Just want too see what people think about my Pathfinder Samurai

[Athear]

Lady Hiato Kishi (kishi to her closest friends)
Race human
9 levels of samurai, with full HD, sword saint archetype
Abilities:
STR;22
DEX:14
CON:20
INT: 14
WIS: 13
CHA: 15

Special abilities
Resolve 5/day
Challenge 3/day
Warriors skills
Iaijutsu strike: 5d6 damage
Resolve 5/day
Honour in all things 2/day
weapon expertise
brutal slash
terrifying Iaijutsu
way of the samurai
Greater Resolve 5/day

Feats
power attack
champion:
critical focus
leadership: (expert: for weapon and gear maintenance/ up grading, a lady in waiting to dot on me (aristocrat) and 4 samurai retainers )
vital strike
weapon focus

[Snowbluff]

You can probably swap out weapon focus for something stronger, unless you have something in kind for it.

[Florian]

Why Sword Saint?

[CharonsHelper]

You can probably swap out weapon focus for something stronger, unless you have something in kind for it.

Weapon Focus is mathematically awesome, especially for a class already committed to a single weapon.

Actually - my big suggestion is to add both Weapon Specialization & Greater Weapon Focus to the mix since they can count Samurai levels as Fighter levels for feats etc. You should also consider Imrpoved Critical. (15-20 crit with +6 confirm? Yes please!) Samurai also benefit a lot from Critical Focus & the critical feats. (15-20 crit, +6 to confirm, AND all sorts of nasty extras on a crit!? Heck yeah!) As a Samurai, you gain extra benefit as the nastiest ones are Fighter only, but you qualify for them.

I'd definitely drop Vital Strike. It is pretty much the king of trap options. The extra damage simply isn't worth a feat, especially since you haven't taken Weapon Specialization. (Vital Strike = +2.5 damage occasionally which doesn't multiply on a crit / Weapon Specialization = +2 damage always).

In addition, Vital Strike DOES NOT combine with Iaijutsu Strike even when you hit level 10, because Vital Strike only works on an "attack action" while Iaijutsu Strike is its own specific standard action.

Finally - I'd probably bump up your Dex to 16 and wear mithril full plate. And while Con is handy, you should probably focus more on STR. Samurai have some troubles with accuracy, as unlike other Full BAB martials they don't have extras to at least nova a boost in accuracy aside from a couple of orders' Challenge ability. (yet another reason to make sure to grab Greater Weapon Focus)

[Psyren]

Weapon Focus isn't amazing, but it's decent, and is also a tax for several other helpful feats.


Why Sword Saint?

Not planning to use the mount would be my guess.

[Arutema]

If you want to be a samurai with no mount, look up the Yojimbo from Armor Master's Handbook. It does the mountless samurai thing much better than Sword Saint.

[Athear]

"You can probably swap out weapon focus for something stronger, unless you have something in kind for it.
Focus is mathematically awesome, especially for a class already committed to a single weapon.

Actually - my big suggestion is to add both Weapon Specialization & Greater Weapon Focus to the mix since they can count Samurai levels as Fighter levels for feats etc. You should also consider Imrpoved Critical. (15-20 crit with +6 confirm? Yes please!) Samurai also benefit a lot from Critical Focus & the critical feats. (15-20 crit, +6 to confirm, AND all sorts of nasty extras on a crit!? Heck yeah!) As a Samurai, you gain extra benefit as the nastiest ones are Fighter only, but you qualify for them.

I'd definitely drop Vital Strike. It is pretty much the king of trap options. The extra damage simply isn't worth a feat, especially since you haven't taken Weapon Specialization. (Vital Strike = +2.5 damage occasionally which doesn't multiply on a crit / Weapon Specialization = +2 damage always).

In addition, Vital Strike DOES NOT combine with Iaijutsu Strike even when you hit level 10, because Vital Strike only works on an "attack action" while Iaijutsu Strike is its own specific standard action.

Finally - I'd probably bump up your Dex to 16 and wear mithril full plate. And while Con is handy, you should probably focus more on STR. Samurai have some troubles with accuracy, as unlike other Full BAB martials they don't have extras to at least nova a boost in accuracy aside from a couple of orders' Challenge ability. (yet another reason to make sure to grab Greater Weapon Focus)
edit note"


well I actually like the sword saint which is why I I took it and well I think you can vital strike off of an Iajutsu strike, because it said when you make an attack action you make one strike and twice the weapon damage.
As for weapon specialization I was looking into going that route. My weapon is already keened

[CharonsHelper]

well I think you can vital strike off of an Iajutsu strike, because it said when you make an attack action you make one strike and twice the weapon damage.

That's how Vital Strike works. However, Iajutsu Strike is an entirely separate standard action rather than a modification of an attack action.

[Athear]

That's how Vital Strike works. However, Iajutsu Strike is an entirely separate standard action rather than a modification of an attack action.

Okay well I will talk to my don this see how he rules because if he says Iaijutsu strike is and attack action then I can tag vital strike on and with its progression I could get up to 3d8 additional damage with is nice if not well then crit build might be what I'm after since I'm gunna want to end things in one big hit.
Draw smosh, sheath, draw, smosh, repeat.

[CharonsHelper]

Draw smosh, sheath, draw, smosh, repeat.

I will say - even with Iajutsu Strike's extra damage, you're FAR better off using a full attack for iteratives when you can than getting an extra few d6 damage on the first swing. Iajutsu Strike should only be used in rounds in which you have to move anyway.

If you REALLY want to go for a combat style focused on single awesome blows - you should really aim for Deadly Stroke (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/deadly-stroke-combat), though you can't grab it until level 11. Samurai are one of the few classes which can even get it as it has Greater Weapon Focus as a pre-req.

Your foe has to be shaken first (the easiest way is the Blade of Mercy Trait/Enforcer feat combo) and then use Shatter Defenses (which is a pre-req) but then it deals x2 + 1 Con damage instead of a few extra dice worth.

Besides, if you're using Shatter Defenses, any rogue/ninja in your group will love you.

[Athear]

I will say - even with Iajutsu Strike's extra damage, you're FAR better off using a full attack for iteratives when you can than getting an extra few d6 damage on the first swing. Iajutsu Strike should only be used in rounds in which you have to move anyway.

If you REALLY want to go for a combat style focused on single awesome blows - you should really aim for Deadly Stroke (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/deadly-stroke-combat), though you can't grab it until level 11. Samurai are one of the few classes which can even get it as it has Greater Weapon Focus as a pre-req.

Your foe has to be shaken first (the easiest way is the Blade of Mercy Trait/Enforcer feat combo) and then use Shatter Defenses (which is a pre-req) but then it deals x2 + 1 Con damage instead of a few extra dice worth.

Besides, if you're using Shatter Defenses, any rogue/ninja in your group will love you.

Deadly stroke looks to do exactly the same thing as Vital strike, except it requires much more feat investment plus it requires a stunned opponent to work while yes you do have a feat that stuns the opponent it still looks objectively worse than vital strike, especially if My DM says it works with IaiJutsue strike. the con bleed is nice but I could get bleed form an other source with one feat.

[Psyren]

Deadly stroke looks to do exactly the same thing as Vital strike, except it requires much more feat investment plus it requires a stunned opponent to work while yes you do have a feat that stuns the opponent it still looks objectively worse than vital strike, especially if My DM says it works with IaiJutsue strike. the con bleed is nice but I could get bleed form an other source with one feat.

You're forgetting that Deadly Stroke doubles your bonus damage (e.g. from Strength, Power Attack, sneak attack etc.) while Vital Strike does not.

[CharonsHelper]

You're forgetting that Deadly Stroke doubles your bonus damage (e.g. from Strength, Power Attack, sneak attack etc.) while Vital Strike does not.

This!

By level 11 2d8 damage is very small. With a 26 STR (with +4 belt), just a +4 weapon, Weapon Specialization, Deliquescent Gloves, and Power Attack, you're talking about 1d8+27+1d6 damage. (and it's not hard to get higher with a bit of effort, and you definitely will with a halfway decent buffer) So you're doubling an average of 35 damage instead of getting an average of +9 damage.