Kensei (Archetype)

Famous, agile swordsmen that hail from Oniga. The way of the Kensei is one of intense discipline, doing battle on a razor's edge. Though some agile swordmasters from other parts of the world utilize a similar style, the most famous hail almost exclusively from the deserts of gold. They specalize in striking swiftly and agily with their two-handed blades.

Kensei Dedication (Feat 2)
Prerequisites: Dexterity 14+

You have begun to walk the path of the swordmaster. Many styles exist from many points of origin, and you have come to adopt one such style. Select a Kensei stance from the following list. You may activate and deactivate the effects of your Kensei stance(s) as a free action at any time. If you have acquired more than one Kensei stance, they may be active simultaneously.

Falling Leaf Stance
Your stance is one of adaptability and martial grace, even with large weapons. While in this stance, all weapons belonging to the 'Sword' Weapon group gain the Finesse trait. Additionally, you may add your dexterity modifier instead of your strength modifier to damage rolls with weapons wielded in this style. Weapons wielded in this style have their damage die size reduced by one step, so a 1d12 would become 1d10, 1d10 would become 1d8, and so on.

Flowing Water Stance
Your stance is one of swift and elegant mobility. When an attack against your armor class fails to hit you, you may use your reaction to move up to half of your speed, rounded down. This movement does not trigger reactions, such as attack of opportunity.

Special: You may take this feature more than once. Each time gaining a new Kensei stance.

Sheathe Sword (Feat 2)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You are swift enough to draw and strike with a blade in a single motion. You gain the Quick Draw action.

Attrait (Feat 2)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You can use your two-handed blades to take a defensive stance. You gain the Poise action.

Poise
One Action [Kensei]

Requirements: You are wielding a two-handed melee weapon belonging to the 'Sword' group.

You can parry attacks against you with your weapon. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of your next turn as long as you continue to meet the requirements.

Absolute Pace (Feat 4)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You are fleet of foot and quick to capitalize on opportunities to injure, granting you the Attack of Opportunity reaction.

Flottement (Feat 4)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You tumble over or under a foe in an attempt to catch them off guard. Whenever you successfully Tumble Through the foe whose space you passed through is flat-footed against the next attack you make before the end of your turn, reducing their armor class against the attack by 2.

Wazabane (Feat 4)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You take an aggressive strike at your foe in an attempt to disarm them of their equipment. You gain the Wazabane action.

Wazabane
Two Actions [Kensei]

You make an attack to harry a foe and strike their weapon from their hands. Make a melee Strike. If it hits and deals damage, you can attempt an Athletics check to Disarm the creature you hit. If you’re wielding a two-handed melee weapon, you can ignore Disarm’s requirement that you have a hand free. Both attacks count toward your multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn’t increase until after you’ve made both of them.

Kagekiri (Feat 4)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

You dash forth and strike all around you faster than the eye can see. You gain the Kagekiri action.

Kagekiri
Two Actions [Kensei]

You stride in a straight line up to your speed, and make a single melee strike against every foe who comes into your melee weapon's range during the stride. This movement does not trigger reactions, such as attack of opportunity. All attacks made as a part of Kagekiri count toward your multiple attack penalty, but the penalty doesn't increase until after you've made all of them.

Sacred Art (Feat 6)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

Kensei oft utilize multiple strikes in succession, turning swordplay into a type of deadly dance. With this feat, the Kensei treats all weapons in the sword weapon group as if they have the Agile trait, reducing the multiple attack penalty with that weapon by -1.

Counter Edge (Feat 6)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication, Absolute Pace

When an opponent provides you with an opportunity, you strike with intense fury. An opponent in melee range failing or critically failing to hit your armor class with a melee attack now works as a trigger for Attack of Opportunity. When an attack of opportunity is triggered this way, the resulting attack gains a precision damage bonus equal to your dexterity modifier. This bonus is doubled if the triggering attack was a critical failure.

Blade Barrier (Feat 10)
Prerequisites: Kensei Dedication

Your skill has become so great that you can use a blade to deflect missiles from the air, and redirect them to your foes. You gain the Reflect Shots reaction.

Reflect Shots
Reaction [Kensei]

Trigger: A ranged weapon attack fails or critically fails against your armor class.

You redirect the shot towards a target of your choosing within 30 feet of your position. The attacker must now make a strike with the same weapon against this target.