Statting "The Bride"

another option

Another option would be to create a Bride PrC, a 10 lvl PrC with a focus in katana use and generally causing kung-fu mayhem.

Monk of Mirth
 

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Having just seen a Kill Bill double feature, I just have to put in my two cents.

Someone already mentioned "Beyond Monks" and the martial artist class. Rather good resource, Hong's martial artist is a similar homebrew.

But generally even the core should be sufficient if your player is willing to live with the fact that it'll take some time 'til he gets all of the Bride's power -- if he ever will... A slight modification of the monk gets some good results. Allow the Katana as a monk weapon, maybe requiring a feat or delaying unarmed damage. With its skill selection and flurry a whole lot is done already. But in the D&D universe, this char will learn that he'll attack quite a lot, but won't hit as good as some other characters.

So if you go for fighting superiority, stick with the fighter. I'd take a rogue level straight at the beginning (first level), or just use the apprentice rules from the DMG and created a mixed rogue/fighter from the very start. That should be okay for the occasional sneaky stuff, but then continue the direct route. Uma hasn't done that much hide-and-seek, she just went in and tried to kill. Tumbling is nice, though. And anyway, you'd be infringing on the areas of the rogue (and maybe even the cleric).

Go for the appropriate skills, whirlwind attack seems a definite must, specialisation wouldn't hurt either. Stick your skill points in Jump and maybe cross-classed Tumble if your Int turns out alright. Dipping a level in assassin gets you more sneak damage and the rather nice death attack. Duelist sounds nice, too, but you'll have to see whether you'll get enough feats to live with before you do that.

The major downside of applying the Bride to D&D is AC. Without some heavy metal on you, you'll just get hit a lot. Even the monk hardly ever gets too a decent enough level for hardcore fighting in the middle of a huge bunch of foes. Combat Expertise helps, even more reasong for having a bigger BAB (thus fighter and not monk). Improved Expertise, too. Without rules for parrying or a defense bonus (a la D20 modern, Star Wars or UA) you're forced to wear some protective layers (at least from my experience, maybe with higher attribute allowances a Monk has enough wisdom and dexterity to avoid being smashed down by any brute).

But well, if you're the DM you might drop enough bracers of armour and other stuff to have something less conspicious.

If if just takes too much time to reach whirlwind attack, a "poor man's bride" (hey, Hong, how's that for an euphemism?) is Great Cleave. Attainable at first level for a human fighter, this can result in a lot of dead low-level foes right at the beginning. If you want to play Sunless Citadel, both kobolds and goblins are prone to that approach. Then Dodge and Combat Expertise at the next levels, for a little bit more damage avoidance and aim for Whirlwind attack after that.

A rather unusual approach could be crafted by Unearthed Arcana's "Whirling Frenzy". +4 Str/+2 AC, one extra attack at highest bonus (and -2 on all attacks if that is used) instead of the usual Rage benefits. Actually, the Barbarian isn't that far off. She could certainly take a lot of damage, so the d12 helps, and heck, if ever a woman was angry... Plus 4+Int skill points, enough to max out Jump, Intimidate and Tumble as cross-class.
 

If your wanting an unarmored katana fighter, i found the Kensai, a 20 level class thats like a 3E version of the Kensai Fighter kit in Baldur's Gate 2. It gets bonuses to attack with the Katana. Add in some monk levels (maybe as DM you could house rule that the monk could multiclass with the Kensai?)

http://dmg.dfxwebs.com/archives/classes/Kensai.pdf

Looks good to me....
 


Taloras said:
Looks good to me....

Looks broken to me. 15 special abilites, i.e. 11 bonus feats (without most prerequisites), as much as the fighter, plus improved evasion and uncanny dodge. Plus flurry, plus +5 to AC/dmg/atk with katana in the end, fighter BAB, two good saves. Totally unbalanced, and still not good enough. No armor allowed, so even at 20th level it's AC is 10+Dex+5+Expertise (max +5, if PC hasn't taken Improved Expertise with a normal feat).

If we're talking obscure classes, there's the "Amazon Warrior" in the "Player's Guide to the Wilderlands" (yes, the old setting resurrected). Ftr BAB, d10 hit die, 2+int skills (with Intimidate, Jump _and_ Tumble on the list), Fort and Ref are good, some interesting class abilities (Fast Movement at first lvl, 1/2 class lvl as dodge bonus at 2nd level, uncanny dodge at 6th, psionic combat prescience at 8th, damage reduction 2/- at 14th, freedom of movement 16th, etc.) Plus some semi-useless stuff for fighting in formation with other amazons. The AC bonus is limited by maximum dex bonus of armour, so with increasing levels the usual amazon strips. Yeah, well, the Wilderlands _are_ old-fashioned Sword&Sorcery.

Or take a look at the Oriental Adventures Samurai. Ancestral Daisho for the Hanzai feeling, 4 skill points, and still some bonus feats left.

Ah, don't forget the Improved Sunder. And give that player a Adamantium blade ;)

Well, actually, the problem with playing a "Bride-like" characters is just getting through the low levels. Once you're good enough in D&D, you'll be fighting just like her anyway. Able to rough up enough mooks? Once you've got three attacks per round anyway, that's no biggie, with the occasional cleave the Crazy 88 are no problem. Avoid getting hit by the aforementioned mooks? A good Dex and Expertise pushes you up to 18-20 easily, quite hard to get for +1 - +4 guys. Okay, the BBEG _will_ hit you. But you've got the hit points to take it. Nothing that's out of reach for a high-level standard fighter. But it takes a while to get there. And just forget being good with a blade and _still_ get the 15th lvl monk Quivering Palm...
 

Altamont Ravenard said:
No, not Frankenstein's :p

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

If you allow 3.5 material then one option is to take a Monk. Have her take exotic weapon proficency (Katana) as a feat. As soon as she reaches about 7-8 level go with the Kensai pretige class from the complete warrior. The combination actually looks quite good for a character with this look and feel.

The ability to do extraordinary things with concentration is very consistent with the on screen character and the enhanced signature weapon also fits in with the focus on special swords.
 

To be honest, Unearthed Arcana offers the best routes.

Generic Classes
The Bride as a first level Warrior
- Class Skills: Craft, Climb, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Spot and Tumble
- Skills: Focus ranks on Hide, Move Silently and Tumble
- Saves: Reflex good, Fortitude and Will poor
- Feats: Exotic Weapon Prof: Bastard Sword, Improved Unarmed Strike, Sneak Attack (to show her assassin capabilities)

Other feats to look for: Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Expertise, Whirlwind Attack, Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Improved Evasion, Improved Sneak Attack, Greater Sneak Attack, Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Focus, Weapon Specialization and Greater Weapon Specialization.

Use the Class Defense Bonus system and she's as hard to hit as if she was wearing armor.

OR

Go Gestalt with the party and allow her to use Fighter/Monk 1. This will give you best of each class all the way up to 20th level.
 



It seems to be some kind of supernatural attack, so the regular DC is 10 + 1/2 HD + ability modifer (wisdom?). :-) Probably something like Quivering Palm.
You could also make it a coup-de-grace special ability, the DC would be based on the damage inflicted. (10 + damage or damage? Can`t remember offhand)

Mustrum Ridcully
 

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