Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Nyat 09-24-04, 12:01 AM	I've been interested in the Iaijutsu Master prestige class for some time, I like the concept of the class, especially their level 10 ability :D . I'm usually decent at optimizing characters on my own, but I've never really been any good at making good mellee builds (hence why my current character is a Sorcerer, and I chose Sorcerer because I just don't like wizards). So anyone got any good Iaijutsu Master builds?
Nazzareth 09-24-04, 12:43 AM	Monk 2, fighter 2, Samurai 4, Exotic Weapon Master 2, Iaijutsu Master 10.
Gharlane 09-24-04, 12:50 AM	Fighter 2 / Samurai 4 / Daidoji Bodyguard 4 / Iaijutsu Master 10 Fighter 1 / Samurai 4 /Daidoji Bodyguard 6 / Iaijutsu Master 9
JLP 09-24-04, 01:20 AM	Samurai 10/Iaijutsu Master 10
scrollreader 09-24-04, 01:33 AM	HERE (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=312017)
LaneDreast 09-24-04, 02:06 AM	Human Paragon2/Sorceror1/Monk2/Ninja1/Fighter2/EWM2/IaiM10 The point of the sorc levels is to turn a much forgotten spell/rule into a device to get iajitsu focus more often. The only spell you want, really, is grease. Requires people to make a dc15 balance check. Not that big of a deal. Anybody making a balance is considered flat footed unless they possess balance ranks. Thus, you can use iajitsu focus during the round. I would have liked to have put marshall in there, to double your charisma bonus, but the needed BAB prevents that. So, first round, if you win initaitive, iajitsu focus. If you lose, grease. Second round, reverse. Then iajitsu focus until your grease spell runs out. Hopefully whatever you are facing will have died by then. An alternative to sorc is getting an item of grease a set number of times a day, as a command word activated item. If you do this, grab samurai 1 instead of the second level of Human paragon, and marshall instead of sorceror.
catharz 09-24-04, 02:17 AM	With Dragon magazine, I like Monk 2/Sorc 1/Swash 3/Sam 1/Arcane duelist 3/Iaijutsu master 10. Take the Kung fu genius and Faerie mysteries initiate feats. Int to damage, Initiative, AC (twice), HP (in place of Con). Cha to AC, Iaijutsu. Free BAB in power attack damage.
dvryce84 09-24-04, 03:14 AM	What does the Faerie Mysteries Initiate Feat do, or at least, where is it located? Thankyou
SigmaJargon 09-24-04, 07:53 AM	Dragon 319, I believe.
Michael Tree 09-24-04, 01:45 PM	Where could I find the Kung Fu Genius feat?
catharz 09-24-04, 05:01 PM	319, both. Int for monk abilities and Int to HP instead of Con.
Aceon 09-24-04, 06:08 PM	There are two thing that you sort of need to get by to go this way. At least if you want to use IF after the first round, and btw it is better to win initiative than not, so make sure you do. 1) Finding ways to make your opponent flat - footed (besides just in the 1st round prior to their taking their 1st action. I love the grease idea! Not exactly sporting for a Samurai but you take what you can get when it comes to Iajutsu. A good case can be made that the state of being stunned is equivalent to not being able to take an action and should therefore be subject to IF damage, but that is between you and your DM, if he/she is lenient. After you start killing off major bad guys with tons of HP, don't expect the leniency! Flick of the Wrist will I think do it for you on a Bluff check (good thing you have a such a high Cha) 2) What happens after you draw your sword? Say your opponent is flat footed and you have 4 or so attacks. You gleefully use IF on the first attack (after you draw your sword) but your opponent is still flat footed and you have more attacks, but ...you have already drawn your sword. Quick draw is a must have for you, but there is not "Quick Sheath" to put your sword away and attack again. Also, there is that provoking an Attack of Opportunity when you sheath your sword. So, how do you get more attacks in a round? A really cheesy method is to draw your katana, your sword, the soul of a samurai, attack once with it and cast in the dirt so you can draw your next short sword or what have you. You might carry many weapons on your person for just that reason. This doesn't exactly earn you respect among your samurai peers, and is expensive if you need to enchant them all. Another way is to combo with Whirlwind attack. The FAQ specifically says that you can IF as a single attack on multiple foes with WWA. Feat intesive, but well worth it. Another way is to Spring attack, draw cut and move back, and then sheath your sword. Then repeat using grease or Flick of the wrist the following round. Lastly, (and this is not very honorable) if your foe is paralyzed or helpless, slice and dice! You could get a friendly spellcaster or magic item to help with this.
Nazzareth 09-24-04, 10:08 PM	Here's another one I posted ages ago it uses feats from the rokugan setting source book. Monk2\ fighter2\Samurai6\Iaijutsu Master 10 You need alot of high stats to get the most of this build I had str 14 dex 18 con 12 int 16 wis 15 cha 14 Monk2\ fighter2\Samurai6\Iaijutsu Master 10 you get a total of 16 feats (10 of them can be technique feats) Needed feats Improved initiative, Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Combat Reflexes, Expert Tactician. Clan technique feats I took the Different Schools feat that allowed me to take the Way of the Scorpion, Pincers and Tail, Versatile (bluff) and Bayushi's Technique(x5) feats. Two feats left over. You get your DEX, INT and WIS mods to AC when unarmoured. You get your DEX, INT and CHA mods to initiative checks. and 5d6 sneak attack helped alot with iaijutsu focus strikes. I would open up with three iaijustu strikes for the starting round and then use Combat feinting in the following rounds.
Ysereh 09-26-04, 06:34 PM	Samurai 2/Paladin 2/Fighter 2/Templar 1/Iaijustsu Master 10/Monk 2/Bladedancer 1
Aceon 09-27-04, 09:40 AM	1) Finding ways to make your opponent flat - footed (besides just in the 1st round prior to their taking their 1st action. I love the grease idea! Not exactly sporting for a Samurai but you take what you can get when it comes to Iajutsu. on a Bluff check (good thing you have a such a high Cha) Uh, you really had me going on that grease idea! I checked the spell description, and while a good case can be made for your argument that an opponent would be flat footed.. nowhere in the spell description does it actually say that your foe becomes flat footed. Much like my stunning idea. My char would use stunning fist and try to stun the foe...if successfull (almost never) I would then get my IF bonus dice. But that was again a creative ruling on the state of being stunned. Nowhere in D&D does it actually say that a stunned opponent is also flat footed! The description of flat footed is a very limited situation that usually happens only during the surprise round and or in the first round of combat prior to the foe taking his first action. The remarkable characteristic of being flat footed is that you can not act to defend yourself. I would argue that in situations where a foe can not act, can not take his action and can't move and is also deniend his dexterity to AC...that if all these conditions are true, that you could take your IF attack on that foe. But technically speaking it is the DM's call, and in my experience, once you start to chop up all his bad guys with you IF...then DM's are typically not inclined to make rules calls that favor you. If you really want to be strict, technically an opponent who is helpless or paralyzed is not FLAT FOOTED, by the strictest D&D definition of the term. There is a bright side, the feat "Flick of the wrist" is a must for any IF using Iaijuts Master. Or, at the very least you must sit down with your DM and determine in what situations he will allow the use of IF. My DM doesn't allow ANYTHING from OA. (he knows me too well! :devil: )
Kalender 09-27-04, 11:10 AM	nowhere in the spell description does it actually say that your foe becomes flat footed. Read the Balance skill description, there is what you're looking for.
Aceon 09-27-04, 11:39 AM	Awesome! I am very glad to see this! That makes the IF usable as often as you get someone to cast grease for you. Still, not very honorable, but if your IM build is going to be a Scorpion clan member doing sneak attacks, then it is entirely appropriate! Being Attacked while Balancing: You are considered flat-footed while balancing, since you can’t move to avoid a blow, and thus you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). If you have 5 or more ranks in Balance, you aren’t considered flat-footed while balancing. If you take damage while balancing, you must make another Balance check against the same DC to remain standing. Hmm, the wording of this also tends to clarify flat footed a bit more. Seems to me that, "since you can’t move to avoid a blow" tends to define flat footed for the purposes of using trying to balance while being attacked. Might that not also means that there are other situations that also fall within the category of, "since you can't move to avoid a blow"? That gives my stunning argument a bit more credibility since someone who is stunned can not act. Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). So, I guess that means that if a character is helpless or paralyzed or bound he is also flat footed? Cowering too ? (since he can take no actions): Cowering: The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class and loses her Dexterity bonus (if any). More uses for Iaijutsu Focus.
Aceon 09-27-04, 02:08 PM	All this is pretty academic since it still does not change the fact that once you have drawn your blade you can only attack once with it, before the Iaijutsu Focus extra bonus damage no longer applies. Quick draw will get the weapon out of it's scabbard as a free action, but it won't put it back. And putting it back is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity!
troublemaker 09-27-04, 03:40 PM	All this is pretty academic since it still does not change the fact that once you have drawn your blade you can only attack once with it, before the Iaijutsu Focus extra bonus damage no longer applies. Quick draw will get the weapon out of it's scabbard as a free action, but it won't put it back. And putting it back is a move action that provokes attacks of opportunity! but this built is still interesting.... monk2/fighter4/samurai4/iaijutsu master 10/ in the first round of combat... feinting my built gets 1d10 + STR (10) + 5 (magical bonus) + 2 (specialization) + 5D6 (bayushi technique) + 6D6 (iaijutsu focus) + 6 x 6 (Cha bonus to iaijutsu focus) --- the othe 2 attacks (one from Iaijutsu master ability and other from expert tactician; you can still have another attack using haste, by boots of speed) you attack with 1d10 + 10 + 5 + 2 + 5d6 ... pretty nice.... And scorpion clan technique.. gives you the oportunity to have all the attacks being considered critical ..... pretty nice indeed.... always feinting in combat with 3 attacks and also with a great chance to score a critical... NIIIICE :) []´s
Nazzareth 09-27-04, 05:03 PM	The scorpion feat that makes all successful feint attacks critical threats is called The Pincers Hold The Tail Strikes. This feat is great for any character that has feats or weapon abilities that kick in on a crit. A PSI warrior with this feat and has the body feeder and or mind feeder weapon abilities can all ways have steady supply of HP and PP. Here are some builds that I posted ages ago which max's this out. This build is for 3.0 only A scorpion samurai using the The Pincers Hold The Tail Strikes feat from the Rokugan source book can kill one enemy every round if they combat feint. The Pincers Hold The Tail Strikes gives a auto critical threat on a successful combat feint. All they have to do is use their ancestral diasho to give their katana the vorpal ability and take the complete warriors Power Critical feat a couple of times make sure that they always confirm the critical hit. Bluff is a class skill for all scorpion characters so that is no problem, take skill focus in it as well. You could also add a burst ability to your katana as well, or at lower levels for this feat. Maxium brust build A Crab Samurai 8 /Hida Defender 1 / Weapon Master 10/ Exotic Weapon Master 1 With the different school and versitle feat could take The Pincers Hold The Tail Strikes feat and wreak havoc with it combined with a burst weapon ability. Take a Merurial Dire Pick as your weapon of choice it will have a critical Multiplier of 6, & 7 when you use your weapon master ability. Use the Exotic Weapon Masters Uncanny Blow to gain x2 str bonus when using the weapon two handed. Thats (1d8+strx2)x6+1d6+6d10 damage for a feint attack. You could add more damage to this by taking Bayushi's Technique five times for +5d6 sneak attack damage. A scorpion monk with levels of rogue could do massive amounts of damage as well. With The Pincers Hold The Tail Strikes feat combined with the Round About Kick and Expert Tacticion feats. use you feint attack to stunnig blow your enemy, and gain two extra attacks one from Expert Tacticion and one from Round About Kick. Hopefully with a successful bluff and stunnig blow you will gain sneak attack damage on all three attacks. There is another feat I read some where (in a dragon magazine I think) that lets you stun your enemy on critical hit, it can only be used with bludgeoning weapons. This would be great as it would save you your stunning fist attacks and you could use it every round to keep a foe stunned. If anyone can find it for me it will help.