Kensai build.

[Master Thrower]

Hello I'm looking to build a frontline combatant, and the kensai class looks interesting. But i don't know how to build one. My current build is something the along the lines of fighter 4-6ish kensai up to level nine, using a jovar. But i dont know how good that would be. Books avalible are PH, CW, CadV CD CA, planar handbook. DMG, Drc

[Dr.Epic]

Hello I'm looking to build a frontline combatant, and the kensai class looks interesting. But i don't know how to build one. My current build is something the along the lines of fighter 4-6ish kensai up to level nine, using a jovar. But i dont know how good that would be. Books avalible are PH, CW, CadV CD CA, planar handbook. PH, DMG, Drc

What sort of enchantments would you add to your weapon?

[Master Thrower]

What sort of enchantments would you add to your weapon?

Since the jovar is a 18-20 crit i'd make it keen and burst of some sort

[Tokuhara]

Hello I'm looking to build a frontline combatant, and the kensai class looks interesting. But i don't know how to build one. My current build is something the along the lines of fighter 4-6ish kensai up to level nine, using a jovar. But i dont know how good that would be. Books avaliable are PH, CW, CadV CD CA, planar handbook. PH, DMG, Drc

1. Racially, I suggest a (ironically) Lesser Aasimar (essentially an Aasimar w/out Outsider type. Mentioned in PGtF) or a Dragonborn Water Orc (cheesy, but brutal)

2a. Using the Lesser Aasimar, use Samurai from CW. Yeah, it sucks under many circumstances, but its a CHA-based nightmare. Combo it with Paly, then some Kensai and Ordained Champion, and you rise to beatstick coolness. Just don't forget to either take the Feat Paly or the Dynamic Priest feat from Dragonlance, which makes your casting CHA, not WIS, and voila. You are a single-minded noble hero of celestial ancestry who uses an ancestral daisho (maybe make it come from one of the realms of Celestia)

2b. For the Dragonborn Water Orc, don't do fighter. Ever. I suggest either Knight or (ironically) Favored Soul. In the Knight build, combo it instead with Dragon Lord from Dragon Magic or maybe Knight Protector fro CW, then jump into Kensai. In this case, make your shield your favored weapon. Sure, sword & board isn't awesome, but you'd be a friggen tank! For Favored Soul, be a favored soul of Hextor and take EWP: Dire Flail. Then go Kensai with the Dire Flail.

[Master Thrower]

The only problem is those races are banned as they aren't in the allowed books. and while favored soul is good, i'm going to be the primary melee fighter of the party

[Tokuhara]

The only problem is those races are banned as they aren't in the allowed books. and while favored soul is good, i'm going to be the primary melee fighter of the party

Then, with that, I suggest Gnome. Seriously: NOBODY would expect a Gnome Samurai. EVER!!!

[Dr.Epic]

Since the jovar is a 18-20 crit i'd make it keen and burst of some sort

Not a bad idea. Just have some others in case you constructs, undead, or anything else immune to crits.

Then, with that, I suggest Gnome. Seriously: NOBODY would expect a Gnome Samurai. EVER!!!

No, a butterfly.

[Master Thrower]

what levels should I take though? as a ninth level character ideally i'd like to enter kensai at 5. but the fifth level of fighter is pointless.

[Dr.Epic]

what levels should I take though? as a ninth level character ideally i'd like to enter kensai at 5. but the fifth level of fighter is pointless.

Paladin? You'd get smite evil, detect evil, not to mention lawful works for you, but are you planning to be good.

[Master Thrower]

Paladin? You'd get smite evil, detect evil, not to mention lawful works for you, but are you planning to be good.

Unfortunately the party is an evil party...

[Tokuhara]

what levels should I take though? as a ninth level character ideally i'd like to enter kensai at 5. but the fifth level of fighter is pointless.

I'm gonna stick to my Gnomish guns and suggest you actually do Hexblade (If you're LN, you still qualify!) and take up a couple levels in Exotic Weapon Master.

[Master Thrower]

I'm gonna stick to my Gnomish guns and suggest you actually do Hexblade (If you're LN, you still qualify!) and take up a couple levels in Exotic Weapon Master.

BUt what does gnome get me? it reduces my frontline damage, and makes me easier to grapple

[Dr.Epic]

Unfortunately the party is an evil party...

Paladin of Tyranny Try and convince your DM to let you use Unearthed Arcana.

I don't know. Is one pointless level of fighter really that bad? Maybe rogue for the sneak attack ability. It could come in handy, but a d6 HD. Meh.

[Master Thrower]

Also rouges dont get full base attack bonus. so i'd need to levels of rouge

[Tokuhara]

BUt what does gnome get me? it reduces my frontline damage, and makes me easier to grapple

+2 Con? +1 AC? Illusion SLAs? Need More?

Talk to your DM about letting one ACF in: SA Fighter. Remove fighter's feats and give him SA.

[Master Thrower]

hmm. how about hexblade 4 fighter 1 kensai 4

[Tokuhara]

hmm. how about hexblade 4 fighter 1 kensai 4

I'd say go for it, plus pick up a level or two in Exotic Weapon Master after Kensai4

[Iku Rex]

Ftr4/Mnk2 is a good way to enter Kensai. You get the skills you need, and the monk feats can come in handy (Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes). Evasion works well with Withstand. Don't be afraid to wear armor.

[Master Thrower]

what about monk 4 fighter 2 kensai 3. If so what feats should I take.

[gallagher]

you listed PH twice, does that mean one is psionics?

if so, psychic warrior with soulbound weapon would be pretty legit. tashlatora (or however it is spelled) monk 2/psiwar 3 will get you expand, vigor, and call weapon, two fighter feats that can also be psionic feats, and you will be able to make yourself larger (if you can fit in practiced manifester and earth power, i dont know if my math is right, but you might be able to make yourself two size categories higher... if not make it monk 1 psiwar 4 and see if that works)

also, make it a keen jovar. critfishing works well with it, and ask your DM if you can get strongarm bracers from MiC. it will let you wield one size category larger. that makes it 2d8 if i recall. expand to one size category higher makes it 3d6, and augment to larger makes you 4d6 base damage.

[Quietus]

Also rouges dont get full base attack bonus. so i'd need to levels of rouge

ROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUEROGUE ROGUE

Rouge never gets any base attack, ever. Unless it's animated and awakened, I suppose, but then it's still freaking makeup.

[enderrocksonall]

I'd suggest the Fighter 5 and then dervish and kensai. I ran one of those using scimitars and two-weapon fighting and his AC can get into the mid 60's using combat expertise feat and the defensive weapon magical enchantment.

[Master Thrower]

Fighter 1 ranger 1 monk 4 kensai 3

Feats
Weapon focus (unarmed strike) combat expertise. Aesthetic hunter
Fists of iron
Improved initiative
Superior unarmed strikes

Fighter 1 Hex blade 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Weapon focus (Jovar) combat expertise, blindfight
Improved critical (jovar)
Power critical (jovar)
Improved initiative

Samurai 1 Fighter 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Two weapon fighting, oversized two weapon fighting, weapon focus (bastard sword)
Combat expertise
Improved initiative.
Two weapon defense.

[Iku Rex]

Quick suggestion:

Fighter4/Monk2/Kensai3

1 Human
1,3,6,9 levels
1,2,4 ftr
5,5,6 mnk

Dodge
Power Attack, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Defensive Throw (CWar)
EWP: SC, Weapon Focus (Spiked Chain), Karmic Strike (CWar)
IUS, Improved Grapple, Combat Reflexes


AoO/trip build. You could save a feat by using a guisarme and relying on unarmed strikes up close. Requires decent stats. (Str for trip and damage, Dex for AC and AoOs, Con for surviving and Int for Combat Expertise.) Improved Disarm would also be nice, but there aren't enough feats.

Being Large gets you a +4 bonus on trip as well as 20' reach, so consider buying lots of potions of enlarge person.

Armbands of Might (4100 gp, CAdv) are must-haves, for extra damage and Str check bonus.

[Dark_Nohn]

Fighter 1 ranger 1 monk 4 kensai 3

Feats
Weapon focus (unarmed strike) combat expertise. Aesthetic hunter
Fists of iron
Improved initiative
Superior unarmed strikes

Fighter 1 Hex blade 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Weapon focus (Jovar) combat expertise, blindfight
Improved critical (jovar)
Power critical (jovar)
Improved initiative

Samurai 1 Fighter 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Two weapon fighting, oversized two weapon fighting, weapon focus (bastard sword)
Combat expertise
Improved initiative.
Two weapon defense.

TWF is not the way to go if you're going for Kensai, unless you also want to drop a feat into an exotic WP in a double weapon (which is cool if you do,) as you only get one kensai weapon. Also, once you're into Kensai, keep going with it until you hit 10, otherwise at higher levels you'll look back and think "I wasted 4 levels on a PRC, and all I get for it is a +4 weapon"

What race are you planning on playing? Dwarf and Human are the two most iconic for fighter-types...

[Master Thrower]

Ok realized two weapon fighting was bad. Was thinking double weapons. realized its still bad. I'm more focus on my unarmed kensai right now (unfortunatly dm doesnt allow multi arm shenanigans) my other build is more for fun but i might do anyways depending on what happens. Advice for either helps.


Human
Paladin of tyranny 4 monk 2 kensai 3

Feats
Weapon focus (unarmed strike) combat expertise.
Aesthetic Knight
Stunning fist (monk bonus feats)
Combat reflexes (monk bonus feats)
Improved initiative
Superior unarmed strikes

Fighter 1 Hex blade 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Weapon focus (Jovar) combat expertise, blindfight
Improved critical (jovar)
Power critical (jovar)
Improved initiative

My main problem is wether or not to take 1 or 2 levels of monk.
And yes i'm aware paladins of tyranny are in UA but my dm allows them.

[jiriku]

Fighter 1 ranger 1 monk 4 kensai 3

Feats
Weapon focus (unarmed strike) combat expertise. Aesthetic hunter
Fists of iron
Improved initiative
Superior unarmed strikes

Fighter 1 Hex blade 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Weapon focus (Jovar) combat expertise, blindfight
Improved critical (jovar)
Power critical (jovar)
Improved initiative

Samurai 1 Fighter 4 Kensai 4
Feats
Two weapon fighting, oversized two weapon fighting, weapon focus (bastard sword)
Combat expertise
Improved initiative.
Two weapon defense.

You'll need a level of rouge to benefit from Aesthetic hunter.

[Master Thrower]

You'll need a level of rouge to benefit from Aesthetic hunter.

Hunter is ranger. and i switched my builds anyways.

[Urpriest]

Aesthetic Knight

That does not mean what you think it means...

On the other hand, it would at least make your character really pretty. Or possibly just an art snob.

[Fawsto]

That does not mean what you think it means...

On the other hand, it would at least make your character really pretty. Or possibly just an art snob.

LOL. HARD TIME. CAN'T BREATH. HELP! LOL.


Don't go too far into critmonger. Your DM will start sending oozes and co. to fight you.