Samurai (Base Class)

[Rawk]

Samurai



Many who wield the blade are but fighters, warriors, mercenaries even. They are skilled , certainly, but there are those whose lives revolve entirely around the sword. Why this is so varies wildly. For some it is in endless service to their lord, a duty and honor passed down through their family since time immemorial. For others it is a matter of personal pride, a way of becoming the greatest they can be. And for a small few, it is all they live for, a way of life in itself, an obsessive drive to master the art of the blade. These are the samurai, and there are none purer in their pursuit of combat.

Role: The samurai lives to engage in fair and honorable single combat. This is overwhelmingly what he exists to do, but the nature of the samurai means that he is also well-studied, and may assist his party through a wide knowledge of skills.

Alignment: The nature of the samurai's search for fair combat means that they tend to be lawful, but they may be of any alignment.

Hit Die: d8

Starting Wealth: 2d6 x 10 gil (average 70 gil.) In addition, the samurai begins with an outfit worth 10 gil or less and 1 masterwork weapon.



Class Skills
The samurai’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Acrobatics (Dex), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (local) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (nobility) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Sense Motive (Wis).
Skill Points Per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Class Features
All of the following are class features of the samurai.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A samurai is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as a single exotic weapon of their choice, but not with any armor or shields.

Limit Breaks (Su): At 1st level, the samurai receives the limit breaks Mind's Eye and Blood of My Ancestors.

Mind's Eye (Su): This Limit Break grants the samurai awareness of his surroundings that surpasses mortal possibility. Upon activating this Limit Break as a swift action, the samurai gains true sight, blindsight, tremorsense, and darkvision in a 60' radius, as well as granting them a dodge bonus to AC equal to their Intelligence modifier + 1 per 4 samurai levels, for a duration of 1 round + 1 per 4 samurai levels.

Blood of My Ancestors (Su): This Limit Break channels the power of the samurai's ancestors directly into himself for a few short moments, granting him guidance in a desperate time of need. Upon activating this limit break, the samurai's Intelligence modifier is doubled for the purposes of all Ancestral Teachings abilities, for a duration of 1 round + 1 per 4 samurai levels.

Tactical Mind: The samurai studies the blade and the forms of combat diligently, gaining various bonuses equal to his Intelligence modifier. At 1st level, he gains a dodge bonus to AC so long as he is unencumbered and wears no armor, which gains an additional flat bonus of +1 every 3 levels after first. At 5th level, he gains a bonus to attack rolls. At 9th level, he gains a bonus to damage rolls. At 13th level, he gains DR/-. At 17th level, he gains SR of 15 + his Intelligence modifier.

Duel (Ex): While the samurai is at home on any battlefield, he is truly in his element when engaged in single combat. Once per day, the samurai may engage a single opponent in a duel, challenging him as a full-round action. Upon engaging in a duel, both the samurai and his opponent gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to the samurai's Intelligence modifier, but this bonus does not apply to attacks between the samurai and his opponent. In addition, both the samurai and his opponent receive a bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls equal to the samurai's Intelligence modifier, applying only to attacks against each other. However, this bonus becomes a penalty if targeting anyone other than the other duelist. A duel does not end until one or both parties have died.

When engaged in a duel, the samurai and his opponent are so thoroughly embroiled in single combat that their blows seem to happen simultaneously. On both the samurai's turn and his opponent's, both parties roll for attack and damage, which are considered to be resolved simultaneously. This means that the samurai and his target may well kill each other in the same turn, and that both of them act on each others' turn as well as their own.

The samurai gains an additional use of this ability per 4 samurai levels, to a maximum of 6 uses per day at 20th level.

Ancestral Teachings: While the samurai lives by his training and his studies, he will always admire the teachings of those who come before. At 2nd level, the samurai chooses a bloodline to belong to. This bloodline grants him numerous abilities as he increases in level, and defines his path as a samurai. At 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level, he gains an additional bloodline, as well as gaining an additional rank in each bloodline he currently has. This means that the samurai will only ever reach the final rank in his starting bloodline, while only gaining the first rank ability in the bloodline chosen at 18th level.

• Crab: The Crab exist to engage in roaring battle. They live quickly and fully, never backing down from a challenge and never stopping no matter the obstacle. At its first rank, a Crab gains DR/- equal to his Intelligence modifier when engaged in a duel. At second rank, the Crab doubles his damage bonus from Intelligence when engaged in a duel. At third rank, the Crab's AC bonus against outside attacks during a duel is doubled. At fourth rank, the Crab gains a number of temporary HP per level equal to his Intelligence modifier when engaged in a duel, which is lost upon resolution of the duel. At fifth rank, the Crab's attacks ignore any DR that his opponent in a duel may have.
  
• Crane: The Crane are, in many ways, the opposite of the Crab. While the Crab are bold and direct, the Crane are elegant and subtle. They seek to perfect their actions and to be graceful in all they do. At first rank, the Crane's AC bonus in a duel now applies against his targeted opponent as well. At second rank, the Crane gains a bonus to his movement speed of 5 x his Intelligence modifier while engaged in a duel. At third rank, the Crane doubles his bonus to attack rolls when engaged in a duel. At fourth rank, the Crane is treated as having concealment when engaged in a duel. At fifth rank, the Crane gains the ability to, as a full-round action, make a single attack which strikes unerringly.
  
• Dragon: The Dragon seek to attain wisdom more than mastery of combat, to find inner peace in a violent world. Their pursuit may be in vain, but that will not dissuade them. At first rank, the Dragon adds their Intelligence bonus to all Will saves. At second rank, the Dragon add their Intelligence bonus to all skill rolls. At third rank, the Dragon may, as a full-round action, study their opponent in a duel, granting them a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls against the opponent. This may be done as much as the Dragon desires. At fourth rank the Dragon adds their Intelligence bonus to all saves. At fifth rank, the Dragon may enter a zen state as a full-round action, removing their ability to attack but granting them DR/- and a bonus to AC equal to twice their Intelligence modifier.
  
• Lion: The Lion are, in many ways, emblematic of what many imagine when they think of a samurai. They are honorable, proud, and dutiful, and their conviction is a powerful thing in the eyes of all who see them. At first rank, the Lion may use his Intelligence modifier in place of his Charisma modifier in any situation. At second rank, the Lion grants all allies within a 60' radius who can see him a bonus to attack rolls equal to his Intelligence modifier. This bonus is doubled for 1d4 turns after the Lion kills his opponent in a duel. At third rank, the Lion's bonus to allies applies to their damage as well. At fourth rank, the Lion's opponent in a duel is treated as shaken. At fifth rank, when a Lion slays his opponent in a duel, all foes within 60' who can see the Lion must make a Will save at a DC of 20 + the Lion's Intelligence modifier or be Panicked for 1d4 rounds.
  
• Mantis: The Mantis are pragmatic, willing to disregard many of the rules of honorable combat if it means victory. At first rank, the Mantis may make a Dirty Trick attempt as a free action any time he makes an attack against his opponent in a duel. At second rank, the Mantis adds his Intelligence modifier to all combat maneuver rolls. At third rank, the Mantis may end a duel prematurely by attacking another enemy, dealing sneak attack damage to that enemy as a thief of his level -9. At fourth rank, the Mantis may make a Trip attempt as a free action after any attack against his opponent in a duel. At fifth rank, the Mantis gains an additional iterative attack at his highest BAB that may be used only for combat maneuvers.
  
• Phoenix: The Phoenix are introspective, slow to act, and are often seen as pacifists. This is not entirely true, but to kill is certainly the last resort of the Phoenix. At first rank, the Phoenix may convert any damage dealt against their opponent in a duel as nonlethal damage at no penalty. At second rank, the Phoenix adds twice their Intelligence modifier to Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive rolls. At third rank, the Phoenix may attempt to talk down their opponent in a duel as a full-round action, requiring the opponent to roll a Will save at a DC of 15 + 1 per 5 nonlethal damage taken. At fourth rank, the Phoenix adds twice their Intelligence to all nonlethal damage they deal. At fifth rank, opponents within a 60' radius of the Phoenix who can see his opponent receive a -1 penalty to attack and damage rolls, increasing by an additional -1 per 5 nonlethal damage received by the Phoenix's opponent.
  
• Scorpion: While the Mantis are pragmatic, the Scorpion make them seem like paragons of the law by comparison. The Scorpion look at the greater picture, and do not necessarily seek victory in the immediate if it means greater victory later on. At first rank, the Scorpion may begin a duel without announcing it, instead beginning it through a single attack as a full-round action. At second rank, the Scorpion may apply any poison on their person to their blade as an immediate action before starting a duel. At third rank, the Scorpion gains a bonus equal to their Intelligence modifier to any damage dealt by poisons. At fourth rank, the Scorpion's opponent in a duel takes a penalty equal to the Scorpion's Intelligence modifier to any saves against a poison or its effects. At fifth rank, the Scorpion may disengage from a duel at any time, and becomes invisible for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier upon doing so.

Sure Strike (Ex): At 3rd level, the samurai gains the ability to quickly improve upon what may have otherwise been a subpar strike. Once per day, he may turn a failed attack roll into a successful attack roll, a successful attack roll into a critical threat, or a critical threat into a confirmed critical. The samurai may expend multiple uses of this ability on a single attack roll if he so chooses. The samurai gains an additional usage of this ability every 3 levels, to a maximum of 6 per day at 18th level.

Purity of Mind and Body: At 4th level, the samurai has become an iron wall, unstoppable in purpose. Any time he would make a successful fortitude or will save for half damage, he instead receives no damage.

Combat Feat: At 4th level, and every 4 levels after, the samurai receives a combat feat, with an effective fighter level of his samurai level -3 for the purposes of qualifying for feats.

Iaijutsu (Ex): At 7th level, the samurai has become so skilled with his blade as to be nearly unpredictable in when he will strike. If the samurai has his blade sheathed, he may draw it and make an attack roll in a single immediate action at any time, even if it is not his turn, so long as he currently threatens an enemy. At 11th level, if an enemy provokes an attack of opportunity, the samurai may attack all enemies he currently threatens in a single immediate action. At 15th level, if an enemy provokes an attack of opportunity, the samurai may make a single attack against him which causes the enemy to make a Fortitude save of 10 + half the samurai's level + the samurai's Intelligence modifier, or be stunned for 1 round. At 19th level, any attack of opportunity the samurai makes is automatically a critical threat.

Battlefield Presence: At 8th level, the samurai knows exactly when and where to strike. Any time he makes a delay action or readied action, he may still return to his original initiative afterward. Furthermore, he gains an additional 5' step each round, which he may activate as an immediate action.

Battlefield Mastery: At 16th level, the samurai gains an additional immediate action each turn, and he may choose to add 5' of reach to any weapon he holds.

Words from the Wise: At 17th level, the samurai's collected studies and mastery of combat allow him to correct the actions of others as well as himself. He may expend usages of his Sure Strike ability to apply its effects to the attack of any ally within 30' who can hear him. Furthermore, he may write a collected book of his knowledge, which grants him a +5 to all social rolls with those who have read it, as well as granting a flat +2 bonus to attack rolls for one day to anyone who spends one hour reading it.

Tsubame Gaeshi (Ex): At 20th level, the samurai has perfected combat. There is nothing left he could learn, and his skill has reached such a level that it defies even the rules of time and space. A number of times per day equal to his Intelligence modifier, if the samurai makes a full-attack action, he may resolve all of the attacks in a single attack roll at his highest base attack bonus, and adds the damage of all attacks together before reductions from DR.