Iaijutsu & Soulknives

[Jhyarelle]

Iaijutsu Focus (Cha)
This skill allows you to channel your chi more effectively when making an attack. Whenever you are making an attack roll immediately after drawing a weapon and your target is flat-footed, you may make an Iaijutsu Focus check as a free action. The results of the roll determine the amount of additional damage done, as shown on the following table:
10-14: +1d6 15-19: +2d6 20-24: +3d6 25-29: +4d6 30-34: +5d6 35-39: +6d6 40-44: +7d6 45-49: +8d6 50+: +9d6 This damage is not cumulative with sneak attack damage or similar abilities if your character has them.
Action: Not applicable; Iaijutsu Focus checks are made at the beginning of a surprise round or as part of an attack, and are therefore not actions in and of themselves.
Retry: Against inanimate objects, yes. In a formal duel or combat situation, generally not, unless the requirements for using the skill (sheathed weapon, flat-footed opponent) somehow come about again.
Special: You may also use this ability when making an attack against an inanimate object. This is the technique martial arts masters use to break boards or bricks with their bare hands.
If engaged in a formal iaijutsu duel, you may use your total Iaijutsu Focus modifier in place of your standard initiative if it is higher.
You gain a +2 bonus to Iaijutsu Focus checks if you have 5 ranks in Balance.


Since it's stated that iaijutsu doesn't stack with sneak attack, are the following possible?

1) Using iaijutsu with mind blades
2) Use iaijutsu with psychic strike soulknife ability
3) Use iaijutsu with pionic weapon & improved psionic weapon feats
4) Use iaijutsu with Quicker than the Eye and Flick of the Wrist feats from Song and Silence to make multiple iaijutsu strikes
5) Use iaijutsu with a soulknive's free draw mind blade and Flick of the Wrist feat; make an attack, displell the mind blade and repeat
6) All of the above mentioned in one broken act

 

[frankthedm]

mindblades don't work with Iaijutsu . Mindblades are materialized, not drawn. The only time the word "draw" even comes up is the

name​

of the ability that makes materializing the mind blade a free action rather than a move action.

Free Draw (Su)
At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the mind blade per round, however.

Also, you'll never be able to sheath a mind blade.

The blade can be broken (it has hardness 10 and 10 hit points); however, a soulknife can simply create another on his next move action. The moment he relinquishes his grip on his blade, it dissipates (unless he intends to throw it; see below). A mind blade is considered a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

 

[arcseed]

re: 4 and 5, note that feinting/ quicker than the eye does NOT make your opponent flat-footed, merely denies them dex to AC. Thus no Iaijutsu Focus.

Flick of the wrist does make the opponent flat-footed, but is only once per round and once per encounter per enemy, so not repeatable. (in the latest 3.5 version-- the Song & Silence version is once per combat period.)

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I think Free Draw should count as drawing the mindblade. I also think the level 17 ability to draw multiple times per round should be deleted from existence, as without that, you'd be able to draw your mindblade multiple times per round (which would solve the inability to sheathe it problem for IF; just let it go and draw a new one), and actually have a throwing build that can throw stuff before near-epic.

Back on topic, I think C.Scoundrel also has a skill trick that helps. Sudden Draw for AoOs, if not something to use on your turn as well.

1) Using iaijutsu with mind blades
2) Use iaijutsu with psychic strike soulknife ability
3) Use iaijutsu with pionic weapon & improved psionic weapon feats
4) Use iaijutsu with Quicker than the Eye and Flick of the Wrist feats from Song and Silence to make multiple iaijutsu strikes
5) Use iaijutsu with a soulknive's free draw mind blade and Flick of the Wrist feat; make an attack, displell the mind blade and repeat
6) All of the above mentioned in one broken act

1) Yes, as long as your DM allows materializing the mind blade to count as drawing. Which seems reasonable and is so totally not overpowered to do so (seriously, people think SOULKNIFE needs reigning in?!)
2) Sure.
3) Yup.
4) Above poster covered this; foe needs to be flatfooted, not just denied dex to AC, and Flick is limited in usage.
5) This is unfortunately not as clear cut as it should be because of the text in the Soulknife class.

"Free Draw (Su)
At 5th level, a soulknife becomes able to materialize his mind blade as a free action instead of a move action. He can make only one attempt to materialize the mind blade per round, however."

The designers thought drawing your own weapon more than once/round was overpowered for some reason. So instead, you get the magical ability to do a full thrown weapon attack with your crappy mindblade the same level the party Wizard learns to cast Wish.

"Multiple Throw (Ex)
At 17th level and higher, a soulknife can throw a number of mind blades per round equal to the number of melee attacks he could make."

Which, by strict RAW, even by that point STILL means you can only materialize multiple blades per round when throwing them only! Actually, it negelcts the whole materializing rules completely and just says you can throw it multiple times, so that could also be interpreted as the same mind blade returning to your hand between attacks or splitting up into different blades for each attack.

6) It's complicated. Soulknife is a very weak class with absurdly restrictive abilities with his mindblade, you'd need significant DM intervention to make it work.

 

[Jhyarelle]

SteamOfTheSky or SOS

Thanks. This is most helpful. While I know Soulknives are subpar to some. I rather like them. I asked about the iaijutsu thing because I gestalted/multiclassed it with a samurai and made a D&D Jedi. So far game wise, hes working rather well. He darts in an out of melle, slash and dash and had some nice sneaking skills. While ithers suggested I go with a Psychic Warrior, I prefere the Soulknife more. Never the less your positive feed back helps out a lot.

 

[Dandu]

Just curious, but are you aware of the Soulbound Weapon ACF for the Psychic Warrior that basically gives them the Soulknife's main class feature for free?

seriously, people think SOULKNIFE needs reigning in?!

eh draws weapons for free kills monsters and doesn't afraid of anyone.