Zaydos
2015-03-05, 07:24 PM
Kensai of Three Storms
"Heat and cold form the winds which tear the sky asunder. In the heart of these storms come lightning and thunder. In nature one leads to the other and all three are part of the same system. Why not in the sublime way?"
A master of elemental swordplay able to blend and mix the disciplines of Fire, Lightning, and Ice. In so doing they approach a balance of elemental powers and perfection, merging the three essences into one.
BECOMING A KENSAI OF THREE STORMS .
All Kensai of Three Storms come from backgrounds enmeshed in the Sublime Way. Many learn their art in lonely hermitages based in difficult to reach and hard to survive regions of the Prime. It is rarer for a dojo to be founded which teaches their art, but it is not unheard of. Still others pick up the skill as travelers, observing a variety of techniques and in so doing recognizing their internal similarities.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Maneuvers: A 3rd level maneuver from Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) and either the Flame’s Blessing, Storm’s Blessing, or Winterborn stance.
Skills: Autohypnosis 8 ranks or Tumble 8 ranks, and the other 4 ranks. Martial Lore 4 ranks.
Feats: One of Desert Fire, Desert Wind Dodge, Flashing Lightning Evasion, Lightning Parry, Avalanche Cleave, or Standing Glacier.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + int
Hit Dice: d8
Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances
1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Three Paths One Way|1|0|0
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Shifting Storm|1|1|0
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1| Weathering Stance |0|0|0
4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1| Elemental Nomad |1|0|1
5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Greater Shifting Storm, Student of the Elemental Way|1|1|0
Weapon Proficiencies: A Kensai of Three Storms gains proficiency in all discipline weapons of the Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, and Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) disciplines.
Maneuvers: At each level other than 3rd you gain an additional maneuver known of the Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) disciplines. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it (although see Three Paths One Way). You add your full Kensai of Three Storms level to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest level maneuvers known.
At 2nd and 5th level you gain an additional maneuver known, and at 4th level you gain an additional stance.
Three Paths One Way (Ex): A Kensai of Three Storms learns how the elemental disciplines are all based on the same principles and how to cross apply these principles. They may fulfill prerequisites that require a maneuver or stance of one of these disciplines (Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29)) with maneuvers or stances from any of these disciplines (this does not apply to prerequisites which require 1 each from 2 or all 3 of these disciplines), and they may treat a discipline weapon from one of these disciplines as a discipline weapon for all three of these disciplines. Finally if an ability or effect requires you to be in a stance from one of these disciplines it applies if you are in a stance from any of these disciplines.
Shifting Storm (Su): Beginning at 2nd level a Kensai of Three Storms’ meditation on the nature of Fire, Ice, and Lightning has reached a point where they have learned how to balance and interchange the three forces. Whenever they use a maneuver that deals Cold, Electricity, or Fire damage they may replace all damage of that type with damage of another of the three types. In addition whenever they activate a maneuver from one of the elemental disciplines they may choose to treat it as a Crushing Avalanche maneuver if they have it deal Cold, a Desert Wind maneuver if they have it deal Fire, or a Flashing Lightning maneuver if they have it deal Electricity (they may still treat it as its normal maneuver type).
Weathering Stance (Su): At 3rd level a Kensai of Three Storms learns that all three storms are in truth one and the same. Whenever they are in the Flame’s Blessing, Storm’s Blessing, or Winterborn stance they may apply the granted resistance to Cold, Electricity, and Fire, and may apply the amount granted with 5 less ranks in the associated skill to Sonic damage.
Elemental Nomad (Ex): A Kensai of Three Storms learns harmony between and with the elements. Beginning at 4th level they gain a +4 bonus to Charisma based checks and Sense Motive checks to deal with Elementals with the Fire, Cold, Air, or Water subtypes and gain protection from the Elemental Planes of Fire, Air, and Cold (as well as the Paraelemental Planes of Smoke and Ice and the Quasielemental Planes of Radiance, Lightning, and Steam, if they are used) as if from the Avoid Planar Effects spell. 1/day as a supernatural ability a Kensai of Three Storms may teleport up to 1 mile per 2 initiator levels they possess but both their initial and ending location must be over 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), below 32 degrees, or experience a thunderstorm. Both locations must be experiencing the same effect.
Greater Shifting Storm (Su): A Kensai of Three Storms wields all three storms as one unified whole, which hammers hard against foes. Beginning at 5th level whenever a Kensai of Three Storms would deal Cold, Electricity, Fire, or Sonic damage to a target the target is only immune to it if they are immune to all three of Cold, Electricity, and Fire, and they may apply no more energy resistance against it than the lowest value among the three. This extends to non-maneuver sources of energy damage, and if a maneuver only affects a creature which is not immune to one of these energy types it must be immune to all three of Cold, Electricity, and Fire to count as immune (in addition to Sonic if that was the requisite immunity).
Student of the Elemental Way (Ex): You have perfected your understanding of the elemental disciplines. Beginning at 5th level whenever a class would allow you to learn a maneuver or stance you may learn it from any of the three elemental disciplines instead of those that the class would normally grant (you may still choose to learn one from the class’s normal disciplines).
PLAYING A KENSAI OF THREE STORMS
Kensai of Three Storms are normally dedicated warriors and have a focus on melee combat.
Combat: Primarily the class uses its ability to substitute energy coupled with the boosts of the elemental disciplines to gain a large bonus to damage on every attack (equivalent to a sneak attacking rogue’s) coupled with either standard action maneuvers for when they must move and attack, or full round maneuvers which allow for additional attacks during a round. Their ability to unify stances allow them to take advantage of some of the options granted by various feats to gain increased durability and potentially to further increase their elemental damage.
Advancement: Once a Kensai of Three Storms has mastered their understanding of the elemental disciplines most will return to their previous initiating class or pursue a variety of initiating PrCs, taking advantage of Student of the Elemental Path to expand those classes’ discipline pool to gain high level elemental maneuvers.
Resources: A Kensai of Three Storms draws from much the same resources as any other martial initiator. They may make additional use of certain magic weapon properties (shocking, flaming, frost), but otherwise the prestige class does little to change their resources.
KENSAI OF THREE STORMS IN THE WORLD
”You pollute the purity of the Desert Wind with your perversions!” – Zhoqin Yi journeyman of the sublime way, shortly before his death.
A Kensai of Three Storms interacts with the world much as a swordsage would. They are unusually dedicated scholars and students of the sublime way, focusing on expanding their own personal corner of it. Due to their dedicated focus they are less likely to interact with generalized students of the sublime way, but are more likely to interact with elementalists and elemental beings.
Daily Life: Every day a Kensai of Three Storms trains and works to perfect themselves both their body and spirit, focusing on the harmony with the elements. Most also pursue martial pursuits, working as mercenaries, body guards, and the like.
Notables: Kallif the Wise studied in the Temple of Nine Swords before its fall. He was a valiant warrior and after the fall of the Temple he set off to learn more elemental techniques, studying some of the lesser known disciplines and when he considered himself ready he founded his own dojo where he taught elemental techniques. Kallif’s dojo served to continue the legacy of the Temple, teaching students a mixture of meditation and martial discipline. This continued until Kallif died fighting back an invading force of baatezu summoned by a diabolist in his attempt to seize control of the local kingdom in a bloody coup.
Larrence is a Kensai of Three Storms who has spent the last several years of his life hunting down a group of mystical birds. Believing that by mastering these birds he can take control of the elemental forces behind storms, gaining the ability to control the weather across the entire material plane.
Organizations: Various dojos teaching a unification of the three energies exist, and naturally draw forth kensai of three storms. They are also often valued among the more militant sections of the Summer and Winter Courts, who value their mastery of the components of storms; although they are more common among the Winter Court than the Summer.
NPC Reaction
Kensai of Three Storms are typically considered just another sort of swordsage. They are elemental warriors, and those with dealings with the elements may find some kinship or rivalry there.
KENSAI OF THREE STORMS IN THE GAME
Kensai of Three Storms allow for a more even performance from an elemental swordsman by allowing them to mix and match three energy types. They are typically focused primarily on finishing foes quickly, avoiding dragged out battles.
Adaptation: You could tie them to some sort of organization, or possibly religious order.
"Heat and cold form the winds which tear the sky asunder. In the heart of these storms come lightning and thunder. In nature one leads to the other and all three are part of the same system. Why not in the sublime way?"
A master of elemental swordplay able to blend and mix the disciplines of Fire, Lightning, and Ice. In so doing they approach a balance of elemental powers and perfection, merging the three essences into one.
BECOMING A KENSAI OF THREE STORMS .
All Kensai of Three Storms come from backgrounds enmeshed in the Sublime Way. Many learn their art in lonely hermitages based in difficult to reach and hard to survive regions of the Prime. It is rarer for a dojo to be founded which teaches their art, but it is not unheard of. Still others pick up the skill as travelers, observing a variety of techniques and in so doing recognizing their internal similarities.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Maneuvers: A 3rd level maneuver from Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) and either the Flame’s Blessing, Storm’s Blessing, or Winterborn stance.
Skills: Autohypnosis 8 ranks or Tumble 8 ranks, and the other 4 ranks. Martial Lore 4 ranks.
Feats: One of Desert Fire, Desert Wind Dodge, Flashing Lightning Evasion, Lightning Parry, Avalanche Cleave, or Standing Glacier.
Class Skills
The Class Name's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Autohypnosis (Wis), Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Knowledge (the planes) (Int), Listen (Wis), Martial Lore (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
Skills Points at Each Level: 6 + int
Hit Dice: d8
Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Special|Maneuvers Known|Maneuvers Readied|Stances
1st|
+1|
+2|
+2|
+0|Three Paths One Way|1|0|0
2nd|
+2|
+3|
+3|
+0|Shifting Storm|1|1|0
3rd|
+3|
+3|
+3|
+1| Weathering Stance |0|0|0
4th|
+4|
+4|
+4|
+1| Elemental Nomad |1|0|1
5th|
+5|
+4|
+4|
+1|Greater Shifting Storm, Student of the Elemental Way|1|1|0
Weapon Proficiencies: A Kensai of Three Storms gains proficiency in all discipline weapons of the Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, and Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) disciplines.
Maneuvers: At each level other than 3rd you gain an additional maneuver known of the Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29) disciplines. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisites to learn it (although see Three Paths One Way). You add your full Kensai of Three Storms level to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest level maneuvers known.
At 2nd and 5th level you gain an additional maneuver known, and at 4th level you gain an additional stance.
Three Paths One Way (Ex): A Kensai of Three Storms learns how the elemental disciplines are all based on the same principles and how to cross apply these principles. They may fulfill prerequisites that require a maneuver or stance of one of these disciplines (Crushing Avalanche (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401600-Crushing-Avalanche-%28Cold-themed-Martial-Discipline%29), Desert Wind, or Flashing Lightning (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?401420-Flashing-Lightning-%28Electricity-themed-Martial-Discipline%29)) with maneuvers or stances from any of these disciplines (this does not apply to prerequisites which require 1 each from 2 or all 3 of these disciplines), and they may treat a discipline weapon from one of these disciplines as a discipline weapon for all three of these disciplines. Finally if an ability or effect requires you to be in a stance from one of these disciplines it applies if you are in a stance from any of these disciplines.
Shifting Storm (Su): Beginning at 2nd level a Kensai of Three Storms’ meditation on the nature of Fire, Ice, and Lightning has reached a point where they have learned how to balance and interchange the three forces. Whenever they use a maneuver that deals Cold, Electricity, or Fire damage they may replace all damage of that type with damage of another of the three types. In addition whenever they activate a maneuver from one of the elemental disciplines they may choose to treat it as a Crushing Avalanche maneuver if they have it deal Cold, a Desert Wind maneuver if they have it deal Fire, or a Flashing Lightning maneuver if they have it deal Electricity (they may still treat it as its normal maneuver type).
Weathering Stance (Su): At 3rd level a Kensai of Three Storms learns that all three storms are in truth one and the same. Whenever they are in the Flame’s Blessing, Storm’s Blessing, or Winterborn stance they may apply the granted resistance to Cold, Electricity, and Fire, and may apply the amount granted with 5 less ranks in the associated skill to Sonic damage.
Elemental Nomad (Ex): A Kensai of Three Storms learns harmony between and with the elements. Beginning at 4th level they gain a +4 bonus to Charisma based checks and Sense Motive checks to deal with Elementals with the Fire, Cold, Air, or Water subtypes and gain protection from the Elemental Planes of Fire, Air, and Cold (as well as the Paraelemental Planes of Smoke and Ice and the Quasielemental Planes of Radiance, Lightning, and Steam, if they are used) as if from the Avoid Planar Effects spell. 1/day as a supernatural ability a Kensai of Three Storms may teleport up to 1 mile per 2 initiator levels they possess but both their initial and ending location must be over 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), below 32 degrees, or experience a thunderstorm. Both locations must be experiencing the same effect.
Greater Shifting Storm (Su): A Kensai of Three Storms wields all three storms as one unified whole, which hammers hard against foes. Beginning at 5th level whenever a Kensai of Three Storms would deal Cold, Electricity, Fire, or Sonic damage to a target the target is only immune to it if they are immune to all three of Cold, Electricity, and Fire, and they may apply no more energy resistance against it than the lowest value among the three. This extends to non-maneuver sources of energy damage, and if a maneuver only affects a creature which is not immune to one of these energy types it must be immune to all three of Cold, Electricity, and Fire to count as immune (in addition to Sonic if that was the requisite immunity).
Student of the Elemental Way (Ex): You have perfected your understanding of the elemental disciplines. Beginning at 5th level whenever a class would allow you to learn a maneuver or stance you may learn it from any of the three elemental disciplines instead of those that the class would normally grant (you may still choose to learn one from the class’s normal disciplines).
PLAYING A KENSAI OF THREE STORMS
Kensai of Three Storms are normally dedicated warriors and have a focus on melee combat.
Combat: Primarily the class uses its ability to substitute energy coupled with the boosts of the elemental disciplines to gain a large bonus to damage on every attack (equivalent to a sneak attacking rogue’s) coupled with either standard action maneuvers for when they must move and attack, or full round maneuvers which allow for additional attacks during a round. Their ability to unify stances allow them to take advantage of some of the options granted by various feats to gain increased durability and potentially to further increase their elemental damage.
Advancement: Once a Kensai of Three Storms has mastered their understanding of the elemental disciplines most will return to their previous initiating class or pursue a variety of initiating PrCs, taking advantage of Student of the Elemental Path to expand those classes’ discipline pool to gain high level elemental maneuvers.
Resources: A Kensai of Three Storms draws from much the same resources as any other martial initiator. They may make additional use of certain magic weapon properties (shocking, flaming, frost), but otherwise the prestige class does little to change their resources.
KENSAI OF THREE STORMS IN THE WORLD
”You pollute the purity of the Desert Wind with your perversions!” – Zhoqin Yi journeyman of the sublime way, shortly before his death.
A Kensai of Three Storms interacts with the world much as a swordsage would. They are unusually dedicated scholars and students of the sublime way, focusing on expanding their own personal corner of it. Due to their dedicated focus they are less likely to interact with generalized students of the sublime way, but are more likely to interact with elementalists and elemental beings.
Daily Life: Every day a Kensai of Three Storms trains and works to perfect themselves both their body and spirit, focusing on the harmony with the elements. Most also pursue martial pursuits, working as mercenaries, body guards, and the like.
Notables: Kallif the Wise studied in the Temple of Nine Swords before its fall. He was a valiant warrior and after the fall of the Temple he set off to learn more elemental techniques, studying some of the lesser known disciplines and when he considered himself ready he founded his own dojo where he taught elemental techniques. Kallif’s dojo served to continue the legacy of the Temple, teaching students a mixture of meditation and martial discipline. This continued until Kallif died fighting back an invading force of baatezu summoned by a diabolist in his attempt to seize control of the local kingdom in a bloody coup.
Larrence is a Kensai of Three Storms who has spent the last several years of his life hunting down a group of mystical birds. Believing that by mastering these birds he can take control of the elemental forces behind storms, gaining the ability to control the weather across the entire material plane.
Organizations: Various dojos teaching a unification of the three energies exist, and naturally draw forth kensai of three storms. They are also often valued among the more militant sections of the Summer and Winter Courts, who value their mastery of the components of storms; although they are more common among the Winter Court than the Summer.
NPC Reaction
Kensai of Three Storms are typically considered just another sort of swordsage. They are elemental warriors, and those with dealings with the elements may find some kinship or rivalry there.
KENSAI OF THREE STORMS IN THE GAME
Kensai of Three Storms allow for a more even performance from an elemental swordsman by allowing them to mix and match three energy types. They are typically focused primarily on finishing foes quickly, avoiding dragged out battles.
Adaptation: You could tie them to some sort of organization, or possibly religious order.