asian style swordsman

[proftobe]

Assuming a 25point buy what's the best way to simulate a Chinese tai Chi swordmaster. I want to stay away from pure and hybrid casters 4 level casters are ok. My instincts say 2 levels of master of many styles monk(crane finished by 3)/with either mobile fighter or lore warden(maybe go dex with a level of aldori sword lord.

I am aware of both pure.monk and kensai magus builds for this idea. I just finished playing a magus and there was a single class sohei. In the campaign so I'm looking for something different than those options.

[Mystically Inclined]

Well my idea was either a monk or a kensai magus, so I guess that's out. ;)

Honestly, the only thing I can say is "you'll probably want a temple sword with at least 1 level of some monk."

But hey, at least I bumped your post! :)

[GM Arkwright]

Samurai! Can't get any more Asiatic Swordmaster than that, can you?

[Wasum]

Weapon adept monk with temple sword and 3 levels of weapon master or fighter with 1 or 2 levels of monk dip. Or maybe just o for Sohei.

Samurai ould work as well.

[Thanael]

Chinese tai Chi swordmaster ala Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is the kensai magus not the samurai imho. Multiclass a bit with master of many styles monk and / or fighter(lore warden 2 is excellent) for more feats.

[brad2411]

Samurai with the Sword Saint Archtype.

[Elosandi]

What sources are you working with?

Core Only: Fighter is probably the safest option, you can represent a lot of styles with the sheer number of feats they gain.

APG: Sohei Monk, but since you strictly don't want to use it, the master of many styles monk crossed with fighter or ranger is a decent alternative.

3.5 Conversions: Setting Sun/Diamond Mind focused swordsage.

GM Arkwright wrote:

Samurai! Can't get any more Asiatic Swordmaster than that, can you?

Doesn't really fit the Chinese Tai-Chi Swordmaster idea.

[Byrdology]

MoMS 2/ Unarmed Fighter 5/ Duelist x. Focus on crane and snake... You may end up doing more unarmed strikes than with your sword, but that's why you have your armor enchanted with the brawling property.

[gamer-printer]

Although this is an archetype designed for use with tengu, In the Company of Tengu by Rite Publishing offers a tengu racial paragon class called Hishoken that emulates light fast blades of an Asian styled fighter and even concepts like being light on one's feet being able to stand on thin branches of a tree, a la Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

[Matthew Morris]

Also look at refluffing the Aldori Dueling sword/dueling style from the ISWG.