Please help plan my (odd) Kensei's weapon...

[Tatsukun]

Hi all I have (an odd) PC who just got his first Kensei level. So for now, his weapon has been enchanted to +1. For anyone who doesn't know, a Kensei can enchant his/her weapon to an overall bonus equal to his/her Kensei level.

I'm planning on taking all 10 levels from here on. So… What kind of enchantments should I make????

The Game is a home brew, but not extremely different from Forgotten Realms. The party has fought a rough mix of undead, monsters, humanoids, etc.

This PC is the frontline fighter, heavy armor, good HP, and fairly good saves. The weapon in question is an Adamantine Bastard Sword, always used one handed.

The PC has an odd mix of levels, which include Paladin. He is very Good, and mostly Lawful. He is out to help people and protect all that society has achieved. He is also commanded by his god to recover things that have been lost by society and restore that missing knowledge.

Numbers:
---
Ranger 1 / Cloistered Cleric 2 / Paladin 3 / Kensei 1 (Will now finish Kensei)
Hopes to end up a Ranger 1 / Cleric 2 / Paladin 7 / Kensei 10

Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12

Big skills are Diplomacy, Survival, Sense Motive
Secondary skills are Knowledge (royalty, nature, dungeons)

Feats: Exotic Weapon (B. Sword), Weapon Focus (B. Sword), Combat Expertise, Divine Vigor, Track (ranger),

Domains: Knowledge, Fate, Magic
Favored Enemy: Humans

Normal Gear is Full plate, the sword, a buckler, and a wand. No horse.

B. Sword attacks: +10 Melee, 1-10+4 slashing

Other party members:
1/2 Elf Monk (7) - Vow of Poverty
Elf Wizard (7) -Evoker
Dwarf Cleric ? / Church Inquisitor ? - His levels add to 7 or so
Human Rogue (6) - Archer
Elf Bard ? (Around 6) - Fills in gaps in the party
---

As you can see, it's an odd PC. He doesn't do that much damage so I am thinking elemental enchantments, but I don't know what's best / coolest.

So, please, anyone out there in Enworld land have some good ideas about what to do with this guy's weapon?

Thanks in advance!

 

[gabrion]

If you have Enemies and Allies, Wrathful Healing is good. Combine it with the Karmic strike from CW, and you will be hard to kill.

I also like the combo of Wounding (DMG) and marrowcrushing (BoVD). Each one does a point of CON dmg, so every hit will do 2 CON dmg (unless they are immune). Lots of other good stuff out there though.

 

[glass]

Thundering or one of the burst effects. Removes the 'Yes! A 20! No! It's immune!' doubletake when fighting undead and constructs. And the energy bursts are 'upgrades' from the energy enchmntment so you can do them in stanges rather than saving up.

Asside from those, banes are always nice. If it is available to you, Magebane is great too, but check with you DM: (s)he may (sensibly IMO) wish to houserule away the reference to SLAs.

Finally, holy adds top damage nicely, works against most opponents, and seems well in keeping for you character.

Hope this helps.


glass.

 

[moritheil]

I assume you mean Kensai.

One of the main problems with the Kensai is that they only wield one weapon (which gets all their bonuses), whereas most fighters have a few different types of weapons on hand to beat differing types of damage reduction. Therefore, you probably want to strive for versatility in your addition of enchantments.

 

[moritheil]

Oh, one more thing. I can't recall if Kensai can only put + equivalents into their weapons, or if they can also add the equivalent of an abillity that would cost a certain amount of gp. If it's the latter, check out this thread:

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=126612

Spell Immunity: Fireball could make you into an interesting tank, when coupled with the fact that your Wizard is an Evoker.

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, in Japanese the word is "Kensei" so that's what I use. I'm waiting for the errata to fix the misspelling ;-)

They can enchant a weapon up to a +X bonus, where X is Kensei level. So I don't think you could add other +Gp items. It'd be a reasonable house rule I guess, I might run it by my DM.

If he allows that, I'll try to build a Holy Avenger.

I agree about the DR problem with Kensei and 3.5. I have silversheen, what else is there out there?

Assuming my DM doesn't want to house rule +Gp enchantments, here is what I am thinking...

Level 1 = +1
Level 2 = (none)
Level 3 = Holy
Level 4 = +1
Level 5 = Spell Storing
Level 6 = +1
Level 7 = Keen
Level 8 = +1
Level 9 = +1
Level 10 = Evil Outsider Bane

It needs some work, opinions?

Thanks

-Tatsu

 

[moritheil]

Well, in Japanese the word is "Kensei" so that's what I use. I'm waiting for the errata to fix the misspelling ;-)

They can enchant a weapon up to a +X bonus, where X is Kensei level. So I don't think you could add other +Gp items. It'd be a reasonable house rule I guess, I might run it by my DM.

If he allows that, I'll try to build a Holy Avenger.

I agree about the DR problem with Kensei and 3.5. I have silversheen, what else is there out there?

Assuming my DM doesn't want to house rule +Gp enchantments, here is what I am thinking...

Level 1 = +1
Level 2 = (none)
Level 3 = Holy
Level 4 = +1
Level 5 = Spell Storing
Level 6 = +1
Level 7 = Keen
Level 8 = +1
Level 9 = +1
Level 10 = Evil Outsider Bane

It needs some work, opinions?

Thanks

-Tatsu

Didn't know that.

Yes.

Not a bad idea. Waiting on someone else to say what is out there besides silversheen, but I know you can't easily grant cold iron properties, and your weapon is already adamantine and magic . . .

Sounds good, assuming your DM is making demons/devils the big bad evil of your campaign. I mean, if he makes, say, Beholders the ultimate evil, and you face waves of them you're going to regret bane (evil outsider) - but you should know by then.

 

[Tatsukun]

Yeah, he pretty much laid out the major story arc last game. It will take us to Pandemonium, so I figure I will get to use it. I put the Bane last, but if it looks like we'll get there quickly, I will move it up.

I also have been looking into what to do with the last 4 levels (level 16 - 20, after he finishes Kensei). I am thinking "Exorcist of the Silver Flame" from Ebberon. It kind of matches up with a Paladin/Kensei (Holy warrior who enhances one melee weapon to fight evil). But, it's going to cost me a lot of cross class points in Know(Planes) and Know(Religion). I failed to plan this out, so I didn't take any points in either back when they were class skills (Cleric and Pally). Maybe one more level of Pally just for the skill points?

Is there a better PrC out there that is a good Front line Melee fighter type that focuses on either killing evil or on mastering one blade?

Thanks again all!

-Tatsu