D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Min/Maxed Two-Handed Weapon Damage Machine with the flavor of a Samurai

[Corwin the Confused]

After having read “Musashi” by Eiji Yoshikawa, I want to make a character that is a Samurai PC named Musashi. Needless to say, Musashi needs to able live up to his namesake. Since I seem challenged when trying to min/max a character, I need your help. (You all did an excellent job helping with my Sorcerer/Mage of the Arcane Order for the RttToEE. He was very fun to play.) Please help me make the Greatest Swordsman of All-time: Musashi.

I chose to start out as a fighter instead of a Samurai form the OA book since the fighter has a faster feat progession. Here is what I have come up with so far for my PC, Musashi:

S 18
D 17
C 15
I 11
W 14
Ch 9:

Fighter for 6 levels:
1st Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Katana); Weapon Focus (Katana); Power Attack

2nd Cleave

3rd Improved Initiative

4th Mounted Combat

5th

6th Mounted Archery; Weapon Specialization (Katana)

Yes I took all of those feats to qualify for a PrC, Master Samurai.

Master Samurai for 4 levels:

7th Tumble +2; Great Cleave

8th Blades of Fury; Supreme Cleve

9th Supreme Mobility; Improved Critical

10th Blades of Death

Then back to Fighter for another 6 levels:

11th

12th Combat Reflexes

13th Expertise (By now I hope to have a Headband of Intellect +2, if not I will take it from the wizard while he sleeps)

14th Whirlwind Attack

15th Dodge

16th Mobility (Damn PrC prerequisites, I already have Supreme Mobility.)

Yep another PrC, Weapon Master (Katana) for 4 if we stop at 20.

17th Ki Damage 1/day/lvl

18th Increased Multiplier 1/day; (I have another feat to take here. Which one?)

19th Superior Weapon Focus

20th Increased Multiplier 2/day


So was I successful in making a damage machine? Will I out damage a min/maxed Half-Orc Barb 16/ Fighter 4?

Thanks for the Help!

 

[Darklone]

Uhm... I always saw Musashi more as a Fighter/Rogue. And Cha 9? That's an insult

 

[Corwin the Confused]

I think that his pursuit of The Way of the Sword is more in line with the Samurai class.

As for the 11 for Ch that is what I rolled. It also makes sense since he was scared from eczema as a child and was not able to wear his hair in a topknot like other Samurai. And after reading the book he seemed gruff.

I think that Musashi would be more offended to be likened to a Rogue.

 

[Corwin the Confused]

Also, we do not use Forgotten Realms. So please make suggestions out of the Core books and Splat books.

 

[Ranger REG]

* confused by dark colors *

Currently watching the Taiga Drama, Musashi, in Hawaii, courtesy of KIKU-TV station, which is adapted from the book.

So far, Shinmen Takezo has been going around and constantly challenging others, trying to prove he's the best swordsman, without any formal training. He challenged and was defeated by the Yoshioka (bragged about their fighting style being taught to and used by the Ashikaga Shoguns). He then went to Hozoin temple and defeated two monks, known in that region for their skilled spearfighting style. It was in Hozoin did he in desperation first displayed what will become his signature style, Niten Ryu.

He also visited the Yagyu clan, whose patriarch taught him the swordless disarm.

Now, I'm at the episode where he finally took on his prophetic name, Miyamoto Mushashi.

To be honest with you, I see him constantly mastering his sword, and therefore will take level in the fighter class. He may be a samurai by status, thanks to his no-good father who constantly beats him up until he finally abandons Takezo, but he had to prove himself which he initially failed, being on the losing side of the Battle of Sekigahara.

 

[Xeriar]

Umm

Read Go Ri No Sho, seriously, and then proceed to tell me that he used only one weapon and had weak mental scores like that.

 

[gtJormungand]

A couple rule issues that I see: Before you can take Whirlwind Attack, you need to have Dodge, Mobility, and Spring Attack. Some of that can be fixed by switching feats around, but you still need to take Spring Attack somewhere. It looks like this would work (with everything else the same):

12: Combat Reflexes, Expertise
13: (nothing, because you really get the feat at 12th level)
14: Dodge
15: Mobility
16: Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack

 

[Jeremy]

Was Musashi the wierd guy who used both the katana and wakizashi while fighting? Or was that someone else?

Because if so, there are a large number of Dragon feats (the clan in OA, not the magazine) that would work well.

 

[Skinwalker]

"Wierd" is a matter of interpretation , but yes, Musashi created a system in which the katana and wakizashi were used sumultaneously. Interesting side-note, though, from my reading he never used this style in any of his duels. Although he believed this style to be superior, he wasn't willing to stake his life on it.

 

[Corwin the Confused]

Re: Min/Max: Making the Greatest Swordman - Musashi

I am trying to MIN/MAX a Damage Machine in the flavor of Musashi. I am not trying to recreate every aspect of Musashi's life.

Xeriar, that was what I rolled. I think that I put the number in the right stats.

gtJormungand, thanks for spotting the mistake. I think that I have it correct now. But it takes me two more levels. I also switched Weapon Specialization to 4th.

Jeremy, yes he is credited with developing the style of two weapon fighting. However, I think that the style that he focused on was two-handed weapon. His final duel with the other great swordsman was with a wooden katana that he carved from a boat oar. So, which feats do you suggest from OA?

S 18
D 17
C 15
I 11
W 14
Ch 9:

Fighter for 6 levels:
1st Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Katana); Weapon Focus (Katana); Power Attack

2nd Cleave

3rd Improved Initiative

4th Weapon Specialization (Katana)

5th

6th Mounted Combat; Mounted Archery

Yes I took all of those feats to qualify for a PrC, Master Samurai.

Master Samurai for 4 levels:

7th Tumble +2; Great Cleave

8th Blades of Fury; Supreme Cleve

9th Supreme Mobility; Improved Critical

10th Blades of Death

Then back to Fighter for another 6 levels:

11th

12th Combat Reflexes; Expertise (By now I hope to have a Headband of Intellect +2, if not I will take it from the wizard while he sleeps)

13th

14th Dodge

15th Mobility (Damn PrC prerequisites, I already have Supreme Mobility.)


16th Spring Attack

17th

18th Whirlwind Attack

Yep another PrC, Weapon Master (Katana) for 2 if we stop at 20.

19th Ki Damage 1/day/lvl

20th Increased Multiplier 1/day; (I have another feat to take here. Which one?)


So was I successful in MIN/MAXing a damage machine? Will I out damage a min/maxed Half-Orc Barb 16/ Fighter 4?

Thanks for the Help!