Kensai 3.5e help

[gr8bookworm]

I am newish to D&D and currently have a 5th Samurai (3.5e). I always wanted to be a Kensai and now that I have the XP to go to Kensai from Samurai (just reached 6th level)
I have come across Crusader's recently and my DM will allow me to retrain my character so I could look at a 5th level crusader/ 1st level Kensai..

I also have considered going 6th lvl crusader because there are some good benefits going from 5th to 6th level and then go into Kensai next level.

What advice can you offer? Should I then look at something like:

Crusader 6
Kensai 2 and then alternate between swordsage and kensai?

or just keep progressing in Kensai

or kensai and crusader?

[Vaz]

Multiclassing with Crusaders are awesome. The best bit about it is that their Initiator increases at a rate of half other class levels (so a Crusader 5/Kensai 2 has an Initiator of 6, rather than 5 as you'd expect).

That said, there's a table which states which maneuvres you can learn. Look at the Blade magic section, and identify which abilities you want to learn, and then look at what levels you gain new Maneuvres and Stances as a Crusader, and try and put the two together.

It's generally not a fantastic idea to multi-class 2 Initiators unless going for Master of 9.

[Murmaider]

I'd take Warblade over Crusader if I were you. Warblade has more of the Samurai flavor and access to diamond mind maneuvers, which synergize nicely with the kensai's power surge(One more reason to pump con).

Power surge, sudden leap + any standard action maneuver + power attack would be another move that you could pull off if you took warblade levels.

[IdleMuse]

Agreed that Warblade is better than Crusader for your purposes. And, tbh, it's not gonna be easy to mess up a build like that :smalltongue:

[Essence_of_War]

Let me get behind the Warblade suggestion also!

The Crusader is great, but the Warblade fits really well thematically and has a neat bit of mechanical synergy also. Warblade gets DM maneuvers, many of which benefit from having a high concentration check, the Kensai offers a couple of neat little abilities that play into having a high concentration check.

I think you need to pick up the Ride skill somehow though, for some reason I seem to remember that's a Kensai pre-req, and I don't think it's on the Warblade list...Fighter dip maybe?

TBH, I like straight Warblade (or Warblade with an OA samurai dip!) better than Kensai. At the time of Complete Warrior, WotC thought the Kensai was much more powerful than it actually is, and I think by the time we get to Tome of Battle, all of the ToB classes kind of outshine the Kensai. I personally like having high level maneuvers more than I like the Kensai's class features, but your personal mileage may obviously vary :smallsmile:

[gr8bookworm]

Thanks guys, I did like Warblade but yes you do need Ride for Kensai. If I dip in Fighter dont I then take a 20% XP loss going forward (still not 100% on multiclassing 3 types).

by the way my character is human, any suggestions for feats if i do stick with crusader?

[Talderas]

Thanks guys, I did like Warblade but yes you do need Ride for Kensai. If I dip in Fighter dont I then take a 20% XP loss going forward (still not 100% on multiclassing 3 types).

by the way my character is human, any suggestions for feats if i do stick with crusader?

All races have a favored class which does not count towards the XP penalty for multiclassing (which is dumb and you should ask your GM to ignore it). Humans don't have a specific favored class and so one of their classes do not count for the purposes of the multiclass penalty.

[Greenish]

PrCs don't count towards multiclassing penalty.

[Essence_of_War]

Whateveryone else said :smallsmile:

Good feats depend on what role you want to play. Crusaders make really good tank-y sort of folks, so Stone Power (note that it works even if you miss!), Standstill, and Combat Reflexes are all good choices. Robilar's Gambit and Defensive Sweep at higher levels are fine choices too. Power Attack, Cleave, and Improved Initiative are always worth a look also.

Extra Granted Maneuver is REALLY good.