kensai trouble

[Kazilan]

Currently trying a kensai for the first time, planning to dual to thief at level 12. I'm doing well enough so far, except when I get chunked by a critical hit. I prefer not to run around collecting the best items or doing anything 'cheesy', but I really need protection from crits. Can someone direct me to the easiest way to obtain an item that will do this? Is there an item a kensai can equip for this?

Maybe I should note that I'm playing with only my char, Yoshimo, and whichever npc is relevant to my current quest, and I'm still early in the game, so I'm both damage dealer and tank. Haven't decided yet if I want to take a third character into spellhold/the underdark.

extra question: will uai allow me to use bows?

[ZFR]

In Winspear hills I believe the mask that you assemble protects from crits. Not sure if usable by kensai's though....

Also I thing there is a mod/ fix that allows ioun stones to protect against crits.... again not sure about kensai usability...

[Kyrvias]

As far as I know, the mask is still under the "Helmet" flag, and therefor unusable to the Kensai.

As far as Ioun stonse... well, I don't know. Might be good to check it out.

[SixOfSpades]

Any item in the Helmet slot, including all Ioun stones, will protect from Critical Hits.

Kinda stupid when you try to imagine a powerful blow from a heavy Warhammer being knocked to the side because it glanced against a weightless pebble floating around your head.

[Shadow Stranger]

The Mask of Strohm III seems usable by everybody, there is no unusable information anywhere. There is also no additional property like increased AC. I used Shadow Keeper to get a look at it.

[ZFR]

Originally Posted by SixOfSpades Any item in the Helmet slot, including all Ioun stones, will protect from Critical Hits.

You're right. But before the fix-pack ioun stones couldn't be used by annyone... only those who can wear helmets...

[ZFR]

Originally Posted by Kyrvias As far as I know, the mask is still under the "Helmet" flag, and therefor unusable to the Kensai.

The mask is not under the helmet flag.

In games where the ioun stone wasn't usable by anybody, it was the only item that could be worn by mages, thieves... etc on the head and protect against crits.

[Shadow Stranger]

The Shadow Keeper explicitly shows a lot of items to be unusable by Kensai, all of the helmets that I checked. But it doesn't show this for the Mask.

[Kyrvias]

Great then. We have yoru answer. Ioun stones... adn the mask of King Strohm the III.

This is to be noted for my future kensai runs..