The Samurai

Alignment (ex): Lawful (often neutral) (see Ronin feat)

Hit Die (ex): d10.

 

Class Skills

The samurai’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (History) (Int),  Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) (Int), Ride (Dex), Sense Motives (Wis), and Swim (Str).

 

Skill Points at 1st Level (ex): (2 + Int modifier) x4.

Skill Points at Each Additional Level (ex): 2 + Int modifier.

 

Table (ex): The Samurai
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Unarmed damage
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Iaidou +1d6, Improved Unarmed Attack, First Jutsu	1d3
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Gouki, Gomin	1d3
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Iaidou +2d6, Understanding the Void	1d3
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Iaidou	1d3
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Stamina, Second Jutsu	1d4
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+5	Iaidou +3d6	1d4
7th	+7/+2	+5	+2	+5	Batsu, Controlling the Void	1d4
8th	+8/+3	+6	+2	+6	Zanshin	1d4
9th	+9/+4	+6	+3	+6	Iaidou +4d6, Weapon Focus Katana & Long bow	1d6
10th	+10/+5	+7	+3	+7	Improved Iaidou, Third Jutsu	1d6
11th	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Mastering the Void, Last Strike	1d6
12th	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+8	Iaidou +5d6, Improved Batsu	1d6
13th	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+8	Iaijutsu	1d8
14th	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Improved Stamina	1d8
15th	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+9	Iaidou +6d6, Fourth Jutsu	1d8
16th	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	One with the Void	1d8
17th	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Greater Batsu	1d10
18th	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Iaidou +7d6, Weapon Specialization Katana & Long Bow	1d10
19th	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Iaijutsu Mastery	1d10
20th	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	Fifth Jutsu	1d10

 

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the samurai.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency (ex): A samurai is proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with light armor but no shields.  If he has a Str of 13+ then he also gains proficiency with Bastard Sword (Katana). 

Improved Unarmed Attack (ex):  At 1st level, a Samurai wearing light or no armor gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A Samurai’s attacks may be with either fist interchangeably or even from elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a Samurai may even make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a Samurai striking unarmed. A Samurai may thus Apply her full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all her unarmed strikes.

Usually a Samurai’s unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on her attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A Samurai’s unarmed strike is treated both as a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

A Samurai also deals more damage with her unarmed strikes than a normal person would, as shown on Table: The Samurai. The unarmed damage on Table: The Samurai is for Medium Samurais. A Small Samurai deals less damage than the amount given there with her unarmed attacks, while a Large Samurai deals more damage; see Table: Small or Large Samurai Unarmed Damage.

 

Table: Small or Large Samurai Unarmed Damage
Level	Damage  (Small Samurai)	Damage (Large Samurai)
1st–4th	1d2	1d4
5th–8th	1d3	1d6
9th–12th	1d4	1d8
13th–16th	1d6	2d6
17th–20th	1d8	2d8

 

Jutsu: a Samurai is trained with more than just swordsmanship.  He knows techniques which allow him to make the best use of fist, long bow, and long spear.  He chooses one of an ability or feat from one of three styles: juujutsu (unarmed attack), kyuujutsu (Marksmanship), Soujutsu (spearmanship).  If the samurai chooses a feat he still must qualify for the feat to benefit. At level 1, level 5 and every 5 levels there after he chooses a new feat or ability form below.  A samurai loses the benefits of these feats and abilities when ever he wears medium or heavy armor.

Juujutsu: The Art of the Softness

When fighting unarmed gains the use a chosen feat or ability below.

Feats: The samurai may choose Advanced Kenjutsu, Combat Expertise, Greater Kenjutsu, Improved Trip Improved Disarm, Improved Grapple, Improved Kenjutsu, Improved Sundered, Kenjutsu, Stunning Fist, Stunning Strike.

Kyuujutsu: The Art of the Bow

When wielding a long bow gains the use a chosen feat or ability below.

Feats: The samurai may choose Far Shot, Improved Critical (long bow), Improved Precise Shot, Manyshot, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, or Rapid Shot.

Abilities: 

-         Blind Shot: So long as the samurai can still hear his target, he ignores the miss chance for not being able to see, cover still counts, but darkness or blindness to not hinder the samurai so long as the shot is made within one range increment of the weapon. 

-         Deflecting Shot: a Samurai may fire an arrow to deflect an arrow or other ammunition fired at himself or an object or person standing within one range increment, as a attack of opportunity.  He must have his bow out (even if he has quick draw) and he must make an attack roll equal to the attack roll of the attack he is attempting to deflect plus fifteen, if he succeed he negates the attack.  This can not be used to stop spells or spell affects.

-         Fire under fire:  A samurai make a ranged attack as a standard action without provoking an attack of opportunity. 

-         Ranged Disarmed:  A samurai may attempt to disarm an opponent with an attack from his long bow.  This does not provoke an attack of opportunity for attempting to disarm.

Soujutsu: The Art of the Spear

When wielding a long spear gains the use a chosen feat or ability below.

Feats: The samurai may choose Dire Critical (long spear), Improved Critical (long spear), Improved Disarm, Power Attack, Power Critical (long spear), or weapon focus (long spear)

Abilities: 

-         Close-Quarters Spearman:  A samurai treats a long spear as both a reach and a melee weapon.

-         Staff and Spear:  When using a spear as a melee weapon, a samurai may treat a spear as double weapon, treating the other end as a light mace.

-         Lancing: A samurai grants all the special abilities of a lance to a long spear. A spear deals double damage when used from the back of a charging mount. While mounted, you can wield a spear with one hand. 

-         Power thrust: A samurai may treat a long spear as if it were one size category larger than it actually is for the purposes of damage dealt.

-         Between the legs:  the samurai may make trip attempts with a long spear gains a +2 to trip attempts made with longs spears.

 

Gouki (ex): The Samurai has been trained to withstand the harshest of assaults.  A number of times per day equal to his constitution bonus to a minimum of one, he can make a concentration check instead of one fortitude, reflex, or willpower save.  If the value of the check equals of exceeds the save DC he succeeds.  If he has any abilities such as stamina or resolve he still gains the benefits of these abilities. He does not benefit from evasion if has the evasion ability.

Gomin (ex): The Samurai has been trained to wait with a deep serine patients for the perfect strike.  A samurai may choose to do nothing, taking no actions for number of rounds up to his constitution bonus if any.  The only action he may take are dodge movement so while he may not take a 5ft step he is not flat footed.  Each round he gains a cumulative +1 competence bonus to his first attack and damage roll made in the next round.  This intensity is quite draining, at the beginning of each round the samurai must make a concentration check DC 10 +any damage he took in the last round +1 for each round he has waited or else lose his bonus.

Understanding the Void (ex): The Samurai clears his mind of all the concerns and distracting thoughts.  He gains his Wisdom modifier to his AC as a dodge bonus so long as he is wielding a sword with both hands and does not wear medium or heavy armor.  He loses this bonus anytime he loses his dex bonus. This bonus can not exceed the maximum dexterity bonus for the suit of armor worn

Iaidou (ex):  The Samurai is trained to kill his opponent on the drawing of his sword.  When wearing light or no armor he may make an attack immediately after drawing his sword, it can often be the last.  If the attack hits he adds the amount of damage listed above to the damage dealt, this damage is considered precision damage.  At level 10 he gains improved iaidou.  A number of times equal to his constitution bonus to a minimum of one he may use his improved iaidou.  Any creature struck by his improved iaidou must make a fortitude save DC 10+1/2 class level+Constitution modifier or become dazed for one round.  This damage does not stake with sneak attack or similar damage.

Stamina (ex): The Samurai has been trained to harden his body against all manner of affects.  If he makes a successful Fortitude save which would normally have a lesser affect (such fortitude for partial, or half) he instead negates all affects which would have had a reduced affect, if there is an effect which occurs regardless of a successful save that affect still functions.

Zanshin (ex): The Samurai has a Sixth Sense about danger, when wearing light, or no armor he gains his Wis mod to his Initiative checks.

Weapon focus katana and long bow: The Samurai automatically gains weapon focus with katanas and long bows when he reaches level nine if he does not already have them.

Controlling the Void (ex):  The Samurai learns to focus the void, control it.  He can add his wisdom bonus instead of constitution or dexterity to fortitude and reflex saves.

Batsu (ex):  When wielding a sword with both hands, a Samurai can chose to suffer a -3 to all attacks made this round and make a single attack as a full round action.  If the attack succeeds he deals rolls the damage dice twice and adds 3 x Str Mod other factor like enhancement bonus and power attack are not doubled.  A critical hit deals damage dice thrice and 4 ½ strength mod.

Mastering the Void (ex):  The Samurai learns to more than just to focus the void, taking almost total control over it.  He can add his Charisma bonus his saves.

Improved Batsu (ex):  When wielding a sword with both hands, a Samurai can chose to suffer a -6 to all attacks made this round and make a single attack as a full round action.  If the attack succeeds he rolls the damage dice thrice and adds 4½ x Str Mod.  A critical hit deals damage dice four times and 6 strength mod and the target must make a fort save DC10+1/2 class level+str mod or fall down prone.

Last Strike (ex): The Samurai trained to kill even as he dies.  When wearing light or no armor, wielding a sword in both hands, and his hp drops below 1, he gains an attack of opportunity against one enemy within melee.  When wearing light or no armor, wielding a sword in both hands, and a samurai dies he gains an attack of opportunity against every enemy within melee range, he need only have a single attack of opportunity left this round to use this ability.  A samurai who is unconscious or immobilized cannot make uses of Last Strike.

Iaijutsu  (ex):  In the same round as the Samurai draws a sword he can make one melee attack against one opponent, vulnerable to Critical Hits, as a standard action but without performing any other action that round.  Once per day per to his constitution bonus to a minimum of one, a Samurai may forego all damage from his iaidou to instead instantly kill a creature not more than one size category larger than the samurai.  The creature receives a Reflex save DC 5+1/2class level + dexterity bonus, creatures that fail are killed usually beheaded, if the creature survives it instead takes the normal iaidou damage.  A creature with evasion, takes no damage on a successful reflex save.  A creature with improved evasion only takes the iaidou damage on a failed save.  A creature who succeeds on a reflex save can never drop below 0.

Improved Stamina (ex): This ability works like stamina, except that while the Samurai still suffers no effects on a successful save, he henceforth only suffers the lesser affect on a failed save, if there is no lesser affect he suffers the full effect.

One with the Void (ex): There is no longer any distinction between the Samurai’s thoughts and the void itself.  When wearing light or no armor, he gains an insight bonus equal to his wisdom bonus if positive to both attack and damage rolls, so long as he is wielding a sword with both hands.  He loses this bonus anytime he loses his dex bonus.

Greater Batsu (ex):  When wielding a sword with both hands, a Samurai can chose to suffer a -9 to all attacks made this round and make a single attack as a full round action.  If the attack succeeds he rolls damage 4 times and add 6 x Str Mod and the target must make a fort save DC10+1/2 class level+str mod or become dazed for one round.  If the attack is a confirmed critical he adds the damage dice five times and adds 7 ½ your strength and the target must make a fort save DC10+1/2 class level+str mod or fall down prone and dazed for one round.

Weapon Specialization katana and long bow: At level 18 a Samurai who wears only light or no armor gains the benefits weapon specialization with katanas and long bows even if he does not qualify for the feats.

Iaijutsu Mastery (ex):  The DC of the Iaijutsu becomes 10+½ Samurai’s Class Level+ his Dex Mod.  He still must succeed in an attack.  Whenever making an attack with a sword immediately after drawing the same weapon and attack with both hands the he adds his dex bonus if any to this attack. A creature with evasion, takes no damage on a successful reflex save. 

Organization and Religion: The samurai is utterly dedicated to his Master.  The samurai follows the will of his master without question.  Most Samurai are hand selected by their master at a young age.  With loyal service the Samurai hopes to earn honor.  The Samurai are found almost exclusively in the Vordian Empire, and as such are simultaneously respected for their discipline and loyalty and feared for their association with such an evil place

Code of Conduct: A Samurai would never question his master in any place or at any time except perhaps in the very back of his mind, when he is not consciously think about his thoughts.  Should he ever voice such a thing in any way he would be dishonored and could not continue as a Samurai until he has performed some great penance.  A Samurai would gladly give his life to the whim of his master.

Ex-Samurai

A samurai who becomes nonlawful cannot gain new levels as a samurai but retains all samurai abilities.

Like a member of any other class, a samurai may be a multiclass character, but multiclass samurai face a special restriction. A samurai who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her samurai level, though she retains all her samurai abilities.

 

Daniel John Malone © 2005-2008