Unearthed Samurai

Weapons and Armor Proficiency

The unearthed samurai is proficient with all simple and martial weapon, the katana and wakizashi. The samurai will only use weapons associated with peasants, thieves, thugs, and assassins as a last resort; including blow guns, clubs, crossbows (any type), dart, garrote, great club, net, saps, shuriken, slings, and whips. The samurai suffers a -2 penalty to all charisma based skill and ability checks while wielding such a weapon.

The unearthed samurai is proficient with light, medium, and heavy armors but not with shields.

Samurai prefer heavy armor over medium or light armor, especially eastern armors including the o-yoroi or kusari gusoku. If given the choice between a battered set of o-yoroi or a magical do-maru, the unearthed samurai would choose the o-yoroi. If the samurai dons armor normally associated with peasants, thieves, thugs, or assassins; including leather, padded, or studded leather armor; he suffers a -2 penalty to all charisma based ability and skill checks. This penalty stacks with the penalty for wielding commoner weapons as well (see above).

Ki Shout (Ex)

The samurai may give forth a great shout as a swift action at 1st level that grants him a +4 bonus to his Strength score for one round.

The unearthed samurai may do this a number of times per day equal to half his class level (minimum of 1 time at 1st level). The samurai must be able to vocalize his shout, i.e. it will not work if the shout cannot be heard by anyone including the samurai.

At 4th level, the unearthed samurai may use this ability as an immediate action and use the +4 bonus for any fear based saving throws instead of the Strength bonus.

At 8th level this effect carries over to all allies within 30 feet of the unearthed samurai that can hear the shout, granting them the same bonus to their Strength score until the beginning of the samurai next turn.

At 12th level the unearthed samurai may choose to instead demoralize living opponents within 30 feet that can hear the shout. Opponents with less hit dice that the samurai class level must make a Will save or become frightened for a round.

The Will DC is 10 + half the samurai class level + his Charisma modifier and if the opponent successfully makes the saving throw he is still shaken for one round. Opponents with more hit dice than the samurai class level are not affected by this ability. Other samurai may add half their class level to the saving throw against this effect.

At 16th level the samurai may use his shout to bull rush any opponent within 10 feet of the samurai as a standard action. This effect is handled as a normal bull rush but does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

This ability replaces resolve, greater resolve, honorable stand, and true resolve.

The Way of the Sword (Ex)

The unearthed samurai gains Weapon Focus (katana) and Quick Draw at 1st level.

At 2nd level he gains Weapon Specialization (katana).

At 3rd level he gains Weapon Focus (wakizashi).

At 5th level he gains Weapon Specialization (wakizashi).

At 8th level he gains Greater Weapon Focus (katana).

At 10th level he gains Greater Weapon Focus (wakizashi).

At 12th level he gains Greater Weapon Specialization (katana).

At 14th level he gains Greater Weapon Specialization (wakizashi).

The samurai does not need to meet the fighter prerequisite for Weapon Specialization for katana or wakizashi. Note that the effects of Quick Draw are not normally limited to specific weapons, but the unearthed samurai only gains the benefits of the feat when using a a katana or wakizashi. The samurai may choose to gain the Quick Draw feat separately normally if he wishes to gain the effects for all other weapons.

This ability replaces samurai challenge, weapon expertise, and demanding challenge. The samurai loses the challenge bonus normally granted by his chosen order.

The Way of the Bow (Ex)

The unearthed samurai may choose from the following feats as bonus feats at 4th level and every four levels thereafter:

Clustered Shots, Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Focused Shot, Greater Snap-Shot, Impact Critical Shot, Improved Precise Shot, Improved Snap-Shot, Manyshot, Mounted Archery, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run, Snap-Shot, and Weapon Focus (long bow only).

The unearthed samurai must meet any prerequisites for the feats listed above and treats his unearthed samurai class levels as fighter class levels for those feats that have that requirement. The only exception is mounted archery, the samurai does not need to possess mounted combat.

This ability replaces mounted archer and bonus feats.