OA - Samurai and Ancestral Weapon advan

[El Ravager]

I have a question concerning the Samurai class and the class ability to enhance their ancestral weapon. The there is a table that lists the enhancement bonus, cost and minimum level needed. It is labled 'minimum character level'.

Does this mean, as it seems to imply, that a Samurai4/Fighter3, or Samurai4/Wizard3 for that matter, can enhance his weapon the same as a Samurai7?

I am curious if this is the correct interpretation since I am currently playing a samurai character and I am considering taking a level in a different class.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

In the ancestral Daisho description, you also have:

The samurai must meet the minimum character level (including any prestige class levels) shown on the table

So, yes, a Samurai1/Wizard19 could enchant his Daisho as a +10 weapon.

AR

 

[Ferrix]

I have a question concerning the Samurai class and the class ability to enhance their ancestral weapon. The there is a table that lists the enhancement bonus, cost and minimum level needed. It is labled 'minimum character level'.

Does this mean, as it seems to imply, that a Samurai4/Fighter3, or Samurai4/Wizard3 for that matter, can enhance his weapon the same as a Samurai7?

I am curious if this is the correct interpretation since I am currently playing a samurai character and I am considering taking a level in a different class.

It lists it as character level and never references class level, nor the errata change that, thus it's character level and you are correct. Plus the ancestral weapon thing is okay, but it's not all that great since it's the exact same price to have it enchanted except you get to choose what ones you want and so on. The Kensai's (Complete Warrior) signature weapon ability is better, it would have at least been nice to have it cost a little bit less for the samurai but still have a maximum plus bonus allowed dependant upon level.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I don't want to say it's a common thing but the Item Familiar feat is pretty powerful as it doesn't seem to give a level limit on what the character can do with his weapon as long as he doesn't lose enough experience points to dock himself.

Then there's the kensai as another person mentioned.

I believe there's somethign in the Book of Exalted Deeds for that too.

I've seen some othes too.

 

[silentspace]

The ancestral weapon ability seems pretty silly. Unless I'm missing something, it's a bunch of useless flavor text disguised as a non-existent class ability..?

 

[glass]

Well it is not entirely useless, as it is nice to be able to do these things yourself, rather than rely on artificers in town who might (depending on the campaign of course) charge over the odds, take extra time, refuse to help, or be just unavailable (if you are on a long sea journey, for example).

In most campaigns, however, its not really a big deal.


glass.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

And it's all about samurai and the like, self-dependent and so on.
I like it, it would be really cool if you could change the enchantments you place later, like the Soulknife in XPH. But you can't have everything.

 

[hong]

In the OA 3.5 update (Dragon 318), past a certain level a samurai's daisho is treated as honorable for the purposes of overcoming DR, when wielded by the samurai ("honorable" is another DR type, like DR/evil or DR/good -- oni have it, as well as some other monsters). So now there's some game-mechanical benefit to the feature.

 

[Ranger REG]

The Kensai's (Complete Warrior) signature weapon ability is better, it would have at least been nice to have it cost a little bit less for the samurai but still have a maximum plus bonus allowed dependant upon level.

The only problem with the Kensai PrC is you can get it at 6th character level before you can acquire a signature weapon of your choice (including natural weapon and unarmed strike) with a +1 enchantment at 1st kensai level. That assume I'm going to use the CW Samurai class. (Blech!) Otherwise, I'd stick with OA Samurai with Kensei PrC.

As for it being silly, I disagree. It makes heirloom swords more important for the Samurai as well his ancestry. Although I'd probably extend the ability to yari (spear), yumi/daikyu (asymmetrical composite longbow), and armor.

 

[Pax]

Way of the Samurai, by AEG (the folks who now OWN Rokugan, again) has a feat that lets you apply your Ancestral Daisho to a single other weapon.

And the costs in AEG's version are identical to the costs for the Kensai - IOW, listed in XP, not GP.