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continuumg
2018-08-07, 01:28 PM
Hello, everybody!

Have you ever looked at the samurai and an been like "Man they get horses and stuff. That isn't very anime."?
Were you then disappointed that the sword saint didn't give you the katana-wielding badassery fix you need?
This is basically a redesign of the sword saint archetype, but based off of the swashbuckler class, rather than the samurai.

Blades of the East
All swashbuckler class features that refer to light or one-handed piercing weapons apply instead to Wakizashi, Katana, or Nodachi. Incredible Iaidoka are proficient with the wakizashi, katana, and nodachi.
This replaces proficiency with bucklers

Deeds
An Incredible Iaidoka gains the following deeds, each of which replaces an existing deed.

Iaijutsu Strike (Ex): At 1st level, as long as the incredible iaidoka has at least 1 panache point, she may draw a wakizashi, katana, or nodachi as part of an attack. An incredible iaidoka threatens adjacent spaces while she has at least 1 panache point and wears a sheathed wakizashi, katana, or nodachi. Additionally, she may choose one of the following:

Lunging: She may increase her reach for the attack by 5ft
Cleaving: She may strike an additional foe, as if using Cleave
Penetrating: The attack is resolved against touch AC
This deed replaces Dodging Panache

Deadly Iaijutsu (Ex): At 3rd level, if the incredible iaidoka has at least 1 panache point when she uses the Iaijutsu Strike deed, she gains the benefits of Improved Critical for that attack. This deed replaces Precise Strike

Samurai Initiative (Ex): At 3rd level, while the incredible iaidoka has at least 1 panache point, she gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. In addition, she can spend 1 panache to make an attack of opportunity while flat-footed. This deed replaces Swashbuckler Initiative

Disarming Iaijutsu (Ex): At 7th level, when the incredible iaidoka attempts an Iaijutsu Strike against a target, she may pay 1 panache to deny that opponent its dexterity bonus to AC until the beginning of her next turn. A creature can only be the target of this deed once per day. This deed replaces Superior Feint

Improved Iaijutsu Strike (Ex): At 7th level, when the incredible iaidoka uses her Iaijutsu Strike deed, she can pay 1 panache to gain further benefits as detailed here:

Lunging: She may move before and after the attack, as if with Spring Attack
Cleaving: She may hit more adjacent targets, as if with Greater Cleave
Penetrating: The attack ignores any DR the target has
This deed replaces Targeted Strike

Dismemberment (Ex): At 11th level, whenever the incredible iaidoka makes a confirmed critical hit with an Iaijutsu Strike, she may pay 1 panache to sever one of the target’s limbs. If the attack’s damage brings the target to 0 or fewer hit points, the incredible iaidoka may choose to remove the target’s head instead, killing the target instantly. This has no effect on creatures with no head. This deed replaces Bleeding Wound

Strike Twice (Ex): At 15th level, the incredible iaidoka can pay 1 panache to target an opponent with her Disarming Iaijutsu deed that has already been targeted by that deed this day. This replaces Perfect Thrust.

Inconceivable Iaijutsu (Su): At 19th level, the incredible iaidoka can spend 3 panache points to teleport up to twice her speed and make an Iaijutsu Strike against any target adjacent to the line from her starting point to her destination. This deed replaces Deadly Stab

Don’t Blink (Ex): At 19th level, whenever the incredible iaidoka strikes an opponent with her Iaijutsu Strike deed, she may pay 1 panache to sheath the weapon she used to attack. All opponents within 30ft are astounded by the speed of this maneuver, and must make a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the incredible iaidoka’s level + the incredible iaidoka’s Dexterity modifier) or be dazed for 1 round. This deed replaces Stunning Stab.

Resolve (Ex):
Starting at 2nd level, the incredible iaidoka gains resolve that she can call upon to endure even the most devastating wounds and afflictions. She can use this ability three times per day at 2nd level, plus one additional time per day for every four swashbuckler levels beyond 2nd.

Determined: As a standard action, the incredible iaidoka can spend one use of her resolve to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. If the incredible iaidoka is at least 8th level, she can alternatively remove the exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or staggered condition. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.

Resolute: Whenever the incredible iaidoka is required to make a Fortitude or Will save, she can spend one use of her resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. She must decide to use this ability before she rolls the saving throw.

Unstoppable: When the incredible iaidoka is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, she can spend one use of her resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. She is staggered, but does not fall unconscious and begin dying if she takes a standard action. She does fall unconscious if she takes additional damage from any source.
This ability replaces Charmed Life

One Strike (Ex):
At 5th level, the Incredible Iaidoka gains Vital Strike as a bonus feat.
At 9th level, the Incredible Iaidoka gains Devastating Strike as a bonus feat.
At 13th level, the Incredible Iaidoka gains Improved Vital Strike as a bonus feat.
At 17th level, the Incredible Iaidoka gains Greater Vital Strike as a bonus feat.
The incredible iaidoka can gain the effects of these feats whenever she uses her Iaijutsu Strike deed, in addition to when she uses the attack action. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for these abilities.
This ability replaces Swashbuckler Weapon Training

Last Stand (Ex):
At 20th level, an incredible iaidoka can make a last stand once per day as a move action. While this is in effect, all sources of damage deal the minimum amount of damage to the incredible iaidoka, except for attacks that score a critical hit. In addition, the incredible iaidoka remains conscious and is not staggered while she is below 0 hit points. These effects last for 1 minute.
This ability replaces Swashbuckler Weapon Mastery

Hope y'all enjoy it!

FlameUser64
2018-08-23, 03:09 AM
I am unsure how Iaijutsu Strike's "once per target per day" restriction is supposed to work. Would that mean that you can't draw a weapon as part of an attack against that creature more than once? I'm not sure how to reformat this to allow the action to be taken without applying the effects of Iaijutsu Strike to the target.
Additionally, an attack of opportunity is neither an attack action nor an attack made at the end of a charge, so as written you cannot use Iaijutsu Strike to draw a weapon as part of an attack of opportunity, even though Iaijutsu Strike allows you to threaten an area with a sheathed weapon.

Hmmm… Don't Blink is really cool, but I feel like being able to sheathe your weapon as a free action is kind of important for a class like this and could stand to be available earlier on. I guess it depends on precisely what style of anime you're going for, though.

Dismemberment makes no mention of the effect of having a limb removed, so — for example — despite what common sense says, by RAW cutting a foe's head off with Dismemberment does not actually instantly kill them.

Inconcievable Iaijutsu costs too much in my opinion. Should cost 2 panache at most, I think.

One Strike makes no mention of whether or not it counts as actually having those feats for purposes of prerequisites.

continuumg
2018-08-23, 01:35 PM
Okay I reworked the class

FlameUser64
2018-08-23, 02:05 PM
Oh, sorry. I guess I was a bit unclear. What I meant re: One Strike was, when it gives you the benefits of the Vital Strike feat, does that count as having the Vital Strike feat for purposes of prerequisites? (And so on for the other feats it grants you the effects of.) If so, you could take feats that add rider effects to your Vital Strike attacks, such as Faerie's Strike.

That said, the other changes seem good.

continuumg
2018-08-23, 02:21 PM
I understood; this simply seemed like the most elegant way to solve the problem. It doesn’t really matter that he can use this with other weapons, as many other class features are already weapon-locked.

FlameUser64
2018-08-23, 02:31 PM
Oh whoops, I'm the one failing at reading comprehension! My apologies. Now I feel stupid. Sorry about that.