Kenshin Himura style samurai character?

[CannibalKitten]

I've recently seen a preview for the Ruroni Kenshin live action movie and it made me watch the anime again and got me thinking. I've never liked the Samurai class much, as i like my Ronin samurai more so then fully armored horeback riding ones. My question is does somebody know of a class or archetype I could use? I'm definitely going for more the animes style of fighting, jumping around and being very fast. Also anything to deal specifically with the sword drawing techniques or anything else anyone thinks is relevant would be appreciated. Any 3rd party or 3.X is okay with me.

[Captain Morgan]

Bushi from Path of War: Expanded is almost certainly what you want. The Mithral Current discipline is pretty much meant to be the Hiten Mitsurugi style. You get various named techniques similar to what they use in Kenshin. Other good disciplines will include Scarlet Throne and Veiled Moon.

The Bushi template can be combined with any of the 3 original Path of War classes. If you want to be post man slayer, defense rod the weak Kenshin, you probably want a Warder, toying around with the build to use less of the heavy armor stuff. Otherwise, the War Lord is pretty great for a high charisma, all out attacker.

You could also use the Stalker class. While it has only medium BAB, it's wisdom based, and the high sense motive fits with Kenshin's ability to read opponents. It's a wee bit mystical, but you can reflector the teleports of Veiled Moon into speed blitzing and what not.

[CannibalKitten]

Thank you! That sounds all sounds wonderful!

[illyume]

Another option to look into... though not entirely perfect to the exact setup Kenshin has, it's definitely a good fit thematically: an inquisitor (or something else with access to inquisitions) with the Redemption Inquisition. The 4th-level ability is super fitting. Plus, all the other goodies inquisitors get (good skills, great sense motive, etc) sort of fit in well with the idea too.

[Davic The Grey]

Personally, I allow any of my samurai players to take cavalier archetypes as long as they trade out similar features (expert trainer= mounted archery, tactician = resolve, etc.) This opens up daring champion for a light to no armor samurai, with slashing grace for a katana and order of the blue rose to attack nonlethally. Sword Saint archetype for samurai seems to have been designed by a Kenshin fan, but the mechanics are very clumsy and lack luster, though still an option.

[Val'bryn2]

Swashbuckler with slashing grace on katana, personally I was making something very similar to Kenshin in a Jade Regent game, started as a level 1 samurai, 2nd level went into swashbuckler, and I was going from there. Perhaps do something with slayer for sneak attack damage, then take Wave Strike as a feat.

[Hark]

There is also the Samurai Archetype that does kind of what you're looking for.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/alternate-classes/samurai/archetypes/paizo- --samurai-archetypes/sword-saint

[CannibalKitten]

I was definitely looking for mostly his style of samurai or even something from samurai champloo, not necessarily a non-lethal one as Kenshin. Thanks for all the ideas everyone, it's nice to have a different perspective of the Samurai class now. I've yet too look into inquisitors but I don't think I'm going to want casting for this specific character.

[Kaelan Ashenveil]

I make the Champlo/Kenshin samurai via unchained monk and crafting a monk "katana" from the weapon making rules from Weapon Master's Handbook. Just takes Ascetic Style :)

[N. Jolly]

If you want, check out the Mercurial Duelist archetype from my vigilante playtest, which has heavy kenshin style inspiration. I figure throw it on with exposed vigilante to make it more like him, or consumed vigilante if you want to play it more like batosai.

Also sword saint is TERRIBLE.

[Imbicatus]

An unchained monk with a one level dip into crusader cleric of shizuru for crusader's flurry with a katana would be very good.