Not designed for power gaming (so every flaw actually is a design decision).
Kensai are also known as 'Sword Saints', warriors who have been specially trained to be one with their swords. They are deadly and fast and trained to fight without encumbrance. (from the BG2 kensai description)
I'm thinking about (and playing) kensai-like chars (single weapon, no shield, no armour) for a while now and this is the build I like most (but I'm not 100% happy with the levels past level 24):
Basically Blind Fight, Called Shot and Toughness could be replaced with other feats but imho these three feats are the best choice. Blind Fight helps vs. enemies with concealment, Called Shot is great vs. hard hitting melee fighters and we really need the additional hit points from Toughness because our armour class isn't that great (depends a little bit on items though). However if you want to go for Devastating Critical you may want to take Power Attack and Great Cleave. However I don't like Dev. Crit. very much. Overwhelming Critical would be okay but the char is already very powerful vs. everything not immune to critical hits so an additional 2d6 damage wouldn't make a big difference. Power Attack would be nice perhaps but you can't have it all - take it instead of toughness or instead one of the optional epic feats if you really want.
The seventh Weapon Master level is delayed to maximize saving throws. The eighth monk level gives +1 to all saves (basically the luck of heroes feat), the sixth fighter level gives +1 to reflex/will saves but the seventh WM level would not increase any save.
So far I'm very happy with the build but since all the important feats are taken already the build seems to level up without a real goal to achieve... more monk levels would give better AC, more weapon master levels would give higher AB and more fighter level would give more bonus feats (could be used for Power Attack for example). The monk levels at level 27,32 and 37 are to maximize tumble (for +1 to AC) but everything else could be changed.
25: Weapon Master(8) 26: Weapon Master(9) 27: Monk(10): Great Strength I, (STR=21) 28: Weapon Master(10): STR+1, (STR=22) 29: Weapon Master(11) 30: Weapon Master(12): Epic Will 31: Weapon Master(13): Armor Skin 32: Monk(11): WIS+1, (WIS=15) 33: Weapon Master(14): Great Wisdom I, (WIS=16) 34: Weapon Master(15) 35: Weapon Master(16): Epic Prowess 36: Weapon Master(17): STR+1, Great Strength II, (STR=24) 37: Monk(12) 38: Weapon Master(18) 39: Weapon Master(19): Great Strength III, Epic Toughness I, (STR=25) 40: Monk(13): STR+1, (STR=26)
Skills: The skill selection reflects a little bit the picture of a kensai I have in mind. They may not be very useful for playing single player modules for example. In fact even I have never used that selection myself . Really important is only tumble 40, intimidate 4 and perhaps spellcraft 18 and discipline 43 as well - everything else could be changed without problems.
As said already I've played this type of char for a while now (usually however with STR 13, DEX 13 and CHA 12 - the posted build is the power gamer version ) and the build does quite well in most single player modules. As a weapon master she's pretty good versus everything not immune to critical hits but even immunity to critical hits usually is no problem (at least once she reached level 24 and with a good weapon - despite her somewhat low armour class and with only 1d4 acid damage on her weapon she did not need a heal potion when fighting Mephistopheles in HotU - Called Shot turned his AB into that of a goblin). She has some problems vs. powerful spell casters. She really sucked vs. Heurodis in SoU - the first char who died in that battle (never thought that would be possible), and she couldn't kill the maker in HotU at level 20/21 - at level 24 and with slightly better gear it was no problem.
Combat Tactics: Improved Knockdown helps vs. everything not immune or with low discipline, Called Shot is great vs. hard hitting melee fighters (it seems there is no immunity, only discipline helps). She can try to reduce the enemy's AC using the taunt skill and if nothing else works she can unequip her weapon and with a her stunning fists (DC 12/22/33 at level 1/20/40) she can try to stun the enemy (good chance on low levels - has worked on J'Nai in SoU, later vs. powerful enemies the chances aren't very good). Problems start once just bashing the enemy is not enough. She can't protect herself against spells, however improved evasion and decent saves help a little bit. She has some spell resistance (23) but that's good only vs. low level casters.
On low levels and if no good robes are available she could switch to armour/shield - nothing she prefers but better than dying of course. _________________ Character Build Calculator(works with Excel, Open Office) 2.83: updated to NWN 1.69.
Edited By griphook on 08/11/05 15:56
Kamiryn, just wanted to comment that this is a pretty decent build. Balanced, playable, and personable. I like it just the way it is. I feel like I know her from somewhere... _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
I like this build a lot. Looking it over I might make the following changes.
Drop Weapon Proficiency exotic, and take power attack in its place. Change Weapon Focus, specialization, improved critical, and weapon of choice to great sword. (I'm envisioning a no-dachi) This will net you the great swords better damage mod.
If you change all Weapon Master levels after 10 to fighter you will pick up 1 more feat which could be great cleave.
You end up losing one point of AB for increased damage potential.
If you were willing to drop the spell resistance (is it really all that usefull, at that level?) you could change your last level from monk to fighter and net another feat which could be overwhelming critical.
I might also try to factor a couple of points of craft weapon into the mix.
If you change all Weapon Master levels after 10 to fighter you will pick up 1 more feat which could be great cleave.
You end up losing one point of AB for increased damage potential.
Not sure where you get that 1 AB from or that 1 damage, but he ends up losing 3 AB if he follows that suggestion. Not worth it.
Quote: If you were willing to drop the spell resistance (is it really all that usefull, at that level?) you could change your last level from monk to fighter and net another feat which could be overwhelming critical.
There's really no sense in taking Overwhelming Critical. If the Wm criticals aren't doing the job, Underwhelming Critical certainly isn't going to make the build. Also, Monk in Epic isn't taken for SR, but for AC Tumble drops. This is to make it more playable if you are playing ground up. Plus, without Armor and shield he needs all the help he can get. SR at that point is gravy. He's not looking for it, but not lookin a gift horse in the mouth either, savvy? _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Just an interesting side note, when I was poking around with NWN Explorer I noticed that the weapon master is often referenced as kensai, supposedly they changed the name during development.
Drop Weapon Proficiency exotic, and take power attack in its place. Change Weapon Focus, specialization, improved critical, and weapon of choice to great sword. (I'm envisioning a no-dachi) This will net you the great swords better damage mod.
The great sword would do more damage but it doesnīt fit into my picture of the kensai. I always thought the kensai should be dex based or at least 'balanced'. Unfortunately all the weapon I have in mind for the kensai arenīt finesseable. Other weapons I had in mind were longsword (similar to katana but doesnīt require the exotic feat and it doesnīt look as good as katana) and quarterstaff (no-one uses staffs and often the weapon type is neglected by builders).
Quote: If you change all Weapon Master levels after 10 to fighter you will pick up 1 more feat which could be great cleave.
You end up losing one point of AB for increased damage potential.
Iīm afraid I would lose more than that. The magic numbers for weapon master are 7,13,16,19,22,25,28. I would lose 3 AB and I need as much AB as possible because the char does not maximize strength and she does not dual-wield so to be powerful in combat I need my third and fourth attack to have a good chance to hit.(/quote-incomplete)
Quote: If you were willing to drop the spell resistance (is it really all that usefull, at that level?) you could change your last level from monk to fighter and net another feat which could be overwhelming critical.
The last monk level is not important - itīs just that another fighter or weapon master level wouldnīt make the build better also.
I made a few builds with Overwhelming Critical but as already said, I donīt think itīs so important. In HotU, chapter 3 the char did ~100 on a critical hit. Overwhelming Critical would add ~6 damage but since I lose 3 AB I would score less critical hits - I guess overall I would lose more than I would win.
Quote: I might also try to factor a couple of points of craft weapon into the mix.
Thatīs a good idea. _________________ Character Build Calculator(works with Excel, Open Office) 2.83: updated to NWN 1.69.
Another possibility is to take 16 monk levels (+1 to AC, +5% speed, higher SR, 1d20 unarmed damage - never disarm the kensai ) and 16 WM levels (-1 AB, -22 hitpoints). One could increase strength at level 32/33 instead of wisdom and one would end up with the same AC/AB.
My mistake, it's been awhile scince I have played a weaponmaster. I had forgotten that the docmentation that came with the game was incorrect. I was thinking the bonus from superior weapon focus was every 5 lvls.
I would also state that from a role playing standard would probably only take greatsword in a CEP module. Where I could have an oriental greatsword.
Why not use kamas. Flurry of Blows would still be useable and you would get the monks unarmed attack bonus, which would add +9/+6/+3 to it's attack bonus and 1d12/1d10 to it's damage. This would be beneficial because of it's relatively low ab. =:
Why not use kamas. Flurry of Blows would still be useable and you would get the monks unarmed attack bonus, which would add +9/+6/+3 to it's attack bonus and 1d12/1d10 to it's damage. This would be beneficial because of it's relatively low ab. =:
Stylistic purposes, as well as kamas having lower damage. I'm not sure how you're figuring that extra damage. _________________ CATS!
This would be beneficial because of it's relatively low ab. =:
I've played this build in quite a few modules and it was powerful enough to make most fights boring. I guess you can't expect more from a fighter build .
Anyway kamas are not an option, or can you imagine a weaponmaster using a sickle? Plus we already have more than enough of them (kama monk weaponmaster). _________________ Character Build Calculator(works with Excel, Open Office) 2.83: updated to NWN 1.69.
. Really important is only tumble 40, intimidate 4 and perhaps spellcraft 18 and discipline 43 as well - everything else could be changed without problems.
) and the build does quite well in most single player modules. As a weapon master she's pretty good versus everything not immune to critical hits but even immunity to critical hits usually is no problem (at least once she reached level 24 and with a good weapon - despite her somewhat low armour class and with only 1d4 acid damage on her weapon she did not need a heal potion when fighting Mephistopheles in HotU - Called Shot turned his AB into that of a goblin). She has some problems vs. powerful spell casters. She really sucked vs. Heurodis in SoU - the first char who died in that battle (never thought that would be possible), and she couldn't kill the maker in HotU at level 20/21 - at level 24 and with slightly better gear it was no problem.