Can you take CW Samurai and OA Samurai?

[danzibr]

As the title says. I'm looking into ways to make a Samurai. I'd do 1 level of OA Samurai for Iaijutsu focus (is that not in 3.5???) and the ability to enchant my katana, then some CW Samurai for intimidate business.

Reasonably, I'd say no. I mean, if I were DMing I'd tell my player to choose one or the other (or maybe hybrid them since good ol' Samurai's a bit underpowered). Mainly because the CW Samurai is supposed to be the 3.5 OA Samurai.

[SuperFerret]

Maybe treat it as a Gestalt Samurai/Samurai to hybridize it?

[Prime32]

It would be easier just to take Ancestral Relic. For Iaijutsu Focus, that's one of the reasons factotum is popular.

As for hybrids... (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10511) :smalltongue:

[Luckmann]

Since either Samurai is considered relatively horrible, I say just gestalt it.

[Telonius]

I'd do 1 level of OA Samurai for Iaijutsu focus (is that not in 3.5???) and the ability to enchant my katana,

Also for the extra skill points and bump to Will save. If you really, really want to go that route, Ranger1/OASamurai2/CWar Samurai 17 would probably be your best bet.

Reasoning: if you lose one level of CWar Samurai, there's no reason at all to take it past 17. The third level of OA Samurai similarly gives you nothing interesting. Ranger will probably give you the best features - skill points and a favored enemy.

Barbarian instead of Ranger would be nice if you could use CChamp and get Pounce from Lion Totem. But that would require an alignment change and a DM who wouldn't thwap you with a DMG for suggesting it. You sound like you're worried about pushing that boundary already (although the DM really has nothing to worry about from even an OA Samurai).

[danzibr]

Since either Samurai is considered relatively horrible, I say just gestalt it.
Yeah, I'll probably just run this by him. Maybe suggest dropping the bonus feats from the OA one.

[Essence_of_War]

If you're just trying to make a "samurai" flavored character, OA Samurai 2/ Warblade X is one of my favorite ways of building that. You get the ancestral daisho, bonus feat, and sweet maneuvers.

The combining OA/CW samurai really depends on whether or not you think classes are in-game or meta-game constructs. Ask your DM. If they mostly agree with the former, the answer is likely that only one type of samurai exists in their world (or at least 1 type by region). If the answer is the latter, there is really no reason why not.

[JaronK]

Don't use either of the Samurais. They're terrible, and they don't feel like a samurai in play. If you want Iaijutsu Focus, be a Factotum 8/Warblade 12. This will absolutely feel like a Samurai (if you focus on Diamond Mind and Iron Heart primarily), and is quite impressive in action. Factotum 3/Warblade 17 also works, as does of course pure Warblade. And Factotum 8/Warblade 7/Iaijutsu Master 5 is impressive as well.

JaronK

[TroubleBrewing]

Don't use either of the Samurais. They're terrible, and they don't feel like a samurai in play. If you want Iaijutsu Focus, be a Factotum 8/Warblade 12. This will absolutely feel like a Samurai (if you focus on Diamond Mind and Iron Heart primarily), and is quite impressive in action. Factotum 3/Warblade 17 also works, as does of course pure Warblade. And Factotum 8/Warblade 7/Iaijutsu Master 5 is impressive as well.

This.

Just because you want to play a samurai, you don't have to include Samurai in your build. Seriously. In the interest of not totallly shooting yourself in the foot, don't take either one.

But if you have to take one, take OA. Don't even bother with the CW version, it's worse than the Monk.

[JaronK]

It's not even about power though... I'd absolutely take a Fighter over a CW Samurai or OA Samurai. They just don't feel like Samurai, which is the problem. And they're boring in play too!

Heck, Zhentarium Fighter 9/Factotum 1/Iaijutsu Master 10 would be a better Samurai by a wide margin than either of the official Samurai classes.

JaronK

[Prime32]

This.

Just because you want to play a samurai, you don't have to include Samurai in your build. Seriously.Obligatory: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0209.html

[HappyBlanket]

It would be easier just to take Ancestral Relic. For Iaijutsu Focus, that's one of the reasons factotum is popular.

As for hybrids... (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=10511) :smalltongue:

...Pffffft. Oh god, that was hilarious.


There was some talk about gestalting all the tier 5/6 classes into a single class and seeing what comes out. So I'm giving it a try, with a few modifications to fit them better together.

Classes used: Fighter, Monk, CA Ninja, Rokugan Ninja, Healer, Swashbuckler, Soulknife, Expert, OA Samurai, Paladin, Knight, CW Samurai

Looks close to tier 4.

[Prime32]

The NPC class, not the generic class.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Don't use either of the Samurais. They're terrible, and they don't feel like a samurai in play. If you want Iaijutsu Focus, be a Factotum 8/Warblade 12. This will absolutely feel like a Samurai (if you focus on Diamond Mind and Iron Heart primarily), and is quite impressive in action. Factotum 3/Warblade 17 also works, as does of course pure Warblade. And Factotum 8/Warblade 7/Iaijutsu Master 5 is impressive as well.

JaronK

Straight warblade with quick draw works as well, especially if you can convince your DM to let you have diamond mind based off of Iaijitsu focus.