Stalker-Bushi Build Feedback

[Erit]

Advisory: Campaign is set in a world of perpetual nighttime, PCs are sent out by their town's leadership to collect information about why, how, and what everyone else is up to in the dark. There have been no changes yet to things that have functions contingent on light level despite that.

Starting 1st Level

Race: Half-Elf (Blended View and Starchild alternate race features)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Class: Stalker (Bushi, sub Thrashing Dragon)
Traits: Agile Dancer, Unorthodox Method (sub Solar Wind for Shattered Mirror)
Ability Scores: 9/14/10/14/16/11
Feats: Daishou Expertise, Psychic Sensitivity (from Starchild)
Skills: Appraise, Craft, Escape Artist, Heal, Perception, Perform (Dance), Sense Motive, Stealth
Maneuvers: Swift Current, Copycat Cut, Dizzying Venom Prana, Clockwatcher, Ghost Hunting Blow, Strike the Hourglass.
Stance: Reaching Blade Stance

Rest of the party: Spherecaster of unknown ability because they keep flip-flopping, Zweihander Sentinel, Summoner, a homebrew class that'll end up focusing on gaze attacks while being Tiny, and an undeclared.

There's a houserule in play where, any time someone takes "one hit die worth of damage" in a single hit, they take 1d4 ability damage to a random score, and Restoration can only heal this damage one point at a time. Also, all things Divination are borked, if that's important.

The theme here is "{Scrubbed} ninja samurai, hold the engrish." Mobile, hard to hit, lots of supernatural shenanigans, and damage of many stripes. Also plan on getting Double Team, because what's not to love about a nigh-guaranteed knockdown?

With that in mind, any suggestions—especially with regards to maneuvers, stances, and later feats—are requested and appreciated.

[Lotheb]

I'm guessing psychic sensitivity is for faith healing? Everything else is divination (except hypnotism, but you have an 11 cha if your stats are sdciwch). How much is "one hit die worth of damage"? If it's gonna come up a lot try to get a https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/rings/ring-of-inner-fortitude/

[Elricaltovilla]

I think that overall, you've managed to make a very solid Bushi stalker. Obviously, you'll want to pick up Deadly Agility and probably Improved Quick Draw at some point. Bushi will give you Quick Draw and Mixed Combat for the rest of your iaijutsu needs. I would look at focusing on maneuvers that maximize your mobility and utility.

Once you hit 4th level, Advanced Study becomes a very viable "I don't know what else to grab" feat, that you can use to pick up utility stances or maneuvers to flesh out your build. Victorious recovery is less necessary with a bushi, but still nice to have.

For maneuvers, as long as you pick up some means of flight or other special movement mode you can pretty much grab whatever else you want. It all depends on how crazy you want to get, at high levels of optimization you can potentially shred entire armies with multiple attacks per round, or you can play it safe and focus on counters and utility stances to help your party members out.

[ChrisAsmadi]

probably Improved Quick Draw at some point.

Does Improved Quick Draw even do anything for a Bushi? Their Mixed Combat class feature seems to do essentially the same thing.

[Elricaltovilla]

Does Improved Quick Draw even do anything for a Bushi? Their Mixed Combat class feature seems to do essentially the same thing.

It lets you threaten squares if your weapon is sheathed and draw your weapon as part of making an attack of opportunity. If your DM doesn't mind you using free actions when it isn't your turn, then it does nothing. If your DM does mind, then it does something.

Unfortunately, what (if any) free actions are allowed outside your turn is a bit vague in Pathfinder (or at least it was during the time that Improved Quick Draw was written). It's not necessary, but it does make things a little more clear/explicit.

[ChrisAsmadi]

It lets you threaten squares if your weapon is sheathed and draw your weapon as part of making an attack of opportunity. If your DM doesn't mind you using free actions when it isn't your turn, then it does nothing. If your DM does mind, then it does something.

Unfortunately, what (if any) free actions are allowed outside your turn is a bit vague in Pathfinder (or at least it was during the time that Improved Quick Draw was written). It's not necessary, but it does make things a little more clear/explicit.

Right, but the Mixed Combat class feature (as opposed to the feat that's included in it of the same name) already includes that stuff:


Mixed Combat (Ex)
At 6th level, a bushi gains Mixed Combat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites. In addition, the bushi is considered to be threatening all adjacent squares even if his weapon is sheathed, and can draw his weapon when making any attack (including attacks of opportunity).

The only difference appears to be if you're somehow doing Bushi stuff with a reach weapon. Which, admittedly, could make for an interesting Bushi + Zweihander Sentinel combo using a polearm.

[Elricaltovilla]

Right, but the Mixed Combat class feature (as opposed to the feat that's included in it of the same name) already includes that stuff:

Then why ask the question?

It does nothing if your DM is fine with that as written, but I scour the internet and find horror stories (they're scary to me, okay?) about people houseruling all sorts of weird stuff, especially with path of war. The bushi's iaijutsu is a common target. So I try to be more thorough and provide all the options in case something is changed around at a player's table.

[ChrisAsmadi]

Then why ask the question?

Because it seemed an odd suggestion for a feat, that's all.