Senshi

“Senshi” is Japanese for “soldier” or “warrior”.

Through years of monastic training and exercises, a masters the art of skirmish fighting, and learns the technique required to Cleave through almost anything with a single blow.

Originally Posted by LordPendragon of the Wizards Community forums.

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Game Rule Information

Senshi have the following game statistics.

Abilities – Dexterity is the most important attribute for a Senshi, since it applies to her accuracy and damage. Wisdom is also important, as is Constitution to keep her alive.

Alignment – Senshi may be any non-chaotic alignment. Chaotic characters do not have the devotion to follow this class. If a Senshi turns chaotic, they retain all class features, but may no longer progress as a Senshi.

Hit Die – D10

Class skills

The Senshi’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Intelligence), Balance (Dexterity), Climb (Strength), Concentration (Constitution), Craft (Intelligence), Intimidate (Charisma), Jump (Strength), Listen (Wisdom), Perform (Charisma), Sense Motive (Wisdom), Spot (Wisdom), Swim (Strength), and Tumble (Dexterity).

Skill Points at 1st Level – (4 + Intelligence modifier) x 4

Skill Points at Each Additional Level – 4 + Intelligence modifier

Lvl	BAB	F	R	W	Features	Speed Bonus
1	1	0	0	2	Weapon Finesse	0
2	2	0	0	3	Finesse, Reave	0
3	3	1	1	3	Bonus Feat	5
4	4	1	1	4	Wanderer	5
5	5	1	1	4	Mettle	10
6	6	2	2	5	Finesse II	10
7	7	2	2	5	Bonus Feat	10
8	8	2	2	6	Wanderer II	15
9	9	3	3	6	Mettle II	15
10	10	3	3	7	Reave II	20
11	11	3	3	7	Bonus Feat	20
12	12	4	4	8	Peregrination	20
13	13	4	4	8	Wanderer III	20
14	14	4	4	9	Reave III	20
15	15	5	5	9	Bonus Feat	20
16	16	5	5	10		20
17	17	5	5	10	Bonus Feat	20
18	18	6	6	11		20
19	19	6	6	11	Bonus Feat	20
20	20	6	6	12		20

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Senshi.

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies

The Senshi gains proficiency with all light and medium armour, but no shields. She also gains proficiency with all simple weapons, and one martial weapon of her choice.

Speed Bonus (Ex) : The Senshi adds the listed amount as an unnamed bonus to her base speeds. This bonus does not apply when she is wearing heavy armour, or wielding a tower shield.

Weapon Finesse : The Senshi gains the Weapon Finesse feat for free. If she already have that feat, she may choose any fighter bonus feat instead.

Finesse (Ex) : The Senshi may use Weapon Finesse to apply her Dexterity modifier to attack rolls with all one-handed weapons. However, when using such a weapon in this way, her Strength modifier still applies to the attack roll if it is negative.

Reave (Ex) : As a standard action, the Senshi may make a single attack. This attack deals an additional 1D6 damage per 2 class levels, and ignores 1 point of DR or
hardness per 2 class levels. This extra damage is not multiplied by a critical hit, and only applies once even if the single attack deals damage multiple times. If this attack misses by more than 5, she provokes an attack of opportunity from the enemy she attacked. Any coup de grace may also be a Reave.

If used against a magic item, the item gets to make a Will save against a DC equal to 10 + the Senshi’s Wisdom modifier + the number of damage dice added by Reave, to negate the extra damage (normal damage still occurs).

Reave only functions while she is not wearing heavy armour, and is wielding a one-handed weapon in melee. This attack requires Concentration , and is the equivalent of a level X spell for the purposes of Concentration checks, where X is the number of damage dice added.

Bonus Feats : The Senshi may choose a bonus feat from the Senshi bonus feat list at 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, 17th, and 19th level.

The Senshi bonus feat list consists of Dodge, Iron Will, Martial Study, and Quick Draw. In addition, all feats that require any of those 4 as a prerequisite are also considered to be on the Senshi bonus feat list.

Wanderer (Su) : As a move action, the Senshi may instantly transport herself to another location, as a teleportation effect. This ability may only be used once every 4 rounds, and the maximum range is equal to her fastest base speed. Line of sight is not required, nor is line of effect (shunting damage occurs if the Senshi accidentally teleports into a solid object). This ability may not be used in medium or heavy armour, or while wielding a tower shield.

Mettle (Ex) : As in PHBII. Also, the Senshi may make a Will save instead of a Fortitude save any time she is forced to make a save against death by a massive damage effect.

Finesse II : The Senshi may add her Dexterity modifier to melee damage rolls instead of her Strength modifier, to a maximum of her class level. This ability can only
be used while she is wielding a weapon with which she can use Weapon Finesse.

Wanderer II (Su) : The wanderer ability may now be used once every 2 rounds. In addition, the range of the wanderer ability is now double the Senshi’s highest base speed.

Mettle II (Ex) : The Senshi no longer automatically collapses when she drops below 0 HP; she also no longer automatically dies when dropped to -10 HP or below. To
avoid unconsciousness or death, she must make a Will save at a DC equal to how far below 0 her HP is. She must make this save at the beginning of her turn, and every time she takes damage. If she fails the save, she immediately suffers the effects of her current HP total.

Reave II (Ex) : When making a reave attack, the Senshi deals an additional 1 damage per class level. This damage is multiplied on a critical hit, but still only applies
to a single attack if her weapon makes more than one at a time.

Peregrination (Su) : When using the wanderer ability, the Senshi may use the Spring Attack feat as if it were normal movement. This occurs fast enough that the attack can
be made while in midair or underwater, but when she finishes her movement, she is affected by gravity and such as normal. This does not prevent her from taking damage if the square she is attacking from deals continuous damage to characters in it. The total distance teleported must still be no greater than the maximum range of wanderer.

Alternate Class Feature – Great Reave : There may be Senshi who would prefer the ability to dispatch multiple opponents in a single strike, instead of the skirmishing
mastery they would normally attain. Any Senshi may choose to take the great reave ability listed here, instead of peregrination.

Great Reave (Ex) : When using the reave ability, the Senshi may apply all reave bonus damage to any Cleave attacks she makes immediately afterwards.

Wanderer III (Su) : The wanderer ability may now be used every round. In addition, the range of the Wanderer ability is now triple the Senshi’s highest base speed.

Reave III (Ex) : When making a reave attack, the Senshi may add her Wisdom modifier as a damage bonus on every reave damage die. This extra damage is not multiplied
by a critical hit, and only applies once even if the single attack deals damage multiple times.

Adapting the Senshi

The Reaver has many of the same abilities as the Senshi, but approaches problems far differently, combining brute Strength and cunning technique to create an unstoppable whirlwind of death and mayhem. While the Senshi’s technique may appear to be more sophisticated, nothing can stand to the Reaver in battle.

• Name – If preferred, change the class name to Reaver.
• Alignment – Any.
• Saves – Fortitude is now the good save, and Will is bad.
• Proficiencies – Heavy armour proficiency now included.
• Speed – Not included.
• Finesse – All Finesse abilities are removed.
• Reave – Save DC is now Strength based. Can be used in heavy armour. Requires 2-handed weapons.
• Wanderer – All Wanderer abilities are instead replaced by DR 1/-, with all DRs stacking.
• Peregrination – Replaced by the great reave ability
• Mettle II – Requires Fort saves.
• Reave III – Based off Strength mod.
• The Reaver is not a skirmish fighter; this is the guy who goes toe-to-toe with a giant and just swings away.