Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 prince_of_parkness Feb 26, 2009 9:51:48	Long story short I'm currently playing a level 5 factotum with maxed out iajutsu focus. With a charisma of 14 that’s a +10 modifier, allowing me to deal up to 5d6 extra damage with my gnome quick razor if the target is flat footed (incidentally, this is a completely original idea). I asked the DM about the skill and he okayed it (*). Recently I checked my character sheet (this is an online game) and I could not find a record of my iajutsu focus skill. I couldn't find it anywhere. I looked at the bottom and saw that the DM was the last to edit my character sheet. Evidently he removed the iajutsu part. Now, if we assume this wasn't an accident, I think my DM is trying to tell me something. So far I haven't done anything. We are in the middle of combat and I just continued using the skill. I posted my attack, including my iajutsu focus result and the damage resulting from it. She has not yet posted a response. After thinking about it I realized that without Iajutsu focus my ability to do damage would be greatly reduced. I might be willing to make a compromise and not have the skill maxed out, but I really do not want to have it removed entirely. The main question is, do I go on using the skill and wait for the DM to talk to me directly about it or should i bring the topic up as soon as possibly? * = To complicate matters, I went back to my original question to see if I had misphrased something about the skill when I requested its use. I had, slightly. There is a feat in the oriental handbook called iajutsu focus. Only samurai’s can put ranks init, but since all skills are class skills for the factotum they should technically be able to have ranks in it as well. It gives extra damage depending on the check on an attack immediately after you draw the weapon against a flat footed opponent. Would you allow me to use this skill along with a gnome quick razor? I wouldn’t in the least bit mind if your against this, but if you’d allow it I’d put some ranks into the skill. Emphasis mine. Also, at the end I implied the skill wouldn't be maxed out. However, his response was that yes I could use those feats, so I wasn't paying attention when I proof read my request and neither was he when he okayed it.
#2 Zherog Feb 26, 2009 10:10:45	One of the problems, at least a little bit, is you're mixing editions. Oriental Adventures is 3.0 and everything else is 3.5. The problem comes in with this: There is a feat in the oriental handbook called iajutsu focus. Only samurai’s can put ranks init, but since all skills are class skills for the factotum they should technically be able to have ranks in it as well. 3.0 had a concept called exclusive skills that was dropped in the upgrade to 3.5. For a core rules example, there was the rogue skill Use Magic Device. No other class could spend ranks on the skill (bard may have had it as well, fuzzy memory...) -- and that includes if the rogue was multiclassed. For example, a rogue 1/fighter 1 could not spend the fighter skill points on UMD. Further, if the player then took another level of rogue, his fighter level didn't count for determining max ranks. What would I do if I were your DM? It's hard to say because I almost certainly wouldn't have allowed it in the first place. That doesn't really help though, I guess. You and your DM need to talk about the issue, preferably outside the scope of the game. Face-to-face is best, but if this is an on-line game, I'm going to guess that isn't possible. Over the phone is the next best, but if that's not possible I'd go with IM. Listen to her concerns, and hopefully she'll listen to yours. I'm quite certain there's room for a compromise here - for example, requiring you to take the feat, halving the damage, etc. If there isn't a compromise available, I would hope she'd let you work up a new character concept.
#3 prince_of_parkness Feb 28, 2009 13:06:17	Bump.
#4 chaosturtle Feb 28, 2009 19:06:33	Bring the topic up asap to the dm...if they took it off your character sheet, then I'd respect that and play without it being there for the time being.
#5 calronmoonflower Feb 28, 2009 21:49:36	Your DM should have told you that he was retroactively banning the use of the skill. Not doing so is a big gaft and might explain why he hasn't got back to you. I suggest that you have a frank, but non confrontational talk to him about it. Also there is few other things that I'd like to point out. Iaijutsu Focus is a skill, nit a feat. it also requires you to draw the weapon in the same round that you strike to get the damage in addition to the flat footed requirement. I cannot find where it says that the Iaijutsu Focus is an exclusive skill. Also There is a bit of errata, but no updates.
#6 prince_of_parkness Mar 01, 2009 5:32:08	Your DM should have told you that he was retroactively banning the use of the skill. Not doing so is a big gaft and might explain why he hasn't got back to you. I suggest that you have a frank, but non confrontational talk to him about it. I just sent her a quick note asking whether or not the skill was still allowed. Also there is few other things that I'd like to point out. Iaijutsu Focus is a skill, nit a feat. I know, it was a typo. However, I latter in the request mentioned that it was a skill at least 2 times. it also requires you to draw the weapon in the same round that you strike to get the damage in addition to the flat footed requirement. Not relevant for gnome quick razor. Every attack takes place after the weapon is drawn. (But you cannot make AoOs)
#7 prince_of_parkness Mar 07, 2009 6:46:47	Well, my Dm has completely ignored me and my group. He has not posted in our thread at all and has ignored my private message regarding iaijutsu focus...
#8 deviknyte Mar 07, 2009 8:23:49	Your GM should have told you first. That is a huge breach of trust between you and your dungeon master. But I personally completely agree with the decision to ban this. We allow a lotta 3.0 in a our 3.5 campaign. But anything that has been reprinted (a lot of feats from Oriental Ad), redesigned (weapon master), or errata'ed we use updated version. Somethings aren't convertible and other things just shouldn't have been printed, such as iaijustsu focus.
#9 prince_of_parkness Mar 10, 2009 2:31:42	Well my DM has finally posted on the game thread, but he has completely ignored my request for a clarification of iaijutsu focus so I'm just going to continue using it for now.
#10 dfoster Mar 12, 2009 8:46:23	It won't really cause any harm to keep using it, however you might want to ask a bit more directly if you are still allowed to use iaijustu focus as it appears your GM is trying to avoid conflict so anything less then being as direct as possible is going to be ignored (point out that you know that he can just ignore the damage if he doesn't like the skill, and that you'd have no problem removing the skill from your sheet if it's causing issues (well unless you would have a problem with that but then I'd seriously consider rethinking why your playing at all), basically make it obvious you know that he might be thinking it's a problem and you honestly want to know if he wants it toned down or not). Otherwise I forsee you ending up in a situation where your DM is determined to ignore it, so you can put all the posts you want on the forum with your iaijustu focus, and the bonus damage you think you are going to get from it, but he'll just ignore the bonus damage and tell you the result of the unmodified attack. Which will lead to you getting ****** as you could have used something else that would have helped instead of a skill that did nothing. And trust me it would get obvious very fast when you started summing damages and worked out your enemies seemed to have far more hit points then everyone else's.
#11 prince_of_parkness Mar 12, 2009 10:02:02	It won't really cause any harm to keep using it, however you might want to ask a bit more directly if you are still allowed to use iaijustu focus I have been fairly direct: "I was just wondering if you had changed you're mind about allowing iaijutsu focus. P.S. I edited my actions on the game thread because I remembered I do not threaten with a gnome quick razor." He did not answer. I do not want to send another message for fear of appearing to agressivly push the issue. as it appears your GM is trying to avoid conflict so anything less then being as direct as possible is going to be ignored (point out that you know that he can just ignore the damage if he doesn't like the skill, The DM can ignore anything. He can also have an astroid land on you. However, he shouldn't. and that you'd have no problem removing the skill from your sheet if it's causing issues As I said in my origional post, I would agree to limit my ranks in the skill but I do not want to have remove it completely. 1d4+2 damage just isn't much. On second thoughts, having half maximum ranks in the skill makes more sense for a factotum since it reinforces the idea that they can dapple in many things but are masters of nothing. Factotum: Hey, look what I can do. (Performs iaijutsu focus) Oriental samurai: Whilst you're technique makes you resemble a drunk jack ass missing one leg i must acknowledge you can apply the skill impressivly given you're lack of formal training. (well unless you would have a problem with that but then I'd seriously consider rethinking why your playing at all), Because I want to contribute to the parties ability to slay monsters? basically make it obvious you know that he might be thinking it's a problem and you honestly want to know if he wants it toned down or not). I think I did. Otherwise I forsee you ending up in a situation where your DM is determined to ignore it, so you can put all the posts you want on the forum with your iaijustu focus, and the bonus damage you think you are going to get from it, but he'll just ignore the bonus damage and tell you the result of the unmodified attack. Which will lead to you getting ****** as you could have used something else that would have helped instead of a skill that did nothing. And trust me it would get obvious very fast when you started summing damages and worked out your enemies seemed to have far more hit points then everyone else's. Then my DM is cheating and I wouldn't be sure whether I wanted to continue playing.
#12 liquid150 Mar 13, 2009 19:41:45	your DM is a pansy. go ahead and quote me on that :D
#13 prince_of_parkness Mar 18, 2009 13:35:26	I edited my character sheet, halving my ranks in iaijutsu focus from 8 to 4 and sent a message to my DM informing them of my actions along with a guarantee that I would continue putting only half the maximum ranks into the skill. Hopefully they will accept this and neither of us need worry any more about the skill.
#14 prince_of_parkness Apr 06, 2009 13:04:50	Turns out my DM had fallen silent due to lack of time to devote to the game. He has now found a Co-DM who doesn't seem to have a problem with IF. Meanwhile I didn't want to start a new thread and since this is semi relevent: What do I take as my 6th level feat? I'm torn between a. Two weapon fighting for more damage b. Improved unarmed strike so I can take attacks of opertunity Or is there another option?