Sword saint Iaijutsu Strike one-handed or two-handed?

[Umbranus]

The flavor text above the archetype states:

Sword saint wrote:

The following benefits apply only when a sword saint is using a sword and carrying nothing in his other hand.

So it seems clear that he has to make the strike one-handed having his offhand free.

Yet a lot of threads on the archetype seem to imply that you can use your sword with both hands.

Like using furious focus or suggesting to attack some goon with your sheathed sword until you can full attack with the Iaijutsu Strike agtainst the boss (woulodn't you have the scabbard in your offhand then? Or does one really suggest that a samurai should just drop his scabbard to the ground during a fight?

If it is part of the rules he is a perfect candidate for the crane style tree. And a possible magus dip.

[Kazaan]

I think it's the placement of the clause that causes the issue. It's put in a section that is normally relegated to "fluff" and not codified by being put into the specific rules of the Iaijutsu Strike ability. Since all 4 abilities the Archetype gains are built off the single Iaijutsu Strike ability, they'd only have to put the line once in the actual ability rules. But, as it stands now, the line is not present in the actual rules governing Iaijutsu Strike (Ex) so the situation is muddy at best. It may simply be a lapse in judgement on their part, but as it stands, fluff isn't considered RAW so I'd say that two-handed Iaijutsu Strikes are valid. You'll notice that the fluff also states you have to be "using" a sword in one hand and have your off-hand free, but all of the abilities come into play before you've even drawn the sword. If you went by the fluff, you'd never be able to use any of the archetype abilities realistically because you'd have to already have a weapon wielded with your off-hand free, then drop that weapon to draw a second weapon to use Iaijutsu Strike. Disregard fluff in this case until they make an errata or FAQ.

Also, keep in mind that Iaijutsu Strike is first a full-round action and then gets reduced to a standard action. Spell Combat is also a full-round action so they can't be combined.

[Umbranus]

I didn't want to use the spellstrike during the Iaijutsu Strike but after that for the remainder of combat.

But after the first strike it is clear that I can fight two-handed. Decision, decisions...

I wonder if it would be too much to use a reflavored scimitar and the dervish dance feat.
As I have seen it decribed as more saber like I'd flavor it as a tachi which was, according to the german wikipedia page (which is very different in content to the english page) the weapon worn during war, while the katana was worn with civil clothing.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Tachi was the predecessor to the Katana.

Iaijutsu Stike IRL is a technique of Battoujutsu is you holding onto the Scabbard top while it is held by your sash or on your belt. Then quick-drawing the blade to slash at your enemy.

So it makes sense for it to be One-Handed only. Also remember that it is a one-off thing against your challenge target.

I still find it funny that to be a Kensai(Sword Saint in Japanese) one must be a master of the Katana, Wakazahi, and Nodachi and yet the Archetype can work with any sword.

[Umbranus]

As to the tachi being the predecessor to the katana I found contradicting texts.

The following was translated by google translator, with little changes by me for parts that didn't make sense.

Wikipedia germany wrote:

This weapon (the tachi) was not only the early predecessor of the katana, but also found still use later in addition to the Katana . Mainly the Tachi was, due to its greater reach, the preferred slashing weapon of the cavalry. The samurai wore the Katana as part of the civilian clothes, the Tachi, however, when they appeared in full armor.

Which of the theses is true I can not say. But I would say it is good for me to flavor the scimitar as a tachi and use it.

[Azaelas Fayth]

Yeah Scimitar or Elven Curved Blade fits the Tachi well.

Typically the Cavalry used the Tachi, but Samurai typically only wore it for Formal Ceremonies and such.

Samurai used the Katana once they switched from Mounted Archers to Dragoons(Cavalry Infantry). This is do to the blade being well balanced for quick drawing, being used one-handed, and being used two-handed.