Pathfinder 1E Pathfinder Samurai for Kaidan

[gamerprinter]

So I needed a Samurai base class for my Pathfinder commercial setting, Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting. I looked at all the 3e sources for samurai: CA, CW, OA and several private builds and none of them seemed appropriate to me. I wanted a martial class that didn't step on the Fighter, but also wasn't so weird that it could only fit my setting.

I used the Pathfinder Ranger as a template. Basically, I wanted a fighter type, with several available combat styles. The ranger with its two specialist combat style paths seemed ideal. I needed to place several features and mechanics that didn't coincide with the ranger. So I replaced spell casting with a Ki pool and several ki talents. I replaced both the favored enemy and animal companions feature with Iaijutsu Strike progression and an Ancestral Weapon Feat chain.

Here's what I came up with:

Samurai

Alignment: Any Lawful
Hit Dice: d10
Skills: Bluff, Diplomacy, Handle Animals, Intimidate, Knowledge: Nobility, Perception, Perform: Calligraphy, Perform: Koan/Haiku poetry, Peform: Tea Ceremony, Sense Motive, Ride and Swim.
Skill Points per level: 4 x Int modifier

1st: Quick Draw and Mounted Combat (bonus feats)

2nd: Combat Style Feats - in six combat styles, (see below)

2nd: Weapon Focus feat - must choose primary weapon of combat style

3rd: Ancestral Weapon feat - +1 Att/+1 Dam, this feat can be chosen up to six times with stackable bonuses, except for 6th time which grants the Keen weapon power. (chosen: 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th levels)

3rd: Iaijutsu Strike, precision damage strike for +1d6 damage against flat-footed opponents, must win initiative to succeed. This can be taken up to five times and stacked (chosen: 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, and 19th levels)

4th: Skill Focus - Intimidate (feat)

5th: Ki Pool, and Ki Strike (as per Monk ability.)

8th: Intimidating Prowess feat

13th: Ki Focus - Intimidate (add up to 5 points of ki for an enhancement bonus to Intimidate skill, added to Chr, Str and Skill Focus modifiers)

16th: Ki Focus - Intimidate Reduction (add up to 5 points of ki to reduce the modifier, when opponent tries to intimidate the samurai.)

20th: Ki Focus - Jade Mind (immunities to Intimidate and Mental Spell Effects), plus capstone combat ability from each combat style (see below.)

Samurai begins the game with a masterwork weapon of choice (inherited ancestral weapon.), plus daisho and/or daikyu long composite bow, and horse provided by noble lord, along with medium armor and 5d6 x 10 gp as starting cash.

If the samurai becomes unlawful, breaks his oath with his noble lord or abandons the Code of Bushido (honor, loyalty, duty and obedience), then samurai no longer advances in levels is relegated to Ronin Status, losing huge amounts of honor.

Six Combat Styles (so far...) [samurai does not need prerequisites.]

Aijutsu - armored unarmed fighting techniques:
1st: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
6th: Improved Overrun, Mobility
10th: Greater Bull Rush, Spring Attack
14th: Greater Overrun, Whirlwind Attack
18th: Stunning Fist
20th: Confirmed criticals with Bull Rush attacks gain Stunning Fist effect.

Kenjutsu - sword techniques:

Daisho - two weapon style:
1st: Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows (use offhand weapon), Double Slice and Two Weapon Fighting
6th: Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense
10th: Greater Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Rend
14th: Critical Focus, Ki Balance (spend up to 5 ki points to remove penalties with using the offhand weapon.)
18th: Staggering Critical, Stunning Critical
20th: Confirmed Criticals gain Critical Mastery

Ken-Te - single sword style:
1st: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Mobility
6th: Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack
10th: Critical Focus, Bleeding Critical
14th: Blinding Critical, Critical Mastery
18th: Exhausting Critical
20th: Confirmed Criticals gain Greater Critical Mastery (3 crit types in 1 shot)

Ni-Te - two handed style:
1st: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Power Attack
6th: Shattered Defenses, Vital Strike
10th: Critical Focus, Deadly Stroke
14th: Improved Vital Strike, Improved Critical
18th: Greater Vital Strike
20th: Confirmed Criticals gain Greater Vital Strike damage plus normal critical damage multipliers.

Kyujutsu - daikyu long composite bow techniques:
1st: Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
6th: Improved Precise Shot, Rapid Shot
10th: Greater Precise Shot, Many Shot
14th: Pinpoint Targetting
18th: Ki Range (spend up to 5 points of Ki to remove penalties for range)
20th: Rain of Arrows (spend up to 5 points of Ki to remove penalties to Many Shot)

Umajutsu - cavalry techniques:
1st: Improved Bull Rush, Mounted Archery, Precise Shot, Ride by Attack
6th: Improved Precise Shot, Spirited Charge
10th: Shot on the Run, Trample
14th: Unseat, Vital Strike
18th: Improved Vital Strike
20th: On a successful charge, samurai gains full attack.

GP

 

[mach1.9pants]

That looks good, I wish I could come out with some insightful critique but as we are still finishing our 4E campaign my PfRPG brain is not engaged!

Although I am no expert on Samurai (the novel shogun is about it!) would not it be easier to just give them all perform and knowledge skills, as educated nobles I guess they had the opportunity to learn pretty much anything...

 

[gamerprinter]

Pathfinder base classes for most others...

For the most part, Kaidan uses the Pathfinder base classes with slight flavor tweaks for the Asian setting, including class names, some limitations and caste restrictions.

All the base classes, except Druid, are represented in Kaidan.

I've had to replace the Paladin, with what might be a "Templar" class, as the Sohei are militant priests that conform to "any lawful" and not necessarily only lawful good. They will lean toward good in that they cause divine healing and damage to undead, though their Smite ability targets "Smite Heretic" rather than versus good or evil. The Sohei are the primary defenders and clerics of the Zao state religion of Kaidan.

I'm also adding Kaidan's version of Pathfinder's playtest Oracle class.

The Miko or Shrine Maiden is a spontaneous divine spell caster, whose divine power source is derived from Ojigama or Ancestral Spirits, rather than the Kami or god spirits of Kaidan. Her powers relate to Kaidan's reincarnation mechanic, working with Ancestral Weapons and Items, communicating with Ancestral Spirits, performing as diviner and medium. Due to her importance regarding PC Death and the Reincarnation mechanic, she is almost more important than the party healer, which she can take spell slots for, but less slots than an equal level cleric. All humanoid races of Kaidan have their version of the Miko.

Of course, Kaidan's cleric is the Five Elemental Priest or Yamabushi, so beyond nature spirits, their link with the other Kami are tenuous at best.

That looks like the Kaidan class lineup so far...

GP

 

[ProfessorCirno]

If you aren't adverse to 3.5 material, Tome of Battle makes a fine samurai.

 

[gamerprinter]

Don't have that book...

While I'm not adverse to the Tome of Battle - I don't have that book. Among my friends, we have almost 100 3e books or 3pp 3e books, but I don't have access to all of them. So I have no idea what the TOB Samurai even looks like. Since I have looked at the Complete Adventurer and Complete Warrior, which I do have access and those didn't measure up to my needs, I just fine with creating my own.

Actually over the last 8 months, I've been working on my Kaidan setting publication, and in all that time, I've been frantically looking for a viable samurai. I've always considered doing my own version, since the beginning, but I did want to see as much reference to compare what I thought a samurai should look like and what others have already created.

Having finally decided on the above, I'm very happy with it. I have created at least four other iterations in the past, that I wasn't so happy with. The current one is different - it perfectly meets my needs.

Even if I had the TOB - I'd certainly look at it, but even now, am decidely certain that my samurai is ideal.

I'm always open for suggestions, however, so thanks anyway!

GP

PS: on an aside, I am half Japanese, have been to Japan, twice, so I have keen interest in all things Japanese. This isn't just a sudden urge in the last few months. Actually more life-time desire, only now am I realizing it with a publication of my own as a feudal Japan-like setting.

 

[jaerdaph]

Just be very careful what you use from WotC. Tome of Battle and the titles you mentioned looking at like Oriental Adventures and the Complete books contain no open game content.

 

[jaerdaph]

Almost forgot - Mongoose Publishing's Quintessential Samurai is Open Game Content, and you can check it out at the Grand OGL Wiki:

The Grand OGL Wiki: The Quintessential Samurai

 

[gamerprinter]

Was not an issue...

Just be very careful what you use from WotC. Tome of Battle and the titles you mentioned looking at like Oriental Adventures and the Complete books contain no open game content.

No worries, I never intended to "Pathfinderize" in previously designed class, I just wanted to ensure that I was not creating some odd and arbitrary mechanic that had already been done, but better.

After reviewing all of those references, I was sure that my final build was original, applicable, catered to a wide view on samurai capabilities, yet still essentially built for Pathfinder, as well as my Kaidan setting. Building it on the Pathfinder Ranger as a template, I could keep it from being over-powered, yet powerful enough to compare against the base classes.

For instance, by making Ancestral Weapon a feat, it opens up the possibilities of non-samurai characters opting to take Ancestral Weapon - weapons for shinobi (rogues), yakuza, ninja, bushi, etc.

I think my version serves that well. I've already playtested it, with one of my players, and as a high level encounter - he proved devastating against a powerful group, but still lost the encounter. I thought it worked well.

GP

 

[jaerdaph]

Sounds cool - it's good to know Far Eastern themed products will be coming out for Pathfinder.

 

[l3lasphemy]

Looks really great but you could explain some things to me? Did I miss the BaB's and saves or did you not include them? Could you clarify whether you gain all the feats of a level for the combat style feats, or do you just pick one? Also is Iaijutsu Strike a feat that can be taken at the levels you listed in the description in place of bonus feats? Thanks!