comrade raoul
Explorer
What follows is an attempt to provide a core class that aims to replicate the kensei class as it appeared in the 1st edition of AD&D, in Oriental Adventures. This class may very well be overpowered or plain broken: the kensei gets almost as many bonus feats as a fighter does, as well as numerous unique special abilities (at the cost of a slightly lower hit die and the ability to fight well with armor or most weapons).
Notice also a 3e answer to the traditional magic weapon prohibition: while 3e is different enough from earlier editions such that a class that was restricted from using any magic would be very difficult to balance, this version provides a version that keeps the kensei competitive but still retains enough of a restriction to be mechanically significant and retain the older class's unique flavor.
I hope that this kensei will be more or less balanced in most campaigns by a combination of two factors: (1) a lack of versatile means of attack, and (2) a wide (and shallow) spread of ability scores. The first limiting factor has to do with the fact that a kensei has to engage in melee combat to be effective -- he's stuck with one type of melee weapon, even if he's good enough with it to use it in a wide variety of ways. A kensei has no answer to a compentent fighter's arsenal of basic melee weapons, light weapons for grappling, reach weapons, ranged weapons, and so forth, and intelligent foes should maximize this liability. Second, a kensei has a monk's problem of being an unarmored melee combatant -- a kensei needs to emphasize four abilities (Str, Dex, Con, and Wis) more or less equally in order to attack enemies and survive attacks with any effectiveness; as a result, a kensei's stats tend to be lower than those of more specialized characters (such as armored fighters, who mostly require only Str and Con).
Note that this class was designed for campaigns without prestige classes (that is, in which all players used core classes alone), though it's probably fine in campaigns in which such classes are allowed. It's meant to be balanced with the core classes, but I didn't consider any potential, abusive combinations of this class and some prestige class or another.
Core Class: Kensei
Kensei are disciplined and highly trained warriors who dedicate their lives to the study of a single melee weapon. They seek to unite this favored weapon with the body, to make them one, and to use the weapon as naturally and without thought as any other limb, so that their mastery of a weapon is an art form in itself. Like monks, kensei fight without armor, relying on their impressive quickness and skill to defeat their enemies. They are distinguished by their focus and discipline, which manifests itself in their rejection of magical versions of their favored weapons (though experienced kensei develop a limited ability to enhance their weapons though force of will alone).
NPC kensei are highly prized by the wealthy and powerful as weapon instructors or personal bodyguards. However, other kensei avoid society and live in solitude, interested only in perfecting their art. Still others become adventurers or wandering duelists, always searching for new opportunities to test their skills.
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The kensei's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Kensei are proficient in all simple weapons, but are not proficient with armor or shields. Like monks, kensei rely are trained to fight without armor, and may add their Wisdom bonus to their armor class when not wearing armor. This bonus represents a preternatural awareness of danger, and a kensei does not lose it even in situations when she loses her Dexterity modifier due to being unprepared, ambushed, stunned, and so on. (Kensei do lose this AC bonus when immobilized.)
If a kensei wears armor or uses a shield (or wields a weapon other than her favored type), she does not benefit from her favored attack rate, bonus feats, maximized attacks ability, or other favored weapon benefits.
Favored Weapon: At first level, all kensei select a favored type of melee weapon, such as the longsword. If the weapon is a simple or martial weapon, the kensei gains proficiency in that weapon; if it is an exotic weapon, the kensei must spend a feat to become proficient with it, as normal.
Upon selecting a favored weapon, the kensei immediately gains the Weapon Focus feat with it. When taking the full attack action with her favored weapon, an experienced kensei makes additional attacks at a more favorable rate, according to the table above.
A kensei's favorable attack rate, bonus feats, maximized attacks ability, and other abilities apply only to the kensei's favored weapon.
Kensei eschew the use of magical weapons of their favored type as part of their training regimen: they feel such weapons compromise a kensei's reliance on her own skill and intrude on the kensei's mental discipline. As such, if a kensei knowingly wields a magical weapon of her favored type, she loses the benefit of her favorable attack rate, maximized attacks ability, and bonus feats for the next 24 hours. This restriction applies to weapons with natural enhancement bonuses (such as those made from adamantine), but it does not apply to weapons with temporary enhancements from spells or similar abilities (like magic weapon or keen edge), or to weapons that the kensei has enhanced herself through her imbue weapon ability.
Maximized Attacks: At 2nd level, a kensei learns to harness inner vital energies to temporarily enhance her skill with her favored weapon. She may activate this ability as a free action; during the round in which it is used, all successful attacks with her favored weapon deal the maximum possible damage, in addition to all usual bonuses (that is, 8 points for a longsword). Additional damage dice, such as from sneak attacks or flaming weapons, are not maximized. A kensei may use this ability once per day at 2nd level, twice at 5th, and an additional time per day every four levels thereafter.
Weapon Specialization: At 3rd level, a kensei gains the benefit of the Weapon Specialization feat with her favored weapon. If she already has that feat, she gains no additional benefit.
Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every two levels thereafter (6th, 8th, and so on), the kensei gains a bonus feat from the following list: Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Spring Attack, Sunder, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack.
When choosing bonus feats, the kensei must meet all of the feat's normal prerequisites. As noted above, a kensei only gains the benefit of her bonus feats under certain conditions (she cannot be wearing armor, and must be wielding her favored weapon).
Imbue Weapon: Starting at 6th level, the kensei can form a special bond with a weapon through a special process, imbuing it with a portion of her spirit. A kensei may only imbue a masterwork weapon of her favored type. Further, the weapon must meet one of two additional conditions: the kensei must have forged it herself, or it must be an object of considerable personal significance (for example, the weapon might be a family heirloom, or a parting gift from the kensei's instructor). Finally, the kensei must meet certain level and Wisdom requirements, which increase proportionately to the weapon's power.
In order to imbue a weapon, a kensei meditates with it over a period of days and sacrifices a number of experience points. After the process, an imbued weapon gains an enhancement bonus to its attack and damage rolls when used, as though it were magical, and have all other features common to magical weapons (such as the ability to overcome damage reduction). However, the weapon only functions in this way in the hands of the kensei that imbued it: in the hands of any other character, it is treated as any other masterwork weapon. Kensei imbue their weapons according to the following table:
The XP costs and meditation times are the totals required for the given bonus. A kensei can improve an already imbued weapon; when doing so, subtract the time and experience the kensei has already used to imbue the weapon from the new cost. For example, Shiro, an 14th level kensei, has already imbued his bastard sword to an enhancement bonus of +2, but now wants to improve it to +4. In order to do so, he must expend 2,400 experience points, and meditate for twelve days.
Improved Critical: At 7th level, a kensei gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat with her favored weapon. If she already has that feat, she gains no additional benefit.
Superior Weapon Focus: At 11th level, the kensei gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls with her favored weapon. This supercedes (does not stack with) the Weapon Focus feat.
Superior Weapon Specialization: At 15th level, the kensei gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls with her favored weapon. This supercedes (does not stack with) the Weapon Specialization feat.
Superior Critical: At 19th level, the kensei doubles her critical threat range when wielding her favored weapon. This functions like, and stacks with, all other, similar effects (such as the Improved Critical feat or the keen edge spell). This benefit is applied to the weapon's original threat range: thus, a 20th level kensei wielding a longsword affected by the keen edge spell has a modified threat range of 15-20/x2.
Notice also a 3e answer to the traditional magic weapon prohibition: while 3e is different enough from earlier editions such that a class that was restricted from using any magic would be very difficult to balance, this version provides a version that keeps the kensei competitive but still retains enough of a restriction to be mechanically significant and retain the older class's unique flavor.
I hope that this kensei will be more or less balanced in most campaigns by a combination of two factors: (1) a lack of versatile means of attack, and (2) a wide (and shallow) spread of ability scores. The first limiting factor has to do with the fact that a kensei has to engage in melee combat to be effective -- he's stuck with one type of melee weapon, even if he's good enough with it to use it in a wide variety of ways. A kensei has no answer to a compentent fighter's arsenal of basic melee weapons, light weapons for grappling, reach weapons, ranged weapons, and so forth, and intelligent foes should maximize this liability. Second, a kensei has a monk's problem of being an unarmored melee combatant -- a kensei needs to emphasize four abilities (Str, Dex, Con, and Wis) more or less equally in order to attack enemies and survive attacks with any effectiveness; as a result, a kensei's stats tend to be lower than those of more specialized characters (such as armored fighters, who mostly require only Str and Con).
Note that this class was designed for campaigns without prestige classes (that is, in which all players used core classes alone), though it's probably fine in campaigns in which such classes are allowed. It's meant to be balanced with the core classes, but I didn't consider any potential, abusive combinations of this class and some prestige class or another.
Core Class: Kensei
Kensei are disciplined and highly trained warriors who dedicate their lives to the study of a single melee weapon. They seek to unite this favored weapon with the body, to make them one, and to use the weapon as naturally and without thought as any other limb, so that their mastery of a weapon is an art form in itself. Like monks, kensei fight without armor, relying on their impressive quickness and skill to defeat their enemies. They are distinguished by their focus and discipline, which manifests itself in their rejection of magical versions of their favored weapons (though experienced kensei develop a limited ability to enhance their weapons though force of will alone).
NPC kensei are highly prized by the wealthy and powerful as weapon instructors or personal bodyguards. However, other kensei avoid society and live in solitude, interested only in perfecting their art. Still others become adventurers or wandering duelists, always searching for new opportunities to test their skills.
Alignment: Any lawful.
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: The kensei's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skill Points Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.
Code:
[size=1][font=courier][color=white]
Class Base Attack Favored Weapon Fort Refl Will Special
Level Bonus BAB Save Save Save Ability
----- ---------- -------------- ---- ---- ---- -------
1 +1 +1 +2 +0 +0 Favored weapon
2 +2 +2 +3 +0 +0 Maximized attacks 1/day
3 +3 +3 +3 +1 +1 Weapon specialization
4 +4 +4 +4 +1 +1 Bonus feat
5 +5 +5/+1 +4 +1 +1 Maximized attacks 2/day
6 +6/+1 +6/+2 +5 +2 +2 Bonus feat, imbue weapon
7 +7/+2 +7/+3 +5 +2 +2 Improved critical
8 +8/+3 +8/+4 +6 +2 +2 Bonus feat
9 +9/+4 +9/+5/+1 +6 +3 +3 Maximized attacks 3/day
10 +10/+5 +10/+6/+2 +7 +3 +3 Bonus feat
11 +11/+6/+1 +11/+7/+3 +7 +3 +3 Superior weapon focus
12 +12/+7/+2 +12/+8/+4 +8 +4 +4 Bonus feat
13 +13/+8/+3 +13/+9/+5/+1 +8 +4 +4 Maximized attacks 4/day
14 +14/+9/+4 +14/+10/+6/+2 +9 +4 +4 Bonus feat
15 +15/+10/+5 +15/+11/+7/+3 +9 +5 +5 Superior weapon specialization
16 +16/+11/+6/+1 +16/+12/+8/+4 +10 +5 +5 Bonus feat
17 +17/+12/+7/+2 +17/+13/+9/+5/+1 +10 +5 +5 Maximized attacks 5/day
18 +18/+13/+8/+3 +18/+14/+10/+6/+1 +11 +6 +6 Bonus feat
19 +19/+14/+9/+4 +19/+15/+11/+7/+3 +11 +6 +6 Superior critical
20 +20/+15/+10/+5 +20/+16/+12/+8/+4 +12 +6 +6 Bonus feat[/font][/size][/color]If a kensei wears armor or uses a shield (or wields a weapon other than her favored type), she does not benefit from her favored attack rate, bonus feats, maximized attacks ability, or other favored weapon benefits.
Favored Weapon: At first level, all kensei select a favored type of melee weapon, such as the longsword. If the weapon is a simple or martial weapon, the kensei gains proficiency in that weapon; if it is an exotic weapon, the kensei must spend a feat to become proficient with it, as normal.
Upon selecting a favored weapon, the kensei immediately gains the Weapon Focus feat with it. When taking the full attack action with her favored weapon, an experienced kensei makes additional attacks at a more favorable rate, according to the table above.
A kensei's favorable attack rate, bonus feats, maximized attacks ability, and other abilities apply only to the kensei's favored weapon.
Kensei eschew the use of magical weapons of their favored type as part of their training regimen: they feel such weapons compromise a kensei's reliance on her own skill and intrude on the kensei's mental discipline. As such, if a kensei knowingly wields a magical weapon of her favored type, she loses the benefit of her favorable attack rate, maximized attacks ability, and bonus feats for the next 24 hours. This restriction applies to weapons with natural enhancement bonuses (such as those made from adamantine), but it does not apply to weapons with temporary enhancements from spells or similar abilities (like magic weapon or keen edge), or to weapons that the kensei has enhanced herself through her imbue weapon ability.
Maximized Attacks: At 2nd level, a kensei learns to harness inner vital energies to temporarily enhance her skill with her favored weapon. She may activate this ability as a free action; during the round in which it is used, all successful attacks with her favored weapon deal the maximum possible damage, in addition to all usual bonuses (that is, 8 points for a longsword). Additional damage dice, such as from sneak attacks or flaming weapons, are not maximized. A kensei may use this ability once per day at 2nd level, twice at 5th, and an additional time per day every four levels thereafter.
Weapon Specialization: At 3rd level, a kensei gains the benefit of the Weapon Specialization feat with her favored weapon. If she already has that feat, she gains no additional benefit.
Bonus Feat: At 4th level and every two levels thereafter (6th, 8th, and so on), the kensei gains a bonus feat from the following list: Ambidexterity, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Expertise, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Great Cleave, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Spring Attack, Sunder, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack.
When choosing bonus feats, the kensei must meet all of the feat's normal prerequisites. As noted above, a kensei only gains the benefit of her bonus feats under certain conditions (she cannot be wearing armor, and must be wielding her favored weapon).
Imbue Weapon: Starting at 6th level, the kensei can form a special bond with a weapon through a special process, imbuing it with a portion of her spirit. A kensei may only imbue a masterwork weapon of her favored type. Further, the weapon must meet one of two additional conditions: the kensei must have forged it herself, or it must be an object of considerable personal significance (for example, the weapon might be a family heirloom, or a parting gift from the kensei's instructor). Finally, the kensei must meet certain level and Wisdom requirements, which increase proportionately to the weapon's power.
In order to imbue a weapon, a kensei meditates with it over a period of days and sacrifices a number of experience points. After the process, an imbued weapon gains an enhancement bonus to its attack and damage rolls when used, as though it were magical, and have all other features common to magical weapons (such as the ability to overcome damage reduction). However, the weapon only functions in this way in the hands of the kensei that imbued it: in the hands of any other character, it is treated as any other masterwork weapon. Kensei imbue their weapons according to the following table:
Code:
[size=1][font=courier][color=white]
Enhancement XP Minimum Minimum Meditation
Bonus Cost Class Level Wisdom Time
----------- ---- ----------- ------- ----------
+1 200 6 11 1 day
+2 800 9 12 4 days
+3 1,800 12 14 9 days
+4 3,200 15 15 16 days
+5 5,000 18 17 25 days[/font][/size][/color]Improved Critical: At 7th level, a kensei gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat with her favored weapon. If she already has that feat, she gains no additional benefit.
Superior Weapon Focus: At 11th level, the kensei gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls with her favored weapon. This supercedes (does not stack with) the Weapon Focus feat.
Superior Weapon Specialization: At 15th level, the kensei gains a +4 bonus to damage rolls with her favored weapon. This supercedes (does not stack with) the Weapon Specialization feat.
Superior Critical: At 19th level, the kensei doubles her critical threat range when wielding her favored weapon. This functions like, and stacks with, all other, similar effects (such as the Improved Critical feat or the keen edge spell). This benefit is applied to the weapon's original threat range: thus, a 20th level kensei wielding a longsword affected by the keen edge spell has a modified threat range of 15-20/x2.
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