The Katana Savant [D&D 3.5, Base Class]

[Ziegander]

The Katana Savant

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYwe2vGAEDCinP9FsLMfwFjwGu_5K26 FTrLavntMgl9VGliYj5xw

Why would I make a base class centered around the use of a katana of all things? Why? Because it is silly. Because I am bored. And most important of all, because I can.

The Katana Savant isn't actually that great of a fighter. Take away his katana, and you've just got a brat with an ego problem, but with his katana, a Katana Savant can seriously mess you up. How? No one's really sure how or why the Katana Savant is so good with that Katana.

Most of the time, a Katana Savant pretends to be a much better fighter than he really is, and yet all this time spent boasting and posturing rather than practicing seems to have no deteriorating effect on his actual katana skill.

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8



Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Special

AC Bonus


1st
+0
+0
+2
+0
Katana Finesse, Katana Focus +1, Katana Specialization, Quick Draw

+0


2nd
+1
+0
+3
+0
AC Bonus, Mobility

+0


3rd
+2
+1
+3
+1
Draw and Cut +1d10

+0


4th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack

+0


5th
+3
+1
+4
+1
Draw and Cut +2d10, Katana Focus +2

+1


6th
+4
+2
+5
+2
Critical Katana

+1


7th
+5
+2
+5
+2
Draw and Cut +3d10

+1


8th
+6/+1
+2
+6
+2
Bounding Assault

+1


9th
+6/+1
+3
+6
+3
Draw and Cut +4d10, Katana Focus +3

+1


10th
+7/+2
+3
+7
+3
Sharp Edge

+2


11th
+8/+3
+3
+7
+3
Draw and Cut +5d10

+2


12th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Whirling Dervish

+2


13th
+9/+4
+4
+8
+4
Draw and Cut +6d10, Katana Focus +4

+2


14th
+10/+5
+4
+9
+4
Improved Critical Katana

+2


15th
+11/+6/+1
+5
+9
+5
Draw and Cut +7d10

+3


16th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Rapid Blitz

+3


17th
+12/+7/+2
+5
+10
+5
Draw and Cut +8d10, Katana Focus +5

+3


18th
+13/+8/+3
+6
+11
+6
Two Blows, One Strike

+3


19th
+14/+9/+4
+6
+11
+6
Draw and Cut +9d10

+3


20th
+15/+10/+5
+6
+12
+6
Desolation Edge

+4



Class Skills (4 + Int modifier): Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Martial Lore, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, and Swim.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: A Katana Savant is proficient with all simple weapons, with the Katana (bastard sword), with Light armor, but is not proficient with shields.

Katana Finesse (Ex): A Katana Savant may add his Dexterity modifier to attack rolls instead of his Strength when he attacks with a katana. This ability may be used in place of Weapon Finesse to qualify for other feats and/or classes.

Katana Focus (Ex): A Katana Savant that wields a katana gains a +1 bonus to Initiative checks and to attack rolls with the katana. This bonus improves by +1 every four levels after 1st.

Because of his obsessive focus on katana-based combat he begins play with a masterwork bastard sword (or katana), and gains a +4 bonus to avoid being disarmed of any katana he wields.

Katana Specialization (Ex): A Katana Savant deals extra damage with any successful katana attack equal to his class level.

Bonus Feats: At 1st level a Katana Savant gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat. At 2nd level he gains Mobility as a bonus feat. At 4th level he gains Spring Attack and Whirlwind attack as bonus feats. At 8th level he gains Bounding Assault as a bonus feat. At 16th level he gains Rapid Blitz as a bonus feat.

He need not meet the prerequisites of any of these bonus feats, but he cannot use them unless he is wielding a katana. He may use Quick Draw to draw katana only.

AC Bonus: Starting at 2nd level, a Katana Savant, pretending to be very wise and preceptive, adds his Charisma modifier to AC while wearing light or no armor. No one knows exactly why this is effective. This bonus to AC increases by +1 at 5th level and every five levels thereafter.

Draw and Cut (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, if the Katana Savant attacks any foes after drawing his weapon, those foes are denied their dexterity modifiers to AC against any of the Katana Savant's attacks during the round, and each of the Katana Savant's attacks during that round deals 1d10 additional damage to any foe he hits. This extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 3rd.

The extra damage of this feature is considered precision damage and therefore does not apply against foes that have cover or concealment, or against foes that are immune to critical hits.

Critical Katana (Ex): Starting at 6th level, any katana a Katana Savant wields has a critical threat range of 17-20 and deals x3 damage on a successful critical hit. Furthermore, a Katana Savant deals additional damage with a successful critical hit while he wields a katana equal to his Draw and Cut damage dice.

Sharp Edge (Ex): Starting at 10th level, the edge of any katana wielded by a Katana Savant becomes incomprehensibly sharp causing it to overcome all damage reduction and hardness. Why on earth?

Whirling Dervish (Ex): Starting at 12th level, a Katana Savant may use his Whirlwind Attack feat as a standard action, or in place of a normal attack as long as he is using one of his Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, or Rapid Assault feats.

Improved Critical Katana (Ex): Starting at 14th level, when wielding a katana, a Katana Savant is able to cut his enemies in places they don't even have to cut, allowing him to threaten and confirm critical hits against foes as if they were not immune to critical hits - even if they have no discernible anatomy!

This ability also allows him to deal precision damage to such foes with his Draw and Cut feature (or any other similar features like Sneak Attack). He still cannot use Draw and Cut to deal extra damage to creatures with cover or concealment.

Two Blows, One Strike (Ex): At 18th level, a Katana Savant may make an extra katana attack at his highest attack bonus at the end of a charge attack where he charged with a katana, any time he uses a standard action to attack with a katana, any time he makes an attack of opportunity with a katana, or any time he makes a full attack using only a katana.

Desolation Edge (Ex): A 20th level Katana Savant ignores cover and concealment, and automatically bypasses Abjuration or Transmutation spells and effects with his katana attacks. With a successful katana attack, he automatically dispels any active Abjuration or Transmutation spells or effects on the struck creature (Will negates, DC 10 + 1/2 Katana Savant level + Charisma modifier).

Furthermore, any creature struck by a successful critical hit against a Katana Savant's katana attack is automatically slain (or destroyed if it was not living to begin with) (Reflex negates, DC 10 + 1/2 Katana Savant level + Charisma modifier). This is not a Death effect and cannot be blocked by Death Ward or similar abilities.

[Eloel]

Samurai with Iaijutsu Focus instead of Intimidate?

WAY too weak, even more so than a Samurai, since Intimidate is at least battlefield control.

You should really consider giving non-numeric abilities, so it has something to do, or making this gestalt with Fighter.

[NeoSeraphi]

Good show, Ziegander. For the 18th level ability, maybe give him the ability to slice off arms and legs with called shots? Some kind of Sundering variant?

Edit: Great image by the way. I've used it for characters before, but not for a class.

[Kazyan]

This guy is a bit odd because he does everything the Dervish and Iaijustsu Master are supposed to do, with fewer constraints, and more power. The class is more powerful than either PrC. "He can only use katanas" isn't really a balancer in combat, only out of it, when the DM pulls tricks.

This makes the Katana Savant a very strong T4, I think, because he can do maybe one more thing outside of combat with those 4 + Int skill points, and outdamages the barbarian. Note that Katana Focus effecitvely gives him Full BAB with fewer iteratives.

Also, my thoughts rather quickly jumped to Factotum 3/Katana Savant 2/Iaijustu Master 5/Dervish 10.

[The Mentalist]

I see a 1 level dip for Draw and Cut on any precision damage build. Start juggling katanas ala Haberdash the Masked/Iaijustsu Focus.

Just a thought.

[Ziegander]

This guy is a bit odd because he does everything the Dervish and Iaijustsu Master are supposed to do, with fewer constraints, and more power. The class is more powerful than either PrC. "He can only use katanas" isn't really a balancer in combat, only out of it, when the DM pulls tricks.

I hadn't even thought of the Dervish or Iaijutsu Master when I wrote this class, to be honest, though both are kind of weak aren't they? Is it a bad thing that this class is better than both? I wasn't using the "only katanas" motif as a balancing mechanic. I was trying to present a somewhat pathetic class that isn't actually good at fighting but is inexplicably awesome with katanas because 0MGZORZ KATTANNAS R4WK!!


This makes the Katana Savant a very strong T4, I think, because he can do maybe one more thing outside of combat with those 4 + Int skill points, and outdamages the barbarian. Note that Katana Focus effecitvely gives him Full BAB with fewer iteratives.

The class is intentionally very narrowly focused. All it cares about is the Katana. It's supposed to be one of the those douche bags that thinks Katanas can slice through tanks in real life and that anyone carrying a Katana is automatically as ice cold as Morpheus from the Matrix. I don't know that it outdamages the Barbarian (though it very well might), but I slightly changed Draw and Cut. I do know what Katana Focus does, that's what I wrote it to do.


Also, my thoughts rather quickly jumped to Factotum 3/Katana Savant 2/Iaijustu Master 5/Dervish 10.


I see a 1 level dip for Draw and Cut on any precision damage build. Start juggling katanas ala Haberdash the Masked/Iaijustsu Focus.

Just a thought.

I don't understand all of the talk of dipping the class though. You don't get much from a 2-level dip, just Cha to AC. Even when Draw and Cut was at 1st level all you got was +2 to damage and +1d10 to damage for 1 round after you draw your weapon. Meh.

EDIT: Oh, incidentally, I added a class feature at 18th level, cribbed from the Iaijutsu Master PrC and improved. It is rather remarkable how much this class resembles that PrC, especially considering I had never read it before... :smalleek: Anyway, that's fine. I like it.

[The Mentalist]

I don't understand all of the talk of dipping the class though. You don't get much from a 2-level dip, just Cha to AC. Even when Draw and Cut was at 1st level all you got was +2 to damage and +1d10 to damage for 1 round after you draw your weapon. Meh.


Starting at 3rd level, if the Katana Savant attacks a foe after drawing his weapon, that foe is flat-footed for any of the Katana Savant's attacks during the round, and each of the Katana Savant's succesful attacks deals 1d10 additional damage during the round. This extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st.

Flatfooted is MASSIVE and almost impossible to get, not just denied dex, but flatfooted is amazing.

[Ziegander]

Starting at 3rd level, if the Katana Savant attacks a foe after drawing his weapon, that foe is flat-footed for any of the Katana Savant's attacks during the round, and each of the Katana Savant's succesful attacks deals 1d10 additional damage during the round. This extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st.

Flatfooted is MASSIVE and almost impossible to get, not just denied dex, but flatfooted is amazing.

OH, yes, good point, good point. I'll amend that to being simply denied dexterity bonus to AC. Thank you.

[eftexar]

I really like katana based and oriental classes so I can't resist peaching. Here we go...
I think desolation edge needs a couple of saves, something like a reflex save to avoid death and a will save to avoid the dispel effect maybe.
I think draw and cut needs its damage cut in half with how easy it is to get. Maybe do something like the skirmish progression, where you grant damage and a secondary bonus. How about temporarily reducing your targets AC, gaining a bonus to your attack roll, 1 or 2 points of ability damage, or even a bleed out effect?

[Ziegander]

I think desolation edge needs a couple of saves, something like a reflex save to avoid death and a will save to avoid the dispel effect maybe.

I suppose I wouldn't have a problem with this.


I think draw and cut needs its damage cut in half with how easy it is to get. Maybe do something like the skirmish progression, where you grant damage and a secondary bonus. I know! How about temporarily reducing your targets AC, gaining a bonus to your attack roll, 1 or 2 points of ability damage, or even a bleed out effect.

Eh, the points of ability damage and bleed effects are cool suggestions, but I really like the feeling that, if you're using a katana, you swing in for 10d10 damage + modifiers when you use Draw and Cut. And it's only really easy if you're using a Gnome Quickrazor, otherwise, you have to spend a move action to sheath your weapon (even with Quick Draw) which sucks.

[eftexar]

I forgot about the whole sheathing thing. But I also think it is a pretty common house rule to allow for that as the same action as drawing a weapon. Otherwise it's not as unbalancing as I originally thought.
What about dropping the damage, adding some secondary effects, and then giving the class a quick sheathe ability though?

[Ziegander]

What about dropping the damage, adding some secondary effects, and then giving the class a quick sheathe ability though?

I don't know why, but I just really love the 10d10 damage part of it a lot more than secondary effects and quick sheathing. I know that moar damage is boring and Tier 4, but it's also clean and elegant.

[JackMage666]

AC Bonus: Starting at 2nd level, a Katana Savant, pretending to be very wise and preceptive, adds his Charisma modifier to AC while wearing light or no armor. No one knows exactly why this is effective. This bonus to AC increases by +1 at 5th level and every five levels thereafter.

Personally, I'm not a fan of giving an AC Bonus to a class that can already wear armor, especially because nothing's to stop him from wearing a Mithral Breastplate, enchanting it to high heavens, and haveing a pretty good AC score. However, if you're going to do it, they really don't need the +1 every five levels. Monks and Ninja's get an AC Bonus boost because they can't wear armor, this class gets that AND the ability to wear enchanted armor AND use a shield.
The swordsage gets Wisdom to AC, but no modifier on it, and cannot use a shield. So, if he's going to have this ability, it should probably at very least match this.


Critical Katana (Ex): Starting at 6th level, any katana a Katana Savant wields has a critical threat range of 17-20 and deals x3 damage on a successful critical hit. Furthermore, a Katana Savant deals additional damage with a successful critical hit while he wields a katana equal to his Draw and Cut damage dice.

This, by itself, is stupidly potent. Aside from a free Improved Critical effect (a feat you can't even get before 8th level), you also get to deal an addition bit of damage from the x3 Crit it now has. These should be seperated into different abilities, gained at different levels. For example, give him the (17-20) range at 6th level, and the (x3) at 12th level. Of course, that doesn't alleviate the main problem with this ability...


Desolation Edge (Ex): Yada yada yada

Furthermore, any creature struck by a successful critical hit against a Katana Savant's katana attack is automatically slain (or destroyed if it was not living to begin with) (Reflex negates, DC 10 + 1/2 Katana Savant level + Charisma modifier). This is not a Death effect and cannot be blocked by Death Ward or similar abilities
Not saying anything about the first part of this, because it seems pretty well balanced.
However, the second part is a huge issue. For one, it's a kill effect that can only be resisted by a save (and an odd save at that, it should be Fortitude, but I guess it ended up Reflex so he could have his super-death-attack against Constructs and Undead too.) For two, as I mentioned earlier, Critical Katana gives you an Improved Critical like ability, without it being Improved Critical, and without it mentioning anything about Improved Critical. So, a character could easily take Improved Critical as his 9th level feats, and be Crit'ing on a (13-20)

Since he's got an extra free attack at his highest base attack bonus, he has a 74% chance that one of his attacks will threaten a critical hit with a standard action (or opportunity attack) With a Full Attack action, this increases to 83% chance. If he maxes TWF as well, this goes up further. Given, he has to actually confirm the Crit, but since he's almost certainly hitting the opponent Flat-Footed Denied Dex to AC (Flat-footed, only also cripples classes with Uncanny Dodge, cause why not weaken the class feature), there's a good chance of that happening. Then it's Save or Die.
Easy fix to this would be to put in a clause of Critical Katana so that it doesn't stack with Improved Critical (I could be wrong, but I think there's another feat that boost the multiplier as well, and it should similarly not stack with that feat.)
Even wit that, I'd still be wary of a Crit and Die ability that can effect anything, especially because even without improved Critical you have a 20% chance to Crit.

[DeAnno]

In general I like this. It's strong, flavorful melee, which can compete in combat with higher tier builds. I'm going to comment on some features and then do some rambling at the end.



Alignment: Any
Hit Die: 1d8

{Medium BaB/Good Reflex}

Class Skills (4 + Int modifier): Bluff, Climb, Craft, Disguise, Escape Artist, Forgery, Gather Information, Hide, Intimidate, Jump, Martial Lore, Move Silently, Perform, Profession, and Swim.

Weapon & Armor Proficiency: A Katana Savant is proficient with all simple weapons, with the Katana (bastard sword), with Light armor, but is not proficient with shields.

Katana Focus (Ex): A Katana Savant that wields a katana gains a +1 bonus to Initiative checks and to attack rolls with the katana. This bonus improves by +1 every four levels after 1st.

Because of his obsessive focus on katana-based combat he begins play with a masterwork bastard sword (or katana), and gains a +4 bonus to avoid being disarmed of any katana he wields.

Katana Specialization (Ex): A Katana Savant deals extra damage with any successful katana attack equal to his class level.

AC Bonus: Starting at 2nd level, a Katana Savant, pretending to be very wise and preceptive, adds his Charisma modifier to AC while wearing light or no armor. No one knows exactly why this is effective. This bonus to AC increases by +1 at 5th level and every five levels thereafter.


All that stuff is what I see as the mechanical meat of the class. Offensively, you basically have Full BaB with less iteratives, and a huge damage bonus on all your attacks scaling with class level. Katana specialization means you're going to want to hit accurately with Katanas, and as many times as possible; this is pretty much the only situation I can remember where Oversized Two Weapon Fighting is the way to go. You also get an initiative bonus to help with your probably meh Dex.

Defensively, you're pretty frail, with d8s, lousy saves, and decent natural AC. Light Armor + Cha sounds nice, but Swordsages usually have Dex from using Weapon Finesse, as do Monks, so your AC is still sorta junk. Also being primary STR secondary CHA your saves in general are ridiculously bad.

Combat wise, its sorta like a rogue that doesn't need precision damage (but doesn't have skills) at this point.



Bonus Feats: At 1st level a Katana Savant gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat. At 2nd level he gains Mobility as a bonus feat. At 4th level he gains Spring Attack and Whirlwind attack as bonus feats. At 8th level he gains Bounding Assault as a bonus feat. At 16th level he gains Rapid Blitz as a bonus feat.

He need not meet the prerequisites of any of these bonus feats, but he cannot use them unless he is wielding a katana. He may use Quick Draw to draw katana only.

Draw and Cut (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, if the Katana Savant attacks any foes after drawing his weapon, those foes are denied their dexterity modifiers to AC against any of the Katana Savant's attacks during the round, and each of the Katana Savant's attacks during that round deals 1d10 additional damage to any foe he hits. This extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st.

The extra damage of this feature is considered precision damage and therefore does not apply against foes that have cover or concealment, or against foes that are immune to critical hits.

Whirling Dervish (Ex): Starting at 12th level, a Katana Savant may use his Whirlwind Attack feat as a standard action, or in place of a normal attack as long as he is using one of his Spring Attack, Bounding Assault, or Rapid Assault feats.


Lots of nice bonus feats, in that they aren't things you'd actually take but they are things you want. Draw and Cut is phrased oddly though and will encourage a lot of scabbard-juggling, or use of lots of different katanas, which I feel is sorta unthematic (Iajutsu Focus has this issue in RAW).

I would consider changing this to something similar to the scout feature Skirmish, keeping the same damage but changing the condition to Skirmish's: moving 10 feet (maybe fluff it as Blurring Blade or something). This way it works in nicely with your feats and gives you incentive to use them instead of OTWF Full Attack spammy mcspam all the time. This is obviously harder to pull off (though not much harder), so maybe push the damage to d12s to satisfy the inner urge of the Katana wielder to roll big dice.



Critical Katana (Ex): Starting at 6th level, any katana a Katana Savant wields has a critical threat range of 17-20 and deals x3 damage on a successful critical hit. Furthermore, a Katana Savant deals additional damage with a successful critical hit while he wields a katana equal to his Draw and Cut damage dice.

Sharp Edge (Ex): Starting at 10th level, the edge of any katana wielded by a Katana Savant becomes incomprehensibly sharp causing it to overcome all damage reduction and hardness. Why on earth?

Improved Critical Katana (Ex): Starting at 14th level, when wielding a katana, a Katana Savant is able to cut his enemies in places they don't even have to cut, allowing him to threaten and confirm critical hits against foes as if they were not immune to critical hits - even if they have no discernible anatomy!

This ability also allows him to deal such foes extra damage with his Draw and Cut feature. He still cannot use Draw and Cut to deal extra damage to creatures with cover or concealment.


Fine and thematic. You may want to change the wording on Improved Critical Katana to let it allow all forms of precision damage for the odd multiclass build.



Two Blows, One Strike (Ex): At 18th level, when a Katana Savant makes an attack with a katana, either as a standard action, as an attack of opportunity, or when he uses the full attack action, he may make an additional attack with the katana at his highest attack bonus.

Desolation Edge (Ex): A 20th level Katana Savant ignores cover and concealment, and automatically bypasses Abjuration or Transmutation spells and effects with his katana attacks. With a successful katana attack, he automatically dispels any active Abjuration or Transmutation spells or effects on the struck creature (Will negates, DC 10 + 1/2 Katana Savant level + Charisma modifier).

Furthermore, any creature struck by a successful critical hit against a Katana Savant's katana attack is automatically slain (or destroyed if it was not living to begin with) (Reflex negates, DC 10 + 1/2 Katana Savant level + Charisma modifier). This is not a Death effect and cannot be blocked by Death Ward or similar abilities.

You may want to reword Two Blows, One Strike, as it is now its unclear if you copy each attack in a full attack or just get a hastelike effect. It's also very unclear what happens if you full attack with two katanas.

Desolation Edge bypassing the polymorph subschool is sort of unphysical, (though dispelling it isn't), which may or may not be a concern. I am personally fine with a Reflex Save or Die on the other hand.

One thing I think you may want to include is some support for the Dex-y Katana wielder trope, which right now is unpossible because Katanas can't be finessed. Adding in Katana Finesse might do well, though that should be at first level and that's already crowded (you could move Katana Specialization down a level or two without doing much damage though).

[Grod_The_Giant]

It looks pretty solid-- a middling-tough chassis and high damage output, probably winding up somewhere in tier 4. If you want to pull it up a bit... How about some effects like improved sundering? A shatter-like ability? A confidence bonus to Charisma-based checks when wielding a katana?

Also, why are Forgery and Gather Information on the skill list?

[Benly]

Also, why are Forgery and Gather Information on the skill list?

Forgery is the skill that opposes Forgery in 3.5, and you need to be able to tell cheap manufactured replicas from legendary Hanzo steel. It would be super embarrassing if it turned out your katana of mass destruction was a cheap knockoff.

[rweird]

Draw and Cut (Ex): Starting at 3rd level, if the Katana Savant attacks any foes after drawing his weapon, those foes are denied their dexterity modifiers to AC against any of the Katana Savant's attacks during the round, and each of the Katana Savant's attacks during that round deals 1d10 additional damage to any foe he hits. This extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st.

The extra damage of this feature is considered precision damage and therefore does not apply against foes that have cover or concealment, or against foes that are immune to critical hits.

The way it should be on the table is:

{table=head]Level|BAB|Fort|Ref|Will|Special |
AC Bonus

1st|+0|+0|+2|+0|Katana Finesse, Katana Focus +1, Katana Specialization, Quick Draw|
+0

2nd|+1|+0|+3|+0|AC Bonus, Mobility|
+0

3rd|+2|+1|+3|+1|Draw and Cut +2d10|
+0

4th|+3|+1|+4|+1|Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack|
+0

5th|+3|+1|+4|+1|Draw and Cut +3d10, Katana Focus +2|
+1

6th|+4|+2|+5|+2|Critical Katana|
+1

7th|+5|+2|+5|+2|Draw and Cut +4d10|
+1

8th|+6/+1|+2|+6|+2|Bounding Assault|
+1

9th|+6/+1|+3|+6|+3|Draw and Cut +5d10, Katana Focus +3|
+1

10th|+7/+2|+3|+7|+3|Sharp Edge|
+2

11th|+8/+3|+3|+7|+3|Draw and Cut +6d10|
+2

12th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+4|Whirling Dervish|
+2

13th|+9/+4|+4|+8|+4|Draw and Cut +7d10, Katana Focus +4|
+2

14th|+10/+5|+4|+9|+4|Improved Critical Katana|
+2

15th|+11/+6/+1|+5|+9|+5|Draw and Cut +8d10|
+3

16th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+5|Rapid Blitz|
+3

17th|+12/+7/+2|+5|+10|+5|Draw and Cut +9d10, Katana Focus +5|
+3

18th|+13/+8/+3|+6|+11|+6|Two Blows, One Strike|
+3

19th|+14/+9/+4|+6|+11|+6|Draw and Cut +10d10|
+3

20th|+15/+10/+5|+6|+12|+6|Desolation Edge|
+4
[/table]

The Draw and Cut how it is worded is in bold.

I think that it being a d10 sneak attack is fine though the way it is worded is confusing, if you mean for it to be +9d10 at 19th, change: "his extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st." to "his extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 3rd." Seeing as how hard it is to get an enemy flat-footed, I don't have a problem with it ending up as +10d10.

[Ziegander]

I think that it being a d10 sneak attack is fine though the way it is worded is confusing, if you mean for it to be +9d10 at 19th, change: "his extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 1st." to "his extra damage increases by 1d10 at every odd level after 3rd." Seeing as how hard it is to get an enemy flat-footed, I don't have a problem with it ending up as +10d10.

Yeah, that's my bad. I meant for it to end up at 9d10. Also, the enemy does not need to be flat-footed for you to use it. You just have to have drawn your weapon before you attack. It's not like Iaijutsu Focus. In fact, it automatically denies the enemy their Dex bonus to AC against your attack as well.

[Siegel]

That's it. I'm sick of all this "Masterwork Bastard Sword" bull**** that's going on in the d20 system right now. Katanas deserve much better than that. Much, much better than that.
I should know what I'm talking about. I myself commissioned a genuine katana in Japan for 2,400,000 Yen (that's about $20,000) and have been practicing with it for almost 2 years now. I can even cut slabs of solid steel with my katana.
Japanese smiths spend years working on a single katana and fold it up to a million times to produce the finest blades known to mankind.
Katanas are thrice as sharp as European swords and thrice as hard for that matter too. Anything a longsword can cut through, a katana can cut through better. I'm pretty sure a katana could easily bisect a knight wearing full plate with a simple vertical slash.
Ever wonder why medieval Europe never bothered conquering Japan? That's right, they were too scared to fight the disciplined Samurai and their katanas of destruction. Even in World War II, American soldiers targeted the men with the katanas first because their killing power was feared and respected.
So what am I saying? Katanas are simply the best sword that the world has ever seen, and thus, require better stats in the d20 system. Here is the stat block I propose for Katanas:
(One-Handed Exotic Weapon)
1d12 Damage
19-20 x4 Crit
+2 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork
(Two-Handed Exotic Weapon)
2d10 Damage
17-20 x4 Crit
+5 to hit and damage
Counts as Masterwork

[rweird]

Don't derail the tread. Here is the link to where that is from, (http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Katanas_are_Underpowered_in_d20) I don't want it to be repeated here.

[Fearan]

Is it just me, or this class don't even HAVE Iaijutsu focus as a class skill?

[Roguenewb]

It doesn't cast spells right? How broken can it possibly be. I think maneuvers (either homebrewed, or carefully selected from the ToB) could really capture the I HAVE A KATANA FEAR MY SPECIAL MOVES flavor.

[Cirrylius]

I don't want it to be repeated here.

Heh. Sword geeks.

[Ziegander]

Is it just me, or this class don't even HAVE Iaijutsu focus as a class skill?

It's not supposed to. Iaijutsu Focus represents a degree of training and discipline that is just way out of the Katana Savant's league.

[toapat]

This spoiler is to hide a rant which i missed the joke on

*Falcata'd*

you apparently have no idea about katanas then
A: katanas are highly sharpened, immensely brittle blades able to perform a very elegant and smooth slice through materials which typically require an axe to cleave through. The weapon is actually nigh worthless in actual combat because you are incapable of defending yourself with one, while the armor used in fudal japan was made to stop a Katana. The chainmail a Samurai wore, was a terrible design that fell appart at first blow.
B: Europe was a mess in the middle ages, internal strife, non-existant government, the crusades, plague, and civil war were the norm. war 8000 miles away was a logistic impossibility
C: the katana does not surpass the craftsmanship of a true Damascus steel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel) saber or the shear effectiveness and resiliency of a Falcata (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcata)
D: Cutting through Metal? Aluminum would be believable, as would lead and pure carbonfree iron. anything else? hell no.
E: a Knight wouldnt flinch if a Samurai tried to kill them, a well made breastplate would be removed, because one of the straps is at the shoulder. on the other hand, the katana would shatter under it's own momentum because a well made .6% carbon breastplate would be too dense of a material to slice smoothly through. Try swinging your overpriced katana through the nearest quartz boulder, and you will break that "quality craftsmanship" into a number of very pretty razor blades. that isnt something you can do with a Chinese Jian or any other kind of longsword.
F: There is a reason why Europe favored Axes and Maces. you dont need to kill, when you can maim 10

10 years to make an inferior weapon to the very simple Falcata

on the other hand,this class looks silly powerful and a decent T4

[Amechra]

you apparently have no idea about katanas then
A: katanas are highly sharpened, immensely brittle blades able to perform a very elegant and smooth slice through materials which typically require an axe to cleave through. The weapon is actually nigh worthless in actual combat because you are incapable of defending yourself with one, while the armor used in fudal japan was made to stop a Katana. The chainmail a Samurai wore, was a terrible design that fell appart at first blow.
B: Europe was a mess in the middle ages, internal strife, non-existant government, the crusades, plague, and civil war were the norm. war 8000 miles away was a logistic impossibility
C: the katana does not surpass the craftsmanship of a true Damascus steel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel) saber or the shear effectiveness and resiliency of a Falcata (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcata)
D: Cutting through Metal? Aluminum would be believable, as would lead and pure carbonfree iron. anything else? hell no.
E: a Knight wouldnt flinch if a Samurai tried to kill them, a well made breastplate would be removed, because one of the straps is at the shoulder. on the other hand, the katana would shatter under it's own momentum because a well made .6% carbon breastplate would be too dense of a material to slice smoothly through. Try swinging your overpriced katana through the nearest quartz boulder, and you will break that "quality craftsmanship" into a number of very pretty razor blades. that isnt something you can do with a Chinese Jian or any other kind of longsword.
F: There is a reason why Europe favored Axes and Maces. you dont need to kill, when you can maim 10

10 years to make an inferior weapon to the very simple Falcata

on the other hand, this class looks silly powerful and a decent T4

Check the post IMMEDIATELY under his, which has a link to where that tongue-in-cheek statement is quoted from.

It was a joke, plain and simple.

[Lord_Gareth]

you apparently have no idea about katanas then
A: katanas are highly sharpened, immensely brittle blades able to perform a very elegant and smooth slice through materials which typically require an axe to cleave through. The weapon is actually nigh worthless in actual combat because you are incapable of defending yourself with one, while the armor used in fudal japan was made to stop a Katana. The chainmail a Samurai wore, was a terrible design that fell appart at first blow.
B: Europe was a mess in the middle ages, internal strife, non-existant government, the crusades, plague, and civil war were the norm. war 8000 miles away was a logistic impossibility
C: the katana does not surpass the craftsmanship of a true Damascus steel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel) saber or the shear effectiveness and resiliency of a Falcata (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcata)
D: Cutting through Metal? Aluminum would be believable, as would lead and pure carbonfree iron. anything else? hell no.
E: a Knight wouldnt flinch if a Samurai tried to kill them, a well made breastplate would be removed, because one of the straps is at the shoulder. on the other hand, the katana would shatter under it's own momentum because a well made .6% carbon breastplate would be too dense of a material to slice smoothly through. Try swinging your overpriced katana through the nearest quartz boulder, and you will break that "quality craftsmanship" into a number of very pretty razor blades. that isnt something you can do with a Chinese Jian or any other kind of longsword.
F: There is a reason why Europe favored Axes and Maces. you dont need to kill, when you can maim 10

10 years to make an inferior weapon to the very simple Falcata

on the other hand, this class looks silly powerful and a decent T4

.....You, ah...you missed the joke there, friend. Like, nat 1'd the attack roll on the joke and managed to hit yourself (your DM is using critical fumbles).

[toapat]

.....You, ah...you missed the joke there, friend. Like, nat 1'd the attack roll on the joke and managed to hit yourself (your DM is using critical fumbles).

i knew i was missing something, badly