They are still good for dualing to a mage.

It's all about how you want your character to look and feel, its image that's important not your abilities.

If you think a kensai is a cool play one-all 20th level fighters are very tough anyway and a kensai mage is definitely better than a fighter mage.


IMHO all the new high level abilities are just sick anyway, they are fun to use but it seems to me that Black Isle felt obliged to add something new to pique our interests in ToB and encourage us to buy the game. They could have come up with something else.

Can you imagine how pissed you'll be when nwn comes out and your 6th level character gets killed in one hit by the 19th level fighter using death blow because he took offense to you for no reason.

I doubt if these high-level feats will be in NWN.

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Critical strike does not make all attacks in the next round do maximum damage like KAI does. KAI lasts longer and guarantees the max damage. The vast majority of major enemies in ToB that would fall quickly with critical strike have the double damage overted by helmets making this a pretty useless ability IMO. THAC0 stops dropping at 0, but a high level kensai with a decent weapon has -23 (even lower) which GUARANTEES that you will hit any enemies. I think that the most reedeming feature of kensais is the damage bonus though. 45-50 damage with each hit is incredibly desirable and is easily 10 damage higher than any regular fighter could achieve.

Kensai's remain king of duel class now though. Duel a kensai to a thief at around level 15 (assuming you have a small party to gain the necessary XP) gives +5 to hit and damage, -3 to speed factor, numerous KAI abilities, and the extra attacks per round from levels 7 and 13. When the thief gains the abilities from the inactive class, and gains further abilities from the thief pool, you can select "use any item" This means your Kensai can then be kitted out with Carsomyr Holy Avenger +6 and have a superior sword (granting him 50% MR!) with damage bonuses and the ability to wear any armour. Very nice. Long live the kensai.

I must say that I agree with Tuor and hazaed, I would much rather be a Kensai/mage, then a fighter mage. But....elven chain.....hmmmmmmmmm


Still I think that a kensaimage is better then a fighter mage.

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Jim said...

"45-50 damage with each hit is incredibly desirable and is easily 10 damage higher than any regular fighter could achieve."

That is not true. my lvl 32 warrior, with +5 and +4 swords, 5 in long sword, 3 in dual weild hits in the mid 40's. my STR is 22 btw. it _might_ have been with critical strike but i highly doubt it. I'll check my game and see.