Rurouni Kenshin (AKA Samurai X) [3.5]

[slexlollar89]

Hi,

for a game I had planned out each player would play a famous fictional character from any fantasy genre, and fight eachother. I assume that Himura Kenshin and Sonoseke Sagara would be ToB type guy also...

How would you stat Kenshin and Sagara with, AND without, ToB?

I could se Kenshin being a high level swordsage with diamond mind and setting sun, but Sagara... probably not as high level chaotic crusader... he does get furious and use stone dragon a lot...

[AtwasAwamps]

Kenshin is without a doubt a Warblade, focusing on Diamond Mind and Iron Heart. If possible, he can also take a one level dip in Factotum early on, as a human with able learner, so that Iajitsu Focus will always be a class skill for him. I’m not sure if you can use Iajitsu Focus with maneuvers, but eh. It’s kind of necessary for the guy. Warblade will give you pretty much everything you need for him.

Sano is harder, because I don’t really remember him, but I agree that crusader is probably the way to do it. If I recall correctly, his big things were being really really tough and having that “I can punch through anything” ability. So a chaotic crusader with superior unarmed strike would be pretty impressive, as Stone Dragon maneuvers would give him the “Hurt Anything” abilities and Devoted Crusader would give him the determinator aspect you’d want for him.

Outside ToB? That’s harder…I’ll get back to that.

[WinWin]

For Kenshin, probably something with decent BAB and sneak attack. A few sneak attack feats to cripple opponents. The guy used to be an assassin after all.

[Akal Saris]

Hrm...here's a shot at it:

Core Kenshin:
CG Human Rogue 3/Fighter 2/Assassin 9/Horizon Walker 6
BAB +16, SA +7d6
Explanation: Rogue+assassin levels for SA and improved feint to represent his drawing the sword quickly in melee for a huge damage spike, as well as the whole battousai = assassin idea. I see Kenshin as having a pretty wide variety of social skills as well, so rogue and assassin both fit this much better than straight fighter. Horizon walker seems to fit a wanderer motiff quite well, and dimension door (Horizon walker 6) also fits the incredible mobility of the character.

I'd stat out Sanosuke, at least in core-only he really does strike me as a straight fighter with some barbarian levels. I mean, he can punch people, but even Saito can deliver a mean punch.

With ToB, I'd say Kenshin is certainly a swordsage, while Sanosuke is...a fighter/barbarian still? I guess I don't see any of the ToB archetypes as fitting Sanosuke that well.

[Runestar]

Sagara would probably be a warblade as well, with emphasis on stone dragon for shards of granite. Maybe splash 2 lvs of monk for critical feats like IUS.

In core, probably monk/fighter/shou disciple. I would stat him as a monk4/fighter4/shou disciple5 (and kenshin with around 20 class lvs).

[true_shinken]

People, Kenshin is clearly a Iaijutsu Master. Please. Hitokiri Battousai.
It would be hard to make Kenshin's speed without ToB, though.

[Ragitsu]

People, Kenshin is clearly a Iaijutsu Master. Please. Hitokiri Battousai.
It would be hard to make Kenshin's speed without ToB, though.

Iaijutsu Masters can get INSANE Initiative bonuses.

[Kyuu Himura]

OK, lets see....

For Kenshin I would go with
LG OA Samurai (Crane) 1/Warblade 8/Iaijutsu Master 5/Warblade +6

This gives Kenshin an Initiator lvl of 17, enough for level 9 maneuvers. Ancestral Daisho, which could come in handy, void strike to make those iaijutsu attacks really hurt, a few additional feats, etc.
For Maneuvers we need:
Swooping Dragon Strike---> Ryuu Tsui Sen/Ryuu Shou Sen
dancing mongoose+Time Stands Still -----> Kuzu Ryuu Sen
Mind Strike -----> Ryuu Mei Sen
Mithral Tornado ----> Ryuu Kan Sen
Avalanche of Blades ----> Ryuu Sou Sen [Garami]
Diamond Nightmare Blade ----> Ama Kakeru Ryuu no Hirameki.

these are the thematically appropiate maneuvers, if anyone can put them together in one build, awesome, if not , Swooping Dragon can be replaced for Death from Above. You also want Iron Heart Surge and Wall of Blades.

As for feats (again, thematically speaking)
Quick Draw
Power Attack
Weapon Focus (katana, I, personally, don't like the gnomish quickrazor)
Improved Initiative (you can get this one as a bonus feat)
skill focus (iaijutsu, again, bonus)
perhaps Leap Attack
perhaps battle jump
Iron Heart Aura
Stormguard Warrior (this one is the set-up for an Ama Kakeru Ryuu no Hirameki)
perhaps Combat Reflexes.
This kenshin has as much as 13 feats (7 for levels, 1 from human, 1 from samurai, 3 from warblade, 1 from IM)

His weapon would be a +5 merciful Diamond Mind, Iron Heart and Tiger Claw Concentration Katana.

I'll see if that build is actually possible, and then get into a Sanosuke build, I think Fist of the Forest looks nice for him.

EDIT: he doesn't get the feat from samurai

[Kyuu Himura]

Done. Possible if you don't mind Ryuu Tsui Sen.

Stats: 32 point buy; after adjustments from levels.
16/18/15/12/8/12
After a Belt of Magnificence
22/24/21/18/14/18 not bad.

feats: (I'm guessing someone here may have better ideas)
1 Powe Attack/ Human: Quick Draw/ Flaw: Able Learner
3 WF: Katana
6 Skill Focus: Iaijutsu/ Warblade: Improved Initiative
9 Leap Attack
12 Iron Heart Aura
13 Iai Master: Battle Jump
15 Stormguard Warrior/ Warblade: Combat Reflexes
18 Knowledge Devotion (you know that thing Ken did when he read his enemies' moves?? this is it)
19 Warblade: Blid Fight

Maneuvers: (again, I'm sure someone can do this better)
Warblade 1 (PC lvl 2) Moment of Perfect Mind, Saphire Nightmare Blade, Wolf Fang Strike.
Warblade 2 (PC lvl 3) Add: Sudden Leap
Warblade 3 (PC lvl 4) Add: Wall of Blades
Warblade 4 (PC lvl 5) Change: SNB for Emerald Razor
Warblade 5 (PC lvl 6) Add: Iron Heart Surge
Warblade 6 (PC lvl 7) no change
Warblade 7 (PC lvl 8) Add: Ruby Nightmare Blade
Warblade 8 (PC lvl 9) Change: Wolf Fang Strike for Mithral Tornado
Iaijutsu Master 1 to 5 (PC lvl 10 to 14) no change
Warblade 9 (PC lvl 15) Add: Dancing Mongoose
Warblade 10 (PC lvl 16) Change: Sudden Leap for Avalanche of Blades
Warblade 11 (PC lvl 17) Add: Quicksilver Motion
Warblade 12 (PC lvl 18) Change: RNB for Diamond Nightmare Blade
Warblade 13 (PC lvl 19) Add: Death from Above
Warblade 20 (PC lvl 20) Change: Emerald Razor for Time Stands Still


Stances:

Warblade 1 (PC lvl 2): Hunter Senses
Warblade 4 (PC lvl 5): Add: Leading the Charge
Warblade 6 (PC lvl 7): Change: Hunter Senses for leaping Dragon Stance
Warblade 10 (PC lvl 16) Add: Hearing the Air


And that would do it. Hope it helps.

[Beowulf DW]

I don't have anything to add, really, other than my own interest. Kenshin Himura is my favorite character ever!

Do you think a DM would allow a house-ruled sakabato? It would work the same way as a katana except with no penalties for non-lethal damage (those penalties would apply to lethal damage instead).

[Kyuu Himura]

Probably, but that's why I said he could use a Merciful katana, it deals +2d6 damage, but all non-lethal. Kenshin's oath to never kill or his split personality issues could be considered flaws, that would help squeeza some feats into it.

I say Mutants and Masterminds or a heavily revised BESM could do kenshin some more justice.

Kenshin is my favorite character ever too. :D

[true_shinken]

Iaijutsu Masters can get INSANE Initiative bonuses.
And speed is a lot more than that. It's number of attacks, movement (called Speed in D&D, even), AC and the like. Iaijutsu masters covers initiative and somewhat covers AC.
Warblade/Iaijutsu Master with feats for the Shadow Jaunt line should work.