# Kensai build - need opinions + input



## Ardenian (Feb 20, 2007)

anyone play a Kensai?

i wanted to start as a barbarian, for the hit points, then at level 7ish, switch to a Kensai (Complete Warrior, prestige class) but the barbarian is any non-lawful alignment, and the Kensai has to be lawful - so thats out - so i was going to go with a straight Fighter, until i attain the apporperate skill levels and than cross over.

anyone have any feat suggestions?

i was going to be human and take:
*Exotic Weapon Proficiency* (his weapon of choice will be the Bastard Sword) secondary weapons of Great Sword, and Spiked CHain
*Weapon Focus*
*Quick Draw*

thanks
[a]


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## Shazman (Feb 20, 2007)

Go fighter 4/swordsage 3.  Take diamond mind as your preferred discipline.


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## Ardenian (Feb 20, 2007)

i dont have the BoNS - could you post the details for a Swordsage?

thx


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## Machiavelli (Feb 20, 2007)

If you still want rage, fast movement, and eventually tireless rage, your character could be a "Druidic Avenger" from Unearthed Arcana.  It's like the druid, with the noted barbarian features, but you lose the animal companion, spontaneous summoning, and take a -4 to animal empathy checks.  At 7th level you can easily meet the Kensai prerequisites.  You'll have 3 Wildshape uses per day that you probably won't want to use (it melds your signature weapon, making it useless while in animal form), but you can dump them into powering Lion's Pounce [CD] instead.  You'll also have 2 rages per day, which you could swap for Whirling Frenzy [also UnArc] to synergize nicely with Lion's Pounce.  Heck, your signature weapon could be something "swoopy" like a Great Scimitar, or a Scyth to free up the EWP feat.

The flavor of a Druid 7/ Kensai x is MUCH different than a Fighter 8/ Kensai x, of course.  You'd almost need to be charged with the destruction of a small empire to justify building up your power to high levels before launching the crusade that would make or break your character.  Heck, your DM may be delighted to run with that plot hook (in the campaign I'm playing in, my DM is building the campaign around our orc fighter's ambition to use the 2nd-Edition rules for securing his own holdfast and self-made lordship).

It's just a thought.  It's not terribly optimized, especially considering the druid's armor restriction, but I just think it's a very cool idea.


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## Seeten (Feb 20, 2007)

Ardenian said:
			
		

> i dont have the BoNS - could you post the details for a Swordsage?
> 
> thx




Medium Bab, lots of maneuvers, d8 hd, wis to ac, weapon focus with diamond mind weapons, which includes bastard sword, Swordsages are mucho cool. Oh, lots of skill points, too.


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## FalcWP (Feb 20, 2007)

Ardenian said:
			
		

> anyone play a Kensai?
> 
> i wanted to start as a barbarian, for the hit points, then at level 7ish, switch to a Kensai (Complete Warrior, prestige class) but the barbarian is any non-lawful alignment, and the Kensai has to be lawful - so thats out - so i was going to go with a straight Fighter, until i attain the apporperate skill levels and than cross over.
> 
> ...





I would pick something different for your backup weaponry.  The Greatsword offers very little that the Bastard Sword does not, and the spiked chain would require another Exotic Weapon Proficiency to use properly.  Also, since you're going with a bastard sword, one assumes you're also using a shield.  This would mean a lost move action to switch to another weapon, as you'd have to remove and drop the shield.

I might suggest Agile Shiled Bash (PHB II, requires Shield Specialization, also in PHB II, and Improved Shield Bash), which would give you the option of shield bashing fairly efficiently, especially if you get a Bashing shield.  Another option for that would be two levels of Ranger (which help you get all your skill requirements), although that would be a light armor build, and would only work for a light shield.  

For a Human Fighter 7 (or Fighter 6/X 1), you might go with:

Level 1:  Combat Expertise
Human:  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)
Fighter 1:  Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword)
Fighter 2:  Shield Specialization
Level 3:  Improved Shield Bash
Fighter 4:  Weapon Specialization (Bastard Sword)
Level 6:  Agile Shield Fighter
Fighter 6:  Quick Draw

A Human Fighter 4/Ranger 2 might look at:

Level 1:  Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)
Human:  Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword)
Ranger 1:  Track
Ranger 2:  Two Weapon Fighting
Fighter 1:  Combat Expertise
Level 3:  Improved Shield Bash
Fighter 2:  Quick Draw
Fighter 4:  Weapon Specialization (Bastard Sword)
Level 6:  Shield Specialization (To help make up for your lower AC).


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## SpiderMonkey (Feb 20, 2007)

That's funny; I just ran a 12th level Paladin/Kensai for a one shot this weekend.

I had a pretty good run for the build.  I basically went for a heavy damage build.

Feats (I don't remember them all)

Power Attack
Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
Divine Might
Divine Vigor
Extra Smiting

One memorized spell: Rhino's rush

If you have a good charisma bonus and don't mind taking a round to buff up, this guy's scary without being broken.  

1st Round: Kensai Power Surge (+8 str) standard, Divine Vigor (temp hit points and +10 move) move equiv

2nd Round: Charge, cast Rhino's Rush (swift, x2 dmg on charge), divine might (free, +Cha to dmg), smite evil, power attack (subtract 5 [which you added from the smite], for a +10 dmg).

3rd Round: Full attack while using Divine Might and Smite Evil until it stops whimpering.

Disadvantages: you will need the cleric in a tough fight.  I was the meat shield in that one, and the DM disallowed animated shields; this hurt my defensive capabilities a great deal.

Really fun.


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## SpiderMonkey (Feb 20, 2007)

To the OP,

Incidentally, how were you thinking of building your weapon?


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## brendan candries (Feb 20, 2007)

kensai + bastard sword/katana + dip exotic weapon master (uncanny blow) 

str bonus x2 + power surge (+8 str) FTW


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## Ardenian (Feb 20, 2007)

sorry n00bie here..

what does "dip exotic weapon master" mean

additionally - i have no idea what "FTW" means


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## Ardenian (Feb 20, 2007)

i'm just learning about Prestige Classes - i probably have 20+ years of gaming experience - and about 2 months with the 3.5 rule set - all of my DnD came with v. 1.0.

i know the kensai has to "create his weapon" and i have an idea for it...

Take a Spiked Chain, and use the links as the blade for a Bastard Sword.. have them magicly fused together.. possibly 3 strands of chain tward the hilt, which tapers to 2, then 1 at the "business end" and have the edges sharpened... it would look like a frozen chain blade.

i'd like to use a special material like Mytherial(sp) or something else... i'm still toying with that.. additionally the Frozen Chain blade works with the Spiked Chain 2nd weapon.  Add in some chain to the Helf or Full Plate armor and i'll have the desired "look"

human, possibly female.. but i'm not sure i can pull that off.. lol


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## Victim (Feb 20, 2007)

Ardenian said:
			
		

> sorry n00bie here..
> 
> what does "dip exotic weapon master" mean
> 
> additionally - i have no idea what "FTW" means




Exotic Weapon Master grants a number of special abilities that the character can pick -1 per level.  So you'd want to take one level of EWM to Uncanny Blow, which doubles your STR bonus to damage (instead of x1.5) when using a one handed exotic weapon (like the bastard sword) in two hands.  With a high STR score, the two handed bastard sword will actually be doing more damage than the greatsword.  Combined with the Kensai's Power Surge, you can get even more mileage out of the the STR boost.

If you want a spiked chain as your secondary weapon, then you're probably not going to want a shield anyway (except maybe a buckler) to minimize the pain of switching, so using getting a bigger bonus out of the 2 handed bastard sword should help.

FTW = "For the Win"  In other words, advantageous.


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## The Grackle (Feb 21, 2007)

Do you use PsionicsHB?  Because a Psychic Warrior needs a good .  Being able to expend your Psionic focus (auto 15) on concentration checks is KILLER for a kensai with their STR boosting thing--whatever it's called.  Not to mention their concentration-based saves.

You could go fight5/psi2 for FIVE bonus feats and a couple useful powers: Expansion, for example, or that one that give an insight bonus to attacks.


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## Ardenian (Feb 21, 2007)

can anyone else offer some Kensai insight?


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