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Oriental Classes	-	-	-	Oriental Adventures

Table 18: Kensai

XP	Experience  Level	10-sided  Dice  for  Accum.  Hit Points	THACO	Saves	Proficiencies
-	-	-	fighter (4-7: 3/2)  (8-14: 2/1) (15+: 5/2)	fighter  (+1 bonus: figured in)	3@L1 (max. of 1 slot for additional weapon),  4@L2, 5@L4, 6@L6, 7@L8, 8@L10
0 -- 3,000	1	1	20 (1/1)	d13, p14, r15, b16, s16	3@ L1 (max. of 1 slot for additional weapon)
3,001 -- 5,500	2	2	19	d13, p14, r15, b16, s16	4
5,501 -- 10,000	3	3	18	d12, p13, r14, b15, s15	^
10,001 -- 22,000	4	4	17 (3/2)	d12, p13, r14, b15, s15	5
22,001 -- 44,000	5	5	16	d10, p11, r12, b12, s13	^
44,001 -- 88,000	6	6	15	d10, p11, r12, b12, s13	6
88,001 -- 150,000	7	7	14	d9, p10, r11, b11, s12	^
150,001 -- 250,000	8	8	13 (2/1)	d9, p10, r11, b11, s12	7
250,001 -- 500,000	9	9	12	d7, p8, r9, b8, s10	^
500,001 -- 750,000	10	9 + 2	11	d7, p8, r9, b8, s10	8
750,001 -- 1,000,000	11	9 + 4	10	d6, p7, r8, b7, s9	^
1,000,001 -- 1,250,000	12	9 + 6	9	d6, p7, r8, b7, s9	<9?>
-	13	-	8	-	-
-	14	-	7	-	<11?>
-	15	-	6 (5/2)	-	-

250,000 XP are required for each level beyond 12th.
Kensai gain 2 hp per level beyond 9th.

Kensai means "sword saint" or "sword master" and is usually applied to characters who have perfected
the art of fighting with the sword. In the Oriental AD&D game this is broadened to include almost any type of
weapon or fighting skill. Thus, there may be kensai who use halberds, kensai who use swords, kensai who use
unarmed fighting styles, etc. The player is allowed to choose the kensai character's special weapon. In all cases,
it is the kensai's aim to become the perfect master of his weapon. For the man and weapon to become one,
acting on a single thought, is the ultimate goal of a kensai.

To achieve this the kensai must master his weapon and himself, and must study and learn other arts. He
must practice daisy with his weapon, condition his body and purify his spirit through meditation and ordeal. He
must acquire proficiencies in different peaceful arts as well as be absolutely dedicated to his goal.

The prime requisites of kensai are WIS and DEX. To become a kensai, a character must have
STR and WIS scores of at least 12 and a Dexterity score of at least 14. If both his Wisdom and Dexterity
scores are 14 or higher, the kensai earns a 10% bonus on all experience points. The kensai must be lawful,
although he can be good, evil, or neutral. Only human, hengeyokai, and spirit folk characters can be kensai.
Kensai use 10-sided dice to determine their hit points, gaining one die per level. They use the combat
and saving throw tables of fighters. They can use any weapon but cannot wear armor. Gaining proficiency in
and using weapons preferred by ninja causes the kensai to lose honor, unless it is his chosen weapon.
The player must select one weapon or unarmed fighting style for his kensai character. The character
automatically receives a proficiency (but not specialization) in that weapon or style without expending any
proficiency slots. He begins the game with three proficiency slots. Only one of these can be used for a second
weapon proficiency. The remaining slots must be filled with peaceful skills.

The kensai does not receive the Reaction/Attacking Adjustment or the Defensive Adjustment for a high
Dexterity score. Instead a kensai begins with a natural armor class between 9 and 5. To find his armor class,
subtract the character's Dexterity score from 23. The result is the character's natural armor class. For example, a
kensai with Dexterity 16 has a natural AC of 7. Thereafter, his natural armor class improves by one step
for every three levels he attains (one step at 3d, another at 6th, etc.).

He also automatically has a + 1 bonus on
all initiative rolls, for both melee and missile combat. If the kensai is fighting as part of a group, the bonus
applies only to him. Thus, he may be able to act before the rest of the party. This initiative bonus rises to + 2 at
5th-level and + 3 at 9th level.

Furthermore, the kensai receives a + 1 bonus on all saving throws.

Through training with his particular weapon and his mental practice, the kensai learns to focus his ki
power. This lets him cause maximum damage with a single attack when using his specialized weapon. The
player must announce that the kensai character is using this power before rolling the die to determine whether
the kensai hits his opponent. If the opponent is hit, the weapon automatically causes its maximum damage plus
any other damage bonuses the kensai has. The kensai can use this power a number of times per day equal to his
level. Thus a 5th-level kensai can use his ki power five times in a single day.

When a kensai engages in a psychic duel with a character who is not a kensai, he gains a + 2 bonus on
his die roll when resolving the duel. When a kensai engages in a psychic duel with another kensai, only the
levels of the characters are used.
All kensai are immune to fear.

In addition to the above abilities, the kensai gain the following powers when they reach the appropriate level.

At 2nd level he causes one additional point of damage when using his specialty weapon. This increases
by one again at 5th, 8th, 10th, and 12th level, for a total damage bonus of + 5.

At 3rd level he gets a + 1 bonus on his dice rolls to hit. This also allows him to hit creatures that
normally can be hit only by magical + 1 weapons. Both of these bonuses increase by one when the character
reaches 5th, 8th, 10th, and 12th levels, for a total of + 5 to hit and the equivalence of a magical + 5 weapon.

At 4th level he can meditate like a shukenja.

At 5th level he gains an additional + 1 on initiative dice rolls, for a total modifier of + 2. This increases
by one again when the character reaches 9th level, for a total initiative bonus of + 3.

At 6th level the kensai is surprised only on a roll of 1 on 1d6.

At 7th level he can use two weapons simultaneously with no penalty. He also causes fear the same as a
samurai (q.v.).

At 9th level the kensai attracts 1 d6 pupils, drawn by his great renown as a master of his weapon. All
pupils are 1st-level kensai. These pupils stay at the school of the master, studying under and serving him. There
is a 5% chance per level that a pupil ends his studies with that master and leaves to pursue his own course. In
addition, should the master ever lose a duel to a lower level kensai, there is a 50% chance per pupil that the
pupil will leave the service of the defeated master. When a kensai master defeats a higher level kensai character
in a duel, he gains 1-2 additional pupils. Again, these are all 1st-level kensai. All pupils specialize in the same
weapon as the master.

At 11th level the kensai can make a whirlwind attack.

This is an additional ki power. The kensai
concentrates his bodily energy and bursts into a blurring whirlwind of motion. This ability requires all of the
character's ki power for the day (i.e., he cannot have used any ki power previously that day). The whirlwind
attack can only be made with the specialty weapon. Using this power, the kensai can attack all opponents within
10 feet of him once in the same round. Both sides must roll for initiative (the kensai's initiative bonuses do
apply) and the kensai cannot use his ki power to guarantee maximum damage. However, all other to hit and
damage bonuses apply. The kensai can attack every opponent within range at the instant of the attack,
regardless of the number of attacks he normally is allowed. All attacks occur when dictated by the initiative roll.

Table 19: KENSAI BONUSES

Experience  Level	Initiative  Bonus	AC Bonus	Damage  Bonus	To Hit  Bonus	Special Abilities
1	+ 1	0	0	0	-
2	+ 1	0	+ 1	0	-
3	+ 1	+ 1	+ 1	+ 1	-
4	+ 1	+ 1	+ 1	+ 1	meditation
5	+ 2	+ 1	+ 2	+ 2	-
6	+ 2	+ 2	+ 2	+ 2	1/6 surprise
7	+ 2	+ 2	+ 2	+ 2	two weapons, fear
8	+ 2	+ 3	+ 3	+ 3	-
9	+ 3	+ 3	+ 3	+ 3	1-6 pupils
10	+ 3	+ 4	+ 4	+ 4	-
11	+ 3	+ 4	+ 4	+ 4	whirlwind attack
12	+ 3	+ 4	+ 5	+ 5	-

Restrictions: Because of his dedication to perfecting his combat art, the kensai must follow certain restrictions. He
can never use a magical weapon of the type he specializes in, since such a weapon is not a true measure of his
skill. All types of armor are prohibited for the same reason. If a kensai fights with a weapon other than the one
he specializes in, he gains only one-half the usual experience for opponents he defeats with it. This applies even
if only part of the fighting was done with a different weapon (unless the kensai was fighting with his specialty
weapon and another weapon at once). If he defeats another kensai in a duel, he earns double the normal amount
of experience. A duel can be fought with a particular opponent only once per level.
A kensai must train and practice for at least two hours a day. Any practice over two hours has no
additional effect. Ignoring practice has no immediate effect; it comes into play when the character is ready to
advance to the next level. Every two-hour practice session skipped must be made up before the character can
advance. When catching up on missed practice, the character can practice up to four hours per day: two hours
for that day's practice and two hours making up for the missed practice. For example, Kiyomori misses six days
of practice while on an adventure. When he returns home he has enough experience to advance a level, but he
cannot advance until he practices for six more days, four hours per day, to make up for the days he missed.

Level Advancement: Each time a kensai advances a level, there is a percentage chance equal to 10 times his new level that he
will be challenged to a duel. The challenger is a kensai of the same level that the character just attained. A duel
is a one-on-one fight between two characters. Neither character can receive aid or support from anyone else.
Kensai characters cannot use magical weapons or armor in a duel. The duel can be a very formal affair at a
pre-arranged site and time, or an impromptu meeting of two characters.

    If the character refuses to duel, he forfeits his newly gained level, losing just enough experience points
    to place him at the bottom of his old level. In addition, he loses honor.

    If he accepts the duel and loses, he also loses both. honor and his new level, the same as if he had
    refused the duel. This duel doesn't need to be fought to the death, however; the duelists can agree on any
    conditions. Surrender, first blood, or first strike are common ending conditions; even first draw can determine a
    victor, although this is rare. Note that when the character reaches 10th level, he must fight a duel to advance a
    level.

Duels: A kensai may be challenged to duel an NPC at any time, not just when he advances to a new level.
Refusing or losing such a duel costs the kensai honor, but does not cause him to lose a level of experience.

Birth Rank, Family, & Honor: A kensai need not be of high birth as the practices and techniques of the class are available to everyone.
However, family and honor are important. The player must roll on Table 38: Character Birth. Until the kensai
develops a reputation for his skill, he is treated socially according to his birth. Gaining and maintaining honor
are a vital part of the kensai's life; any kensai whose honor falls below his family's honor loses his status in the
class. Thereafter the kensai is treated as a bushi of the same level (experience points are adjusted accordingly)
and advances in level according to the bushi character class. He loses none of the abilities he had as a kensai,
but he can never gain new kensai abilities.

Q: How does a kensai learn a martial
arts style? Can a kensai select a martial
arts style as his secondary weapon?

A: Kensai learn martial arts just like other
characters do. A 1st-level kensai who
selects a martial arts style gets the style
without spending a slot, and could use his
other weapon slot to learn a special
maneuver. Yes, a martial arts style is an
acceptable second weapon. Remember
also that a kensai can add additional weapons
or special maneuvers as he gains new
slots. The one additional weapon restriction
applies only to the three slots the
kensai has at 1st level.
(121.20)
 

Q: Shouldn't a kensai character get
the fast draw ability with his chosen
weapon?

A: Kensai can learn iaijutsu, but if this
ability is taken at 1st level, the kensai
cannot take a second weapon.
(121.22)
 

Q: The rules say that when two kensai
are engaged in a psychic duel,
only the levels of the kensai affect
the outcome. Does this mean the
higher-level kensai always wins?
What about two kensai of equal
level?

A: The higher-level kensai does not always
win. Use the normal procedure, as neither
kensai gains a bonus against the other.
(121.22)

SUMMARY

* The kensai begins with a natural AC between 9 and 5.
* To find his AC, subtract the character's Dexterity score from 23.
* For example, a kensai with Dexterity 16 has a natural AC of 7.
* Thereafter, his natural AC improves by one step for every three levels he attains (one step at 3d, another at 6th, etc.).
* He also automatically has a +1 bonus on all initiative rolls, for both melee and missile combat.
* This initiative bonus rises to +2 at 5th-level and +3 at 9th level.
* Furthermore, the kensai receives a +1 bonus on all saving throws.

* Thus a 5th-level kensai can use his ki power five times in a single day.

* When a kensai engages in a psychic duel with a character who is not a kensai, he gains a +2 bonus on his die roll when resolving the duel.

* At 2nd level he causes one additional point of damage when using his specialty weapon.
* This increases by one again at 5th, 8th, 10th, and 12th level, for a total damage bonus of +5.

* At 3d level he gets a +1 bonus on his dice rolls to hit.
* This also allows him to hit creatures that normally can be hit only by magical +1 weapons.
* Both of these bonuses increase by one when the character reaches 5th, 8th, 10th, and 12th levels, for a total of +5 to hit and the equivalence of a magical +5 weapon.

* At 4th level he can meditate like a shukenja.

* At 5th level he gains an additional +1 on initiative dice rolls, for a total modifier of +2.
* This increases by one again when the character reaches 9th level, for a total initiative bonus of +3.

* At 6th level the kensai is surprised only on a roll of 1 on 1d6.

* At 7th level he can use two weapons simultaneously with no penalty.

* At 9th level the kensai attracts 1d6 pupils, drawn by his great renown as a master of his weapon.
* All pupils are 1st-level kensai.
* There is a 5% chance per level that a pupil ends his studies with that master and leaves to pursue his own course.
* In addition, should the master ever lose a duel to a lower level kensai, there is a 50% chance per pupil that the pupil will leave the service of the defeated master.
* When a kensai master defeats a higher level kensai character in a duel, he gains 1-2 additional pupils.
* Again, these are all 1st-level kensai.

* At 11th level the kensai can make a whirlwind attack.
* Using this power, the kensai can attack all opponents within 10 feet of him once in the same round.

* Each time a kensai advances a level, there is a percentage chance equal to 10 times his new level that he will be challenged to a duel.

* Note that when the character reaches 10th level, he must fight a duel to advance a level.

* The player must roll on Table 38: Character Birth.

KENSAI

1. SUBCLASS = fighter
2. SOCIAL CLASS MINIMUM = roll on Birth Rank table required
3. ABILITY SCORE MINIMUMS
    STRENGTH = 12
    INTELLIGENCE = 6
    WISDOM = 12:14
    DEXTERITY = 14:14
    CONSTITUTION = 6
    CHARISMA = 6
    COMELINESS = 3
    PERCEPTION =
4. POSSIBLE RACES & MAX. LEVEL ATTAINABLE = hengeyokai (6), human (U) spirit folk (9)
5. MULTI-CLASS POSSIBILITIES = none
6. HIT DIE TYPE = d10
7. MAXIMUM NUMBER OF HIT DICE = 9
8. SPELL ABILITY = none
9. ARMOR PERMITTED = none
10. SHIELD PERMITTED = none
11. WEAPONS PERMITTED = any (Proficiency in or use of ninja preferred weapons will lead to a loss of honor for the character.)
12. OIL PERMITTED = yes
13. POISON PERMITTED = DM's option
14. ALIGNMENT = LG, LN, LE
15. STARTING MONEY = 1-4 ch'ien + 1-10 tael (ch'ao) (5-20 gp + 10-100 sp)
16. WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = one weapon or martial arts style (free @L1) : see 25.
17. NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY = -3
18. NON-WEAPON PROFICIENCIES = see 25.
19. STARTING AGE =
20. COMBAT = fighter (4-7: 3/2) (8-14: 2/1) (15+: 5/2)
21. SAVING THROWS = fighter (+1 bonus)
22. MAGIC ITEMS =
23. FAMILY = required
24. HONOR = 25 + lowest ability score (if no family)
    Losing a duel vs. NPC: -3
    Overindulgence in food or drink: -2
    Proficiency in a ninja-preferred weapon (unless specialized weapon): -5
    Refusing a duel vs. NPC: -5
    Using a ninja-preferred weapon (unless specialized weapon): -1
    Victorious against overwhelming odds: +3
    Winning a duel vs. NPC: +1
    Honor awards for kensai duels are only given for fighting a particular
    NPC once per level. A second duel with the same NPC will have no effect
    until the PC advances in level.
25. SKILLS = 3@L1 (max. of 1 slot for additional <?> weapon), 4@L2, 5@L4, 6@L6, 7@L8, 8@L10