Fucking Bullshit
Aramus - Lawful Neutral Human
Psychic Warrior 2 / Warblade 15 / Iajitsu Master 12 / Exotic Weapon Master 1
1.) Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes*, Psionic Weapon*
2.) EWP (katana)*
3.) Quick Draw
6.) Psionic Meditation
7.) Weapon Focus (katana)*
9.) Greater Psionic Weapon
11.) Improved Critical (katana)*
12.) Improved Feint**
15.) Ultimate Feint**, Skill Focus (Bluff)*
18.) Robilars Gambit
21.) Improved Combat Reflexes, Skill Focus (Iajitsu Focus)*
24.) Epic Skill Focus (Iajitsu Focus)
27.) Epic Skill Focus (Concentration)
30.) Deep Impact
* These are bonus feats. The DM for the campaign ruled that any feat was usable instead of the specific list.
Therefore these bonus feats are not necessarily rules-lawyer proof. My apoligies.
** Improved Feint and Ultimate Feint are from the unofficial sourcebook 'Evil' by AEG Entertainment.
Attributes and Equipment:
Str: 39 (+14) - (18 Base + 4 Levels + 5 Manual + 12 Belt)
Dex: 22 (+6) - (16 Base + 6 Boots)
Con: 20 (+5) - (14 Base + 6 Bracers)
Int: 16 (+3)
Wis: 14 (+2)
Cha: 37 (+13) - (18 Base + 2 Levels + 5 Tome + 12 Cloak)
+14 Keen Katana (Fuurin) - 4,500,000gp
+12 Cloak of Charisma - 1,440,000gp
+12 Belt of Strength - 1,440,000gp
+6 Bracers of Health - 32,000gp
+5 Manual of Strength - 137,500gp
+5 Tome of Charisma - 137,500gp
Ring of Weaponbreaking - 600,000gp
Boots of Swiftness - 256,000gp
Ring of Protection +5 - 50,000gp
TOTAL STATISTICS:
HP: 357
AC: 24 (10 + 6 Dex + 3 Int + 5 Insight)
Initiative: 10
BaB: +27/+22/+17/+12
Total Attack: +56/+51/+46/+41
Saves: Fort +22 (+17 + 5), Ref +20 (+12 + 6), Will +10 (+8 + 2)
Skills: 32 ranks Bluff, 33 ranks Iajitsu Focus, 33 ranks Concentration, 32 ranks Jump, 32 ranks Tumble,
9 ranks Sense Motive, 4 ranks Craft (weaponsmithing)
Total Skill Modifiers: Bluff +47, Iajitsu Focus +58, Concentration +48
HOW THE BUILD WORKS:
The Iajitsu Focus skill states that 'when you attack a flat-footed opponent immediately after drawing
a melee weapon, you can deal extra damage'. It is my interpretation that this works even against opponents
who have Uncanny Dodge or similar effects. This is the reasoning behind this interpretation.
The PHB never ONCE states that Uncanny Dodge prevents the character from being considered flat-footed.
It simply says that the character retains his/her dexterity bonus to AC in such event that he/she
would normally be considered flat-footed.
Unlike the Rogue's sneak attack special ability, which SPECIFICALLY states in clear language
that the attack fails to work unless the target is denied his/her dexterity bonus to AC.
Iajitsu Focus simply says any time you strike a flat-footed opponent.
If the PHB wished to state that Uncanny Dodge prevented a character from being considered flat-footed,
it would. The end.
Now, on to the next mechanical difficulty. According to the PHB, some skill checks are instant
and represent reactions to an event, or are included as part of an action. An Iajitsu Strike is a
standard action single attack with a katana. The Iajitsu Focus skill is considered a part of this
standard action. Therefore this skill is not an action. It isn't even a free action. For the purposes
of time constraints it simply doesn't exist. It becomes grandfathered in under the standard action
time-frame of the Iajitsu Strike itself.
Third. Many people have argued that damage types do not get multiplied by Diamond Mind's Diamond Nightmare
Blade. To combat this erroneous argument, allow me to quote from WOTC Customer Service.
When the following example was presented to Cust Serv; 2d6 (from weapon) +5 (Str) +5 (Power Attack)
+1d6 (Fire from Flaming) + 10 (Extra damage provided by Stormguard Warrior tactical feat),
Cust Serv responded in this fashion.
"You will not get the fire damage dice multiplied, but the integer modifiers to your damage from Str,
Power Attack, and your tactical feat will be, along with your weapon's base damage."
Iajitsu Strike is considered a skill. Skills should fall under the multiplier if tactical feats do.
In additional, bonus damage from a psionic feat (such as Greater Psionic Weapon) would also fall
under this category, and therefore slip into the formula unmolested.
The only remaining puzzler, then, is this: If you are using a standard action to attack with your
katana and utilize Iajitsu Focus, and you are utilizing a standard action to use Diamond Nightmare
Blade, are you then using two standard actions which breaks the qualifications?
The simple answer is, 'No'.
Diamond Nightmare Blade is not, in and of itself, a standard action. It is INITIATED by a standard
action which you take, as stated in the TOB rules (Pg.44).
This standard action, in this particular instance, being a strike with a katana (augmented through
the usage of a skill).
So then here is what our strike sequence looks like:
1.) FREE: Roll a Concentration check against target's AC as part of Diamond Nightmare Blade maneuver.
2.) STANDARD: Single attack action with the katana.
3.) FREE: Roll Iajitsu Focus for bonus damage die.
4.) FREE: Expend psionic focus and use Greater Psionic Weapon.
Our damage equation now looks something like this.
1d10 + (42) + 11d6 + 143 + 4d6 X 4 = 940 dmg AVERAGE
Keep in mind this is AVERAGE damage and not maximized. On a better Iajitsu Focus check
it could be alot more. After expending this maneuver our character must take the entire
next round to do nothing except recover his expended martial maneuvers as a swift action
followed by a move action in which he recovers his expended psionic focus.
After the first round of combat, he must select his targets shrewdly and roll Bluff checks
to utilize his Ultimate Feint maneuver. If the opponent fails their Sense Motive check,
then they are considered flat-footed and Aramus can immediately make a standard attack action
against the target.