Honorable Warrior with Power.

[Perpetr8r]

Ok so I have been entrusted to help design of a build for one of our newest members. As he described his idea he is looking for a Samurai style character, but the GM advised him against the CW because I guess he thought it was weak. The guy really wants to play something unique anyway.

So my question is this:
What is a good Race/Class for someone who is honorable, noble, great in battle, maybe a little socially awkward. He did seem to like the Warforged art I showed him so maybe something in that vein.

[DeltaEmil]

For your pseudo-samurai class, the most likely answer is either of the three martial adepts of the Tome of Battle.

If it needs to be simple, perhaps the Oriental Adventures Samurai. Unlike the Complete Warrior Samurai, the Oriental Adventures Samurai can be customized a little bit, and has an ancestral weapon.

Alternatively, you could make for the new player a fighter with a good feat selection.

[Perpetr8r]

We have a Warblade in the party, will that step on toes?

[Lord Haart]

Not at all.

[Drachasor]

I agree, Tome of Battle! (Really it should always be the go-to source for martial needs unless there's a strong reason to go with something else).

Diamond Mind and some of the other disciplines have some very appropriate abilities for a Samurai.

Edit: If they are willing to mix in some magic, they could also go for one of the Prestige Classes for Martial Adepts and casters. Done right that can have a sort of mystical Samurai feel.

As for the Party's warblade, I wouldn't worry. Even two Warblades can easily avoid stepping on each others toes. Honestly, most classes in the game can double up without trouble (unless the class itself is weak).

[Perpetr8r]

Ok I seem to have that book, but what should I be looking for, I don't want to take forever to help build this guys set up, I don't mind if my ideas are slow I like to take my time i have other characters to play in the mean time.

Which would you recommend specifically, Crusader? Swordsage?

[Drachasor]

Since he's new a Crusader might be easier to play (if you want to avoid a Warblade). A Swordsage requires slightly more system mastery, imho, though that's arguable, I admit. Both require carefully choosing abilities.

Though it might well depend on how much armor he wants to use. If he's happy with heavy armor, then Crusader is a good choice.

[Waddacku]

For a samurai type? Diamond Mind-focused Warblade all the way. Use the strikes that flat-foot/resolve as touch attacks/ etc. along with some power attacking. Possibly delve a bit into psionic feats for Deep Impact.

Two Warblades can easily have very different fighting style, so any overlap is just down to what the other one has built for.

[eggynack]

I'd go with the crusader. It's quite possibly the best tank in the game, which I think fits better with the samurai thing, and it's far more mundane, which probably fits for the same reason. They stand for ideals, and they are generally cool beans. Your DM is right about the CW samurai, by the way. It's probably the single worst PC base class in the entire game.

[Drachasor]

For a samurai type? Diamond Mind-focused Warblade all the way. Use the strikes that flat-foot/resolve as touch attacks/ etc. along with some power attacking. Possibly delve a bit into psionic feats for Deep Impact.

Two Warblades can easily have very different fighting style, so any overlap is just down to what the other one has built for.

As I recall, all Martial Adepts get Diamond Mind, but I suppose I might be mistaken.

Warblade is a solid choice too of course, but if the new player wants to feel more different then I can see the appeal of going with a Crusader or Sworsdsage.

[Rubik]

Crusader is a definite go-to on that. Just write all of his maneuvers down on index cards and have him draw random ones from a shuffle when he refreshes his maneuvers.

[Drachasor]

Crusader is a definite go-to on that. Just write all of his maneuvers down on index cards and have him draw random ones from a shuffle when he refreshes his maneuvers.

And don't forget to take the feat that's crusader-only which allows an extra maneuver to be ready -- I don't recall the name of it.

[Rubik]

And don't forget to take the feat that's crusader-only which allows an extra maneuver to be ready -- I don't recall the name of it.Extra Granted Maneuver.

[Perpetr8r]

I was just thinking that idea for the cards for crusader. Looked up Manauvers though and not many from the 3 schools are interesting at lvl 1, but that might be just my style. It could fit him very well.

What about a race? I know Human is always on the table, but anything else?

[Rubik]

I was just thinking that idea for the cards for crusader. Looked up Manauvers though and not many from the 3 schools are interesting at lvl 1, but that might be just my style. It could fit him very well.

What about a race? I know Human is always on the table, but anything else?Warforged would be good. An extra bonus to Con, and the Devoted Spirit healing would work to keep him topped up so he doesn't have to bother with getting half-healed from magic.

Plus a natural weapon and lots of awesome immunities.

If he wants to wear armor, apply the dragonborn template to get rid of his warforged plating and the slam attack.

[Perpetr8r]

What Devoted Spirit Maneuver does healing? Warforged would be awesome, big fan of them.

[lsfreak]

The heals are Martial Spirit stance and Crusader Strike for first level maneuvers, Revitalizing Strike at 3rd, Rallying Strike at 6th, and whatever the 9th level one's called.

I would say, though, that Diamond Mind fits a samurai archetype very well. I'd consider talking to your DM about allowing him to pick up maneuvers from that school by giving up one of the normal schools (or, if your DM is feeling generous, simply giving him access, which is probably what I'd do).

[Phippster]

As I recall, all Martial Adepts get Diamond Mind, but I suppose I might be mistaken.

The only discipline that all three martial adepts get access to is Stone Dragon; Diamond Mind is restricted to the Warblade and the Swordsage. Crusaders only get access to Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, and White Raven IIRC.

[Drachasor]

The only discipline that all three martial adepts get access to is Stone Dragon; Diamond Mind is restricted to the Warblade and the Swordsage. Crusaders only get access to Devoted Spirit, Stone Dragon, and White Raven IIRC.

It seems the years have weakened my powers greatly.

[Komatik]

Crusader is a definite go-to on that. Just write all of his maneuvers down on index cards and have him draw random ones from a shuffle when he refreshes his maneuvers.

This. This so, so much. The Crusader recovery mechanic is horribly clunky in text and if you try to do it otherwise, but is pretty much made for a small deck of cards. All the complicated wording just translates into shuffling, drawing and discarding cards in a nice, intuitive way.

[juicycaboose]

Even better is that WoTC has maneuver cards on their website that you can print off and use for just that
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20061225a