Master swordsman

[DrizztiDoUrden]

Greeting everyone ! i am looking to create a new Character and i need some advice . I want to make something like ZORO from once piece . I want a swordsman that trains for years . fighting without any armor . Training for so many years he has surpassed the bounds of the natural world and can do thinks that are well...Magic .. like setting his sword on flame etc

Are there any classes that would be even close to that ? If not has anyone ever though how to make something like that?

[Arachnofiend]

Kensai Magus is what you want, I think.

[Milo v3]

Is third-party allowed?

[DrizztiDoUrden]

Everything is allowed:P

[DrizztiDoUrden]

looking into Kensai -Magnus

[Milo v3]

I'd go with Path of War's Warlord, they are rather dramatic with their swordplay.

[BlackJack Weasel]

maybe a Daring Champion Cavalier? if your playing a character thats not armoured then he'd want to have high dex. and the Daring Champion combined with the Slashing Grace Feat allows you to get Dex to attack and Damage.

unfortunately slashing grace requires a free hand so you won't be able to use dex to damage if you want to wield two weapons, or a third in the mouth :p

[Darrag Oathsbane]

You could look into Weapon Adept Monk. Normally only allows you to choose a monk weapon as your weapon of choice, but GM fiat is an easy fix for that. get high enough Str for power attack, get a good Dex and Wis going and you will dodge everything. I don't know if the Archetype fits into the Unchained Monk, but if it can, do it.

[Cult of Vorg]

Kensai magus could work well, especially if you're OK with using a rapier with Fencing Grace, and flavor the class spellbook as some sort of martial arts journal.. It'll take some time before your dex is high enough to make up for the lack of armor, but eventually the AC will be golden.. Haramaki armor is just basically a silk sash so probably good for you too.. I'd advise your first feats to be finesse, Fencing grace, weapon versatility, and possibly weapon trick..

[Secret Wizard]

Unchained Monk - Ascetic Style - pick up a Temple Sword - turn on Elemental Fury - go to town.

[Joey Cote]

I always advice against trying to make a Pathfinder character based on most anime. Pathfinder, while high magic and heroic, just doesn't match up with the power level most main character in anime. Not until fairly high levels at least.

Plus it's kind of boring. Like playing a dark elf wielding two scimitars.

[666bender]

i had several ides for a sword master, the way i see one is a sword wielder who do more than hack or slash.

one was a Lore warden X, with 2 maneuver master monk.
he tripped, dirty tricked and attacked with a KAtana and unarmed kicks, was like Blade (the movie) style. i just loved him.

one was a monk with 1 cleric level. he flurried with a Rapier, using Wisdom for to hit. DR was a issue, but normal creature were fun.

one was a ranger 1/2 orc with a 2 bladed sword. was fun tracker .

the last was a Samurai - 1/2 ling with a small katana that never surrender.

[Secret Wizard]

Joey Cote wrote:

I always advice against trying to make a Pathfinder character based on most anime. Pathfinder, while high magic and heroic, just doesn't match up with the power level most main character in anime. Not until fairly high levels at least.

Plus it's kind of boring. Like playing a dark elf wielding two scimitars.

I don't see how this is in any way related to anime. You have stupid stuff in every kind of cultural product. Am I to believe Western medieval fantasy is built upon martial/caster balance or something?

You have anime characters that are easy to adapt (your Guts, your Kenshiro) and others that aren't.

Plus, a master swordsman isn't based on anime or whatever you might call it. It's based on myths older than the Crusades - some of them Asian.

Trying to make Miyamoto Musashi in Pathfinder should be encouraged.

[N. Jolly]

I'd suggest POW too, it's more of sword techniques rather than PF's more static 'roll for attack' style of play. Going magic, Kensai is probably your best bet since it has a lot of the same feel of actually doing interesting things with a sword slash.

Really, no straight 1st party martial feels like they fit the qualifier of 'sword master'.

Also second Secret here, a Kenshin Himura swordsman would be sweet in PF, although Sword Saint archetype really drops the ball on implementation.

[Qaianna]

Just so, so many options. Hell, this could be a PALADIN build -- ditch the mount, neglect armour, and there you go.

Doesn't Swashbuckler fit the 'theme' of things too?

[Secret Wizard]

Qaianna wrote:

Just so, so many options. Hell, this could be a PALADIN build -- ditch the mount, neglect armour, and there you go.

I think you meant "Go Iroran Paladin, take Ascetic Style, use a Temple Sword"

[Qaianna]

Secret Wizard wrote:

Qaianna wrote:

Just so, so many options. Hell, this could be a PALADIN build -- ditch the mount, neglect armour, and there you go.

I think you meant "Go Iroran Paladin, take Ascetic Style, use a Temple Sword"

If you want, sure.

[DoubleBubble]

Personally, I prefer bloodrager for your magic master swordsman, because even without magic, bloodrager can still fight well with full BAB and decent strength. And for bloodline, can pick fire if you want to have fire on your sword like you said, or if you want to be Zoro, air, like that tornado attack that he used. Also you get to be immune to sneak attack and critical hit. Just like how Zoro can tank massive damage and still breathing. You can always wear a silken armor, which is like normal clothes so you are not really wearing armor, but you can add enchantment on top and can have as much dex as you like, with your spell you will be able to buff your dex if you don't want to use your belt slot.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

"Doing things that are magic" with the sword strongly suggests Kensai magus to me. They are very much about the blade with a little magic, which you can use primarily for buffs and doing cool blade-related things, like using Arcane mark to do a Zorro-like symbol on enemies with your sword, using Bladed dash to zoom across the battlefield and make attacks, and of course using spells to protect yourself in battle, like displacement and mirror image. Your intelligence increases your AC, and you can use Fencing Grace from Advanced Class Origins so you can just use dexterity to do damage. The arcane pool lets you enhance your sword, including adding Flaming to it at level 5.