mirror of
https://github.com/opsxcq/mirror-textfiles.com.git
synced 2025-08-06 20:46:30 +02:00
163 lines
7.7 KiB
Plaintext
163 lines
7.7 KiB
Plaintext
:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:
|
||
-----=====Earth's Dreamlands=====-----
|
||
(313)558-5024 {14.4} - (313)558-5517
|
||
A BBS for text file junkies
|
||
RPGNet GM File Archive Site
|
||
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
|
||
|
||
Kensai
|
||
|
||
Ability Requirements: Strength 9
|
||
Dexterity 15
|
||
Wisdom 12
|
||
Prime Requisites: Dexterity,
|
||
Wisdom
|
||
Races allowed: Human
|
||
|
||
The Kensai (literally, "sword saint", but in game terms, a true
|
||
specialist in a specific melee weapon) is a Warrior subclass. Many
|
||
Chinese and Japanese heroes who excelled in one weapon could be
|
||
considered to have been Kensai.
|
||
|
||
Only a human may become a kensai. He must have minimum ability scores
|
||
of Strength 9, Dexterity 15, and Wisdom 12. Dexterity and Wisdom are
|
||
the prime requisites of the kensai. A Kensai must always be lawful,
|
||
but may be good, neutral, or evil. The fierce dedication to his weapon
|
||
demands self discipline, which extends to his outlook on life.
|
||
|
||
A kensai who has Dexterity and Wisdom scores of 16 or more gains a 10
|
||
percent bonus to the experience points he earns. The kensai uses the
|
||
experience table for rangers/paladins.
|
||
|
||
A kensai is allowed to use any weapon. However, he chooses one specific
|
||
kind (longsword, katana, staff, or whatever) to be his Specialty weapon.
|
||
As he gains levels, he gains special abilities only applicable to his
|
||
specialty weapon.
|
||
|
||
The kensai has the following special restrictions:
|
||
|
||
1. He may not wear armor, or use any magical item that increases his
|
||
armor class, as this is contrary to becoming "one" with his weapon.
|
||
|
||
2. He does not gain 'to hit' or damage bonuses due to high strength
|
||
when using his specialty weapon, due to the extremely high degree
|
||
of control he must keep over his weapon.
|
||
|
||
3. He may never use a magical specimen of his specialty weapon.
|
||
Again, this would not be a true measure of his skill with the
|
||
weapon.
|
||
|
||
4. Full experience points are earned only when he fights with his
|
||
specialty weapon. If he uses another weapon any time during melee
|
||
with an opponent, he gains only half experience for that battle.
|
||
|
||
5. He must train and practice with his specialty weapon at least two
|
||
hours per day. Any missed practice must be made up before
|
||
advancing to the next level, at the rate of one extra two-hour
|
||
session per day of missed practice. Only one day can be made up
|
||
per day of extra (4+ hour) training.
|
||
|
||
6. As a point of honor, the kensai must accept any fair challenge to a
|
||
duel with an honorable foe. This need not be a duel to the death.
|
||
First blood, or even first draw, is possible.
|
||
|
||
The kensai also has the following special abilities:
|
||
|
||
1. Due to the intense mental discipline he imposes on himself, the
|
||
kensai makes saving throws versus mental attacks at an additional
|
||
+2 on the die roll. If the attack does not normally allow a saving
|
||
throw, he has a straight 10% chance of avoiding all effects of
|
||
the mental attack. A kensai is immune to all forms of fear.
|
||
|
||
2. The kensai receives proficiency and fast-draw (Iaijutsu) for his
|
||
specialty weapon without having to spend proficiency slots.
|
||
Blind-fighting only costs him one proficiency slot.
|
||
|
||
3. A kensai may choose to Style Specialize in any of the following
|
||
styles: Single Weapon, Two Weapon, or Two-Hander. However, he
|
||
may not make use of "Weapon Specialization".
|
||
|
||
4. By training his reflexes to superhuman levels, a kensai increases
|
||
his Armor Class by 1 for each experience level he has, up to tenth
|
||
level. The kensai also has improved initiative and number of
|
||
attacks, as shown in the table below. The initiative bonus is also
|
||
used as an additional bonus to saving throws based on dexterity,
|
||
and in surprise situations, above and beyond Dexterity effects.
|
||
|
||
Level Init. Bonus Attacks/Round w/Specialty Weapon
|
||
----- ----------- ------------- ------------------
|
||
1-4 -1 to roll 1/round 3/2 rounds
|
||
5-8 -2 to roll 3/2 rounds 2/round
|
||
9-12 -3 to roll 2/round 5/2 rounds
|
||
13+ -4 to roll 5/2 rounds 3/round
|
||
|
||
5. Possibly the most important ability the kensai earns is the ability
|
||
to do extra damage and actually affect creatures normally requiring
|
||
magical weapons to hit.
|
||
|
||
At third level, the kensai's specialty weapon has a +1 to hit and
|
||
damage, and is treated as a +1 magical weapon. For every three
|
||
additional levels, these bonuses are increased by one, to a maximum
|
||
of +6 at 18th level.
|
||
|
||
When a kensai has the option of attacking more than once in a
|
||
round, he has the option to sacrifice one or more of his attacks to
|
||
increase the effectiveness of another.
|
||
|
||
By sacrificing one attack, the kensai can increase the
|
||
effectiveness of a remaining attack in one of the following ways:
|
||
|
||
(a) Adding three effective levels to his attack. This improves his
|
||
THAC0 by three, and usually increases the "magical" value of
|
||
the attack. If the kensai has enough attacks to sacrifice,
|
||
this may be taken twice.
|
||
|
||
(b) Letting the attack do maximum damage if it hits.
|
||
|
||
By sacrificing two attacks, the kensai can also increase the
|
||
effectiveness of a remaining attack in one of the following ways:
|
||
|
||
(a) He may launch a "whirlwind" attack, attacking all opponents
|
||
within a 10 foot radius once in the same round.
|
||
|
||
(b) He may make a special attack with his weapon that duplicates
|
||
the effects of a "Sharpness" weapon. On a natural '18-20',
|
||
he can sever or permanently disable the limb of a normal/
|
||
armored foe. On a natural '19-20', he can sever (et al)
|
||
the limb of a foe of size L or greater. And on a natural
|
||
'20', he can cut through / shatter / perforate solid metal
|
||
or stone.
|
||
|
||
6. At the DM's option, a kensai's specialty weapon may be able to
|
||
do more damage than it normally would. A wooden sword may do
|
||
as much damage as a steel one, or "martial arts weapons" like
|
||
bamboo pipes or silk fans might do nontrivial damage. Low-
|
||
damage weapons may have other advantages (the aforementioned
|
||
silk fan might be able to block attacks, for instance). It
|
||
all depends on how whimsical the DM is.
|
||
|
||
Example: A 9th level Kensai (longsword, 1-8/1-12) is attacked by
|
||
ten orcs, led by an ogre. The ogre challenges the kensai to a
|
||
duel. The kensai warns the ogre of his skill, but finally
|
||
agrees to the duel. With his two-hander style specialization
|
||
and weapon bonus, his longsword has a speed factor of 0 (-1,
|
||
but can't be less than zero). He rolls a six, adjusted by -3
|
||
for his level. The ogre rolls a one, adjusted by +3 for his
|
||
size. The kensai goes first.
|
||
|
||
Wishing to get the combat over as quickly as possible, the
|
||
kensai decides to do maximum damage with his first round's two
|
||
attacks, sacrificing one. He rolls a hit, and does 16 hp of
|
||
damage. The ogre, badly hurt, uses his action to retreat and
|
||
orders the orcs to surround the kensai! Not an honorable
|
||
move.
|
||
|
||
The kensai, nonplussed, again gains initiative. The ten orcs
|
||
are all within ten feet of him, and he has three attacks coming
|
||
to him this round, so he sacrifices two, and does a "whirlwind"
|
||
attack. Needing a '3' to hit the AC 6 orcs, he hits nine of
|
||
the ten, killing eight and injuring the ninth.
|
||
|
||
The ogre and remaining two orcs take off running...
|
||
|
||
|