Horses and mounted combat played little role in Kentakan history, as such the samurai who hail from the southwestern lands eschew the typical mounted abilities in exchange for a spiritual connection to their ancestral weapons and more rigid martial training.
Ancestral Bond: Ατ 1st level the samurai chooses a weapon to become his ancestral bond, a relic from his ancestors that carries a fragment of their glory and power. This can be any weapon in which the samurai is proficient, but is most commonly a katana, longbow, or naginata. This weapon is provided for free at first level. By spending 150 gp on special incense and spending three days in meditation, the samurai can awaken the weapon to its first font of hidden potential, granting it the masterwork quality. At 3rd level and beyond, the samurai can enchant his weapon as though he had the Craft Magic Arms & Armor feat. He uses his character level + 3 + his charisma modifier in place of any skill check made to enchant his weapon.
Additionally, the samurai is bolstered while wielding his ancestral weapon. At 1st level he gains a +1 morale bonus on damage rolls. At 4th level he gains a +2 morale bonus to initiative checks. At 8th level he gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls. At 12th level he gains a +2 morale bonus to will saves. At 16th level he gains a +2 morale bonus to fortitude saves. And at 20th level all morale bonuses gained by this ability are doubled. All of these bonuses apply only when the samurai is wielding his ancestral bond.
The samurai incurs no penalty for not wielding his ancestral weapon, however if it is broken or stolen from him he suffers a -2 morale penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. This penalty cannot be removed until he has recovered or repaired his weapon, and counts as a curse effect.
This ability replaces Mount.
Martial Discipline: At 4th level the samurai becomes highly proficient in adopting a variety of combat stances. When using the power attack, combat expertise, deadly aim, or similar feats, the penalty associated with his attack rolls is reduced by 1 (to a minimum of -1). This ability does not apply to fighting defensively and can only be applied to one feat at a time. This ability replaces mounted archery.
Reputation: At 5th level, the samurai has developed a reputation (deserved or not) for a particular virtue on the battlefield and in court. This ability provides himself and all allies within 60 ft. with a variety of bonuses based on his reputation. This bonus starts at +2 and increases by +1 for every 5 levels attained beyond level 5.
- Loyalty – bonus on saves vs. fear & attack rolls while charging
- Honor – bonus on saves vs. charm/compulsion & CMD
- Strategy – bonus initiative checks and attack rolls on attacks of opportunity.
- Destruction – bonus on melee damage rolls, doubled vs. objects & items
- Cleverness – bonus on bluff checks to feint & damage rolls while flanking
- Cruelty – bonus on intimidate checks to demoralize & critical confirmation rolls
A samurai can work to change his reputation, doing so requires a month of time and an investment of 50 gp per level in payments to court heralds, rumor mongers, and traveling story-tellers. For this ability to function, the samurai must by easily perceived by his allies, and cannot be invisible or otherwise hidden. This ability replaces banner.
Greater Reputation: At 14th level, the samurai’s reputation becomes renowned throughout the land and perhaps even the world beyond. All allies within 60 ft. gain an additional bonus based on his reputation, and the samurai may make a standard action to perform a variety of actions.
- Loyalty – +2 save vs. charm/compulsion, standard action to grant allies additional save against any ongoing effect (made at the effects original DC)
- Honor – +2 save vs. fear, standard action to remove any effect that could be removed by his Determined resolve ability.
- Strategy – +10 enhancement bonus to land speed, standard action to allow allies to move up to 30 ft..
- Destruction – +2 CMB to sunder, standard action to allow a number of allies equal to his charisma modifier to take attacks of opportunity against one target within range.
- Cleverness – +2 bonus on attack rolls while flanking, standard action to make all foes within 30 ft. flat-footed for 1 round.
- Cruelty – +2 bonus on damage rolls, standard action to make demoralize attempt vs. all foes within 60 ft.
As with his reputation ability, the samurai must be plainly visible and unconcealed to use this ability. This ability replaces greater banner.