So, I noticed that nobody's made a guide to the Samurai yet. I decided to do something to fix that.
All constructive feedback is welcome.
Note that you only lose the bonus to challenge for 24 hours if you violate your edicts. You keep EVERYTHING besides that.
This means if you are Order of the Blue Rose, you can pretty much ignore the restrictive edicts because their challenge bonus is bad (It eats a standard action, is language dependent and adds at most +5 to hit) and can be COMPLETELY useless depending on the party (morale bonus).
RP wise this may have issues, but RAW it's completely legal.
While this is true, I think a lot of GMs would eventually start tossing some harsher consequences your way if your Samurai was constantly disregarding or violating his order's edicts. Something like a senior member of the order approaching your character, and telling them that if they don't start playing by the rules they will get kicked out.
Looks like your guide was added to the Guide to the Guides.
Well, there is a partially-finished Cavalier guide, which is pretty close. It's nice to have an independent guide, however, for the Samurai for some different perspectives.
Well, there is a partially-finished Cavalier guide, which is pretty close. It's nice to have an independent guide, however, for the Samurai for some different perspectives.
That was my line of thought in making a Samurai guide. Some things that are great for the Cavalier are horrible for the Samurai, and vice-versa.
Pretty good. Bit short though.
Maybe going into sample builds for combat styles?
2h Deadly Stroker/Crit build
1-Pa, H- Weapon Focus
3-SkillFcs: Intimidate or Intimidating Prowess
5- Cornugan Smash
6-Dazzling Display
7- Shatter defences
9-Crit Focus
11-Deadly Stroke
12- Gtr Wpn Fcs
13- Staggering Crit
Etc.
2 WF
Etc.
Going in to add a couple sample builds might be a good idea.
I'm also pondering a section on multi-classing (though most of the offerings aren't that great).
Loved your guide. Many thanks for your hard work.
Expanded on the feats and combat styles sections considerably.
Much better. Add quicken SLA to the feat chains for eldritch heritage. Also for Orc bloodline, Optimistic Gambler makes Touch of rage last 1d4+1.
What warrior wouldn't love that buff for 1d4+1 rds. At 20 that's +10 to hit/damageWILL SAVES.
Much better. Add quicken SLA to the feat chains for eldritch heritage. Also for Orc bloodline, Optimistic Gambler makes Touch of rage last 1d4+1.
What warrior wouldn't love that buff for 1d4+1 rds. At 20 that's +10 to hit/damageWILL SAVES.
Added to the guide. Really, Orc Bloodline is disgustingly good for melee characters. The only bloodlines that can really compete with it are ones like Draconic make up for their less insane bonuses by unlocking new options that martials normally don't get.
BTW., you might want to change up the intro to your guide a little bit. You write:
"Because Samurai is an alternate class for the Cavalier, in many cases there will be a direct comparison to what the standard Cavalier can do. Some of the Samurai’s options aren’t completely useless, but the Cavalier just does them so much better that you’d probably be better off rolling a Cavalier instead."
That really doesn't sound a ringing endorsement of the class. Now, I understand that you meant that the Cavalier is better at mounted combat, but what the average person would probably read out of this is that you think the Samurai sucks compared to the Cavalier.
BTW., you might want to change up the intro to your guide a little bit. You write:
"Because Samurai is an alternate class for the Cavalier, in many cases there will be a direct comparison to what the standard Cavalier can do. Some of the Samurai’s options aren’t completely useless, but the Cavalier just does them so much better that you’d probably be better off rolling a Cavalier instead."
That really doesn't sound a ringing endorsement of the class. Now, I understand that you meant that the Cavalier is better at mounted combat, but what the average person would probably read out of this is that you think the Samurai sucks compared to the Cavalier.
Yeah, could have worded that better. Changed it to:
"For some character concepts, I feel that while the Samurai is still quite objectively capable of filling the role the Cavalier is simply a superior way of realizing those types of characters."
Expanded the bloodline section to include the Wildblooded substitution options. It's a bit of a rules grey area, but there's no harm in including it just for the sake of completeness.
Not sure the RAW supports Sylvan being off limits, though for a character that gets a Animal Companion alreddy, it's cheesy (Classes that grant an animal companion stack for determining level of your animal companion, EH gives an effective Sorc level...)
Changed the entry to say it's a rules grey-area instead of a definite no-no.
Also updated the races section to account for the ARG, including all the featured races. Will get around to writing up entries for the Uncommon Races later.
And the Uncommon Races are in now.
Well nobody has made a non-commercial guide until this thread, however, there is a published guide with the same name you chose in your title (sans your name), called Way of the Samurai by Jonathan McAnulty from Rite Publishing for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game.
Since this guide is for Kaidan, it is extensively researched, and both reviewers agree that this is the definitive guide for Samurai, a source book unto itself.
Although the guide contains 4 archetypes for the Samurai class, there are also archetypes for ranger, paladin, gunslinger and wizard, as well as 2 prestige classes. If you're looking for a particular aspect of samurai from the early feudal period, the height of the Sengoku Era, or even the courtiers of the Tokugawa Era - this guide has you covered. More than that, this guide covers the history of the samurai, the concept, the idiosyncracies like seppuku (suicide), loyalty, respect of the enemy, and Honor. Three new Samurai Orders are available as well: Order of the Undying Emperor, Order of the Shogun and Order of the Tajiya. There is even rules for designing your own Samurai clan (using a stat block similar to City stat blocks).
This publication was released in late May - so it even beat this thread in it's availability.
Chengar: Regarding Eldritch heritage - it should be noted that the Eldritch Heritage feat only gives you the 1st level power. To get the 3rd, 9th level powers requires Improved Eldritch Heritage, and finally for the 15th level power, have to take Greater Eldritch Heritage.
Chengar: Regarding Eldritch heritage - it should be noted that the Eldritch Heritage feat only gives you the 1st level power. To get the 3rd, 9th level powers requires Improved Eldritch Heritage, and finally for the 15th level power, have to take Greater Eldritch Heritage.
The guide does refer to it as the Eldritch Heritage line of feats rather than as a singular feat.
Sorry, I missed that. My apologies. :)
This document has been super helpful in designing my newest Samurai PC, but it talks about making use of Deadly Stroke. As far as I can tell, this is not possible without multi-classing into Fighter until level 8 to get Greater Weapon Focus.
This document has been super helpful in designing my newest Samurai PC, but it talks about making use of Deadly Stroke. As far as I can tell, this is not possible without multi-classing into Fighter until level 8 to get Greater Weapon Focus.
At the risk of answering without checking references, there's that samurai class feature that lets class levels count as fighter levels to qualify for some feats on a particular chosen weapon (like katana or naginata). If that's not the case, I'm at least close, I think...
This document has been super helpful in designing my newest Samurai PC, but it talks about making use of Deadly Stroke. As far as I can tell, this is not possible without multi-classing into Fighter until level 8 to get Greater Weapon Focus.At the risk of answering without checking references, there's that samurai class feature that lets class levels count as fighter levels to qualify for some feats on a particular chosen weapon (like katana or naginata). If that's not the case, I'm at least close, I think...
Yup. Weapon Expertise grants access to weapon-specific feats that have fighter level prerequisites. Including Greater Weapon Focus.
Yup. Weapon Expertise grants access to weapon-specific feats that have fighter level prerequisites. Including Greater Weapon Focus.This document has been super helpful in designing my newest Samurai PC, but it talks about making use of Deadly Stroke. As far as I can tell, this is not possible without multi-classing into Fighter until level 8 to get Greater Weapon Focus.At the risk of answering without checking references, there's that samurai class feature that lets class levels count as fighter levels to qualify for some feats on a particular chosen weapon (like katana or naginata). If that's not the case, I'm at least close, I think...
Most excellent! Thanks for the replies. My confusion was actually caused my Pathfinder app not correctly applying that rule.
With new books and a new archetype out I wonder if this guide will be updated?