Samurai

The Pros and Cons of a Samurai

The samurai's combat abilities make him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.

Samurai Assets

The samurai class offers excellent combat benefits along with an array of special abilities than can demoralize foes. Below are several assets you have going for you when you play a samurai.

• • High Hit Points: The samurai's 10-sided Hit Dice let him absorb plenty of damage and keep right on going.

  • Good Armor Class: A samurai is proficient with any kind of armor, but not with shields. Nevertheless, he usually has a formidable Armor Class to complement his excellent hit points.

  • Good Attack Bonus: A samurai's base attack bonus is +1 per samurai level, which is the best in the game. Thus, he can dish out damage even better than he can take it.

  • Good Weapon Selection: Though he fights best with the daisho (see below), the samurai can use any simple or martial weapon. Thus, he has access to some of the best weapons in the game.

  • Good Fortitude Saves: A samurai uses the best save progression in the game for Fortitude saves (see Table 3-1 in the Player's Handbook). This natural hardiness helps him resist most effects that attack his body, such as poison, polymorphing, and energy draining.

  • Daisho Abilities: The daisho is a set of weapons consisting of a katana (bastard sword) and a wakizashi (short sword). Every samurai carries the daisho as a badge of rank. At your DM's option, your samurai may begin play with an heirloom (usually masterwork) daisho. In any case, he gains Exotic Weapon (bastard sword) as bonus feat at 1st level. As he attains levels, he learns to fight with the katana and the wakizashi in combination, effectively gaining the Two-Weapon Fighting feat when using those two weapons together. Later in his career, he gains the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Greater Two-Weapon fighting feats when using his katana and wakizashi together.

  • Kiai Abilities: Starting at 3rd level, a samurai can shout once per day to improve his combat prowess. When he does so, he gains a bonus equal to his Charisma bonus (but always at least +1) on his attack and damage roll for one attack. At higher levels, he can use his kiai shout more often.

  • Iaijutsu: Beginning at 5th level, a samurai gains Quick Draw as a bonus feat, though it applies only to use of his katana or wakizashi (or both). At 8th level, he becomes so speedy in combat that he gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat. This feat functions regardless of the weapon used.

  • Staredown: Starting at 6th level, a samurai can disrupt a foe's composure with his piercing gaze, gaining a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks made to demoralize that foe. As he attains higher levels, he can use this ability to demoralize multiple foes. Eventually, he becomes so fearsome that he can put opponents to flight merely by drawing his blade.

Samurai Weaknesses

As with any other character, the samurai's advantages come at a price. Here are a few of the disadvantages you should keep in mind if you're considering a samurai character.

• • Low Skill Points: At a mere two skill points per level, most samurai don't accumulate many skill ranks, even with quadruple skill points at 1st level. To make matters worse, the samurai's staredown ability relies on Intimidate checks, so he needs to accumulate at least a few ranks in the Intimidate skill. But committing a lot of skill points to Intimidate leaves even fewer available for purchasing other skills.

  • Poor Reflex and Will Saving Throws: Samurai have the worst progression for Reflex and Will saves in the game (see Table 3-1 in the Player's Handbook). This drawback means they aren't so great at getting out of the way when the situation gets rough, nor can they easily shake off assaults on the mind.

  • Low Mobility: A samurai's reliance on heavy armor tends to make him a slow mover on the battlefield.

  • Bushido: A samurai must have a lawful alignment and may never act rudely, lie, be cowardly, or disobey an order from his overlord. In some campaigns, the overlord might be a distant figure who has little impact on play. In others, however, the samurai must be at his lord's back and call at all times -- a situation that can prove immensely frustrating for a player character. In any case, a character who must live by a particular set of rules can prove inconvenient, especially when those around him have no such restrictions.