Tempestfury
2014-03-17, 09:39 AM
So, my first class was an absolute failure in both the fact that no one bothered replying to it, it was uninspired and was just a mesh class features with nothing to tie them strongly together. That, and I posted it up here incomplete and never really found the desire to work on it again.
Recently however, I was introduced to T.G Oskar and his delightful homebrew creations. In particular, there was two things of note that really grabbed my attention and got me thinking about this new class. First, there was his... discussion on his second retooling of the monk. Specifically how he talked about the difference between a build and a class, which brought to my attention that my previous class was much more of a build than an actual class.
Secondly, in his section of homebrew Martial Adept Feats, he had a selection of feats dubbed ‘Combat Form’. These feats introduced me to another feat and a semi-mechanic that I had never noticed before. Combat Focus. A feat that allowed fighters to achieve ‘perfect martial clarity’ to ‘attain superhuman levels of endurance, perception, and mental toughness’, if you excuse me for quoting the feat directly.
This brought me back to my first class. Perhaps the only unique feature about them was how they could expand Psionic Focus to recover their expanded maneuvers, and I know I wanted to have greater focus and utilization on this mechanic as a well to further blend psionics and maneuvers together. However, with the discovery of Combat Focus, I realized that this wasn’t necessary, there was something else to work instead... something that would allow me to make a much more conscience, well-put together class.
At least, that was what I thought, until I had a deeper look into homebrew classes and saw some of the amazing classes that had been created. The Legendary Warrior, the Worldrender, the Sanguine Knight and the Swiftblade all showed me just what a class could do. And compared to what I had up, I found myself lacking.
So, I looked over my class again, and decided I could take the concept further. Instead of just being about combat-focus, I would turn this class into being of super-natural awareness that would use their insight to control the battlefield. This is the result.
Zen Blade
You might hide you body, you might hide your mind, but you cannot hide your very presence.
MAKING A ZEN BLADE
Attributes: First and foremost, a Zen Blade requires Wisdom. All of their abilities use Wisdom, and they cannot work well without it. Being front-line fighters, Constitution is of course important, with Dexterity being a very distant third.
Races: With focus on meditation and control, not many races are naturally inclined to become a Zen Blade. Humans with their unprecedented flexibility, make strong Zen Blade’s.
Alignment: Any. Zen Blade’s may be similar to Monk’s with their meditation and Wisdom, they do not have the same focus on Ki and Law as the Monk does. This allows anyone of any alignment to become a Zen Blade.
Starting Gold: As Paladin.
Starting Age: As Paladin.
Class Skills
The Zen Blade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Iaijutsu Focus (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill Points at first level: (4 + Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier.
Small and concise, the Zen Blade takes the fighter’s skill list as a base. Spot, Listen, Sense Motive due to their awareness, and concentration because of their focus.
The most unusual skill on the list however, is Iaijutsu Focus. Not only is this skill a 3.0 skill that hasn’t got a 3.5 equivalent, but it is normally a Cha ability. For the Zen Blade, their focus and fighting spirit comes from Wisdom, hence the change. DM’s are allowed to remove it if their campaign won’t be using it through.
Hit Die: d10
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Class Features
1st
+1
+2
+0
+2
Combat Focus. Zen Strike. Insightful Combat
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Zone of Awareness. Focused Strike.
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Zen Reflexes
4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Control the Zone (Terrain)
5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Mettle
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+5
Shared Insightful Combat
7th
+7/+2
+5
+2
+5
Control the Zone (Immobilize)
8th
+8/+3
+6
+2
+6
Sense Weakness (Harrier)
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+6
Weaken Enemy
10th
+10/+5
+7
+3
+7
Control the Zone (Threaten)
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+3
+7
Improved Insightful Combat
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+4
+8
Improved Mettle
13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+4
+8
Sense Weakness (Attack)
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+4
+9
Daze Enemy
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+9
Supreme Focus
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+5
+10
Greater Insightful Combat
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Greater Focused Strike
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Sense Weakness (Damage)
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Cripple Enemy
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Zen
d10 gives Zen Blade’s a solid amount of health, while not being full blown tanks like other classes. Being a front-line fighter, Zen Blade of course get good fortitude progression, whilst their ability of near super-natural focus gives them strong Will saves. Full BAB of course is obvious. Zen Blade’s are fighter’s first and foremost. Why wouldn’t they have full BAB?
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Zen Blade.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Zen Blades are proficient with all simple weapons, and one light or one-handed martial or exotic weapon of choice. They are proficient with light and medium armour, and with all shields (except tower shields)
Through a martial class, Zen Blade’s do not have the time or training to learn a wide variety of martial weapons. However, their unique training allow them to become proficient in any one weapon, even exotic weaponry. Additionally, their fighting style doesn’t fit well with heavy armour, so they don’t have it.
Combat Focus: At level one, Zen Blade’s get Combat Focus as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites of this feat to acquire it. In addition, a Zen Blade may enter Combat Focus as a swift action during their turn, instead of when they first hit an enemy. A Zen Blade’s Combat Focus lasts for a number of bonus rounds equal to their class level
Though it isn’t the sole focus of the class, the Combat Focus is still going to play a large part in the class, so you get it for free. The ability to enter into Combat Focus as a swift action instead of hitting someone, as well as the extended duration, suits the Zen Blade thematically, and mechanically gives them a small, but important boost. Especially later on
Zen Strike (Ex): At 1st level, a Zen Blade may use his Strength or Wisdom modifier for her attack and damage rolls with any melee weapon he is proficient, whichever is the highest.
Simple, but effective. This ability, inspired by T.G Oskar’s Samurai Remake, allows you to become a strong warrior by reducing your MAD, and making Wisdom the sole stat you really need to boost.
Insightful Combat (Ex): At level 1, whenever a Zen Blade fight a creature, you can make a special check, with a bonus equal to your class level + your Wisdom modifier, DC15. If you succeed, you gain a +1 Insight Bonus to attack and damage rolls against that creature until the end of the encounter. This Insight Bonus increases by one for each 5 points about the DC that you succeed in the check. You can only make this check once per creature type per combat.
I’m pretty sure some people will realize what this is based on right away, whilst others aren’t too sure. This is basically the Knowledge Devotion feat, but without the rather silly cap placed on it, and scaling with your class and wisdom instead of skill ranks and int. Fluff wise, this represents the Zen’s Blade awareness allowing them to find weaknesses in the enemy's defences
Zone of Awareness (Ex): At 2nd level, a Zen Blade gets Blindsight extending out to 20ft. This extends an extra ten feet every time another level in Zen Blade is taken. Additionally, when combat focused, you can Touchsight equal to half the amount of your blindsight
Now this, this is what the Zen Blade is all about. Knowing your surroundings, no matter the circumstances, and being able to find your enemies, no matter how much they try to hide. Blindsight firstly makes darkness and concealment unnecessary, then Touchsight makes it impossible for anyone to hide from you. There is simply no way to avoid Touchsight. If you're close enough to a Zen Blade, they will know of your presence.
Focused Strike (Ex): At 2nd level, as a standard action, a Zen Blade may perform a single attack at anyone in range as a touch attack. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with feats or abilities that apply a voluntary penalty to attack, such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise.
With their awareness and focus, the Zen Blade can ignore most armours and shields, striking in ways that it is difficult to bring them to bare. However. their focus means that they have to focus on accuracy first and foremost. Plus, Power Attack doesn’t exactly work thematically.
Zen Reflexes (Ex): At 3rd level, a Zen Blade’s clarity of mind translates into clarity of movement. While combat focused, a Zen Blade gains extra attacks of opportunity equal to their Wisdom Modifier. This stacks with other extra attacks of opportunity, such as those gained by the Combat Reflexes feat.
The Zen Blade is primarily about control of the battlefield, not dealing damage. A traditional method of a melee fighter to control the battlefield is a lockdown build, and the Zen Blade shall do the same. To a degree.
Control the Zone (Ex): At 4th level, a Zen Blade learns how to use his awareness to hamper his opponent’s movements. The area of a Zen Blade’s Touchsight becomes treated as difficult terrain by enemies.
At 7th level, a Zen Blade control of his enemies movements extends to his attacks. Whenever you successfully hit an enemy with an attack of opportunity, they must make a Reflex Save a DC of 10 + 1/2 you class level + Wisdom, or DC 10+Damage roll, whichever is higher. IF the enemy fails the reflex roll, they immediately halt as if he had used up his move actions for the round.
At 10th level, you awareness becomes sharp enough that you do not even seem to need to move in order to strike out at your enemies, even if they are beyond your range. The threat range of your melee weapons for attack of opportunities is equal to half your touchsight range.
Here we go, one of the most important abilities of the Zen Blade. The ability to restrict his enemies movement around them, even flat out stopping them. The level 4 ability is similar to the Knight’s Bulwark of defence, but stronger. The level 7 is a stronger version of the popular Stand Still feat, with a scaling DC and activating with AoO damage instead of replacing it. The level 10 ability, takes its inspiration once more from T.G Oskar’s Samuari Class. This time the ‘Maai’ ability, specifically the level 14 ability that extends you threat.
All this combined together, gives the Zen Blade an incredible ability to control the movement of the enemies through the battlefield. However, this is just the start of what the Zen can do, in terms of battlefield control.
Mettle (Ex): At 5th level, whenever a Zen Blade makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that normally deals partial effect or half damage on a successful save, he instead does not suffer from the effect or takes no damage. A helpless Zen Blade does not gain the benefit of mettle.
What can I say about this ability? Zen Blade’s have super-will, and they have tough fortitude by being front-line fighters. So why shouldn’t they have this ability?
Shared Insightful Combat (Ex): At 6th level, a Zen Blade’s powers of insight grow, allowing not just yourself to find the opponent’s weak spots, but also to share it with their allies.
Whenever you successfully make a Insightful Combat check, all allies in 60ft of yourself, gain an insight bonus to attack and damage rolls against the creature equal to half the insight bonus you, yourself gain.
Hope this wasn’t too complicated... but yeah, basically, the thing with this is? ‘Well, I can perceive me enemies well enough to spot weaknesses in their defences. Why can’t I point them out to my allies?’ This lets you do that. But of course, as you're simply pointing the weakness out, and your allies can’t see them themselves, its a smaller bonus. Not the strongest of the Zen Blade’s abilities, but its a pretty solid boost. Not as strong as the bard’s inspire courage, but it does stack with pretty much everything.
Sense Weakness (Ex): At 8th level. The Zen Blade’s awareness grows, allowing him to spot openings and weaknesses in the enemies concentration that offers do not. Allowing him extra chances to strike out without fear of retribution.
Whenever an enemy makes a 5ft step, withdraws, or casts defensively while inside your threat range. If you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them, even though you would normally not be able to. Additionally, he can hit an opponent for moving out of a threatened square more than once per turn.
At 13th level. The Zen Blade notices how at the moment an enemy attacks, their defences drop, allowing them to strike out in turn. Whenever you are attacked by an enemy inside your threat range, if you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them. This does not count towards your total number of attacks of opportunity per round.
At 18th level, the Zen Blade now knows, that when an enemy is wounded, for a split-second, their defences falter. For others, this cannot be pressed. But for the Zen Blade, they can strike. Whenever an enemy inside your threat range takes damage from a source that is not yourself, if you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them.
Another of the Zen Blade’s biggest abilities. Attack of opportunities, and the control a Zen Blade can perform through them has already been established. This ability builds off that, by granted the Zen Blade more options to strike out at their enemies. While combat focused off course. Small limitation, but its there.
Weaken Enemy (Ex): At 9th’s level, the Zen Blade’s strikes grow more precise and controlled, allowing them weaken them, and make them easier to vanquish. Whenever a Zen Blade successfully damages an enemy, they take a penalty to AC, attack, damage and save rolls equal to the Zen Blade’s class level/4. This penalty lasts until the start of the Zen Blade’s next turn and does not stack.
I believe its about time that the Zen Blade starts getting a way to control the battlefield, that isn’t reliant on AoO’s, don’t you? And this is a solid start, debuffing the enemy. Making it easier to damage them - via saves or AC - and making them do less damage, or not even hit you at all. The penalty is small, -2 at this level. But at level 20, it’ll be a pretty hefty -5, and that’s a nasty penalty.
Improved Insightful Combat (Ex): At level 11, the ability to see an enemy's strengths and weakness has become second nature to a Zen Blade. From now on, you may take 10 for any Insightful Combat check. In addition, the Zen Blade’s insight now allows them to make devastating blows more often, even against enemies when such blows are not possible. When combat focused, you may always be able to get critical hits against enemies, and the critical range of your weapons increases by your insight bonus/3 (rounded up)
Might of gone a bit overboard in this one. A Wisdom Score of 18 means that you’re guaranteed getting a check of 25, giving you a +3 Insight Bonus. Which isn’t that small. More importantly however, you can ALWAYS get a critical on any enemy. Even ones with fortification or critical hit immunity. That’s a pretty strong ability, as well as having a crit-range increase.
Still, it just a reflection of the Zen Blade’s accuracy, and without Power Attack, they need a way of getting out a good amount of damage, even if their primary focus is control.
Improved Mettle (Ex): At 12th level, a Zen Blade’s mettle ability improves. She still takes no effect on a successful Will or Fortitude save that has the “partial” or “half” descriptor, but henceforth she takes only the partial effect or half the damage on a failed save.
Daze Enemy (Ex): At 14th level, a Zen Blade’s strikes now disorientate the enemy, instead of simply hurting them. When a Zen Blade successfully damages an enemy, they must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 class level+Wisdom modifier) or be dazed for a round. On a successful save, they take a -2 penalty to the next attempt of this ability. This penalty stacks until the enemy fails their save.
Not sure if a single round daze is that effective, but it is a stun, that’s even harder to ignore than usual. So, until suggestions say otherwise. Its a single round. That being said, the Zen Blade is very good at make sure they do daze people. When combined with the Weaken Enemy effect, just one successful save gives them a huge -5 penalty to their next attempt. Which might be your second attack during the round.
Supreme Focus (Ex): At 15th level, the Zen Blade’s ability to focus in battle reaches new heights, granting them a variety of new effects. As mind and body become one, the bonus to Will Saves from the combat focus feat also applies to fortitude and reflex saves. Additionally, when combat focused, a Zen Blade gains a competence bonus to spot, listen and sense motive equal to half their class level, and any penalty to attack is reduced by 1. This includes iterative attacks from high BAB
Have to admit, I’m not too sure on this one. The increase to fortitude and reflex saves is small, and spot and listen don’t come up too often in combat. The last ability I’m worried about, as I’m honestly not sure reducing it by 1 is big enough... but if its -2, you can do something crazy like, chain Monkey’s Grip and TWFing to have two 1hd weapons, 1 of them large, and have the penalty only be -2/-2 instead of -6/-4, that’s a significant boost.
Greater Insightful Combat (Ex): At 16th level, a Zen Blade’s insight grows even more. Allowing them to not just see ways of striking the enemy down, but also defending against their blows. Additionally, they become more skilled at sharing their insights with their allies. Whenever you use Insightful Combat against an enemy, all allies in 60ft gain the effects of insightful combat as well. Additionally, you gain an insight bonus to AC and saves against that creature equal to the bonus to attack and damage rolls.
This is a pretty powerful ability now. Not only do you get a bonus to attack, damage, AC, saves and critical range. But your allies do as well. Again, if you have Wisdom 18, which is pretty much always gonna happen at this level, you’re guaranteed a check of 30. Giving you and your allies a +4 Insight Bonus, and a increase to crit range by 2. That’s a pretty hefty boost. Maybe a bit too powerful, though it is level 16...
Greater Focused Strike (Ex): At 17th level, a Zen Blade’s ability to focus their strikes into the weakest areas of an enemies defence has become second nature to them. Now, when combat focused, any attack a Zen Blade makes that does not have a voluntary penalty to attack rolls is treated as a touch attack.
Simple boost, but pretty damn effective. Makes the Zen Blade’s the master of accuracy that they are, and makes EVERY single attack a touch attack. With the bonus to attacks from Insightful Combat, and full BAB. I doubt a Zen Blade will EVER miss.
Cripple Enemy (Ex): At 19th level, a Zen Blade’s strikes now cut at the enemies very strength as they strike. Whenever a Zen Blade deals damage to an enemy. They take 1 Strength or Dexterity damage.
Ouch. Now this ability HURTS. 1 point per strike doesn’t seem like much, but it does accumulate. If it made it higher, say... 2. A full-attack action could reduce an enemy's’ strength or dexterity by 8, add on a single extra attack, say from... Haste or the speed enhancement. And that’s a potential 10 dex damage. On a creature like a dragon, which most likely have low 10, it’ll lower them to zero in an instant. So, keeping it at 1 is more than strong enough.
Zen (Ex): At 20th level, a Zen Blade has reached the pinnacle of focus and understanding. Allowing them to transcend their limits and enter into a state like no other. A Zen Blade is always considered to be combat focused, and all bonuses granted by being in combat focus is doubled. Additionally, they may take 10 with all skill checks, regardless of the situation, and may take 20 for insightful combat.
Now this... this is a capstone. Taking all the benefits from being combat focused before, and doubling them. Including your class features. You gain a +20 bonus to spot, listen and sense motive, all penalties to attack are reduced by 2. (If it was 4, you’ll be able to use pretty much any weapon you wanted to). You gain a +4 bonus to all saves, (+8 if you have 3 or more combat focus feats), your touchsight becomes equal to your blindsight, meaning its a 200ft aura. Your allowed number of AoO’s become twice your wisdom modifier, on top of other bonuses. And that’s what I can think of from the top of my head.
For Insightful Combat, well if you have a Wisdom score of 20, you’ll always get a check of 45. Giving you a +7 Insight bonus to attack, damage, AC and save rolls, and a +3 to critical range. And all your allies get that as well! All in all, I am confident that Zen is indeed, a capstone ability worth getting.
Recently however, I was introduced to T.G Oskar and his delightful homebrew creations. In particular, there was two things of note that really grabbed my attention and got me thinking about this new class. First, there was his... discussion on his second retooling of the monk. Specifically how he talked about the difference between a build and a class, which brought to my attention that my previous class was much more of a build than an actual class.
Secondly, in his section of homebrew Martial Adept Feats, he had a selection of feats dubbed ‘Combat Form’. These feats introduced me to another feat and a semi-mechanic that I had never noticed before. Combat Focus. A feat that allowed fighters to achieve ‘perfect martial clarity’ to ‘attain superhuman levels of endurance, perception, and mental toughness’, if you excuse me for quoting the feat directly.
This brought me back to my first class. Perhaps the only unique feature about them was how they could expand Psionic Focus to recover their expanded maneuvers, and I know I wanted to have greater focus and utilization on this mechanic as a well to further blend psionics and maneuvers together. However, with the discovery of Combat Focus, I realized that this wasn’t necessary, there was something else to work instead... something that would allow me to make a much more conscience, well-put together class.
At least, that was what I thought, until I had a deeper look into homebrew classes and saw some of the amazing classes that had been created. The Legendary Warrior, the Worldrender, the Sanguine Knight and the Swiftblade all showed me just what a class could do. And compared to what I had up, I found myself lacking.
So, I looked over my class again, and decided I could take the concept further. Instead of just being about combat-focus, I would turn this class into being of super-natural awareness that would use their insight to control the battlefield. This is the result.
Zen Blade
You might hide you body, you might hide your mind, but you cannot hide your very presence.
MAKING A ZEN BLADE
Attributes: First and foremost, a Zen Blade requires Wisdom. All of their abilities use Wisdom, and they cannot work well without it. Being front-line fighters, Constitution is of course important, with Dexterity being a very distant third.
Races: With focus on meditation and control, not many races are naturally inclined to become a Zen Blade. Humans with their unprecedented flexibility, make strong Zen Blade’s.
Alignment: Any. Zen Blade’s may be similar to Monk’s with their meditation and Wisdom, they do not have the same focus on Ki and Law as the Monk does. This allows anyone of any alignment to become a Zen Blade.
Starting Gold: As Paladin.
Starting Age: As Paladin.
Class Skills
The Zen Blade’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Iaijutsu Focus (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill Points at first level: (4 + Int Modifier)x4
Skill Points at each additional level: 4 + Int Modifier.
Small and concise, the Zen Blade takes the fighter’s skill list as a base. Spot, Listen, Sense Motive due to their awareness, and concentration because of their focus.
The most unusual skill on the list however, is Iaijutsu Focus. Not only is this skill a 3.0 skill that hasn’t got a 3.5 equivalent, but it is normally a Cha ability. For the Zen Blade, their focus and fighting spirit comes from Wisdom, hence the change. DM’s are allowed to remove it if their campaign won’t be using it through.
Hit Die: d10
Level
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Class Features
1st
+1
+2
+0
+2
Combat Focus. Zen Strike. Insightful Combat
2nd
+2
+3
+0
+3
Zone of Awareness. Focused Strike.
3rd
+3
+3
+1
+3
Zen Reflexes
4th
+4
+4
+1
+4
Control the Zone (Terrain)
5th
+5
+4
+1
+4
Mettle
6th
+6/+1
+5
+2
+5
Shared Insightful Combat
7th
+7/+2
+5
+2
+5
Control the Zone (Immobilize)
8th
+8/+3
+6
+2
+6
Sense Weakness (Harrier)
9th
+9/+4
+6
+3
+6
Weaken Enemy
10th
+10/+5
+7
+3
+7
Control the Zone (Threaten)
11th
+11/+6/+1
+7
+3
+7
Improved Insightful Combat
12th
+12/+7/+2
+8
+4
+8
Improved Mettle
13th
+13/+8/+3
+8
+4
+8
Sense Weakness (Attack)
14th
+14/+9/+4
+9
+4
+9
Daze Enemy
15th
+15/+10/+5
+9
+5
+9
Supreme Focus
16th
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+5
+10
Greater Insightful Combat
17th
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+5
+10
Greater Focused Strike
18th
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+6
+11
Sense Weakness (Damage)
19th
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+6
+11
Cripple Enemy
20th
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+6
+12
Zen
d10 gives Zen Blade’s a solid amount of health, while not being full blown tanks like other classes. Being a front-line fighter, Zen Blade of course get good fortitude progression, whilst their ability of near super-natural focus gives them strong Will saves. Full BAB of course is obvious. Zen Blade’s are fighter’s first and foremost. Why wouldn’t they have full BAB?
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the Zen Blade.
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Zen Blades are proficient with all simple weapons, and one light or one-handed martial or exotic weapon of choice. They are proficient with light and medium armour, and with all shields (except tower shields)
Through a martial class, Zen Blade’s do not have the time or training to learn a wide variety of martial weapons. However, their unique training allow them to become proficient in any one weapon, even exotic weaponry. Additionally, their fighting style doesn’t fit well with heavy armour, so they don’t have it.
Combat Focus: At level one, Zen Blade’s get Combat Focus as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites of this feat to acquire it. In addition, a Zen Blade may enter Combat Focus as a swift action during their turn, instead of when they first hit an enemy. A Zen Blade’s Combat Focus lasts for a number of bonus rounds equal to their class level
Though it isn’t the sole focus of the class, the Combat Focus is still going to play a large part in the class, so you get it for free. The ability to enter into Combat Focus as a swift action instead of hitting someone, as well as the extended duration, suits the Zen Blade thematically, and mechanically gives them a small, but important boost. Especially later on
Zen Strike (Ex): At 1st level, a Zen Blade may use his Strength or Wisdom modifier for her attack and damage rolls with any melee weapon he is proficient, whichever is the highest.
Simple, but effective. This ability, inspired by T.G Oskar’s Samurai Remake, allows you to become a strong warrior by reducing your MAD, and making Wisdom the sole stat you really need to boost.
Insightful Combat (Ex): At level 1, whenever a Zen Blade fight a creature, you can make a special check, with a bonus equal to your class level + your Wisdom modifier, DC15. If you succeed, you gain a +1 Insight Bonus to attack and damage rolls against that creature until the end of the encounter. This Insight Bonus increases by one for each 5 points about the DC that you succeed in the check. You can only make this check once per creature type per combat.
I’m pretty sure some people will realize what this is based on right away, whilst others aren’t too sure. This is basically the Knowledge Devotion feat, but without the rather silly cap placed on it, and scaling with your class and wisdom instead of skill ranks and int. Fluff wise, this represents the Zen’s Blade awareness allowing them to find weaknesses in the enemy's defences
Zone of Awareness (Ex): At 2nd level, a Zen Blade gets Blindsight extending out to 20ft. This extends an extra ten feet every time another level in Zen Blade is taken. Additionally, when combat focused, you can Touchsight equal to half the amount of your blindsight
Now this, this is what the Zen Blade is all about. Knowing your surroundings, no matter the circumstances, and being able to find your enemies, no matter how much they try to hide. Blindsight firstly makes darkness and concealment unnecessary, then Touchsight makes it impossible for anyone to hide from you. There is simply no way to avoid Touchsight. If you're close enough to a Zen Blade, they will know of your presence.
Focused Strike (Ex): At 2nd level, as a standard action, a Zen Blade may perform a single attack at anyone in range as a touch attack. This ability cannot be used in conjunction with feats or abilities that apply a voluntary penalty to attack, such as Power Attack or Combat Expertise.
With their awareness and focus, the Zen Blade can ignore most armours and shields, striking in ways that it is difficult to bring them to bare. However. their focus means that they have to focus on accuracy first and foremost. Plus, Power Attack doesn’t exactly work thematically.
Zen Reflexes (Ex): At 3rd level, a Zen Blade’s clarity of mind translates into clarity of movement. While combat focused, a Zen Blade gains extra attacks of opportunity equal to their Wisdom Modifier. This stacks with other extra attacks of opportunity, such as those gained by the Combat Reflexes feat.
The Zen Blade is primarily about control of the battlefield, not dealing damage. A traditional method of a melee fighter to control the battlefield is a lockdown build, and the Zen Blade shall do the same. To a degree.
Control the Zone (Ex): At 4th level, a Zen Blade learns how to use his awareness to hamper his opponent’s movements. The area of a Zen Blade’s Touchsight becomes treated as difficult terrain by enemies.
At 7th level, a Zen Blade control of his enemies movements extends to his attacks. Whenever you successfully hit an enemy with an attack of opportunity, they must make a Reflex Save a DC of 10 + 1/2 you class level + Wisdom, or DC 10+Damage roll, whichever is higher. IF the enemy fails the reflex roll, they immediately halt as if he had used up his move actions for the round.
At 10th level, you awareness becomes sharp enough that you do not even seem to need to move in order to strike out at your enemies, even if they are beyond your range. The threat range of your melee weapons for attack of opportunities is equal to half your touchsight range.
Here we go, one of the most important abilities of the Zen Blade. The ability to restrict his enemies movement around them, even flat out stopping them. The level 4 ability is similar to the Knight’s Bulwark of defence, but stronger. The level 7 is a stronger version of the popular Stand Still feat, with a scaling DC and activating with AoO damage instead of replacing it. The level 10 ability, takes its inspiration once more from T.G Oskar’s Samuari Class. This time the ‘Maai’ ability, specifically the level 14 ability that extends you threat.
All this combined together, gives the Zen Blade an incredible ability to control the movement of the enemies through the battlefield. However, this is just the start of what the Zen can do, in terms of battlefield control.
Mettle (Ex): At 5th level, whenever a Zen Blade makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against an attack that normally deals partial effect or half damage on a successful save, he instead does not suffer from the effect or takes no damage. A helpless Zen Blade does not gain the benefit of mettle.
What can I say about this ability? Zen Blade’s have super-will, and they have tough fortitude by being front-line fighters. So why shouldn’t they have this ability?
Shared Insightful Combat (Ex): At 6th level, a Zen Blade’s powers of insight grow, allowing not just yourself to find the opponent’s weak spots, but also to share it with their allies.
Whenever you successfully make a Insightful Combat check, all allies in 60ft of yourself, gain an insight bonus to attack and damage rolls against the creature equal to half the insight bonus you, yourself gain.
Hope this wasn’t too complicated... but yeah, basically, the thing with this is? ‘Well, I can perceive me enemies well enough to spot weaknesses in their defences. Why can’t I point them out to my allies?’ This lets you do that. But of course, as you're simply pointing the weakness out, and your allies can’t see them themselves, its a smaller bonus. Not the strongest of the Zen Blade’s abilities, but its a pretty solid boost. Not as strong as the bard’s inspire courage, but it does stack with pretty much everything.
Sense Weakness (Ex): At 8th level. The Zen Blade’s awareness grows, allowing him to spot openings and weaknesses in the enemies concentration that offers do not. Allowing him extra chances to strike out without fear of retribution.
Whenever an enemy makes a 5ft step, withdraws, or casts defensively while inside your threat range. If you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them, even though you would normally not be able to. Additionally, he can hit an opponent for moving out of a threatened square more than once per turn.
At 13th level. The Zen Blade notices how at the moment an enemy attacks, their defences drop, allowing them to strike out in turn. Whenever you are attacked by an enemy inside your threat range, if you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them. This does not count towards your total number of attacks of opportunity per round.
At 18th level, the Zen Blade now knows, that when an enemy is wounded, for a split-second, their defences falter. For others, this cannot be pressed. But for the Zen Blade, they can strike. Whenever an enemy inside your threat range takes damage from a source that is not yourself, if you are combat focused, you may make an attack of opportunity against them.
Another of the Zen Blade’s biggest abilities. Attack of opportunities, and the control a Zen Blade can perform through them has already been established. This ability builds off that, by granted the Zen Blade more options to strike out at their enemies. While combat focused off course. Small limitation, but its there.
Weaken Enemy (Ex): At 9th’s level, the Zen Blade’s strikes grow more precise and controlled, allowing them weaken them, and make them easier to vanquish. Whenever a Zen Blade successfully damages an enemy, they take a penalty to AC, attack, damage and save rolls equal to the Zen Blade’s class level/4. This penalty lasts until the start of the Zen Blade’s next turn and does not stack.
I believe its about time that the Zen Blade starts getting a way to control the battlefield, that isn’t reliant on AoO’s, don’t you? And this is a solid start, debuffing the enemy. Making it easier to damage them - via saves or AC - and making them do less damage, or not even hit you at all. The penalty is small, -2 at this level. But at level 20, it’ll be a pretty hefty -5, and that’s a nasty penalty.
Improved Insightful Combat (Ex): At level 11, the ability to see an enemy's strengths and weakness has become second nature to a Zen Blade. From now on, you may take 10 for any Insightful Combat check. In addition, the Zen Blade’s insight now allows them to make devastating blows more often, even against enemies when such blows are not possible. When combat focused, you may always be able to get critical hits against enemies, and the critical range of your weapons increases by your insight bonus/3 (rounded up)
Might of gone a bit overboard in this one. A Wisdom Score of 18 means that you’re guaranteed getting a check of 25, giving you a +3 Insight Bonus. Which isn’t that small. More importantly however, you can ALWAYS get a critical on any enemy. Even ones with fortification or critical hit immunity. That’s a pretty strong ability, as well as having a crit-range increase.
Still, it just a reflection of the Zen Blade’s accuracy, and without Power Attack, they need a way of getting out a good amount of damage, even if their primary focus is control.
Improved Mettle (Ex): At 12th level, a Zen Blade’s mettle ability improves. She still takes no effect on a successful Will or Fortitude save that has the “partial” or “half” descriptor, but henceforth she takes only the partial effect or half the damage on a failed save.
Daze Enemy (Ex): At 14th level, a Zen Blade’s strikes now disorientate the enemy, instead of simply hurting them. When a Zen Blade successfully damages an enemy, they must make a fortitude save (DC 10+1/2 class level+Wisdom modifier) or be dazed for a round. On a successful save, they take a -2 penalty to the next attempt of this ability. This penalty stacks until the enemy fails their save.
Not sure if a single round daze is that effective, but it is a stun, that’s even harder to ignore than usual. So, until suggestions say otherwise. Its a single round. That being said, the Zen Blade is very good at make sure they do daze people. When combined with the Weaken Enemy effect, just one successful save gives them a huge -5 penalty to their next attempt. Which might be your second attack during the round.
Supreme Focus (Ex): At 15th level, the Zen Blade’s ability to focus in battle reaches new heights, granting them a variety of new effects. As mind and body become one, the bonus to Will Saves from the combat focus feat also applies to fortitude and reflex saves. Additionally, when combat focused, a Zen Blade gains a competence bonus to spot, listen and sense motive equal to half their class level, and any penalty to attack is reduced by 1. This includes iterative attacks from high BAB
Have to admit, I’m not too sure on this one. The increase to fortitude and reflex saves is small, and spot and listen don’t come up too often in combat. The last ability I’m worried about, as I’m honestly not sure reducing it by 1 is big enough... but if its -2, you can do something crazy like, chain Monkey’s Grip and TWFing to have two 1hd weapons, 1 of them large, and have the penalty only be -2/-2 instead of -6/-4, that’s a significant boost.
Greater Insightful Combat (Ex): At 16th level, a Zen Blade’s insight grows even more. Allowing them to not just see ways of striking the enemy down, but also defending against their blows. Additionally, they become more skilled at sharing their insights with their allies. Whenever you use Insightful Combat against an enemy, all allies in 60ft gain the effects of insightful combat as well. Additionally, you gain an insight bonus to AC and saves against that creature equal to the bonus to attack and damage rolls.
This is a pretty powerful ability now. Not only do you get a bonus to attack, damage, AC, saves and critical range. But your allies do as well. Again, if you have Wisdom 18, which is pretty much always gonna happen at this level, you’re guaranteed a check of 30. Giving you and your allies a +4 Insight Bonus, and a increase to crit range by 2. That’s a pretty hefty boost. Maybe a bit too powerful, though it is level 16...
Greater Focused Strike (Ex): At 17th level, a Zen Blade’s ability to focus their strikes into the weakest areas of an enemies defence has become second nature to them. Now, when combat focused, any attack a Zen Blade makes that does not have a voluntary penalty to attack rolls is treated as a touch attack.
Simple boost, but pretty damn effective. Makes the Zen Blade’s the master of accuracy that they are, and makes EVERY single attack a touch attack. With the bonus to attacks from Insightful Combat, and full BAB. I doubt a Zen Blade will EVER miss.
Cripple Enemy (Ex): At 19th level, a Zen Blade’s strikes now cut at the enemies very strength as they strike. Whenever a Zen Blade deals damage to an enemy. They take 1 Strength or Dexterity damage.
Ouch. Now this ability HURTS. 1 point per strike doesn’t seem like much, but it does accumulate. If it made it higher, say... 2. A full-attack action could reduce an enemy's’ strength or dexterity by 8, add on a single extra attack, say from... Haste or the speed enhancement. And that’s a potential 10 dex damage. On a creature like a dragon, which most likely have low 10, it’ll lower them to zero in an instant. So, keeping it at 1 is more than strong enough.
Zen (Ex): At 20th level, a Zen Blade has reached the pinnacle of focus and understanding. Allowing them to transcend their limits and enter into a state like no other. A Zen Blade is always considered to be combat focused, and all bonuses granted by being in combat focus is doubled. Additionally, they may take 10 with all skill checks, regardless of the situation, and may take 20 for insightful combat.
Now this... this is a capstone. Taking all the benefits from being combat focused before, and doubling them. Including your class features. You gain a +20 bonus to spot, listen and sense motive, all penalties to attack are reduced by 2. (If it was 4, you’ll be able to use pretty much any weapon you wanted to). You gain a +4 bonus to all saves, (+8 if you have 3 or more combat focus feats), your touchsight becomes equal to your blindsight, meaning its a 200ft aura. Your allowed number of AoO’s become twice your wisdom modifier, on top of other bonuses. And that’s what I can think of from the top of my head.
For Insightful Combat, well if you have a Wisdom score of 20, you’ll always get a check of 45. Giving you a +7 Insight bonus to attack, damage, AC and save rolls, and a +3 to critical range. And all your allies get that as well! All in all, I am confident that Zen is indeed, a capstone ability worth getting.