changes to the CW Samurai

[GenghisDon]

Yes, it isn't exactly a job anyone is crying out for, but this turd of a class can easily be polished up some. Here's some house rules for the job...

L1: Daisho Proficiency, bravery +1
L2: 2 swords as one
L3: kiai smite 1/d
L4: Daisho Focus
L5: iaijutsu master, bravery +2
L6: staredown
L7: improved 2 swords as one, kiai smite 2/d, Daisho Specialist
L8: improved initiative
L9: bravery +3
L10: mass staredown
L11: kiai smite 3/d, Greater Daisho Focus
L12: greater 2 swords as one
L13: bravery +4
L14: improved staredown
L15: kiai smite 4/d, Greater Daisho Specialist
L16:
L17: perfect 2 swords as one, bravery +5
L18: frightful presence
L19: kiai smite 5/d
L20:

Bravery: unshakable courage in the face of any danger is expected of samurai, all samurai receive a +1 morale bonus on saving throws vs fear effects. This bonus by 1 increases every 4 additional levels taken in the class.

Kiai Smite: same flavour, charisma bonus to attack roll, adds level to damage roll.

Frightful Presence: same flavour, opponents within 30' must make will save (DC 10+1/2 samurai levels + chr mod) or become panicked, frightened or shaken for 4d6 rounds, dependant on their HD. Creatures with up to samurai level -1 HD are shaken, creatures with up to samurai L-6 are frightened instead, and creatures up to samurai L-11 are panicked instead. Creatures of equal to or greater HD than the samurai's level are unaffected. Any foe that resists (successfully saves vs) the effect cannot be affected by the same samurai's frightful presence for 24 hours.

Daisho Focus: gains WF feats for Katana (EWP bastard sword) & Wakizashi (slashing short sword)
Daisho Specialist: gains WS feats for Katana & Wakizashi
Greater Daisho Focus: gains GWF feats for Katana & Wakizashi
Greater Daisho Specialist: gains GWS feats for Katana & Wakizashi
Perfect 2 swords as 1: allows 4th off hand attack at -15 on full attack

Still not really what I'd want from a samurai class, but far more playble IMHO.

Thoughts?

[Hiro Protagonest]

So... it's the samurai, but slightly better at his two weapons and with the PF fighter's bravery tacked on? Frightful Presence is still useless, in the high levels, your opponents either have lots of hit dice or a high will save.

Yeah. It's still tier 6. Sure you could dip a level of barbarian for Pounce, take Travel Devotion, and go two levels of paladin for Divine Grace, but in that case, the samurai isn't doing the heavy lifting. And that's if you're allowed to take barbarian as a lawful character. I'd still rather go for barbarian 1/Zhentarim Soldier 9/crusader 10, or warblade 10 for a dual-wielder.

Also, there's a section for this.

[eggs]

Its numbers are going to be in the same league as a Fighter or Swashbuckler. That's definitely a start, and it might be acceptable (depending on what your problems with the samurai are) but it doesn't address the systemic faults, if that's what you were hoping for.

One of my players used the stock Samurai, just tacking on the Warblade's maneuvers. It worked well, even within the concept.

[GenghisDon]

yeah, fighter/swashbuckler/knight/paladin was what I was aiming for. And despite jade dragon's thought's, I think it would make Tier 5 just fine.

I agree it should be in the other section, mods, if you would, please move it there. My bad.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Still only good for the Mass Staredown/Imperious Command trick to bypass the limit of times per encounter Never Outnumbered can be used for FearSpam.

And yes, this should be in Homebrew.