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View Full Version : (3.5) Zatoichi, the blind swordsman build??



ChrisDemilich
2010-01-05, 09:57 PM
So.... One of my PC's wants to build a blind swordsman based somewhat on Zatoichi. Some of you may know who I mean.

It's a Level 3 campaign.

He wants to use bard as the base class. He will have the Blind Fight feat as a bonus feat(Blindness is certainly a better flaw than the ones in UA).

Yes, I know this is not an optomized build. Maybe not even feasible. But he asked me for help, and frankly, I am stumped. o.O But, it certainly has flavor.

Any help making a character that is.. Not complete crap?

Pharaoh's Fist
2010-01-05, 10:01 PM
Get Blindsight somehow?

Thurbane
2010-01-05, 10:03 PM
Someone once homebrewed a great blind warrior PrC, either here or at the WotC forums, but I haven't been able to find it since. :smallfrown:

Boci
2010-01-05, 10:03 PM
Get Blindsight somehow?

Willing deformality and deformality tongue gives you blind sense. Many people talk of a colar that grants you blind sight from ToM but I cannot find it.

Thurbane
2010-01-05, 10:04 PM
Willing deformality and deformality tongue gives you blind sense. Many people talk of a colar that grants you blind sight from ToM but I cannot find it.
Isn't there a helmet or blindfold in the MIC that does this?

dyslexicfaser
2010-01-05, 10:04 PM
Blindfold of True Darkness; 9k gold.

Claudius Maximus
2010-01-05, 10:07 PM
There is indeed a blindfold in MIC that gives 30 ft. blindsight.

This (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/divineAbilitiesFeats.htm#blindsight5FtRadius) feat looks like a decent choice if you're going for nonmagical blindsight. He unfortunately can't qualify for it yet, though.

FirebirdFlying
2010-01-05, 10:07 PM
There's the Hear the Unseen feat, from CAdv, allowing you to use a move action and a listen check to pinpoint the location of enemies within 30'. (note that it doesn't actually negate the miss chance) Combine this with the Quick Reconnoiter feat, which lets you make a listen check as a free action.

I think technically QR doesn't lessen the time for Hear the Unseen, but (I assume) you're the DM. Make it so.

Take Joyful Noise as a spell, if you do this - first level, (I think) in the SpC, negates Silence in a 10' or somesuch radius. I don't know how long this lasts.
EDIT: For concentration, apparently, which won't help you. :smallyuk:

Eventually he can pick up a Blindfold of True Darkness, clocking in at 9000 gp - giving blindsight.

Take advantage of his blindness - cast darkness, etc., which gives his foes worse chances than he.

He could Obtain Familiar to get a seeing-eye raven or something, but I don't think that's the right flavor.

JaronK
2010-01-05, 10:14 PM
Bard's sorta problematic. Blindsight is easy with the Blindfold of True Darkness, and there are a series of Blind flaws on the D&D Wiki. Warblade would make a lot more sense, and Iajuitsu Master is an obvious choice as well. Factotum would be solid too.

Would he consider something like Factotum 8/Warblade 2/Iajuitsu Master 10 or Factotum 8/Warblade 7/Iajuitsu Master 5? He can certainly still have perform as a class skill and yet have awesome katana wielding fun.

JaronK

Zaq
2010-01-05, 10:18 PM
Here's a question. Does he want to stay blind, or is he ok with getting blindsight? If blindsight defeats the purpose too much, what about blindsense? Tremorsense? Mindsight?

There are plenty of ways in D&D to get near-visual sensory information without using your eyes, but that might defeat the point of making a blind swordsman.

So, should we be finding ways to basically not be blind, or should we be finding ways to make being blind not be such a problem?

Kallisti
2010-01-05, 10:18 PM
Screw factotum, just take Skill Training (Perform). Or, y'know, you could houserule that Perform is a class skill for anyone who wants to learn to play an instrument/act/sing/tell jokes. Some skills should be restricted by class--Knowledge in the more obscure areas, Spellcraft, Forgery--but things like Perform, Spot and Listen should be universal.

JaronK
2010-01-05, 10:34 PM
Factotum is there for the extra standard actions and Int synergy.

JaronK

Sophismata
2010-01-06, 07:54 AM
Personally I'd recommend Swordsage, since he adds his Wisdom to AC and he'd want to get 19 Wis for the Blindsight feat.

Blindfold of True Darkness helps, but only tells him where people are (and doesn't help with the fact that he cannot see them). The Blind Fight feat would help with the problem until he reached level 6, where he could take Blindsight, allowing him to 'see' people next to him (and ignore concealment and invisibility, as well).

Another alternative is Psychic Warrior, who can do something similar with powers.

Longcat
2010-01-06, 08:08 AM
He's going Bard? In that case, he'll qualify for a 1 level dip into Mindbender, and gains access to Mindsight from LoM.

JaronK
2010-01-06, 08:09 AM
Blindfold of True Darkness does give Blindsight, so he can see just fine within range.

JaronK

Roupe
2010-01-06, 08:52 AM
Combat prowess & Feats aside, Zatoichi frequently uses deception, gambling and barter skills too.

I haven't seen Zatoichi in any armor. Zatoichi strikes his foes unexpectedly and fatal. Zatoichi has "slightly" more trouble with foes he cant take by surprise with opening strikes. His weapon is concealed as a walking cane. main strategies in combat is to take advantage of foes false sense of security (against a blind) and kills them when they have their guards dropped.

So IMHO 3.5 Zatoichi could be made as a straight Rogue, utilizing dodge, bluff, attack of opportunity and sneak attack.

paddyfool
2010-01-06, 08:57 AM
Good idea on the Rogue, although he should really have Iajitsu Focus somehow, which makes Factotum tempting. Alternatively, what kind of Rogue-equivalent is there in Oriental Adventures?

Sinfire Titan
2010-01-06, 09:06 AM
There's a feat in Magic of Incarnum that grants a limited Blindsense (detects living creatures only unless you have a specific Chakra Bind) as a Move action.

Longcat
2010-01-06, 09:06 AM
Good idea on the Rogue, although he should really have Iajitsu Focus somehow, which makes Factotum tempting. Alternatively, what kind of Rogue-equivalent is there in Oriental Adventures?

Rokugan Ninja

Pharaoh's Fist
2010-01-06, 09:10 AM
Does OA not have a class for the Yakuza?