Statting "The Bride"

[Altamont Ravenard]

No, not Frankenstein's

I'll be starting up a new game soon, and a player of mine, who hasn't played much 3.x, wishes to play a Bride-like character (and I mean, for those who don't know yet, Uma Thurman's character in Kill Bill vol. # 1 & 2), that is, an unarmored self-reliant martial artist and katana master.

I have my ideas to help him reproduce such a character, but if you have the time and inclination, I'd be interested in hearing some ideas from the ENfolks.

We're playing D&D 3.0, but don't be afraid to mix and match with anything WotC, but don't be afraid to suggest non-core stuff (even if it's not found in any book).

We'll be starting @ level 1, 32-point buy. It isn't important, but I'll be running Sunless Citadel, and the other characters will probably be an elven cleric of trickery and a human rogue. Sneak sneaky!

Thanks in advance.

AR

 

[Plane Sailing]

If you are running a 1st level game and he wants to be like "the Bride" there is going to be disappointments all round! Does the player recognise that "the Bride" will be the target he is aiming for and not what he will be starting like?

Cheers

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. 3.0? Hmm.

Either some swashbuckler class (like 3.5 Complete Warrior), or a fighter/rogue going for duelist...

Or I'd suggest (raising Kalamar pimp sign) a Ftr1/Basiran Dancer. Go for duelist after level 8.

Either way, you'll have to rely on light armour, fighting defensively (tumble) and Combat Expertise.

If you want to go without armour at all... Ftr1/Monk with some Naginata like (glaive perhaps?) polearm weapon. That build does not need a lot of armour.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

If you are running a 1st level game and he wants to be like "the Bride" there is going to be disappointments all round! Does the player recognise that "the Bride" will be the target he is aiming for and not what he will be starting like?

Cheers

The player fully realizes that a 1st-level character is just that He nevertheless wishes to establish a "career path" for his character. We're starting with Sunless Citadel, but I plan on going through all of the 3.0 "official" adventures (ie Forge of Fury, Speaker in Dreams, Standing Stone, Heart of Nightfang Spire, Deep Horizon, Lords of the Iron Fortress, Bastion of Broken Souls)

My original idea was to suggest to him a monk and modify the monk weapon list to include the katana (and ONLY the katana).

Keep the suggestions coming!

AR

 

[Particle_Man]

Maybe look at Beyond Monks, which has a martial artist 20 level class, as well as some interesting feats.

As an oddball idea, maybe check out the SoulKnife in the XPH. I don't think you would have to change it much to "3.0" it.

 

[Simplicity]

Well, she's obviously got levels of Assassin. Duh.
She clearly has Whirlwind Attack (see Vol 1),
and she doesn't seem to draw attacks of opportunity
when attacking unarmed.

Fighter/Monk/Assassin would be my guess.

 

[monkofmirth]

Some ideas

You could go monk 5 or monk3/fighter2 --> the shou disciple in the FR unapproachable east. After 5 lvls of that PrC she could flurry with her Hanzo sword and pick up some bonus feats and an increased dodge bonus. After that it depends on what the PC wants to do, maybe the Kensai from ComWarrior; since she did kinda have Bill as an overlord, and now revenge is her only master.
Or you could continue taking monk levels, hoping to get the 'five point heart-exploding attack'. Another path could be the assassian from this point, as another person suggested. Additionally the PC could take a few lvls of the exotic wpn master, also in the ComWarrior, to further master her exotic Hanzo sword. If the PC really wanted to go kung-fu they could work towards the blade dancer in Oriental Adven.

Basically it dpnds on how the PC interpets the Bride, but just have fun with it and look at all the options.

Monk of Mirth

 

[Westwind]

I can't recall the issue number, but Dragon ran an article on warrior variations, one of them being the Kensai--a fighter who pretty much just uses a katana. I would look into a Monk/that version of Kensai as a possibility.

 

[Tonguez]

Fighter/Monk with access to some Psionic Feats (maybe add a level of Pschic Warrior accordingly)

 

[Taluron]

Fighter/Monk with access to some Psionic Feats (maybe add a level of Pschic Warrior accordingly)

For 3.5 PsiFeats you don't need a level in any psionic class - just the Wild Talent feat It qualifies you for other Psionic feats.