Fighter Kensai Preview

[Eladrin]

I've dropped a few bits of information previously on some of the various Prestige Enhancements currently scheduled for Module 9 in various threads. Each week, I'll be posting one of these or a capstone enhancement to let you see what I'm working on. As usual, they're all still subject to change in playtest, and I ask that people not freak out too much about being "nerfed" or "buffed" if they do, or I'll have to stop since The Cube won't let me post them anymore.

Let's start with the kensai.

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Fighter Kensai I
Cost: 4 AP
Prereqs: Level 6 Fighter, Fighter Attack Boost II, Fighter Critical Accuracy II, any Weapon Specialization feat.
Benefit: You are the unrivaled master of your chosen weapon. Your focus and training grant you a +1 bonus to Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills, Combat Feat DC's, saves against magic, and number of Action Boosts per day. If you possess a Ki bar, you gain 1 additional Ki on criticals and when meditating. You can select a single weapon type as your signature weapon.

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery I
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 6 Fighter, Fighter Kensai I, Weapon Specialization: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have a chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

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The kensai masters body, mind, weapon, and will. The "ki projection" ability of the prestige class has been changed into a passive ability, and we've given the kensai a number of passive combat bonuses to reflect their mastery of their chosen weapon. The base prestige class requires a specific weapon, but we've expanded that as well to all longswords instead of just "the one given to me by my lord".

We also chose to give it some synergy with the monk class. The base prestige class possesses a strong Eastern warrior-monk philosophy to it, so it seemed natural to make this a potentially desirable multiclass option.

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Fighter Kensai II
Cost: 2 AP
Prereqs: Level 12 Fighter, Fighter Kensai I, Fighter Attack Boost III, Fighter Critical Accuracy III, any Greater Weapon Specialization feat.
Benefit: Your focus and training improve, granting an additional +1 bonus to Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills, Combat Feat DC's, saves against magic, and number of Action Boosts per day. If you possess a Ki bar, you gain 1 additional Ki on criticals and when meditating.

Kensai Power Surge
Benefit: You may expend a Fighter attack boost to focus your energy and spirit, gaining a +8 Insight bonus to strength for a short period of time. If you possess the ability to generate Ki, you generate an additional 2 ki on successful attacks during your surge.

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 12 Fighter, Fighter Kensai II, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization I, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery I, Greater Weapon Specialization: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have an increased chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

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Power surge is one of the defining abilities of the kensai.

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Fighter Kensai III
Cost: 2 AP
Prereqs: Level 18 Fighter, Fighter Kensai II, Fighter Attack Boost IV, Fighter Critical Accuracy IV, any Superior Weapon Focus.
Benefit: Your focus and training are complete, granting an additional +1 bonus to Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills, Combat Feat DC's, saves against magic, and number of Action Boosts per day. If you possess a Ki bar, you gain 1 additional Ki on criticals and when meditating.

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery III
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 18 Fighter, Fighter Kensai III, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization II, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II, Superior Weapon Focus: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit: You gain +1 critical threat range with your signature weapon.

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Critical threat range increases will be rarer in the future, but we thought it appropriate that the undisputed master of a specific weapon would have access to such a powerful ability. Precision is the mark of a true swordmaster.

Edit:
Since it came up in the discussion, the Two Handed Fighting chain of feats has also been changed to increase (from zero) the chance of glancing blows producing magical weapon effects.

[ArkoHighStar]

mmmm prc goodness

[Laith]

I've dropped a few bits of information previously on some of the various Prestige Enhancements currently scheduled for Module 9 in various threads. Each week, I'll be posting one of these or a capstone enhancement to let you see what I'm working on. As usual, they're all still subject to change in playtest, and I ask that people not freak out too much about being "nerfed" or "buffed" if they do, or I'll have to stop since The Cube won't let me post them anymore.

thanks!

[ArkoHighStar]

awesome

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery III
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 18 Fighter, Fighter Kensai III, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization II, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II, Superior Weapon Focus: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit: You gain +1 critical threat range with your signature weapon.

[KatanAztar]

You should allow the human versatility boosts as a substitute for the fighter attack boost.

[vyvy3369]

Isn't it somewhat odd to have the first tier cost more than any of the others?

[Eladrin]

You should allow the human versatility boosts as a substitute for the fighter attack boost.

I've got other plans for Human Versatility in a future mod, don't worry about that.

Fighter Attack Boost was selected for the Kensai because it fit thematically the best by far - the swordmaster never misses!

Edit:

Isn't it somewhat odd to have the first tier cost more than any of the others?

This is the standard cost progression for the Prestige Enhancements. 4/2/2, or 4/1/1/1/1 if it's a five tier one like Arcane Archer.

[ArkoHighStar]

lets see some number crunching will this help THF close the gap


Kensai I
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have a chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

Kensai 2
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have an increased chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.


and is the damage bonus a stacked one so you get a total of +3 to base damage

[Vorn]

I guess the requirement of the attack boost wouldn't be so bad since I'd never use it, I'd use the powersurges instead. I'd never take attack boost for itself though as my fighter never misses anything anyway, for the most part.

Now to pull out the calculator and see how much of the haste boost I can keep.

[KatanAztar]

I've got other plans for Human Versatility in a future mod, don't worry about that.

Fighter Attack Boost was selected for the Kensai because it fit thematically the best by far - the swordmaster never misses!

Edit:

This is the standard cost progression for the Prestige Enhancements. 4/2/2, or 4/1/1/1/1 if it's a five tier one like Arcane Archer.

Does this mean we are getting rid of these boosts and getting a different form of versatility?

[Aerendil]

Wow.

[Turial]

I've dropped a few bits of information previously on some of the various Prestige Enhancements currently scheduled for Module 9 in various threads. Each week, I'll be posting one of these or a capstone enhancement to let you see what I'm working on. As usual, they're all still subject to change in playtest, and I ask that people not freak out too much about being "nerfed" or "buffed" if they do, or I'll have to stop since The Cube won't let me post them anymore. ......

Hurray Information!

Thanks Eladrin.

[Kaish]

What would be super, is to put all the future class enhancement in the same thread so that people who get lost in all those threads (like me for example) can track them with more ease.

[maddmatt70]

Just a few comments.
1. Tier 2 and tier 3 are very respectable and more inline with other classes which is great.

2. Tier 1 is still disappointing in comparison to Tempest 1 so it is much better to go 12 fighter 6 ranger then 12 ranger 6 fighter which I feel shouldn't be the case.

3. I am not a 100% sure that this is enough actually. It makes the fighter competitive with the other classes as they currently stand but vs. rangers at level 20 with tempest 2 and tempest 3 and barbarians with their prc and barb crit rage 2 and paladins with their prc and zeal and divine might I am not sure will be competitive.

4. Tier 3 although nice is very pro rapier again. This game is in danger of becoming all piercing specced players. I am not sure how to fix that well anyway up to you.

[bobbryan2]

Is the +1 to threat range before or after Improved Critical.

Would a heavy pick with Imp Crit Pierce go to 18-20 or 17-20?

[Silverjade]

I've dropped a few bits of information previously on some of the various Prestige Enhancements currently scheduled for Module 9 in various threads. Each week, I'll be posting one of these or a capstone enhancement to let you see what I'm working on. As usual, they're all still subject to change in playtest, and I ask that people not freak out too much about being "nerfed" or "buffed" if they do, or I'll have to stop since The Cube won't let me post them anymore.

Let's start with the kensai.

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Kensai Power Surge[/B]
Benefit: You may expend a Fighter attack boost to focus your energy and spirit, gaining a +8 Insight bonus to strength for a short period of time. If you possess the ability to generate Ki, you generate an additional 2 ki on successful attacks during your surge.

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 12 Fighter, Fighter Kensai II, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization I, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery I, Greater Weapon Specialization: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have an increased chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

---

Power surge is one of the defining abilities of the kensai.

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Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery III
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 18 Fighter, Fighter Kensai III, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization II, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II, Superior Weapon Focus: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit: You gain +1 critical threat range with your signature weapon.

---

Critical threat range increases will be rarer in the future, but we thought it appropriate that the undisputed master of a specific weapon would have access to such a powerful ability. Precision is the mark of a true swordmaster.

+8str????? DROOL!!!!! would let my ftr when madstoned(2time)raged get a 48str i thinks!

[Laith]

Fighter Kensai II
Cost: 2 AP
Prereqs: Level 12 Fighter, Fighter Kensai I, Fighter Attack Boost III, Fighter Critical Accuracy III, any Greater Weapon Specialization feat.
Benefit: Your focus and training improve, granting an additional +1 bonus to Bluff, Concentration, Diplomacy, and Intimidate skills, Combat Feat DC's, saves against magic, and number of Action Boosts per day. If you possess a Ki bar, you gain 1 additional Ki on criticals and when meditating.

Kensai Power Surge
Benefit: You may expend a Fighter attack boost to focus your energy and spirit, gaining a +8 Insight bonus to strength for a short period of time. If you possess the ability to generate Ki, you generate an additional 2 ki on successful attacks during your surge.

Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery II
Cost: 1 AP
Prereqs: Level 12 Fighter, Fighter Kensai II, Fighter <Specific Weapon> Specialization I, Kensai <Specific Weapon> Mastery I, Greater Weapon Specialization: <appropriate weapon type>
Benefit (One handed, ranged, or thrown weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit and damage, and +2 to confirm criticals and critical damage (before multipliers) when using a <weapon>.
Benefit (Two handed weapons): You gain an additional +1 bonus to hit, +2 to damage and to confirm criticals and +4 to critical damage (before multipliers), as well as improved glancing blows that have an increased chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

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Power surge is one of the defining abilities of the kensai.

given it's location, i'm guessing that Power Surge is granted from the tierII kensai enhancements. is that correct?
(it's not mentioned in other enhancement descriptions, and there's no cost or prereqs associated with it directly)

[ArkoHighStar]

any idea on what percentage will this go off

as well as improved glancing blows that have a chance of applying magical weapon effects when using a <weapon>.

[ShadowFox1978]

Is the +1 to threat range before or after Improved Critical.

Would a heavy pick with Imp Crit Pierce go to 18-20 or 17-20?

It would work just like barb crit rage. Improved crit applied first, then the threat increase from kensai.

[Silverjade]

Oh, will the +8 Insight bonus to strength stack with tomes ?