Legendary Kensai (Legendary Magus Archetype)

A legendary kensai has spent his life honing both his physical and magical training towards the art of mastering a single weapon, using his arcane potential and martial prowess to become a paragon amongst warriors.

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies

A legendary kensai is proficient in simple weapons and in a single martial or exotic melee weapon of his choice. A legendary kensai is not proficient with armor or shields and suffers normal arcane spell failure chance when casting magus spells while armored.

This modifies weapon and armor proficiencies.

Chosen Weapon

A legendary kensai focuses his combat prowess on a single weapon. This weapon is the single martial or exotic weapon with which he is proficient.

Certain kensai abilities can only be used with his chosen weapon, or while wielding his chosen weapon. If the legendary kensai gains the Improved Unarmed Strike feat, he can treat his unarmed strike as his chosen weapon.

Intelligent Defense

At 1st level, when the legendary kensai is wielding his chosen weapon, he gains a dodge bonus to his Armor Class equal to his Intelligence bonus. If the legendary kensai has any class levels other than legendary magus, this bonus is restricted to his legendary magus level (minimum 1). If the legendary kensai is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus, he also loses this bonus.

Diminished Spellcasting

A legendary kensai may cast and prepare one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, he may cast spells of that level only if his Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.

This modifies the spells class feature.

Empowered Might

A legendary kensai gains a base attack bonus equal to his legendary magus level instead of using those listed on Table 1-1: Legendary Magus. He adds this value to any other base attack bonus gained from other classes or racial Hit Dice as normal.

Perfect Strike (Su)

At 6th level, the legendary kensai gains Vital Strike as a bonus feat. Additionally, he gains the following potential technique:

2 Potential

Perfect Strike: The legendary kensai’s attack is guided by their potential, landing in the perfect location to deal maximum damage. When the legendary kensai hits with his chosen weapon, he can use this technique to maximize his weapon’s damage. Don’t roll for damage—the weapon deals maximum damage. This affects only the weapon’s damage dice, not additional damage from sneak attack, magical weapon properties, or critical hits.

This replaces the legendary magus arcana gained at 6th level.

Iaijutsu (Ex)

At 7th level, the legendary kensai applies his Intelligence modifier as well as his Dexterity modifier on initiative rolls (minimum 0). A legendary kensai may make attacks of opportunity when flat-footed, threaten squares adjacent to his space when he has no weapons drawn, and may draw his favored weapon as a free action as part of taking an attack of opportunity.

This replaces spell recall.

Perfected Reflexes

At 11th level, the legendary kensai gains Improved Vital Strike as a bonus feat and can make a number of attacks of opportunity in a round equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). This effect stacks with the Combat Reflexes feat.

This replaces the bonus feat gained at 11th level.

Iaijutsu Focus (Ex)

At 15th level, the legendary kensai may always act and may draw his weapon as a swift action during a surprise round, and gains the uncanny dodge ability, treating his legendary magus level as his rogue level for this ability.

During a surprise round or when attacking a flat-footed opponent, he adds his Intelligence modifier on damage with his chosen weapon (minimum 0).

This replaces the legendary magus arcana gained at 15th level.

Perfected Master

At 16th level, the legendary kensai gains Greater Vital Strike as a bonus feat and adds his Intelligence bonus (minimum 0) on critical hit confirmation rolls with his chosen weapon.

This replaces improved spell recall.