Better weapon type for kensai?

[DJG]

Sword can be interpreted in many different ways.

Personally, I always thought Katanas and Kensais went hand in hand. My friend always plays Kensai and always uses Katanas.

But, after what you said Alson, Flails do seem the best!

[Dundee Slaytern]

Dwarf Kensai using Katanas? Sorry, it just does not compute. Force a Dwarf to use swords and I think he will use it to commit hara-kiri instead.

Now... a Dwarf Kensai dualwielding Flails, that I can imagine. Sacrificing armour so that he can hit faster, harder and better compared to other Dwarves.

Half-Orcs too. When I think of Half-Orcs and one-handed swords, I think of butterknives.

[Dev]

Single Weapon Style > Dual Wield.

The AC bonus and almost twice as many crits more than makes up for the extra attack IMO.

/dev

[Gromnir]

+4 katana? Who? What? Where? When? how?

[Sir Exxon]

Originally posted by Gromnir: +4 katana? Who? What? Where? When? how?

Throne of Bhaal.

[Indemaijinj]

My (non-tactical) considerations on the kensai.

Type 1: The lone swordsman.

Race: Human.

Proficiencies: Katana, Single Weapon Style.

A man who has got nothing left but himself, his sense of duty and his katana. Everyone who has seen the famous old movie "The Seven Samurais" will agree that these dethroned itenerant knights carrying katanas and little else is the epitome of coolness.
I really think that dual-wielding katanas detracts a bit of the charm from it. After all a katana is a bastard sword and the coolness factor also dissapears when you see him flailing wildly about with two blades. A lone swordsman does not kill his opponents with a flurry of blows, but with a few well placed ones.
If you REALLY want him to dual wield slap a few points in scimitar and give him a wakasashi. IF you want him to have a missile weapon samurais were usually also accomplished longbowmen.

Type 2: The man with a stick.

Race: Human (or whatever you like).

Proficiencies: Quarterstaff, Two Handed Weapon Style.

I have always thought it is a bit stupid that monks are able to use long swords while they are unable to unable to use a simple stick. Afterall I have always looked at the quarterstaff as a staple in the martial arts world. Well, let us imagine that this particular kensai is a monk who has just chosen a slightly different path of training focusing on the use of simple staves rather than kicks and barehanded strikes. Go ahead and pound people in their heads in a really kung-fu movie manner.

Type 3: The runt with the big sword.

Race: Halfling or Gnome.

Proficiencies: Two Handed Sword, Two Handed Weapon Style.

This one relies on it's grotesqueness as it's charm. Take a halfling or gnome, preferable a female because they look even more petite. Give them a sword that is probably three times as tall as themselves. The reason why it has to be a kensai is that armored halflings and gnomes loose a bit if their petiteness.

Type 4: The master fencer.

Race: Elf, Half-Elf (or Human).

Proficiencies: Long Sword, Single Weapon Style.

Alternative Proficiencies: Long Sword, Dagger, Two Weapon Style.

This guy views his mastery of the blade as an art form. He eschews armor because it hinders his movements and his grace. When fighting he looks as though he is dancing, doing all lunges and parries with what seems to be the greatest of ease, but is of course the result of deep concentration and years of training.
Sometimes fencers carry a dagger as a secondary weapon to turn aside weapons and stuff, hence the dual wield option.

Type 5: The dwarwen kensai.

Race: Dwarf.

Proficiencies: Either Axe or Hammer (or both). Choose between Single Weapon or Two Weapon style.

If a dwarf really had to be a kensai they would probably choose one of their old traditional weapons.

Type 6: The Prince of Persia.

Race: Human or Half-Elf.

Proficiencies: Scimitar, Single Weapon Style.

Alternative proficiencies: Scimitar, Dagger, Two Weapon Style.

A spin-off of the fencer with an oriental twist.

Type 7: The Maelstrom of Chains.

Race: Drow(Elf) or Half-Orc.

Proficiencies: Flail, Two Weapon Style.

Dual-wield two flails and imagine that you are wielding a spiked chain. Barbed, babaric and beautiful. The epitome of bloodletting grace.

Type 8: The oaf with a club.

Race: Half-Orc.

Proficiencies: Club, Single Weapon Style.

"Uhh, I dun' no how to get thar blastud armor un'. But I can hits peopuls i thur heads with me club." You should choose a male half-orc because they look good with little clothes on. Shadow-keeper him a nice lush green skin tone.

[White Lancer]

I agree with the dagger being used to block weapons idea. Can anyone make a mod that allows you a chance of turning away a weapon (swords only maybe?) based on your strength and dexterity versus your opponents strength? Obviously the chance of succes would depend on what type of weapon your opponent was using, can you imagine someone stopping a two handed sword with a dagger?

EDIT] For example, you would cheack dexterity to see if you can move the dagger to the right spot to stop the weapon, then you would check your strength against that of your opponents, whomever had the highest would win, but different weapons have different modifiers, for example, a dagger would have no modifiers, but a two handed sword would give your opponent a bonus such as his strength +3 for determining whether or not you block it.

I like this idea, and if i could, i'd do it myself, but i can't, so i'll fob it off on someone else. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 10-04-2002, 03:08 AM: Message edited by: White Lancer ]

[Timber Loftis]

Originally posted by White Lancer: I agree with the dagger being used to block weapons idea. Can anyone make a mod that allows you a chance of turning away a weapon (swords only maybe?) based on your strength and dexterity versus your opponents strength? Obviously the chance of succes would depend on what type of weapon your opponent was using, can you imagine someone stopping a two handed sword with a dagger? EDIT] For example, you would cheack dexterity to see if you can move the dagger to the right spot to stop the weapon, then you would check your strength against that of your opponents, whomever had the highest would win, but different weapons have different modifiers, for example, a dagger would have no modifiers, but a two handed sword would give your opponent a bonus such as his strength +3 for determining whether or not you block it. I like this idea, and if i could, i'd do it myself, but i can't, so i'll fob it off on someone else. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Do your opponents get this cool ability too?
Don't forget you'd need to decrease your attacks per round - if you are trying to emulate D&D rules that is.

[White Lancer]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: Do your opponents get this cool ability too? Don't forget you'd need to decrease your attacks per round - if you are trying to emulate D&D rules that is.

Ofcourse, everyone gets it, fair is fair [img]smile.gif[/img] Why decrease attacks though, the dagger replaces the shield. You could have it set to make 1 attack per round with the dagger for a set ammount of damage (2 or 3 maybe, something ridiculusly low anyway), and one less attack with your long sword or something.