Best way to portray a Samurai? [3.5]

[imp_fireball]

I was thinking of retooling the samurai. Although for your purposes, warblade would do the trick. You can add in crusader too if you want to make them particularly lawful/faithful/whatever.

Anyway -

Samurai should have combat styles and depending on the style they choose (which appropriates at given level points), they can empower themselves in that manner. There's more to a samurai then staring somebody down and looking all stoic (which is pretty much all complete warrior does).

The standard signature move of the samurai is there weapon draw and attack, all in one smooth movement.

CW interprets this as, quick draw - but only with the katana and wakizashi (I don't even remember if they remembered to include wakizashi in there) - complete crap in other words.

Instead, make it quick draw with katana and wakizashi - and then allow a them to make an attack as a swift action with either one of them. The katana counts as a light weapon for this purpose as well, meaning you can perform sneak attacks/sudden strikes with it. Make sense? Samurai really love katanas.

At higher levels, if they use this ability against someone they have higher initiative than, then they can make two attacks in a swift action. How rad.



Offense combat style -

Power lunges - Multiple 5ft. steps per round. Full attacks galore.

Repetition Ki - Combine Ki with sword strokes that work. Assuming you made a critical strike, you can threaten automatically the next round, however you have to take 10 on the given attack. So if you hit while taking 10, then you roll to confirm without the need of determining whether or not you threaten.

Relentless in the Kill - Sacrifice attacks of opportunity for additional attacks on a full attack action. Each additional attack imposes a -2 penalty to all attacks. At higher levels, this does not require a full action.

Mounted - Mounted combat and archery as selectable bonus feats.

Debuff Style

Blood Makes Fear - Everytime you kill somebody, you gain a +1 to intimidate for that round per kill. Douse yourself in the blood as a move action and you get to keep half of those bonuses for the rest of combat.

(whatever the Japanese word for 'emotional intensity' is applying to samurai demonstrations in real life... starts with a Z) - Intimidate as a swift action.

Icey Fingers Clutching the Heart Atwixt the Ribs - Intimidate is more powerful, and does more then its usual affects. At high levels you can panic enemies depending on degree of success.

Cold Stare - Use Wisdom instead of Charisma for intimidate. You can project the fact that you are of very clear understanding that your opponent is weak and pathetic rather then having to make yourself seem scary.

Tank/Buff Style

Stance - Acquire dwarven stability. If you are a dwarf already, stacks with dwarven stability.

Stoic - Like paladin's divine grace but uses wisdom instead of charisma. Or constituion - whatever attribute seems more appropriate to samurai (depending on MAD, of course).

Dominate Self - Basically iron heart surge. At high levels, you can gain temporary SR, or gain an additional move action to buff it further, etc.

My Duty is My Life - Greater defense and/or offense against chaotic aligned creatures.