Two words: Critical Strike. With it, your high-level fighter is as good as a kensai using kai, except that he can wear armor too. The kensai's become an obsolete class. At high levels your THAC0 will be so good that you will likely automatically hit anything with AC -10 or worse so the kensai's to-hit and damage bonuses are irrelevant.

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Kensai is better at lower levels, but I think you're right, the fighter comes out on top in the long run.
The extra THAC0 bonus is good in the early stages of the game, but even so IMHO that never balanced out the fact that you couldn't use armour or ranged weapons.

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Can Kensai wear the fabulous Mage Apprenti Robe? It gives AC3 and my Monk can wear it.

Its a pity about the Kensai because I loved them I really did.

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Can't Kensais use the Big Metal Unit? Bwahahahaha... I know monks can, but if Kensais can too, then they have no weaknesses anymore... I think... other than those of a normal fighter.

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But so many enemies have 'undroppable helmet with no animation' that critical strike does not work effectively. However Kai works through this. The AC penalty is a problem throughout their careers though. Kai and Whirlwind, however, is a beautiful thing to behold.

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What drives me mad is the ability cap at level 20, no better saveing throws or anything. A fighters thaco should end up a -10 but NO, the spell progreesion table isnt even proper, at level 28 a mages should have 6 of each spell, but at level 31 they only have 5. THe expansion pack does make wizard slayers quite good tho as they end up with very high magic resistence.

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Ahhhh, but you can't use critical strike w/ greater whirlwind can you... But the Kensai can use his kai + greater whirlwind (which is def. an advantage).

You can if you have a Fighter/Mage (such as Lord Raptor - F/M/T) and use Alacrity frst - 10 Crits inthe next round http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gifhttp://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gifhttp://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...es/biggrin.gif




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Not quite the same thing though.

You could also use the am. of speed/improved cloak of prot./ring of gaxx w/ improved haste that will last longer (multiple rounds) and give about 9 hits a round w/out any whirlwind (or even needing to be a mage).

Senior Shield, as a curiosity - when were you getting High level special abilities? I noticed that with a fighter/theif multiclass they were starting at about 3 mil exp. points regardless of level (w/ a new ability each time you leveled up for each class). This seems to give more special abilities (I think up to 8 mil it was about 22, which I believe is more than either class alone). (Just wondering if a 3way multiclass gives even more?)

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.