High initiative, obviously, but what are some feat combos or just general methods to make a target flatfooted with a Samurai/IM? All books are allowed.
you could get your charisma to charisma based checks, although how does that help to get someone flatfooted?
sudden draw and hidden blade skill tricks result in a flat footed opponent, as does the flick of the wrist feat.
i once played an iaijustu master, and relied on a high initiative for the first strike, followed by a flick of the wrist wakizashi for a second.
you'll need a reliable way to cover the distance to the target after you win initiative. its a waste to lose the advantage of catching them flat-footed by using your turn to double move just to reach them.
Step 2: Go kill stuff.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit!
Step 1: Gnome Quickrazor, Races of Stone.
Step 2: Go kill stuff.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit!
That's the one.
But yes, the Gnomish Quickrazor is what you want as it can be sheathed as a free action, meaning you can get Iaijutsu Focus on every attack of your full attack sequence.
In other words, could one apply the "benefit" of EWP Quickrazor (ie. draw&sheath as a free action) to the bastard sword with aptitude enhancement?
Edit: Dunno why I had Gloom Razor written there instead of Gnome Quick Razor. Must be the hour and too much reading of ToB.
A level of Marshal for Motivate Charisma wouldn't hurt either, would give you a bit more to the skill check.
Anyway, Factotum 8/Iaijutsu Master 8/Fighter 4. Extra standard actions+double attacks on all standard actions. Fighter lets you qualify for Iaijutsu Master, saving most of your feats for Font of Inspiration.
Also, Gnome Quickrazor looks kinda weak to me. Why not just carry around 50 or so katanas and get Strike From The Void on your attacks?
And it doesn't matter how weak the weapon is. You can make iteratives with it and get the iaijutsu damage on each hit.
Why not just carry around 50 or so katanas and get Strike From The Void on your attacks?
You are brought before your Crane Clan Daimyo/overlord. He looks over your hedgehog form with 50 Katanas. A long look. Then he barks a laugh at your foolishness and tells you commit to seppukku for bringing dishonor on the Kakita school. :P
You are brought before your Crane Clan Daimyo/overlord. He looks over your hedgehog form with 50 Katanas. A long look. Then he barks a laugh at your foolishness and tells you commit to seppukku for bringing dishonor on the Kakita school. :P
I guess about twelve katanas would be enough. Kind looks like that guy from Samurai Troopers even.
You are brought before your Crane Clan Daimyo/overlord. He looks over your hedgehog form with 50 Katanas. A long look. Then he barks a laugh at your foolishness and tells you commit to seppukku for bringing dishonor on the Kakita school. :P
You then silently walk up to him, and suddenly, fast as lightning, you start pulling out katana after katana, the iajutsu tecniques flowing perfectly before you hit him with each and let it drop on the ground. six seconds later, your master lay bleeding on the ground.
You then silently walk up to him, and suddenly, fast as lightning, you start pulling out katana after katana, the iajutsu tecniques flowing perfectly before you hit him with each and let it drop on the ground. six seconds later, your master lay bleeding on the ground.
Silently walk up to him?!? Are you freaking kidding me?
At what point did your lord tell you to pick your forehead up off of the floor? The moment you lift your head off the ground and even so much as look at him and think about getting up the other dozen or more 10th level masters of the Kakita school will cut you down like a dog...with their free surprise round.Forget a dozen. It would only take one. One strike, two cuts. Two IF bonus damage at 1d10+Str+9d6+90 or so ...each.
I guess about twelve katanas would be enough. Kind looks like that guy from Samurai Troopers even.
Ok, I know where you are going with this but seriously:
Oriental Adventures: Iaijustsu Master: one strike 2 cuts vs. flat-footed foes
Discussion Thread
Response (Support Agent) 05/22/2007 05:31 PM
Thank you for writing.
1. Iterative attacks in the same round you draw your sword can have Iaijutsu bonuses applied.
2. The One Strike Two Cuts ability can be used to make two attacks using the damage bonus from Iaijutsu Focus as long as you drew your weapon that round or as the strike in an Iaijutsu duel. There has also been an errata to this ability that states the second strike is made with a -5 to the attack.
Please let me know if you need anymore help!
Good Gaming!
Rob.
Customer Service Representative
Wizards of the Coast
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Customer (Aceon) 05/22/2007 10:50 AM
The text box on the bottom of Oriental Adventures p.82 "Iaijutsu Strikes in Normal Cobat" requires only that the character draw his sword in the same round as the strike. Does that mean iteritive attacks in the round vs. a single or multiple flat-footed foes all gain Iaijutsu Bonus damage? So long as you draw the blade in the same round?
What about the "One Strike 2 Cuts" 8th lvl class ability?
Can the One strike 2 cuts be used on a flat-footed foe to make 2 Iaijutsu Focus strikes?
The only thing you need to worry about is the move action to sheath your ONE katana at the end of the round, or beginning of the following round. And extra move actions are now, thankfully, not all that hard to come by. (see belt of battle.)
I guess about twelve katanas would be enough. Kind looks like that guy from Samurai Troopers even.
You forget, you need 2 katanas for every standard action (or I thought you did, apparently you only need one). You also forget I reccomended Factotum, the ckass that can get over 20 standard actions in one round.
I do mean about 50 katanas.
Also, Quick Draw, perhaps paired with a Handy Haversack if you can get that to fly with a DM.
You forget, you need 2 katanas for every standard action (or I thought you did, apparently you only need one). You also forget I reccomended Factotum, the ckass that can get over 20 standard actions in one round.
You forget...you forget...It seems I forget a lot. :D
But have you forgotten the true meaning of Iaijutsu?
If you don't go first...you die!
No foe = flat-footed
thus no bonus Iaijutsu damage. at least not on all your attacks anyway...yeah maybe get a blurstrike and acrobatic backstab in there...but how can you, when your foe goes first - you are already dead.
My hardly optimized 12th lvl char has a +43 initiative modifier. I brought it down from sickening levels ...didn't want to be too roach. :P It doesn't pay to **** off your dm. I win initiative...if not I get a free reroll, I then swift action move, then get my 5 touch attacks with one blade at 1d10+Str+9d6+72 each.
50 Katanas? Cool. Now, they are lying on the floor. Kinda hard to factotumly take 20 or 50 standard actions when your dead.
I do mean about 50 katanas.
Also, Quick Draw, perhaps paired with a Handy Haversack if you can get that to fly with a DM.
and good luck with that.
You forget, Factotums get UMD/some (admittedly weak) spells. Get Foresight. Maybe some Wraithstrike. In real play, your build may or may not be better than mine, but unless fighting another Iaijutsu user, or someone who can OHKO you, my build WILL do significantly more damage.
You forget, Factotums also get Int to Init. Iaijutsu gets Cha. Get a Warning/Eager weapon, or something. Katana in one hand, Eager Warning Dagger in the other. You already need Imp. Init. Who needs a full attack when you can get over 20 standard actions?
You forget, you need 2 katanas for every standard action (or I thought you did, apparently you only need one). You also forget I reccomended Factotum, the ckass that can get over 20 standard actions in one round.
I do mean about 50 katanas.
Also, Quick Draw, perhaps paired with a Handy Haversack if you can get that to fly with a DM.
50 katanas? That would mean 25 standard actions, that's like 72 inspiration points (69 with a belt of battle). You would need to take the Font of Inspiration feat 11 times to get enough IP and that requires Intelligence 32... this is not really a problem when you start at level 20 and all, but playing with a melee character with nothing but Intelligence for stats would suck at lower levels.