So for some reason I have this idea for a paladin that might be replacing my unchained barbarian and it is a Minkai Paladin of Shizuru. Using Military Training I can get proficiency in the katana and the naginata in order to make myself feel more like a samurai. I'm thinking of making him a Legate/ Tempered Champion, but I would love to hear some suggestions on how to make him feel more like a samurai (cause I kind of like to go all out when roleplaying). I think for my code I will model it after Bushido, possibly with a few adjustments to make it more like a paladin.
So what I am asking is what can I do to make Shirota more like a samurai while still being a paladin of Shizuru.
Well... I think being LG instead of LN is enough to make it different from the archetypal samurai.
Follow the bushido, like a samurai, but replace the devotion to your daimio with devotion to your Goddess and, more importantly, the innocent.
Yeah, I was thinking of changing it to fit a more goodly code instead of a purely lawful code. Honor will still be important, but I don't think he will kill himself if he dishonors himself (especially if people are counting on him).
Yeah, you don't have make it as hardcore as actual bushido code... Specially since as a Paladin, your death only means the good guys have one fewer champion. Dishonoring yourself already has the penalty of losing your powers, anyway, so it's not like you get scot-free if you violate your code.
I certainly want to go with Tempered Champion in order to gain the Greater Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization feats (which the samurai can get access to) but I am also contemplating the Legate archetype because of those images of unarmored samurai walking around (while still being able to defend myself with the enhanced Instant Armor mechanic the Legate gives you).
If you wanted to play up the 'katana master' angle you could always take a level of Sohei at 5 and pick up Crusader's Flurry, so that you can flurry a katana while wearing mithral medium armor like a mountain-pattern armor or a lamellar steel (since you're going for eastern theme).
If you're a Temple Champion of Shizuru, you can also grab the Gentle Rest power and channel it through an unarmed strike with Domain Strike to stagger a foe without any saving throw.
Temple Champion of Shizuru also opens up access to the Glorious Presence Blessing, which is just awesome (no pun intended) if you have a half-decent charisma; you become so gloriously present that enemies need to make a will save just to try to attack you.
...I am also contemplating the Legate archetype because of those images of unarmored samurai walking around (while still being able to defend myself with the enhanced Instant Armor mechanic the Legate gives you).
Legate gives up all the benefits of Mercy for a pretty average armor that you have to conjure for yourself, with a rather short duration. I can't say I'm a fan.
If you really want to do an unarmored sword-saint kind of thing, you could go for a full-on Unchained Monk level to flurry katana and use the Crane Style chain plus Dodge and wisdom for self-defense. When Dodge and Crane Style/Wing get going they're worth a ton of dodge AC; besides that, you would want to start with some decent wisdom (like with dual talent Human) and invest in a wisdom headband and some bracers of armor. To use Crane Style, you can make normal attacks two-handed and then switch your grip to one hand to defend yourself when it's not your turn. Fluidly switching between one and two-handed grip while dodging and deflecting is pretty damn sword-master, IMO.
Is there any 3pp allowed?
...
Interesting idea, however I already have a number of monks and am looking for something a bit more like the paladin since I have only one pally (and he is a fencing paladin). Like I said I might go with Legate, although I can certainly see why some people would really take offense with losing all of the paladin's mercies.
I will think about the Temple Champion, however. Not sure quite how good Sanctuary would be on average, but it is an interesting option.
Is there any 3pp allowed?
Nope. GM is kind of new and we don't want to do that to him.
What about Warpriest?
Possible. He has nothing for or against it, but I am the party's frontliner (since he is possibly replacing my barbarian in RotR).
Like I said I might go with Legate, although I can certainly see why some people would really take offense with losing all of the paladin's mercies.
It's actually not even the trade that really annoys me about it:
"You get 1min/level of armor a few times a day, and you need to spend a standard action to activate it. Oops, here come some orcs; roll initiative and hope you do well, so that you can waste your first round conjuring your damn armor before you start taking hits."
I mean... can a paladin get at least 10min/level for their damn armor?
Not sure quite how good Sanctuary would be on average, but it is an interesting option.
Well, look at it this way: a full caster's top-level spells will usually have roughly their casting ability score + 1/2 their level + 10 for a DC. Glorious Presence uses your charisma +1/2 your level +10 for a DC. So even if your charisma isn't quite as high as, say, a Wizard's Intelligence, it's the same kind of idea. So, you're creating an effect that makes enemies will-save against that kind of a DC before they can even try to attack the warded creature. This includes enemy spells that involve a direct attack. And then at level 11, you can take Quicken Blessing...