Is there any way to make the Iatjusu focus skill useful?

[gabrion]

The prefered method to do this is by using the blurstrike special weapon ability from Races of the Wild.

The Spell Compedium has a spell (Distract Assailant?) that makes your enemy flat-footed.

In Complete Warrior one of the tactical feats allows you to make them flat-footed (it's bird flavored). For that matter, small characters with Iajutsu Focus can use the Giant-Fighting tactical feat IIRC.

As mentioned, Tome of Battle has a few abilities that can make the enemy flat-footed. The Gloom Razor feat is the best bet, but White Raven Strike followed by Moment of Perfect Clarity can also get the job done.

None of these work as well as blurstrike IMHO though.

 

[Drowbane]

I think those feats are not only useful for Iaijutsu, but also fit into its theme - in L5R, you can use Iaijutsu to draw your weapon without spending an option for it.

The feats basically let you have little duels during normal combat.

And the Iaijutsu Master is the best bet, of course. They're like the Kakita Duelists, who are trained to use Iaijutsu in place of Kenjutsu (of course, that means using the skill, not the duel rules) and they get all kinds of bonuses against enemies with a lower initiative and/or honour.



It's no katana, though.

My Kakita Duelist is/was known for being as deadly with his wakizashi as he was with his katana.

 

[AuraSeer]

In Complete Warrior one of the tactical feats allows you to make them flat-footed (it's bird flavored).

Tactical feats taste like chicken?

(...I really shouldn't post when I'm short on sleep.)

 

[Question]

How does the iatjutsu master PRC allow you to use the skill properly in normal battles? Its only boost to the skill itself is allowing you to add cha to damage dice(more MAD FTW....)

Blur strike is perfectly what i need. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Kae'Yoss]

How does the iatjutsu master PRC allow you to use the skill properly in normal battles? Its only boost to the skill itself is allowing you to add cha to damage dice(more MAD FTW....)

Plus you can strike twice as a standard action. And you get a free surprise round.

That's a lot of help to get extra Iaijutsu.

Tactical feats taste like chicken?

Most feats do.

My Kakita Duelist is/was known for being as deadly with his wakizashi as he was with his katana.

That's not very traditional. (Of course, the Crane create traditions).

So he wasn't fit for wielding a Kakita Blade?

 

[Question]

How does iatjutsu master give you a free surprise round?

 

[Kae'Yoss]

How does iatjutsu master give you a free surprise round?

With a class ability

 

[Question]

How do you kill a tarrasque at level 1?

By engaging it in combat.

 

[Sejs]

Just at a thought, Question. If you're looking for a character that can do the Iajutsu Focus holy-crap-lots-of-extra-damage-dice thing while at the same time being able to whip it out in standard combat instead of in the iajutsu duel context it's intended...

Why not just try a martial initiate class from the Bo9S instead of trying to shoehorn IF into something it's not intended to be? Take a warblade, tweak the flavor some, focus mostly on Diamond Mind and Iron Heart.. bam, done.

 

[Sejs]

How can you be pointlessly obtuse in a conversation.

By using words.