CW Samurai Wierd Build Ideas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

CW Samurai Wierd Build Ideas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
LordPhrofet
May 02, 2010 23:40:27 Hey Everyone,

Looking for any interesting ideas for a CW Samurai build that goes outside the box (besides the obvious TWF tree.) It will be a starting level 10 game with all official WoTC stuff open to use inlcuding 3.0 stuff as long as it hasnt been updated specifically. Any ideas would be great.
#2
cru
May 03, 2010 4:36:14 * one way of looking out of the box would be to create a samurai flavored build without the actual class
other useful CW samurai options
* samurai 1 / ronin 10
* intimidate builds involving Imperious Command feat (DotU) and Fearsome armor enhancement (DotU)
#3
Christof_Romulus
May 03, 2010 13:41:21 I agree with Cru... maybe using classes similar to samurai, using a katana, but infinately better... Try this build out - it's a little contraversial, but it just might work:

Fighter 10.

Seriously, Samurai is aweful.
#4
death_isthe_begining
May 03, 2010 15:38:32 Heck with the Fighter feats you can almost make a CW Samurai but with bonus feats and no lawful requirement. In fact the only good thing I can think for the class is it starts with a Masterwork Bastard Sword and Masterwork Short Sword(making it good in a level 1-3 adventure).
#5
Christof_Romulus
May 03, 2010 15:58:41 Actually, that's wrong, Death. The starting with masterwork weapons comes from the previous edition of Samurai - the Samurai from the Complete Warrior doesn't actually get two masterwork weapons at start - he's just proficient in their use.

"Daisho Proficiency (Ex): In melee combat, a samurai favors the katana (a masterwork basterd sword) and the wakizashi ( a masterwork short sword). Many samurai recieve an heirloom set of these two blades, known as the daisho. Because a samurai is trained in their use, he gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) as a bonus feat."

While it says "many samurai recieve" etc it doesn't say "you get 600 gp starting moneys extra."
#6
LordPhrofet
May 03, 2010 21:03:57 I know I know. I am not a big fan of the class either but hey always willing to try new stuff instead of the obvious fighter>samurai.
#7
jgumbyrx
May 03, 2010 21:16:13 another idea is to use the samurai from OA -- far superior.
#8
sally_jones
May 03, 2010 22:54:51 +1 OA samurai.
#9
Endarire
May 04, 2010 3:19:57 Be a Warblade (Tome of Battle) and outshine any class named "Samurai."

The Tier System fo Classes explains why a "Samurai" class is pigeonholed and underpowered.

While I'm at it, Hood.
#10
Christof_Romulus
May 04, 2010 13:06:55 While I agree that Samurai is down on the list of classes that are playable, I don't agree with the whole Tier System of Classes link, Endarire.

See, Samurai falls in the way-side not just because "it can't do much in any given circumstance", because that is a symptom of the problem, not the real problem. The real problem is the class itself - the result, and a symptom of this, is that it can't do much in any given circumstance.

Samurai, when you look at it, is truly awful. There is no "Quick dip" you could do into the class and obtain anything of worth, and more importantly if you stay in it for the long haul all you obtain are some nonspecific feats:

Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)
Two-Weapon Fighting
Quick Draw
Improved Initiative
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
Greater Two-Weapon Fighting

And what's worse - all of those feats only work with the Samurai's "Diasho". So no quickdrawing daggers or anything you would need to quick draw (as every adventurer always has their sword drawn).

Frankly, spending 20 levels for just those abilities makes the class pallingly bad - 20 levels of samurai is worse than the last 17 levels of Swashbuckler.

It is because you basically get nothing for playing a Samurai that it is ineffectual.

As for the tier system of classes - I disagree with much that is on the rankings of classes - though I do agree that Wizard is of course on top and commoner is on the bottom, I do believe that optimized characters don't fall into those specific categories as easily. PHB Paladin is extremely underpowered. Optimized Paladin is crazy, as an example.

The reason Samurai sucks is because it's just not optimizable.
#11
death_isthe_begining
May 04, 2010 18:57:22 I suppose you could make a every-stat-to-melee-attacks build (using the crappy Samurai to gain more attacks via TWF).
#12
awaken_D_M_golem
May 05, 2010 17:08:52 OA Samurai 1 , is all that class has useful, or needs.
#13
elthenar
May 05, 2010 17:23:11 Personally, nothing says Samurai to me quite like a Diamond Mind Warblade. I will hit you one time for times 4 damage!
#14
frulling
May 06, 2010 9:41:06 You can use samurai 5 to get in quickly to kensai, a good martial class, by adding some levels of exotic weapon master bastardsword you gett somthing playable even with a samurai. This way you get a good social skill selection.
#15
Balthanon
May 07, 2010 0:49:17 If you want to go a little goofy, you could always go Half-Dragon CW Samurai 3/OA Samurai 2/Dragon Samurai 8/Master Samurai 4-- doesn't really do anything well, but it's somewhat amusing to have every WotC published samurai class in one build. Plus, you get a breath weapon that does 14d8 damage every 1d4 rounds with the right feats. (CW Samurai 1/OA Samurai 4 would probably be better since the build is ridiculously tight on feats due to Master Samurai, but we wanted to go outside the box, and that means more than 1 level in CW Samurai. ;))

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 LordPhrofet May 02, 2010 23:40:27	Hey Everyone, Looking for any interesting ideas for a CW Samurai build that goes outside the box (besides the obvious TWF tree.) It will be a starting level 10 game with all official WoTC stuff open to use inlcuding 3.0 stuff as long as it hasnt been updated specifically. Any ideas would be great.
#2 cru May 03, 2010 4:36:14	* one way of looking out of the box would be to create a samurai flavored build without the actual class other useful CW samurai options * samurai 1 / ronin 10 * intimidate builds involving Imperious Command feat (DotU) and Fearsome armor enhancement (DotU)
#3 Christof_Romulus May 03, 2010 13:41:21	I agree with Cru... maybe using classes similar to samurai, using a katana, but infinately better... Try this build out - it's a little contraversial, but it just might work: Fighter 10. Seriously, Samurai is aweful.
#4 death_isthe_begining May 03, 2010 15:38:32	Heck with the Fighter feats you can almost make a CW Samurai but with bonus feats and no lawful requirement. In fact the only good thing I can think for the class is it starts with a Masterwork Bastard Sword and Masterwork Short Sword(making it good in a level 1-3 adventure).
#5 Christof_Romulus May 03, 2010 15:58:41	Actually, that's wrong, Death. The starting with masterwork weapons comes from the previous edition of Samurai - the Samurai from the Complete Warrior doesn't actually get two masterwork weapons at start - he's just proficient in their use. "Daisho Proficiency (Ex): In melee combat, a samurai favors the katana (a masterwork basterd sword) and the wakizashi ( a masterwork short sword). Many samurai recieve an heirloom set of these two blades, known as the daisho. Because a samurai is trained in their use, he gains Exotic Weapon Proficiency (bastard sword) as a bonus feat." While it says "many samurai recieve" etc it doesn't say "you get 600 gp starting moneys extra."
#6 LordPhrofet May 03, 2010 21:03:57	I know I know. I am not a big fan of the class either but hey always willing to try new stuff instead of the obvious fighter>samurai.
#7 jgumbyrx May 03, 2010 21:16:13	another idea is to use the samurai from OA -- far superior.
#8 sally_jones May 03, 2010 22:54:51	+1 OA samurai.
#9 Endarire May 04, 2010 3:19:57	Be a Warblade (Tome of Battle) and outshine any class named "Samurai." The Tier System fo Classes explains why a "Samurai" class is pigeonholed and underpowered. While I'm at it, Hood.
#10 Christof_Romulus May 04, 2010 13:06:55	While I agree that Samurai is down on the list of classes that are playable, I don't agree with the whole Tier System of Classes link, Endarire. See, Samurai falls in the way-side not just because "it can't do much in any given circumstance", because that is a symptom of the problem, not the real problem. The real problem is the class itself - the result, and a symptom of this, is that it can't do much in any given circumstance. Samurai, when you look at it, is truly awful. There is no "Quick dip" you could do into the class and obtain anything of worth, and more importantly if you stay in it for the long haul all you obtain are some nonspecific feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword) Two-Weapon Fighting Quick Draw Improved Initiative Improved Two-Weapon Fighting Greater Two-Weapon Fighting And what's worse - all of those feats only work with the Samurai's "Diasho". So no quickdrawing daggers or anything you would need to quick draw (as every adventurer always has their sword drawn). Frankly, spending 20 levels for just those abilities makes the class pallingly bad - 20 levels of samurai is worse than the last 17 levels of Swashbuckler. It is because you basically get nothing for playing a Samurai that it is ineffectual. As for the tier system of classes - I disagree with much that is on the rankings of classes - though I do agree that Wizard is of course on top and commoner is on the bottom, I do believe that optimized characters don't fall into those specific categories as easily. PHB Paladin is extremely underpowered. Optimized Paladin is crazy, as an example. The reason Samurai sucks is because it's just not optimizable.
#11 death_isthe_begining May 04, 2010 18:57:22	I suppose you could make a every-stat-to-melee-attacks build (using the crappy Samurai to gain more attacks via TWF).
#12 awaken_D_M_golem May 05, 2010 17:08:52	OA Samurai 1 , is all that class has useful, or needs.
#13 elthenar May 05, 2010 17:23:11	Personally, nothing says Samurai to me quite like a Diamond Mind Warblade. I will hit you one time for times 4 damage!
#14 frulling May 06, 2010 9:41:06	You can use samurai 5 to get in quickly to kensai, a good martial class, by adding some levels of exotic weapon master bastardsword you gett somthing playable even with a samurai. This way you get a good social skill selection.
#15 Balthanon May 07, 2010 0:49:17	If you want to go a little goofy, you could always go Half-Dragon CW Samurai 3/OA Samurai 2/Dragon Samurai 8/Master Samurai 4-- doesn't really do anything well, but it's somewhat amusing to have every WotC published samurai class in one build. Plus, you get a breath weapon that does 14d8 damage every 1d4 rounds with the right feats. (CW Samurai 1/OA Samurai 4 would probably be better since the build is ridiculously tight on feats due to Master Samurai, but we wanted to go outside the box, and that means more than 1 level in CW Samurai. ;))