Samurai

The Samurai

Level	Proficiency Bonus	Features
1st	+2	Artful Combat, Unarmoured Defense
2nd	+2	Zen, Higanbana, Code of Honour
3rd	+2	Samurai Archetype, Archetype Feature, Third Eye
4th	+2	Ability Score Improvement
5th	+3	Extra Attack
6th	+3	Samurai Archetype
7th	+3	Evasion
8th	+3	Ability Score Improvement
9th	+4	Studied Disciple
10th	+4	Samurai Archetype Feature
11th	+4	Hissatsu: Kyuten
12th	+4	Ability Score Improvement
13th	+5	Whispers of the Kami
14th	+5	Samurai Archetype Feature
15th	+5	Effective Meditation
16th	+5	Ability Score Improvement
17th	+6	Artisan of Combat
18th	+6	Midare Setsugekka
19th	+6	Ability Score Improvement
20th	+6	Meikyo Shisui

Class Features

As a Samurai, you gain the following class features

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d10 per Samurai level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 10 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d10 (or 6) + your Constitution modifier per Samurai level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light, Medium Armour
Weapons: simple weapons, martial Weapons
Tools: None
Saving Throws: Strength, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, History, Insight, and Intimidation.

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background

• (a) a katana
• (a) a short bow and 20 arrows
• (a) an explorer's pack or (b) a dungeoneer's pack
• a decorative scabbard for your katana.

Artful Combat

Beginning at 1st level, when wielding a versatile weapon with two hands, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Unarmoured Defense

Also beginning at 1st level, While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Strength modifier + your Wisdom modifier. You can not use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Zen

Beginning at the 2nd level, you have learned to gather Zen charges inside your body. You may spend these charges to use a variety of samurai features. Some samurai features require other creatures to make a saving throw, which is contested by your Sword Art DC as calculated below.

Sword Art DC = 8 + your proficiency modifier + your Wisdom modifier.

You gain the bonus action Focus. When you use focus, you gain 1 charge of Zen. If you are currently holding a charge of Zen, you double the number of Zen charges you currently have and then gain 1 Zen charge.
You can store a maximum number of Zen charges equal to your proficiency bonus. Your Zen charges fade after spending 1 minute outside of combat.

Higanbana

Also beginning at the 2nd level, you have learned to perform the sword art Higanbana. As an action, you spend one Zen charge to use Higanbana. You make a melee weapon attack against a creature, if you hit, the target creature makes a Constitution saving throw against your Sword Art DC.
On a failure, the creature is grievously wounded by your attack and at the start of each of their turns for the next minute, they take 1d4 slashing damage. As an action they may attempt to stop the bleeding by attempting the Constitution saving throw again.
At 5th level, when you use the Attack action with the Extra Attack feature, you may spend one Zen charge to replace the second attack with Higanbana.

Code of Honor

At 2nd level, when performing Charisma ability checks on intelligent creatures which you know have an organized martial background, you have advantage on the check.

Samurai Archetype

At 3rd level, you select a way of the blade. The Iaijatsu focuses on delivering incredibly powerful attacks, the Blademaster, who lures and traps his opponents in counterattacks and the Ronin, who drifts about the battlefield, dancing through the fray.

Third Eye

Also beginning at 3rd level, as a bonus action you may spend a number of Zen to enter a state of fierce focus. For the next minute, your weapon damage rolls gain a bonus equal to the number of Zen charges expended to activate Third Eye.

Ability Score Improvement

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Extra Attack

Beginning at 5th level, you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Evasion

Beginning at 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain area effects, such as a blue dragon's lightning breath or a fireball spell. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

Studied Disciple

At 9th level, you have balanced your might with your mind. You may learn any two skills which fall under Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma.

Hissatsu: Kyuten

At 11th level, as an action you may spend 1 Zen charge to perform a wide sweeping attack around yourself. Each creature within 5ft. of you makes a Dexterity saving throw. On a failure, they take damage equal to your weapon damage + your Wisdom modifier, and half as much on a success.

Whispers of the Kami

At 13th level, you have learned to attune yourself to the world around you and listen to the spirits which surround you. Select two of the following spells: Augury, Detect Evil and Good, Speak with Dead, or Speak with Plants. You may cast either spell once. You must then finish a long rest to use Whispers of the Kami again.

Effective Meditation

At 15th level, if you spend hit die during a short rest, the next time you roll initiative you gain 1 Zen charge.

Artisan of Combat

Starting at 17th level, while wielding a versatile weapon with two hands, your weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 18-20.

Midare Setsugekka

At 18th level, as an action, you may spend any number of Zen you have saved to a maximum number equal to your Wisdom modifier. You may make a melee weapon attack for each Zen charge you spent. You may not have moved prior to using this feature and may not move afterwards.

Meikyo Shisui

At 20th level, as a bonus action you turn your body into a conductor for Zen energy. You gain Zen charges equal to your Proficiency Bonus. You may only do this once. You must finish a long rest to use Meikyo Shisui again.

Subclasses:

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Iaijatsu Style

The young man stands before a ferocious beast, his blade still sheathed the villagers look on in horror as it closes in on its prey. With a smirk the man draws his blade and in a few lightning quick strokes, the beast falls with a thud.
The experienced veteran stands before a group of bandits. Their untrained strikes are easily dodged by the man, as he delivers blow after vicious blow, punishing each of their failed attempts on his life.
A young woman wanders into the city, her identity hidden beneath her shade. She hears of the oppression of the people in the village by the local lord. She nods to herself, knowing she has arrived at yet another town which would be better off without a master.
Far across the churning waves, beneath the rising sun, an island nation gave birth to a prolific style of swordplay. These noble warriors were sworn to their masters as their protectors, willing to give up their lives to see their duty complete. Honor or death was a common ideal for these disciplined soldiers.

Swordsmen of Legend

The Samurai are legendary swordsmen who lived by a code of honor. In service to the lords of their regions, they protected their lands with their lives and enforced their law without question. To do so, the Samurai nourished a timeless style of swordplay which remains mythic in its reputation to this day.

The Power Within

The Samurai draw on inner energies and an unshakable discipline. These are the tools which the Samurai built their reputation. To take up and master the katana is to enter a league of your own, though not every samurai has been known to wield the blade for a master, some choosing to follow their own code and travel the world.

Creating a Samurai

When creating a Samurai, you have to decide how they became involved in the discipline. Were they born into the tradition, being the son of a samurai or lord? Perhaps they fight in a self taught style which they continually hone through their travels.
On top of their roots as a samurai, you must consider why you fight as a samurai. Are you on a quest on behalf of a lord, or directly protecting their master's lands. Perhaps they cast off their ties to their masters and teachers altogether and travel the world for their own gain, or the protection of the common man.