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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Epona of The Laughing Hyenas

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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Be sure that our nature will reign

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?)