Been testing out the Samurai here, and it's pretty good, but when I picture playing a samurai, I'm less about the guy in the Japanese armor riding across the battlefield and more the characters in the Kurosawa films wearing only robes and cutting up thugs.
So to that end, I'm wondering if there are any plans to implement an Archetype that has the same Wisdom Bonus to their AC that Monks get, to make up for the fact that they don't wear armor.
BY the rules, it´s pretty easy to dip 1 level of Monk and gain WIS to AC in no Armor.
Bonus being actually knowing martial arts and bonus feats amongst other benefits.
If you wanted a house-rule replacing armor proficiency with WIS to AC, that seems reasonable.
BY the rules, it´s pretty easy to dip 1 level of Monk and gain WIS to AC in no Armor.
Bonus being actually knowing martial arts and bonus feats amongst other benefits.
I dunno, Yojimbo doesn't exactly strike me as the most Lawful character.
I dunno, Yojimbo doesn't exactly strike me as the most Lawful character.BY the rules, it´s pretty easy to dip 1 level of Monk and gain WIS to AC in no Armor.
Bonus being actually knowing martial arts and bonus feats amongst other benefits.
You don't lose Monk bonuses because your alignment changes.. should be able to justify it in any game that you start above level 1..
Ex-Monks
A monk who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a monk but retains all monk abilities.
No need to start above Level 1. At Level 1, you can be a Monk who has turned Chaotic (and been kicked out of the monastery or whatever).
Or you can be a Lawful Samurai at Level 1, be a Lawful Monk when you gain your 2nd Level, and turn Chaotic from that point (during 2nd Level if that happens).
Samurai wear armor... it's part of the essential kit of BEING samurai much like the daisho.
For a historically accurate Samurai, sure.
I have zero interest in playing "Japanese Feudal Knight".
I want to play "Samurai Movie Wandering Swordsman" like Yojimbo or Zatoichi. Characters in those movies are never wearing armor.
Or for a video game example, Mitsurugi from Soul Calibur or every swordsman from Samurai Shodown.
http://images.wikia.com/soulcalibur/images/e/ee/Soulcalibur-v-2011060710030 6613.jpg
Why not just play a samurai with a low AC?
Because front-line fighters with low AC are bad.
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suggested variant: wandering samurai
(insert a bunch of fluff)
Gain-Unarmored AC as per monk.
this replaces armor proficiency
Gain-"Weapon bond" A samurai can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and as if he meets the caster level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a samurai with a bonded katana must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the katana. (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the samurai who owns it. If a bonded object's owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type. For all purposes of enchanting their bonded weapon a samurai has a caster level equal to his samurai level.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the samurai rests for 8 hours and performs an hour long ritual. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per samurai level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A samurai can designate an existing magic item as his bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.
this replaces mount
Gain-"weapon prowess"- allows the samurai to enhance her weapon as a standard action by focusing their mind into their blade for 1 minute per samurai level. When called, the spirit causes the weapon to shed light as a torch. At 4th level, this spirit grants the weapon a +1 enhancement bonus. For every three levels beyond 4th, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +6 at 20th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon bonuses to a maximum of +5, or they can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, ghost touch, holy, unholy, anarchic, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property's cost (see Table: Melee Weapon Special Abilities). These bonuses are added to any properties the weapon already has, but duplicate abilities do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. The bonus and properties granted by the focus are determined when the focus is made and cannot be changed until the focus is made again. The mental focus imparts no bonuses if the weapon is held by anyone other than the samurai but resumes giving bonuses if returned to the samurai. These bonuses apply to only one end of a double weapon. A samurai can use this ability once per day at 4th level, and one additional time per day for every four levels beyond 4th, to a total of five times per day at 20th level. A samurai can only give a weapon an alignment ability he shares. For example a lawful neutral samurai could focus an axiomatic ability, but not holy,unholy,or anarchic.
this replaces mounted archer
Gain-increase Unarmored bonus to ac as monk (+1 per 5 levels).
this replaces banner
gain improved iron will as a bonus feat.
this replaces greater banner
They also never get hit unless the script says so. Play a weapon focused monk then.
Aye, that's what I've been playing for that concept up till now(although Katanas don't work with most Weapon Adept Monk powers). Was hoping the Samurai would add something closer.
Maybe what I'm thinking of is less a Samurai and more of an AD&D Kensai.
Your problem is that the Samurai class is describing the feudal mounted warriors that dominated Japan until well the Edo period. The peace of the Edo period can be compared in some ways to the Italian Renaissance; increased trade and urbanization, greater focus on the arts, and the taming of the warrior class. As no one was going to war, no one had much use for armor; it became increasingly ceremonial. There were still conflicts, however, and the katana, previously a mounted weapon akin to the cavalry saber, became a dueling weapon. Sword schools arose quite similar in purpose to the fencing schools of Renaissance Italy.
Kurosawa's films almost entirely depict Edo period samurai. I can only think of two which don't: Throne of Blood and Ran. If you want to take influence from Kurosawa without changing the Samurai class, go with that.
If you want an Edo period swordsman, you might not want to go to the Samurai class at all. It seems easier to modify the Monk or Rogue for that.
Ideas:
-treat your kimono or whatsoever as light armor, concerning it's stats (balance holds, fluff holds, so who cares) and make a dex build (finesse with elven curve blade?)
-ask your DM if he allows you to use duelist stuff with a katana - if not for the one handed piercing restriction, fighter/duelist would be perfect for you
-get mage armor cast on you (UMD? sorcerer dip?) or some other defensive magic (mirror image, eh? ok, that's probably not in the style anymore)
-ignore the monks alignment restriction and dip. or stay there as weapon adept. alignment is stupid anyhow. yeah, buddhist monks have some strict laws like celibacy and vegetarism and they are some sort of stable, meditating all day and stuff but being narrow minded is not very zen on the other hand - the concept of "alignment" isn't that simple as "one of nine"
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http://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment---final/armor/quilted-cloth
quilted cloth-Benefit: You gain DR 3/— against attacks of this kind (small piercing weapons). The special layers of the armor have no effect on other kinds of weapons.
Quilted Cloth 100 gp ac +1 max dex +8 ACP0 10% spell failure spd unchanged weight 15 lbs. source APG.
sounds like the samurai armor you want.
(i also think monks should be allowed to wear this, and i let them in my games)
you could also use an armored coat as a robe (ac 4, max dex 3 acp 2, wt-20lbs. and you could use an armored kilt with it for +1 ac. 5 ac, heavy armor, max dex 3 ACP wt 30lbs for the 2 for the combination.
flavor the jacket as a kimono/robe and the kilt as... well a kilt
-ask your DM if he allows you to use duelist stuff with a katana - if not for the one handed piercing restriction, fighter/duelist would be perfect for you
This made me think of the Dervish Dance feat, that turns a scimitar into a one handed piercer, making it so you can use a Scimitar for all Duelist abilities.
It would be great if they made a similar feat for Katanas.
If they did that, I could easily go the Weapon Adept Monk/Duelist route.
Heck, with a good Wis AND Int, you could end up with a better AC with someone wearing heavy armor.
Play a samurai.
Wear a mithral chain shirt.
Flavor it like Mitsurugi's slashed up clothes.
I played a character once who was also a lightly armored monk-inspired dude-- unarmed swordsage. They just weren't proficient in armor. At all. So I wore a mithral chain shirt to get around the negatives of wearing armor I wasn't proficient in. I flavored it like the character was wearing the whole samurai robe getup, complete with the big wooden beads, and he had his mithral chain shirt incorporated into it-- and he wore the upper parts of his robe above his gi around his waist instead of on his shoulders.
I played a character once who was also a lightly armored monk-inspired dude-- unarmed swordsage.
I used to have a character back in the day that was similar. He was a Swordsage/Iaijutsu Master. Swordsage gave him his Wisdom to AC like a monk, and Iaijutsu Master gave him his Int to AC like a Duelist. Combine good mental stats with Bracers of Armor and he had a crazy high AC for a guy in a robe.
I really miss Swordsage. Easily my favorite class in 3.5.
Here is a wild theory.
Those unarmored samurai simply had high Dex.
If that does work, check out the martial artist archtype. he doesnt have the lawful restriction. In truth I find it strange that samurai also dont have a non-chaotic restriction at least. :P
After looking through Ultimate Combat I see the pretty much gave me exactly the Archetype I was looking for.
Only it's not a Samurai archetype(P.S. why are there no Samurai Archetypes), it's a Magus Archetype.
And once again, as it was in AD&D, it seems the answer is the Kensai. Extremely weapon focused, no armor proficiencies, but the Kensai archetype receives Canny Defense just like a Duelist. So while I'm not getting my Wis to AC, I can get Int to my AC instead.
Plus, spells too. So...that's a bonus.
I do have to say though, that I'm a bit confused at the choice to make Kensai a Magus archetype. Kensai as a kit/prestige class was always essentially just a weapon master. They've never been a supernatural/spellcasting class before.
On top of that there's the fact that the Kensai archetypes seems like it's about 75% the old Oriental Adventure Iaijutsu Master...a prestige class that ALSO wasn't a spell caster.
I feel like it would have been better to simply have an Iaijutsu Dueslist archetype for Samurai.