I was working on an idea for a backup character and came up with an older cleric who had survived a tpk. The original idea was a level of crusader cleric into sensei as sort of an older mentor to the party. I was planning on picking up crusaders flurry when I realized sensei doesn't have flurry of blows.
I was really hoping to avoid monk weapons and just go with a longsword but I may be stuck. Didn't really want to do more than a 1-2 level dip to pull it off.
One level of sacred fist war priest into cleric before sensei? Didn't really need the flurry except for the feat but I'll take it...
Any suggestions?
Would that be worth it?
Would start at 5th or 6th level in a kingmaker campaign. Focusing on the buffing stuff of the sensei but should be able to hold his own being mostly wisdom and dex based. Plus the guided weapon property.
If you're allowed to use the (OP, 3.5) Guided Weapon property, why does it matter whether you use a Monk Weapon?
Eh, you come with the temple sword. Same stats as long sword, basically. It is only exotic because being a monk weapon pushed it that way.
Thematically, I've seen variations of this type of sword where it gets fairly close to nice Dao (ie- chinese swords devoted to cutting). So that can be fine too as long as you just don't extenuate the curve too much.
And as a note- guided does not seem to prevent getting x1.5 bonuses from power attack when 2 handing. So...yeah.
Overall, sensei is fairly weapon agnostic. And they have added at least enough bare bones proficiencies that you can get by.
If you're allowed to use the (OP, 3.5) Guided Weapon property, why does it matter whether you use a Monk Weapon?
"Insightful Strike (Ex)
At 2nd level, a sensei may use his Wisdom bonus in lieu of his Strength or Dexterity on attack rolls and combat maneuver checks with unarmed strikes or monk weapons."
With a monk weapon and guided I would get wisdom to hit and damage. Crusaders flurry lets you trreat your deities favored weapon as a monk weapon but has flurry of blows as a pre req.
Now that I'm looking at it again sacred fist wouldn't work since longs words aren't the favored weapon and swithching deities between a level of that then cleric (iomedae) wouldnt work.
Eh, you come with the temple sword. Same stats as long sword, basically. It is only exotic because being a monk weapon pushed it that way.
Thematically, I've seen variations of this type of sword where it gets fairly close to nice Dao (ie- chinese swords devoted to cutting). So that can be fine too as long as you just don't extenuate the curve too much.
And as a note- guided does not seem to prevent getting x1.5 bonuses from power attack when 2 handing. So...yeah.
Overall, sensei is fairly weapon agnostic. And they have added at least enough bare bones proficiencies that you can get by.
Yea, I may be stuck. 9 ring broadswords are cool too. Was just trying to stay away from eastern style stuff since I was already kind of reflavouring away from the traditional sensei to more of the old veteran.
Didn't catch that on power attack either.
Why not have your swordsman swear he'll never pick up a sword again, and then go unarmed?
(Also, Drunken Master can be used alongside Sensei and may make sense for this character.)
How about a spear? Spears have similar damage dice to long swords, only x3 intead of 19-20/x2. You are proficient in spears.
It can work with the character concept too. A spear user is not someone with the big, flashy movements of a sword. He is one that makes quick, efficient attacks that aim directly at the heart of the matter. It can be used to show that this old warrior is one that knows his limits, seeking a weapon that he can use with little waste.
And the image can work well- spears are often written off as the weapon of peasants and random infantry. They see you, and think you are just some old man that managed to get a spear- someone they can write off. And they will pay dearly for that assumption.
It has the advantage of working as a walking stick as well.
Those are both interesting ideas. Although I was probably leaning more towards ki mystic than drunken master but I hadn't gotten far enough to bring up the issue to my dm. It fits a little better with the idea in my head.
Swearing to never pick up a sword again is cool and thematic but brings me back to the pitfalls of unarmed combat.
Sounds like I'm down to:
Eastern swords
Swearing off swords
Spear
"Insightful Strike (Ex)
At 2nd level, a sensei may use his Wisdom bonus in lieu of his Strength or Dexterity on attack rolls and combat maneuver checks with unarmed strikes or monk weapons."
With a monk weapon and guided I would get wisdom to hit and damage...
Yes, but Guided Weapon is already wisdom to both hit and damage. Why do you care about Insightful Strike if you have Guided Weapon?
EDIT: If Guided Weapon was only a damage property, it would actually be quite reasonable instead of stupidly broken.
"Insightful Strike (Ex)
At 2nd level, a sensei may use his Wisdom bonus in lieu of his Strength or Dexterity on attack rolls and combat maneuver checks with unarmed strikes or monk weapons."
With a monk weapon and guided I would get wisdom to hit and damage...
Yes, but Guided Weapon is already wisdom to both hit and damage. Why do you care about Insightful Strike if you have Guided Weapon?
EDIT: If Guided Weapon was only a damage property, it would actually be quite reasonable instead of stupidly broken.
You are totally right. For some reason I read it as wisdom to damage and missed the attack part. My mistake.
Although it still looks like the only way to get wisdom to damage and I like the sensei/ki mystic abilities. Maybe I can talk my dm into it.