that class.

Can you tell us what the new Spellsword is like?

Again, I'm working from memory, so please excuse me. It gets 5/10 spellcasting progression, reduced casting failure in armor (up to 30% maximum). I'm pretty sure the "potion cache" ability is gone but you can discharge touch attacks through your weapon I believe.

 

[Felon]

Why did they waste a feat? Using a Bastard Sword doesn't require a feat...*unless* you use it in one hand. All the movies I've seen, and photos of practice techniques or whatever, featured samurai wielding their katana in two hands, with their wakizashi sheathed at their waists.

Did you and Corinth coordinate your postings on this one? You're correct, of course--for that matter, the samurai gets the bastard sword EWP automatically anyway. The chief point was that in D&D, if characters are going to wiled two-handed, then they may as well use a great sword.

And no need to point out all the situations where having a hand free is, err...handy. I'm not looking at the more unquantifiable aspects that may or may not ever come up in the course of dozens of battles. And also, I'm really not invested enough in the topic to hijack this thread over it.

 

[FireLance]

Hey everyone! Unfortunately, I gave my "Complete Warrior" book to our DM since I would not be getting much mileage out of it. Hopefully, someone else who has the text can help you out. However, I can try to answer some of your final questions based on what I remember.

Can you tell us what the new Spellsword is like?

Again, I'm working from memory, so please excuse me. It gets 5/10 spellcasting progression, reduced casting failure in armor (up to 30% maximum). I'm pretty sure the "potion cache" ability is gone but you can discharge touch attacks through your weapon I believe.

A spellsword can store any spell (not just touch attack spells) in his weapon with a move action. Once cast, it stays in the weapon for up to 8 hours and affects the next opponent (and only the next opponent, even if he casts an area effect spell) that he hits with the weapon, who gets SR and saving throws as normal. He can do this from 3 to 5 times a day, depending on level. His weapon can only store one spell at a time until 10th level, when he can store two. Both spells will affect the opponent he hits in the order that they were stored in the weapon.

It's a great ability for ray spells since the spell won't be wasted if the spellsword misses. It remains stored in the weapon until he hits something or 8 hours have passed.

 

[Celtavian]

Or those of us who know about historical samurai, but don't care about emulating them in our D&D games.

At least you admit you don't care. I should have appended my earlier statement to include those who know about the Samurai (fictional and historical) but don't care about properly emulating it in a game. My mistake.

I care. That is why the CW Samurai displeases me. I have watched many a fictional Samurai film or read Samurai , and that is what drives me to want to play one. This version would not allow me to emulate a fictional Samurai of my choice.

I see people harping on the idea that I want a historically accurate Samurai. They are missing the point. Historical fictional archetype is more the case since most written works about Samurai or Samurai myths were written years and years ago. I thought you would have picked up on that considering I gave only fictional examples of the Samurai from film. Researching sword techniques wouldn't have been difficult either to ensure the Samurai had some options.

 

[MadMaxim]

I'd just like to ask if it's worth the money? I put on my wish list for Christmas, but if you're telling me, it isn't worth owning, then I'd better remove it from my list and think of something else.

 

[hong]

I never saw you use the word "balance" at all. I saw you deride the class for not being historically accurate. None of the abilities of the CW samurai are "inappropriate." They're all quite appropriate for a certain type of samurai.

Indeed, they're totally appropriate for a samurai who can, like, TOTALLY destroy a tank with his katana, because like, it's a katana and stuff. And if any of those punk ass ninjae tried to stop him he'd be all like mrowwwwww-ya and chop their heads off with his kung-fu grip.

 

[Greg K]

Indeed, they're totally appropriate for a samurai who can, like, TOTALLY destroy a tank with his katana, because like, it's a katana and stuff. And if any of those punk ass ninjae tried to stop him he'd be all like mrowwwwww-ya and chop their heads off with his kung-fu grip.

ROFL. That was great.

Now as for myself, I will not be buying this book based on what I have heard here and elsewhere. The writeups of the classes (and I think a light armored fighter class was long over due) and majority of the Prcs are not to my taste. Then again, I had the same reaction to the PrCs in the 3.0 splat books and Minature Handbook. Go figure!