Charging and Iajitsu

[zaulsiin]

Since you can cast a spell of standard action or faster and charge, you could channel a spell, charge, and then do the Iaijutsu Strike, if I am reading this all right.

No. Just... no. A charge is a full-round action. The ONLY exception to this is if you are in some way disabled, and can only take one move or standard action in a turn, in which case you are allowed to charge as a special action, but can only move half the distance you normally could. Either way, charging uses up all of your actions for a round.

You can, however, charge a flat-footed opponent, and benefit from Iaijutsu Focus, as long as your DM allows you to draw your weapon as part of the Charge's move (or you do so using the Quickdraw feat).


As for a Duskblade's Arcane Channeling ability, there are exactly two ways in which you can activate it:

1) Channel a touch spell you know into your weapon and then attack with said weapon, all as a standard action (3rd level ability). This can not be combined with a charge, because a charge takes a full-round action, and you therefore do not have a standard action available to use for this purpose.

2) As part of a full-attack action (which is a full-round action), channel a touch spell you know into your weapon, having it affect each target you hit in melee for the round (13th level ability). This also can not be used with a charge, because a full-attack action is a full-round action, and you therefore have no actions remaining to charge.

 

[radmod]

Some DMs limit that only to move action movement, not as part of a charge (where you're already getting a pretty good deal, moving twice your speed AND attacking as a full round action). I allow it, but not all do.

Further, if you did want to pounce, you'd need quickdraw in order to keep drawing weapons after the first.

Interesting, I think that's one of those rules that people tend to read and then gloss over. I've seen a lot of people auto-draw as long as they have +1 BAB. I've actually had to point out that it was part of a move. Now, though, I see it's part of a regular move. That begs a question for the DM, what is a regular move? Certainly not accelerated climbing and the like, but what about a charge, or even tumbling?
For my part, I would allow it on a charge and since a tumble is part of a move, that also.

 

[tommyss4l]

So, no channeling, but still, an iaijitsu strike in combo with a charge is a pretty mean attack all together.

 

[irdeggman]

Interesting, I think that's one of those rules that people tend to read and then gloss over. I've seen a lot of people auto-draw as long as they have +1 BAB. I've actually had to point out that it was part of a move. Now, though, I see it's part of a regular move. That begs a question for the DM, what is a regular move? Certainly not accelerated climbing and the like, but what about a charge, or even tumbling?
For my part, I would allow it on a charge and since a tumble is part of a move, that also.

Even more is that a 5 ft step is not considered a regular move, so the implications start to pile up.

 

[Drowbane]

...Iaijutsu write-up...

Where did you find this write up? It is close to, but does not match what is in my copy of OA. Specifically OA doesn't mention the synergy or not stacking with Sneak Attack.

~~~

Anyways, here are a few more ways to rock Iaijutsu.

Older and not as good stuff
Flick of the Wrist (Complete Warrior, and apparenty Races of the Wild?): light blade only. catch foe flat-footed 1/encounter per foe. This is out-dated an out-dated method. Worked great back when OA and Complete Warrior were shiney and new.
Skill tricks (complete scoundrel): there are two or three skill tricks (I think that is what they're called) that allow you to catch your foe flat-footed. Use in conjunction to Flick of the Wrist if not allowed to use the newer methods. Otherwise, don't bother.
Karmic Strike (OA, Complete Warrior): take penalty to AC, if foe hits you may take an AoO that makes them flat-footed for the attack. Again, this is old news... but worth looking at if you are starting too low in lvl for Robilar's Gambit.

The sickness
(PrC) Iaijutsu Master 5 (OA): the 5th lvl ability (+cha mod to each Iaijutsu die) is the best one. The later abilities are good also, but maybe not worth chasing the PrC all the way to lvl 10.
Mercurial Strike (Dragon Compendium vol 1): lets you draw your blade and strike when foes provokes an AoO while you are unarmed. Also makes foe flat-footed for the attack. Smacks of Iaijutsu to me.
Robilar's Gambit (PHB II): Foes provoke AoO simply by attacking you. Use with Mercurial Strike. Requires BAB 12 to take.
Improved Combat Reflexes (Dragon or Dungeon Mag, from the Githyanki Incursion): when you make an AoO, you may make a second AoO at -5 against the same target. Retardly powerful in conjunction to the above two feats. Remember that Iaijutsu dmg carries over to each attack made in the same round while the foe is flat-footed (which is why Iaijutsu Master gains that ability that gives two attacks as a standard action at lvl... 7?).
a lvl 1 Warblade 1st lvl Maneuver (something nightmare strike; Bo9S): make a concentration check vs foe's AC, if successful you catch foe flat-footed and gain +1d6 to the dmg. With renewable maneuvers, this is too awesome for words.
Deep Impact (XPH): requires some feat investment (wild talent or other way to become "psionic" and psychic weapon). Hitting a flat-footed foe's touch AC is just plain brutal nine times out of ten.

So, nothing else comes to mind... but I'm probably forgetting something huge.

 

[zaulsiin]

Where did you find this write up? It is close to, but does not match what is in my copy of OA. Specifically OA doesn't mention the synergy or not stacking with Sneak Attack.

http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/3.5_L5R_Skills is the likely source, as it's the first hit on google when searching "Iaijutsu Focus".

This is a non-WotC update to the original version of the skill printed in OA. As I understand it (and my info is not very well founded, I should note), the Alderac Entertainment Group (AEG) bought the rights to the Rokugan setting-based D&D stuff and used it for their Legend of the Five Rings game.

a lvl 1 Warblade 1st lvl Maneuver (something nightmare strike; Bo9S): make a concentration check vs foe's AC, if successful you catch foe flat-footed and gain +1d6 to the dmg. With renewable maneuvers, this is too awesome for words.

Ability is called "Sapphire Nightmare Blade", IIRC.

 

[Persiflage]

Yeah, there are Sapphire, Ruby and Diamond Nightmare Blade maneuvers at 1st, 4th and 8th level respectively, doing "extra 1d6 damage", "double damage" and "four times damage". Gotta love the Tome of Battle

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Sapphire NB, the only one of the 3 that makes the foe flatfooted, is actually pretty weak unless you're multiclassed and have Iajutsu Focus, sneak attack, or some other means to take advantage of the flatfooted part. Even so, it's a standard action, at higher levels you'd want to find ways to full attack SA or Iajutsu.

Ruby and Diamond are actually "not that bad" because the lower level Insightful Strike and Greater IS can actually be made to do more damage, depending on build. Maybe that doesn't make it ok, but just saying...

Diamond NB especially doesn't bother me, because by the time you get level 8 maneuvers, you and the other PCs can do some pretty crazy stuff far beyond a "mere" x4 damage on a standard action strike.